WKU Football: Grading WKU’s 20–7 Loss to Illinois
There’s no other way to put it: Saturday’s 13 point loss at Illinois was a major disappointment. Let’s analyze what went wrong (and right) during the Tops’ Big Ten road trip.
Defense: B
On a day to forget, WKU’s defense did more than enough to put the Tops in position to win. Despite repeated poor field position and an over 15 minute difference in time of possession, Clayton White’s defense held the Illini to just 13 points and 300 yards of total offense. Twice in the first half the Tops stalled out Illini drives and held Illinois to field goals. They also came up with a crucial stop at the end of the first half to keep the game within a reasonable margin.
The defense also set up WKU for their only score on freshman Antwon Kincade’s interception to start off the fourth quarter. Overall, the Tops had a solid effort over a mediocre offense. I’d still like to see more of a pass rush (the Tops had only one sack) and few more turnovers but I don’t think that anyone will complain about the defensive effort on Saturday.
Nacarius Fant: B
The lone bright spot for the offense, Nacarius Fant proved he can be the go-to slot receiver that we thought he may be heading into his senior season. Fant finished with 10 catches for 110 yards and repeatedly took a beating on over the middle catches against the Illini secondary. The poor offensive line play (more below) didn’t allow for many deep passes, but Fant repeatedly took quick throws from White and helped move the offense into Illini territory. If he and Lucky Jackson can continue to emerge in the coming weeks, then the preseason receiving corps questions will be answered.
Mike White: C-
Mike White had a day to forget in Champaign. He was constantly dogged by the Illini pass rush and repeatedly misfired on quick throws to receivers. The late second quarter pick six and redzone fumble left WKU with little margin for error. By the time the Illini went up 20 early in the third, the game was as good as over.
White’s day wasn’t a complete bust, however. The Tops did move the ball across the field enough to show that he’ll be able to put up yards against C-USA defenses. On the day, White finished with 238 yards passing and a rushing touchdown. He’ll have to learn how to carry the team on his back and limit the mistakes if WKU wants to recapture their offensive mojo moving forward.
Offensive Play Calling: D
The most disheartening aspect of WKU’s early season struggles has been Mike Sanford’s offense. Going from the high powered Brohm era to a seven point performance is very hard to stomach. Sanford and staff didn’t show much when it came to an offensive rhythm or creativity on Saturday. The deep passing game has all but disappeared as White repeatedly settled for quick passes and screens.
The lack of running back production was also puzzling. None of the previously productive backs looks confident when hitting the hole. The offensive line struggles obviously hinder everything, but I don’t think it’s too much to ask for in-game adjustments or a few easy plays that soften up the defense and sustain drives. For a formerly hot-shot offensive coordinator, Saturday’s effort against an average Illinois defense shattered a lot of faith in an easy transition to Sanford’s system.
Offensive Line: F
After year’s of elite (for mid-major level) offensive line play, the past two games have been really hard to stomach. Despite returning two all conference level players (Ray and Edwards) and two more experienced players (Sims and Nord) the offensive line has been downright dreadful. There hasn’t been any facet of the game that you can point to and say the offensive line is playing well in. The pass protection has been awful. On Saturday, White was sacked twice, hurried four times and repeatedly had little time to throw. Illinois defenders repeatedly had free reign on White and the running backs in the backfield.
After an offseason of hearing that WKU could transform into a run-first offense, the six total rushing yards was unfathomable. When a simple first down run is a losing proposition, then you’re going to have trouble sustaining drives. Penalties also reared their ugly head on Saturday; the offensive line was called for two holding calls, two false starts and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Between the penalties and tackles for loss, White was left in way too many third and long situations to be successful. WKU has pieces to still be successful in Conference USA. But the offensive line play has to get better or it could derail the entire season.
Overall Grade: D
Any time that you go from a seven point favorite to a 13-point loss, you’re going to be disappointed, middling Big Ten team or not. Even with a good effort from the defense, the Tops just didn’t look ready to play on Saturday. After years of playing similar teams tough, Saturday’s generally non-close showing was hard to swallow. The Hilltoppers lacked confidence, creativity and rhythm offensively. The benefit of the doubt is now over for Mike Sanford. The Illini aren’t world beaters and the Hilltoppers made them appear that way at times. Hopefully this loss lights a fuse for the next two challenging games against Louisiana Tech and Ball State or the Hilltoppers may be in for a season we all couldn’t see coming just a few weeks ago.
What say you? What would you grade yesterday’s performance in terms of individuals or overall? Were we too harsh on anyone? Let us know in a comment below, via Twitter at @TheTowelRackWKU or on our Facebook page.
