Even if they Want to Push it, Illini Probably can’t find the Panic Button
What an awful start for an Illinois team I thought would be near the top of the conference. It’s a familiar formula in the Big Ten: young players show promise, struggle, then put it together in their senior season. I thought Juice would be ready to lead his team to a great season and perhaps sniff another BCS berth.
Roses are the last smell emanating from Champaign. The offense couldn’t move the ball and the defense looked like the only unit in the Big Ten that the awful Illini attack could possibly move the ball against. Some thoughts:
- While the Zookster impressed early as the Illini head coach and continues to recruit well, a performance like the one he oversaw Saturday does not do much to debunk the idea that he is a subpar game coach. I’m not saying we should be buying up FireRonZook.com–I think some jort-wearing Florida slappies have it already anyway–but any hyperbole about Zook that doesn’t have to do with the Red Bull flowing through his veins will probably stop.
- How much worse would Illinois have been against the pass if Zook moved, say, and offensive guard to play safety? I mean, certainly no offensive guard did his job well, but the safety play was absolutely embarrassing. All players in the defensive backfield took worse angles than a Tecmo Super Bowl defender chasing Bo Jackson. That should be good news when the Illini face mobile QBs Pryor and Clark in the next few weeks.
- I don’t think the Illini have a servicable linebacker outside of Wilson, and it remains to be seen just how far above “servicable” Martez really is.
- Looking back at the game, the body language from the Illini was very distrurbing. Sure, you’re getting schooled by a team that lost virtually all of its skill players and is breaking in a new quarterback to the tune of 300+ yards and three scores, but there was no fight.
So is there any good news?
Well, the Illini were missing Arrelious Benn and Jason Ford for significant portions of the game (Benn for basically the entire game), and when they get back, the offense immediately improves. Sophomores Troy Pollard and Mikel Leshoure ran the ball pretty well in Ford’s absence. Finally, Illinois State is coming to town next week and not a decent opponent. Time to get things together and rebound.
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Pingback from Dropping a Link Deuce On a Wednesday Afternoon
Time September 10, 2009 at 9:01 am
[...] Even if they want to push it, the Illini probably can’t find the panic button — (Not Qualified to Comment) [...]
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Comment from Stormin’ Norman Disciple
Time September 9, 2009 at 11:11 am
Thank goodness the Illini rewarded your faith in them for the blogpoll by completely crapping the bed. I assume you won’t be making that mistake twice.