Illinois 20, Maryland 17 Postgame

[ChiefGritty]

I think my favorite part of this debate is the JB should be getting more carries since he’s the prototypical Bret running back! As if Bret isn’t the head coach with final say in the depth chart lol

I’m not saying right or wrong on the more Carries either way, it’s just funny to me

I have no doubt the tale of Montee Ball will have been told to Barnett (don't tell me how old JB was when Ball played at Wisconsin, I don't want to know)

The young upstart in a three-headed monster with James White (read: Laughery) and John Clay (read: Anderson), who then took over as feature back and was a two-time All-American and top NFL draft pick.

 

[lstewart53x3]

Strawman. No one is saying Barnett should get more carries than AL or be the featured back. Literally no one has said that.

Huh? Literally this conversation started because a poster said exactly that. Here was the first post about AL/JB:

Dear Barry,

If you are determined to establish the run on 1st downs (duh we know)......may we suggest Javari Barnett?

Sincerely,

Everyone With Eyes

That is an argument to replace AL with JB as the featured back. And if you don’t believe that’s what he actually meant, well, here’s the same poster a few posts later:

Laughery is a great change of pace back. I don't see him as a run establisher.

Barnett is a prototype RB. It's time to get past whatever "ball security" issues we haven't seen and give him the ball 20 times per game.

Laughery 3rd down back. Jordan Anderson for some short yardage and rest spelling.

But hey...I'm no Barry Lunney Jr......

Even if you said:

But the guy is getting 5 carries a game and doing work with them. He should be getting double, 2.5x that.

Right now, Laughery gets 11 carries a game. Jordan Anderson gets 5 carries a game. That’s 16 carries a game between the two. If JB got 2-2.5x more carries per game than he’s getting now, he’d be at 10-12 carries per game. That would take JA down to what, 3 carries a game? And Laughery would be at 5’sh carries per game.

So not only did another poster argue for JB to get more carries than AL, but you did as well.

 

[SampsonRelpenk]

I can't believe with all the talk of Illini specialists in this thread that the three-headed monster of Steve Fitts/Peter Christofilakos/John Gockman has gone unmentioned!

 

[skyIdub]

well I guess I’ll be upgrading my take a third time!
I thought it was Taco Bell meat warm, but maybe it’s more McDonalds coffee.

It’s somewhere between an overreaction to watching Laughery get stuffed on 1st down up the middle so many times yesterday, and an overreaction to JB’s big runs.

It’s probably fine right where it’s at, but my eye sees something special in JB and I hope they give him more chances to show it.

 

[skyIdub]

Huh? Literally this conversation started because a poster said exactly that. Here was the first post about AL/JB:



That is an argument to replace AL with JB as the featured back. And if you don’t believe that’s what he actually meant, well, here’s the same poster a few posts later:



Even if you said:



Right now, Laughery gets 11 carries a game. Jordan Anderson gets 5 carries a game. That’s 16 carries a game between the two. If JB got 2-2.5x more carries per game than he’s getting now, he’d be at 10-12 carries per game. That would take JA down to what, 3 carries a game? And Laughery would be at 5’sh carries per game.

So not only did another poster argue for JB to get more carries than AL, but you did as well.

So, again I was definitely arguing for more carries, particularly on 1st down, up the middle, establishing the run….but in a context of a run heavy offense which I thought was implied by the 20 carries for JB in a feature back role like the BB Wisco teams.
Not in the context of the current usage as you noted.

Maybe he doesn’t get big offers to transfer. Maybe we pay him.

I’d just like to see more of him in the types of runs that we’re given to Laughery yesterday.

 

[18T]

Not to mention the '64 Rose Bowl.

I think we beat Washington in that game.

 

[IlliniNash]

I meant regular season. I’ve been a fan since around ‘81.

Just those two. 3-8 out west since 1981

 

[IlliniNash]

Before 1996 Chris White and Mike Bass stand out. It seems like one other one I'm missing.

Danny Beaver?

 

[FloridaMan]

Huh? Literally this conversation started because a poster said exactly that. Here was the first post about AL/JB:



That is an argument to replace AL with JB as the featured back. And if you don’t believe that’s what he actually meant, well, here’s the same poster a few posts later:



Even if you said:



Right now, Laughery gets 11 carries a game. Jordan Anderson gets 5 carries a game. That’s 16 carries a game between the two. If JB got 2-2.5x more carries per game than he’s getting now, he’d be at 10-12 carries per game. That would take JA down to what, 3 carries a game? And Laughery would be at 5’sh carries per game.

