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Illinois Football: 4 notes before the Illini take on the Virginia Cavaliers

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 02: The Illinois Fighting Illini helmet on the field after a win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on November 02, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 02: The Illinois Fighting Illini helmet on the field after a win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on November 02, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – DECEMBER 19: Jake Hansen #35 of the Illinois Fighting Illini stares down Will Levis #7 of the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at Beaver Stadium on December 19, 2020 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – DECEMBER 19: Jake Hansen #35 of the Illinois Fighting Illini stares down Will Levis #7 of the Penn State Nittany Lions during the second half at Beaver Stadium on December 19, 2020 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

3. Defense probably isn’t getting better

Look, I realize that people don’t want to hear this, but the Illinois football defense probably won’t be getting any better during the 2021 campaign.

What do I mean by that? Sure, the defense is going to pick up on the coaching and schemes. The new teammates are going to start gelling with the mainstays. The players who switched positions will start getting used to their new roles. But as far as production is concerned, I am not expecting too much more.

I know that sounds like a pessimistic view, but let’s take a look at the facts. Arguably, the best defensive player against Nebraska, Calvin Hart, is out for the season with an injury. A big issue so far, depth, isn’t going to magically fix itself this year either. This is why the offense needs to help the defense, though.

As previously mentioned in the first slide, Illinois needs to play more of a ball-control type of game. The defense doesn’t have the personnel to compete if they are on the field more than the offense. Let’s try to see as little of the defense as possible so, when they do come out on the field, they are always rested.

There is a bright side to the defense, though. Everything isn’t doom and gloom. The run defense for the Illini has been stout this season. While giving up 188.5 yards per game on the ground doesn’t sound good, and the ranking of No. 67 out of 96 teams in yards allowed per game on the ground doesn’t look good, those numbers are a bit deceiving.

Illinois’ first two games came against two really good running programs. They are both run-heavy offenses. Against the Cornhuskers, the Illini only allowed 4.1 yards per carry. They weren’t too far off that number against UTSA, giving up just 4.3 yards per carry. I would take that against any team in the country every week.

I wouldn’t scoff at the Illinois pass defense either. They are clearly not talented or deep enough right now, but through the first two games, opposing quarterbacks are completing just 56.3% of their passes and have only thrown for two total touchdowns.

At the end of the day, I don’t expect the Illinois defense to get much better this season. Doing small things to help the defense stay off the field is going to be important.

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