ADVERTISEMENT

IU defense rated #1 by Bill Conley

vesuvius13

Hall of Famer
Gold Member
May 11, 2017
12,572
34,309
113
https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2020/5/...nas-defense-could-be-among-big-tens-best.aspx

Bill does a great job with the breakdown of teams and the stats. He has IU #1 in returning stats in the B1G. I think we all know that doesn't mean IU will have the best defense in the B1G but should have one of the best improved defense. The Bowl game gave us a peek at what the defense can do this year against a team that threatened the best teams in the SEC.

The defense still needs to show they have depth and toughness to win the game in the end. This shutdown will effect the B1G in different ways. MSU could have a down year due to a new coach and not practicing this Spring where IU should be ready to get after it when the practice starts. Rutgers and Maryland will have a tough job to be ready for the B1G this year. OSU will probably OSU no matter what happens. PSU has some new players to get used to playing in the B1G but still have a very good defensive core coming back. Michigan has a lot of new defense players and a new QB to get ready for the season. Wisconsin will have a new RB and new OL men along with needing a couple of new WR. Defense loss a few of the best players so it should take some games to come together. Illinois is hard to figure out but have shown they can rise up and beat B1G teams. Purdue has there offense best player back to go along with Bell that showed he could play as a freshman. Will their OL improve or not is the question.

Contrast that to IU with most major players coming back. We have to find an OL but the players are there to be a good OL. We have a QB rated in the top 20 QBs in the nation and a proven RB with a couple of talented RBs to work in. Coach Wright has some very good athletes to turn into TEs that threaten defenses. Defense has the experience, talent, and depth to really be a good defense this season. The key is, how good are they against the best offenses in the conference. There are a lot of reasons to be excited about this season and others outside the IUFB program are seeing it too.
 
https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2020/5/...nas-defense-could-be-among-big-tens-best.aspx

Bill does a great job with the breakdown of teams and the stats. He has IU #1 in returning stats in the B1G. I think we all know that doesn't mean IU will have the best defense in the B1G but should have one of the best improved defense. The Bowl game gave us a peek at what the defense can do this year against a team that threatened the best teams in the SEC.

The defense still needs to show they have depth and toughness to win the game in the end. This shutdown will effect the B1G in different ways. MSU could have a down year due to a new coach and not practicing this Spring where IU should be ready to get after it when the practice starts. Rutgers and Maryland will have a tough job to be ready for the B1G this year. OSU will probably OSU no matter what happens. PSU has some new players to get used to playing in the B1G but still have a very good defensive core coming back. Michigan has a lot of new defense players and a new QB to get ready for the season. Wisconsin will have a new RB and new OL men along with needing a couple of new WR. Defense loss a few of the best players so it should take some games to come together. Illinois is hard to figure out but have shown they can rise up and beat B1G teams. Purdue has there offense best player back to go along with Bell that showed he could play as a freshman. Will their OL improve or not is the question.

Contrast that to IU with most major players coming back. We have to find an OL but the players are there to be a good OL. We have a QB rated in the top 20 QBs in the nation and a proven RB with a couple of talented RBs to work in. Coach Wright has some very good athletes to turn into TEs that threaten defenses. Defense has the experience, talent, and depth to really be a good defense this season. The key is, how good are they against the best offenses in the conference. There are a lot of reasons to be excited about this season and others outside the IUFB program are seeing it too.
I expect the iu defense to be pretty good. I think iu will be. I expect Purdue and iu to be about as even as ever next year. And yes, the Purdue OL will be better. Started 3 underclassman and can't get worse. Lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
I expect the iu defense to be pretty good. I think iu will be. I expect Purdue and iu to be about as even as ever next year. And yes, the Purdue OL will be better. Started 3 underclassman and can't get worse. Lol

