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Illinois Football: 3 key numbers for the Illini to beat Virginia

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 27: Tommy DeVito #3 and Chase Brown #2 of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrate after defeating the Wyoming Cowboys 38-6 at Memorial Stadium on August 27, 2022 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 27: Tommy DeVito #3 and Chase Brown #2 of the Illinois Fighting Illini celebrate after defeating the Wyoming Cowboys 38-6 at Memorial Stadium on August 27, 2022 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Sep 2, 2022; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Tommy DeVito (3) drops back to pass the ball in the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 2, 2022; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Tommy DeVito (3) drops back to pass the ball in the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

2. 4.9 yards per pass

Over the decades, Illinois hasn’t been known as a passing program. We have a tradition of running the football, but when we do pass, it needs to be effective.

The running game should open up the passing game. That is how things work. They go hand-in-hand. But when the passing game isn’t pushing the ball up the field, then the defense can load the box and trash our offense.

In the game last season where Illinois lost to Virginia, 42-14, the Illini only managed to average 4.9 yards per pass attempt in that game. That is extremely low. In fact, 4.9 YPP would have ranked No. 129 out of 130 teams last season. Illinois was already bad enough at 5.8 YPP for the season, which ranked No. 121.

To compare the numbers against Virginia, the Cavaliers averaged 10.6 YPP in the game in 2021. These two teams were massively different.

If Illinois wants to win the game on Saturday, we are going to need to push the ball down the field more often. Keeping the passing game to short passes will only hurt our team because that enables Virginia to put more bodies closer to the line of scrimmage.

Last week, against Indiana, Illinois was better about pushing the ball down the field more. We averaged 6.4 YPP. I want us to be somewhere between 6.5-8.5 YPP against the Cavaliers. If we can get Virginia away from the line and deeper into coverage, then Chase Brown and Co. should be able to run wild.

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