2. Illinois has one of the worst defenses in program history
There have been some bad Illinois teams throughout my lifetime. I have been through the ugly decade of the 2010s, so having a bad unit is nothing new.
Even with the horrible teams in the middle of the 2010s, I think the current rendition of the Illini defense might be the worst I have ever seen.
With Washington putting up 42 points, Illinois has now given up an average of 40.0 points per game in the last five contests. Think about that for a second. The lowest total was the game against Purdue, in which Illinois still managed to give up 27 points to a bad Boilermakers squad.
The defensive line can’t get pressure on the quarterback. The middle of the Illinois defense is soft, as we can’t stop drag routes or anything over the middle. And then there is the secondary.
It was just a couple of years ago that Illinois had players like Devon Witherspoon and Quan Martin, among others, but now the Illini can’t cover anyone. We are playing players like Tanner Heckel, who, on multiple occasions, didn’t even try to make a tackle against Washington.
Illinois’ offense is fine. We can move the ball and have a good quarterback. The defense is the problem, and they ruined any chance for Illinois to make the College Football Playoff in 2025.
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