We are playing a very soft zone this year. Last year we ran man coverage almost exclusively
Illinois 43, Purdue 27 Postgame
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I'm far more the type to watch for entertainment than to dissect the game, but it appears we're playing a fair amount of zone this year. Feels like we played more man in the past. I'm assuming they don't think they have the athletes to play man so they try to hide it with zone. I was going a little nuts in the USC game watching their QB just pick apart our zone. A couple of underthrows that led to INTs is what saved us in that game.
Don't forget a couple fortuitous fumbles falling our way!
Punched out, not fumbled. Big difference.
And they got a super lucky bounce on the Browne goal line fumble... that one could have went 99 yds the other way if it did not bounce literally straight back up into his hands
Not really. Sure, did we help force the fumble? Yes. Could the offensive player prevented it? Yes. Do you think those fumbles were the only times we punched at the ball?
Don't get me wrong I love the peanut punch as much as any other Bears fan, but the big quick hitting chunk plays can't happen to beat a team like Ohio St. Tate and Smith will abuse us if we don't challenge them
When you swarm the ball and have guys around the pile good things happen.
Besides for X we have everyone back from last year but he is a big loss. We’ve played a lot of dynamic QBs thud year and we’ve tried to limit explosive plays.
blackdog
- Champaign
Yea this is a big reason to play zone if you are facing a mobile QB it takes away most of the big run plays because there are always eyes on him.
blackdog
- Champaign
A little nitpicky but he underthrew a couple of the WIDE open deep balls. The one to Hollins especially could have been a td if he put in front for him to run under instead of having to wait for it. The ones in coverage were absolutely drop in the bucket throws.
Need to go out and a get a proven defensive coordinator or co-coordinator if you keep Henry. This defense should be better than they are given the talent. Statistically giving up most total yards, passing yards, 138 YPG rushing to some less than elite offenses overall is crazy. And the same problems keep cropping up over last 3 years with Henry running things. I like him as a human but he needs help with schemes and playcalling. Hopefully? BB can take more control of defense this season and keep us in the playoff hunt. OSU will be a tough one next week however. Hope we can hang!
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
Multiple things can be true at the same time. The defense does have some injuries to key players. No one is denying that. But the defense is still thin and has issues schematically.
The situation is what it is right now. The offense will have to out score a lot of teams like it did yesterday.
One last thing-this defense reminds me of Lovie Smiths defenses that were predicated on creating turnovers. They would give up vast swaths of territory in a bend don’t break zone-like approach and bank on the idea that they could strip the ball away or step in front of a pass to get the ball back. I always thought that that was a crazy way to play defense. I love the way this team punches at balls and tries to take the ball away but can you do that without ceding so much ground?. Can you press/attack their QB a little more to force bad decisions? I have zero confidence in this defense against a competent QB with a solid line and a handful of playmakers that protect the ball.
Illini in Italy
- Illini HQ, Florida Panhandle
Luke only had three incompletions for the game -
- a pass to Bowick at 0:18 of the first quarter from the Purdue 23
- a short pass to Valentine from the IL 30 at 8:56 of the 3rd Qtr
- a pass to Bowick from the IL 45 at 10:31 of the 4th qtr
He did have one or two incompletions where the play was wiped out by penalty, but not sure what you were seeing . . .
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
Beatty, Jacas, and Luke are almost always at or near the top on these things. Clearly our superstars.
I think the OP was saying the completion to Hollins could have been a TD instead of just a long gain if Hollins didn't had to slow down to catch it.
blackdog
- Champaign
The underthrown passes were completions but the one to Hollins and one to Beaty especially they had to slow down and wait for the ball. If puts those out in front they are running for even more yards than they did. I think sometimes if the receiver is wide open like that its easy as the QB to make a safe throw just to get them the ball. Luke can take another step in his evolution by being just as accurate on those throws as the ones in tight coverage.
Surprised Clarke didn't show up on this list, thought as far as the secondary went he had a solid game for us and was making plays.
Don't remember the first... but the second was a blatant drop. The third was a great throw - right between the numbrs - but into tight coverage.
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Henry isn’t going anywhere
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