I agree. As much as I hate to admit, Plummer throwing to Moore, Bell, Wright, Carr, is going to be tough to stop. And the RB Tirek Murphy. is good too. Their offense should be pretty good. That QB Alaimo could sneak in too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TMFT and vesuvius13
I agree. As much as I hate to admit, Plummer throwing to Moore, Bell, Wright, Carr, is going to be tough to stop. And the RB Tirek Murphy. is good too. Their offense should be pretty good. That QB Alaimo could sneak in too.
To guys to watch on offense I think would be Amad Anderson and King Dorue. If King isn't starting at RB, Tirek is the real deal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
I expect the iu defense to be pretty good. I think iu will be. I expect Purdue and iu to be about as even as ever next year. And yes, the Purdue OL will be better. Started 3 underclassman and can't get worse. Lol
BoilerN appreciate your honest opinion
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
To guys to watch on offense I think would be Amad Anderson and King Dorue. If King isn't starting at RB, Tirek is the real deal.
I was joking with a friend of mine who is a Michigan fan, PU next year might be the first CFB team with a "relief pitcher" at QB.
With a boatload of talent at WR, questions at D and depth at oline a concern. Brohm might call 70 passing plays a game.

In all seriousness, I think you guys have a chance to be scary good on offense, but outside of a few guys on the dline and secondary the defense could be bad. It could be a good comp to Kevin Wilson's #chaosteam.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
I was joking with a friend of mine who is a Michigan fan, PU next year might be the first CFB team with a "relief pitcher" at QB.
With a boatload of talent at WR, questions at D and depth at oline a concern. Brohm might call 70 passing plays a game.

In all seriousness, I think you guys have a chance to be scary good on offense, but outside of a few guys on the dline and secondary the defense could be bad. It could be a good comp to Kevin Wilson's #chaosteam.
This is pretty fair. I think the oline has depth. Quality depth? Different question. They played a bunch of guys on it last year though and it honestly wasn't bad by the end of the year. Haven't heard the relief pitcher part. I like it though!

Defense? Dline should be really good. Barnes played DE last year and is moving to MLB. Juco guy coming in at Dline/OLB. 6'3 215 Saftey moving to the nickle/OLB position. Some pieces there, but you may be right. The defense might need to just hold on. Good news is Diaco has a track record of doing just that. I've got Purdue at around 7 wins, but we shall see.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
This is pretty fair. I think the oline has depth. Quality depth? Different question. They played a bunch of guys on it last year though and it honestly wasn't bad by the end of the year. Haven't heard the relief pitcher part. I like it though!

Defense? Dline should be really good. Barnes played DE last year and is moving to MLB. Juco guy coming in at Dline/OLB. 6'3 215 Saftey moving to the nickle/OLB position. Some pieces there, but you may be right. The defense might need to just hold on. Good news is Diaco has a track record of doing just that. I've got Purdue at around 7 wins, but we shall see.
I expected both teams to be bowl eligible going into the bucket game last year and was half right. I am still thinking both teams have at least 6 wins this year going to the bucket game this year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
I expected both teams to be bowl eligible going into the bucket game last year and was half right. I am still thinking both teams have at least 6 wins this year going to the bucket game this year.
That's what I said last year as well. Not sure we would have been wrong with so many injuries to Purdue and a couple games go to opposite way.

I was looking at the Minnesota schedule vs the Purdue schedule last night. Last year Minnesota was 6-1 and Purdue was 2-4 in games decided by 7 points or less. Purdue lost a couple player's, whereas Minnesota loses their defense and best WR. I'd argue Purdue's schedule was more difficult as well. So I'm still not sure what to expect from Minny, but I think calling them west contenders is premature. What's your thoughts? Indiana was 3-2 in games decided by 7 or less.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TMFT and vesuvius13
That's what I said last year as well. Not sure we would have been wrong with so many injuries to Purdue and a couple games go to opposite way.

I was looking at the Minnesota schedule vs the Purdue schedule last night. Last year Minnesota was 6-1 and Purdue was 2-4 in games decided by 7 points or less. Purdue lost a couple player's, whereas Minnesota loses their defense and best WR. I'd argue Purdue's schedule was more difficult as well. So I'm still not sure what to expect from Minny, but I think calling them west contenders is premature. What's your thoughts? Indiana was 3-2 in games decided by 7 or less.
Minnesota was good definitely got lucky. If I were betting win totals I would take the under on Minnesota this year. PU was unlucky, but won't get much sympathy from IU fans there. We have had our share of bad luck.

I like our nonconference approach more than what PU is doing right now though. I don't care how we get there, until there is repated success, get to a bowl game in any way possible. We have the BIG East gauntlet, and in the last few years crossover with Wisconsin (twice) and Iowa.

