Illinois Football: 5 observations from the Illini loss to Nebraska

5. The Illini continue without an identity

Earlier last week, Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. talked to the media. In his discussion, he mentioned that the Illini offense was still trying to figure out its identity.

When I heard this, my jaw dropped. While I knew this offense didn’t have an identity, the fact the offensive coordinator said so was alarming. What was even more stunning is the fact we are halfway through the 2023 campaign, and we still don’t know our identity on offense.

The Nebraska game continued to prove that the Illinois offense doesn’t have an identity. If you had to put an identity on this offense, I would say it is “lost.”

Illinois doesn’t know what to do on offense. We are attempting 47 passes in a game that we are in. Meanwhile, in the backfield, Illinois has an in-state running back in Kaden Feagin who picked the Orange and Blue over other big-time programs. The four-star recruit isn’t being used, though.

Feagin had five carries for 15 yards against Nebraska. He is big and talented, but Lunney refuses to be a running team. He clearly wants to be a passing team. Well, we don’t have the offensive line for that style of football.

The identity of the Illinois offense is easy to see, but Lunney refuses to lean into it. We are a running team that can control the clock and play solid defense. This would win us games, but Lunney doesn’t want to play this type of football. He is trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. It isn’t working, and Illinois will continue to lose games as long as he is calling the plays.