Illinois 30, Toledo 28 Postgame

#326      

aaeismacgychel

A
aaeismacgychel
mhuml32 said:
Just one game.......... but is Illinois about to pump out a string of excellent safeties?
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We really might. Our safeties in coverage were pretty much lights out last night. Really good positioning, really good movement with the ball in the air, and shut down Toledo's deep game. Honestly, the secondary as a whole was fantastic with only McCantos getting picked on a bit, and that's a really good sign headed into this season.
 
#327      

Navy_illini

N
Navy_illini
Fuze said:
I think the issue is for some reason the Block I leaders aren't pushing for volume as much as they need to be and when the student section doesn't, no one really does because the 400 members of the band can only do so much. Part of the issue is in the first quarter when they should be setting the tone for the game, the leaders were all busy handing out the cards for the card stunts and directing the students on how to do it. I know that's supposed to be Block I's thing and stuff, but it shouldn't come at the expense of cheering which it seemed to do a little bit.

The band thing is a larger conversation. I'm biased as a band member, but imo all stadiums should give the bands good seats. There are a few reasons for that that vary from being good hosts, keeping them away from cheaper seats and therefore the less pleasant fans, as well as being better logistically for halftime. I'd rather us be in the group of schools doing it right instead of like Michigan or Minnesota and putting them in the most inconvenient spot of the stadium. The SEC actually has a rule requiring that visiting bands be given 100-level seats which is something that should be standard. If we're convinced that giving visiting bands good seats is part of our environmental issues, we'll never have a good environment. 2 of the greatest environments in the country, Ohio State and Penn State, both put visiting bands in the 100 level. Also, if we treat visiting bands well, it puts us in a better position to call out when other schools treat MI poorly on road trips. Moral high ground is always good to have.
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I would be fine with a conference rule but the opposing team band should not be closer to our fans than our band. I think bands add to the college atmosphere and you know who is playing by the annoying songs playing over and over ie LSU, USC, ND, Wisky etc

I am also fine if an opposing school gives us good seats we should do the same. If scUM doesn’t then when they come they should get the nose bleeds
 
#328      

aaeismacgychel

A
aaeismacgychel
BretMyBeachHouse said:
You've got me thinking on the snaps. Perhaps it was communication between Kreutz and Altmyer. I'm no expert, but I believe our linemen are going on the QBs voice. The defense is probably looking at the ball? Is the center is getting a physical signal from the QB (pressure on his a$$ perhaps) that tells him the next call is the snap? Perhaps Kreutz is anticipating it too much? Or Altmyer (inexperienced) is too slow?

Anyway, it would be nice if this very fixable item was the problem.
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The fact that Kreutz graded out so highly in PFF makes me pretty optimistic this is the case. Means that he's graded out as doing a really solid job in protection, and when combined with no snap exchange issues, that tells me that Kreutz and Altmyer might have been on the same page but the verbal cadence to snap timing was not what the rest of the line was expecting given the slow jumps.

We'll see for sure in the coming weeks if this is the case. But if it is, it'll be a quick fix.
 
#329      

spotter

S
spotter
STOP. DUMB. PENALTIES!!!!
Defensive line needs to disrupt more.
Special teams look good.
Offensive line needs to create more holes for RBs.
Beckman and Zook teams would have packed it in at 19-7.
Martin made a good point on the radio. Team won, but looked bad. Team will be coachable as staff tries to clean up all the shortcomings this week. Team
certainly can't think they can roll out of bed and recreate their way to 9-3.
I hated everyone and everything at 19-7. Hate gone but I will be watching closely to see how the team plays this week. KU will be tough, but an intense, engaged week of practice should make a big difference.
 
#332      

POWURR

POWURR
From Downtown
POWURR
pruman91 said:
BTW , that we WON..............................the armchair QB's are out tonight ........Is it a full moon or what........Yikes........

