So the coaches don't collectively agree the big ten sack leader should be on the "All Front 7"? Sheesh.
Congratulations Gabe
The late Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee talked about being on the Pulitzer Prize board one year when all the decisions on who should get the prizes for journalism excellence had been made. As the group was about to depart and give the results, another board member shouted in a panicked voice, “Wait!! We didn’t give any award to The New York Times!”So the coaches don't collectively agree the big ten sack leader should be on the "All Front 7"? Sheesh.
Some interesting names on that list. Really really interesting... Congrats to all but I've got questions, a whole lot of questions.![]()
11 Illini Earn All-Big Ten Recognitions on Defense and Special Teams - University of Illinois Athletics
Gabe Jacas, who led the conference in sacks, earns first-team honor.fightingillini.com
The coaches have a lot more insight than the media, who generally vote based on name. You can tell that by their basketball and football top 25 lists.I agree. Must be coaches that didn't watch him play. The media saw him and chose correctly.
I know some people had higher expectations for Jacas, but I actually think he performed for the most part as expected. Very good pass rusher who will exploit 1 on 1 blocking in pass rushing downs. Had difficulty at times against the run and with play recognition. He also wasn't done many favors with our defensive scheme. All in all leading the B10 in sacks on this defense honestly is quite the accomplishment. 1st team all B10 seems right but with the caveat of him being a pass rush specialist. That said I tend to agree with you that there's not much need to gnash teeth about on him not being consensus 1st team.The coaches have a lot more insight than the media, who generally vote based on name. You can tell that by their basketball and football top 25 lists.
While I know he led the league in sacks with a good amount being against some of the bean bags we played early and some came in games where we were up and they were obvious passing downs. IMO, he didn't have a year that met the expectations set for him.
Just because the sack numbers were up, that doesn't mean the rest of his metrics were or that he had a profound impact for 60 minutes. Great sack numbers can be reserved for guys that all they can do is rush the passer and only play on third downs. They're specialists. Gabe was supposed to be a LOT more than that.
His tackles were down, he pass pressures were down and I think most expected him to be an absolute game wrecker. He wasn't. No singular player on that defense was. It was a bad defense plain and simple. You can blame the staff as much as you want, but the players have to wear a lot of it and unfortunately for Gabe, he was the face of the defense.
I think he took plays off and I think he took games off. That effort that we saw vs NW, in his final home game, was INCREDIBLE. He was flying all over the field and was chasing the QB down from 10 yards away. He was playing with his hair on fire. He single handedly ruined plays and his got so much pressure that it caused the QB to get rid of the ball early, a couple which resulted in picks. That wasn't there every game. Those types of games for 12 games are what makes you a unanimous All Conference player and an All American. That was my expectation for Gabe. Maybe it was too high? Could be.
I know that he gets doubled and chipped, but the great ones do and the great ones, even when not getting home, blow up plays. They'll push an O-Lineman into the backfield to shut down the run. They'll be 10 yards down field making tackles. That didn't happen.
Did he have a good year? He did. He definitely belongs in the 1st team All Conference discussion.
Did he have the type of year that he was expected to have? He didn't. Too many games went by without hearing his name and at the college level, he should be able to still be a game wrecker, even if doubled.
The coaches see this stuff and understand it a heck of a lot better than we do.
The big test of what his season was like will be when the scouts and GMs make their opinions known. The high picks are your money players. I think he lost money this year(not NIL money).
We're all biased here. We're fans, we should be. That's what we do. There's just a TON more to bring a dominant defensive player than sacks and that's where he fell short.
Hard disagree.The coaches have a lot more insight than the media, who generally vote based on name. You can tell that by their basketball and football top 25 lists.
While I know he led the league in sacks with a good amount being against some of the bean bags we played early and some came in games where we were up and they were obvious passing downs. IMO, he didn't have a year that met the expectations set for him.
Just because the sack numbers were up, that doesn't mean the rest of his metrics were or that he had a profound impact for 60 minutes. Great sack numbers can be reserved for guys that all they can do is rush the passer and only play on third downs. They're specialists. Gabe was supposed to be a LOT more than that.
His tackles were down, he pass pressures were down and I think most expected him to be an absolute game wrecker. He wasn't. No singular player on that defense was. It was a bad defense plain and simple. You can blame the staff as much as you want, but the players have to wear a lot of it and unfortunately for Gabe, he was the face of the defense.
