Being Physical > Talking About It

[the vulcan]

Two games now in a row where we were not the more physical team.

Once again, we won the off season hype about better physicality, iron on iron in practice, and improved S&C. And once again it has proven to be a load of total shit.

The real cause of the malaise, in my opinion, has nothing to do with practice habits or S&C. The real cause is that we simply lack difference making talent in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Our players lack upper level talent. Period. Two of the most overrated players in America are Ty and Polar Bear. They are simply not as good as the hype. They got pushed around like rag dolls yesterday. Just like last week. And we lack talent at linebacker as well.

We will not improve under Rhule until he recruits better talent in the trenches. That is where you win or lose games.

The problem isn’t coaching. The problem is recruiting.

Don't see how that is. The pro's pretty much always rank our recruiting teams in the top 25, yet we've not actually had such a ranking until IL knocked us off it, and we out recruited them as well. So if the pros say we are getting the players, it must mean the coaching is not getting what we need out of those players. Does anyone think IL has better players than NU? Vegas didn't.

Makes no sense that other teams, like Indiana this year, get a new coach and win right away. That went on as well before NIL, if anyone remembers Stoops, and many others. NU somehow needs a couple years of runway to get going which we never quite get aloft on. And to boot, opposing teams otherwise average QBs look like Heisman candidates when they play us, repeatedly. So this is on bad players? Annually? After decent recruiting rankings?

This is coaching all the way. Has been now for years. Players lined up wrong, mental mistakes galore, 10Y cushions to well "stocked" IL receivers, breakdowns all over the place, all phases phasing out, OT choke and a lot more. How is all that on the players, many wanted by some top name schools?

NU under our eyes is building a 20 year rep as not being able to develop players, and sending a handful to the NFL, where hey, miraculously, they play a lot better. Hmmm.

I'm not saying the coaches won't get better, maybe, but the look isn't favorable, and the 20 year rear view mirror says its systemic. Then again, maybe the mirror is covered in 20 years of crud.

 

[NikkiSixx]

Last year we got all the talk from coach about being a physical running team. We had fullback talk and plays as well. QB's running the ball etc.

This year, it's all about supporting DR and the passing game. We got some talent in the passing game, so we focused on that and the WR's etc, and the running game has been given lip service. basically. We did go get a better RB in the transfer portal, but otherwise we use Rahmir as yet another receiver or blocker, so we are still heavily pass based.

I am surprised that Illinois focused on stopping our weak run game. We did burn them a few times on easy touchdown passes, but it was an interesting choice that they made and it paid off for them. Stopping the run seems to be a lot more important than it is given credit for.