Illinois 43, Purdue 27 Postgame

[Second place is 1st loser]

It’s much more than a talent issue. We have good players, we are not good with open field tackles, we get virtually no pressure on the qb, but nobody can tell me we don’t have high level D1 players. If that’s issue, then isn’t it due because of poor recruiting or talent evaluation?

I love this team, but the issues on deeper on defense than us just saying everyone else has much better talent than us.

Old Dominion only gave up 27 points to Indiana, do they have way better talent than us on defense?

This is a part of it, but the other part is the demand to have absolutely no drop off from prior years.

We're on a historical run of sending elite level defensive backs to the NFL. We're not Bama. We can't just restock the shelves with NFL talent. We need to recruit and develop. Development takes time. Witherspoon wasn't the guy we see now when he stepped on campus.

We need to reel things in and still understand the type of program we are. We're no longer a doormat, but we're not OSU, Oregon, etc either.

 

[therealmiket86]

It’s much more than a talent issue. We have good players, we are not good with open field tackles, we get virtually no pressure on the qb, but nobody can tell me we don’t have high level D1 players. If that’s issue, then isn’t it due because of poor recruiting or talent evaluation?

I love this team, but the issues on deeper on defense than us just saying everyone else has much better talent than us.

Old Dominion only gave up 27 points to Indiana, do they have way better talent than us on defense?

A lot of blown assignments and guys out of place

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

3rd year as defensive coordinator.

Averaging 40.6 PPG given up in Big Ten play.

Good or bad?

Is the personnel we have even without X ..
41 ppg bad? No it's not.

I'm ripping this off of the Internet. Last year:

Overall Defensive Statistics(2024)

• Points Per Game (Opponent): 21.7
• Yards Per Game (Opponent): 373.2
• Passing Yards Per Game: 224.8
• Rushing Yards Per Game: 148.4
• Opp. Completion %: 59.0%
• Opp. Yards Per Pass: 4.4
• Opponent Points Per Game Rank: 31st in the nation

This year.....not as good. Why?

Edit:
Key Defensive Statistics (2023)

• Yards per Game:
  The Illinois defense allowed an average of 228.1 yards per game in the regular season.
  
  
• Rank:
  The team finished the regular season ranked 5th in the Big Ten in total defense.

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

Exactly! Also did we blitz or send more than 4 rushers at anytime today? A lot of times we only rushed 3.

Did you see the Purdue TD right before the half? That was a corner blitz and the safety blew coverage.

 

[spotter]

It helped that Purdue receivers had cement hands. So many missed chances for PU to extend drives. Illinois found a way to win it and we are anxious/critical of a 5-1 team.

But, if Illinois has this type of defense next week O$U wins by four TDs.

 

[pweo]

He is, but he hasn't been a difference maker this year. They get no pass rush and he's the tip of that sword. He needs to better, at very least, to help out a poor secondary.

He needs someone else to require some attention. I saw a play where he got chipped by a TE, blocked by an OL and the RB was ready to help. Is everyone else in a 1:1?

 

[HailtotheChief]

He's 100% right. The talent in the defensive backfield, both corners and safeties are below average. That's not even debatable. The front four gets no pass rush, which makes the situation worse.

We're playing pretty much a zone scheme because it's Henry's only option with trying to keep the other team's wideouts in front of the corners. He had to press the corners up because Purdue was dinking and dunking their way up the field and while they didn't do poorly, when they did try to get aggressive, the safeties were just awful.

The easy way to look at things to make yourself feel better is to think it's a coaching issue. The challenge is to look at reality and understand that this is a personnel issue, which is obviously much harder to fix.

A bye week will help. Something Brett did bring up.proir to the start of the season that ours is the latest of any B10 team. It would be nice to have aa bye week before OSU like Purdue did with us.

 

[STLini25]

If we played IU again, we would not get rolled like that again. If we played them at home, it'd be a USC type of game. That was IU's biggest game of the year, it was prime time, it was a blackout or water tf they called it and after the punting miscue, the blood was immediately in the water. Rushing for 2 yards and not being able to keep the defense off the field didn't help.

It was a mess from the start and it just snowballed.

ODU was just another game on their schedule. They went through the motions. Happens to every team.

That’s pretty optimistic. We’d be 14 point underdogs at home and 20 point underdogs at Indiana.

