PFF: High Illinois performers and what we realized vs. Western Illinois

[ad_1] <img alt="Aug 29, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini linebacker Gabe Jacas (17) jumps on teammate Illinois Fighting Illini defensive lineman Eli Coenen (96) after a sack on Western Illinois Leathernecks quarterback Chris Irvin (5) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" height="1438" src="https://media.zenfs.com/en/warchant_13/161cd303150977a2008a0e15bac78932" width="2560" data-uuid="7ddf2ce4-da0a-34f5-b3e6-66c83976ef58"> Orange and Blue Information breaks down the Illinois PFF grades vs. Western Illinois and what we realized in regards to the Illini.

Professional Soccer Focus (PFF) is a soccer analytics firm that evaluates each school recreation by detailed movie evaluate, grading gamers on every play based mostly on how properly they executed their task slightly than simply the results of the play.

Analysts use a scale from -2.0 to +2.0 in half-point increments—the place 0 is an anticipated play, positives mirror above-average execution, and negatives mirror errors—after which normalize these outcomes right into a 0–100 general grade. On this system, grades above 90 point out elite efficiency, 70–84 is taken into account good, 60–69 common, and under 50 poor.

High performers offense 90.4. Hank Beatty, extensive receiver. Beatty had a profession day receiving with 108 yards on simply 5 receptions. He was much more dynamic within the return recreation, setting a college file with133 punt return yards, bringing again a 69-yard return for a landing.

86.5. Justin Bowick, extensive receiver. Bowick flashed what sort of weapon he may be within the redzone. He had simply 3 receptions, however two of them went for TD’s. His proper route operating was spectacular on the primary TD, then he used his size at 6-foot-5 to haul within the second TD behind the top zone. Not one of the DB’s that checked Bowick had a PFF grade greater than 54.2.

78.3. Kaden Feagin, operating again. Feagin chewed up robust yards off deal with, speeding for 74 yards and a TD on 13 carries. He was constant, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. His longest run got here when he bounced a zone play across the left finish for 17 yards.

74.9. Aidan Laughery, operating again. Laughery broke away on a 57-yard landing run within the fourth quarter that was reminiscent of the explosive performs he made within the common season finale in opposition to Northwestern final season. He completed 101 yards speeding on simply 9 makes an attempt, together with two TD’s.

74.8. J.C. Davis, left deal with. Davis performed a workforce excessive 57 snaps. He had a 100% cross blocking effectivity, yielding zero sacks, hurries, or hits on the quarterback. His run blocking was within the common vary at 68.4.

High performers protection 93.2. Gabe Jacas, exterior linebacker. Jacas was dominant and disruptive even when he wasn’t recording stats. His grade will probably place him among the many nation’s finest at his place for week 1. The Illini dominated on the sting. WIU offensive tackles Jeremiah Blanks-Wall (52.5) and Dorian Aguelles (44.7) each had subpar PFF Grades.

85.9. Dylan Rosiek, center linebacker. Rosiek completed with simply 2 tackles together with a deal with for loss, however he was a primary cog plugging up the center of the Illini protection. The Leathernecks averaged lower than 2 yards per speeding try contained in the tackles.

81.5. Tomiway Durojaiye, defensive deal with. Durojaiye was notably disruptive in opposition to the run (81.1 PFF), spending lots of time within the offensive backfield. As soon as he will get his hips by, he's very fast pursuing the ball from the bottom. He had a workforce excessive 4 defensive stops – tackles that represent a “failure” for the offense.

74.9 James Thompson Jr., defensive deal with. Thompson had 2 tackles, a deal with for loss. He was disruptive collapsing the pocket with 3 quarterback hurries.

73. 4. Malachi Hood, WILL linebacker. Hood solely performed 20 snaps, however he made an influence with 5 tackles and three “stops”. He didn’t quit something within the passing recreation. In protection, his man was focused 3 occasions and a couple of catches however for -1 yard whole.

What we realized QB Luke Altmyer must be higher when below stress. It was the primary recreation of the season, so there are certain to be some hiccups going dwell at recreation velocity. Nonetheless, Altmyer’s PFF grade dropped from 81.3 when he had a clear pocket to 47.1 when below stress, a dramatic distinction. Altmyer acknowledged within the put up recreation that there have been some first recreation jitters and his choice making must be higher.

He was solely pressured 7 occasions on 26 drop backs, so it’s not an enormous pattern measurement. Nonetheless, he took a few sacks as a substitute of eliminating the soccer. He accomplished 2-of-4 passes when below stress for simply 25 yards. When he had a clear pocket he accomplished 83 % of his passes and tossed three touchdowns.

Dominate cross safety. The Illini offensive line walled up. A primary look on the stats exhibits three sacks for Western Illinois, however that's deceiving. Not one of the Illini offensive linemen have been charged with giving up a sack in response to PFF and solely allowed 2 quarterback hurries.

Davis was the very best graded of the group in cross safety, however give gamers who recorded a minimum of 28 snaps had a grade of 75.3 or higher. Solely heart Josh Kreutz obtained a under common grade (51.3). The one WIU cross rusher with a PFF grade greater than 62.8 was linebacker Kevin Washington Jr. (84.3), who was credited with a sack and a quarterback hurry.

A kind tackling clinic. One of many issues coach Bret Bielema goes to love the most effective when he was watching the movie was the certain tackling. Based on PFF, Illinois had zero missed tackles. Take that stat for what it’s value – it might or might not be 100% correct. Nevertheless it actually represents an incredible effort, particularly within the first recreation of the season. It’s robust to copy dwell tackling in observe.

18 Illinois defenders had a tackling PFF grade of 70.8 or greater. Free security Miles Scott (82.4) and Hood (80.1) each had grades over 80. The WIU operating backs averaged simply 3.0 yards after preliminary contact (in comparison with 4.59 for the Illinois backs). The Leathernecks managed simply 2.3 sack-adjusted yards per speeding try.

Leathernecks load up within the field. The Western Michigan recreation plan on protection was clear from the outset; promote out to cease the run. The Leathernecks usually put 8 or 9 defenders within the field and their safeties creeped as much as the road of scrimmage. Early on, the Illini hole operating gamers hit a brick wall. OC Barry Lunney Jr. was compelled to place the ball within the air extra usually than anticipated within the first half.

The Illini countered the WIU protection with 12-man (and typically 13-man) formations with a number of tight ends within the recreation. In addition they went away from the hole performs and beginning hitting the surface zone scheme onerous. That’s when issues obtained rolling they broke off some chunk performs within the floor recreation together with the 57-yard explosion from Laughery.