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Illinois Football: Illini report card against the Nebraska Cornhuskers

By David Carey

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 22: Bret Bielema, head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini speaks during the Big Ten Football Media Days at Lucas Oil Stadium on July 22, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JULY 22: Bret Bielema, head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini speaks during the Big Ten Football Media Days at Lucas Oil Stadium on July 22, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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The Illinois football team came out looking strong in its season opener versus the Nebraska Cornhuskers, winning 30-22.

The Offense: A-

The offense was extremely balanced in this game. The Illini had a total of 326 yards, with 159 of them from passing and 167 from rushing.

Brandon Peters had to leave the game early due to an injury and Rutgers transfer, Arthur Sitkowski, went on to go 12-for-15 with 124 yards and two touchdowns. He looked very poised in the pocket and is a promising backup for Peters.

Seven different Illini recorded a catch in this one. Isaiah Williams, the former backup quarterback for the Illini, had the most receptions of anyone on the team with six catches. Williams also tacked on a touchdown reception. Georgia transfer, Luke Ford, was much more involved under the new offense, snagging three catches for 30 yards and a touchdown.

Six different players rushed out of the backfield on Saturday. Mike Epstein led the group with 16 carries for 75 yards and one touchdown, including a nice 45-yard run. Reggie Love received the second-most touches, with 12 on the day, rushing for 45 yards.

The Defense: B

Despite putting up just 22 points, Nebraska was able to amass 392 yards. The man-to-man defense looked much more promising, however, rather than Lovie Smith’s old zone coverage.

Calvin Hart Jr. was able to be the big playmaker on Saturday, forcing two fumbles and recovering one for a touchdown. The defensive line was able to put pressure on the junior quarterback, Adrian Martinez. Martinez is a dual-threat quarterback and the Illinois football defense was able to keep him at bay, for the most part.

Special Teams: A+

Blake Hayes was arguably the best player for the Illini on Saturday. The punter averaged 45.3 yards per punt and pinned the Cornhuskers deep into their own territory several times. His punt in the first quarter led to Illinois’ first two points of the season via a safety.

Coaching: A

The coaching was impressive in this one under new head coach, Bret Bielema. As I mentioned before, I really like the man-to-man defense rather than the zone coverage. This closed a lot of gaps between the Illinois defenders and Nebraska receivers.

Next. 4 observations from the Illini win over Nebraska. dark

The team also looked very well prepared coming out of the gate. I give kudos to the coaching staff for having an effective game plan coming into the season opener against a tough Nebraska team.

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