Illini Football 2023

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#53      

Dkayak

D
Dkayak
#56      

HensonHall71

H
HensonHall71
GILL-INOIS said:
Tony Peterson ran a vanilla offense that was predictable to the casual fan and lasted one season

Barry Lunney Jr runs a vanilla offense that is predictable to the casual fan and will last.......




(Still the #1 Aidan Laughery fan on this board)
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This is also why we shouldn't canonize Bielema after a good start to last season. It easy to see a coach as a savior if things are going well. While he's a good college football coach there are glaring/troubling signs as to the long term success of the program:
1) coaching hires - The fact that he ever hired Tony Peterson (his first hire to boot) and then when there was momentum to hire proven coaches when we were a darling of college football and one of the best defenses in the nation, instead of hiring a proven DC, he promoted from within to a guy who had never been a coordinator - I like Henry, but he doesn't seem ready for the job. He also Hired Lunney who is not what this offense needs - Bret struck gold in getting Walters and he should have been able to hire a really good proven DC to replace him given the job has elevated in it's profile
2) Recruiting - we aren't getting any better prospects than before he got here - in fact, recruiting is worse than it was under Lovie and Lovie didn't have any interest in recruiting

Without an upgrade in coaches we are able to hire or recruiting seeing a noticeable improvement --> how are we getting better as a program?
 
#57      

thefalcon5

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thefalcon5
If Bret wants to save any face this year, it’s showing that he can control the offensive side of the ball. Easiest way to do that is a schematic change.

Maybe stop going for it on forth and short. Take the three points if need be. Run the dang ball. The first two points are going to be tough for the fan base to swallow but if you’re incapable of doing it, why keep trying? Our success rate has to below 25%.

One reason I’ve been so high on Bret is the competency his teams showed the past couple years. Sure you lose games and have stupid play calling or a boneheaded move, but every game this year has looked like a bunch of high schoolers out there. It’s beyond watching bad football. Being competent should be a bar that’s not only obtained every year but also an afterthought and it has been prior to this season. That needs to change ASAP.
 
#59      

GILL-INOIS

G
GILL-INOIS
Everything is calculated with how BB talks to the media. I love how he is a straight shooter, shows emotion and gets ticked off. My theory is Lunney Jr makes it until after the Wisconsin game at latest. Either fired after Maryland/Wisconsin and have a bye week after Wisconsin. Illinois remaining schedule is Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa and Northwestern. I have no problem with this but if firing 2 offensive coordinators in 3 seasons than it is mandatory for BB to nail the next offensive coordinator. If going by connections, Paul Chryst? Not a flashy name but need someone established on the offensive side. He is a special assistant on the Texas staff and grab him away to be OC. I think Henry has done a decent job but Paul Chryst at OC and Jim Leonard at DC have me more excited than what we have in the cupboard now.


OL has been one of the worst in the nation but a solid QB changes a ton of things. We got spoiled by one year of DeVito and went back to square one. If we are "developing players" than this coaching staff needs to hit the transfer portal harder this offseason.


Taking out the direct defensive TDs/safeties for points and this is what the offense has scored over the past few seasons.

2021 Tony Petersen 19.4 pts/game conference games 18.3

2022 Lunney Jr 22.6 pts/game conference games 22.0

2023 Lunney Jr 18.0 pts/ game conference games 13.0

Small sample size for this season but has been atrocious. 2021 the team couldn't move the ball but barely turned it over. 2022 the defense was electric, we controlled the time of possession but kicked way too many field goals and couldn't punch it in. 2023 the OL is horrible, we move the ball probably 50-70 yards more a game than the 2021 team but we also turn the ball over at an alarming rate. Not being able to put points on the board started halfway through last season and is glaring now that our D isn't as dominate and our offense turns the ball over.
 
#63      

Old.Edgy

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Old.Edgy
Listening to the Cover3 pod today makes me want to ask if teams are stealing our Offensive signals - Bud Eliot says it happens A LOT ?? Plus: @GILL-INOIS, why would you think either Chryst or Leonard would want a job here ?
 
#64      

GILL-INOIS

G
GILL-INOIS
Old.Edgy said:
Plus: @GILL-INOIS, why would you think either Chryst or Leonard would want a job here ?
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I never said they would. BB has ties to both.....more so need an established OC. Once Lunney Jr gets fired, I doubt BB gets another chance to hire an OC unless that person retires/leaves for HC job.

I actually think Henry has done a good job as DC. Missing depth and lost a ton of pieces to the NFL the D is miles ahead of the offense. Jim Leonhard signed a separation agreement with Wisconsin to not take a head coaching spot or NFL job right away. He is making the $ plus already a senior defensive analyst with Illinois. Leonhard can pick what he wants to do next........top 5 defensive coordinator in college who could land a ton of jobs.

BB has to nail the next OC. I have no knowledge Paul Chryst would have any interest in coming here. It might also depend on the buyout he received as not sure if it was disclosed about him taking another job or not after a certain amount of time(probably reason he is special assistant at Texas). Chryst could land another head coaching job if he wanted as well. If he becomes available I think BB would reach out to him on the short list. BB went out on the limb with Petersen and Lunney Jr. It is past time he brings in someone he doesn't have to babysit and bringing in Chryst would be just the guy. If it doesn't work out with him, than the writing is on the wall down the road. I still love BB but the offense is too predictable where I feel like majority of us know what is going to happen. Imagine having the opposing team studying it for hours.....
 
