Rescue Me

So it's been awhile, but boredom has caught up to me. That and the paltry two games that the Fighting Illini football team has played so far. I'll be honest, though, I don't really remember much of the first game and haven't even watched the second game. I just have what I do remember and what the papers have told me to base these opinions on. With that said, let the bitching begin!

Missouri 37 - Illinois 9

It's funny, when I first tried typing in the Illini's score I accidentally hit the zero key. If that happened to be their final score, I probably would've been equally as upset. The offense was pretty non-existent, just like the defense. Coming into the season, everyone knew that the defensive side of the ball was a huge liability. And to steal a Madden-ism "the offense was going to have to score more than the other team in order to win." This is a team with a 4 year starter behind center, three 4-star recruits playing wide receiver, a tight end who could sneak into the first two rounds of the draft, and a slew of running backs who each brought their own unique style of play. None of that mattered.

-On the opening drive for the Illini, junior Arrelious Benn left with an ankle injury.
-A few drives later, after a lucky roughing the kicker penalty and on a crucial 4th & 1 , Ron Zook correctly decided to go for it...only to see Illini Lineman Randall Hunt trip up Juice Williams during his pass blocking.
-Receiver Fred Sykes (not quite sure) had a ball go thru his hands and into those of a Tiger DB.
-Another promising drive ended with a Jeff Cumberland fumble
-On the lone touchdown of the day for the Illini, kicker Matt Eller missed the PAT.

Those were simply the physical mistakes. Mental mistakes like blown coverages and bad play calling by both coordinators (or should I say all three coordinators because there's 2 on defense...neither one very good) were visible throughout the game. This was a coaching staff that had months to prepare for this game, yet the game plan was so conservative that if Rush Limbaugh had a life outside of the buffet line and politics, he would've became a liberal. I, for one, still don't understand the defensive alignment. Sure, a base 4-3 is good. I'm just confused with the DB's playing 10 yards off a receiver in short yardage situations. Chase Daniel wannabe Blaine Gabbert, starting his first game as a sophomore, simply took what the Illini defense gave them. He ended up with 300+ yards, 3 TD's, and 1 rushing TD. All of this left the Illinois half of the Dome in utter silence and calling for the Zooker's head. I left halfway through the final quarter to try my luck at the Lumiere Place (I left breaking even).



Illinois 45 - Illinois State 17

This game was literally a no-win situation for this team. Any type of win, blow-out or close, and the jury's still out there....they were supposed to win. A loss, just would've been bad. Luckily, the offense played like it's supposed to. Juice goes down on the first drive and in steps Eddie McGee. Any team just wants their back-up to manage the game. Limit mistakes. Eddie did just that. Being part of a rushing attack that nearly gained 400 yards meant that McGee didn't have to throw much. More good news included the defense holding the Redbirds to under 50 yards rushing. As with any Illini game these past few years the bad news may have meant more than the good.

-Illini defense gave up 354 passing yards; to a FBS school; starting a true freshman QB; a the home opener that was a night game. This kid should've been vomiting because of nerves.
-Illinois had 13 penalties for 115 yards. No excuses for that.
-I already mentioned Juice leaving the game. Zook said he could've played, but didn't want to risk anything more with the bye week ahead. Benn and Martez Wilson missed the game as well, basically for the same reason. Further tests showed that Wilson had a herniated disk in his neck requiring surgery that will sideline him for the season.


With the bye week past, the team sitting at 1-1, and the states (Ohio, Penn, & Michigan) looming in the next 3 weeks, things really aren't looking good for the Illini. But that will be up for discussion in the coming days.