Look...we deserve a bowl game if we are invited. The extra practices are helpful. Why complain about it? Go 7 and 6. Keep recruiting. If recruiting picks up the next couple years, we are going to be better off no matter who is coaching. Insiders are optimistic about this coming signing period. I agree game coaching is not our strong suit. Most wanted to see a competitive team and by most realistic accounts, they got one. I get game 12 was a stinker.
Northwestern 29, Illinois 10 POSTGAME
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Sitting on the east side after the interception there was a lot of excitement. The flag deflated everything. It was like what can happen next. Their runs around end that was successful they just collapsed the whole d line. At least we are going bowling.
Glad you took the bait, thank you very much. From 2009 to the current commits in our 2020 class, we have received commitments from 12 four-star recruits, 8/12 of those recruits have came in the past 3 years with Lovie at the Helm.
Also, since the 2009 recruiting class, all of Lovie’s recruiting classes excluding 2016 (2017-2020) have had higher Avg. ratings than any of the recruiting classes since that 2009 class.
So you know... that recruiting attrition. Any momentum would be put to a stop as well
*Best QB options for that game. Brandon Peters for one, and then IW, just because he’s an athlete, let him see what he can do while we’re down our top 3 receivers (Bhebe, Sidney, Smalling). Not that it matters, but also throw in that we had no Stampley, Holmes, and Carter at receiver. I did not mention O-line as they surprisingly stayed healthy all year. Hansen leads the nation with 7 forced fumbles, the only other player in the nation with more than 4 is Chase Young (6). Adams missing wasn’t as big of an effect since they gashed us on the ground, but still missed. Please, please, be aware that I am not saying this is why we lost the game. I am simply saying that it’s more of a factor than the “quit blaming injuries” posters give credit, it was not THE reason, but it certainly has a moving effect. Also, Northwestern only had one player on the injury report playing against us (I tried to fact check this a couple times), and that was their QB. For me personally, that Wisconsin game was the best Illini football moment since beating #1 Ohio State, and we changed our avg. scoring margin from -16.5 to +1.8 from 2018 to 2019, played @ Iowa 10-19 as compared to 0-63 at home. This is why I have faith in the Illini and see optimism in this team and coaching staff even with the Eastern Michigan head-scratcher, Nebraska disappointment, and Saturday’s disaster.
Didn't seem to me like IL had any fight, energy or interest in winning the game. Why the let down? Looked past NW. Physically and mentally tired after last 5 games. I don't know, but i'm glad to see them qualify for a bowl (which they did like it or not) and if you don't think they deserve it don't watch.
reopseed60
- Naples, Florida
We bad mouth Fitz and Northwestern, but he outcoached us last Saturday. His game plan was to run, run, and run. He used a 250# quarterback who had been buried on their bench and freshman running backs who had not played much, and ran most fourth downs for first down after first down. Look at the time of pos ition in the first half...Complete domination....... Give the guy credit where credit is due. He continually ran right and took advantage of our linebacker on that side 3rd down and 17 and made it........I love the Illini but with everything going for us, senior day, Bobby coming to talk to the team, and to not give NW a game was really sad
The really sad part is that they did not do anything surprising. If you watched the scouting tape that showed the five or six standard formations they run... they did exactly what the scouting report said they'd do. We were just pathetic at everything. I wonder what the practices looked like last week. It had to be telling.
This. Fitzy ran 6 fourth down plays against us under various circumstances. Had absolutely no respect for our DL. He made four of those conversions.
Deleted member 533939
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So your rationale for them being better next year is that a bunch of guys who just got clown stomped by NW will be on the field again next year. That's also my rationale for why they won't be improved next year.
Deleted member 654622
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Fair point. But just keep in mind that the injuries on offense were a significant factor in how Fitz could call the game. I think we all realized pretty quick that our O wasn't going to do jack. Pretty much allows NW to do what they wanted when they had the ball.
But I still don't like the fact that both lines didn't come to play
I guess you didn't notice the difference in execution we had between the games when most of our first-string was healthy, and when they weren't. Health will be as much a factor next year as it was this year. But we'll have a bunch of talented kids coming off of sit-outs (e.g. Ford), season-ending injuries (e.g. Beason), redshirts (e.g. Williams) and whatever grad-transfers and H.S. studs we can sign. We'll be deeper and more experienced. We'll be heavily senior led. In combination that usually means better.
Deleted member 533939
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Please stop with injuries. The Illini were missing Hansen. NW had their 4th string QB lighting it up. This wasn't OSU with depth on top of depth, this was North-freaking-western and their 4th stringer!
BananaShampoo
Captain 'Paign
- Phoenix, AZ
They were missing a whole lot more than just Hansen.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Wait what?
Attachments
Nice. I see nine or ten guys on that list who probably would have started, if they were healthy. It's a different team when you put them back on the field.
Deleted member 533939
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You're right, I'll give you Woods and Adams. I won't give you any backups, offensive players, or guys who didn't play the entire season.
None of this changes the fact that they ran for 378 yards. Illinois put 8 or 9 guys in the box and it didn't matter. Northwestern. 4th string QB. Couldn't stop them.
we lost to northwestern and beat Wisconsin. Who cares? Hanging onto northwestern loss is like hanging onto Iowa from last season. Sometimes mediocre teams play poorly. You go back, learn from it and move forward. The offense couldn’t stay on the field, nw was able to pound the depleted defensive line. We can’t win with this roster if the offense can’t get first downs. We can hang our hat on that being true.
We can probably stop putting so much emphasis on the fact he was 4th string QB. He hardly picked us a part or made the defense look foolish.
He did make us look soft, but that's just because he's a big dude. I don't think it really had much to do with his talent or lack thereof.
This isn't Calvinball, you don't make the rules. It doesn't matter if a player was lost pre-season, in game one or at Iowa; they're not playing. You're claiming this team will be worse next year (4-8, right), because they played poorly at NW, and you're actively ignoring the fact they were missing over a dozen guys from the healthy two-deep.
Quick question about that 4th string QB, did he play like sh*t? Was he an embarrassment to the QB position? Or did he more or less execute the superior gameplan behind a line that dominated ours?
Also, I'd remind you that our struggles were more on offense, than defense. Had the offense moved the ball, the Defense wouldn't have been on the field for 25 minutes in the first half. Maybe when we get the starting QB, WR1, WR2, WR3 and RB back, our offense will improve?
Breathe into a bag. It'll help you calm down.
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