I seriously can't take this #$%&@! anymore.

Cincinatti 234, Illinois 3


My early prediction for 2 weeks from now.

Single biggest coaching mismatch I've ever watched.

And Zook is bulletproof, at least until next year.

Thanks RG!

Unfortunately I agree with all of this.

And the thing is we have a puncher's chance against Cincy if we have a solid gameplan.

But we won't.

Here is the only silver lining for the scheduling debacle: Under normal circumstances, our season would be over after next weekend. As it stands, we'll have 2 weeks and 2 football games left. Therefore, you could make a strong argument that the Fresno St. game is essentially a bowl game because we'll have 10+ "extra" practices.

If (HUGE IF) the coaching staff realizes this, it might really help with Charest's development and next year.

Couldn't agree more.

Juice, Charest, and McGee will probably split the first team practice snaps into thirds during those 10 days, howeva.

I hate weber more than you hate Zook, by a long shot, and I've never, ever hoped we would lose a bb game.

I think this game will be closer than expected, heck I think we have a chance to win this thing.

Biggest thing is we are more talented than Cincy, I do however worry about horrendous coaching.

Does Zook think he is a good coach?

Zook is now 21 wins and 37 losses at IL with only one win against NW in the last seven games. Nothing to write home about. Even though we lost today, I still feel IL was the better team, but less disciplined. We pretty much beat ourself today by not scoring in the red zone. Missed opportunities in the first half forced us into trying to score again in the last minute. Clock management is a problem, as always. We probably wasted a full minute calling run plays on the last TD drive.

Even though the season is a bust, beating MI does make me feel better.

Anyone who thinks Zook has the coaching skills to take IL to the FB elite of Division I FB is delusional. If RG had higher standards for the FB program and an insightful long range vision, instead of just thinking about how to balance the DIA checkbook, we would be much better off. To leave Zook in charge for another year is just delaying the inevitable or being satisfied with mediocrity for the long term.

What the....is there something wrong with you?

You want Weber out of here, but you never, ever want him to lose a game. Gotcha.

The difference is Weber is one of the top coaches in college basketball, Zook is arguably the worst in college football.

We are more talented than every one we played this year accept tOSU and PSU. But that has gotten this team crap. I don't worry about the coaching anymore. I count on Zook and co. to do a bunch of real stupid things for 4 quarters and when they actually do something right, I have the pleasure of being pleasantly surprised.

This is the myth that just keeps giving.

As poor as Illinois coaching has been (and it is bad), the talent level on the offensive line is below average, the QB position is average at best, our WR's are decent, but not really NFL caliber (translated "overrated"), and Illinois has mediocrity at the LB and DB positions.

But please, believe whatever you want if it makes you feel better.

What was the AD at Florida's quote? Something along the lines of, "If it has to happen eventually, you should make it happen now."

"If something needs to be done eventually, it needs to be done immediately."

Please stop propagating this talent myth. Missouri and MSU are more talented, and Illinois is comparable with most of the Big Ten mediocrity (MN, PU, NU, etc)

Illinois has 6-6 talent, the coaching staff turned it into a 3-9 season.

to be correct : our players were HIGHER RATED coming out of HS and every Big10 school except tOSU & PSU, but few of our players have progressed much

and it is fair to say now, our players are no better than maybe 3 or 4 conference rivals

with our coaches & players today -- we lose 5 out of 10 times to IU & 7 out of 10 times to MSU, NU and Purdue, and 8 out of 10 to Iowa & Wisky.

Cllick Me

I see your username follows from the marker, and is not an adjective describing your intellect.

That's not a relevant difference. You're a fan, you root for your team to win.

The best argument one can make when shown that they are an idiot is to start throwing around insults. Good job idiot.

I honestly believe with better coaching that the 06, 08, and 09 teams would have been bowl eligible. Better coaching means Zook not tripping over himself to make one bad decision after another and having really competent assistants who are allowed to do their thing. Things could be worse. You could be Michigan fan.

Except, this time, he's right.

Rooting against the players to win because you hate the coach is pathetic. Either you are a fan of the team, or not.

No, I'm saying he's an idiot for hating Weber.

:dikembe

Because these basketball squads are gonna suck.

:lol:

Ah, well then. Carry on.

I've been patient with Zook because he started with nothing and took us to the Rose Bowl, but I think next year is the year Zook takes us back to a bowl game or gets pushed out the door. Maybe we've overestimated our talent, but there's no excuse not to at least make a minor bowl with this group. Next year it's put up or shut up for Zook.

Where is the proof we have more talent? I think we are at best equal to most of the Big 10. Only difference is the execution is inconsistant and has been all season. That falls on both players and coaches

again...talent! Talent! Talent! I just don't see where we have all this "talent".

We have comparable to better talent than Missouri, Michigan, Michigan St, Indiana, Il St, Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan, Fresno St, (and we will see about Cincy)

Dont confuse lack of player development with lack of talent.


Ie I think all three of our QB's are incredibly talented. Juice has one of the best arms to ever play at Illinois, he has a quick release, and is incredibly quick footed. He throws an outstanding deep ball, and is incredibly good running the option.

McGee has all of those but isnt as quick footed, but has better straight line speed.

Charest seems like he has above average mobility, has a strong accurate arm, and looks like he might have the knack for passing (although he is inexperienced).

Look at Charest, hes been here a year and a half, redshirted a season, and yet are the coaches working with him to get rid of his really bad slow windup? I have zero confidence that Zook can coach him.

Look at Tiller with Drew Breese, Drew came out of high school with a similar hitch in his throw, Tiller altered his motion, and look at him now.

There are holes in our lineup, and there are positions where we are lacking talent, but generally the talent is enough where we should have been a 7-8 win team this season with a really good coach.

234 to 3. I don't think they would make the field goal!

I thought that was the premise for this season! Guess not. But, it should have been. Zook's MO is to lose to other teams when he has similar or more talent on the field. That my friend is NOT the sign of a good coach.

Bingo. The only fair way to evaluate talent is coming out of high school, before they get coached up or down. Consistently great recruiting classes followed by poor results point in only one direction.

What direction is that? The staff being weak on development? I'd say that's wrong, some kids peak earlier than others and some are just overrated. It's not like basketball where all the good players play everyone else in game situations multiple times. Plus, the recruiting rankings are pretty flawed, if a kid is getting recruited by Notre Dame or OSU, they are automatically given an extra star.

All-Americans Martin O'Donnell, J Leman and Rashard Mendenhall say hello. As do Jason Reda, Ryan McDonald, Justin Harrison.................

It has become clearer and clearer than Zook went to the Rose Bowl with Turner recruits.

Well I am starting to doubt if Zook really started with nothing when he got here. There ended up being a few good Turner leftovers on that team that ended up in Pasadena. The problem is that the "nothing" that Zook started with is gone now, and he hasn't done anything with the something he has recruited to Illinois since.

This teams heart got ripped out last year and it has never found it since. I bet a guy like J. Leman would have not let that happen to this team.

I'm looking at the big picture Ralph. Some kids will peak early, some late, some are just busts. But there is a definite pattern evolving here.