Anyone else feel we are better without Cronk?
- Thread starter IUCX9
- Start date
Yes as he was afraid to compete against Bedford. I wish he would have lived up to his captain role and stayed but it was his choice to leave.
Not better but it's not that big of a deal. We didn't miss a beat without him after a talented true freshman took over when he got hurt. Even though Iowa graduated their starting LT there is no guarantee Cronk will get his spot.
After watching the last 3 games of the season, I'd say we missed him quite a bit. Our OL was horrible handling the pass rush. Ramsey took a beating in those games.
No. This is a shitty thing to say about a good kid who played as hard as he could for Indiana and suffered a season ending injury in the process. Shameful.
You never have enough BIG UGLIES! I wish he stayed.
But IF he truly felt he couldn’t/wouldn’t handle interior OL, and/or couldn’t compete for starting LT, and he became a sour grape, then it’s Better for IU that he left.
The mental aspect of a major injury can be tough.
But IF he truly felt he couldn’t/wouldn’t handle interior OL, and/or couldn’t compete for starting LT, and he became a sour grape, then it’s Better for IU that he left.
The mental aspect of a major injury can be tough.
If Cronk can think he's better off without IU (by transferring to another B1G School), there is nothing wrong with thinking we are better off without Cronk.
No
With him he could have had real depth. He would have started at G and been able to step in at either Tackle slot without our missing a beat. Now we're back to the "we're one injury away from disaster" at both Tackle slots (in my opinion).
//I can understand his going elsewhere (grad, coaches who he was close to gone, etc..) but Iowa is a bit of a head scratcher... "If" we stay healthy I think we'll have a better OL next Fall than they will. I could have understood AL or even "the" O$U but Iowa...???//
With him he could have had real depth. He would have started at G and been able to step in at either Tackle slot without our missing a beat. Now we're back to the "we're one injury away from disaster" at both Tackle slots (in my opinion).
//I can understand his going elsewhere (grad, coaches who he was close to gone, etc..) but Iowa is a bit of a head scratcher... "If" we stay healthy I think we'll have a better OL next Fall than they will. I could have understood AL or even "the" O$U but Iowa...???//
No I don't think so. I was hoping for him to come back. This stings, as it seems IU really valued him.
NO, I wanted him at G though and it doesn't mean it leaves a great taste in the mouth that captain would leave for another B10 school for his last 5th year, especially after we had a bowl year breakthrough with a lot of talent returning. I feel like Iowa over PU was a courtesy of they're not on schedule next year and I bet he has positive feelings for IU overall. Don't wish him ill will, he gave IU 3 1/2 years of his best play on field (and was positive guy this season while injured.) Would love to know HIS TRUE reasons for leaving as well.
No. I said this long before he got hurt this year on another thread that while he was a decent player I think he was a little overrated by us fans. I am also very skeptical of the size he has been listed at the last couple of years. To my eye he does not look nearly as big as other people listed similarly. But are we better off without him---no way. He was a better than average player and did a good job for us.Stepping in as a starter as an undersized true freshman starter was impressive. Maybe set my expectations too high.
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It matters not, for whatever reason a team CAPTAIN left the "Team". There are circumstances none of us know about so to sit here and speculate is ridiculous. Someone said it was a serious injury. Hell none of us know, BUT best of luck to him. We'll be just fine! jus sayin
Yes, but not because he wouldn’t make the team better had he stayed. He clearly didn’t want to be here any longer, and anyone that’s not 100% invested in doing everything they can to make the program more successful, should leave. Loved rooting for him while he was here and wish him nothing but the best.
As many offensive linemen that Iowa put in the NFL, why not Iowa? Some of the current OL in the NFL- Brandon Scherff- Redskins, Riley Reiff- Vikings, Bryan Bulaga-Packers, Marshall Yanda Ravens, James Daniels-Bears, James Ferentz-Patriots, Ike Boettger-Bills, and that's not including the TEs who also are required to block besides their receiving responsibilities.
You had exactly 2, count em, 2 OT's on NFL rosters last year. Which is only one more than we had and that's only because one of our guys recently moved to G to finish out his career...
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Ferentz move Cronk to G by game #4 or 5... At that point it's not like he'll have a choice unless he wants to be branded a quitter...
If he stays at OT (next Fall) I'll be amazed and if he's drafted as an OT I'll be doubly amazed.
Slick sales job by Ferentz...
He could have stayed here and the result would have been the same. He'll be a G in the NFL...(in my opinion)..
Plus, who knows if he would have been healthy enough to be at the same level before the injury. some unknowns, so it's hard to say either way if we are better or worse off. Good luck to him.
Exactly, who knows how well his ankle injury will hold up to the rigors of line play. He might end up a "no go"? This way it frees up a scholarship & allows those who want to be Hoosiers a better chance at playing & gaining experience for the next couple of years.
I can't think of any circumstance where I'd say IU is "better" without him. Even if he wasn't able to come back strong from the injury, he'd still have been a net benefit to the team from an experience/leadership standpoint.
I'm not sure at this point exactly how much worse off IU is without him. But I'm extremely confident it's not a backbreaker, he's not irreplaceable or anything. Compare to, for example, if Sudfeld had transferred away his senior year. THAT would have been devastating.