SMH .....for some illogical reason I thought the Fighting Illini , coming back from a 19-7 deficit and WINNING the game might quell the usual negative banter so often professed here lately , but again I am wrong in my belief that a great win tonight would be praised and cherished instead of the needless picking apart of our weakness' after the FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON......

silly me...........snarkyness has a foothold here and won't be tamed in the near future............all opinions are to be posted and I wholeheartedly support that stance , but some reasoning and logic should accompany all the snarkyness.......

Again , the radio color guy for us , Martin O'Donnell stated close to halftime that the refs would need to soak their flag throwing arms in a bucket of ice water or their arms might break off with the number of penalties in the first half.......

I'm already looking forward to next weeks game , on the road , against a Big 12 opponent.........I really really am.............

JMHO.......................
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Clap Reaction GIF
 
#333      

1970 John

1970 John
1970 John
Fuze said:
I think the issue is for some reason the Block I leaders aren't pushing for volume as much as they need to be and when the student section doesn't, no one really does because the 400 members of the band can only do so much. Part of the issue is in the first quarter when they should be setting the tone for the game, the leaders were all busy handing out the cards for the card stunts and directing the students on how to do it. I know that's supposed to be Block I's thing and stuff, but it shouldn't come at the expense of cheering which it seemed to do a little bit.
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I’m old, really old, but Block I now isn’t what it once was. Now it’s just anyone who shows up. Bs k in the day we had our own section, we had our own tickets and came in through the Northeast Gate, right onto the track and then up to the stands. East Block was was about the 40 yard line, filling a section. West Block was in West Balcony (when it was as big as the East Balcony is now).

To be a member of Block I you had to come to a practice before the first game. You learned how to quickly pass the dickies and clip your stunt card to the dickie of person in front of you.

You learned how to handle your cards so you wouldn’t be seen shuffling through them. You’d know how to lean down over your cards together, then come up together, then back down. Hold the card to your nose.

Is this rocket surgery? No. But you knew what you were doing and you looked like America’s first card section. It was something to be proud being part of. And even for students who were watching, it was not just something thrown together. I don’t fault the student leaders of Block I today. They have an impossible task. Go back to two Blocks, West Msin and East Balcony. Yep, won’t happen.

I just feel, returning after having been away for decades, students are getting the short end of the stick.
 
#336      

BashCtIllini

BashCtIllini
BashCtIllini
Fuze said:
I think the issue is for some reason the Block I leaders aren't pushing for volume as much as they need to be and when the student section doesn't, no one really does because the 400 members of the band can only do so much. Part of the issue is in the first quarter when they should be setting the tone for the game, the leaders were all busy handing out the cards for the card stunts and directing the students on how to do it. I know that's supposed to be Block I's thing and stuff, but it shouldn't come at the expense of cheering which it seemed to do a little bit.

The band thing is a larger conversation. I'm biased as a band member, but imo all stadiums should give the bands good seats. There are a few reasons for that that vary from being good hosts, keeping them away from cheaper seats and therefore the less pleasant fans, as well as being better logistically for halftime. I'd rather us be in the group of schools doing it right instead of like Michigan or Minnesota and putting them in the most inconvenient spot of the stadium. The SEC actually has a rule requiring that visiting bands be given 100-level seats which is something that should be standard. If we're convinced that giving visiting bands good seats is part of our environmental issues, we'll never have a good environment. 2 of the greatest environments in the country, Ohio State and Penn State, both put visiting bands in the 100 level. Also, if we treat visiting bands well, it puts us in a better position to call out when other schools treat MI poorly on road trips. Moral high ground is always good to have.
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My friends and I got singled out and yelled at multiple times in my Block I days. We would not line up and row at the end of the half while the game was going on. Also liked to hold up the brown card for every stunt.

Was always very annoying to have the "leaders" acting as wannabe cheerleaders while some of us were interested in the game, and drunk. For some games, very very drunk.
 
#337      

SweetLou2020

S
SweetLou2020
I have seen a lot of comments about the MAC and how Toledo is inferior to illinois, etc. I get it, but Illinois is predicted as middle of the pack in the B 10. The top team in the MAC has a proven history of being on par with the middle B 10 teams, in most sports. Yesterday's game should not be a surprise.
 
