The E-Files

What they got out of the La.-Lafayette game

Posted by: Eric Loy

Tuesday, September 16, 2008 5:28 PM

Looking back at the pre-game blog:

1. TCB. Take care of business and get the win.

Done. Barely.

2. Keep the run game going. Lafayette has a much smaller defensive line than Illinois' offensive line. The Illini need to rack up big yards on the ground here. If they are forced to pass against this team, it'll be a looooong season.

Though Dufrene got the 100-yard game, the running offense needed to be more impressive against a team that had trouble against the run in week 1. Something needs to improve here.

3. Improve kickoff coverage. Can't be giving up a third to two-fifth of the field after every score. I don;t understand keeping a player on the team as a kickoff specialist, then not using him every time...is he the kickoff specialist or not???

One of the kickoffs was out of bounds, one returned for over 50 yards. Unacceptable, and will be explioted in the Big 10.

4. SHUT DOWN THE INSIDE RUN. No one on the Cajuns should have 75 yards rushing in this game. the inside linebackers need to hit the holes and not go with the blocking flow. It has to be better than the last two games or the Big 10 will eat them alive.

No one did have 75 yards rushing. Brent and Liuget on the inside seemed to help. Better.

5. Get off to a better start. the first quarter against Eastern Illinois was horrible. Stop putting yourselves in a hole...

Well, I didn't mean play a good first quarter and a bad rest of game either.

6. No injuries, consarn it.

Looks good on that front.

Illinois wins 52-14.

Missed it by THAT much. The coaches will have plenty of ammo for practices heading into the Penn State game, without having to take a loss, and somehow the Illini even moved up the polls.

Two weeks out, it looks like no way Illinois beats the Lions. Maybe my outlook will change by then, but nothing in the last two games indicates to me a team that can take JoePa's squad.

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