I'm not sure at this point exactly how much worse off IU is without him. But I'm extremely confident it's not a backbreaker, he's not irreplaceable or anything. Compare to, for example, if Sudfeld had transferred away his senior year. THAT would have been devastating.
This has little or nothing to do with the player. He is a great kid. And it has nothing to do with the IU staff. Read what you want into this, but IU is never better off losing a good kid.
Agree, nobody wants to lose a starter. OTOH, if he is disgruntled, he adversely affects the "team culture". So good for him & Indiana
He was a guaranteed starter. I think at G he would've been a contender for All B1G team as a G. He was a great tackle too but we just happen to have 2 prototypical NFL tackle type bodies that it makes more sense to have them start. Sitting Bedford or moving him was not the way to go. I think CTA was honest with Coy and Coy was honest with CTA. It was definitely Cronk's decision to leave but that decision was brought about by CTA's decision.
So in a nutshell, we DEFINITELY are not better without him. We just only had room for him as a G if he wanted to be a starter. No way he would've been ok as a back-up awaiting a possible injury to get his job back. I wish him luck.
So in a nutshell, we DEFINITELY are not better without him. We just only had room for him as a G if he wanted to be a starter. No way he would've been ok as a back-up awaiting a possible injury to get his job back. I wish him luck.
Of course Bedford has a higher ceiling. We know what Cronk is, a really solid player, but he was never close to an all big ten LT. If he was then he would've received those accolades at some point during his career at IU. Bedford has the better frame and size, but we don't know how good he can be yet. Therefore, he has the higher ceiling. Will he get there? Who knows, but he has 3 years to play still.
Bedford defintitely does. You could argue Bedford was better last year alone. Bedford came in as a highly regarded prospect with offers to SEC schools so it's not even earth shattering news. The kid is 6-6 307. Caleb Jones is 6-8 358. That's length to go with weight which is more along the lines of a top OT prospect. Cronk wasn't tiny by any means but he has more of an interior lineman build.
RE: the build of an OT. I was in a bar next to Kelly Butler (played OT for Purdue and in the NFL) in spring of 2007. He was a giant, obviously. But it was such a unique body type, like they're really looking for very specific genetic traits. His upper body was very muscular and looked like a fairly lean guy with long arms. His lower body didn't seem to really match. Thick lower half with about the biggest butt imaginable. But that's where the power is for driving folks.
Cronk is a very large man, but when I think of NFL tackles, I think of someone with the frame that Butler or Bedford has.
I agree completely that Bedford's ceiling is much higher. I appreciate what Cronk has done but he has never been as accomplished as some on here seem to think. Notice he hasn't been on all conference teams.
We're not better off without him, but it's not a deal breaking loss to the O-line. Bedford was better, IS better, imo, which has kicked all of this off. Still though, Cronk could have provided an excellent option at OG & real quality depth at OT. So, it hurts, but not as much as it would have seemed 6 months ago, for example.
We're all entitled to our opinions, but I just don't get the fact that so many of us are so "understanding" of Cronk's decision. I mean for a captain & team leader to put love thyself ahead of LEO, just doesn't sit right with me, not when he wants to continue playing college football but not here where his loyalty should lie. ESPECIALLY when he transfers to another B1G team. LEO is not just a cheesy battle cry of CTA, it's real, & it's a philosophy that MUST resonate with everyone within the program if we're going to get where we want to go, imo. We aren't going to match the top teams in the B1G in recruiting or talent, so we must be extraordinary in other ways, & LEO is 1 of the very most important one of those ways, maybe the most important. & loyalty is a given part of that. It's a big deal when a player with that much clout within the team & program chooses to play somewhere else when he could have helped us next year. Again though, it's just my opinion, doesn't mean I'm right,
His case specifically illustrates that OL depth is key.
Him at guard, and a capable backup for Bedford, would have made us better.
Him at guard, and a capable backup for Bedford, would have made us better.
While I don't like his decision, it's his to make. He's not an indentured servant. He doesn't owe us anything...
Cronk gave his all and then some while he was here.
He's clearly made a decision based on the thought that he wants to prove he can play Left Tackle in the NFL.
He thinks he'll have a better shot at proving that he can play NFL level Left Tackle at Iowa this Fall... I think he's wrong..., but, (probably luckily for him
)...,he doesn't seek my input.Most of the guys he came in with are gone, the coaches who recruited and initially were his position coaches are long gone (including the Head Coach)..., and he sure doesn't owe any of the jokers (and boo birds) in the stands or those on here anything...
He could have just said "the heck with it" after he got hurt and moved on to the next chapter of his life but instead he remained a contributing member of the Team as a student coach (and did a great job of it) and remained a Team Captain... He clearly more than fulfilled all of his "obligations" to the Team this past season...
Good Luck to him in the future. I don't like or even agree with his decision but I understand it and certainly believe it was his and his alone to make...
Best case scenario for all concerned is that the next time we see him play we're matched up against Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game...
Wish him well and let him move on...
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And also makes you think there might have been some fire to the smoke last year about transferring to Purdue.
Contrarian takes? Saying that we’re not going to improve by losing arguably our best offensive lineman is a contrarian take?
