Hoosiers

[BradStevens]

Unrelated to your valid points, and I’m going to blatantly change the subject, but I’m going to “rant” just a bit about the game’s ending.

Now, I didn’t see it. I turned off the game and took my bride to Madison, GA for some Thanksgiving shopping when the fvcking Buckeyes hit 28 points. Somebody can correct the sequence, but as I understand it, an OSU running back downed the ball before scoring a touchdown but then Day called a play for a last score rather than taking a knee and ending the game. Is that pretty much correct? Okay, it’s valid to say that it’s IU’s job to stop us (OSU), but most would take the knee.

Then, this morning, I saw a picture of the video board at the shoe showing Cignetti at game’s end with the script, “Buckeyes win! . . .Google it.” (May not be exact, but it’s close if not precise) Okay, kind of funny - more appropriate for a handheld sign by a student - but I’m not sure I’d be real happy about it if I were associated with the university. How would we feel if the Assembly Hall video boards all showed “Purdue Sucks!” or “POTFB!” Leave it to the kids. The university shouldn’t be involved. We all know what Knight would have done with “Purdue Sucks” chants or having that flashed for all to see on TV screens around the country.

Anyway, another god-damned year of listening to obnoxious and repulsive OSU neighbors, their flags, banners and fvcking 8-foot blowup Brutus dolls.

Oh, well, POTFB!

I didn't watch it.

Cignetti fired up our base with his Ahia St sucks stunt and his emerging college football superpower line. I have no problem with it, given our absolutely dead expectations, etc. He's set the tone. But we have to pay the price for that--the powers that be are going to want to keep us down. If Day is recruiting against Cignetti, he's going to want to show those players we are a pretender. And right now, we are. Hopefully, Cignetti can recruit talent here to make IU a true football power.

However, I have to say this: I've been telling my friends on chats, texts, etc. that I feel like we just watched, in real time, IU football ascend to the absolute peak of its relevance, and then start the downward tumble with the muffed punt. It's rare to be able to pinpoint it in real time like that, let alone during a season. But our schedule broke so favorably this year, and Cignetti has given other programs a blueprint, perhaps, for copying our strategy, that I'm not sure we will ever be this close to the top again. I also think other coaches are going to put a target on our backs given Cignetti's post-game comments after a lot of these games.

Even if so, it was a wonderful ride, and if Cignetti can be our 90s-00s Alvarez, I'd be fine with that. It'll give me something to look forward to on Saturdays in the fall for the foreseeable future.

 

[BradStevens]

It absolutely does though.

When both our tackles were getting beat by a simple shoulder rip and then just bringing an overload, yes, speed was an issue.

Then you have a TE in to double team. Or a RB to chip him.

Look, Baller, you're debating a Bears fan, here. I'm an expert in watching, bitching about, and obsessing over bad blocking, terrible O-line play, and dumb blocking schemes. I am also a baller at Madden 24 and now, EA Sports College Football '25 and can cook Tier 1 teams with the Hoosiers on there (the RPO Alerts with the single WR on one side and trips on the other is UNSTOPPABLE).

 

[Baller23Boogie]

Then you have a TE in to double team. Or a RB to chip him.

Look, Baller, you're debating a Bears fan, here. I'm an expert in watching, bitching about, and obsessing over bad blocking, terrible O-line play, and dumb blocking schemes. I am also a baller at Madden 24 and now, EA Sports College Football '25 and can cook Tier 1 teams with the Hoosiers on there (the RPO Alerts with the single WR on one side and trips on the other is UNSTOPPABLE).

We did have a RB chipping/staying in and it didn't help.

Look at #6 whiffing

 

[Univee2]

I didn't watch it.

Cignetti fired up our base with his Ahia St sucks stunt and his emerging college football superpower line. I have no problem with it, given our absolutely dead expectations, etc. He's set the tone. But we have to pay the price for that--the powers that be are going to want to keep us down. If Day is recruiting against Cignetti, he's going to want to show those players we are a pretender. And right now, we are. Hopefully, Cignetti can recruit talent here to make IU a true football power.

However, I have to say this: I've been telling my friends on chats, texts, etc. that I feel like we just watched, in real time, IU football ascend to the absolute peak of its relevance, and then start the downward tumble with the muffed punt. It's rare to be able to pinpoint it in real time like that, let alone during a season. But our schedule broke so favorably this year, and Cignetti has given other programs a blueprint, perhaps, for copying our strategy, that I'm not sure we will ever be this close to the top again. I also think other coaches are going to put a target on our backs given Cignetti's post-game comments after a lot of these games.

Even if so, it was a wonderful ride, and if Cignetti can be our 90s-00s Alvarez, I'd be fine with that. It'll give me something to look forward to on Saturdays in the fall for the foreseeable future.

Wow.

That’s quite a specific point to annoint as our all-too-brief ascendency to the summit and inevitable fall. You make a “good” argument but I have to believe the best is yet to come. And, it better, I don’t have that many years left. And, to me, BETTER AND BEST is beating OSU for only the third time in my lifetime. I don’t need money and I don’t need medals and I don’t need a national championship (I do need this in basketball) in football. I NEED a victory over OSU.

 

[OpenWheels]

Beat A&M at Kyle Field.

Yeah, but even Auburn can beat them.

 

[BradStevens]

We did have a RB chipping/staying in and it didn't help.

Look at #6 whiffing

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So that's kinda a perfect example of a terrible blocking scheme/play calling.

First, you're playing a team that is blitzing all the time, and you're running PA--that doesn't work. Quick hitters (slants, screens, stick/hitch), lobs over the top, or swinging it out wide quickly is what you do there.

Second, notice the blocking scheme. It looks like our LT blocked down to double-team their tackle, while we expected a pulling RG and our PA back to come over and block their future NFL DE on the QBs blindside. WTF? Did Shane Waldron draw up this scheme? Nevermind we're sending a guard and RB to do it--we're sending both from the opposite side of the line of scrimmage, and the RB is going to be delayed getting there by design because he's part of the PA.