What did we learn? Illinois Edition

I rewatched a big chunk of the game again last night.  Where are these track athletes we were supposed to be recruiting?  Our WR's and TE's are SLOW.  Our WR's didn't cause any problems on the D's backend and our TE's only got open when their linebackers were screened by the umpire.  Otherwise, they couldn't outrun a LB.  If you don't have the speed to take the top off of the defense, then everything else goes to hell passing-wise.  There's got to be a downfield threat and we either don't have any or Frost is keeping those guys on the bench again.  

 
hskrfan4life said:
I think you can still support the coaching staff because they are coaching your team. They don't have to be exclusive.
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I support the U and will always support the kids but I lost any remain faith in the staff yesterday.  They get my support un rooting for the team yes, but I'm convinced a move in a different direction is the way to go for all parties.

 
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I didnt learn anything. It was same show different year. About 90% of what I expected to see- I saw. Very poor QB play, costly turnover, untimely penalties and mistakes, horrific special teams, poor game management.

Thought the tackling was pretty good and d-line penetration was good. 

Thats why I only believe what I see with my own eyes with NU- the propaganda and poor takes are off the charts. 

 
That our hype video teams resemble the phrase - lipstick on a pig; but that performance would be insulting to a pig.

The team is playing not to lose, are mimicking the panic of the head coach, aren't prepared or coached well across any position, and immediately believe in losing ways the moments adversity hit.  Also, I've never seen a more stagnate/regressed athlete over four years as AM.

 
Bottom line:  Frost cannot coach into success at this level.  He would be a minor conference super star, but at the big boy power conference level, he just cannot do it.  He has been out-coached by brand new coaches many times now and the majority of the B1G coaches do circles around him.  We have to find a guy who can hold his own and coach his way into victories rather than defeats.  Endless massive mental blunders by upper class men is indicative of poor coaching.  I predict an immediate change in the quality of football we see on the field when we get a new HC (take your pick). 

 
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I learned that I guess the University of Illinois isn't that big a deal. 

Entering off the interstate- there wasn't even a sign saying U of I- just xyz road. Thought maybe I had taken wrong turn because for much of the way the road to the University was just 1 lane each way- residential. Like I was going through someones back yard. At 9:45 there was no traffic. 

No bars close to campus- tailgating was ok a few blocks further out. I parked directly across the street from stadium, could have hit the stadium with a thrown rock. For $25, compared with my long walk to NU games, it was nice. Fans were cool, no one passionate about Illinois football, just something to do for them. Beer lines were VERY SHORT, well set up, serve yourself type thing. $8.75 each- Im fine with that.  Credit cards only. About 1% of fans wearing masks, no mask Nazi bullys- which was great. 

Got nice secondary market tickets for $40 on 40 yard line about 30 rows up. Good leg room, plenty of modern bathrooms ( no wwII era troughs) literally NO lines to bathrooms, no seat backs. Didnt eat anything- in stadium- big breakfast and tailgating.  Not as many NU fans there as I thought- guessing about 10,000. The Embassy Suites n Peoria was $220 earlier in the week, on Friday it was $134 on Expedia, it was nice enough. So the big crowds didnt happen.

 
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Nebraska55fan said:
I learned that I guess the University of Illinois isn't that big a deal. 

Entering off the interstate- there wasn't even a sign saying U of I- just xyz road. Thought maybe I had taken wrong turn because for much of the way the road to the University was just 1 lane each way- residential. Like I was going through someones back yard. At 9:45 there was no traffic. 

No bars close to campus- tailgating was ok. I parked directly across the street from stadium, could have hit the stadium with a thrown rock. For $25, compared with my long walk to NU games, it was nice. 

Fans were cool, no one passionate about Illinois football, just something to do for them. Beer lines were VERY SHORT, well set up, serve yourself type thing. Credit cards only. About 1% of fans wearing masks, which was great. 

Got nice secondary market tickets for $40 on 40 yard line about 30 rows up. Good leg room, plenty of modern bathrooms ( no wwII era troughs), no seat backs. 
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It's strange. And maddening, because nationally, it's like - 'Ha ha! So many Nebraska fans care so much, but they still suck!'

I remember back in '07, some network walked around Boston, not even 10 miles away from Boston College, and asked people if they knew who Matt Ryan was. Keep in mind at the time, he was probably top 3 for the Heisman. Not one person had any clue who he was. 'Does he pitch for the Sawx?'

When a kid runs for a touchdown in the Spring Game here, he's already a household name.

We travel en masse to Boulder, Evanston, Champaign, even College Park, and most of the time, the Boys in Red just lay a big fat egg. And we drive or fly home with egg in our collective eye. 

It's just inexplicable. 

 
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Feels like it'll be another 5-7 year and there's almost nothing to be excited about at this point, but here's a positive from the game:

Oliver Martin had a breakout day. Six receptions for 103 yards and one receiving touchdown. From looking at his history prior to landing here a lot of people believed he could be a good player and honestly the effort from him on Saturday was awesome.

Really happy for him even though we didn't win. He was our offensive player of the game, for sure.

 
I watched the game with my neighbor, who went to Illinois. He's a huge sports fan but I had to tell him that Nebraska and Illinois were playing the opening game of the college football season. He stopped following Illinois football because they just hadn't mattered for years. Maybe not since Red Grange. 

This is what I"m hoping to avoid.

 
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