What Illinois head coach Lovie Smith said during his weekly press conference
Illinois is off to a rough start. A team lauded as the most talented and experienced of the Lovie Smith era is 0-3 to open the 2020 campaign.
The season started with a 45-7 loss to Wisconsin, followed by touchdown loss to Purdue. Last Saturday, the Fighting Illini were blown out again 41-14 by Minnesota to fall to 0-3 on the year.
It’s not exactly the way many envisioned this season starting for Illinois.
Now, Illinois will play a 1-2 Rutgers team this week. It’s arguably the most winnable game on the schedule for Smith’s bunch, but the Scarlet Knights appear to be a much better football team than in the past four seasons.
On Monday, Smith met with the media for his weekly press conference. He discussed the disappointing start to the season, the recent departure of running back Ra’Von Bonner, who entered the NCAA transfer portal, and what to expect from the week ahead.
Here’s what Smith said during his Monday press conference as the Fighting Illini prepare for Rutgers:
#illini Lovie: "The disappointment we felt after the game of course is still there. Life has to go on. Don’t have a lot of answers for why we played that way. But when you don’t play the way you think you should, you evaluate the video … and make necessary corrections." pic.twitter.com/W4mXZ1KLDC
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 9, 2020
. @sryantribune asks Lovie Smith about Ra'Von Bonner feeling opting out could be held against him.
"I don't know exactly what we did what was wrong. I've communicated with Ra'Von this week. …I don't buy that. We don't treat our players that way."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 9, 2020
#illini Lovie Smith: We commit four years to everybody who comes here. After a player becomes a graduate, there isn't a guarantee he comes back. They have an opportunity to go somewhere else. Ra'Von has graduated. He's on scholarship now. Feels good about "how we treated Ra'Von."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 9, 2020
Asked #illini Lovie Smith about quarantined players. They will return Wednesday and Lovie moved practice schedule back a day this week so they could prepare them to play. They've been able to work out alone during quarantine.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 9, 2020
#illini Lovie Smith said "it's pretty clear in my mind" who his starting quarterback will be at Rutgers. Doesn't share who that is though.
But moving back practice suggests they will have time to get someone else ready.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 9, 2020
#illini Lovie Smith has hinted at changes.
"Three games into the season, that's normally when you see who you are and what you need to do moving forward and who you need to go with. We're at that stage."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 9, 2020
#illini Lovie Smith said "everything is going fine" with Brandon Peters. Can return for Nebraska game.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 9, 2020
#illini Lovie Smith: "The expectations we had, we had them for a reason. …But there's still so much football left to go."
Said they were able to bounce back last season.
"We know how to turn it around. That's what we're looking to."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 9, 2020
#illini Lovie Smith: We're disappointed with 0-3 start … but we're also optimistic too about the future.
I can't wait to see our football team together. …We haven't been together as a group this entire year. Eventually we will be. …This week, we get reinforcements back."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) November 9, 2020