#338      

1970 John

1970 John
1970 John
BashCtIllini said:
My friends and I got singled out and yelled at multiple times in my Block I days. We would not line up and row at the end of the half while the game was going on. Also liked to hold up the brown card for every stunt.

Was always very annoying to have the "leaders" acting as wannabe cheerleaders while some of us were interested in the game, and drunk. For some games, very very drunk.
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When was this?
 
#339      

BretMyBeachHouse

B
BretMyBeachHouse
SweetLou2020 said:
I have seen a lot of comments about the MAC and how Toledo is inferior to illinois, etc. I get it, but Illinois is predicted as middle of the pack in the B 10. The top team in the MAC has a proven history of being on par with the middle B 10 teams, in most sports. Yesterday's game should not be a surprise.
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Not sure why you added "most sports". I'm thinking in football that might be accurate some seasons.

In terms of basketball, the MAC is pretty much a one bid league and their best team likely would be a near cellar dweller in the big ten.

No shame in this win. They're a good team, First game.
 
#340      

pruman91

pruman91
Paducah, Ky
pruman91
Mr. Tibbs said:
First five minutes of the game we controlled
They pretty much controlled the remaining 55 minutes

we really rarely seemed to be in sync on either side of the ball . it was weird .

it’s a solvable problem just weird that Toledo dictated the flow of the entire game after our opening drive
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hmmm,,,,,,,I respect your opinion but I have to disagree with your total game controllable time ........When they went up 19-7 our fighting Illini then scored the next 20 points , so how did we do that with the mud hens controlling the game ??.....

Not trying to be snarky but I think we also controlled the last 2 minutes with our drive for the winning TD......That leads me to surmise it was roughly they controlled about 35 minutes and we had around 25 minutes of time.......
The first Illini drive for the TD was awesome but that was about all we got in the first half.....Then the mud hens took the 2nd half kickoff possession down for their good TD drive,,,,,,,

Anyway you slice up the time , the Illini cleaned up big time during that 20 point run on both sides of scrimmage.......

Bottom line is we won against a good Toledo team and are 1-0 heading to our 1st road game against another good team.....I believe the Illini will win but I am going to hold off on my prediction until later on in the week........

JMHO

GO ILLINI !!!!!
 
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#345      

Illini in Italy

Illini in Italy
Illini in Italy
Bbuck21 said:
Agreed. But, I have been watching college and NFL football since the late 60's. I consider myself a "reasonable" evaluator. I know it is only one game. IMHO, Altmeyer has the tools; phyisically, mentally, competitively, leadership wise to be a winner. I am going to wait awhile before getting carried away with predictions for his future. But, I think he will be more important and "successful" for this program than Dave Wilson and Juice Wiliams. From the QB position, there is nobody else I can think of. Alright, I'm ready for the barrage of "you're an idiot"
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You're not.

from the first series of the game my thoughts we're along the lines of "Maynard, we have ourselves a Quarterback!" we haven't had a QB with his complete skill set since . . . maybe never? Runs like Juice, passes like Wilson . . . the future is bright in the QB room.
 
#347      

Mr. Tibbs

Mr. Tibbs
southeast DuPage
Mr. Tibbs
Luke seems like the real deal to me
but it’s just one game

I have to wonder why Kiffin didn’t see that in the 2 years he was on the roster at Ole Miss - why was he not able to show that during practice and his limited time on the field there ?

but from a complete package perspective - maybe our best college QB since Kitner
 
#348      

Mr. Tibbs

Mr. Tibbs
southeast DuPage
Mr. Tibbs
john1952 said:
After the Toledo game I watched last years last second loss to Michigan

Last year defense appeared to be more disruptive, quicker to the ball, faster, and seemed to hit harder.
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Syd & Spoon set that tempo & attitude
we need a couple guys to do that this year .
some one will