Illinois 45, Duke 19 Postgame
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Illinicpa14
- Chicago
Not disagreeing first half could have looked a lot different but to me, this is what good, top 15 programs do when you have a not great game. Limit other teams ability to be up multiple scores and then turn it on at some point during the game. Agree the 5-0 turnovers isn’t going to be sustainable.
I equate this to when our basketball team looks bad in a non-conf for 25 minutes and then turns it on with a huge run to end the game. Yes we know we didn’t play the absolute best, but you take the quality W and move on. Good news is this team won’t get full of themselves, there’s more to clean up.
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Genuine advice. Shut the hell up and enjoy things as they are, It’s a lot more fun.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
Good teams find a way to win when they aren’t playing well.
Really good teams find a way to win by multiple scores on the road against a power conference bowl team when they aren’t playing well.
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we still won by 26
The second half offense was vintage Bielema. Wisconsin 2008. Just demoralized the defense with long drives. Choke the game out. You live for that kind of game takeover. I do anyway.
I went back a ways to find Aaron Henry talking about Heckel during spring practices.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
For me, there is nothing more satisfying in a football game than when everyone knows your team is going to pound the ball down the opponent’s throat, and there will absolutely nothing they can do to stop it.
Special Teams, too.
*Hand up* I was for sure one of them.I just went through the first 20 pages of the coaching search thread…..yall hated Bret and thought he was a grade a D bag without actually knowing him(not you Bzup) but a lot of fans
In my defense I grew up in Wisconsin during the Alverez and early Bret tenure so I hated him from that. I'm pretty sure I said something along the lines of he'd be involved in a drunken scandal at a sorority house.
I've eaten my crow before, but I'll do it again when it's brought up.
Sounds like the start to a horror film
And about 1/3 as many losses!
Turnover fairy was with us today. That said, really impressive to win like that on the road against a really good team with game wreckers on defense and maybe the best QB we see all year.
But we can play so, so much better. Offensive line was abysmal in the first half. And for whatever reason, Altmeyer couldn’t hit a slant to save his life. Those are normally his bread and butter and it was open all game. He must have missed 6 easy ones including a touchdown to Dixon. He hits his slants and we don’t even need the turnover fairy IMO.
Defense looks more bend but don’t break than dominant. But like last year, mostly kept plays in front of them and made enough plays to keep Duke out of the end zone on a few drives. Should be enough most games.
Think our O Line will level up eventually and Luke will build enough rapport with his new receivers where we will be really dangerous. Question is can it all come together in time for Indiana and USC? We get through those games unscathed we’ve got a really good shot at the playoff. Which is crazy! Soak it in…
But we can play so, so much better. Offensive line was abysmal in the first half. And for whatever reason, Altmeyer couldn’t hit a slant to save his life. Those are normally his bread and butter and it was open all game. He must have missed 6 easy ones including a touchdown to Dixon. He hits his slants and we don’t even need the turnover fairy IMO.
Defense looks more bend but don’t break than dominant. But like last year, mostly kept plays in front of them and made enough plays to keep Duke out of the end zone on a few drives. Should be enough most games.
Think our O Line will level up eventually and Luke will build enough rapport with his new receivers where we will be really dangerous. Question is can it all come together in time for Indiana and USC? We get through those games unscathed we’ve got a really good shot at the playoff. Which is crazy! Soak it in…
Recorded the game and watching it now (my son’s first hockey game of the year was this afternoon).
“Manny Diaz told me everything is going right for us with the exception of the turnovers. He said we clean that up in the second half and we will win this game.” Ha ha ha how did that turn out dude?
“Manny Diaz told me everything is going right for us with the exception of the turnovers. He said we clean that up in the second half and we will win this game.” Ha ha ha how did that turn out dude?
By the way... not enough talked about - punter was great IMO.
They did not clean that up in the second half.
And that Bielema grin at the end.
Well said!
While your point is made, we did not look good against Duke through the first half, we must also understand this was against a Power 5 team on the road in our first road game and we closed them out the way good teams do when they're playing their C game at best.
But to say we lost every aspect of the game, pretending that special teams doesn't exist despite both the muffed fumble recovery, the 2 #8's on the field call out such the refs could hear and see it, allowing next to nothing on returns, and hitting all FGs and EPs while having a good game from the punter. I mean, you're just looking for problems at that point.
We absolutely need to be better, no question. The lines especially need to be better. The coverage needs to be better, and we can't drop so many balls, but when you beat a Power 5 team in your first road game by over 3 touchdowns, just enjoy it a little. Just a little. When's the last time we did that? 24 years ago?
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Before today’s game, we lost our previous 6 non-con road games by an average of 24 points. Excuse me while I go celebrate our 26 point non-con road win.
Felt like we never really got everybody on the same page during the WIU game and it just carried forward into the first half today.
Think the offense really clicked in the 2nd half and I fully expect to see a more cohesive unit moving forward.
Seem to also have found our go to dudes in the receiving room.
Beatty
Bowick
Dixon
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Everyone else.
That also seems to be shaking up similarly in the RB room...
Valentine is the guy.
Feagin will get there, but is soo slow his first 3 steps that it almost negates his size on his interior runs. Hope Thad Ward instills in him NO SIDESTEPS.
GOT TO BE A NORTH SOUTH GUY
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