Illini Football 2017

Deleted member 29907 · Aug 9, 2017

Serious Late said:
I think they are correct that Illinois football is going to be very bad. I think every single year, in both basketball and football, people try as hard as they can to find a means to discredit the national tone around our programs. I think almost every year the national tone around our programs is closer to reality than our homer views at the start of practices.

I hope beyond hope that Lovie can somehow miraculously lead us to a bowl game, but I expect losing double digit games more of a reality than going .500. Just because one tries to best understand what is most probable for the season ahead and realizes that in all likelihood this team is going to be one of the worst teams in P5 football, does not make that person a bad fan or anti-Illini. Illinois football is bad right now. There are glimmers of hope, but there is a long road ahead. I just hope that a bad season this year doesn't kill any momentum Lovie has right now with the program.

To take it a step further, is there a single position group that we can say for certain is above average in the B1G? Any group that an unbiased 3rd party would say for certain Illinois has an edge at relative to the average B1G team? I honestly don't know, but if the answer is "no" or "maaaaaaaybe this group", then that would in and of itself point to the incredible odds Illinois has to overcome this season.

My point is I think its still too early to call and while maybe an optimist at heart, I'd rather wait and see as opposed to listen to a third party group that in no way has the time or resources to make a valid call before all of the hand-wringing.

And I don't know enough about the other teams to make a judgement call. Sounds like our LB crew is a step up. Our RBs are another year older, and our secondary is coming along. One of our big issues last year was the gaping holes in the D and I am hoping that is much improved from last year. In a very quick view I think we are net up in QB, RBs, LBs, WR, and secondary? this year. And overall ability to run a more varied Q (Crouch vs Lunt of last year).

ballislife17 · Aug 9, 2017

Serious Late said:
I think they are correct that Illinois football is going to be very bad. I think every single year, in both basketball and football, people try as hard as they can to find a means to discredit the national tone around our programs. I think almost every year the national tone around our programs is closer to reality than our homer views at the start of practices.

I hope beyond hope that Lovie can somehow miraculously lead us to a bowl game, but I expect losing double digit games more of a reality than going .500. Just because one tries to best understand what is most probable for the season ahead and realizes that in all likelihood this team is going to be one of the worst teams in P5 football, does not make that person a bad fan or anti-Illini. Illinois football is bad right now. There are glimmers of hope, but there is a long road ahead. I just hope that a bad season this year doesn't kill any momentum Lovie has right now with the program.

To take it a step further, is there a single position group that we can say for certain is above average in the B1G? Any group that an unbiased 3rd party would say for certain Illinois has an edge at relative to the average B1G team? I honestly don't know, but if the answer is "no" or "maaaaaaaybe this group", then that would in and of itself point to the incredible odds Illinois has to overcome this season.

You, sir, are way too self aware to be on this board.

Seriously though, I agree with everything. When I first joined here, I definitely drank the koolaid, only to realize that posters here are wrong every single year, not the analysts who "don't pay attention to us".

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NScale · Aug 9, 2017

Serious Late said:
I think they are correct that Illinois football is going to be very bad ... I expect losing double digit games more of a reality than going .500 ... in all likelihood this team is going to be one of the worst teams in P5 football ... Illinois football is bad right now... ... there is a long road ahead. I just hope that a bad season this year doesn't kill any momentum Lovie has right now with the program.

Somebody better ride their bicycle down to the practice fields and tell the players that they are bad and the season is over before it starts. Load up the school buses and head back to the locker room. The assistant coaches can go back on the recruiting trail instead of wasting their time with a whistle and a clipboard. Can you imagine the laser eyes you would get from Lovie if you told him to his face that the team is the worst?

ballislife17 · Aug 9, 2017

NScale said:
Somebody better ride their bicycle down to the practice fields and tell the players that they are bad and the season is over before it starts. Load up the school buses and head back to the locker room. The assistant coaches can go back on the recruiting trail instead of wasting their time with a whistle and a clipboard. Can you imagine the laser eyes you would get from Lovie if you told him to his face that the team is the worst?

