There is one thing I would tell a person who would want to be a fan of the Illinois football program.
Nothing is easy.
No matter the talent on the field or the coaching staff, there are going to be times when pulling out a win is like pulling teeth. Illinois had control of the game on Saturday against Michigan State. We were cruising, up 17-0. Then things went wayward.
In the blink of an eye, Illinois loses starting quarterback Katin Houser, and Michigan State sends the game to overtime. Thankfully, a freshman sent down from the heavens, and the defense actually making a stop, secured the victory for the Illini, 38-37.
Here are five exhausting observations from the Illinois football win over Michigan State
1. Illinois defense is still pretty soft
There were times at the beginning of the game against Michigan State when Illinois’ defense looked good. In fact, we got out to a 17-point lead.
That dwindled quickly, though. I didn’t mind the Illinois front six, but it was the secondary that I had issues with.
Alessio Milivojevic did whatever he wanted in the passing game. Illinois was able to get pressure on him throughout the game with blitzes, but when Milivojevic had time, he was picking apart the Illini secondary.
It was extremely frustrating when Michael Clayton II got in the game. The true freshman came down and scored a touchdown to get the margin to a 14-point lead. Illinois’ defense, led by the secondary, allowed the Spartans to come down and score a touchdown relatively easily.
The fact that Illinois gave up 37 points to Michigan State is a bad sign. Things need to change moving forward, but I am afraid they won’t.
2. Michael Clayton II is the man of the hour
The momentum of the game completely turned at the end of the third quarter. Katin Houser made an ill-advised throw that ended up being an interception. To add insult to injury, Houser got hurt while making the tackle.
Houser’s hand looked pretty messed up. Illinois ended up turning to true freshman quarterback Michael Clayton II.
This is a tough spot for a freshman. Illinois lost momentum as the Spartans scored a touchdown off the interception. This allowed the margin to be just seven points. What does Clayton do?
He comes down and throws a touchdown pass on his first college drive. Clayton didn’t shy away from the spotlight. He embraced all of the pressure, and pressure, in fact, made diamonds.
A bad drive by the Illini would have been devastating. Michigan State would have gotten the ball, and the game would have been on the line.
Clayton didn’t stop impressing, either. He was tasked with making up for a bad Illinois defense, and he did so in overtime. He threw a touchdown on the first play. His performance was incredible.
3. I don’t understand why Illinois went away from the run
The final stats of the game show that Illinois ran the ball a lot. These numbers are quite deceiving, though.
Illinois started out running the ball well. This was a huge reason we were up 17-0. We got out of our running ways, though.
Barry Lunney Jr. is a good offensive coordinator, but sometimes he falls in love with the pass too much. Throughout the second and third quarters, the Illini got a little too pass-happy.
When we got out to a 17-0 lead, we should have started pounding the rock. Wear Michigan State down. Instead, we threw the ball a lot.
I want to see more runs throughout the game. Use Aidan Laughery more in the early parts of the game. Jordan Anderson was looking good when he got the ball. Javari Barnett only getting three carries is wild, too. Let’s use the horses in the stable to control the clock.
4. The Illinois offensive line was solid
I was pleased with the Illinois offense for much of the game. Lunney should have run the ball more, but overall, we looked good.
What was the most impressive thing, besides for Clayton’s presence, was the Illinois offensive line.
Finally, we were healthy up front. That makes a massive difference. Brandon Henderson was starting at right guard for the first time since game one this season. He was joined by the return of Maika Matelau at left guard. He, too, has been out since game one.
Illinois getting the offensive line healthy was noticeable. When Houser was in the game, he had plenty of time to push the ball down the field. The biggest bright spot was when Clayton had to be thrown into action.
A good way to shock a freshman is to have him looking out of his ear hole because the offensive line isn't blocking. That didn’t happen, though. The hogs up front were protecting Clayton.
Getting this group back on the field will only help us in the coming weeks. A healthy offensive line is a big part of success.
5. Illinois’ wide receivers are elite
Every game Illinois is on the field, I think to myself how good the wide receiver corps is for the program. We have so much talent at this position, and it shines brightly no matter the circumstances.
Collin Dixon did his usual thing. He is the best security blanket in all of college football. It is amazing when 62 yards and a touchdown are boring. He is an NFL wide receiver.
I was impressed with Hudson Clement against Michigan State. Beyond his 105 yards and one score, he had a great catch over a defender that moved the chains and helped drive the Illinois offense. His sure hands were crucial.
Illinois also got huge contributions from Brayden Trimble and Kaden Feagin. Both players were sure-handed and had big catches. I think this group has done a ton to help Illinois get to .500 this season. Without the talent outside, the Illini would be on the struggle bus.
Add us as a preferred source on Google