92 vs. 2

[AreWeThereYet]

The biggest issue at the Peoples Republic of Urbana Champaign is cultural. At least in the long term. There is a large segment of the intellectual population that consider the high profile that football has in promoting the university, to be undesirable. There is definitely an argument that can be made that television and the competitive nature of sport, distort the importance of football in the public perception of universities. I think they grasp the reality that football is a major advertisement for the program, but there is a faction that is resistant none the less.

I think Northwestern gets it. They realize if they want to sell itself as the Stanford of the Midwest, having a respectable football team on TV is part of their public profile. I think Purdue also recognizes that, but has had less luck with the coaching transitions. You need a plan and some luck to claw your way back into a competitive spot.

The other problem, Illinois is up against is the dynamics of a seven team division. In a seven team division there are usually going to be two teams that are cellar dwellers. Illinois is definitely on the bottom of that pile right now and the hole seems to be getting deeper.

 

[HawkGold]

Not that offense isn't an issue, but I think you underestimate Iowa's geographic and demographic disadvantages.

Iowa has 2.7 million fewer people that WI, more urban centers with Green Bay, Madison, and Milwaukee, and when it comes to college football, it's the Badgers, then DIII. There is not 1 FCS or DII school in WI, which allows them to lock down the state (and is part of the reason the WIAC is easily the toughest DIII conference).

IN has twice the population of Iowa, and more urban centers and a denser population as well. They also have Notre Dame and a host of FCS schools to contend with too, so I'd agree that Iowa still has more going for it than Indiana and Purdue.

Illinois though, has every right to be better than Iowa, and they still aren't. IL has a population of 12 million, and 3 instate FBS schools, one of which is a private school with high academic standards for entrance, and another a smaller G5 school with nowhere near the same resources. Even with Chicago being a popular poaching ground for other schools, the Illini should own the state of Illinois, but due to poor athletic administration and a pretty bad on-field product, they get peanuts.

I don't underestimate the geographic/demographic issues. But, what about Oklahoma and OK State?

The bigger issue has to do with this premise. You are a 4 star QB, RB, or WR. You can go to Iowa where you likely aren't going to get to play for at least 2 years and maybe have to red shirt to get 2 years after your 3rd. You might be better than starting players, but you have to earn your way.

As a QB, you know you are going to face constant blitzing where your head is the target. You are told not to run and you can't dump to the RB and slants are non-existent. Receivers can't move to the open space but are drilled to go to a certain break off route regardless. As a receiver you won't play for several years and you are punished for being creative. You are asked to repeated block people who are out to take you out, even when the RB is running into an 8 man front. Again, you can't move to an open space.

As a RB, you know you are going head long into an 8 man front time and time again and when there is a pass you are only to block the blitzing full speed head hunter. You aren't going to be passed to. If there is a screen the QB has not been drilled to be aware of defenders closing in on you as you are catching the ball.

As a skill offensive player you aren't going to get meaningful practice reps unless you are a top 2 RB. QBs and receivers just don't get meaningful practice reps because the 1st team is learning everything in execution.

Creativity need no apply unless the starter is so bad that the team has already lost hope of a meaningful bowl game or your dad has connections to get on a radio sports show. You want to average 66 yards a game and the whole offense gets only that.

Therein is the bigger issue with Iowa's offensive problems. Sure demographics and geographics are a challenge. You are majoring on the minor.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

I don't underestimate the geographic/demographic issues. But, what about Oklahoma and OK State?

The bigger issue has to do with this premise. You are a 4 star QB, RB, or WR. You can go to Iowa where you likely aren't going to get to play for at least 2 years and maybe have to red shirt to get 2 years after your 3rd. You might be better than starting players, but you have to earn your way.

As a QB, you know you are going to face constant blitzing where your head is the target. You are told not to run and you can't dump to the RB and slants are non-existent. Receivers can't move to the open space but are drilled to go to a certain break off route regardless. As a receiver you won't play for several years and you are punished for being creative. You are asked to repeated block people who are out to take you out, even when the RB is running into an 8 man front. Again, you can't move to an open space.

As a RB, you know you are going head long into an 8 man front time and time again and when there is a pass you are only to block the blitzing full speed head hunter. You aren't going to be passed to. If there is a screen the QB has not been drilled to be aware of defenders closing in on you as you are catching the ball.

As a skill offensive player you aren't going to get meaningful practice reps unless you are a top 2 RB. QBs and receivers just don't get meaningful practice reps because the 1st team is learning everything in execution.

Creativity need no apply unless the starter is so bad that the team has already lost hope of a meaningful bowl game or your dad has connections to get on a radio sports show. You want to average 66 yards a game and the whole offense gets only that.

Therein is the bigger issue with Iowa's offensive problems. Sure demographics and geographics are a challenge. You are majoring on the minor.

Oklahoma established it's reputation in a completely different era of football. It was the post WWII era when they played single platoon football with smaller rosters. Oklahoma was close enough to the Texas population centers in northeast Texas to bring in top players. University of Texas was tops in the Southwest Conference and Oklahoma was tops in the Big Eight. The big game starting in 1929 was the Oklahoma vs. Texas game in Dallas with piles of oil money betting on it. Nebraska wasn't much of a force in the post war single platoon era. They made their name in the two platoon era.

Oklahoma State was a postage stamp you licked on the way to mail a letter. They were occasionally competitive in the two platoon era. It's really only in the last twenty five years that Oklahoma State has gradually built itself into a football power thanks in large part to financial backing from T. Boone Pickens.