That wasn’t the problem!! Us having a 250 pound running back, needing just about a foot and not using him to me is almost as bad as the dumb !!! play Seattle called in the Super BowlMe seeing us need half-a-yard yet lining up in the shotgun:
Nebraska 20, Illinois 7 Postgame
To my eye, OL has been the biggest issue on the team BY FAR. How does Miller escape responsibility for that?
I've said really nice things at funerals about people. It's what you do.
I don’t think anyone thinks Nebraska looked like a national championship contender. I personally thought they looked terrible and this highlighted how bad we actually are. If this staff thought this team would be good in the offseason, we’ve got problems
I saw this too. Tons of bad snaps and it made me wonder if Kreutz is part of the problem. Lack of communication from him and the other lineman feel like they have to support him because of size?
Where to start. ST have been pretty solid, then last night happens. 3 guys can't figure out how to catch a short KO, then almost did it again. Strange decision on the punt that turned into another disaster. Guy recovers a "fumble" on a punt then just stands there not knowing what to do.
D wasn't great but were pretty solid given that they were on the field all the time and put into some really bad situations several times.
Offense is a train wreck. The OL is a disaster. No run room, no time to throw anything but short routes makes us so easy to defend. Maybe put in some Air Raid stuff with short drops and routes as a way to salvage the season?
For the love of God, when you need a foot, or a yard and you have a crap OL: Spread. The. Field. Get as many hats out of the box as you can. Get. Under. Center. Run. Out. Of. The. I. Take. Your. 205lb RB out of the game. PUT YOUR 250LB RUNNING BACK INTO THE GAME. Let him pick a crease and hit it. Maybe try that?
Lunney will have to go at the end of the season. But Bert will have to get the next hire right. Get it wrong and it's over for him. Having said that Josh gives his coaches 5 yrs to get their program going. Let Groce stay 5, Let Lovie stay 5, Let Fahey stay 5. Will let BB stay 5.
Staff absolutely has to hit the portal hard for next yr. We need multiple OL better than anyone we have now. Couple of DL. Couple of LB who can run and tackle. Maybe those guys are on the team and are just young and need more weight room/practice/game experience. But if I'm BB I wouldn't stake my future on it.
We are back to where we've been stuck since the 60's. Short, sometimes very short spurts of success followed by descents back to the bottom. 2016-2018. 2012-2014. 2008-2009. 2002-2006. 1996-1998. 1977-1980. 1967-1970. Rinse and repeat.
If there is a silver lining it's that my Saturdays will be free to do other things. I'm not wasting my time on this stupidity. I'm in my 8th decade, seen it too much to expect anything different. If the weather is bad and I'm stuck inside I'll watch. For a while.
I'm handicapped, and it's a real hassle to attend a sporting event. I was going to try to get up there for a game this year. Love to tailgate, grill, listen to some tunes and hang out with folks. Then go to see a well played game, win or lose. Not wasting my time this year, maybe some other time.
D wasn't great but were pretty solid given that they were on the field all the time and put into some really bad situations several times.
Offense is a train wreck. The OL is a disaster. No run room, no time to throw anything but short routes makes us so easy to defend. Maybe put in some Air Raid stuff with short drops and routes as a way to salvage the season?
For the love of God, when you need a foot, or a yard and you have a crap OL: Spread. The. Field. Get as many hats out of the box as you can. Get. Under. Center. Run. Out. Of. The. I. Take. Your. 205lb RB out of the game. PUT YOUR 250LB RUNNING BACK INTO THE GAME. Let him pick a crease and hit it. Maybe try that?
Lunney will have to go at the end of the season. But Bert will have to get the next hire right. Get it wrong and it's over for him. Having said that Josh gives his coaches 5 yrs to get their program going. Let Groce stay 5, Let Lovie stay 5, Let Fahey stay 5. Will let BB stay 5.
Staff absolutely has to hit the portal hard for next yr. We need multiple OL better than anyone we have now. Couple of DL. Couple of LB who can run and tackle. Maybe those guys are on the team and are just young and need more weight room/practice/game experience. But if I'm BB I wouldn't stake my future on it.
We are back to where we've been stuck since the 60's. Short, sometimes very short spurts of success followed by descents back to the bottom. 2016-2018. 2012-2014. 2008-2009. 2002-2006. 1996-1998. 1977-1980. 1967-1970. Rinse and repeat.
If there is a silver lining it's that my Saturdays will be free to do other things. I'm not wasting my time on this stupidity. I'm in my 8th decade, seen it too much to expect anything different. If the weather is bad and I'm stuck inside I'll watch. For a while.
