Illinois Football Thread

[ytsejam]

Fuck you!

Oskie bow wow!

 

[FirstTimer]

Sure there is. 3-0 in non-con is not a given, but not as daunting of a task as previous years. Nebraska isn't a juggernaut, Purdue is too young, Minnesota is very beatable, Northwestern is boring as hell and beatable. But...to your point, Illinois is thin at most positions. An injury to the OL could be devastating. Losing Peters at QB would be a huge loss, etc. Luck needs to fall their way, if you will.

Three posts ago "Illinois is as good as the 9-4 team that beat the #1 team in the nation and went to the Rose Bowl"

In this post: Illinois thin at most positions.

I'm dying from laughter over here.

 

[FirstTimer]

I didn't conveniently leave anything out. I'm not about to address the win at OSU.

So you conveniently left it out.

As I said.

"I'm going to intentionally leave out on of 15 things that blows up my asinine post"- ParadeRain

You conveniently leave out that Illinois wasn't the team sho should have been in the Rose Bowl.

Huh? They were the team that "should have gone" per the rules at the time. It's not like they went 6-5 and snuck in. They were 9-3 and beat the #1 team in the nation to get put in that spot. They weren't drawn at random. They were a pretty damn good team. They had three AA's and multiple high NFL draft picks.

Recruit rankings? LOL.

Do we really need to post the data that shows a pretty high correlation between high recruiting rankings and successful programs? Yes, there are misses but overall the data is clear. Recruit well, even to the rankings and your program will perform well. Raw material is raw material.

How about going back and looking at how many of those players never got into UI?

I'm more interested in the guys that did play for Illinois. Namely the guys that turned into AA's and high NFL draft picks.

Do you want to get into how Lovie's garbage classes have been bleeding guys already? (at least 4 guys from his first class in 2017 have left...2017 was also his highest rated class. Seems like a good sign.) I'd rather have attrition from good to great classes than from classes in the 50s and 70s.

Since Illinois literally has very few Seniors starting,

You've been using this narrative for years now watching this team suck. Lovie continually runs guys out of the program. At some point the rubber needs to hit the road here. You've conceded that this is a mistake of his.

how about waiting for the Sophomore and Juniors to graduate.

If recent history is accurate most will transfer out.

I'm not projecting squat.

But you already have. "This team is as talented as the Zook team"...which there's no way you can say based on a win over AKRON unless you're projecting the talent level and results out.

I'll give it a few weeks, but it looks like Peters could be the best Illini QB since Kittner.

lololololololololol
This is amazing. I'll bookmark this for later in the year when Peters is getting slaughtered by non-MAC/AAC schools.

 

[Parade_Rain]

Three posts ago "Illinois is as good as the 9-4 team that beat the #1 team in the nation and went to the Rose Bowl"

In this post: Illinois thin at most positions.

I'm dying from laughter over here.

Looks like you created your usual fallacious post. First thing I stated was “talent”. I did not say “team”. I have this team anywhere from 5-7 to 7-5 if everything bounces their way. 2007 team was 9-4. 06 was 2-10. 08 was 5-7.

... The first team talent at all spots is clearly competitive and just as good as the best Zook years, but they need to stay healthy on the lines and at QB. Outside of RB and WR there is a bigger drop off in ability than you would like to see...

 

[FirstTimer]

Looks like you created your usual fallacious post. First thing I stated was “talent”. I did not say “team”. I have this team anywhere from 5-7 to 7-5 if everything bounces their way. 2007 team was 9-4. 06 was 2-10. 08 was 5-7.

lolololololol

"Same talent" as a 9-3 team that lost in the Rose Bowl...might be 5-7. Love the comp to the '08 team from '07 when the '08 team lost an ALL AMERICAN FIRST ROUND RUNNING BACK from the previous year. They also lost an ALL AMERICAN LINEBACKER. They also lost an ALL AMERICAN GUARD. Where is THAT "first team" talent on THIS TEAM?

