Illinois Football: It is time for the Illini to go back to Isaiah Williams

With Bret Bielema at the helm, the Illinois football team is showing they are a running program.

Since we are a running team, let’s be a full-blown running team. It is time to scrap what we are doing at quarterback. It is time to make a switch back to a familiar face. It is time to have Isaiah Williams back at quarterback for the Illini.

This might not be a popular thing to say, especially since we just came off a win over No. 7 Penn State, but we have nothing to lose trying to move Williams back to the quarterback position. In fact, this would be a move that, I believe, would help us win a lot more games moving forward.

Illinois football can’t move the ball through the air.

The Illini have been one of the worst teams in the country through the air this season. Out of the 130 teams that have played this season, the Illini rank No. 118 in passing yards per game. They are throwing for just 153.7 yards in each contest.

That number only got worse on Saturday. Against the Nittany Lions, Illinois was 8-of-21 for 38 yards and one interception. Yes, that isn’t a typo. Art Sitkowski started the game and threw for a total of 38 yards in regulation.

But this wasn’t a one-off game. Over the past three games, the Illini quarterbacks have failed to throw for over 80 yards. Brandon Peters threw for 78 yards against Charlotte, Sitkowski threw for 55 yards against Wisconsin, and he then threw for 38 yards against Penn State.

I feel like the lack of quarterback play the past three contests validates my point of having Williams transition back to quarterback. Let’s embrace the running game and be one of the most dangerous running teams in the country.

Can I quickly remind you of what Williams did last season at quarterback? He had two games where he ran for over 100 yards, which included a 192-yard performance in a victory over Rutgers. Williams would give another great running element to the Illinois offense.

If we had a capable quarterback behind center, then this article wouldn’t be a thing, but we do not have a capable quarterback. I think it is time to move Williams back to quarterback and let’s run wild. This could be the most dangerous running team in the country.