This may be true, but can you honestly say you were encouraged by the O and D play calling today? Outside of Altmyer and Washington making a huge 4th down play, the team did not look good regardless of how close Toledo is in terms of rankings. Hoping it was just first game jitters all around.
Illinois 30, Toledo 28 Postgame
This ^ he made a couple nice throws but only a couple. I’d way rather make Finn pass than run
Yeah but that didn’t happen either. He still got the rushing lanes. At least there could have been an attempt to change once we saw that read and react wasn’t working as planned.
So, in my Facebook memories for the day (yes… I’m old), I had a bunch of pictures from when we were “thrilled” about beating Kent St. on a last second FG like 6 years ago.
This is not that. I think we should all feel fine after this game.
I didn’t like watching this game, but I’m liking what comes next (other than the Tyler Strain concussion. That blows)
1. You had your Indiana game and you found a way to win.
2. The Offensive Line and the defense will both need time to gel. It’s not gonna happen over night given that they’ve been competing in position battles as late as last week. Need continuity. They’re only going to get better.
3. You have Jim Leonhard as a consultant. Guarantee you he has a book of notes on our issues. He isn’t available during the games but you can pick his brain this week.
4. This is ground-floor Luke Altmyer. He’s gonna get better as he gets more comfortable. He was *very* good against an experienced defensive backfield.
5. We won in a very non-Bielema way. E have flexibility.
6. We gave them 100 free yards and lots of points off of them. You still found a way to win.
7. The uniforms look NICE.
look, I’d predict a loss against KU next week on a short week on the road, but I like this teams chances at a 9-win regular season.
1. You had your Indiana game and you found a way to win.
2. The Offensive Line and the defense will both need time to gel. It’s not gonna happen over night given that they’ve been competing in position battles as late as last week. Need continuity. They’re only going to get better.
3. You have Jim Leonhard as a consultant. Guarantee you he has a book of notes on our issues. He isn’t available during the games but you can pick his brain this week.
4. This is ground-floor Luke Altmyer. He’s gonna get better as he gets more comfortable. He was *very* good against an experienced defensive backfield.
5. We won in a very non-Bielema way. E have flexibility.
6. We gave them 100 free yards and lots of points off of them. You still found a way to win.
7. The uniforms look NICE.
look, I’d predict a loss against KU next week on a short week on the road, but I like this teams chances at a 9-win regular season.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
The perfect fan experience:
Step 1: Vastly overestimate the skill level of your team.
Step 2: Vastly underestimate the skill level of the other team.
Step 3: Be disappointed when your team doesn’t live up to your lofty expectations & surprised when the team you’ve underestimated is actually good.
Rinse & repeat.
Step 1: Vastly overestimate the skill level of your team.
Step 2: Vastly underestimate the skill level of the other team.
Step 3: Be disappointed when your team doesn’t live up to your lofty expectations & surprised when the team you’ve underestimated is actually good.
Rinse & repeat.
4. Blame refs for the discrepancy in your beliefs and reality.
The pass rush is one thing, but the run fit is simply inexcusable. The running backs were 2 yards past the line before anyone ever touched them for the most part. Then is was the exact opposite on the other side of ball, our guys were getting stoned at the line.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
This is going to be a real short Big Ten West Title campaign if that's all we've got in the trenches, but onto the next.
I hear ya. I’m glad we aren’t basement dwellers anymore! I’m hopeful for them to step it up in the coming weeks, but today was not what most of us were hoping for in terms of a team prepared to fight for a west title. Still hopeful they pick it up in the coming weeks. Altmyer looks legit which is very encouraging.
I liked what I saw from Miles Scott and Xavier Scott tonight. I think we should just go after all the Scott’s. Lol
Well, in the past Step 3 was Be Depressed because you lost.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
I don’t think this a B1G West Champion team (didn’t think so before this game started, either). Not with Iowa on the road.
After watching every B1G game so far, I’d go Iowa & Wisconsin in the drivers seat. With Illinois having an outside shot if the ball bounces their way.
But - and this is a big but for a program like ours - I still see a 6-7 win team. Which keeps momentum alive and allows you to continue to recruit to a rising program.
If Finn could hit the broad side of a barn with his passes, we don't get a W. He was much more awful throwing than I expected
We gift wrapped them 3 scores with dumb penalties & still won. We’ll be fine. Think our D-Line will be fine, o-line is a little scary but everything else looks great.
10 wins.
Edit: pre-game threads simultaneously (for the next 6 days) against Kansas on the hoops & football forums lol. How many mistakes will be made?
10 wins.
Edit: pre-game threads simultaneously (for the next 6 days) against Kansas on the hoops & football forums lol. How many mistakes will be made?
IW was an absolute dog before we had consistent deep threats. Luke, PB, and CW are going to make this a cheat code taking people off the top.
Draw up under routes like he is a Wes Welker/Cole Beasley/ Edelman but will have the space to use his YAC ability which isn't usually a skill guys have in that role. He has incredible hands and has only played the position a couple years.
Luke might have just changed how Bret has to think of this team. He is different.
Also Reggie is the every down back. Werner said on his pod last week Josh will end the season with the most carries it should be Reggie.
Draw up under routes like he is a Wes Welker/Cole Beasley/ Edelman but will have the space to use his YAC ability which isn't usually a skill guys have in that role. He has incredible hands and has only played the position a couple years.
Luke might have just changed how Bret has to think of this team. He is different.
Also Reggie is the every down back. Werner said on his pod last week Josh will end the season with the most carries it should be Reggie.
I don't know who the big 10 announcer was but I agree with them. The law firm can't read and react. They have have to blast thru the the line and disrupt and cause mayhem to be most affective.
I agree Love should be getting the most carries. The problem with Josh is that he just doesn't fit the Lunney offense. He has an upright running style that depends on getting forward momentum to break tackles and doing that out of shotgun is a lot harder to do.
the national
- the Front Range
I hate to admit but that game was a lot like ours but we squeaked it out. Purdue was very close to that W.
If this is really ground-floor Luke with substantial improvement forthcoming, then give him the Heisman and the #1 draft pick. Kid was absolutely incredible tonight. If he plays like this consistently all season, not only would that go so far beyond anyone's wildest projection this season, he'll be playing NFL ball next season.
the national
- the Front Range