So not only did another poster argue for JB to get more carries than AL, but you did as well.

Just speaking for myself, forgive me if I'm derailing the thread and I'll stop after this one, but you assume all things remain equal if JB gets more carries. Maybe an improved running game allows us to better control the ball and increase our time of possession, providing more offensive plays (giving our D more time to recover); we are 16th in the league in offensive plays and 15th in TOP. Maybe this gives us more chances for success in a challenging stretch of games upcoming?

None of us knows anything for sure. But acting like posters are crazy to want a few more carries for Barnett is kinda crazy too. No, I'm not advocating for 20 lol. It doesn't have to be one extreme to the other.

It's a great problem to have and debate right? Three great backs and a super bright future if everyone sticks around and Valentine comes back healthy. Obviously the coaches know more than us. We see the team once per week. But IMO a few more JB runs has a solid chance of making our offense better.

 

[HereSoIDontGetFined]

Only noise from the stands was from the band and away fans chanting I-L-L

My daughter is a percussionist and was able to note during the broadcast how crisp the cymbals sounded. Normally not something you'd be able to pick out from a packed stadium.

 

[lstewart53x3]

Just speaking for myself, forgive me if I'm derailing the thread and I'll stop after this one, but you assume all things remain equal if JB gets more carries. Maybe an improved running game allows us to better control the ball and increase our time of possession, providing more offensive plays (giving our D more time to recover); we are 16th in the league in offensive plays and 15th in TOP. Maybe this gives us more chances for success in a challenging stretch of games upcoming?

None of us knows anything for sure. But acting like posters are crazy to want a few more carries for Barnett is kinda crazy too. No, I'm not advocating for 20 lol. It doesn't have to be one extreme to the other.

It's a great problem to have and debate right? Three great backs and a super bright future if everyone sticks around and Valentine comes back healthy. Obviously the coaches know more than us. We see the team once per week. But IMO a few more JB runs has a solid chance of making our offense better.

Here is every response in defense of Laughery. Keep in mind that quite a few of these are a direct response to a post advocating for 20 carries a game for JB and for him to become the featured back. Could you please point out which of these posts act like you're crazy?

He broke one big run and otherwise had 5 carries for 16 yards. He's definitely good enough to play but let's not act like hes miles ahead of Laughery yet. Higher ceiling for sure but Laughery and Anderson have definitely earned their role with good all around play beyond just running the ball.

Edit to add Laughery averaging 6.9 ypc coming in. Dude has just been good this year.

Laughery’s averaging 6.9 yards per carry on the season. He had 13 carries for 123 yards (9.5 yards per carry) against Oregon last week.

Yes, you’re no Barry Lunney Jr.

The playbook gets significantly smaller when JB is in the game

I noticed Oregon keying on that last week.

"If 24 is in the game it's going to him"

Not even necessarily that. He has just struggled to retain stuff so it has to be simple stuff when he’s in. Pass pro is also a problem. Also if you listen to Bret’s post game presser he said he has a RB that would have scored there instead of taking a knee like Jordan did and thats why the other RB wasn’t in the game…..he ain’t talking about Aiden lol

Barnett is good, but he did rush for 2 or fewer yards on 4 of his 6 carries today.

We're kinda teetering on the edge of all the good plays are because of the players and all the bad plays are because the coaches are dumb here today.

It's not a knock on JB that we've got talented RB's with lots of meaningful experience ahead of him. Hopefully he knows that, sticks around and has a great second year assuming he continues limited PT this season

Laughery has been outstanding and consistent. He’s been much more durable and dependable this year. There’s a reason he’s getting more carries than Barnett, but the board knows more than the coaches!

Laughery has been great this year. He hits the hole hard and has the speed to break big runs. He’s been running very strong this year and is always falling forward to get more yards.

Barnett is very good and should have a spot in the rotation but he doesn’t need to be the feature back. Laughery, Barnett and Anderson is a good rotation. We have speed and power.

 

[HereSoIDontGetFined]

A favorite stat of mine:

From Mike White's arrival in 1980 to 1995 we won at least 3 Big Ten games 15 times in 16 seasons.