#66      

CDRUSN

CDRUSN
CDRUSN
When our offense looks inept against a Big 10 West bottom feeder like hapless Nebraska, after the Illini have struggled to score most of the season, it is time for a serious overhaul. The OC and OL coaches at a minimum should be forced out once the season is over, barring a miraculous turnaround in execution. Bert may want to take over calling plays for the rest of the season, at least in critical situations, and start benching players who commit stupid penalties, can't run block or pass protect, or turn the ball over repeatedly.

Despite lapses in pass coverage and poor tackling on a too frequent basis, as well as uneven linebacker play, the Defense to their credit is still giving good effort despite being on the field far too long, and has steadily improved. They at least turned in improved performances against both Penn St and Nebraska, but cannot carry the team with subpar play by the offense and often special teams. The program is a mess right now, and that is on the head coach to fix. Most fans figured Nebraska at home was our chance to finally get well and start competing, then it fell apart in spectacular fashion.
 
#68      

I57north

I
I57north
CDRUSN said:
When our offense looks inept against a Big 10 West bottom feeder like hapless Nebraska, after the Illini have struggled to score most of the season, it is time for a serious overhaul. The OC and OL coaches at a minimum should be forced out once the season is over, barring a miraculous turnaround in execution. Bert may want to take over calling plays for the rest of the season, at least in critical situations, and start benching players who commit stupid penalties, can't run block or pass protect, or turn the ball over repeatedly.

Despite lapses in pass coverage and poor tackling on a too frequent basis, as well as uneven linebacker play, the Defense to their credit is still giving good effort despite being on the field far too long, and has steadily improved. They at least turned in improved performances against both Penn St and Nebraska, but cannot carry the team with subpar play by the offense and often special teams. The program is a mess right now, and that is on the head coach to fix. Most fans figured Nebraska at home was our chance to finally get well and start competing, then it fell apart in spectacular fashion.
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Most fans are not thinking about the O line with lack of depth due to youth and/or injury. Plays do not happen without good blocking.
 
#69      

OskieWowWow

OskieWowWow
OskieWowWow
Ander1345 said:
Arkansas should be higher. Amazing how fast they have turned on Pittman.
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They are completely delusional as to what they are. They've been the 2nd worst SEC team (ahead of only Vandy) by a mile.
jamesonsteward.medium.com

Every SEC Football Team’s Record Since 2012

Ranking the SEC Football teams from worst to first.
jamesonsteward.medium.com jamesonsteward.medium.com

Bret took them to 3 bowl games in a row and is still considered a failure there while he'd probably get a lifetime extension if he does that with Illinois.
 
#70      

Mr. Tibbs

Mr. Tibbs
southeast DuPage
Mr. Tibbs
OskieWowWow said:
They are completely delusional as to what they are. They've been the 2nd worst SEC team (ahead of only Vandy) by a mile.
jamesonsteward.medium.com

Every SEC Football Team’s Record Since 2012

Ranking the SEC Football teams from worst to first.
jamesonsteward.medium.com jamesonsteward.medium.com

Bret took them to 3 bowl games in a row and is still considered a failure there while he'd probably get a lifetime extension if he does that with Illinois.
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they still think its 1965 and they are reigning national champs and Broyles is coaching Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson are on the team
 
#71      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
Welp, if it makes anyone even feel the SLIGHTEST bit better (FTR, it does very little for me, lol...), Illinois/Nebraska drew 1.36 million viewers, which is very good for a Friday night game on FS1. While a good chunk of that was Nebraska fans, looking at past FS1 numbers it is clear that a lot of Illini fans are still tuning in. For comparison, Iowa State/Oklahoma only drew 808k on FS1 last week. I fear the Illini ratings are about to plummet, though, as we have a very (understandably) fickle and frustrated fan base.

Also just for the LOLs ... Northwestern's game vs. Howard drew 71k viewers on Big Ten Network. It is by far the worst Power Five rating this year, and it replaces Indiana/Indiana State (247k viewers) for the honor of BTN's worst rating of the year. These are the only games this year that have had worse ratings, lmao:

67k for Fort Valley State at Tuskegee on ESPNU
53k for Tulane at Southern Miss on ESPNU
51k for Rice at South Florida on ESPNU
43k for Texas State at Louisiana on ESPNU
40k for Florida A&M at Southern on ESPNU
37k for Northern Illinois at Toledo on ESPNU
30k for South Alabama at James Madison on ESPNU
29k for Western Kentucky at Troy on ESPNU
26k for Jackson State at Southern on ESPNU - a REPLAY at 9:30 pm CST
25k for Arkansas Pine-Bluff at Alabama A&M on ESPNU - on a Thursday
20k for Morehouse at Albany State on CNBC
16k for Toledo at UMass on ESPNU
18k for Charlotte at SMU on ESPNU

Again ... stay away from ESPNU, kids...
 
#73      

Chukwuwumba

Chukwuwumba
Chukwuwumba
I57north said:
Most fans are not thinking about the O line with lack of depth due to youth and/or injury. Plays do not happen without good blocking.
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Well 2 years ago Bret said there was no offensive line depth and there was a gap as 2 recruiting classes were not contributing. Then went ahead and signed adams and Crisler. Good. But then signed no one else to fill in the gap. Schuster and ley would be 2nd year players. Didn’t fill in the gap, only added to the inexperience. Avery Jones would’ve helped but didn’t get him. Needed to go harder for experienced oline, they knew there were issues 2 years ago. Should not have to play true freshmen. Dead horse beaten.
 
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