Just as the Illinois football team moves back into the AP Top 25, we run into another tough team.
Washington has put together a solid season thus far, but the Illini are in a spot that we haven’t been in a while. We are backed into a corner and need to fight our way out.
The College Football Playoff is not too far off in the distance, and there is a legit chance we can make it to the coveted 12-team bracket. But winning out is a must, and Washington is first on the list.
Here are three keys for the Illinois football offense against the Washington Huskies
1. Let Luke Altmyer eat
Illinois has one of the best quarterbacks currently under center in program history. Luke Altmyer will always have a special player among the all-timers in Champaign.
On Saturday, if allowed, Altmyer has a chance to put up some impressive numbers. He is going up against a Washington defense that allowed a freshman in Bryce Underwood to throw for 230 yards and two touchdowns with just six incompletions.
For the season, the Huskies are giving up 216.3 yards per game through the air, which ranks No. 98 in the country. That alone is the green light for Altmyer to let the ball fly and see where the chips land.
2. Must pass protect or Illinois will be in trouble
For Altmyer to get anything going through the air, there is one key element that needs to be on their game. That is the Illinois offensive line.
Illinois is one of the worst teams in the country when it comes to pressure on Altmyer. We are giving up 3.3 sacks per game, which ranks No. 124 in the nation.
On top of that, Altmyer’s completion percentage drops from 76.7% while not under pressure down to 55.3% when he is under pressure. Washington has a soft secondary, so keeping Altmyer clean will be paramount on Saturday.
3. Attack the middle of the Washington defense
Lastly, while Altmyer is flinging the ball around the field, I think he has a golden opportunity to attack the middle of the Washington defense.
I know that the Huskies can give up yards on the outside, but the core of the defense can also give up plenty of production throughout the game.
Washington has a few good defensive backs, but when you get to the coverage from their linebackers, the grades drop off tremendously. The Huskies' top four linebackers have been targeted 63 times, and the receivers have 48 receptions. That is a 76.2% completion rate. Let’s get after those linebackers.