Too many penalties. Of course I have no idea what several of them were due to the putrid tv coverage.
Iowa 33, Illinois 23 Postgame
The progress this team has made is pretty impressive, we are a B1G team and have been in almost every game. I can’t remember the last season that has happened.
Just occurring to me that one potential knock on Peterson is going to be how well he can play in the free agent market. There's a lot of top notch second string QBs in the world possibly looking to move on. The OC is going to be a major factor on where they go.
Overall very impressed with this team. Could easily have a better record, but if you trade a couple of what ifs for shoulda beens, it's about evened out.
The almost-catch by Ford on 4th down was a super human feat just to get the ball and control it, which Ford did. It was them forcefully removed from his possession by the Iowa player. Great play by the defender. If Peters throws it more accurately, that ball is caught and the defender has no chance to punch it out. At least they had the gall to go for it.
The worst play call was the 3rd and 1 roll out and subsequent incompletion then punt. I don't mind that call if you plan on going for it on fourth down, but you just needed a yard to get a drive going.
If we beat NW, we are probably a coin flip for a bowl, which is really what we wanted, right? The biggest improvement I've seen is the overall competitiveness of the team and the defense. We've been in pretty much every game except two. Keep Walters at whatever cost.
The almost-catch by Ford on 4th down was a super human feat just to get the ball and control it, which Ford did. It was them forcefully removed from his possession by the Iowa player. Great play by the defender. If Peters throws it more accurately, that ball is caught and the defender has no chance to punch it out. At least they had the gall to go for it.
The worst play call was the 3rd and 1 roll out and subsequent incompletion then punt. I don't mind that call if you plan on going for it on fourth down, but you just needed a yard to get a drive going.
If we beat NW, we are probably a coin flip for a bowl, which is really what we wanted, right? The biggest improvement I've seen is the overall competitiveness of the team and the defense. We've been in pretty much every game except two. Keep Walters at whatever cost.
Illinivek23
- Gurnee
Blown secondary assignments have also disappeared over the last 7 games and nearly all completions are well covered and contested. Really proud of these guys to buy in, dig in and improve over the course of the year.
Excited for 1 more game and then the off season prep and roster moves going into next year.
Excited for 1 more game and then the off season prep and roster moves going into next year.
blackdog
- Champaign
One thing that has been huge with this defense is eliminating big plays. If the other team is going to score they will have to really drive it down the field to make it happen.
I can’t tell if Tony Petersen is a good OC for Illinois or not. I’ve watched almost every minute of Illini football this season and the offensive strugglebus common denominator has clearly been the QB position. If we can run the ball, we usually win. If we can’t, we’re screwed.
To Peters’ credit, he put some throws on the numbers today that were dropped. Unfortunately the throws he’s made when a game is on the line throughout this season have been absolutely abysmal. I can’t pin that on Petersen.
Petersen’s job is to create a strategy that puts players into a position to make winning plays. We have receivers wide open and our QB consistently under or over throws receiver assignments. Which makes Petersen look bad. I think it’s appropriate to accept that it could be a personnel issue.
To Peters’ credit, he put some throws on the numbers today that were dropped. Unfortunately the throws he’s made when a game is on the line throughout this season have been absolutely abysmal. I can’t pin that on Petersen.
Petersen’s job is to create a strategy that puts players into a position to make winning plays. We have receivers wide open and our QB consistently under or over throws receiver assignments. Which makes Petersen look bad. I think it’s appropriate to accept that it could be a personnel issue.
And it not being Sitkowski.
This is absolutely correct. The makeup of the QB room snf on-field performance is his from this point forward. He HAS to deliver.
This is why i think Peterson gets another try next year. Plenty of times wide open receivers didnt even get the ball thrown their way. Then pile on the terrible early o-line play combined with Peters decision making and we have the disaster we saw this year. We seriously need a transfer. A splash transfer, Russell Wilson type transfer to be better next year. Sitkowski may be cool headed and all that but he has terrible accuracy and throws into coverage too often. Also seems to lack the arm strength to stretch the D. Probably plenty of film for Peterson to show coach, there were open guys on a lot of plays that didn't get the ball. Don't get me wrong, i would LOVE to see a new PROVEN coordinator on the offensive side coach B would let run the offense but we all know the odds are against that happening.
illini80
- Forgottonia
There are a number of things that make the QB situation difficult. One is we have no idea whether Art’s injury was the main factor in his poor accuracy or not. Two, I’m not sure how many “top notch” second string QB’s are out there. Heck, there’s not nearly enough top notch 1st string QB’s to go around. So the demand will be high and some of the best won’t want or fit the style of offense we run. I’m sure we will be working hard to find one and can only hope we find the right guy. Next season’s success really depends on it.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Pretty disappointing and yet encouraging simultaneously. So nice to not get blasted (again). And I learned that a 7 point spread is a 2 score game.
Throw in a at least a couple good-mean Offensive lineman please. When we have no confidence in a 4th and one QB sneak or dive, that’s an O-line issue.
Big Jack
- Decatur
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
APS iMBA
- Urbana, IL
OK so we lost. But this wasn't 63-0 and we were in it for most of the game. It was actually entertaining! Amazing how the right coach/coaches can make a difference right off the bat! I look forward to seeing Illini football in the future and having us be dominant! It is happening!
MustangWally
- Mayfield
Touchdown and extra point.
Tony Peterson has been an OC since 1998.
Illinir1
- Camdenton, MO
I tried to mute the TV and put the radio broadcast on my stereo. I did this just before the Illini kicked off for what was to be a 100 yard TD return by Iowa. Iowa's Jones was in the end zone on my TV just as the radio announced the kick. Had to listen to the TV the rest of the way.
You need to pause the tv to allow the radio broadcast to catch up if you have the capabilityI tried to mute the TV and put the radio broadcast on my stereo. I did this just before the Illini kicked off for what was to be a 100 yard TD return by Iowa. Iowa's Jones was in the end zone on my TV just as the radio announced the kick. Had to listen to the TV the rest of the way.