Yesterday Illini Coach Tim Beckman had a 39-17 3rd quarter lead versus FCS opponent SIU. It looked like the game was a done deal. Good night, drive safely. But Beckman’s defense collapsed and the Salukis had a chance to tie the game inside the Illini 5 yard line in the final minute.We were told when Tim Beckman was hired that he was a “defense guy.”
Remember, they told us Becks had a defensive mind. Well, the 2013 Illini were pretty awful on defense in the first game, surrendering 30+ points and 400+ yards to middle/bottom of the pack Missouri Valley Conference team.
Maybe we need the Tim Beckman listening face GIF
This Beckman GIF is from Big Ten Media Day, but we saw the Tim Beckman “listening face” over and over at yesterday’s press conference. The next two press conferences may have a less cheery demeanor. The next two Illini opponents are Cincinnati who beat Purdue 42-7 today and Washington who crushed #19 Boise State by 32.
“Well, that’s good for them,” Tim Beckman said about Cincy when he was told the score. All the media laughed.
Click below to activate the GIF. You have to click the pic to make it move:
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An analyst for 95.7 The Fan, he also writes on Chicago sports media for Chicago Now. President Obama follows him on Twitter (@paulmbanks)