Illinois 38, Western Michigan 0 Postgame

Status
Not open for further replies.
#52      
blackdog
Curbelo Fanboy said:
There is a method to Bret’s madness. No one wants to see the slow starts but he is insistent on establishing the run early. We are seeing a similar script going back to late last year and so far this year

First half is somewhat pedestrian or kinda bad tonight. But sticking with that run starts to yield results in 2nd half. Those 2 yard gains become 5 or 7 and then they mix in some pass. I suspect we will be a bit more willing to open up more in the first half in coming weeks.

At times the o isn’t pretty but it is pretty efficient. Very few dumb plays or critical mistakes. And if we get a 2nd half lead we go into clock drain mode. Power football against a tiring defense. The kind of things Wisconsin and Iowa have done to us for most of the last 30 years.

I noticed tonight once we got the 17-0 lead Luke went into clock drain mode early in the 3rd. We were snapping ball with 3 on play clock for most all of the 2nd half. That’s a disciplined well coached team with a smart qb at the helm.

Excited to see where it goes. Whoever beats IL is gonna have to beat us over 60 minutes. We most likely aren’t going to just give games away with stupid stuff.
Click to expand...

And to make this strategy work you have to have a defense that is up to the task of keeping the score down so the offense can wear the opponent down. So far they have been doing just that. Allowing only 3.4 ypc and just under 30% 3rd down conversion means they get off the field and the offense is back to doing their thing.

The Dline play has been pretty solid so far and same with the LBs. Pass coverage continues to show some gaps but not really giving up big plays. Indiana is going to be a big stress test.
 
#54      
Vinegarben
The Illini will have to pay a FULL 4 quarters from here on out. I love Valentines potential, he can break one at any time. Finally late in the game we see a 255# running back show some power.
Just somehow beat the Hoosiers!
 
#56      
gibb52
We are now getting to see what it feels like to be a Mich/OSU/PedSt fan. Somewhat satisfied but not overly happy with a workmanlike 38 point beatdown of an inferior opponent.

Hasn't been that long ago we would be overjoyed with a 38-0 win over anybody, even if it was the Presbyterian Ladies Quilting Association. Losing to Eastern Michigan at home. Struggling to beat FCS teams.

What a change of fortune. It may not last as long as we would like it to but I'm going to enjoy every minute of it while it's here.
 
#58      
Mr. Tibbs
#60      
skyIdub
Dan said:
I believe this was Illinois Football's first shutout against an FBS opponent since 2000 Iowa (31-0).

And via Robert Rosenthal, this is IL's first undefeated non-conference which included a road win since 2001.
https://www.illiniboard.com/the-friends-you-make-along-the-way/

Illinois continues to have the nation's longest active winning streak (7) along with Ohio State and Memphis.
Click to expand...


im-not-sure-what-to-do-with-my-hands-ricky-bobby.gif
 
#61      
EyeoftheIllini
So when is it we see the imaginative use of TEs in offense I keep hearing about? Maybe Lunney is keeping TE wrinkles under wraps until conference. Is this more about the skills of our current TEs or just Lunney’s offense. The good is 2 TDs, but 4 receptions in 3 games doesn’t exactly scream TE U. On the plus side, offense doing well.
 
#62      
and 69 others
gibb52 said:
We are now getting to see what it feels like to be a Mich/OSU/PedSt fan. Somewhat satisfied but not overly happy with a workmanlike 38 point beatdown of an inferior opponent.

Hasn't been that long ago we would be overjoyed with a 38-0 win over anybody, even if it was the Presbyterian Ladies Quilting Association. Losing to Eastern Michigan at home. Struggling to beat FCS teams.

What a change of fortune. It may not last as long as we would like it to but I'm going to enjoy every minute of it while it's here.
Click to expand...
I hear the PLQA is pretty strong this year with multiple returning starters. We might be lucky they’re not on the schedule this year.
 
#63      
Old.Edgy
As I often tell my foreign born wife... 'Welcome to America, land of inflated prices'...
 
#64      
Old.Edgy
EyeoftheIllini said:
So when is it we see the imaginative use of TEs in offense I keep hearing about? Maybe Lunney is keeping TE wrinkles under wraps until conference. Is this more about the skills of our current TEs or just Lunney’s offense. The good is 2 TDs, but 4 receptions in 3 games doesn’t exactly scream TE U. On the plus side, offense doing well.
Click to expand...
At the rate that Edge Rushers are getting to Luke, I'd say we need those TE's to help out with blocking ...maybe...
 
#65      
EyeoftheIllini
Old.Edgy said:
At the rate that Edge Rushers are getting to Luke, I'd say we need those TE's to help out with blocking ...maybe...
Click to expand...
I don’t necessarily disagree, but after AL lost I saw plenty of posts on how Sutter might regret his decision. Alabama TEs have 12 catches and 3 TDs in 2 games. With Illini having at least 2 TEs in that class, maybe he wants to go to a school that uses the TE for more than blocking.
 
#66      
BrownTown
EyeoftheIllini said:
I don’t necessarily disagree, but after AL lost I saw plenty of posts on how Sutter might regret his decision. Alabama TEs have 12 catches and 3 TDs in 2 games. With Illini having at least 2 TEs in that class, maybe he wants to go to a school that uses the TE for more than blocking.
Click to expand...
Think the sell is that we don't have a dynamic pass catcher like him. Alabama does, as you just alluded to.

Oh and the top 10 ranking vs a team who fans will burn down Tuscaloosa at the next loss.
 
#67      
EyeoftheIllini
BrownTown said:
Think the sell is that we don't have a dynamic pass catcher like him. Alabama does, as you just alluded to.

Oh and the top 10 ranking vs a team who fans will burn down Tuscaloosa at the next loss.
Click to expand...
And that’s why in my original post I asked if TE use/production so far is because of who we have now. As to AL coaching situation, yes, I understand that. But not much proof on tape that Illini would know what to do with a dynamic pass catching TE. I’d like Sutter to flip, but not sure how much sense that makes from his perspective.
 
#69      
Red77sng
EyeoftheIllini said:
I don’t necessarily disagree, but after AL lost I saw plenty of posts on how Sutter might regret his decision. Alabama TEs have 12 catches and 3 TDs in 2 games. With Illini having at least 2 TEs in that class, maybe he wants to go to a school that uses the TE for more than blocking.
Click to expand...
The reason the Alabama TE’s have more catches and receptions are 4 & 5 stars
 
#72      
1970 John
We met Luke’s grandmother. Class act herself and looks more like she’d be Luke’s mother. In case you’re wondering, her cat is a Republican.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back