Did not empty the play book at all. Dominated with a vanilla offense and hope to catch IU off guard next week.
Illinois 38, Wyoming 6 Postgame
I'm hoping the Defense was as VANILLA as the offense was. Was it planned to get the 2nd string LB's playing time because of their inexperience? The DB' all looked good. The front 7, I couldn't tell. There was really no push up front.
Yeah... The One's (first string) went 0-11... It was the two's that allowed that 3rd down conversion... they'll be in for some trash this week...
Great win. Tough injury results but hope nothing too serious. Great job by the D although Wyoming’s QB was pretty terrible. We will need to have a better deep passing game in order to do anything in the big ten but chase brown is a stud.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
Maybe we didn’t open up the playbook that much, but I do believe I saw a much more effective scheme out there than what we’ve done in the past. We had guys open downfield and Devito seems like a QB that can get them the ball at the right time. I’m very optimistic we nailed it at OC, and I can’t wait to see what we look like at full speed. Hopefully we stay healthy enough to get to full speed.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Just got back from the game. Great win to start the season, but a couple of observations:
1. Our defense against the run needs some work. We gave up 182 yards to a Mountain West team. That's not horrible, but that's also not particularly good. Top tier B1G teams may run all over us.
2. After some spotty play in the late 1st and early 2nd quarter, DeVito looked good. I thought he was throwing behind his receivers for a while but then he turned it around.
3. Our secondary performed very very well today, as did our pass rush. Guys were getting their hands on the ball to break up plays (those 2 "shoulda been" interceptions were heartbreakers) and Wyoming receivers couldn't get to the ball.
4. Our run game seemed really inconsistent, especially up the middle. I think some O-line work will shore this up, but I don't think running off center is going to be a strength this year.
5. Someone said earlier that MS didn't run out of water this year--I couldn't find any on the East Main at the beginning of Q4.
6. FG kicking. Ouch.
It was a great August day for a football game, and we're 1-0!!!! On to Indinia.
1. Our defense against the run needs some work. We gave up 182 yards to a Mountain West team. That's not horrible, but that's also not particularly good. Top tier B1G teams may run all over us.
2. After some spotty play in the late 1st and early 2nd quarter, DeVito looked good. I thought he was throwing behind his receivers for a while but then he turned it around.
3. Our secondary performed very very well today, as did our pass rush. Guys were getting their hands on the ball to break up plays (those 2 "shoulda been" interceptions were heartbreakers) and Wyoming receivers couldn't get to the ball.
4. Our run game seemed really inconsistent, especially up the middle. I think some O-line work will shore this up, but I don't think running off center is going to be a strength this year.
5. Someone said earlier that MS didn't run out of water this year--I couldn't find any on the East Main at the beginning of Q4.
6. FG kicking. Ouch.
It was a great August day for a football game, and we're 1-0!!!! On to Indinia.
He also seemed to avoid fixating on only one receiver and deftly threw the ball away when nobody was open. I don't think he was sacked even once, he moved up in the pocket nicely when appropriate and clearly wasn't interested in running, which, considering the injury history we've had recently with our QBs, was good to see.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Outstanding news if it’s not a long term situation for McCray
37k.
This was my takeaway as well. We looked much better than I expected and Wyoming looked much worse than I expected. While it is a rebuilding year for them, Wyoming generally has a very solid football team, one that certainly can hold their own against power conference competition, so seeing us dismantle them is both impressive for us and probably pretty scary for Wyoming fans.
Our defensive coverage was superb today. We'll need to get more pressure on the QB from our front 4 for B10 play, but if we do, look out, as this might just be the best team in coverage we've seen since 2001. There just weren't a whole lot of gaps for Wyoming to fit the ball into. On offense, Devito looked really good to me. Calm and collected in the pocket, and a quick accurate delivery. Our RBs are the real deal and if our OL can win their battles in run protection against stacked boxes, similar to this game, Chase Brown will go for 100+ every game this season.
Very solid 1st game and makes me a lot more optimistic against Indiana. We looked really good out there today. While we have an incredibly tough schedule this year, if we can consistently play like this, we'll make that bowl game.
My big takeaway from today ( which isn't a shocker) is that our coaching is better than Nebraska's
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
Good
1. IW11 just had cramps. Phew
2. The defensive secondary shouldn't be catching any babies in the delivery room but they were excellent in coverage. Really impressed with the second-string options too.
3. Guards and tackles looked great. Really enjoyed watching Pearl.
4. Robertson with a great first appearance. Also handled a high snap with ease.
5. Chase Brown was too much for Wyoming. Could have easily passed 225 rushing yards if it was needed.
6. Reggie Love deserves seconds string carries if McCray doesn't play against Indiana.
7. A blowout without having to reveal much in the passing game + plenty of reps for the second string was a dream scenario for the coaching staff. Easy to assume plenty was left in the playbook.
Bad
1. Was not a good first appearance for Pihlstrom at center. Penalties and penetration did him in.
2. Griffin struggled. As a defense, his third FG attempt was very deep. Still, this offense can't afford empty possessions due to missed FGs
3. It wasn't needed but defensive line pressure was lacking. Might have been a schematic choice with Wyoming running the ball successfully and their QB was awful.
TBD
1. Not sure if TE usage is about to down significantly with the new OC. Might have mothballed it with Indiana next week.
1. IW11 just had cramps. Phew
2. The defensive secondary shouldn't be catching any babies in the delivery room but they were excellent in coverage. Really impressed with the second-string options too.