You must have missed the part about how you can think a team won't do well and still be a fan of them

Serious Late · Aug 9, 2017

VAIllini35 said:
My point is I think its still too early to call and while maybe an optimist at heart, I'd rather wait and see as opposed to listen to a third party group that in no way has the time or resources to make a valid call before all of the hand-wringing.

And I don't know enough about the other teams to make a judgement call. Sounds like our LB crew is a step up. Our RBs are another year older, and our secondary is coming along. One of our big issues last year was the gaping holes in the D and I am hoping that is much improved from last year. In a very quick view I think we are net up in QB, RBs, LBs, WR, and secondary? this year. And overall ability to run a more varied Q (Crouch vs Lunt of last year).

I have no problem with your opinion being optimistic. As I mentioned, I sure hope Lovie pulls off a surprising year. It's talking down posters who give credence to 3rd party analysis when it is negative, but play up any 3rd party analysis when it is positive that isn't fair. I would love to read positive outlooks for the Illini for this season, but that doesn't mean I want to bury my head in the sand and pretend that it is impossible for National Media to accurately position our team relative to the other teams within the Power 5 Conferences. That argument is made every single year. EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. Yet you look back at the results year in and year out, and virtually EVERY SINGLE YEAR they are closer to on the nose than the average homer fan projecting our team. And that is fine, I get it. I completely understand why our fanbase would project us more optimistically. But comments like:

VAIllini35 said:
Gee, with fans like this who needs other teams' fans to criticize us...

are completely unfair when evaluating a team on a course for double digit losses.

NScale said:
Somebody better ride their bicycle down to the practice fields and tell the players that they are bad and the season is over before it starts. Load up the school buses and head back to the locker room. The assistant coaches can go back on the recruiting trail instead of wasting their time with a whistle and a clipboard. Can you imagine the laser eyes you would get from Lovie if you told him to his face that the team is the worst?

For the record, I don't recommend ANYONE do this. That seems like a terrible idea... Please don't do that, it is a really bad suggestion.

You should feel free, however, to evaluate how you expect this team to do on a message board if that is your sincere belief, even if it involves an outcome you really hope doesn't happen.

Deleted member 29907 · Aug 9, 2017

Serious Late said:
I have no problem with your opinion being optimistic. As I mentioned, I sure hope Lovie pulls off a surprising year. It's talking down posters who give credence to 3rd party analysis when it is negative, but play up any 3rd party analysis when it is positive that isn't fair. I would love to read positive outlooks for the Illini for this season, but that doesn't mean I want to bury my head in the sand and pretend that it is impossible for National Media to accurately position our team relative to the other teams within the Power 5 Conferences. That argument is made every single year. EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. Yet you look back at the results year in and year out, and virtually EVERY SINGLE YEAR they are closer to on the nose than the average homer fan projecting our team. And that is fine, I get it. I completely understand why our fanbase would project us more optimistically.:

We'll just agree to disagree on how thorough those evaluations are this early in the season. I am sure you're making a general comment - but I don't assume they are geniuses either way (positive or negative). I guess I didn't go back and read all of the years and years of arguments on this topic.

There also tends to arise a negative element on these boards that clings to any example that allows them to be negative before the proof. Not saying that is you, but I'd rather let the team show first before I opine too harshly one way or the other. This group is young so early returns may not tell us much. Time will tell.

james81 · Aug 10, 2017

Young Illini picking up on Lovie's beat

Crouch comments on Lovie:

“I feel like he’s done a great job of bringing us together and we’ve all bought in to what he wants to do with our program. I feel like we all have the same vision, and he kind of brought that winning vision onto our team . . . . I think that you guys should expect a group of kids that are gonna come out and play really tough every game,” Crouch said. “We’re gonna come in confident and we’re really just gonna give it our all. We’re gonna execute what the coaches ask of us, and each game we’re gonna go for broke.”

james81 · Aug 10, 2017

Illini lead all FBS schools with NFL coaching experience

Second year we've led the nation. Years of NFL coaching experience:

Illinois: 56
UCLA: 45
Michigan: 40
Baylor: 38
Alabama: 34

Illwinsagain · Aug 10, 2017

james81 said:
Young Illini picking up on Lovie's beat

Crouch comments on Lovie:

“Except for a couple games last year, we were competitive,” Smith said. “Not for four quarters, but again, it’s a process. You have to be patient to an extent, especially in your first year in a program. Second year, you should see marked improvement, and that’s what we plan on doing.”

