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Illinois 14, Minnesota 6 Postgame
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<blockquote data-quote="mhuml32" data-source="post: 1672010" data-attributes="member: 3621"><p><strong>The Good</strong></p><p>1. The bye after the Wisconsin game is looking like manna from heaven. You could make an argument that Illinois has been playing really well since the Virginia game (minus Wisconsin).</p><p>2. Best two passing performances (via PFF) of the season in back-to-back games. Passing Efficiency Rating is even stronger in its conviction: The last two games have been Peters' two best appearances ever (PER of 192.4 and 189.1). Better than his MSU game, better than any appearance at UM. He's peaking down the stretch of his final year.</p><p>3. Barring the regular caveats of future injury, Vederian Lowe has sealed being picked in next year's NFL draft. Has 104 pass protection snaps since week 5 and has allowed zero pressures during that time. He's going to be one of the top college tackles based on pass protection at season's end. If he stays healthy he could sneak into the top four rounds.</p><p>4. The offensive line is really clicking and they've found the right mix (plus play calling adjustments). Kramer, Lowe, Palcho, and Badinovac were all really good.</p><p>5. Kerby Joseph might be the best defensive player on the roster. Who would have guessed that back in August?</p><p>6. Fleck evoking Polamalu when talking about Sydney Brown. He isn't Polamalu by pedigree but that is a fun comp. Similar Swiss-army knife fit for the defense and notorious as a run-stuffing secondary player. He can be really up-and-down (Virginia) but he's a lot of fun to watch when he's on.</p><p>7. Edge players (OLBs) really have turned it on since Penn State. Isaiah Gay might have had his most productive game and Carney (though PFF isn't impressed) has kicked it into high gear. Carney now has 11 sacks over his past two years.</p><p>8. SP+ ranked the Illinois defense at 100 after the Virginia game. Now? 49th. Let's compare YPG allowed to the 2020 team: 2020 team allowed 468 yards/game. 2021 version allows 390 (only 301 over the past three games). 2020 team allowed 6.4 yards per play. 2021 team is only allowing 5.4 (4.2 in last three). Maybe you're thinking the slower pace is giving this year's defense an unfair advantage when comparing it to Lovie's last team, so let's look at points per play. 2020 team allowed .475 points per play (98th in the country), the 2021 defense is allowing .300 (23rd in the country). That's a massive leap forward and at least one stat to hang your hat on this year's defense being a top-25 unit.</p><p>9. This isn't taking anything away from Walters. In fact, I commend the entire staff on addressing something that Lovie perceived as unimportant (or a contributing factor to the team's poor performance that he wan't able to correct): Opponents time of possession: 2019 - 128th (out of 130). 2020 - 111th (out of 128). 2021? 64th.</p><p>10. No major injuries, right?</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>The Bad</strong></p><p>1. Wasn't a great game for Ford and Barker. Not sure what the issue is but the offense just hasn't been able to kickstart the tight ends and really cash in the talent at that position.</p><p>2. PFF continues to think the defensive line is sluggish and QB pressures are being created by good coverage and not by the line creating that pressure on their own. I think that is a fair complaint and it will be a tough task for the defensive line against Iowa in a couple of weeks. Hopefully a bye will freshen some of the legs.</p><p>3. Offense is still an overall negative even with Peters playing his best and Chase carrying this offense on his back. Gotta find a way to manufacture more points. SP+ has the offense at 100 (that's bad).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="mhuml32, post: 1672010, member: 3621"] [B]The Good[/B] 1. The bye after the Wisconsin game is looking like manna from heaven. You could make an argument that Illinois has been playing really well since the Virginia game (minus Wisconsin). 2. Best two passing performances (via PFF) of the season in back-to-back games. Passing Efficiency Rating is even stronger in its conviction: The last two games have been Peters' two best appearances ever (PER of 192.4 and 189.1). Better than his MSU game, better than any appearance at UM. He's peaking down the stretch of his final year. 3. Barring the regular caveats of future injury, Vederian Lowe has sealed being picked in next year's NFL draft. Has 104 pass protection snaps since week 5 and has allowed zero pressures during that time. He's going to be one of the top college tackles based on pass protection at season's end. If he stays healthy he could sneak into the top four rounds. 4. The offensive line is really clicking and they've found the right mix (plus play calling adjustments). Kramer, Lowe, Palcho, and Badinovac were all really good. 5. Kerby Joseph might be the best defensive player on the roster. Who would have guessed that back in August? 6. Fleck evoking Polamalu when talking about Sydney Brown. He isn't Polamalu by pedigree but that is a fun comp. Similar Swiss-army knife fit for the defense and notorious as a run-stuffing secondary player. He can be really up-and-down (Virginia) but he's a lot of fun to watch when he's on. 7. Edge players (OLBs) really have turned it on since Penn State. Isaiah Gay might have had his most productive game and Carney (though PFF isn't impressed) has kicked it into high gear. Carney now has 11 sacks over his past two years. 8. SP+ ranked the Illinois defense at 100 after the Virginia game. Now? 49th. Let's compare YPG allowed to the 2020 team: 2020 team allowed 468 yards/game. 2021 version allows 390 (only 301 over the past three games). 2020 team allowed 6.4 yards per play. 2021 team is only allowing 5.4 (4.2 in last three). Maybe you're thinking the slower pace is giving this year's defense an unfair advantage when comparing it to Lovie's last team, so let's look at points per play. 2020 team allowed .475 points per play (98th in the country), the 2021 defense is allowing .300 (23rd in the country). That's a massive leap forward and at least one stat to hang your hat on this year's defense being a top-25 unit. 9. This isn't taking anything away from Walters. In fact, I commend the entire staff on addressing something that Lovie perceived as unimportant (or a contributing factor to the team's poor performance that he wan't able to correct): Opponents time of possession: 2019 - 128th (out of 130). 2020 - 111th (out of 128). 2021? 64th. 10. No major injuries, right? [B]The Bad[/B] 1. Wasn't a great game for Ford and Barker. Not sure what the issue is but the offense just hasn't been able to kickstart the tight ends and really cash in the talent at that position. 2. PFF continues to think the defensive line is sluggish and QB pressures are being created by good coverage and not by the line creating that pressure on their own. I think that is a fair complaint and it will be a tough task for the defensive line against Iowa in a couple of weeks. Hopefully a bye will freshen some of the legs. 3. Offense is still an overall negative even with Peters playing his best and Chase carrying this offense on his back. Gotta find a way to manufacture more points. SP+ has the offense at 100 (that's bad). [/QUOTE]
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