We know it sucks, at least in 2nd halves. You knew it when you took the job. Everybody knows it - it's hard to hide.
You are paid a shit-ton of money, and IU paid a shit-ton of money so you could keep the same staff. NIL money exceeded your expectations, and I imagine the JMU transfers got a big chunk of the available NIL funds.
IU has provided state-of-the-art facilities - something no other coach, other than maybe Allen - has had.
The pieces are there. All you have to do is win. That's your job. But what have you done to help attendance? Have you held student rallies, like Lee Corso used to do, at Frats and dorms? Are you visible around campus, greeting students and shaking hands? Maybe you are - if so, I haven't heard anything about it. But you know what doesn't work? Whining about a known problem in post-game press conferences.
Stop listening to people like Buck Suhr and Don Fisher, who have never paid for an IU football ticket in their lives (maybe Suhr at some point, but I doubt it) and sit in air conditioned press boxes who whine about attendance. Stop listening to the media, who also get free passes and sit in air conditioned press boxes, whine about attendance.
I know you're busy during the season, but get close to, and identify with, the fans. Did you go on any kind of media tour of the state, visiting high schools and glad-handing alumni groups? If so, good for you. If not, start doing it.
I say this, believing you are the answer to so many of our football prayers. You've done and said the right things. You are on the right track. But this obsession with attendance is a side distraction to your real job of winning. You do that and the attendance problem will be fixed. Please don't judge IU on a blazing hot/humid holiday weekend. The weather will improve and, with wins, fans will stick around.
Unfortunately, you're not gonna like the attendance this Saturday. EDIT: Oops, Friday night.
Love and kisses,
DANC