Was it Zook that said? "Lose Big, Lose Small, Win Small, Win Big." Or something like that? I hope we squeak into some minor bowl, however, to stay competitive for 4 quarters and win a game we shouldn't will be progress.

ChiefIllini · Aug 10, 2017

Illwinsagain said:
“Except for a couple games last year, we were competitive,” Smith said. “Not for four quarters, but again, it’s a process. You have to be patient to an extent, especially in your first year in a program. Second year, you should see marked improvement, and that’s what we plan on doing.”

Was it Zook that said? "Lose Big, Lose Small, Win Small, Win Big." Or something like that? I hope we squeak into some minor bowl, however, to stay competitive for 4 quarters and win a game we shouldn't will be progress.

If you think we have a snowballs chance in making a bowl this year I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

I could see us come painstakingly close, i.e. 4 or 5 wins with a crappy loss, but getting 6 wins basically means sweeping the non conference teams. Dont see the team ready to do that.

Dren1 · Aug 10, 2017

ChiefIllini said:
If you think we have a snowballs chance in making a bowl this year I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

I could see us come painstakingly close, i.e. 4 or 5 wins with a crappy loss, but getting 6 wins basically means sweeping the non conference teams. Dont see the team ready to do that.

While I don't think making a bowl this year is probable, I think this is a little extreme. Ball State, Western Kentucky, South Florida, Rutgers, Minnesota, Purdue, Indiana, and Northwestern are all possible wins IMO. Again, I don't think we will win all of these games and I actually agree with the prediction of 4 to 5 wins, but I would definitely consider putting money on the Illini to make a bowl game at 10 to 1 odds or so.

Serious Late · Aug 10, 2017

Dren1 said:
While I don't think making a bowl this year is probable, I think this is a little extreme. Ball State, Western Kentucky, South Florida, Rutgers, Minnesota, Purdue, Indiana, and Northwestern are all possible wins IMO. Again, I don't think we will win all of these games and I actually agree with the prediction of 4 to 5 wins, but I would definitely consider putting money on the Illini to make a bowl game at 10 to 1 odds or so.

South Florida is a top 25 team and we are playing them on the road. I sure hope Illinois can beat them, but I gotta imagine that Nebraska is a much more winnable game at home than USF on the road.

Illwinsagain · Aug 10, 2017

ChiefIllini said:
If you think we have a snowballs chance in making a bowl this year I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

I could see us come painstakingly close, i.e. 4 or 5 wins with a crappy loss, but getting 6 wins basically means sweeping the non conference teams. Dont see the team ready to do that.

Can I put a toll on it?

Dren1 · Aug 10, 2017

Serious Late said:
South Florida is a top 25 team and we are playing them on the road. I sure hope Illinois can beat them, but I gotta imagine that Nebraska is a much more winnable game at home than USF on the road.

You are correct :thumb:and we probably won't win either, but my point that we have a better than tiny (snowball's) chance of making a bowl still stands.

BWBW · Aug 10, 2017

Dren1 said:
You are correct :thumb:and we probably won't win either, but my point that we have a better than tiny (snowball's) chance of making a bowl still stands.

10% maybe?

james81 · Aug 10, 2017

BWBW said:
10% maybe?

