1. Extend Coach Wilson.
2. In the process of extending Coach Wilson, restructure the salary budget for Wilson and his staff. Enabling him to go get some key position coaches, with more money to offer. Also, include some hefty incentives for bowl games, and maybe even Big Ten wins for the coaching staff as well. I wouldn't move on Knorr yet, but would basically force him to upgrade some of his position coaches. Raid ND or Penn State or Iowa or Michigan's lower level position coaches with more money, and increased responsibilities at IU... Whatever it takes.
3. Go all in with the new technology center, partner with the Colts or something, and make IU THE school of note when it comes to performance training and analytics. Maybe even come up with some sort of curriculum so students can be a part of it. This would obviously help our players a bit, but would give program exposure, and would definitely help with recruiting. Many of the top NFL prospects leave their respective schools every year to go train at specialized facilities, preparing for the draft...why not make IU one of those types of facilities? With the new money Cuban is dumping into technology, and more development coming in the form of the south end zone project...????
4. Somehow do more to be involved with Indiana/Indianapolis area schools. Summer 7 on 7 league at Memorial Stadium? With participants gaining access to all of IU's facilities? Inviting entire teams down to work concessions or something, then help pay for uniforms. Encourage Adidas to "get involved" with certain schools...? I don't know what else, maybe they're already doing some of this stuff. But we're so close right now, starting to land a few more of Indy's top kids would be enormous.
I talked with dozens of Michigan fans before and after the game Saturday. Universal comments from all of them:
1. They were impressed by how nice the whole experience, stadium, facilities are.
2. They were shocked...and impressed...by our football team. Many of them said IU was the best offense, by far, they had faced all year. A couple went as far as to say they thought IU was the best team they had faced (which I don't agree with, but they said it, not me).
3. One of the fans that was tailgating near us is a high school coach in Michigan. We had a long conversation before the game. And it ended with he and my oldest son talking some trash as we left for the game (light hearted obviously). It was obvious he wasn't really considering IU having a shot to win the game... After the game, he made it a point to come and tell my son to keep up with football, and to keep following and supporting IU football. "That's not the IU football I'm used to seeing."...was his parting line.
We're close people. I think opposing schools are seeing it more clearly than many of us are.
2. In the process of extending Coach Wilson, restructure the salary budget for Wilson and his staff. Enabling him to go get some key position coaches, with more money to offer. Also, include some hefty incentives for bowl games, and maybe even Big Ten wins for the coaching staff as well. I wouldn't move on Knorr yet, but would basically force him to upgrade some of his position coaches. Raid ND or Penn State or Iowa or Michigan's lower level position coaches with more money, and increased responsibilities at IU... Whatever it takes.
3. Go all in with the new technology center, partner with the Colts or something, and make IU THE school of note when it comes to performance training and analytics. Maybe even come up with some sort of curriculum so students can be a part of it. This would obviously help our players a bit, but would give program exposure, and would definitely help with recruiting. Many of the top NFL prospects leave their respective schools every year to go train at specialized facilities, preparing for the draft...why not make IU one of those types of facilities? With the new money Cuban is dumping into technology, and more development coming in the form of the south end zone project...????
4. Somehow do more to be involved with Indiana/Indianapolis area schools. Summer 7 on 7 league at Memorial Stadium? With participants gaining access to all of IU's facilities? Inviting entire teams down to work concessions or something, then help pay for uniforms. Encourage Adidas to "get involved" with certain schools...? I don't know what else, maybe they're already doing some of this stuff. But we're so close right now, starting to land a few more of Indy's top kids would be enormous.
I talked with dozens of Michigan fans before and after the game Saturday. Universal comments from all of them:
1. They were impressed by how nice the whole experience, stadium, facilities are.
2. They were shocked...and impressed...by our football team. Many of them said IU was the best offense, by far, they had faced all year. A couple went as far as to say they thought IU was the best team they had faced (which I don't agree with, but they said it, not me).
3. One of the fans that was tailgating near us is a high school coach in Michigan. We had a long conversation before the game. And it ended with he and my oldest son talking some trash as we left for the game (light hearted obviously). It was obvious he wasn't really considering IU having a shot to win the game... After the game, he made it a point to come and tell my son to keep up with football, and to keep following and supporting IU football. "That's not the IU football I'm used to seeing."...was his parting line.
We're close people. I think opposing schools are seeing it more clearly than many of us are.
