I'm new to Peegs and get extremely annoyed by the overwhelming air of pessimism on these boards so I thought I would throw in my two cents on a few things that I've seen.
I thought that Saturday was an outstanding win for this IU team. It is really easy to disregard a victory against a team like FIU as something that should be a foregone conclusion, however A.) with the parity in college football today absolutely no wins should be tossed aside as "easy" and B.) I think it is important to keep in mind that there is a team in Orlando (2 years removed from a BCS Bowl victory) that would LOVE to trade results with our Hoosiers.
Positive thoughts on Saturday's game:
I thought that Saturday was an outstanding win for this IU team. It is really easy to disregard a victory against a team like FIU as something that should be a foregone conclusion, however A.) with the parity in college football today absolutely no wins should be tossed aside as "easy" and B.) I think it is important to keep in mind that there is a team in Orlando (2 years removed from a BCS Bowl victory) that would LOVE to trade results with our Hoosiers.
Positive thoughts on Saturday's game:
- Our offensive line continues to be maybe the most impressive that I've seen in the time I've followed IU Football. Rushing for over 200 yards (averaging 4+ yards per carry) against a defense that only gave up 46 yards rushing on 30 carries the previous week is an extremely impressive feat. Additionally, Nate has continuously has time in the pocket to allow pass routes to develop throughout the first two games. This is an offensive line that anchors our team and is a true rarity at Indiana University
- Jordan Howard is 100% the real deal. His skill has been abundantly evident in these two games, not only on the stat sheet but more importantly in the way that he has run. The power and attitude with which Howard runs is something that can build an identity for an offense and a team. Between the skill of Howard and the great offensive line this team will wear defenses down, and I, for one, think it's amazing to watch a tough, hard nosed offense that can run it down a defenses throat wearing Cream and Crimson.
- Nate Sudfeld is a really great quarterback. He has both the physical skills and leadership skills that are a rarity in college football. I think that we as fans are spoiled by him and to a large degree take him for granted (how soon we forget the second half of last season). He makes big time throws consistently, and very rarely makes a mistake in judgment. He is leading a passing game with limited talent on the outside (more on that later) and leading a complex offense seamlessly.
- The defense made major strides forward in this game. Getting Latham and Ralph Green III back made an enormous difference, but the most notable difference was in the body language of the defense. Coach Wilson made a point this week to allow the defense to just play the game rather than thinking too much about assignments and it showed. Defenders looked to be having fun and "flying around"...this will need to be the case moving forward. I look forward to seeing even further improvement with the addition of Tegray Scales and Chase Dutra this week against a great WKU offense.
- I'm concerned with the lack of athleticism that we have at receiver. As it becomes more and more evident that we are a run first team I worry that we don't have the weapons on the outside to keep opposing teams from putting 8 in the box and pressing our receivers. Hopefully the young players continue to develop. Ricky Jones has been a bright spot, but he doesn't have the size to be a consistent deep threat.
- Our secondary is not great at this point...plain and simple. This will be a weakness all year and we have to hope our front 7 is good enough to take pressure off of them. Regardless...as a fan the secondary is my greatest concern.
- As a former IUFB player I think I am qualified to comment on the stadium atmosphere. It is awful. There is simply no excuse for 3/4 of the fans in attendance to leave a neck and neck game before the start of the fourth quarter. Yes...it was late. The game kicked off at 8pm...was the time a surprise to anyone that purchased tickets and attended to the game? Fans knew when it started, they know how long college games typically last...the team needs you to stay and support and eventually share in their triumph as they beat an opponent. In my time playing at IU I can honestly say that more often than not the crowd felt like an additional adversary rather than a home field advantage. The negative expectations (even if earned) create a sense of dread in the players. Some fans are just outright negative (my teammates and I to this day joke about the fans at our home games yelling at the sidelines to "GIT TRACY PORTER OUTTA THERE"....one of the best defenders in IU history). Be positive, cheer loudly, don't leave early. The team cares about what their fans think.
- Regarding Coach Wilson's "altercation" with Coach Inge: Who cares???? Coach Kevin Wilson is one of the most intense, fiery, and competitive SOB's that I have ever met in my entire life. He holds every single person with whom he interacts to the highest expectations, most notably himself. I went to a camp at Northwestern in grade school when he was an Offensive Coordinator there and he held US to ridiculously high expectations during our touch football tournament and did not hesitate to let US know our shortcomings as they arose. This is why CKW is one of the greatest leaders of men that I've ever seen. He does not accept mediocrity in any facet. He is unconventional as a coach and socially, but he is who he is, and I think many ex players will attest that who he is is someone that made them better humans. CKW knows there is a time to celebrate, he didn't feel that Coach Inge had chosen the appropriate time. End of story.
