Quarterback play wasn’t the problem

AJ Bush was questionable heading into Saturday, after suffering a hamstring injury at the end of the first half in last week’s game. While Bush was suited up and throwing a football around during pregame, it served as  a way to play mind games with the USF coaching staff. True freshman M.J. Rivers received his first collegiate start.

Rivers threw for 168 yards and managed a game full of running back handoffs efficiently. The young quarterback is still without a turnover through his seven quarters of play thus far, but hitting his receivers hasn’t been the easiest. A handful of drops have stagnated Rivers’ passing stats throughout his time on the field, and the play calling, especially in the contest against USF, has been more geared toward handing the ball off. Nevertheless, after Saturday’s game, the quarterback wants to do more to help his team come away with a victory.

“It’s tough,” Rivers said. “We just kept shooting ourselves in the foot, kept hurting our drives. We gotta get all that corrected and do better next week.”

Offensive Coordinator Rod Smith has stated previously that when he is fully healthy, Bush is the starting quarterback for the team. Lovie Smith reaffirmed this in his postgame presser, stating “when you pull a hamstring, you don’t play the next week.” “He’s (Bush) making progress; we’ll see how it goes this week.”

Running backs continue to produce

Offensive coordinator Rod Smith started off the game trusting his rushing attack. South Florida allowed 419 yards on the ground to Georgia Tech last week and Illinois used its depth at the position to pick up 135 yards in the first half. Mike Epstein, Reggie Corbin and Ra’Von Bonner all touched the ball early on and continued to do so throughout the game.

The team rushed the ball 25 times in the first half of the game compared to 23 in the second half. The rushing attack throughout the game was paced mostly by Epstein, who tallied 113 yards on the day and the team’s lone touchdown that came in the first quarter.

Epstein credited the Illini offense for providing the momentum to keep the team in the game.

“I think that positive energy is contagious,” Epstein said. “Reggie broke a big one and put me in a position to finish it. I think our offense had a little spark after that.”

McLaughlin was perfect

If McLaughlin was on the gradebook this week, he would easily be handed an A+. He has been, arguably, the most consistent player on the Illinois football team. In a game where his name was consistently called on, as the Illini continually came up short in the red zone, McLaughlin showed up.

The senior hit four field goals on the day, and the special teams unit played a vital role in keeping the Illini ahead for most of the game.

“I think the role is what it’s been since day one; go out there for the one play that you get and help the team out,” McLaughlin said. “Whether that’s Blake pinning them deep or trying to put points on the board, you just try to help the teams as best you can.”

McLaughlin is 100 percent in field goal tries 50 yards out and is the first Illinois kicker in history to have three straight games with a 50-yard field goal.

“It’s just being comfortable and being confident out there,” McLaughlin said. “I wish that I could tell you there was a magic formula, but really it’s just being consistent and being comfortable.”

Offense Grade [C+]

The offense rode a roller coaster on Saturday. Illinois’ rushing attack once again proved to be the strength of the team. Handing the ball off worked time and time again throughout the first half and into the second. However, when true freshman quarterback M.J. Rivers had to step up and make a throw, completions didn’t come easy. Illinois only had 168 yards through the air and the play calling during the second half took a step away from the run-heavy approach that worked so well.

Defensive Grade [C-]

The Illinois defense had a (good?) game, considering they gave up 626 yards of total offense. The team walked away with two big interceptions by true freshman Jartavius Martin and linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips, and both were their second of the season. The secondary that has struggled in weeks prior offered some glimpses of hope. However, when it mattered most, the absence of Nate Hobbs and Bennett Williams was felt on a blown go-ahead 50-yard touchdown reception for USF. The defensive line could only hold up for so long, and despite a rather dominant first half, they couldn’t put enough pressure on the Bulls’ QB Blake Barnett.

Mike Epstein [A]

The bright spot for Illinois’ offense throughout the entirety of the game was sophomore running back Mike Epstein. After ending his productive freshman campaign early last year with a stress fracture in his foot, he has picked up right where he left off. In three games this season, Epstein has rushed for 251 yards with two touchdowns, 113 of those yards and one touchdown came in Saturday’s game. If Illinois can rely on one player, it’s been proven to be Epstein.