How Illinois Football can Take Down Indiana on the Road

A Key Opportunity For Illinois Football vs the Hoosiers

One of the biggest opportunities for Illinois in this matchup lies in the field position battle, and in taking advantage of short field opportunities with a veteran offense led by experienced quarterback Luke Altmyer.

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti ruled starting punter Mitch McCarthy “day-to-day” with an undisclosed injury he described as “a little bit of an issue.” In his place, sophomore Quinn Warren has stepped in. Warren impressed in Week 2 against Old Dominion, pinning the Monarchs deep with a 38-yarder to the 3-yard line and a 49-yarder to the 5. Not bad at all for a first extended performance.

Still, after only one punt against Indiana State in Week 3, Warren hasn’t had many live reps. Under the primetime lights of a pivotal Big Ten opener in a sold-out and rowdy Memorial Stadium, it will be interesting to see how he responds. I may eat crow, but under these circumstances, I expect a punt or two could tilt in the Illini’s favor.

On the other side, Illinois senior wideout and punt returner Hank Beatty has been a weapon through the first three games, highlighted by a 152-yard, one-touchdown effort against Western Illinois. If Beatty can keep the field flipped—or if Warren struggles under the pressure—Illinois has a real chance to capitalize on short fields. With Altmyer at the helm, this Illini offense has the experience and rhythm to get hot in a hurry.

The Biggest Threat Illinois Football Must Overcome

It’s not an end-all, be-all, but Illinois has shown a concerning trend in its first three games: slow starts. For a veteran offense returning five starters on the offensive line, and thier star QB, the sluggish early production and execution issues have been surprising. Their opponents so far haven’t been able to make them pay, but that probably won’t be the case in Bloomington.

Even in a 52-3 season-opening win over Western Illinois, the Illini sputtered early with stalled drives that easily could have been scores.

Against Duke in Week 2, both teams opened slowly, but Illinois found itself clinging to a 14-13 halftime lead. Fortunately, the Illini pulled it together with a 31-point second half to cruise to a 45-19 win. Less concerning — but still another slow start at that.

Last week, Illinois was a goal line on the 1 yard line, from looking at a 10-7 ballgame at halftime after yet another slow start agaisnt Western Michigan. No slight on the Broncos, but frankly, the Illini should have handled this one from the start. Thanks to a 28 point second half, the Illini pulled away for the 38-0 shutout. Regardless, the trend is becoming concerning entering conference play.

Certainly, the circumstances won’t be so forgiving against 19th-ranked Indiana. Cignetti’s Hoosiers have momentum, energy, and the home-field advantage of a sold-out Memorial Stadium, in a game that undoubtedly, they have had circled on the schedule for a long time.

If Bart Miller’s front five can establish the ground game early and set the tempo, Illinois has a real chance to bring a statement win back to Champaign. But if the Illini stumble out of the gates again, and Altmyer starts taking sacks early, this could easily turn into their first loss of the season.

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