In form with the rest of the team, the ground attack died late, which was big in the team's inability to sustain a late drive and is a concern for Turner. The defensive side of the team has proved inconsistent as the season progressed. In the first two games, the Illini dominated in shutting down the offenses and made the big plays against Louisville to help seal the game. The Illini forced four turnovers vs. the Spartans, but experienced trouble stopping the run. Against Indiana, the defense made explosive quarterback Antwaan Randle El a non-factor for three quarters, but couldn't stop him in the fourth.
Some work is needed on our third down defense.
Pressure on the quarterback has been more prevalent this season than last, with the line putting more pressure on the quarterback for the first four games. With focus as a staple of the Illini's hope for success in 1999, the fourth quarter of the Indiana game raised some doubts , which the Illini tried to correct in the off-week. We are trying to take whatever lessons we learned at Indiana, turn them into positives and look forward. To ensure success in the second half, the keys will be the Illini's will to work and consistent intensity, according to junior defensive tackle Jason Eberhart.