I think he took plays off and I think he took games off. That effort that we saw vs NW, in his final home game, was INCREDIBLE. He was flying all over the field and was chasing the QB down from 10 yards away. He was playing with his hair on fire. He single handedly ruined plays and his got so much pressure that it caused the QB to get rid of the ball early, a couple which resulted in picks. That wasn't there every game. Those types of games for 12 games are what makes you a unanimous All Conference player and an All American. That was my expectation for Gabe. Maybe it was too high? Could be.
I know that he gets doubled and chipped, but the great ones do and the great ones, even when not getting home, blow up plays. They'll push an O-Lineman into the backfield to shut down the run. They'll be 10 yards down field making tackles. That didn't happen.
Did he have a good year? He did. He definitely belongs in the 1st team All Conference discussion.
Did he have the type of year that he was expected to have? He didn't. Too many games went by without hearing his name and at the college level, he should be able to still be a game wrecker, even if doubled.
The coaches see this stuff and understand it a heck of a lot better than we do.
The big test of what his season was like will be when the scouts and GMs make their opinions known. The high picks are your money players. I think he lost money this year(not NIL money).
We're all biased here. We're fans, we should be. That's what we do. There's just a TON more to bring a dominant defensive player than sacks and that's where he fell short.
@Fighter of the Nightman, do you have a second account (joking)?The coaches have a lot more insight than the media, who generally vote based on name. You can tell that by their basketball and football top 25 lists.
While I know he led the league in sacks with a good amount being against some of the bean bags we played early and some came in games where we were up and they were obvious passing downs. IMO, he didn't have a year that met the expectations set for him.
Just because the sack numbers were up, that doesn't mean the rest of his metrics were or that he had a profound impact for 60 minutes. Great sack numbers can be reserved for guys that all they can do is rush the passer and only play on third downs. They're specialists. Gabe was supposed to be a LOT more than that.
His tackles were down, he pass pressures were down and I think most expected him to be an absolute game wrecker. He wasn't. No singular player on that defense was. It was a bad defense plain and simple. You can blame the staff as much as you want, but the players have to wear a lot of it and unfortunately for Gabe, he was the face of the defense.
I think he took plays off and I think he took games off. That effort that we saw vs NW, in his final home game, was INCREDIBLE. He was flying all over the field and was chasing the QB down from 10 yards away. He was playing with his hair on fire. He single handedly ruined plays and his got so much pressure that it caused the QB to get rid of the ball early, a couple which resulted in picks. That wasn't there every game. Those types of games for 12 games are what makes you a unanimous All Conference player and an All American. That was my expectation for Gabe. Maybe it was too high? Could be.
I know that he gets doubled and chipped, but the great ones do and the great ones, even when not getting home, blow up plays. They'll push an O-Lineman into the backfield to shut down the run. They'll be 10 yards down field making tackles. That didn't happen.
Did he have a good year? He did. He definitely belongs in the 1st team All Conference discussion.
Did he have the type of year that he was expected to have? He didn't. Too many games went by without hearing his name and at the college level, he should be able to still be a game wrecker, even if doubled.
The coaches see this stuff and understand it a heck of a lot better than we do.
The big test of what his season was like will be when the scouts and GMs make their opinions known. The high picks are your money players. I think he lost money this year(not NIL money).
We're all biased here. We're fans, we should be. That's what we do. There's just a TON more to bring a dominant defensive player than sacks and that's where he fell short.
Sounds more like the referee roomThe late Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee talked about being on the Pulitzer Prize board one year when all the decisions on who should get the prizes for journalism excellence had been made. As the group was about to depart and give the results, another board member shouted in a panicked voice, “Wait!! We didn’t give any award to The New York Times!”
Same as the Michigan/Ohio State mentality in B1G.
Couldn't agree more. I love seeing our guys win awards but ... I'll just leave it at that. I don't want to rain on anyone's paradeSome interesting names on that list. Really really interesting... Congrats to all but I've got questions, a whole lot of questions.
When is Volume 2 coming out.../s@Fighter of the Nightman, do you have a second account (joking)?
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Four Illini Capture All-Big Ten Honors on Offense - University of Illinois Athletics
J.C. Davis highlighted Illinois' All-Big Ten honorees with a spot on the All-Big Ten First Team.fightingillini.com