Pregame: Illinois vs USC, Saturday, September 27th, 11:00am CT, FOX

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#26      
Illini2010-11
We will have the same issue with USC as we did with IU if the offense can't sustain any drives. The lack of a running game, and the pathetic line play has been quite unlike a Coach B team.

To have a chance, we need to protect the defense from being on the field the whole game, especially considering the injury issues there.

The game is winnable if the team can find some offense, but the floor of the team has been lowered a great deal.
 
#28      
Bleedorangeandblue44
I'm going to shake the stink of this off, start tailgating about 8 on Saturday (join me loyality....bloody marys, cheap keg beer, your favorite shots....I'm not picky)...and get as fired up as possible to beat USC. Whatever went wrong tonight, a win over USC would be absolutely huge for the program, and it is all on us as fans to make it the best home field advantage as possible. Got to shake tonight's disaster off and move onto some absolutely massive opportunities in front of us

I-L-L
 
#29      
DERV64
Illinifan533 said:
If we get healthy in the secondary we have a chance, season isn't over like the moaners who love being miserable are claiming.
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The secondary wasn't even good when healthy....wiu had wrs cooking them, qb just couldnt get the ball to them
 
#30      
BuckFan12
This is honestly the best case scenario. When your program is building momentum and suffers a blow like that Indiana game a bounce back win against Purdue or Northwestern doesn’t do much. Hopping back in there with a ranked opponent right away is the only way to get back rolling and give the locker room/fanbase hope. Good luck next Saturday.
 
#32      
WeWillWhen
Bielema’s post game comments about ‘asking our players to do too much’ and ‘we need to simplify’ are reminiscent of what he said after getting shut out by Wisconsin on Homecoming in October 2021.

For the next game, at Penn State, he debuted The Barge on the first play from scrimmage, ran that formation 24(!) times that day, and ultimately put up the most yards that PSU have ever given up to a B1G team in Happy Valley.

I suspect we see something similarly back to basics against USC next week. The Illini MUST establish some physicality at OL, control time of possession, and keep the depleted defense off the field. Unfortunately, The Barge no longer is a surprise concept, so USC could prepare for it.
 
#33      
Ander1345
WeWillWhen said:
Bielema’s post game comments about ‘asking our players to do too much’ and ‘we need to simplify’ are reminiscent of what he said after getting shut out by Wisconsin on Homecoming in October 2021.

At next game, at Penn State, he debuted The Barge on the first play from scrimmage, ran that formation 24(!) times that day, and ultimately put up the most yards that PSU have ever given up to a B1G team in Happy Valley.

I suspect we see something similarly back to basics against USC next week. The Illini MUST establish some physicality at
OL, control time of possession, and keep the depleted defense off the field. Unfortunately, The Barge no longer is a surprise concept, so USC could prepare for it.
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We were running the ball pretty well prior to the Wisconsin game. In that game we opened up passing all three downs if I recall, all incompletions or a loss.

Never got any momentum going in that game.
 
#34      
Saturdaze
WeWillWhen said:
Bielema’s post game comments about ‘asking our players to do too much’ and ‘we need to simplify’ are reminiscent of what he said after getting shut out by Wisconsin on Homecoming in October 2021.

For the next game, at Penn State, he debuted The Barge on the first play from scrimmage, ran that formation 24(!) times that day, and ultimately put up the most yards that PSU have ever given up to a B1G team in Happy Valley.

I suspect we see something similarly back to basics against USC next week. The Illini MUST establish some physicality at OL, control time of possession, and keep the depleted defense off the field. Unfortunately, The Barge no longer is a surprise concept, so USC could prepare for it.
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I think I sgree with you. The problem with the game against IU is almost all our passing plays on offense were slow developing, and our run plans were up the middle.

The OC can call a play that on paper has 4 or 5 guys running routes with a read progression, but if only 1 route is reaching its break when the QB is being pressured then you might as well call a max protect with 2 man route combo. We didn’t do that today.
 
#38      
OrangeBlue98
BuckFan12 said:
This is honestly the best case scenario. When your program is building momentum and suffers a blow like that Indiana game a bounce back win against Purdue or Northwestern doesn’t do much. Hopping back in there with a ranked opponent right away is the only way to get back rolling and give the locker room/fanbase hope. Good luck next Saturday.
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I wish I could be as optimistic. We've seen this script SO MANY TIMES over the last 30 years.

Michigan 1995
Missouri 2002
Missouri 2008
North Carolina 2016
Kansas 2023
Indiana 2025

It's like wanting to date the hottest girl in school, being rejected time after time and you think that, maybe just maybe this time, she'll say yes if you wear something different or join the club she's in. At some point, it's time to stop asking the unattainable girl and start asking the nerdy girl that has shown interest in you.
 
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#39      
Illinijoe
63-21 USC. Looked like garbage for 4 games now with some turnover luck at duke
 
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#40      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
If Bailey, Cox, and Clarke are all back... I think we have a shot. But that may be unlikely.

Doesn't sound like there's even a prayer that scott's back. Patterson had been a total liability with the amount of space he gave up pre snap, and lack of stickiness.
 
#41      
DERV64
USC 52
ILL 21

Going to be another bad week. The OL and Secondary just isn't good. We all saw them struggle with WIU, it wasn't a one off
 
#43      
kmunt09
DERV64 said:
USC 52
ILL 21

Going to be another bad week. The OL and Secondary just isn't good. We all saw them struggle with WIU, it wasn't a one off
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What I can’t wrap my head around is that the Offensive Line and Defensive Backs are nearly identical to last year’s 10-3 team.

Yes, we lost a few pieces on the O-Line, and have the current DB injury issues. But in general, these rooms returned almost everything.

Hope that in both cases a major scheme overhaul will take care of a lot of issues.
 
#44      
Illinijoe
This is about right. Prior to last night, most would think this is a crazy prediction.

However, the warning signs have been there all season. I’ll be surprised if USC doesn’t hang 60 on Henry’s defense.
 
#45      
MustangWally
kmunt09 said:
What I can’t wrap my head around is that the Offensive Line and Defensive Backs are nearly identical to last year’s 10-3 team.

Yes, we lost a few pieces on the O-Line, and have the current DB injury issues. But in general, these rooms returned almost everything.

Hope that in both cases a major scheme overhaul will take care of a lot of issues.
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Can you make a major scheme overhaul in a week?
 
#48      
Chase321
kmunt09 said:
What I can’t wrap my head around is that the Offensive Line and Defensive Backs are nearly identical to last year’s 10-3 team.

Yes, we lost a few pieces on the O-Line, and have the current DB injury issues. But in general, these rooms returned almost everything.

Hope that in both cases a major scheme overhaul will take care of a lot of issues.
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True but we won a lot of very close games. Maybe that means the team is gutty and knows how to pull out close games. Or maybe it means we had a lot of good fortune in 50/50 games. This is something everyone should have kept in mind before this season started.
 
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