Some thoughts a day later:
1. The announcing crew was super uninformed the whole game. It's like their pregame prep consisted of Sellers and Pat Bryant, and with Bryant out of the game, they just talked about Sellers non stop. Sellers finished with 11 runs for 19 yards, something they never really mentioned or acknowledged the Illini defense for.
2. The officials completely blew that McCray end zone call. Either he's down before he breaks the plane, or he scores a touchdown. The ball didn't come out until he was over the plane of the goal line and it's not visible on any replay. Defaulting to fumble is the only call that doesn't make sense and that's what they went with.
3. The substitutions by Bielema were specifically in response to late substitutions that Beamer was doing. The NCAA specifically changed the rule this year so Beamer couldn't get away with late substitutions on offense like that, and Bielema's response was exactly what the new rule was supposed to provide. Want to run a sped up offense? Don't substitute late on offense, that's what the other 100 FBS teams do.
4. The trick play where the returner signaled for no play (the T signal) and then brought it out was technically not against the rules, but it was a move specifically to get the Illinois defense to let up which could have led to player injury. But to do that and then complain when Bielema called him on it, and then later call Bielema's response bush league? Look in the mirror, dude.
5. The injury that Bielema came out for wasn't on that return play, it was later in the drive (Sellers rush that brought a knee to Clarke's helmet accidentally). However, it was just about one minute later and that's what Bielema was calling Beamer out on, which the announcers missed completely and then overreacted for the rest of the game.
6. Why was that sideline reporter in Beamer's pocket the whole game? He's the one that mischaracterized Bielema's response and literally talked with Beamer while Beamer was behaving like a drunk Karen at the bar. Total nonsense.
7. The Illini punter for the game is not cut out for punting, time to find one in the portal.
8. Despite the biased announcing and refs shafting the team of a TD, and opposing coach's whining, they still won the game and played their game plan to perfection. Maybe next year they can get in the playoff with an announcing team that's prepared and knows the rules and personnel.
1. The announcing crew was super uninformed the whole game. It's like their pregame prep consisted of Sellers and Pat Bryant, and with Bryant out of the game, they just talked about Sellers non stop. Sellers finished with 11 runs for 19 yards, something they never really mentioned or acknowledged the Illini defense for.
2. The officials completely blew that McCray end zone call. Either he's down before he breaks the plane, or he scores a touchdown. The ball didn't come out until he was over the plane of the goal line and it's not visible on any replay. Defaulting to fumble is the only call that doesn't make sense and that's what they went with.
3. The substitutions by Bielema were specifically in response to late substitutions that Beamer was doing. The NCAA specifically changed the rule this year so Beamer couldn't get away with late substitutions on offense like that, and Bielema's response was exactly what the new rule was supposed to provide. Want to run a sped up offense? Don't substitute late on offense, that's what the other 100 FBS teams do.
4. The trick play where the returner signaled for no play (the T signal) and then brought it out was technically not against the rules, but it was a move specifically to get the Illinois defense to let up which could have led to player injury. But to do that and then complain when Bielema called him on it, and then later call Bielema's response bush league? Look in the mirror, dude.
5. The injury that Bielema came out for wasn't on that return play, it was later in the drive (Sellers rush that brought a knee to Clarke's helmet accidentally). However, it was just about one minute later and that's what Bielema was calling Beamer out on, which the announcers missed completely and then overreacted for the rest of the game.
6. Why was that sideline reporter in Beamer's pocket the whole game? He's the one that mischaracterized Bielema's response and literally talked with Beamer while Beamer was behaving like a drunk Karen at the bar. Total nonsense.
7. The Illini punter for the game is not cut out for punting, time to find one in the portal.
8. Despite the biased announcing and refs shafting the team of a TD, and opposing coach's whining, they still won the game and played their game plan to perfection. Maybe next year they can get in the playoff with an announcing team that's prepared and knows the rules and personnel.