 

[BashCtIllini]

Feagin is decent - just not the dude we all were hoping he’d be for us .

he’s really never had that break out game & it is likely not his fault really . he’s just not that guy that is going to be the horse for us & rips off 140 yards on 22 carries

I would agree, except I think it is his fault. The natural comparison was always Derrick Henry. Like Derrick Henry, Feagin takes a bit of time to get up to speed. However, unlike Henry, Feagin doesn't punish anyone when he gets rolling. He slows down, apparently he thinks he is a smaller back that can make a quick cut. He's not. But what that does is take away his ability to run over people.

Because of that, he's just a big guy that can move the pile a bit, but doesn't get much more than what's blocked for him. Which is disappointing given what we expected.

 

[blackdog]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1974603351401885934

 

[Iamgroot]

Bingo. Buddy Ryan, while he was breathing and in his prime, was only as good as the talent he's been dealt. The defense has lost a LOT on all three levels, whether that be to graduation, to the NFL, to transferring or to them just not planning out.

The man isn't a miracle worker. He needs more talent to work with.

You do realize we have the 3rd highest retention from last year's squad in nation?I wouldn't say thats losing alot from last season the 2 biggest losses were at wr in Bryant and Franklin.the defense just hasn't progressed neither has the defensive play calling.i wouldn't say the play calling has been the biggest disappointment so far on defense besides creativity from the coordinator its just old school tackling we have to be towards the bottom in the nation defensively in yac and blown coverages

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

I would agree, except I think it is his fault. The natural comparison was always Derrick Henry. Like Derrick Henry, Feagin takes a bit of time to get up to speed. However, unlike Henry, Feagin doesn't punish anyone when he gets rolling. He slows down, apparently he thinks he is a smaller back that can make a quick cut. He's not. But what that does is take away his ability to run over people.

Because of that, he's just a big guy that can move the pile a bit, but doesn't get much more than what's blocked for him. Which is disappointing given what we expected.

I was kinda alluding to him missing 1/2 or more of each of his first two seasons & never being able to get an identity of what he can really excel at .

I so want him to do well , given his life story

 

[Chuck Nuggets]

I'll never take for granted a 16 point win in the Big 10, on the road, in a trophy game. Favored by 7/8 points, win by 16 on the road? Illinois could have played better, sure. And, what, won by 24 on the road at Purdue? 30? If a 16 point B10 road win leaves a lot to be desired, we're in pretty good shape.

I've got nothing to complain about. Get better through the week and hope Ohio State is flat next Saturday.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

Beatty will get all the flowers - and rightfully so - but I've been very impressed with Dixon. 70+ yards in three straight games.

Other than quarterback, reciever is by far the biggest strength.

 

[Iamgroot]

I would agree, except I think it is his fault. The natural comparison was always Derrick Henry. Like Derrick Henry, Feagin takes a bit of time to get up to speed. However, unlike Henry, Feagin doesn't punish anyone when he gets rolling. He slows down, apparently he thinks he is a smaller back that can make a quick cut. He's not. But what that does is take away his ability to run over people.

Because of that, he's just a big guy that can move the pile a bit, but doesn't get much more than what's blocked for him. Which is disappointing given what we expected.

Even if Derrick Henry does take time to get speed he dont hesitate to even run straight forward he has ran through pro bowlers.feagin has yet to show the will.i mean you'll comparing Derek Henry which is beyond crazy at this point in his career with the beloved just cause there both big backs.how about mikel leshoure comparison feagin is way fast then leshoure but just runs soft leshoure was carrying guys.its just not about talent or speed which I truly believe feagin had more then leshoure but its like the Dennis Rodman role in basketball its the will.feagin as of now has been softer then charmin.im not trying to pick on the kid but his first instinct when handed the ball is side step.lesoure 1st instinct was to run through or carry the guy in front of him feagin just hasn't shown that yet

 

[NarrowJ]

I'll never take for granted a 16 point win in the Big 10, on the road, in a trophy game. Favored by 7/8 points, win by 16 on the road? Illinois could have played better, sure. And, what, won by 24 on the road at Purdue? 30? If a 16 point B10 road win leaves a lot to be desired, we're in pretty good shape.

I've got nothing to complain about. Get better through the week and hope Ohio State is flat next Saturday.

Agreed.

Game total was 55.5 last I had seen it. Implied score with the spread something like 31-24.

