So after a disappointing loss, the day after here is my read on going forward. First off Crouch may be this years o'toole. I remember the spark. Props to Purdue for playing a clean game. We play a clean game and it may be a lopsided score. Offense will be much better going forward. Unfortunately lunt did not turn out well. In the Purdue game he made bad decision after bad decision, he doesn't have ints because he is risk averse, he also cannot create a play to save his position. Crouch gifted us a bunch of first downs on plays that looked broken and would have resulted in sacks. We may steal a game or two IF we can clean up the penalties. With a running QB time of possession should allow the D to be rested. No bowling this year (!duh!) but some real positives.
Purdue 34, Illinois 31 OT POSTGAME
At one time I thought Lunt was an elite QB. I still think he is more talented that Crouch. I am not a huge fan of Crouch (Although he played well against Purdue). I just think there is no point to playing Lunt anymore with this team (Line and receivers). The offense runs a little better with Crouch in there. Still hoping for a 5th year transfer or a JUCO QB for next year. I don't think we have a ready starter at QB in our recruits or current players.
P S it is a very bad sign that I wasn't that upset after this game. We are what we are. It is going to be a few years before we know what Lovie and staff can accomplish.
P S it is a very bad sign that I wasn't that upset after this game. We are what we are. It is going to be a few years before we know what Lovie and staff can accomplish.
This is the same team that had 5 wins last year. Lovie should be getting at least that much, probably should be more like 6 wins. So, as of now, I'm not too impressed. Lack of balance on offense, defensive line and linebacking crew got out-physicaled, continued barrage of penalties. Not too impressed right now.
I think Western Michigan is also playing with 2 and 3 star recruits. How'd that go for Illinois? Stop using recruits as an excuse. That's not an excuse for being 1-4. At worst, they should be 2-3 right now. The excuses have to stop, this is why we are such a poor athletic program. The fact that you as a fan would accept this type of play, especially by one of the highest paid coaching staffs in the country, is an indictment on your apathy as a fan of this team.
I also had higher hopes for this year but pretty much after week two we knew what we were in for. Beckman's recruits only got here because our administration showed zero commitment to football. They didn't care that we were winning 1/3 if our games because football wasn't viewed as a value add. Thank the CFB gods that this appears to have changed. Next year and a half won't be enjoyable to watch necessarily, but 2018 gives us our first real shot at a big ten title for the first time this decade. During my time on this earth, the Illini have won the big ten ONCE.
It takes time to repair this dumpster fire.
Side note - Anyone else notice the increasingly quiet CHIIIIIEEEEF at halftime? Breaks my heart.
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It's a missed field goal away from saying Crouch pulled us out of the fire for a week. This reminds me of Beck's first year, supposedly solid experienced defense that way under-performed. In the position this staff was put in with very little depth it's a lot easier for the starters to say " Who's taking my reps?" and freelance from the game plan. Phillips has one thing on his mind : get the quarterback. Need someone to set the edge. This point in the season I think the staff needs to start playing everyone. If we takes some lumps so be it. They need the experience for next year.
I wholly agree with playing everyone and anyone. Lovie and crew are already doing this a bit. Would like to see more of Crouch.
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Deleted member 10005
D
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Guys recruited to fit Fleck's system, Lovie has a team of someone else's players trying to fit into new schemes. We've got to go out and find guys to fit in with our schemes and get them a few years of experience in those schemes.
Hopefully that's what Lovie will bring us, a few years of stability and no major shifts in offense or defense schemes, and time to get guys who fit into his plans.
Oldtoysrock
- Sarasota, Florida
As an Illini alum living in Florida for the last 23 years, I'm also a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan and season ticket holder. When the Bucs made the difficult decision of firing Lovie despite having two years left on his contract, I can't say I was disappointed. The Bucs were a highly undisciplined team consistently near the top of the league in penalties, with a porous defense that had trouble stopping anyone. When Whitman hired Lovie, I hoped for the best (as I continue to do) but honestly feared there would be more of the same. As the old adage goes, time will tell.
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And lets just be clear, Crouch is a great athlete and a really physical runner, but his throwing motion and accuracy are terrible (yes, worse than Tim Tebow, to nip that conversation in the bud) and better defenses are going to expose that.
We should hope Lunt can make it back for Rutgers.
We should hope Lunt can make it back for Rutgers.
Oldtoysrock
- Sarasota, Florida
They never have been, and Sadly, I don't believe ever will be well disciplined. I will go on record to predict that we will average 10 penalties a game during Lovie's entire tenure here.
