Talking Points

1. ILLINOIS IS THE WORST TEAM IN THE BIG TEN

Don’t look now, but Rutgers is 3-3 in the Big Ten. Purdue is vastly improved, and Minnesota already beat Illinois this season. Sitting at 2-7 with a close win over Ball State and a win over the Brohm-less Western Kentucky, Illinois has since lost seven in a row and puts the Lovie Smith era in a worse place than many thought possible in year two. Constant quarterback shuffling has led to redshirt freshman Cam Thomas taking over as the starter, and he has really not been solid so far. As a dual threat QB he shows flashes, but Peyton Ramsey looks miles ahead of Thomas at the position.

2. ILLINOIS IS SO YOUNG

The future could be bright for the Illini if Smith could recruit better, but the young talent they have on the team right now is notable. They have started the most freshman in the history of their program that is one of the oldest in the country, and as of now could start 7 freshman against IU on Saturday. 4 offensive linemen, Cam Thomas, and receivers Ricky Smalling and Carmoni Green would make up the contingent for UofI on Saturday, and will likely be around for a number of years in the Big Ten. On defense, it is much of the same. Longtime IU target Bobby Roundtree has impressed from his first day on campus for Illinois, and has been incredibly productive in the Big Ten regardless of what class he’s in. Illinois at one point in the season had played the most true freshman in the country, so they are a really, really young team that currently doesn’t have enough talent to pose a threat in the Big Ten west.

3. HOW DOES IU RESPOND?

This has been one of my talking points for the last three weeks now. IU is in a major skid right now, and needs to win out in order to reach a bowl for the third straight season. IU should be favored in the last three games (Illinois, Rutgers, Purdue), and losing these games would spell real trouble when you consider the fact that Rutgers is recruiting well, and Maryland is recruiting even better. IU cannot afford to miss a bowl game this year when RU and MD are showing clear signs of progress this year. The talent IU has should be enough to get these three games, and taking care of the ball and staying focused will be major keys. A 7 or 8 win regular season is obviously out of the picture now, but other goals are certainly on the table and can be achieved.

4. LET’S COOL IT WITH THE TOM ALLEN TALK

First year coaches rarely receive the heat Tom Allen has. While I love how the expectations from the fanbase have changed since his hiring, it’s also important to remember that he has never been a head coach at this level before either. It’s ALSO important to remember that he is in the first year of building a new culture, implementing new systems, and changing the expectation surrounding this program. Is being 3-6 acceptable? Absolutely not. However, I do feel that Allen is the right guy for this job, and will be around for a long time. Building a program takes time. Kevin Wilson was close, but ultimately not right. Allen is close, but it’s his first year. His teams have been outmatched twice all season- the fourth quarter against Ohio State, and the fourth quarter against Wisconsin. That’s it. So while he’s 3-6, there is still time left in this season, and getting to a bowl game in his first year as a head coach would be a great accomplishment. So cool it, and root for this team.

The Huddle

Know Your Opponent: It's Been A While Since Indiana has Traveled to Champaign

Talking Points

1. ILLINOIS IS THE WORST TEAM IN THE BIG TEN

2. ILLINOIS IS SO YOUNG

3. HOW DOES IU RESPOND?

4. LET’S COOL IT WITH THE TOM ALLEN TALK

Hoosier Huddle