Ron Guenther refused to acknowledge that Lou Tepper had lost all credibility after 1995 and allowed the program, recruiting and roster completely collapse, a hole RG never charted a path out of.

From 1996 to 2020 we won at least 3 Big Ten games just 8 times in the next 25 seasons.

As of today, we have won at least 3 Big Ten games in all six of Bielema's seasons at the helm.

Josh Whitman and Bret Bielema have, at long last, de-Guentherized Illinois Football.

Maybe not a topic for this thread, but is Josh Whitman the best AD Illinois has ever had? Is it even close at this point?

 

[Mr. Tibbs]

Maybe not a topic for this thread, but is Josh Whitman the best AD Illinois has ever had?

yes

Is it even close at this point?

no

 

[ChiefGritty]

Maybe not a topic for this thread, but is Josh Whitman the best AD Illinois has ever had? Is it even close at this point?

When you consider the institutional mess we were previously, Whitman, Robert Jones, and Tim Killeen deserve so, so much credit, and that goes beyond athletics.

In an incredibly challenging time for higher ed (sports included of course), the University of Illinois is as well positioned as it ever has been to be robust against the challenges of the future, whatever form they may take. THAT'S leadership.

 

[ILLI die hard]

My own personal gripe is not with which RB runs the ball A.L. or J. B. even J. Anderson. Its that there is only 1 in the backfield without any fake or mis direction play, the Defense can pretty much key on that one back. Put 2 RB''s in the backfield sets up better looks for the Offense to use RB''s to run, block or take short passes. Just my own bugaboo to yell at the TV.

 

[skyIdub]

Here is every response in defense of Laughery. Keep in mind that quite a few of these are a direct response to a post advocating for 20 carries a game for JB and for him to become the featured back. Could you please point out which of these posts act like you're crazy?

Well, I attempted to clarify what I was saying with regards to 20 carries per game and “become the featured back”.
Apparently we are ignoring that so we can continue arguing.

 

[zentrails]

My own personal gripe is not with which RB runs the ball A.L. or J. B. even J. Anderson. Its that there is only 1 in the backfield without any fake or mis direction play, the Defense can pretty much key on that one back. Put 2 RB''s in the backfield sets up better looks for the Offense to use RB''s to run, block or take short passes. Just my own bugaboo to yell at the TV.

not saying you are wrong, but we didn't pay Houser all that money to just hand the ball off every play.
And I wanted to see a lot more JB running the ball before we beat Oregon and improved our bowl changes substantially (not to mention the near miraculously quick return of Houser).

 

[lstewart53x3]

Well, I attempted to clarify what I was saying with regards to 20 carries per game and “become the featured back”.
Apparently we are ignoring that so we can continue arguing.

Sure, you later clarified what you meant. My post wasn't about your later clarification, it simply highlighted responses to your original post.

 

[Subortus]

Another year of weight room and Heckel will be good. He is in the right place so often, but just can’t bring guys down or be the first one to do so.

Too many of our players in the secondary either try to arm-tackle high up on the runner or, alternatively, throw their shoulder/body at the runner's legs. Whatever happened to tackling below the runner's waist by driving into his legs and wrapping them up?

 

[Dan]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2116969634389758221

 

[AssemblyHallForever]

I am happy that we had 11 defenders on every defensive play yesterday.

 

[zentrails]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2116969634389758221

Glad to see Feagin get on that list. He had some nice catches with decent YAC plus he made the TD saving tackle on that first MD interception, eventually setting us up for the goal line fumble recovery. They eventually got a TD but that tackle gave us some early momentum. His best game for us at TE so far IMO.

 

[Point-Illinois]

My own personal gripe is not with which RB runs the ball A.L. or J. B. even J. Anderson. Its that there is only 1 in the backfield without any fake or mis direction play, the Defense can pretty much key on that one back. Put 2 RB''s in the backfield sets up better looks for the Offense to use RB''s to run, block or take short passes. Just my own bugaboo to yell at the TV.

We actually did this as recently as last week. (Not sure about this week with KH back)

We ran 5 multi-back plays (one of them was a 3 RB set) against Oregon.

May have been due to our backup QBs being in and the plays available to them, but Lunney has it in his bag.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2116924661443277188

https://twitter.com/x/status/2116971206070906900

 

[Bbuck21]

Dan Beaver?

Lonnie Perrin