Illinois quarterback Katin Houser struggled against undefeated No. 4 UCLA on Friday night, throwing two costly interceptions as the Fighting Illini fell to the Bruins.
Despite the mistakes, head coach Bret Bielema made it clear that his confidence in Houser hasn’t changed.
“We’re here because of what he is and who he is,” Bielema said following the loss.
Houser and the Illinois offense struggled to find a rhythm throughout the first half, with UCLA’s defensive pressure forcing the quarterback into several
difficult situations.
Bielema pointed to frustration as a contributing factor in Houser’s first interception.
“The first one, I think, was just a frustration throw,” Bielema said. “There were a couple things, a couple hiccups within that series, and he just threw it down the middle of the field there, and their kid capitalized on it.”
Things didn’t improve immediately after halftime. Houser threw another interception on Illinois’ opening possession of the third quarter, eliminating an opportunity for the Illini to build momentum.
“The one to start the second half, he was trying to avoid a sack,” Bielema said.
Despite the turnovers, Bielema emphasized that Houser must continue learning how to handle pressure without putting the football at risk.
“Sometimes those moments can’t be created into turnovers,” Bielema said.
Houser also took a physical beating throughout the contest, briefly leaving the game late with a bloody nose.
“He came out with a bloody nose that was reminiscent of Rocky in any one of his movies,” Bielema said.
Still, Bielema praised his quarterback’s toughness and competitive mentality.
“He’s a tremendous competitor,” Bielema said. “He gives us a chance every time he’s out there.”
