Ohio State 42, Illinois 19 Postgame
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
A little tough to tell how to allocate our defensive problems between personnel, scheme, and Hauck just not being good as a first-time-ever DC
It has to be a playmaking defense, that is the design, negative plays, sacks, turnovers, etc. It is not that in any way, shape or form currently.
Proud of the team for not giving up. Our offense has some great weapons. They tried to take away Dixon and our other receivers stepped up. I'm interested to see how Platt fits in and spreads things out more. Houser has the arm to get it to him if he burns someone (just needs the time in the pocket!).
I think the defense is still figuring it out. Bailey had 14 tackles and some of them were bell-ringers!
I think the defense is still figuring it out. Bailey had 14 tackles and some of them were bell-ringers!
Absolute killer:
80% personnel. Ohio State would have put up even more on last year’s defense.
This is not how you win games with this time and situation (6 minutes left). You need to go 1/1 or 2/3 on 2 pt conversions. If you wait to try it later you eliminate the 2/3 chance.
Lost this one but actually had our chances, I feel a lot better about this team. Not the result we wanted, and this makes the Duke loss worse, but I think this is a seven win team.
I understand we were up against Ohio State and J Smith, but our secondary was supposed to be a strength, it's definitely not.
Our D is still slow and tentative. I think they are still trying to learn the defense and our athletes aren't high level. Maybe after the bye week the D will have it more figured out.
Our D is still slow and tentative. I think they are still trying to learn the defense and our athletes aren't high level. Maybe after the bye week the D will have it more figured out.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
This is an extremely bad defense and has been in all four games.
By those standards I thought they were sound-ish today playing an opponent who overmatched them, but then I hear things like "we had 9 players on the field at one point".
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
What bothers me is I know Bret is really smart and a good coach. Didn’t we realize we had some advantages on offense and a SERIOUS issue on defense? This seems like it could have been avoided and an infuriatingly wasted opportunity of a season.
I complain about the ugly-!!! Horseshoe more than anyone alive, but if I knew what our defense looked like, I’d want all $100 million of Gies’ money going toward the roster. We have put so much effort into changing the perception to “Illinois is an 8+ wins per year program” … this would be a terribly depressing year to lose that momentum.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
What? No. Last year’s defense ended the season in the 40s in the metrics. This year’s defense was in the 50s headed into this game. Will likely drop into the 60s afterwards.
Last year’s defense looked worse than it was because it faced 4 top 10 offenses.
The positives: 200 yards rushing. Houser! 462 yards against a bad Buckeye Defense. 2nd half time of Possession! Wounded-OLine performance. Strong 
Defense does not give me hope in any game except Purdue And Maryland. Ucla, NW, Iowa, Nebby, Oregon, etc.. Cross fingers and cheer for our men.
Defense does not give me hope in any game except Purdue And Maryland. Ucla, NW, Iowa, Nebby, Oregon, etc.. Cross fingers and cheer for our men.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
As a ball watching fan, it if I were to rank the issues of this defense, I’d likely go:
1. New, leading to confusion. We have a talented secondary, but they aren’t playing like it.
2. Communication, from staff to players and player to player.
3. Personnel, just not a lot of B1G guys on that defense.
4. Scheme, didn’t agree with switching to the 3-3-5 at the time and still don’t now. But doesn’t seem like our biggest atm.
Fan Since '70
- OBS, Florida
If Trimble could hang on to the ball her might have had good chance for 3 touchdowns. Dixon was practically invisible, while Smith had 4 TDs. Are OSU DB's that much better than UI's? That's where the key game difference was.
Not what I am saying. I am referring to last year’s coaches and scheme.
Let be clear, Trimble didn't hang on to ball because he got Smashed by Buckeyes best player on defense. He made an amazing catch for that 1, 1st down.
Fan Since '70
- OBS, Florida
Not good with moral 'victory'. It was a beatdown, yards notwithstanding.
Illinifan533
- Normal, Illinois
This clip is concerning. Bret likes to let his coordinators take the reigns, but if Hauck is the guy responsible for f*ck ups like this then I don't see how Bret doesn't become more involved the rest of the year. It reminds me of the Arizona State debacle in 2012 where the coaches couldn't clearly communicate their calls to the defense.
EDIT: Right after I post this my (our) suspicions were confirmed.
The west coast teams will kill us through the air and Nebraska will rush all over usThe positives: 200 yards rushing. Houser! 462 yards against a bad Buckeye Defense. 2nd half time of Possession! Wounded-OLine performance. Strong
Defense does not give me hope in any game except Purdue And Maryland. Ucla, NW, Iowa, Nebby, Oregon, etc.. Cross fingers and cheer for our men.
335, is Ok for Mountain West Conference and if you have a Mike linebacker called Brian Urlacher. Horrible for major college ball.
I hope so. I have tickets.