Illini Throttle Virginia, 24-3
And, a shout out to Don Jordan

By Jeff Mayfield

[September 12, 2022] 

You never really know what’s going to happen in a revenge game. Will the Illini come out and pour their emotion into execution and a methodical process or will the intensity and pain of the previous year’s loss be too much to overcome? After the first few minutes of this ball game you feared it was the latter rather than the former as Virginia took an early 3-0 lead.

But as snake bitten as this team has been over the years an amazing thing happened with our punt coverage team on the field. We hit the punt receiver so hard that he coughed up the football. A plethora of Illini tried to scoop up the loose ball and Sydney Brown was credited with popping the ball loose while Matthew Bailey fell on it in the endzone for an Illinois touchdown. That turned out to be the linchpin for Illini success as it was the start to Illinois scoring 21 unanswered points!

In fact, the Illini offense went to work and contributed two touchdowns from the tight end position [to you professional writers and stat geeks-when was the last time an Illini team did that]? First, Illini QB Tommy DeVito, who is not getting enough credit for this team’s success, found Michael Marchese for a 39-yard strike. And then on the next possession, DeVito ran a nifty play for a 2-yard toss to Tip Reiman, who made a circus catch on a ball that almost sailed over his head. The Illini missed a golden opportunity to go up 28-3 when DeVito hit Pat Bryant with a beautiful pass, but the ball was knocked out of his hands resulting in one of four first half Illini turnovers. Hopefully that will not happen again any time soon.

Funny how much difference a year can make

Last year the Illini rolled into Charlottesville, VA to take on the Cavaliers and promptly got annihilated and didn’t look good suffering the beating. They threw over us, around us, by us, and through us. Their quarter back Brennen Armstrong, who many believe is one of the five best in all of college football, threw for nearly 600 yards and five count ‘em five touchdowns. It was a smackdown, it was a beating, and it was brutal.

So, to say my leisurely stroll into Memorial Stadium early Saturday afternoon was anything but a reporter walking with a confident stride would be a story. I was worried about what Armstrong might dial up for us this year. And before I walked into the stadium I spoke to Super Fans, John Coady [of Taylorville, IL] and Hudson Coady [of Urbana, IL] on the phone. Hudson informed me that this upcoming game was a must win for the Illini. He conjectured that IF Illinois had any hopes of reaching a 6-win season in order to become bowl eligible this season, they would have to win this ball game! But no pressure!

I had no choice but to agree with this young man that bleeds orange and blue but has proven through the years to be as astute as the professional talking heads when it comes to dissecting Illini football and hoops fortunes! I didn’t know it at the time-but maybe our phone conversation was piped into the Illini locker room. Probably not but, Illinois’ defense sure played like their hair was on fire.

Why do I say that? Check this out. Ryan Walters’ defense [and by the way, one of the most masterful defensive schemes I’ve ever witnessed between the pillars] was suffocating. How punishing was it you ask? How about holding this gunslinging QB to less than half of the yards, 180, than he gained against the Illini last year? Instead of 5 touchdowns the Illini got to him for 5 sacks. To say it was a beatdown would not be giving the Illini enough credit. They held Virginia to a paltry 1-for-16 on third downs and 1-for-4 on fourth down conversions. Illinois held the Cavs to only 222 total yards the lowest they had given up since 2011 when UCLA only mustered up 219 yards in 20-14 Illini victory in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.
 

With this big win [fyi the first over a Power 5 non-conference opponent since the Illini upended Arizona State 17-14 back in 2011]! The Illini will take a week off during this bye week and reflect on advancing their overall record to 2-1. Next up for Illinois is a Thursday night special when they host Chattanooga on September 22nd.

Shout Out to Don Jordan

I ran into Don Jordan the other day before his retirement party at Graue’s. IF there is a better ambassador for Lincoln, IL I never met him. IF there is a more positive, enthusiastic and energetic citizen in Lincoln I never met him. Whenever Don was in the room, he lit the whole place up. He made me proud to be a resident and to tell people we’re from Lincoln, Illinois. Don Jordan is the kind of person I’d like to be when I grow up. Don’t you wish you could be like him? [IF you weren’t able to greet Don at his going away party-send him a card to this address…IF I have to, I will drive to Lincoln, hunt & find Don, and bring him your greetings]!

Don, thank you for all you’ve done for me, for your business and co-workers, and for the community of Lincoln! The world would be a far better place IF more people were like you! I have been blessed by your friendship and I wish you God’s best in whatever He has for you next!

[By JEFF MAYFIELD]

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