3 big changes Illinois football can make to beat Penn State

2. Load the box

Penn State has a good team, and that has been the case for pretty much my entire life. Last season was no exception, as the Nittany Lions could move the ball through the air and on the ground.

Drew Allar is a good quarterback, but Illinois had much more success slowing him down than the Nittany Lions’ running attack. He was only 16-of-33 for 208 yards, zero touchdowns, and zero interceptions last season.

For his career, Allar hasn’t been that accurate of a quarterback. He failed to hit 60% completion in his first two seasons. While he has started this season off better, the running game is still something I fear way more than Penn State’s passing attack.

Illinois also struggled against the run last season when playing the Nittany Lions. They had 40 carries for 164 yards and two touchdowns.

Allar is not really hurting Illinois through the air much, so I would like for Illinois to focus more on the run. I want to see Penn State held more in check, as they had multiple big runs against us in 2023.

My thinking is that Illinois should consistently load the box and play more man coverage against Penn State. I like the zone option, but running tends to work better against the zone. Let’s bring some heat to the backfield and either shut down the run or get to Allar. Illinois has the horses to cause chaos.