I plan to write this post in stream-of-consciousness mode.  It may take 2 nights, it may take 1,800 words, but once I’m finished, I don’t plan on editing this post.  One quick spell check so you don’t think I’m an idiot and then I’m publishing it.

First, the scrimmage.  I’ve read a few scrimmage breakdowns here and there, and I have to say this: I think I disagree with all of them.  I guess I’m the only person in the stands that wasn’t all that excited about the offense, and wasn’t all that depressed about the defense.  I read all of these “Petrino had the offense clicking” stories and I’m wondering if there was an encore performance after I took off.  Big plays? Yes. Clicking? Hardly.

Here’s my recollection: First offensive series, first-string O against second string D – fine, they were clicking.  65 yards right down the field in 8 plays for the score.  Just what a first string offense should do against the backup defense (and something the first string offense wasn’t able to do against the second string defense until the second half of the spring game).  So OK – offense is looking good.

But I think that was the last time I was really impressed with the offense on the night.  Yes, there were big plays, but no real consistency.  And we need consistency if we want to go 83 yards with 4:18 left to get a touchdown to beat Purdue at home.  Sure, the scrimmage didn’t have many opportunities for long drives – they were put in certain on-field situations to see how they’d react at, say, first and 10 at the two – but for the most part, there wasn’t much consistency from the offense.

And everyone was all over the defense for the big plays they gave up.  But let’s look at some of those.  First series, second string O vs. first string D.  First play Henry sniffs out the reverse and tackles Lankford for a 2 yard loss, second play Henry stuffs Green for a 2 yard gain, 3rd play incomplete pass… and they restart the drive again to give the offense more work.  The defense shuts them down again, but a very questionable personal foul call (Martez “touched” Whitmer on the red jersey a little too hard and drew the first ever “NO TOUCHING” 15 yarder in collegiate football history.

So with a 3rd life, the second string O throws the deep ball over the middle to Darius Millines.  Supo Sanni falls down, taking out Terry Hawthorne out of the play in the process, and Millines takes it to the house.  OK, fine, defenders can’t fall down.  But on a play like that, in a scrimmage, when the safety not only takes himself out of a play but also the guy who would have made the tackle, well, I can’t really get too upset.

The other big play on the first string D – the pass from Osei to McGee, was a poor play call.  We’re blitzing the strong safety at the same time as the offense calls an “everybody go” route.  Justin Green picks up the Sanni blitz, and Hawthorne and Henry are left to guard 3 guys between the two of them.  Easy touchdown for the offense, poor recovery by Hawthorne… but basically a Tecmobowl play where you call the wrong defense and Jerry Rice catches a bomb.

The most concerning play by the defense, to me, was the first play of the redzone drill where Evan Wilson got behind the safeties for an 18 yard touchdown.  I think Bussey released him to the safeties but nobody picked him up.  That’s a concern.  But for the rest of the game?  I was OK with the D.  Yes, the third stringers gave up that long run to Justin Green (Poor Ben Mathis – had the angle, was in position, but just got flat out beat by a track star).  And a few longer Troy Pollard runs were disconcerting.  But Hawthorne had a nice pick.  And Sanni had an interception.  And Martez made a fantastic play running down Leshoure in the third-and-one drill.  And Tez would have had 2 blitz sacks if they were hitting.  And Brandon Denmark had some nice sacks.  And Akeem Spence climbed into the offensive backfield.  And they forced a fumble.

But because of the flow of this “game” – after the fumble, the ball went right back to the offense to continue their drive – the offense came off looking great.  You have to punt? Here’s another drive.  Fumble? Nah, here’s the ball back – keep going.  And then on ninth down, Osei hits Millines for 50 yards and everyone is questioning the defense.  I don’t get it.

As I said in the mini podcast, I was very concerned with Scheelhaase’s play in this scrimmage.  The throw off the back foot that missed Fayson.  Keeping the ball when flipping to Ford was the correct decision.  An underthrown ball to a wide open Steve Hull 30 yards downfield.  Granted, he could not run, so half (5/8ths?) of his game was taken away.  But the Scheelhaase I saw in pass-rush-less 7 on 7 drills on Thursday night didn’t show up at Rantoul High.  If he’s going to dance around with a red jersey on, how much will he dance for Missouri’s defensive ends?

