That’s a big part of the problem. Allen is a defensive coach who’s ceded control of the offense to MD and his coaches. He could intervene, but he lacks experience to do so. The same issue existed with Wilson and didn’t get fixed until a strong DC was hired.
couldn't disagree with you more. The blocking scheme cannot be that difficult on the 1 yard line and how often would you really need to practice it? I'm tired of the finesse game that is played at all times and how we always complicate the basics. Most of these guys have played some type of spread offense in HS since that is what teams do these days, but do you think being under center or blocking for short yardage is a skillset that our players couldn't comprehend? It will never change, but I think it's a valid discussion point. Other teams do it - why not US! Go Hoosiers!
Let's look at the irony. Frustrated fans want a coach that has expertise on both sides of the ball. So where did CKW end up? At IU he led a team to two bowl games and then grabbed a life ring thrown by Ohio State to be the offensive coordinator and this year he is one of two Ohio State coaches with the title offensive coordinator. I'm happy that we got a head coach that at least has great experience on one side of the ball.
I think the irony is that IU once again chose to not hire a coach with a more well rounded background, in spite of the results that path produced. The distinctions beyond that are pretty evident . . . One coach brought many years of experience and an incredibly hard nosed / hard aaa mentality to the program. He wasn’t universally loved by the players as a result, but he did instill a toughness in bringing the program up from the very bottom. The other was both lighter on experience and presented a much kinder, friendlier approach. Firey intimidation is not a part of his persona and a far more collegial feel permeates.
Well, his second year team and Allen's second year team aren't remotely similar in terms of talent or depth, so the results of those distinctions weren't as evident as they are now. But Wilson's kids played and competed extremely hard, even when they were quite overmatched.
so is the blocking on extra points, field goals, special teams etc. how much time does the entire team practice that? probably not much. I think A LOT of people would agree a tweak in the approach to this is needed. I'm not knocking the team - I spend a lot of money on tickets and travel to home and away games and fully support this team and coach. Just echoing what I feel is something they should consider. One of my favorite quotes of all time that apply to any situation is, "If we do today what we did yesterday, we will get the same results tomorrow" Just saying. Go Hoosiers beat Lions!
The receiving skill guys were quite good and Coleman was too, though not a workhorse. Sudfeld and the linemen showed promise, too, but they were all playing before they should've been due to the total lack of depth and talent. Wilson developed all those guys into pro players, but each was pretty unheralded. Not sure there's that kind of potential on the current team nor any real evidence that that the development side is in place, either.
First, the program he took over was not nearly as moribund as you suggest. IU was 5-7 (including a win over Purdue) in 2010, and was a dropped wide open Damarlo Belcher/sure TD pass with 28 seconds left from beating No. 15 Iowa, winning six, and going to a bowl.
Those 2014 losses really stand out for me, particularly the Maryland loss (MD's first-ever Big Ten contest) which was the week after we beat Mizzou in Columbia and thought we had finally turned the corner. I remember, after the Mizzou game, and amidst all the fanfare, Wilson said "we were the same bums" as the week before. Boy, did that turn out to be prophetic. If we had won the BG and MD games, we might have been able to hold onto Tommy Stevens, who decommitted before the season was over.
Not hard to find a game or an example of bad behavior, but denying that he instilled a level of toughness in the team that didn’t exist before is incredibly ignorant.
Wilson had Sudfeld who was our best QB in the last couple decades. And Lagow was a top 3 passer in the Big Ten his first year. QB was not a problem with Wilson. And neither was OL while Wilson was here.
Your revisionist history is pretty comical. Sudfeld was very good, but we had Seth Littrell to thank for his recruitment, not Wilson (Sudfeld had originally committed to Arizona when Littrell was their OC, and then followed him to IU). Other than Sudfeld, Wilson had exactly one other very good QB during his six years at IU - - Tre Roberson, who left the program after the greatest single game QB performance in IU history (way to go, Kevin).
Yea and Stoops/OU and Urban/OSU are all morons for hiring the guy. He knows nothing about offense.
In typical fashion, you're moving the goalposts. I was responding to your claim that QB was not a problem when Wilson was at IU, and I explained how and why that claim was false.
Talk about revisionist history . . . Sudfeld didn't follow SL to IU. He waited until UCLA didn't offer and then opted for his only P5 offer. As for qb not being a strength during Wilson's time at IU, the Eagles would beg to differ.
If you're arguing that Seth Littrell was not the primary driver of Sudfeld's recruitment, you're mistaken.
Of course I didn't argue that which, if you read my post, would be obvious. But his decision to come to IU, while facilitated by SL, only came to pass after UCLA declined to offer him.
You already acknowledged that you weren't aware of the circumstances that led Sudfeld to IU. No need to reinforce it.
You mean like your Ferentz / Iowa "analysis"? I'm not saying Wilson's teams played well, particularly on defense, but they weren't soft. There's a difference.
Dimitric Camiel, a multi year starter, also missed much of that season due to injury.
So injuries are an excuse for Wilson (2016) but not for Allen (2017). Got it.
