Michigan St. and Illinois preview: So, will this work?

In the face of persistent failure and mediocrity on offense, the coaching staff has decided that the best way to get this team out of its funk is to switch QBs. The decision has been made, like it or not. Now Schultz, Zook and all of us are going to have to live with it.

So now the question is, will it work?

If there was any reason that Juice was removed from his spot, it is because he could not make shorter timed passes. I know I have said here before that it is not his game, that his game is the end read and option followed by stretching the field. The problem is, team have been taking away the run game, and then blitzing the hell out of Juice. This has seemingly been the solution to stopping the Illini offense going all the way back to the Western Michigan game, when the offense clearly had problems picking up the blitz and Juice did not have enough time to make his passes.

There is a solution for this of course, when the defense has taken away the bread and butter of the offense and are sending blitzers every down offense must adapt by making quick passes to take advantage of the lack of defensive backs. This means swing passes and screens. It was exactly this sort of passing game that Juice has not developed in. The Penn State very much proved that there were situations when there were yards to be had from these plays, but Juice over threw the receiver and took away any chance to continue drives.

I am sure if there is one moment where Juice's passing finally became enough of a problem that it outweighs all of his other skills, it was during the final drive in the fourth quarter. Benn was running a slant over the middle of the field, and Juice threw high to him, Benn to his credit, went up for the ball and made the catch. Unfortunately this exposed him and he paid the price with a brutal hit that led to him being walked off the field with a hurt shoulder. Juice made the completion, but nearly at a brutal price. You can't throw high to receivers over the middle, you are going to get them killed.

I don't want this post to be  one where I just completely dump all over Juice now that he isn't the starter any more. I think he is the all time offensive yards leader for a reason, he is an amazing player, and has been the key to all of the success the Illini have experienced in recent years. I am just trying to try and make sense of this move, which in a vacuum would not make a lick of sense. But looking at the last 3 games against BCS opponents, and the stalling and sputtering offense we have seen, it was clear it was broken, and something had to be changed. Fans wanted the Illini to go down the field more, but its tough to do when blitzers are breaking into the backfield. At this point without making the adjustments it seems difficult for Juice to get out of this funk.

A lot of people are blaming Schultz for the offensive problems, and that he is simply taking it out on Juice. To some extent I agree, but not on the basis of play calling, but on Juice's development.Juice's completion percentage went up every year when he was coached by Locksley. Lox knew how to get the most out of Juice, Schultz does not have the confidence that Lox did, and perhaps has failed to get Juice to develop the skills needed to become a more complete quarterback.

Regardless, Schultz has now put his faith in Eddie, who we have always known to be a stronger pure passer, if not the strongest player in the option. Eddie can make those swing passes, he can hit the receivers in stride. But by the same token, he cannot break the tackles like Juice can, and might not be able to make as much out of broken plays as Juice, something Juice made a career out of. Keep in mind, this does not make the offensive line any better at blocking, and it does not mean the backs will be any better at picking up blitzers. At the very least though, it should give the offense a chance to use some of its best weapons, namely the wide outs.

I don't know if this will work, but I do know that if it doesn't we are boned anyway.