 

[Parade_Rain]

You've been using this narrative for years now watching this team suck. Lovie continually runs guys out of the program. At some point the rubber needs to hit the road here. You've conceded that this is a mistake of his.

Sure. We can ignore the hire of Rod Smith and Lovie taking over the defense along with other hires like Patterson and Hudson. It’s been tough watching a guy learn what it takes to run a college program for several years. This team has been made better since the Spring through the transfer portal. As far as “young” goes. No. Not quite the same. The grad transfers mostly have 2 years of eligibility left. The team has a lot more upperclassmen on defense, so physically they should have more stamina than previous years. They also have more D1 FBS level LB than previous, which is why they are running 4-3 instead of nickel as base D compared to previous There are at least 3 teams on that schedule who will light up Lovie’s defensive scheme, maybe a few more.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

Love the comp to the '08 team from '07 when the '08 team lost an ALL AMERICAN FIRST ROUND RUNNING BACK from the previous year.

No, the comp works because this year's team already lost Mike Epstein to injury.

 

[FirstTimer]

It’s been tough watching a guy learn what it takes to run a college program for several years.

Gee, who could have predicted that?!?!

This team has been made better since the Spring through the transfer portal.

Amazing stuff. Where is the equal first team talent to 2007?

As far as “young” goes. No. Not quite the same. The grad transfers mostly have 2 years of eligibility left. The team has a lot more upperclassmen on defense, so physically they should have more stamina than previous years. They also have more D1 FBS level LB than previous, which is why they are running 4-3 instead of nickel as base D compared to previous There are at least 3 teams on that schedule who will light up Lovie’s defensive scheme, maybe a few more.

Cool stuff. Where is the equal first team talent from 2007?

You know another reason they can't run base Nickel(which most teams in CFB have to do now)...their DB recruiting has been terrible and they just lost their best one.

Where is the equal first team talent from 2007?

 

[Rory Sparrow]

transfer portal, tho

 

[Urblock]

I hope this game today is more fun than that fucking Bears game.

 

[JimJohnson]

Enjoy

Not a great start

 

[JimJohnson]

Lovie Smith everybody. Parade where is that bowl game you promised me? Lol

 

[Parade_Rain]

I hope this game today is more fun than that fucking Bears game.

It would be more fun, if the Big Ten refs would actually let a kid be happy when he scored a touchdown. Total ridiculous to have a Big Ten refs fighting for the opponent to win. And if Illinois keeps the momentum going after halftime, it looks like they will cover the spread.

 

[Parade_Rain]

24 unanswered points for Illinois. Peters 16-20 with 3 TD in first half.

 

[Parade_Rain]

24 unanswered points for Illinois. Peters 16-20 with 3 TD in first half.

What a stupid call to start the 2nd half. 69 yard return and instead of doing what got you the Mo, Illinois calls a trick play to a 3rd stringer who didn’t even know the play was his. LOL.

 

[JimJohnson]

Really pathetic performance. Lovie should be embarrassed.

 

[dweebs19]

just happy that they survived. Just win and move on to next week.

 

[TL1961]

Sure there is. 3-0 in non-con is not a given, but not as daunting of a task as previous years. Nebraska isn't a juggernaut, Purdue is too young, Minnesota is very beatable, Northwestern is boring as hell and beatable. But...to your point, Illinois is thin at most positions. An injury to the OL could be devastating. Losing Peters at QB would be a huge loss, etc. Luck needs to fall their way, if you will.

Peters floor is higher than our recent QB's, but I don't think his ceiling is high. He brings competence to teh position, I suppose. But he isn't scaring anybody.

 

[FirstTimer]

One of those wins all college teams need/get a year. A "survive and advance" type deal.

Peter's ceiling was pretty well seen. Nice recovery by Illinois. A bowl game still feels possible. Just need to keep getting the ones they should and pull out a pick'em

 

[JimJohnson]

EMU game is obviously huge. Win and a bowl game remains possible. Lose and Lovie should probably make other plans for 2020.