Bret Bielema has to love how they won this game. Grit, toughness, smartest team on the field.
I believe Bret Bielema got much more personally involved in game planning for Maryland (on both sides of the ball) than he let on during his media appearances this week. That game had his stamp on it.
It was a good switch to see the opposition making the boneheaded plays that changed the game. Maryland 15-yard penalties killed them.
The offense won the way Bielema wants to win. They set up the pass with the run and had makeable 3rd downs. Third and long is still a problem. The pass pro scheme isn't very good, the O-line struggles picking up blitzes, and Altmyer holds the ball too long at times. He was much better in the second half and Lunney did a better job creating situations that protect him.
Illinois kept pounding the inside zone. I think that was mainly about simplifying things for the offensive line. Bielema has said they've been asking guys to do things they can't do well. They now play 3 teams in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Indiana that haven't been very good at stopping the run.
Kaden Feagin is a freak. I love how he gets 1-2 extra yards just by falling forward. I do think he still has a lot to learn about playing running back, though. He'll learn to accelerate better and kick in a second gear in space. When he gets to edge he looks like he’s still looking for someone to run through. Also needs to learn to get his feet up in a crowd and not allow tacklers to take them out. Feagin and Cal'il Valentine should compliment each other pretty well.
Tyler Stain took a page out of the Devon Witherpoon book today. Very aggressive, very handsy. He was called for a PI but got away with it more often than not.
We saw way more from Aaron Henry today in terms of disguising coverages, showing different fronts, pre-snap movement, etc.. It looked a lot more like 2022. They played some 4-man front, did quite a bit of shifting up front, lined up in Cover-0 then switched into man coverage at the snap, etc. Henry didn't really dial up much pressure, focusing on containing the QB instead. Good game plan, and they held Maryland well under their scoring average (35 ppg).
The inside linebackers may be coming int their own. Rosiek and Odeluga still get pushed back too much in short yardage situations but they are doing a really good job playing their gaps and making plays from sideline to sideline.
For those wondering, Malik Elzy had a hip pointer suffered in practice on Wednesday. He'll be back next week, per Bielema. Keith Randolph should also be back.
I believe Bret Bielema got much more personally involved in game planning for Maryland (on both sides of the ball) than he let on during his media appearances this week. That game had his stamp on it.
It was a good switch to see the opposition making the boneheaded plays that changed the game. Maryland 15-yard penalties killed them.
The offense won the way Bielema wants to win. They set up the pass with the run and had makeable 3rd downs. Third and long is still a problem. The pass pro scheme isn't very good, the O-line struggles picking up blitzes, and Altmyer holds the ball too long at times. He was much better in the second half and Lunney did a better job creating situations that protect him.
Illinois kept pounding the inside zone. I think that was mainly about simplifying things for the offensive line. Bielema has said they've been asking guys to do things they can't do well. They now play 3 teams in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Indiana that haven't been very good at stopping the run.
Kaden Feagin is a freak. I love how he gets 1-2 extra yards just by falling forward. I do think he still has a lot to learn about playing running back, though. He'll learn to accelerate better and kick in a second gear in space. When he gets to edge he looks like he’s still looking for someone to run through. Also needs to learn to get his feet up in a crowd and not allow tacklers to take them out. Feagin and Cal'il Valentine should compliment each other pretty well.
Tyler Stain took a page out of the Devon Witherpoon book today. Very aggressive, very handsy. He was called for a PI but got away with it more often than not.
We saw way more from Aaron Henry today in terms of disguising coverages, showing different fronts, pre-snap movement, etc.. It looked a lot more like 2022. They played some 4-man front, did quite a bit of shifting up front, lined up in Cover-0 then switched into man coverage at the snap, etc. Henry didn't really dial up much pressure, focusing on containing the QB instead. Good game plan, and they held Maryland well under their scoring average (35 ppg).
The inside linebackers may be coming int their own. Rosiek and Odeluga still get pushed back too much in short yardage situations but they are doing a really good job playing their gaps and making plays from sideline to sideline.
For those wondering, Malik Elzy had a hip pointer suffered in practice on Wednesday. He'll be back next week, per Bielema. Keith Randolph should also be back.
