Illinois 45, Illinois State 17

I apologize for the long hiatus from this blog but my overly optimistic season preview appears to have been rendered moot by Illinois' 37-9 loss to Missouri. Fortunately, there is still hope for the season and the Illini rebounded with a 45-17 victory against the Redbirds of Illinois State.

Despite losing Juice in the first quarter to a thigh bruise, Illinois racked up 548 yards of offense, including 384 on the ground. I have no complaints about the Illini offense in general, as they averaged 9.6 yards per pass and a stunning 8.3 yards per rush. Eddie McGee overthrew a receiver and was intercepted in the end zone in the first quarter, but otherwise was quite solid. The offensive line overpowered the ISU defensive front and with so many talented RBs on hand, there was no stopping the Illini today.

Still, I have my concerns about whether the team's coaching is getting the most out of the talent on hand. Even in a blowout win, Illinois racked up 13 penalties for 115 yards. And they also allowed ISU QBs to throw for 354 yards, averaging 6.8 yards per attempt. Illinois won big because they dominated on the lines (allowing just 2.2 yards per rush), not because of coaching or playcalling. This reflects the talent Zook has brought in, but they won't be able to assert their superior talent so visibly against Big 10 competition.

I want to be a voice of moderation, but I am still skeptical about the direction this team is headed in after last week's loss to Missouri. There is a lot to like about Ron Zook, most notably his recruiting prowess and enthusiasm for his players. Yet he is also too stubborn about his way of doing things. He ought to admit that designing plays is not his strength, and delegate more responsibility to his coordinators, while focusing on motivating his players to give 100%. His coordinators do call the plays now, but they are locked in by the philosophy Zook espouses. Furthermore, Zook is always good for a boneheaded two-point conversion attempt or a fake punt that fools nobody.

The head coach does not have to have the last word on all decisions. Look at Penn State, where Joe Paterno's assistants run the show behind the scenes. Zook would be better off sticking to recruiting and motivation, while hiring some talented assistants to manage more of the in-game aspects. Unfortunately, that scenario will almost certainly never happen. I think Illinois is capable of beating Ohio State in two weeks, but it will take a great effort and a well-called game to get there.