There is no reason to beat the dead horse that is the Bloomington massacre.
So let us collectively singe the memories and burn the game tape.
The Trojans are coming to town for Illini Homecoming.
(Bold move, Cotton.)
Lincoln Riley brings an undefeated squad into Champaign.
And yes, known traitor Dre Brown will be accompanying.*
*Dre Brown is in no way an actual traitor. He is a talented, rising star who will likely continue his rapid ascent in his chosen profession.*
Anyway, while listening to my favorite hip hop playlist as a detox from the previous Saturday’s performance, I came across one of my favorite collaborations from The Roots’ 2010
album Wake Up! The album was a collaboration with aughts and 2010s pop star John Legend. Full of underrated gems, the album features one particular standout track, entitled “Doin’ it Again.“
The lyrics to that song inspired my thoughts about this game, this season, and this program. The words ring out like an instructional manual.
Rising up out of the flames like a Phoenix
That is the opening line of the song. How appropriate? That is an example of the lyrics meeting the moment.
Your trash talk, deleted
This team has to block out all the noise. Because as of right now, Illinois is the piñata of college football. The voices will only get louder if September ends in the shadows of a loss to USC.
For certain, Imma win, eventually
The unsung, underrated, underappreciated, the one the underachievers had underestimated
So the Illini were not underestimated heading into this season. They were given proper respect. They were not given the freedom to sneak up on anybody. But think of this program’s historical position.
Illinois’ boom periods have been met with surprise because they come like an unexpected holiday with gifts nobody planned to receive. They don’t arrive with the certainty of the changing of the calendar.
Now, after what Cignetti and his squad accomplished, the Illini are back in that familiar space. They are being treated like an also-ran, and it took only 60 minutes of action to make it so.
That means Bret Bielema can sit in his familiar “chip on both shoulders” mentality and unleash a group of young men playing like they have nothing to lose.
Why not? In the eyes of the world, everything was already lost.
Face it, I keep doin’ it well
Doin’ it sans assistance, it’s do it yourself
Doin’ it below the radar, we’re doin’ it stealth
This is a direct call to both Aaron Henry and Barry Lunney Jr. It is time to throw the kitchen sink at a massive failure. Making minor tweaks and small strategic shifts does not take an eraser to 63-10.
Let innovation be your disinfectant. The injury bug bites with the cruelty of a hangman. And the pall of generational disappointment is a black cloud that seems to follow this program from coach to coach. Break the cycle.
You know, the same way the Minnesota game did not crush last season?
There is plenty of talent. Gabe Jacas and Luke Altmyer showed up to lead. Turn them loose and let them playmake.
I’m on the job, see my eyes focused where the prize be
This Illini squad began the season with lofty goals. They wanted to hang banners and raise trophies. They wanted to be standing closer to the end of the season than any previous Illinois team.
That ascent just steepened. But reaching that summit is even more gratifying when it is buoyed by overcoming adversity. A homecoming dub would go a long way towards both reputational repair and reclaiming the high ground in the court of public opinion.
Jayden Maiava and USC’s big-play offense will be a massive challenge for an Illini squad wrecked by injuries in the secondary.
I’m the changed man, ain’t no ifs, ands, or probablys
People used to know me, they don’t even recognize me
Is this the same old Illini squad that tempts with talent and disappoints in big games? The bowl win against South Carolina says otherwise. The exquisite retention says Illinois is a different program.
But last weekend looked like a Lovie Smith era game at Kinnick. So now, Bret Bielema has to turn the page like Hayden Fry or Barry Alvarez would have. If Illinois wants to be the kind of program that competes for spots at the top of the conference, it cannot settle for being the same old Illini. Trips to Champaign should be hallscapes for opponents, even those from blue-blood powerhouses.
I’m like Martin Luther King, you’re like Rodney
(This really has nothing to do with the Illini. I just love that line.)
Dear Diary, The fans still swear by me
It is easy to lose hope after a clunker. Letting the generations of failure creep in feels like the most natural possible proclivity.
Now, despite the trash talk from Hoosiers fans, show up for the Illini this weekend at Homecoming. Be loud, obnoxious, and fun before, during, and after the game. The fans matter. Selling out big games is a massive change from the recent years of ambivalence.
This Illini Homecoming weekend/game should be massively fun, regardless of the result.
So if it’s all the same, cheer like there’s no tomorrow for your vocal chords.
