- Our D played very well and is clearly much improved. Casey in particular was a beast.
- No, McCord isn't Stroud but this is his third season with the team, he knows the system, he has seen plenty of game action, and he's got a great offensive line and a boatload of weapons (including the best WR duo in the country). Cade Stover is a helluva TE and came up big today. Ohio State will score a ton of points this season, and it will be interesting to see if anyone holds them to 23 as we did today.
- OSU's D is probably the best we will face this season. Linebackers, particularly Eichenberg, are outstanding. DL is also excellent. Tuimoloau will go in the first round. Tyleik Williams, Hamilton and Hall are also excellent. Tough for QBs with little college game experience to be productive against future NFL players on a defense that was among the best nationally last year and will be again this season.
- I thought we'd score more, but mostly in garbage time with Ohio State scoring at least six touchdowns. We held them to two TDs. There's plenty to build on and be optimistic about. Go Hoosiers!
Here are some random thoughts, including a couple of matters that are more generally related to the program as a whole than the OSU game in particular:
--I agree with the sentiment that the OSU fans weren't as obnoxious as usual...I think several factors were at play: it was so fricking hot; the IU fans were never enough into the game to get the OSU fans riled up; no fans on either side thought IU ever had much of a chance; and OSU didn't crush us as thoroughly as expected and there was a lack of big plays. From their viewpoint the best play of the game was called back on the illegal touching call.
--This was a real no win situation for IU football. It was a true moral victory, but moral victories don't count as much this far into a coaching tenure. On the other hand, there was a significant chance of a soul-crushing, tenure-ending catastrophe, which didn't happen either. Allen lives to coach another day. Given all the circumstances, this IU team did as well as anyone could reasonably expected. On the other hand, the offense was so poor that I just walked out with a meh feeling rather than being excited for the rest of the year.
--The taunting call was so unfortunate from a psychological pov. If we go in just down 7-3, you start to envision us making the game interesting. Giving up those 4 points killed any real hope of making it a contest. I think a few thousand more fans left than would have otherwise.
--I know the stats don't show it, but I think the QB play was not as pathetic as last year for two reasons: I didn't sense the panic from the QB position like last year in the pocket; and they made no fatal idiotic give-up plays that were so common last year.
--The play calling was horrible; we didn't try to stretch the field at all and the OSU D was packing all 11 defenders well within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. At the least we should have sent some WRs on fly routes, even if the throws weren't made.
--I met somewhat to pass on a ticket near the sculpture outside the SEZ......the one where they are 5(?) men and women high 5ing one another. My question: what the hell? At a FOOTBALL stadium? Why would you not have a statute of Mallory and AT, or AT and ARE, or Bo and Pete Pihos? Like in the AH for basketball? To me, it just shows disrespect for the program. The George T. statute on the north side is great....there should have been something like it on the south side.
--The Band.....Holy Hell, I wouldn't have thought it possible, but the band is WORSE than ever before. The worst I can ever remember it being.