I’m willing to give him time – he’s about to start game one of 48, so he’ll have plenty of time to develop and grow.  But when I read how the offense was “clicking”, I can’t help but think about the fact that nearly every big play was after they were given a second chance on the drive.  And our starting quarterback was jumpy.

Things I liked in the scrimmage: Darius Millines (his second catch was better than either touchdown catch), Trulon Henry, Justin Green, Akeem Spence, Miles Osei, and Evan Wilson.

Things I didn’t like: the kickers, the penalties, Nathan’s happy feet, offensive line pass protection,  safeties letting someone behind them, and Evan Wilson’s crackback block on Martez.

OK, Part II – impressions after 80 some hours in Rantoul.

It might take a while.

I like the new coaches.  I like the wrinkles in this offense (I’m not going to spill any beans, Mr. Pinkel, so you can stop reading).  I like the way practices are handled, and the intensity and aggression in which each play is performed, analyzed, and corrected.  I like Nathan Scheelhaase’s demeanor and leadership.

But it might take a while.

There were many times this week (and even two times in the scrimmage) where someone on the offense didn’t know the play call.  In the scrimmage, on the first play of the 3rd-and-one drill, Scheelhaase turned left to hand the ball to Mikel… who was running to the right (Petrino climbed all over Leshoure after the play, so it must have been his mistake). In practice, coaches had to repeat play calls so the offense would understand.  All of this is normal – the terminology and format of offensive play calling has been completely overhauled, and the players and coaches aren’t all on the same page yet.  It might take a while.

The defense?  Even harder to read.  There are times when Liuget and Nurse dominate up front, and I think we might just get in Blaine Gabbert’s face this year.  And there are times when Supo Sanni or Terry Hawthorne will do something crazy athletic, and I’m reminded that we have a lot of talent.  But the dogpile at the center of the field as Darius Millines trotted down the field for the score reminded me that for Koenning to whip this defense into shape, well, it might take a while.

I really liked the way the practices were run.  And during the scrimmage, that was some of the best defensive celebrating I’ve seen (no histrionics – just celebrate with your teammates and run back to the line).  But how will the defense respond when the cornerback releases a receiver to a safety that isn’t there?  Or what will happen when the inevitable injury occurs and the cohesion of this always-together first sting is broken?

So while I like this coaching staff, and I like the makeup of this team, and I love Terry Hawthorne, My Man Mikel, and Ron West’s mustache, I’m still not sold on this team.

I knew all of this, of course, while driving to Rantoul.  I was excited, yet reserved.  Talent, new coaches, fresh start, but lots of work to do.  I was really hoping to depart Rantoul with my Illiniometer set to “pleasantly surprised”.  Instead, it was set to “slightly disappointed”.  I wanted more.

The biggest disappointment was Nathan Scheelhaase in practice (NAILS) vs. Nathan Scheelhaase against an actual pass rush (just… OK).  Am I putting too much into 12 pass attempts in a game where he couldn’t use his feet?  Yes.  But he shouldn’t be outperformed in a scrimmage by learned-this-offense-3-weeks-ago Miles Osei, especially when Osei was facing the first string D more than Scheelhaase.  I really, really, wanted to write a “you’re really, really gonna like Nathan Scheelhaase” article tonight.  But I can’t, yet.  It might take a while.

So that’s what I’ve settled on after 4 days at camp.  You see Justin Green break a play down the sideline and you realize he would probably start for Iowa (and he’s our third string back) and you think “wow, how did I forget how much talent we still have?  But then you see receivers running the wrong route and linebackers out of position and realize the coaches have tons more scheme implementation to do.  You see Terry Hawthorne return a punt or Corey Liuget nearly steal a handoff in the backfield and wonder if we can’t just win 7 or 8 games.  But then you look at our 4 toughest games in the first 6 weeks of the season and you’re just hoping to get to the Indiana game with 2 wins.

How many games will we win?  I have no idea.  But I promised a prediction, and I will provide such.  It just might take a while.