The two-game winning streak for the Illinois football program came to an abrupt ended on Saturday at the hands of the Iowa Hawkeyes.
I thought this could have been a special game for the Illini, but that didn’t end up being the case. When the final seconds ticked off the clock, the score showed Iowa with a 35-21 victory.
Here are three observations from the Illini loss to Iowa.
1. Illinois’ offense couldn’t keep up again
This was a fun game for the first quarter. Illinois was looking good up 14-0 on the No. 19 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes. But that all ended pretty quickly.
The Illini offense was a well-oiled machine in the first quarter. They scored on two of the first three drives, and Iowa looked like they were going to get blown out of the water. But the Illinois offense just couldn’t keep up.
Over the next two quarters, the offense for Illinois would completely stall out. They would only convert on three third down attempts and there wouldn’t be a drive over 23 yards until the fourth quarter. Needless to say, the Illini didn’t score during this stretch, and Iowa would put up 21 points.
With the Illinois offense not sustaining drives, the depthless defense then struggles because they don’t have the talent to replenish the tired defenders who are constantly on the field. A tired defense usually gives up points, and that is what ended up happening.
Illinois’ offense is the root of the losing within the program. I firmly believe this statement. We go away from what is working and try to open up the field like we have Peyton Manning at quarterback. That isn’t the case at all.
Offensive coordinator Rod Smith needs to simplify the playbook. Use the two great tight ends we have in Luke Ford and Daniel Barker. They can run wild up the seam. Let’s not throw passes that are two yards deep but across the field. The offense isn’t working consistently, and it is a problem.