Illinois 42, UAB 23 Postgame
Robert's from the stands kinda ticked me off. He was basically saying anyone feeling remotely negative about this game was a bad fan. Like because we likely won't go 1-11 we have no room to complain or feel concerned about things we saw in the field.
Did you see the missed tackles? How we didn't force them into a single 3 and out? How if not for some friendly whistles this could have been much closer?
I'm not saying the sky is falling. I predicted 8-4 and we still could get there! Hell, we could exceed that for all I know! But just because we won against a bad team doesn't mean we can't have reasons to be worried about how we'll fair against much tougher competent l competition.
I usually really like Robert. But occasionally he gets this "no one has suffered as a fan more than I have, so if I'm happy you should be too." vibe.
Don't tell anyone how to fan, much less people who have been following illinois for 20 or 30 plus years.
I'm ecstatic were where we are vs 10 or even 5 years ago. But that doesn't mean we can't question anything.
Did you see the missed tackles? How we didn't force them into a single 3 and out? How if not for some friendly whistles this could have been much closer?
I'm not saying the sky is falling. I predicted 8-4 and we still could get there! Hell, we could exceed that for all I know! But just because we won against a bad team doesn't mean we can't have reasons to be worried about how we'll fair against much tougher competent l competition.
I usually really like Robert. But occasionally he gets this "no one has suffered as a fan more than I have, so if I'm happy you should be too." vibe.
Don't tell anyone how to fan, much less people who have been following illinois for 20 or 30 plus years.
I'm ecstatic were where we are vs 10 or even 5 years ago. But that doesn't mean we can't question anything.
Just watched the replay with special attention on defense and wow did Beerman have a tough game with Kreutz and Paris almost as bad. The LB play needs to improve drastically if we want to qualify for a bowl. They are so slow to read/react, and then the tackling is reaching with the arms.
I could see this defense playing well with LBs with Baileys attitude but the guts we have play scared of contact.
I could see this defense playing well with LBs with Baileys attitude but the guts we have play scared of contact.
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
Totally agree @Stevegarbs At one point, after the Hail Mary TD, I was jumping up and down and I got so dizzy, I almost fainted.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
There are FCS teams better than the level UAB has been at, but those two are very much not among them. Both finished near the bottom of the weak OVC.
2023 was a bad team, Bielema's only one here. 2021 was hobbled by bad QB play and a weak OC, but the overall quality of the team had improved massively.
The Bielema era is the classic 5-year rebuild, just with the seasons all jumbled up.
Per F/+ ratings, his teams were
1. 2022
2. 2025
3. 2024
4. 2021
5. 2023
The offense has improved every season. Our points per drive rank by year:
2021: 110th
2022: 84th
2023: 79th
2024: 34th
2025: 19th
Our 2022 Defense was 2nd; and the greed in me wants to think if you pair our 2022 defense with our 2025 offense, we might be a top 5 team.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
Oh God, please don't bring that up. Out of all of the stupid things Tim Beckman ever said, I think that was the worst.
Put Keith Randolph and Johnny Newton on this defense, and we're a playoff contender (barring a rash of injuries).
We have what it takes as a PROGRAM. But the resources to be at the top, just aren't gonna be there.