Season Overview
Millikin was all in this year after firing former Head Coach Carlton Hall and hiring new Head Coach Billy Riebock, who they believed would help change the Big Blue Football program around.
Riebock took over a team that was 4-26 under Hall and rebuilt it from the ground up, keeping certain players but bringing in several new faces.
Riebock brought over 83 players, including over 50 first-year students. This marked the start of a retooling year at Millikin, with Riebock leading the charge.
Millikin started hot, going 2-0 in their first two games, but then saw a massive drop in results and play as they entered a seven-game losing streak. However, they would end the year on a high note, defeating Elmhurst and finishing 3-7.
Millikin’s wins came against teams with a combined 4-26 record, the lowest in their opponents’ respective conferences. However, coming off two seasons in a row without a win, this is a massive improvement for the team as a whole.
This team relied heavily on defense, with standout seasons from players like senior Linebacker Alex Araiza, sophomore Linebacker Ryan Baskerville, and freshman Defensive Back Zyon Turner, but also saw offensive players like junior Wide Receiver Kevin Louis and freshman Running Back Re’John Zeno play well throughout the season.
A Look at the Offense
The most pressing issue this season was by far the offense. Millikin ran a very slow-paced, low-risk offense that featured many runs and RPOs, relying heavily on Re’John Zeno, a very shifty back who had a solid couple of games.
However, the pass game struggled, as former Sam Houston Quarterback Sylas Gomez was given little time to throw or was forced to use his feet to get the offense going too many times.
Millikin’s passing game saw a 20-yard decrease from the previous season, but an increase of over 60 yards in the run game.
The team also struggled greatly on 3rd downs, converting only 40% of the time. This led to many drives ending early and missing out on chances to score.
An Offseason That Could Make or Break the Offense
Although the offense was low-risk, low-reward throughout most of the year, the unit did show flashes of creativity, with Riebock willing to call trick plays and go for it on 4th down.
The offense very rarely played under center, which hurt the run game and any attempt to call play action. They stayed mainly in shotgun, and play-action passes were mixed in as they ran many option plays as well, allowing Gomez to decide if he wanted to run or pass the ball.
Since the end of the season, several players have hit the transfer portal. Most notably, Re’John Zeno has entered the portal and is seeking a new school. Senior Bryson Boes is going to graduate, so as of now, the Big Blue is down to freshman Running Back AJ Lee.
Lee has had flashes of playing well on the minimal reps he received as a backup.
Gomez and the offense’s core wideouts are staying for next year. Millikin has a powerful core, led by do-it-all Receiver Kevin Louis, who finished 12th in overall CCIW statistics. Millikin also has two serious offensive deep threats in Matthew Thurman and Kyle Corkill, who should be seen as targets more on the deep ball.
Riebock has also developed Darion Suber into a heavy gadget Wide Receiver.
This core, especially with another year of building with Gomez, has what it takes to be an elite-level offense in the air.
However, there are some things that need to be changed, most notably being able to target tight ends, as they were mainly used as decoys throughout the season. No tight end on the roster got 100 yards or 10 catches. Millikin will need to incorporate them more and eventually find a game plan that involves this position, as it could open up the offense.
The offensive line also struggled and needs to be rebuilt. Millikin will lose their best lineman next year, senior Aiden Etchason, the leader of this unit. The unit has pieces that can grow, as we saw glimpses of success, but ultimately, heavy pressure proved to be too much. Millikin allowed 16 sacks but had pressure that would go unnoticed as Gomez was forced to use his legs most of the time, resulting in tackles for loss or short gains. The O-Line needs improvement, but has the potential to be great with time. They look to younger players like Sean Goodrum, who has been very vocal, to help lead the line.
How far this team goes will hinge on offensive improvement, whether that comes from the transfer portal, first-year talent, or growth within the position group.
Defensive Season Recap
The Defense improved greatly under new Defensive Coordinator Jermaine Burket, who helped foster an elite-level mentality.
Burket knew early on who the players were that needed to make big plays and had schemes set up that allowed for players like Araiza and Baskerville to shine.
He also used his defensive back unit in unique ways, such as having players mirror (follow a particular player throughout the game) and develop coverage to take certain players entirely out of the game. This worked against lower-competition teams but failed against elite-level competition, which the CCIW is full of.
Millikin allowed 31.67 points per game compared to last year’s 47.70. Additionally, they allowed only 159.9 rushing yards and 199.5 passing yards per game, compared to the previous year’s 238 rushing and 258 passing yards, showing clear signs of improvement.
On third downs, the defense thrived, allowing opponents to convert only 32% of the time. This was primarily due to the aforementioned standout linebacker duo, with Baskerville ranking 4th in the CCIW in tackles and Araiza ranking 3rd in tackles for a loss.
The Defense had standout seasons and a great depth in the defensive back core, with players such as Lattrell Hannon, Zyon Turner, and Quinton Tucker all making huge strides this year.
Where the Defense Must Reload This Offseason
On defense, there aren’t many negative things to say, as they were the highlight of the team and kept the Big Blue in many of their games.
However, Millikin will be losing some key defensive players next year.
Millikin has lost two centerpieces of their defense, two players who played for the unit for four years, Alex Araiza and Ixavion Moore. They will both be graduating.
The team will also lose Zyon Turner, Ryan Baskerville, Zech Miller, and Fabian Ross, all of whom will be leaving via the transfer portal.
Millikin should adopt a heavier blitz-style defense this year, as it relied on a four-man pass rush similar to the one the Philadelphia Eagles used during their Super Bowl run.
I would love to see Burket add different types of pressure, the same way we see Steve Spagnuolo use them for the Kansas City Chiefs. Having a corner come after the quarterback unexpectedly would be a great way to get opponents behind the chains.
While losing many great players, Millikin still has a strong core, including sophomore Defensive Tackle Bryson Johnson, junior Defensive End Jameson McGee, and others.
The team will need to continue their next-man-up mentality and build through the transfer portal and recruiting to replace what they lost.
Overall, Millikin’s first season with Billy Riebock and a largely new staff was a success.
Riebock has come in and built a new culture for the team, which has enabled the level of progress we have seen. He has earned the respect of the school and fans, as the crowds this year were quite large compared to years past.
However, there are many things to consider when changing certain styles and adapting to new players, among other things, but Riebock is ultimately what Millikin needs to become competitive in the CCIW.
The coaching staff has begun the recruiting process and is looking to improve in the next season, so it will be interesting to see what’s to come for Big Blue Football.
If the team is able to build off of this year’s success, there are many wins awaiting the Big Blue next year.
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