ReliaQuest Bowl: Revamped Illinois secondary under the gun vs. Mississippi State ‘Air Raid’

TAMPA, Fla. — Do the stats lie?

As a result of they inform a narrative of an Illinois protection that may match up with Mississippi State’s “Air Raid” offense and lead the Illini to victory Monday in a ReliaQuest Bowl matchup of 8-4 groups (11 a.m., ESPN2).

With quarterback Will Rogers within the starring function, the Bulldogs throw it 49.1 instances per sport, finishing 33.2 on common for 314.3 yards. It’s sort of like an aerial operating sport, with quick passes designed for yards after the catch (YAC). Rogers is the SEC’s profession chief in completions and MSU’s record-holder in passing yards and touchdowns, and the Bulldogs are No. 2 within the nation within the YAC division.

However cross protection has been the Illini’s greatest power. They rank first nationally in effectivity (89.8), yards allowed per try (5.4), touchdowns allowed (eight) and interceptions (22). The Illini are also first in whole takeaways (30) and second in common factors allowed (12.3).

“As a fan of protection, aggressive protection, the way in which it’s alleged to be performed, the job that they did this yr, man, it’s enjoyable to look at it,” mentioned Bulldogs coach Zach Arnett, who was promoted from defensive coordinator two weeks in the past after the dying of Mike Leach. “I do know our guys have loved watching it simply on movie, as a result of that’s how protection is meant to be performed. They’ve performed an outstanding job.”

However a lot of the heavy lifting was performed by All-American cornerback Devon Witherspoon, a projected first-round NFL decide, and All-Massive Ten security Sydney Brown, a projected mid-round decide — and each opted out of the bowl sport.

Not having the nation’s second-leading rusher, Chase Brown — who additionally opted out — is a blow. However not having his twin brother flying round menacingly and Witherspoon locking receivers down ruthlessly must be an much more major problem for the Illini.

It’s a difficult solution to begin for brand-new defensive coordinator Aaron Henry, who performed for Bret Bielema at Wisconsin and was promoted from defensive backs coach after Ryan Walters left to take the top job at Purdue. Rogers will likely be spreading the ball round to Rufus Harvey, Caleb Ducking, Lideatrick Griffin and several other others, and a revamped secondary crew that features freshmen cornerbacks Tyler Pressure and Xavier Scott and freshman security Matthew Bailey must come by.

“Clearly,” Bielema mentioned, “with the way in which these guys name offense, our secondary goes to need to be at its greatest.”

It’s most likely an “or else” state of affairs for Illinois, in search of its first nine-win season since 2007. The Bulldogs don’t even have 1,000 yards on the bottom as a group, and there’s no cause to anticipate them to start out operating the ball now.

“I acquired to be taught below among the best to ever do it in Coach Leach,” Arnett mentioned, “and I’m simply doing my greatest to copy what he would do.”

And that’s throw the ball till it might sound Rogers’ proper arm is about to fall off.

Since arriving right here, the Illini have fed giraffes, checked out an aquarium, splashed round on the seashore and overwhelmed MSU gamers in a pie-eating contest. However beating them on the sphere is a distinct deal. There’s an air raid coming.

NOTES: Illinois can’t do worse than it did the one different time it performed on this sport, in 1991, when it misplaced 30-0 to Clemson in what was then known as the Corridor of Fame Bowl. The Illini fumbled on their first offensive snap and trailed 10-0 by the point they took their second one. … Bielema’s first bowl loss as a coach was additionally right here, in 2008, when this was known as the Outback Bowl and Wisconsin misplaced to Tennessee 21-17. … Illinois final performed Mississippi State in 1980, with the Bulldogs successful 28-21 in Champaign.