3. Guards and tackles looked great. Really enjoyed watching Pearl.
4. Robertson with a great first appearance. Also handled a high snap with ease.
5. Chase Brown was too much for Wyoming. Could have easily passed 225 rushing yards if it was needed.
6. Reggie Love deserves seconds string carries if McCray doesn't play against Indiana.
7. A blowout without having to reveal much in the passing game + plenty of reps for the second string was a dream scenario for the coaching staff. Easy to assume plenty was left in the playbook.
Bad
1. Was not a good first appearance for Pihlstrom at center. Penalties and penetration did him in.
2. Griffin struggled. As a defense, his third FG attempt was very deep. Still, this offense can't afford empty possessions due to missed FGs
3. It wasn't needed but defensive line pressure was lacking. Might have been a schematic choice with Wyoming running the ball successfully and their QB was awful.
TBD
1. Not sure if TE usage is about to down significantly with the new OC. Might have mothballed it with Indiana next week.
While we didn't complete much downfield, 71% completion rate and spreading the ball to a variety of pass catchers has me positively giddy. it looks like real offensive football out there
A+, on my way to watch this now.How I do love an ultimate Vanilla Vanilla game.
Illini_1979
- Oregon
My take was that we played very vanilla on both sides of the ball and still racked up almost 500 yards and held Wyoming to less than 250. Yes, its a mountain west team but a couple of years ago, we had to play comeback again a just as bad of a team in UConn. We took what Wyoming gave us without opening up the playbook. We were blocking straight up and still we found holes to run through. First game of the year with a new QB and OC, I will give it a 9. We were not going to show IU anything. I will take boring every time if it accounts for wins. We never ran 1 play action from what I saw. Clean up the stupid penalties and we will throttle IU next week. I do not think the schedule is that difficult. 7 wins should be number but we could win 8.
Good win. Did what they needed to against a team that for my eyes didn’t look very good. Doubt we’ll face a QB again this year that is that bad in passing game. But game was never in doubt and didn’t give away much about offense and defense schemes for going forward, and that is what I wanted from this game.
For me Chase Brown (surprise, surprise) and the DBs were the stars of the game. I do think that this was more a case of their bad QB making our DBs look good rather than them making him look bad, but still hard not to be impressed by the defensive backfield.
I wasn’t overly impressed by DeVito, but he looked competent at least. I hope some of the being underwhelmed by his performance was the “vanillaness” of the offense today. That said, he did seem to have good command of the situation and I liked that 12 or 13 guys had receptions today. Interestingly, I don’t believe Ford was one of those with a reception. Wonder if part of that was not showing too much to our future opponents.
We’ll certainly know a lot more after next week’s game. For me, this game didn’t change my thoughts about this team all that much — but the little change was toward the positive.
For me Chase Brown (surprise, surprise) and the DBs were the stars of the game. I do think that this was more a case of their bad QB making our DBs look good rather than them making him look bad, but still hard not to be impressed by the defensive backfield.
I wasn’t overly impressed by DeVito, but he looked competent at least. I hope some of the being underwhelmed by his performance was the “vanillaness” of the offense today. That said, he did seem to have good command of the situation and I liked that 12 or 13 guys had receptions today. Interestingly, I don’t believe Ford was one of those with a reception. Wonder if part of that was not showing too much to our future opponents.
We’ll certainly know a lot more after next week’s game. For me, this game didn’t change my thoughts about this team all that much — but the little change was toward the positive.
DeVito won a fan today. Nice escapability, EXCELLENT decision-making (to this no-nothing eye). I'm so used to yelling at the qb to get rid of it, and he was always one step ahead of me. Very refreshing. Accuracy isn't Aaron Rogers level (yet
), but he made me think we might have a winner there. Obviously, we'll need to see how he does against better competition.Had the same thought especially w Walters. Can only hope Bielema is as good at replacing key assistants as his friend Underwood.
Are we living through best Illini coaching duo since Henson/White?
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Illinois starts fast, opens football season with a 38-6 win over Wyoming
Chase Brown's three touchdowns led the Illini to a season-opening win.
ANDERSON KIMBALL
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois’ introduction to the Barry Lunney offense couldn’t have gone any better.
The Illini got on the scoreboard 41 seconds into the game courtesy of a 14-yard touchdown pass from Tommy DeVito to Chase Brown, who got the offense in the red zone on a 38-yard run on the previous play.
"We talked about starting fast, and we couldn't ask for a better start," Illinois coach Bret Bielema said.
Results from then on were mixed in the Illini’s 38-6 win over Wyoming on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Chase Brown moved the ball at will with 151 rushing yards on 19 carries and three total scores. DeVito finished 27-for-37 with 192 yards and a pair of touchdown passes with a few misses on third downs that stalled Illini drives.
A pair of missed Caleb Griffin field goal attempts and some penalties proved wasteful with Illinois driving into Wyoming territory on seven of its first eight drives, but the Illini came away with just 17 first-half points.
The star of the day was Brown, who finished with 167 total yards. Brown had eclipsed the 100-yard mark by the beginning of the second quarter and was the focal point of a running game that consistently moved the ball.
With a spread offense, he had room to flourish behind an offensive line that got a good push, especially from its tackles Julian Pearl and Alex Palczewski, for most of the afternoon.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I’d be curious to see our seat allocation by section, because it looked packed on TV.