I doubt we’ll be ranked in the preseason. Our secondary is mostly gone and we’re replacing our QB and HB with unknown quantities.
Illini Football 2023
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An excellent Dline is the foundation of the defense. Makes every other position better. Holes for LB to rush Secondary doesn’t need to cover as long
Controlling the line of scrimmage is BB 101
Unknown quantities? McCray and Love have been around and we have a deep stable of RB’s Yes, we are without three drafted DB’s but Nicholson, Bailey and Scott are not unknown as they played minutes last year. We had a QB last year who was questionable and TDV did just fine. We have a better DC who is aggressive and will have a top 10 D again. Whatever flaws we may have in the backfield, the front 7 will make things easier for the backs.
I’m not sure a descriptor of Love and McCray as “been around” is going to make poll voters feel that we won’t miss a beat with Chase gone. A not so fun fact, since last year’s Penn State game, McCray has rushed 44 times for 129 yards — a 2.9 ypc average. And before someone says, well he’s been hurt — exactly.
Did you just say Henry(who has never been a DC) is a better DC than Walters?
My internet friend, come on now.
Walters
just got hired by Purdue. Let’s give Henry more than a bowl game before anointing him better than one of his mentors.
Haha We just ended the season with the nation’s #1 scoring defense. (After Bowl games)
Even if Henry gets us a top 10 D, there is a 90% chance it will be worse than Walters’ D.
He literally cannot produce a better (scoring) D.
Even if Henry gets us a top 10 D, there is a 90% chance it will be worse than Walters’ D.
He literally cannot produce a better (scoring) D.
I did not say better but different. I believe that Henry will be more aggressive with an improved front 7 to throw more blitz packages out.
I misspoke, I should have said different and not better. Sorry, my chemo brain sometimes fail me LOLMy internet friend, come on now.
Walters
just got hired by Purdue. Let’s give Henry more than a bowl game before anointing him better than one of his mentors.
Sometimes different can be better. God speed in your battle. It’s been enjoyable bantering with you. Your optimism is refreshing.
When you are dealing with cancer, one needs to be optimistic LOL. It’s fun to debate without being snarky.
Idk if I see more blitzes coming from this group. The d line is elite, I’m not sure why you’d throw more numbers defensively that way just to do it, and then hang the inexperienced back 4 out to dry like that. If anything, I think we’ll see more stunts (which we did a lot last year anyway) and zone blitzes to keep the numbers somewhat even, but still create pressure in unique ways when we need to. We leaned on our secondary to control offenses last year. This year we’ll be leaning on our d-line to do it.
I saw on another post you said run blitzes. That I can get behind because we play in the big ten west.
Regarding Kansas.
It will be a very tough to get a win but should be a good game. Kansas returns a ton but did lose their top pass rusher and a little more on the DL. Otherwise they are chock full of experience.
Daniels the QB is very good but has can be limited. He's very good at running as he was their #2 rusher last year despite a shoulder injury vs. TCU that kept him out until his return vs. K-State, a 5 game absence. He also throws well on the run and can make plays that appear to be luck but when he makes them so consistently, it's skill. He'll make some good throws in the pocket but others are well off the mark. Easier said than done but that's the ticket for Illinois.
The best comparison of teams KU played last year to Illinois was Iowa State, a 14-11 KU win. Sorta of two teams w/similar stats - other than Illinois got W's at the end and ISU didn't. Rushing and turnover margin being the difference for Illinois' wins.
Daniels, and KU, got their offense output and wins vs. crappy defenses. They do have a very dynamic offense with some speed but this won't be a shootout.
Illinois will try and establish the run. Leipold will stack the box. Will Illinois be able to throw the ball downfield? I think KU will have to blitz to get QB pressure. Will the Illinois offense be ready and able to make KU pay?
Should be a really fun game to watch as two really good coaches test each other.
It will be a very tough to get a win but should be a good game. Kansas returns a ton but did lose their top pass rusher and a little more on the DL. Otherwise they are chock full of experience.
Daniels the QB is very good but has can be limited. He's very good at running as he was their #2 rusher last year despite a shoulder injury vs. TCU that kept him out until his return vs. K-State, a 5 game absence. He also throws well on the run and can make plays that appear to be luck but when he makes them so consistently, it's skill. He'll make some good throws in the pocket but others are well off the mark. Easier said than done but that's the ticket for Illinois.
The best comparison of teams KU played last year to Illinois was Iowa State, a 14-11 KU win. Sorta of two teams w/similar stats - other than Illinois got W's at the end and ISU didn't. Rushing and turnover margin being the difference for Illinois' wins.
Daniels, and KU, got their offense output and wins vs. crappy defenses. They do have a very dynamic offense with some speed but this won't be a shootout.
Illinois will try and establish the run. Leipold will stack the box. Will Illinois be able to throw the ball downfield? I think KU will have to blitz to get QB pressure. Will the Illinois offense be ready and able to make KU pay?
Should be a really fun game to watch as two really good coaches test each other.
Favored against Kansas
Also, Toledo and Florida Atlantic are effectively the same as Northwestern
I'll probably end up 100% wrong but I don't get the love for Fickell season 1 at Wisconsin. B1G West isn't the strongest P5 division, but Cincinnati was light years ahead of its G5 competition.
I think there will be some growing pains there... but everyone has them at like 9+ wins, which is optimistic to me...
I think there will be some growing pains there... but everyone has them at like 9+ wins, which is optimistic to me...
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
This is a 6/7 win team
mhuml32
Gesture of Northern Aggression
I also see growing pains. The optimism is look at what Michigan State was able to do with one year of transfers but Fickell is an even better coach than Tucker. The pessimism is they are going full send into passing in an area of the country where that isn't advisable past mid-October.
The best thing to come from their pending transformation is the fan-bestowed nickname for their offense: Dairy Raid
ptgrd23
- orange county CA
Brett believes games are won in the trenches
- we bring back most of our offense and defensive line so that bodes well
- we lost All American secondary but our replacements did see significant playing time
- not worried about RB position. Love looked fine when the o-line was making holes
Big question
Can Altmyer play similar role to DeVito. Limit turnovers. Hit passes on 3rd and 7. He was a 4 star out of HS and did spend 2 years in Ole Miss program with 1 start. I think he plays well we could be looking at 7-8 wins. If he struggles put us at 4-6 wins.
We had big wins at Iowa and Wisconsin last year. I think we have better chance vs Kansas this season than we did vs UVA last year. We don't have Michigan on the schedule.
Can't wait for the season to start !
- we bring back most of our offense and defensive line so that bodes well
- we lost All American secondary but our replacements did see significant playing time
- not worried about RB position. Love looked fine when the o-line was making holes
Big question
Can Altmyer play similar role to DeVito. Limit turnovers. Hit passes on 3rd and 7. He was a 4 star out of HS and did spend 2 years in Ole Miss program with 1 start. I think he plays well we could be looking at 7-8 wins. If he struggles put us at 4-6 wins.
We had big wins at Iowa and Wisconsin last year. I think we have better chance vs Kansas this season than we did vs UVA last year. We don't have Michigan on the schedule.
Can't wait for the season to start !
Fair assessment.
You are correct peg. Can’t wait to see this team. We have upgraded our recovery corp. We have good depth at running back. Coach B’s def should be very good.
Nothing about Chase having 340+ carries signifies our running game looking fine. If the backups were trusted/healthy enough to take carries away from Chase... they would have.
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