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FT35
- Naperville
I tend to agree with this. Lunt is not suited for this offense AT ALL. It's a prefect disaster when you have a guy that is a statue back there with only one guy to throw to with McGee's offense. This isn't Lunt's fault, but you could see them trying to get Crouch more involved in the offense even before the injury. How great would it have been to have him down near the goal line in that first series? Instead of three hand offs to Kendrick Foster, maybe he rolls out and scores himself?
If someone besides Turner would step up, it would be a different story. It's sad to look out there and know that no one else is a viable option to throw to. Hardee is a 5th year Senior who hasn't stepped up at all this year and Grant is a former walk on who is doing the best he can. This may be the worst group of WRs I've seen in the past ten years. That means we have to have gain a lot of yards on the ground and a running QB helps open things up. I would also like to see more screens to Corbin/Foster/Vaughn, which is really just an extension of the running game. Get the ball in the hands of guys who can actually move the ball.
I will say it will be interesting to see what a defense will do when they have a week to prepare for Crouch. They didn't look prepared for a running QB AT ALL, so there was obviously an element of surprise to it as well. I will say Crouch didn't look that bad throwing the ball, however.
Like you, I came away from this game not being all that upset. It was like the Fresno State game in 2009. Yeah, it was ridiculously heartbreaking the way we lost, but it's not going to make that much of a difference in the end.
This defense can't stop anyone. I'm not sure how they held it together against Nebraska, but they were blown off the line ALL DAY against Purdue. Purdue didn't even have their #1 running back and they shredded through this defense. It'll be hard to win another game with a defense like this. Illinois might have to have TO margins of +3 to be competitive. Blough didn't even look like he was having a very good day and most of the drives that ended were because of his poor play or mistakes.
I've had season tickets for 10 years and I'm not looking forward to the rest of the home games. I just hope the weather isn't too bad and I'm not sitting next to too many opposing team's fans. Most are not that obnoxious (with the exception of Wisconsin fans), but it's painful to watch them celebrate in our stadium. What's really sad is that a lot of the opposing team fans (again, Wisconsin being the main exception) just feel sorry for us and just enjoy the lopsided victories.
Even though they are the closest conference team in terms of distance, I'm glad Purdue doesn't bring a lot of fans. I remember looking over at them during the 2010 game and I'd never seen a more pissed off group of visiting fans. Those were the days....
FT35
- Naperville
None of these guys are Lovie's recruits. It takes time to incorporate schemes and culture in a program. He even got a late start with that given when he was hired. Look at how PJ Fleck did at WMU in his first year.
The offense has made positive adjustments. The defense is another story, however.
FT35
- Naperville
We saw the battle for the basement yesterday and lost. Rutgers is better than Purdue IMO.
When you say consistently, I guess you mean 2 years?
Football Outsiders had Tampa as a mid tier Defense ranked 18th the 2 years Lovie was there. Hardly the road kill you describe.
ivwilsoniv
- Aurora, IL
How many of you expected that game-winning FG to miss? I know I did. It's Illinois football, but we keep coming back.
No, we don't have the same talent as a lot of other Big Ten programs, but at the same time, I think this coaching staff is still figuring things out. They're learning to work together, work with the players they have, and optimize how they do things. A lot of stuff you need to work through in season and make adjustments. This season should have had limited expectations with the recipe of not enough talent and all new coaching staff, but either way Illinois should be winning games like yesterday. One foot left, and they do. Like I said, it's Illinois football...
No, we don't have the same talent as a lot of other Big Ten programs, but at the same time, I think this coaching staff is still figuring things out. They're learning to work together, work with the players they have, and optimize how they do things. A lot of stuff you need to work through in season and make adjustments. This season should have had limited expectations with the recipe of not enough talent and all new coaching staff, but either way Illinois should be winning games like yesterday. One foot left, and they do. Like I said, it's Illinois football...
They came over to 'claim' the Cannon Trophy....
We did the same last year at their place...
Didn't the Bears get to the Super Bowl under Lovie ? Do you think they got there by being 'undisciplined' ? ? ?
We ran and jumped on their bench and screamed obscenities at their fans?
Or was that just Beckman?
We were a field goal away from a W. it would have changed the entire tone of this thread. I am making excuses for nothing. But you are a NAIVE fan to think that a change in coaches changes ANYTHING other that process and direction in year one. We made a six year commit to win with Smith. That is the beSt move we have made the in thirty years,bar none. He's a coach. He's Not a miracle worker. Gotta have the horses. Period. Get behind it or go away.
KrushCow31
Former Krush Cow
- Chicago, IL
I think one thing that made Crouch look so good that probably won't be repeated was his ability to scramble and run. I highly doubt Purdue practiced facing that at all at any point of their prep as Lunt is not a mobile QB. Probably caught them off guard. Other teams won't be so shocked.