Did you observe Miles coaching at all? Care to share any details/thoughts?
I'd actually take the win vs Northwestern at home. When we are winning the games we're supposed to win(along with toss ups) at home on a consistent basis, we'll be fully stable as a program. A loss to a FUGLY Northwestern squad, where we'll probably be two touchdown favorites, would be BRUTAL. I'd probably be physically ill. If we lose to Iowa, that's no fun, but they bludgeon teams at home. No harm done.
If you believe this, I have some swamp land to sell you in Florida.
That 2.7M is only the city boundaries. If you include the Chicagoland area(suburbs), we're talking what....9M to 9.5M people?
This is what, probably the fifth week in a row that you've thought this? Iowa may win, just because they are really, really good, but getting turnovers in high volume are not a miracle. It's a taught trait. The Bears, under Lovie, must have had a lot of miracles because when he left....the new coaching staffs didn't experience that same divine intervention until Fangio came and the miracles returned.
Forcing fumbles is a skill (sometimes). Recovering fumbles is not.
Read this article (specifically the "Yellow" section): https://illiniboard.com/story/2019/11/18/red-yellow-green/
Robert is right on the money, but the idea that Illinois has the skill to force fumbles in the right places doesn't make sense. Do they forget how to force fumbles in the backfield then suddenly remember 15 yards down the field?
You are correct that the recovery of the ball is not a skill. If anyone says that they know where an oblong, misshapen ball(keep it clean fellas) is going to bounce....they're lying. You're right about that.
Here is another possible aspect. Once the ball gets past the LOS gauntlet, most players loosen up to get more speed or maneuvering. Also, a lot of our TOs are coming from blind side hits that create the shock factor. It seems to me that our D is flying to the ball a lot more this year. More orange helmets in the area means a higher chance of recovery. Just thinking out load. Now back to your show.
The majority of tackles aren’t made in the backfield, but I wish our’s were.
This may be the largest improvement in our defense. For the past several years I wish I had a nickel for every time I yelled "how can they be that wide open?" when our defense was on the field. This year, not as much.
