-4 games doubles last year’s win totals, but it was another sad season overall.
-It’s getting so old to have 3-5 games “we could or should have won” but can’t close out. IU could have gone to 2 bowls in a row if they had executed on about 3 plays in 6-8 gams over last two seasons.
-Tom Allen’s enthusiasm is positive overall, but I agree his looking so hyper kinetic on sidelines hurts his ability to look comfortably in control in managing a game effectively, which I think we’ve seen play out.
-Upon seeing OSU’s HC only has a $5M buyout has to be a huge indictment on Dolson & IU in general for agreeing to that deal. (ie If Allen had walked for anything close to a new $25M payout elsewhere , IU could have easily re-loaded on a new coach/staff.)
-I was a big Allen supporter until this season. His stubbornness on Hiller lost me. The bad OL cost them last season, demoralized the defense, potentially caused coach McCollough to leave for ND and showed Allen couldn’t diagnose a serious issue.
-Then this season to lose 7 straight before making a change at QB? Showed Hiller-Esque stubbornness in changing at QB level. And in post PU presser he says “We definitely need to move to mobile QB style moving forward.” He sounds like he is lurching from idea to idea with no actual convictions or plan.
-Refleting on his pat hires: Besides DeBoer & I guess Womack too, who have been home run coaching hires? (And the interim OL coach doesn’t count as that was an emergency favor, NOT a true hire)
-Then ask if has he tried to surround himself with the best & brightest by elevating Sheridan, keeping Hiller (when he fired Sheridan), Witt was a rising DL coach and I like him, but he’d never been a DC prior. Warren seemed like a spectacular misfire and 1-year DC last season. Coach T has been a C- at best STC (after being elevated as a coach from a grad assistant.). This strikes me as a coach who doesn’t want or may not be comfortable or secure enough to have a killer staff of truly proven coaches around him.
-How many times have we heard his post game conferences “We need to finish and that’s on me.” It’s season six!
-Player development HAS to be in question. From Taiwan Mullen, J Williams, entire OL, WR’s, think how many have showed great promise than apear to have regressed or not improved greatly year over year?
The program feels adrift right now which saddens me. It’s an open secret many of us worry “Can we keep” Lucas, McCollough, McCully, Cooper and any other young talents who could seemingly go elsewhere.
The buyout is a noose and/or a crutch right now, because take that away and the analysis of Allen would seemingly be different and maybe IU is going after a Matt Ruhl type hire.
I admit I am frustrated now. I do think a coach with a plan and experience winning elsewhere could win at IU. I think a great coach with Allen as DC only could have worked., but Allen seems still over his head as HC. And to think he has that buyout really says a lot about poor management that got IU in this situation now.
May the NIL keep growing, Allen get some guidance and transfer portal be kind to us this off-season. I still love IU FB, but it can sure be a painful relationship at times!
-It’s getting so old to have 3-5 games “we could or should have won” but can’t close out. IU could have gone to 2 bowls in a row if they had executed on about 3 plays in 6-8 gams over last two seasons.
-Tom Allen’s enthusiasm is positive overall, but I agree his looking so hyper kinetic on sidelines hurts his ability to look comfortably in control in managing a game effectively, which I think we’ve seen play out.
-Upon seeing OSU’s HC only has a $5M buyout has to be a huge indictment on Dolson & IU in general for agreeing to that deal. (ie If Allen had walked for anything close to a new $25M payout elsewhere , IU could have easily re-loaded on a new coach/staff.)
-I was a big Allen supporter until this season. His stubbornness on Hiller lost me. The bad OL cost them last season, demoralized the defense, potentially caused coach McCollough to leave for ND and showed Allen couldn’t diagnose a serious issue.
-Then this season to lose 7 straight before making a change at QB? Showed Hiller-Esque stubbornness in changing at QB level. And in post PU presser he says “We definitely need to move to mobile QB style moving forward.” He sounds like he is lurching from idea to idea with no actual convictions or plan.
-Refleting on his pat hires: Besides DeBoer & I guess Womack too, who have been home run coaching hires? (And the interim OL coach doesn’t count as that was an emergency favor, NOT a true hire)
-Then ask if has he tried to surround himself with the best & brightest by elevating Sheridan, keeping Hiller (when he fired Sheridan), Witt was a rising DL coach and I like him, but he’d never been a DC prior. Warren seemed like a spectacular misfire and 1-year DC last season. Coach T has been a C- at best STC (after being elevated as a coach from a grad assistant.). This strikes me as a coach who doesn’t want or may not be comfortable or secure enough to have a killer staff of truly proven coaches around him.
-How many times have we heard his post game conferences “We need to finish and that’s on me.” It’s season six!
-Player development HAS to be in question. From Taiwan Mullen, J Williams, entire OL, WR’s, think how many have showed great promise than apear to have regressed or not improved greatly year over year?
The program feels adrift right now which saddens me. It’s an open secret many of us worry “Can we keep” Lucas, McCollough, McCully, Cooper and any other young talents who could seemingly go elsewhere.
The buyout is a noose and/or a crutch right now, because take that away and the analysis of Allen would seemingly be different and maybe IU is going after a Matt Ruhl type hire.
I admit I am frustrated now. I do think a coach with a plan and experience winning elsewhere could win at IU. I think a great coach with Allen as DC only could have worked., but Allen seems still over his head as HC. And to think he has that buyout really says a lot about poor management that got IU in this situation now.
May the NIL keep growing, Allen get some guidance and transfer portal be kind to us this off-season. I still love IU FB, but it can sure be a painful relationship at times!