Duke 31, Illinois 27 Postgame

#176      
TheodoreRex
Werner and Wagner are really ripping the play today- I think they are always fair and I don't disagree with them at all. We can complain about NIL all we want but I'm sorry, the lack of discipline in how we've played the last two games can't be blamed on lack of talent. Some of these things are coaching. It is clear we need more talent-yes, but there's other reasons why we lost today than just talent.

Iowa spends about the same as us and their defense won't be this bad- that's a fact.
 
#179      
Se Il Illini
I am still concerned about the defense as I stated after the AUB game. However, some of the play calling in the second half hade me scratching my head. I predicted 7-5. This team is not that team yet.
 
#181      
therealmiket86
TheodoreRex said:
Werner and Wagner are really ripping the play today- I think they are always fair and I don't disagree with them at all. We can complain about NIL all we want but I'm sorry, the lack of discipline in how we've played the last two games can't be blamed on lack of talent. Some of these things are coaching. It is clear we need more talent-yes, but there's other reasons why we lost today than just talent.

Iowa spends about the same as us and their defense won't be this bad- that's a fact.
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Iowa also has a great defensive coaching staff. If Hauck wasn’t hired by BB how many of these coaches from Montana would be on a P4 staff? My guess would be 0
 
#183      
jimbo72
I'm closing night with this on our fan base. After halftime, half of student section gone, vanished. Almost all of Eastside upper deck and large portions of lower, Bye bye. For what, party time? Embarrassing!
 
#184      
therealmiket86
Hingle McCringleberry said:
To me Brett shoulders a lot of the blame due to him prioritizing taking care of Aaron Henry instead of taking care of our program.
1. He kept Henry one more season than he should have
2. When he knew 100% that Henry had to go, he held on to him until Henry had a soft landing at ND. But by then, most of the good DC candidates had already been scooped up
3. He had all his eggs in the basket with LB coach from the Seahawks that then Okee Doked Brett after the Seahawks won the SB.
4. and that left Brett rummaging through the recycle bin for an already retired D2 coach, who now sits in the press in box during games (get your !!! on the sidelines and coach up your D that is getting smoked!)
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The problem is we kept Henry on the staff until BB could find him a landing spot. He moved on in February and we are looking for a coach late in the game. If Henry doesn’t get hired at ND he would’ve been calling the defense today
 
#185      
BoiseBaller
I was no fan of Henry. His defense gave up tons of yards, including some third and a mile type plays. But, they did get some takeaways. That always seemed to save us. This team gives up the yards and doesn’t force turnovers. Double whammy.
 
#187      
JKR
TheodoreRex said:
Werner and Wagner are really ripping the play today- I think they are always fair and I don't disagree with them at all. We can complain about NIL all we want but I'm sorry, the lack of discipline in how we've played the last two games can't be blamed on lack of talent. Some of these things are coaching. It is clear we need more talent-yes, but there's other reasons why we lost today than just talent.

Iowa spends about the same as us and their defense won't be this bad- that's a fact.
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Iowa has Phil Parker. We don't.
 
#188      
18T
I have been watching this movie since I was a freshman in the fall of 1964 when we went into the Homecoming game against Ohio State as clear favorites and we laid an egg 26-0 as I recall. And we had just come off winning the Rose Bowl on January 1 of that year when we trounced Washington and expectations were justifiably high. At least that season I got to watch Dick Butkus play in his last season with the Illini.
So I will always be loyal to my school, but often the football team asks too much.
Back to the many past years when I have watched the Illini but have had to record the games, delete the losses and watch the wins. My emotional well-being depends on it. Good luck, Illinois.
 
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#189      
TheChief4Life
jimbo72 said:
I'm closing night with this on our fan base. After halftime, half of student section gone, vanished. Almost all of Eastside upper deck and large portions of lower, Bye bye. For what, party time? Embarrassing!
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Most of the sections that left were in the direct scorching sun. I would have preferred they stayed, but also don’t blame them for leaving.

Today’s fan base was WAY more rambunctious and rowdy than last week’s.
 
#190      
therealmiket86
BoiseBaller said:
I was no fan of Henry. His defense gave up tons of yards, including some third and a mile type plays. But, they did get some takeaways. That always seemed to save us. This team gives up the yards and doesn’t force turnovers. Double whammy.
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Henry’s defense never saved us. Whenever they were on the field I had 0 faith of them getting a stop
 
#191      
Dkayak
Fly Illini Fly! said:
They didn't want to give Duke the ball back and pray the defense holds up.
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But two yards per carry ensured Duke would get the ball back very quickly. Better to pray for a nice long drive ending in a touchdown and then trust the defense with whatever time remained than to rely on what had already proved to be a failed running game. It’s not like we were protecting a lead. We needed to move down the field and score.

Watching nearly every first down in the second half begin with a 2 yard run was a huge clue that four such plays in succession would turn the ball over promptly. We walked out immediately after that frustratingly predictable outcome.

Folks around us were increasingly angry with each of those wasted downs, culminating with an exodus of VERY disgusted fans. We quit playing to win, so we deserved the loss. This will cost us some fan support. We deserve that too. Always play to win.
 
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#192      
mhuml32
The two plays that are the most frustrating were the (1) fake punt for Duke and (2) 4th down run by Duke that was stuff but negated because Illinois mistakenly had a player running off the field. Both are huuuuge swings, smell of being out-coached, and are startling because those are the plays where Bielema traditionally has shined.
 
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#193      
therealmiket86
LvilleILL1 said:
There is going to be a big talking point in general with the budget. They just don't have the guys right now, and the NIL budget for football needs to be upped a bit.

Basketball's has quite frankly exploded and may be top five in the country for next offseason. Not expecting that for football but that really needs to improve.
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Obviously could always use more money. The problem is they weren’t prepared for the prices players were going to get. I know it’s only been 2 games but I think it’s safe to say this defensive scheme was a mistake
 
#195      
Dkayak
18T said:
Back to the many past years when I have watched the Illini but have had to record the games, delete the losses and watch the wins. My emotional well-being depends on it. Good luck, Illinois.
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I’m not at all worried about OSU. I’ll be riding a gravel cyclng endurance event on the 26th, and don’t plan to even record the game. Exercise therapy. Better to look right past it, ready to drive down for the Purdue game.
 
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