To be honest, we have no idea how this team will perform. It's reasonable to assume we win 2-3 games, but if we won 4-5, I wouldn't be stunned. Winning 6 would make Lovie BIG coach of the year. It pushes expectations out of reality into fantasy land.

wma500 · Aug 10, 2017

Dren1 said:
While I don't think making a bowl this year is probable, I think this is a little extreme. Ball State, Western Kentucky, South Florida, Rutgers, Minnesota, Purdue, Indiana, and Northwestern are all possible wins IMO. Again, I don't think we will win all of these games and I actually agree with the prediction of 4 to 5 wins, but I would definitely consider putting money on the Illini to make a bowl game at 10 to 1 odds or so.

Minnesota beat us last year 40-17. PJ Fleck beat us last year 34-10. Now that those two are one, I don't think the possibilities of beating Minnesota...at their place...are even remote.

LFOD · Aug 10, 2017

james81 said:
To be honest, we have no idea how this team will perform. It's reasonable to assume we win 2-3 games, but if we won 4-5, I wouldn't be stunned. Winning 6 would make Lovie BIG coach of the year. It pushes expectations out of reality into fantasy land.

I would be stunned if we win 4 or 5 games. And I'm very, very positive regarding the Lovie era. But here's to being stunned!

Deleted member 29907 · Aug 10, 2017

Dren1 said:
You are correct :thumb:and we probably won't win either, but my point that we have a better than tiny (snowball's) chance of making a bowl still stands.

Don't give up too early - MSU and ND were top 12 teams preseason last year. Somehow the prognosticators were way off - imagine...

Not saying we'll gonna win, but saying it just might be too early to call IMO.

jrichisamazing · Aug 10, 2017

Question for y'all. Would you rather....

Go 6-6 and make a bowl game? We all agree this would be a good accomplishment.

Or only win 2, 3, maybe 4 games but one of those wins is @Ohio St?

I think it's a good debate. IMO either scenario would make me excited for the future.

ballislife17 · Aug 10, 2017

jrichisamazing said:
Question for y'all. Would you rather....

Go 6-6 and make a bowl game? We all agree this would be a good accomplishment.

Or only win 2, 3, maybe 4 games but one of those wins is @Ohio St?

I think it's a good debate. IMO either scenario would make me excited for the future.

Ohio state

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Deleted member 590820 · Aug 10, 2017

Bridge

ChiefIllini said:
If you think we have a snowballs chance in making a bowl this year I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

I could see us come painstakingly close, i.e. 4 or 5 wins with a crappy loss, but getting 6 wins basically means sweeping the non conference teams. Dont see the team ready to do that.

No one ever states the asking price of said bridge. How much? Jerry Colangelo has lots of dough.

IlliniJim20 · Aug 10, 2017

jrichisamazing said:
Question for y'all. Would you rather....

Go 6-6 and make a bowl game? We all agree this would be a good accomplishment.

Or only win 2, 3, maybe 4 games but one of those wins is @Ohio St?

I think it's a good debate. IMO either scenario would make me excited for the future.

Bowl game means much more for the direction of the program.

As someone stated, 6-6 and a bowl game just might get Lovie coach of the year, which will, should, result in positive recruiting momentum.

Perhaps a better question is if we will only win 3,4 games which one game do you want to win?

I'd take NU being a Chicago resident.

james81 · Aug 11, 2017

IlliniJim20 said:
Bowl game means much more for the direction of the program.

As someone stated, 6-6 and a bowl game just might get Lovie coach of the year, which will, should, result in positive recruiting momentum.

Perhaps a better question is if we will only win 3,4 games which one game do you want to win?

I'd take NU being a Chicago resident.

While I don't see a path to winning 6 games, if we did, it would be a booster rocket for recruiting. An early season win over Nebraska could make me a believer.

Illwinsagain · Aug 11, 2017

jrichisamazing said:
Question for y'all. Would you rather....

Go 6-6 and make a bowl game? We all agree this would be a good accomplishment.

Or only win 2, 3, maybe 4 games but one of those wins is @Ohio St?

I think it's a good debate. IMO either scenario would make me excited for the future.

6-6 and a bowl game. To win 2,3 or 4 and beat OSU would mean that there would be some BAD losses too.

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