 

[WhereDoWeStandWithStorr?]

we could theoretically get back all of the three RBs and four WRs next year? Depends on the 5 for 5.

 

[therealmiket86]

I would agree, except I think it is his fault. The natural comparison was always Derrick Henry. Like Derrick Henry, Feagin takes a bit of time to get up to speed. However, unlike Henry, Feagin doesn't punish anyone when he gets rolling. He slows down, apparently he thinks he is a smaller back that can make a quick cut. He's not. But what that does is take away his ability to run over people.

Because of that, he's just a big guy that can move the pile a bit, but doesn't get much more than what's blocked for him. Which is disappointing given what we expected.

Going from playing 1a football to big 10 football is a huge adjustment. When he runs down hill he is hard to bring down and falls forward

 

[Illiniindian]

The offense has been really good this year despite the offensive line and losing Bryant and Franklin. The defense is a bend and no break defense. There is no one on this defense a NFL player, period. You can have a bunch of returnees come back doesn't mean they will get better. I'm not impressed with the Illini 2nd and 3rd stringers. The depth on defense isn't that good. All the blame isn't on Henry alone. Bielema is a defensive guy. I was never impressed by Cox, Patterson and Bailey.

Gabe is not nfl material? I thought he was projected to make it??

 

[BalloonsTheElephant]

Going from playing 1a football to big 10 football is a huge adjustment. When he runs down hill he is hard to bring down and falls forward

We don't open up big enough holes for him to be effective up the middle and he's not shifty enough to make the first guy miss within the first 5 yards when he touches the ball. He's best in sweep/screen situations where he can get a bit of momentum built up and then he always falls forward for an extra 2 yards.

I don't know if it's his lost time or lack of confidence, but he's not getting that first cut this year. He's definitely more of a downhill back, but our line doesn't get him the looks he needs. I don't think many people want to tackle him when he's at speed in the open field.

 

[GoodePodzMelendez]

He is, but he hasn't been a difference maker this year. They get no pass rush and he's the tip of that sword. He needs to better, at very least, to help out a poor secondary.

I believe Henry is not using him correctly. He needs to be all over the line, rushing the QB like a Micah Parsons. We neede to unleash the beast next Saturday

 

[PleaseMakeABowlGame]

Beatty will get all the flowers - and rightfully so - but I've been very impressed with Dixon. 70+ yards in three straight games.

Other than quarterback, reciever is by far the biggest strength.

And people thought reciever was the weakness and the secondary was the strength.

Reciever was never going to be an issue with a quarterback that good.

 

[Illiniindian]

Stop making excuses for the players.

The lack of size, speed and athleticism is the issue.

Bielema hires quality guys. Guys he knows gets the job done. He hand picked Henry. I trust BB. On top of that, do you not think that BB is involved with the scheming on both sides of the ball?

The issue is recruiting. You can't replace NFL talent with guys that are average and expect the coordinator to perform miracles. We all saw what happened vs Indiana. This defense is not going to shut the water off on anyone. The talent just isn't there. After Indiana, all AH is trying to do is slow the offense down. He knows teams are going to score, but he wants them to take time and as many plays as possible to do it. Keep playmakers in front and hope for some mistakes. They've gotten some the last two weeks and the offense carried the game.

If Henry is the lead recruiter, then take some swings because that is where the issue lies.

Loren Tate has been saying this for 40 years.
Very difficult for a good but not great football program like Illinois to consistently out recruit the elite programs.

 

[Ander1345]

Can take all the corner blitzes in the playbook and throw them out.

I get that tendency breakers are useful sometimes, but in the spread offense era it's like trying to surprise someone from 20 yards away.

You can not win long term by giving away explosive plays. I think this and goal line fades are just bad plays.

 

[Iamgroot]

Going from playing 1a football to big 10 football is a huge adjustment. When he runs down hill he is hard to bring down and falls forward

When exactly has he ran downhill? He side steps more then the Texas 2 step and also for his size is a really disappointing blocker.maybe people were right in the off season he should of changed position to linebacker but if he hesitated there to might of found himself on the bench going forward where Sadly thats where he look8ng to be possibly going forward unless some drastic improvement. Who was the 5 star running back that contacted bret about joining the team in the portal and we supposedly turned him down before mccray left.is there any regrets on our part?especially with laughery not being able to stay healthy