I'm handicapped, and it's a real hassle to attend a sporting event. I was going to try to get up there for a game this year. Love to tailgate, grill, listen to some tunes and hang out with folks. Then go to see a well played game, win or lose. Not wasting my time this year, maybe some other time.
BZuppke
- Plainfield
I don’t know what to say. Talent? Coaching?
I’ve got no solutions. I’m just an alumnus who has season tickets, dutifully puts on my orange gear, loves our great university, follows the band to the stadium, marvels at our beautiful stadium - then vomits halfway through the 1st Qtr.
I’ve got no solutions. I’m just an alumnus who has season tickets, dutifully puts on my orange gear, loves our great university, follows the band to the stadium, marvels at our beautiful stadium - then vomits halfway through the 1st Qtr.
Paddock isn’t the answer. Luke is the best option we have and I honestly think he has the ability to do the job well. At this point I think he’s getting worse though because he’s thinking too much.
This offensive system sucks, we have a terrible O line and our receivers rarely have separation. What is he supposed to do with those options.
I agree about your Elzy point though!!
I’ve wondered the same thing with your last statement. Head coaches can make that call.
I hate doing that from the shotgun and You have to do something creative one time.
Let me add...
Bielema is and always will be a run oriented coach. He needs to find an offensive coach who is pass oriented and let him run that . The day of the 3 yards and a cloud of dust is over. I posted after an earlier game that Illinois is the slowest team in major college football, this is a fact. Receiver and defensive back speed is the formula for winning football now.
sacraig
- The desert
I'm going to find a silver lining in this. At least we are such a poor draw as a program that he's get scheduled for Friday when I can't watch this train wreck anyway.
I hate watching bad football. Won’t watch the Maryland game and will find something else to do in Champaign during the Wisconsin game; see what’s on TV instead of whatever poorly coached group of kids Bret brings out to Memorial Stadium.
cardini99
- Twin-Cities
So given that things have not worked out the way anyone hoped this season, does anyone have any ideas of good candidates for OC and or OL coaches that either have previous connections to Bret, or other ones that we could be targeting in the offseason? I did see someone mention the OL coach from Kansas St, would he be a realistic target for us?
Hopefully there was a mirror in the room
Think we could get Mike McDaniel?
I believe that you have to have the QB under center to run effectively!
The is what I'm being, while not near last year's level, and not without giving up a few bad drives, the defense has been serviceable.
The offense has been just awful. It seems like the line is a total mess, but also the receivers are either not getting open, or Altmyer isn't able to hit them and is throwing some awful passes at times. Not sure what the issue is. I think the odd thing to me it that we seem to keep doing the same things on offense, or if we do adjust, we're going away from things that worked.
Half of me thinks we need some changes not he staff, but we also need some continuity and have to give Bret more time to build things. This is a big turnaround that also includes gamely experience and stadium improvements to keep people coming even when we are not very good. We also need to leverage NLI $ to get the best players we can here, but I know we don't have the levels of support many big schools have.
The other half of me sees what Colorado did, and while I know we're not getting Deion here, maybe there is merit to a total teardown - BUT without NIL $ and some big time players, we'll tear things down and be forced to rebuild with scrap wood.
At this point, we are best served letting all the youngsters (that we don't want to redshirt) play, get experience, and build for next year, as we are NOT going bowling.
We’re both right.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Well, the way you used them...yes.
There is so much more to the success of an AD outside of solely using the football record. On top of that, Illini football was a complete dumpster fire when Josh was hired. Do you not recall the stupid one year contract of Cubit he had to get out of? The cupboard was completely empty when Josh was hired. Football has been an uphill battle from the getgo, so comparing overall record of 7.5 seasons vs nearly 20 is silly. Reality is no high level coaches were beating down the doors to come to Illinois when Josh was hired or after Lovie was fired. This football season has stunk, but some of these overreactions are insane.
Fact is, basketball made a major turnaround under Josh, donors are engaged, facilities improved, and the list goes on. The Athletic department, by and large, is in a much better place now than when Josh was hired.
So yes, the narrative you pushed is silly. If basketball program begins to collapse, then yes, Josh might see his seat warm. We are nowhere close to that, yet; and hopefully, we will never get there.
@illini0440.....any updates on the 1:00AM coaches meeting?
cuillini
- San Bernardino, Ca.
The other point to keep in mind was the time of possession. Our pathetic offense kept the defense on the field for 37 minutes. And yet the defense managed to play one of their best games of the season.
Goodness. If I was making a list of team shortcomings, Luke wouldn't make the top ten. Bart Starr couldn't operate behind this offensive line. He'll leave the field on a stretcher before the season is over.
Nebraska kept trying to give the game away. We refused to accept it.