CHAMPAIGN – There were bound to be growing pains in the first season under Coach Lovie Smith. Typically, issues usually require fixing when a coaching change is made.

Yet with the Illini this fall, the plan appeared to rely on a stout defensive line to handle the line of scrimmage and allow the defense to take control behind Lovie, a defensive specialist, and defensive coordinator Hardy Nickerson. With so much NFL coaching experience on defensive side of the ball, it seemed like the strength of the team.

That would provide an offense with limited playmakers some time to figure it out and perhaps steal a few wins.

Five weeks into the season, the defense hasn’t lived up to the preseason expectations.

“Defensively, we’re giving up too many points,’’ Lovie said Monday.

Nuff said. Lovie was a bit irritated during his weekly press conference Monday, a bit more defensive than his Illini defense during the past few weeks.

Said Lovie, “1-4 isn’t good enough. I will start off with that.’’

While defensive ends Carroll Phillips and Dawuane Smoot are NFL-caliber players, the Illini have suffered from less-than-expected level of play in the interior of the defensive line, combined with an inability to get lined up in the proper gaps and make key tackles in open space.

The defensive coordinator when the Rams appeared in the Super Bowl in 2001 and a coach who spent his entire career working on the defense, Lovie was expected to improve an Illini defense that struggled in the Big Ten Conference a year ago. When he hired Hardy Nickerson as defensive coordinator, it looked like the Illini built a defensive staff that would be able to out fox its competition.

Yet Nickerson might still be finding his way as a coordinator for the first time. Nevertheless, Lovie bristled when asked if he should take more control of the defense on a day-to-day basis.

“I am involved with the defense, all right,’’ Lovie said. “As far as what I need to do, I’m OK in figuring it out by myself. I’m involved in all phases of the team. The things we don’t like is on me. We will continue to fix them.’’

After Illinois ran out of gas in the final quarter at Nebraska, the Illini were underwhelming against Purdue, one of the worst rushing teams in major college football with a quarterback ranked toward the bottom of the Big Ten in pass efficiency. The performance by the Illini defense was perhaps even more disappointing for Lovie.

Purdue’s top running back was also sidelined, but the Boilermakers’ coaching staff – already on the hot seat – had the Illini grabbing for nothing but air while racking up 459 yards a week after falling 50-7 to Maryland. A 32-yard touchdown run by Brian Lankford-Johnson pushed the Boilermakers to a 14-6 lead in the second quarter, when he raced up the middle against the Illini. Purdue quarterback David Blough also connected on a 45-yard touchdown pass to Malik Kimbrough.

Like usually, Lovie said, it’s a missed tackle or not filling a gap that leads to a big play.

“Same as always when it’s a big play,’’ Lovie said. “Some is going to miss a tackle and someone is out of the gap. When you’re playing an option team, you have to be disciplined every snap.’’

When the Illini needed a stop late in the game, the defense finally fired up, Lovie said. He was critical of the defensive line in particular.

“They haven’t played well enough, and that was our worst game that we’ve played,’’ Lovie said. “When I say it’s the strength of our team, it is. We need better play from it. The last series of the game, we had to get them stopped. We did. There was a sense of urgency. We didn’t have it for the entire game, for whatever reason.’’

Nickerson also pointed to bad gap coverage in allowing the big plays to the Boilers.

“The big breakout plays we’ve had in the run game are due to a couple misfits,’’ he said. “We’re more than capable of being a really good run defense. We just have to go out there and show it.

“We’re working hard at it all week in practice. We’re working to improve (gap responsibility). We need to make sure guys have a better understanding of what we’re trying to get done, then transferring it to game day.’’

Hardy Nickerson Jr., the fifth-year senior linebacker, said no one can escape the blame.

“Everybody on defense has been showing some flashes and also messing up,’’ he said.

One mistake came with Phillips, who will sit out the first half against Rutgers Saturday after drawing a personal foul against Purdue.

“Carroll Phillips has played outstanding football,’’ Lovie said. “Take away that one penalty, he’s played outstanding football throughout. We’ll miss him in the first half.’’

Lovie bristled when asked if he’s not too relaxed on the Illini for their lack of discipline. Against Purdue, the Illini had 12 penalties for 125 yards.

“Ask me that question again,’’ Smith said. “Are you freakin’ kidding me? Ask me one more time. Do you think I have been to lax with our football team or that I’m freakin’ going out there every day and just letting them do whatever they want to do? Absolutely not. I’m not going to give that question an answer. Lax with our football team? Are you freakin’ lax with your job? I’m not either. Thank you.’’

The Illini rank 114th in the nation with 46 penalties for 375 yards.

Known for his calm demeanor thus far, Lovie wasn’t so loveable Monday, perhaps because he’s got more issues than expected. One of them is his defense. If that defense doesn’t show appreciable improvement, then where will the Illini get another victory?

John Supinie is a columnist for Orangeandbluenews.com. During the day, he’s an Audi Brand Specialist at Green Audi in Springfield. Call or text him at 217-377-1977 if you’re looking for an Audi, Volkswagen, Toyota or preowned car. Ask for the Illini deal.