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They say Illinois Can’t Have Nice Things. Let’s examine further.
Nice Things Illinois Has/Had This Season, Updated For Week 8
- Lovie Smith and Garrick McGee
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National attention(Week 3; after WMU, everyone stopped paying attention) -
Undefeated record(Week 2; UNC) -
Much higher attendance(Week 6; it’s amazing what a blowout loss to WMU will do) - Middle linebacker Hardy Nickerson, Jr, who has been a bright spot.
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An elite defensive line(It looks like I misled you all. This is a solid D-line at best. Dawuane Smoot hasn’t had nearly the impact I thought he would) - Plans for a nine-figure stadium renovation
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Runningback Ke’Shawn Vaughn(Entered Lovie’s doghouse in week 3)(Got snaps in the Wildcat in week 8)(I wish he hadn’t. It was weird and ineffective and he got hurt) - Receiver Malik Turner, who has emerged as a solid Big Ten receiver
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Receiver Desmond Cain(Hasn’t played since week 2) -
Two-handedsenior receiver Justin Hardee (Droppy McDroppenstein) - Speedy backs Reggie Corbin and Kendrick Foster, who have been surprising contributors
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Quarterback Wes Lunt(Week 6 against Purdue; injured) -
Defensive back Caleb Day(Week 2; ACL) - A coach who doesn’t exacerbate the horror of a 2-5 start by looking like a doofus in press conferences
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1-game winning streak against Nebraska(Week 5) -
The Cannon(Week 6) - An FBS win (Week 7)
- A conference win (Week 7. Thanks Rutgers!)
- A decent 2017 recruiting class, although recruiting is fluid...
- No losses to Rutgers since 2006
- Victory against the spread at Michigan (Week 8)
- Kicker Chase McLaughlin, who has been surprisingly accurate in his first year kicking. (Would have been nice if he’d made that game-winner against Purdue)
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Homecoming with a potentially winnable game against Minnesota(Top 2 quarterbacks are out...) - Grange Grove tailgate area. Big success.
- Hope for basketball; no losses yet.
Things That Are Not Necessarily Nice, But Are Still Things Illinois Still Has
- Fan Mood: Illinihilism
- Fewest first downs per game in the Big Ten
- The most penalized team in the conference (68.6 yards per game)
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Capably mobile backup quarterback Chayce Crouch(Week 7; Thanks, Rutgers! Ugh. Hearing that his shoulder injury is “serious” - Jeff George, Jr.