Illini Football 2021

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#26      
altenberger22
BRucks said:
Our passing attack was by far the worst in the conference last year (way below 13th place Northwestern). Granted, Peters only played in five of eight games, but his completion % was 48% for an average of 85 yards per game. We return most of the offensive line and little of the receiving corps from that team. Hopefully we utilize our tight ends better this year because our wide receivers appear to be a motley crew.
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Not a very encouraging read.........
 
#27      
altenberger22
BAVADA SPORTSBOOK: Nebraska -7.5

I couldn't/wouldn't attempt to bet on this one. My extreme Bielema optimism is totally offset by the historical records of first year coaches taking over bad programs.
 
#28      
IlliniFandom
altenberger22 said:
BAVADA SPORTSBOOK: Nebraska -7.5

I couldn't/wouldn't attempt to bet on this one. My extreme Bielema optimism is totally offset by the historical records of first year coaches taking over bad programs.
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I wouldn't say we were a "Bad" program. What Beckman left Lovie was a BAD program. What Lovie left Bielema is more of an "OKAY" program: Lack of top end talent, but character guys that potentially have been under-utilized/under-developed and could excel in new roles/positions this year. I'm not saying you're not right in being cautious, but I just don't agree that maybe the historical records can be looked at in this case through the same lens.
 
#29      
altenberger22
IlliniFandom said:
I wouldn't say we were a "Bad" program. What Beckman left Lovie was a BAD program. What Lovie left Bielema is more of an "OKAY" program: Lack of top end talent, but character guys that potentially have been under-utilized/under-developed and could excel in new roles/positions this year. I'm not saying you're not right in being cautious, but I just don't agree that maybe the historical records can be looked at in this case through the same lens.
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Your standards are way, way, way, way, way, way too low.

A. I consider 2-8 with a last place finish (14th out of 14 teams) in 2020 --- projected again to be in last place (14th of 14 teams) in 2021 a BAD program.
B. The 1980's under Mike White would be considered a pretty good, or okay, program. That included a Rose Bowl appearance/loss.


Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten Conference) (1980–1987)
1980Illinois3–7–13–5T–6th
1981Illinois7–46–3T–3rd
1982Illinois7–56–34thL Liberty
1983Illinois10–29–01stL Rose1010
1984Illinois7–46–3T–2nd
1985Illinois6–5–15–2–13rdL Peach
1986Illinois4–73–5T–6th
1987Illinois3–7–12–5–18th
Illinois:47–41–340–26–2
Total:82–71–4


C. Frye and Ferentz have established and maintained a very good program at Iowa. (Alvarez did the same thing at Wisconsin ; then handed-off to BB.)
D. Dabo is the architect and mastermind of an excellent/elite program at Clemson.
 
#30      
ILL_INI
IlliniFandom said:
I wouldn't say we were a "Bad" program. What Beckman left Lovie was a BAD program. What Lovie left Bielema is more of an "OKAY" program: Lack of top end talent, but character guys that potentially have been under-utilized/under-developed and could excel in new roles/positions this year. I'm not saying you're not right in being cautious, but I just don't agree that maybe the historical records can be looked at in this case through the same lens.
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When the only positive comment you offer about the roster is "character guys" with potential, I think you must know deep down that the program is not "OKAY."

Lovie may have improved the overall athleticism, but he did not improve the roster talent relative to the rest of the Big Ten West.
 
#31      
cuillini
I may be waaaaay off base, but I put very little credence in last year's results. Due to the pandemic the season was a complete mess. For example, having to start a 4th string quarterback for two games, losing 15 players to contact tracing and playing the last game with about 2 linebackers.
What I look at now is the fact that we have practically everyone back from 2019 when we were a bowl team. I guess I'm the eternal optimist, but I think we can win enough games to play in a bowl.
 
#32      
AutoPoster 3000
As a nobody outsider alumni/fan, you never know what’s really true. I wish we could get an exhaustive, deeply researched Warren Commission type report on what actually happened with Lovie and his weirdly inexperienced staff in those final three years here when we consistently finished dead last or barely ahead of Rutgers in the consensus recruiting rankings. In any event, that’s done, and now there’s this oddball one-off senior-heavy season and then the abyss that will follow. But some signature first year wins could certainly help shepherd Bielema through the second and third year valley of death.
 
#33      
STLflyinIllini
Dan said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1422241943548010497
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Think could be a pretty big deal. If it pans out it will help the defense next year with Perry, Gay, and Carney all leaving. Avery/Brown sounds like a pretty good DT rotation, and Coleman/Cooper at OLB would be great if he can add the required size/strength.
ILB should still be in decent shape with Barnes, Hart, and Tolson
OL seems like it could be concerning given the amount of transfers and Brown switching, but we did start off with a ton of lineman on the roster, and if you look at where Tyler, Sparks, and Jones all ended up, chances are they wouldn't have contributed significantly any time soon. BB must feel good enough about the players he has left or his ability to convince some OL talent to transfer in next year.
 
#34      
redwingillini11
cuillini said:
I may be waaaaay off base, but I put very little credence in last year's results. Due to the pandemic the season was a complete mess. For example, having to start a 4th string quarterback for two games, losing 15 players to contact tracing and playing the last game with about 2 linebackers.
What I look at now is the fact that we have practically everyone back from 2019 when we were a bowl team. I guess I'm the eternal optimist, but I think we can win enough games to play in a bowl.
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This is where I am at. I think the schedule is tougher than 2019 and we had a few lucky breaks that year (if you play UW or MSU 10 times, we probably lose more than we win). But we should be just as talented, if not more so. I would say that makes us competitive in enough games that 6 wins is not a sure thing, but definitely obtainable.
 
#38      
BRucks
cuillini said:
I may be waaaaay off base, but I put very little credence in last year's results. Due to the pandemic the season was a complete mess. For example, having to start a 4th string quarterback for two games, losing 15 players to contact tracing and playing the last game with about 2 linebackers.
What I look at now is the fact that we have practically everyone back from 2019 when we were a bowl team. I guess I'm the eternal optimist, but I think we can win enough games to play in a bowl.
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I'm assuming that the 'fourth string QB' you reference was Taylor. Truth be told, he outperformed the other QBs:
Individual Passing Statistics
#PlayerGPRatingCOMPATTINT%YDSTDLongAVG/G
18Peters, Brandon5106.173980048.75 %42932885.80
1Williams, Isaiah6108.272663241.27 %39344665.50
7Taylor, Coran2132.032346250.00 %379352189.50
12Robinson, Matt2121.2034075.00 %2201211.00
Team70.000100.00 %0000.00
Total8112.7591194446.91 %12231052152.88
Opponents8165.30149214769.63 %18971875237.13
 
#41      
SescIllini
Coran Taylor seemed like an RB to me, wonder if the thought was ever to convert him to that position. Has enough size, elusiveness, speed/quickness to be effective IMHO.
 
#43      
Thaillini22
AutoPoster 3000 said:
As a nobody outsider alumni/fan, you never know what’s really true. I wish we could get an exhaustive, deeply researched Warren Commission type report on what actually happened with Lovie and his weirdly inexperienced staff in those final three years here when we consistently finished dead last or barely ahead of Rutgers in the consensus recruiting rankings. In any event, that’s done, and now there’s this oddball one-off senior-heavy season and then the abyss that will follow. But some signature first year wins could certainly help shepherd Bielema through the second and third year valley of death.
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I’m hoping the valley of death won’t be depressingly low or deadly. We may lack experience and perhaps physical strength next season, but like 2006, I imagine our guys will hit hard and be in the right places at the right times… competitive at least, but not sad.
 
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