For the first time this season, Illinois suffered back-to-back defeats from Oregon and Minnesota. Because of this, the Illini fell out of the AP top 25 poll for the first time in weeks.
The Illini have another bye week before they play their last home game in Memorial Stadium. Fans hope they will take this time to learn from their mistakes and go into the remainder of the season with determination to finish on top.
With this loss, it’s important to evaluate where they excelled and fell short. Individual talent is prevalent on this team, but when they can’t bring their efforts together properly, complications arise.
Luke Altmyer (D): Junior quarterback Luke Altmyer looked off last week and this weekend, too. The biggest element he’s struggled with these past few games is ball security. He ended the game the same way he started by fumbling the ball. His nerves got the best of him, and he lost control under multiple circumstances.
Altmyer completed some solid passes to his receivers and threw a touchdown, but his confidence has gone down, and it’s noticeable during games. His 61% completion rate does not tell the entire story of his performance. Much of the team’s success falls under Altmyer’s ability to lead his unit, but when he can’t keep the ball in his hands and read his options well, success barely comes.
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Josh McCray (A): Junior running back Josh McCray has grown to be one of the most notable players on the Illini. McCray averaged 10.3 yards in seven carries and steadied his balance well after contact from defenders.
Near the end of the second quarter, he dodged numerous tackles to rush 42 yards for Illinois’ first touchdown. It makes sense he’s a go-to guy, considering his ability to account for almost 60% of Illinois’ rushing yards.
Pat Bryant (A): Senior wide receiver Pat Bryant had his best performance in a while. He recorded 72 receiving yards and averaged 14.4 yards per reception — his best in three weeks.
During the game, Bryant received medical attention but eventually returned to play. At the post-game interviews, Bryant came out with a boot on his right foot and ankle.
“We got a bye week,” Bryant said. “Got enough time to get some recovery in.”
Bryant furthered on this and added that he does not think his injury will hurt him in the remainder of the season.
Zakhari Franklin (A-): If Bryant getting injured wasn’t enough, senior wide receiver Zakhari Franklin also got his share of the medical tent Saturday. Despite this, Franklin’s performance still earned him a touchdown. Additionally, he saw 71 yards and averaged 14.2 per carry.
Franklin played a key part in the Illini’s game, considering he scored one of their two touchdowns. His fourth-quarter touchdown allowed the Illini to see their short-lived lead.
Melvin Priestly (C): It may not be fair that junior offensive lineman Melvin Priestly gets this grade. However, in vital moments, he did not step up with enough aggressiveness to aid his team, especially his quarterback.
With under a minute left in the game, Priestly failed to block his attacker, which resulted in the final Altmyer sack and fumble. There’s no guarantee that the Illini would have scored to force overtime, but not having the right protection in this scenario hurt any chances.
Gabe Jacas (B-): Junior linebacker Gabe Jacas has been a strong force for Illinois’ defensive line this season. While Jacas didn’t have any sacks, he had six total tackles, with three being solo tackles.
However, he didn’t pressure the quarterback like he did in recent weeks. Fans didn’t get to see the extra edge he’s had all season during an inconsistent day.
Matthew Bailey (B-): Speaking of consistent force for the defense, sophomore defensive back Mathew Bailey is another player to keep in mind. Bailey has remained decently consistent throughout this season. Bailey’s performance was similar to Jacas’, walking away with five tackles, two of which were solo.
In the post-game conference, Bailey had a few words to explain what went wrong with the Illini’s defense throughout the game.
“Everybody doing their part in the defense — I think that’s a huge thing we were struggling with as the game was going on,” Bailey said.
