MyBloodIsRed16
New member
He may have stopped him but he was definitely punching at him after the whistle. He punched him twice. Only MJ knows if he was punching at the ball or not.
What did we learn Illinois edition
- Thread starter Cornbred
- Start date
gossamorharpy
New member
You lost me here in the bold. Illinois came out stacking the box, again. If I’m calling the plays and I have no confidence in my kicker, y am I calling a running play that has been a struggle all night just to let my kicker who I don’t trust bail us out? The play call was fine, literally it couldn’t have been executed better up until the throw. if u have zero confidence in your kicker, which we clearly don’t, you go for the win
too many of your are zeroing in on this play. What about our defense being a house of cards in the run game? I heard all off-season how the secondary has a couple nfl guys on the roster- where was this defense in our first conf game? Where is our running game in general? We couldn’t run at all all night and many of you are complaining we didn’t try and run it one more time lol. Imagine if we did call a run play and get stuffed- you all would be complaining non stop about “we have a 5 star qb” “we weren’t getting a push on the line all night how dare they run”.
VedderHusker
New member
I’ll take the PF even though it was questionable. It was after the play. NU ball about the 22. Illinois got a TD shortly after this. Huge shift in the game.
admo
New member
twofittyonred
New member
HIGHLIGHTED - you keep saying it but the stats say different in my opinion.
Dante Dowdell 20/74 3.6
RahmirJohnson 4/17 4.2
Isaiah Neyor 1/13 13.0
Dr. Strangelove
Well-known member
Exactly. On that drive alone, Dowdell had running plays of 5, 7, 4, and 2 yards. The OL was getting decent push on that drive. The worst running play was -2, but that was because Dowdell tried to stretch the play outside instead of taking 3 yards between the tackles. The OL pushed Illinois 2 yards off the LOS on that play.
But the real issue with that game was the defense, especially in the secondary. They were terrible.
knapplc
Active member
presidentjlh
New member
Definitely could have been better, but I've seen worse stat lines. Defense was the key problem as Dr. Strangelove noted. The offense played generally well enough to win. The defense did not.
gossamorharpy
New member
Great- so the 2 running backs averaged 3.79 yards per carry, thats not a great average yards per carry lol. Right now Iowa is averaging 5.95, Indiana is averaging 5.74, and Michigan is averaging 5.57 yards per carry this year for a point of reference as to what the top running teams are putting up in the big10...
To add to things, our OL was dinged up- so despite the stats saying we weren't rushing great, the eye test showing a struggling running attack and being a couple guys down- we should've just ran the ball again in a short field scenario against a stacked box?
Undone
New member
Our inability to punch the ball in on short yardage situations in the run game - whether it be due to not executing or because Satterfield didn't want that play - was really the punchline for me in this one.
Inb4 the "everything is hypothetical" comments.
We had 2nd & goal from their 2.75 yard line in the first half. I would want to believe our team is in a place in year 2 with an experienced offensive line and experienced backs where that's a run play we execute and either get the score or get it again on the run on 3rd down. But we call a fade. Yes, I know it was probably pass interference.
3rd & 3 with the game tied on the opponent's 21 with 3:10 left in the game. You pick it up with the run there either with one or two tries and your odds of winning the game (where your opponent only has two timeouts left) skyrocket. Yes, I understand it doesn't matter whether you convert it with the run or in the air but the point is that the run is probably the higher percentage option.
I'm not complaining about play calling, I'm just saying that we failed to win the game with short yardage running, in my opinion.
Inb4 the "everything is hypothetical" comments.
We had 2nd & goal from their 2.75 yard line in the first half. I would want to believe our team is in a place in year 2 with an experienced offensive line and experienced backs where that's a run play we execute and either get the score or get it again on the run on 3rd down. But we call a fade. Yes, I know it was probably pass interference.
3rd & 3 with the game tied on the opponent's 21 with 3:10 left in the game. You pick it up with the run there either with one or two tries and your odds of winning the game (where your opponent only has two timeouts left) skyrocket. Yes, I understand it doesn't matter whether you convert it with the run or in the air but the point is that the run is probably the higher percentage option.
I'm not complaining about play calling, I'm just saying that we failed to win the game with short yardage running, in my opinion.
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lo country
Mods
I just think that Satt tries to be too cute and be the smartest person in the room. Here are some career stats for his offenses in the past. Run the damn ball. Eat the clock. Win the game. We are not delivering body blows in the 4th. Dude is not going to get it done at NU.
OFFENSIVE RANK
2013- 76
2014- 120
2015- 96
2021 107
2022- 75
2023- 110
Other stats by category
2013 Temple: 88th PPG, 75th YPG, 90 turnovers per game
2014 Temple: 100th PPG, 120th YPG, 123rd TOPG
2015 Temple: 61st PPG, 96th YPG, 46th TOPG
2021 USC: 106th PPG, 110th YPG, 109th TOPG
2022 USC: 40th PPG, 72nd YPG, 123rd TOPG
2023 Nebraska: 116th PPG, 104th YPG, 132nd TOPG
And he is in a group of the 7 highest paid OC's at $1.4 million. Dude is robbing NU. He is the weakest link.
Undone
New member
@lo country: I had zero complaints about what we did on offense in the first three games - including in the second half against Colorado.
Taking out the garbage sack yardage in overtime, we put up around 380 yards of offense against a decent defense. We attacked in the end zone and the red zone more than Illinois did.
But the inability to punch it in with short yardage running was really the biggest problem on offense in that one for me. The passing game moved the chains pretty much all night, no complaints there.
Taking out the garbage sack yardage in overtime, we put up around 380 yards of offense against a decent defense. We attacked in the end zone and the red zone more than Illinois did.
But the inability to punch it in with short yardage running was really the biggest problem on offense in that one for me. The passing game moved the chains pretty much all night, no complaints there.
Hilltop
Active member
It's hard to argue with those stats.. That said, I have liked a lot of what we have done on offense over the first 4 games. The one area I wish we were better at appears to be one of his historical weaknesses (imo)- commitment to running the football with success. He is historically a pass first OC and I don't see that changing anytime soon with DR under center.
lo country
Mods
The inability to get the tough yards is my concern. It was similar under Frost. Last 1000 yard rusher was Oz in 2018 IIRC. While we moved the ball well our 1st 3 games, UTEP, CU and NIU were not the calibre of Illinois. Against better team thos offense sputters and stalls. I expressed concern and still have them over our lack of offensive productions. Yes, Rhule wants t get a lead and play it safe, but that's in complete contrast to last year when he wanted to run for 75 yards in the 4th and deliver body blows. I think the lack of production has been partly on Satt's inability to adjust or going away from what was working in order to "fool" the defense to adjust wrong at half. Again being too cute. I have no issue with a more pass oriented pro style O, but use more power to compliment that. An HB/FB, heavier sets. Traps and draws. Illinois crowded the box to make DR win with his arm somewhat negating the run game. Without a dual threat QB hinders it even more so. Satt has yet to find play calling to attack that. Although the toss to Neylor was great. Again, I fully admit my bias. Rhule had mentioned San Fran as an example to emulate. I'm good with that. But we are a ways off from that.