After a shaky stretch to open the year, Illinois finally looked like a defense that knew exactly what it was doing.
The Illini had spent the previous two weeks sorting through the wrinkles of a new scheme, and the issues showed up early. Communication wasn’t clean.
Tackling wasn’t consistent. Against Southern Illinois, though, the defense looked far more settled in a 48-10 win Saturday at Gies Memorial Stadium.
A few Illinois leaders took the initiative on Thursday to get the unit together and work through the details after a meeting with head coach Bret Bielema. Matthew Bailey, Xavier Scott, Juice Clarke, Tanner Heckel and Mac Resetich helped gather the rest of the defense and talk through the little things that had been getting in the way.
"We'd have these little meetings on how we're going to call the game, different checks we're going to make, so I'd say that's what changed," Clarke said.
The result was a much cleaner outing against the Salukis. Outside of SIU’s second drive - an 11-play, 75-yard march that ended in a touchdown - Illinois smothered everything else. The Salukis managed just three 3-and-outs, rushed 27 times for 29 yards and never found much room to breathe.
Bailey added a pick-6, and the Illini finished with six tackles for loss and a sack. SIU averaged only 3.7 yards per play and totaled 257 yards.
For Illinois, now 2-1, it was the kind of defensive response the team needed before heading into next week’s trip to No. 6 Ohio State.
In Other News...
Illinois May Have A New Offensive Star Before Big Ten Play
Illinois rolled past Southern Illinois 48-10, and the biggest sign of what might be coming for the Illini offense came from Collin Dixon. Katin Houser found him for two second-quarter touchdown passes, and Dixon finished with eight catches for 131 yards while adding another entry to the record book at Gies Memorial Stadium with a single-season touchdown reception mark.
Bret Bielema had plenty of reason to praise Dixon after the game, especially with Big Ten play looming and Illinois looking for reliable playmakers who can tilt the field. Southern Illinois coach Nick Hill was left to absorb the loss and turn the page toward conference play of his own, while Illinois gets a clearer picture of how dangerous this passing game can be when Dixon is involved. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Dixon Is Forcing Illinois Fans To Rethink The Record Book
Collin Dixon has turned the first three games into a conversation piece for Illinois fans, and not just because of how quickly he has piled up yards and touchdowns. The wide receiver has seven receiving scores and 369 yards so far, enough to put his name on top of the record at Gies Memorial Stadium and to start drawing a fresh look at what the Illinois passing game can produce when one target keeps finding the end zone.
What makes it even more intriguing is how much history he is already chasing this early in the season. Dixon is close to tying and possibly breaking the Illinois single-season receiving touchdown mark, and he is already halfway to the career record as well, which says plenty about the pace he has set. The bigger question now is whether he can keep this kind of scoring run going long enough to turn a hot start into something that rewrites the record book. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Win Eases One Concern But Raises Another For Fans
Illinois opened the season with a comfortable 48-10 win over Southern Illinois, and the kind of result fans wanted to see after a summer of questions. The offense had stretches that looked sharp, with the line doing its part and Katin Houser putting together a productive day through the air, which at least gave Illinois something to build on heading into a tougher stretch.
Still, the final margin did not hide everything. Even with Southern Illinois limited to 10 points, there were defensive issues that showed up enough to keep the staff's attention, and the performance left a mixed feeling for fans who wanted a cleaner all-around start. One concern may have eased, but the next one is already waiting. [Read more 🡒]