It is time for the Illinois football team to get back on track against Rutgers this weekend.
I am sick of losing games. The Illini fanbase has been spoiled in the Bret Bielema era compared to what we dealt with pre-2021. Illinois has now lost back-to-back games and three out of the last five contests.
The Scarlet Knights await, though. This will be an easier test, but still a test nonetheless. Illinois needs to be ready, and our offensive power should be on full display.
Here are three keys for the Illinois football offense against Rutgers
1. Firing up the 3-headed monster
I am not too worried about the Illinois football offense right now because I know we have a good team. If the Illini can unleash our three-headed monster at running back against Rutgers, then we should be fine.
The Scarlet Knights are one of the worst teams in the country when it comes to stopping the run. Opponents are averaging 189.3 yards per game on the ground, which ranks No. 108 out of 136 teams in the FBS.
A heavy dose of Aidan Laughery, Kaden Feagin, and Ca’Lil Valentine should get the Illini back on track and back in the win column.
2. Give Luke Altmyer time to operate
If Luke Altmyer doesn’t have time in the pocket, nothing else will work. That means Rutgers is getting penetration on the Illinois offensive line, and that will cause chaos on Saturday.
Give the Illini quarterback some time to operate. That hasn’t been a specialty for Illinois this season, though. We give up 2.9 sacks per game, which ranks No. 115 in the country.
Most of this pressure does come from the right side of the offensive line. Altmyer needs Brandon Henderson and Melvin Priestly to step up. If they do well, Illinois will do well.
3. Keep using our weapons down the field
Lastly, I want to note that Illinois has weapons in the passing game. While we have some fun running backs who can carry the ball well, I believe the Illini should use the wide receivers more frequently down the field.
Illinois has been good at pushing the ball down the field this season when it comes to passing. Altmyer averages 8.7 yards per pass attempt, which ranks No. 15 in the country.
That wasn’t the case against Washington, though. Illinois’ yards per attempt against the Huskies was 5.9 yards. That had a lot to do with them getting to the quarterback and Altmyer not having time. Give the man some time, and let’s push the ball down the field when passing.