Illini special teams are special

swingman

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• Illinois leads the nation in blocked kicks (4) under first-year coordinator Robby Discher.
• PFF ranks Illinois’ overall special teams unit at #10 in the natio
• All-American Johnny Newton has two blocked kicks (vs. Penn State, at Purdue), and the Illini have blocked punts by Ashton Hollins (at Purdue) and Ryan Meed (vs. Penn State). No other Big Ten team has more than two blocked kicks/punts.
• Illinois is one of only five teams in the nation with two blocked punts (OU, Pitt, Vandy, SJSU).
• K Caleb Griffin is the first Illini kicker to have two game-winning field goals in a single season. His 43-yard winner at Maryland was the second walk-off field goal on the road in Illinois history, along with Mike Bass’ 46-yard winner as time expired at Wisconsin in 1982.
• Griffin hit a 53-yard field goal to end the first half at Purdue, his career long. It was the 6th-longest in program history and the longest ever by an Illini in a road game.
• P Hugh Robertson’s average is up to 43.05 yards/punt, 3.05 better than last season.
 

Our offense cannot afford another slow start this week. Illinois has the talent to score unlike MSU, especially early in the game when Rossi is feeling things out. Lindenberg back again this week will be huge.
 

Our offense cannot afford another slow start this week. Illinois has the talent to score unlike MSU, especially early in the game when Rossi is feeling things out. Lindenberg back again this week will be huge.
Hard to believe, but they are ranked below the Gophs for scoring.
 

Hard to believe, but they are ranked below the Gophs for scoring.
We can outscore Illinois. But point is that illinois, unlike Iowa and MSU, isn’t hapless on offense. Give Illinois a 20-30 yard short field for a TD and there is a meaningful chance they hang a 7 on us. Isaiah Williams is a great receiver, and QB Altmeyer can run as well as pass. Altmeyer is Illinois’s leading rusher before you subtract negative rushing yards on sacks. We should win, but we won’t have the luxury of an incompetent opposing offense, such as MSU’s, if we start turning the ball over deep in our own end. The turnover margin will probably matter in this game.
 

I must have watched the highlights of a different Illinois team. They are 3- 5 for a reason.
 


We can outscore Illinois. But point is that illinois, unlike Iowa and MSU, isn’t hapless on offense. Give Illinois a 20-30 yard short field for a TD and there is a meaningful chance they hang a 7 on us. Isaiah Williams is a great receiver, and QB Altmeyer can run as well as pass. Altmeyer is Illinois’s leading rusher before you subtract negative rushing yards on sacks. We should win, but we won’t have the luxury of an incompetent opposing offense, such as MSU’s, if we start turning the ball over deep in our own end. The turnover margin will probably matter in this game.
The difference in scoring offense between them is 3 points, and Sparty plays in the Eastern division. I honestly don't see a difference.
 




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