PU nonconference schedule has no guaranteed wins, just a bunch of winnable games. Throw in a crossover with UM and bucket game in Bloomington, that's not going to be easy.
 
That's what I said last year as well. Not sure we would have been wrong with so many injuries to Purdue and a couple games go to opposite way.

I was looking at the Minnesota schedule vs the Purdue schedule last night. Last year Minnesota was 6-1 and Purdue was 2-4 in games decided by 7 points or less. Purdue lost a couple player's, whereas Minnesota loses their defense and best WR. I'd argue Purdue's schedule was more difficult as well. So I'm still not sure what to expect from Minny, but I think calling them west contenders is premature. What's your thoughts? Indiana was 3-2 in games decided by 7 or less.

I think IU & PU were in the same boat last year and will be this year where they, depending on the way the ball bounces, could win 4 games or they could win 10. Like you said, last year IU did well historically in the winnable games and PU was snake bit by the slow start & injuries.

I for one would be thrilled if the Bucket Game featured two teams coming in at 9-2.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
Minnesota was good definitely got lucky. If I were betting win totals I would take the under on Minnesota this year. PU was unlucky, but won't get much sympathy from IU fans there. We have had our share of bad luck.

I like our nonconference approach more than what PU is doing right now though. I don't care how we get there, until there is repated success, get to a bowl game in any way possible. We have the BIG East gauntlet, and in the last few years crossover with Wisconsin (twice) and Iowa.

PU nonconference schedule has no guaranteed wins, just a bunch of winnable games. Throw in a crossover with UM and bucket game in Bloomington, that's not going to be easy.
Ya. Boston college is the closest thing to a gimmie Purdue has in non-conference. And the west is catching the east fast in toughness (I know, probably not a popular opinion, but I don't think the east was really that much better than the west. It's OSU and a bunch of other teams in the big ten. East will always be tougher because they have OSU). One would think that playing those tough games last year would really help the youth in the long run, but who knows. I'm excited, but prepared for disappointment. Defense has to take a step. They have a good DC now, but can he turn it around in year 1 with some obvious holes?
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
This might be a bad question, but how big of a loss do you think Deboer will be for iu? He really seemed to have gotten the offense clicking.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesuvius13
This might be a bad question, but how big of a loss do you think Deboer will be for iu? He really seemed to have gotten the offense clicking.
I think it's really up in the air at the moment. We definitely lost a known quantity that was VERY good at his job. Sheridan is an unknown quantity, so it's not a sure thing that it'll be a step back, it's just that no one has any idea how he'll do with the absence of a track record. Hopefully he learned a lot last year and can implement his own touches on the offense.

To be fair though, and as much as we all loved Deboer and what he did, the running game wasn't where it should've been last season. So if Sheridan can get that portion of the offense picked up and come remotely close to what Deboer did with the passing game, it could be an effective offense.

The biggest thing to Sheridan's benefit this year is that he's going to have some talented horses with experience to run with across pretty much the whole offense.
 
This might be a bad question, but how big of a loss do you think Deboer will be for iu? He really seemed to have gotten the offense clicking.

Is the state of California even going to play college football this year? DeBoer may be looking at a year off at the rate things are going.

I see that Ohio State is returning to practice on June 9 but McRobbie said something about mid-June for IU?

Some of these schools may get an extra week of practice and you know it will be the schools like OSU that make sure they do so.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.es...g-schools-decide-athletes-return?platform=amp
 
Is the state of California even going to play college football this year? DeBoer may be looking at a year off at the rate things are going.

I see that Ohio State is returning to practice on June 9 but McRobbie said something about mid-June for IU?

Some of these schools may get an extra week of practice and you know it will be the schools like OSU that make sure they do so.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29210227/sources-big-ten-letting-schools-decide-athletes-return?platform=amp
I have a feeling you will see the NCAA mandate a practice time of 6 weeks leading up to the first game. Reporting doesn't mean practice from what I understand. It means weights and film study.

I'd also guess California plays football. With everyday that passes, this thing seems to get less and less dangerous due to research, knowledge, drugs etc. Seem to be on the verge of a vaccine as well. Now fans in stadiums will be limited to a small amount. If there isn't a spike in the next couple weeks, I'd say we are good to go.

I'm living my life as though there will be a full college football season. I think Purdue is reporting soon, but won't actually start team meetings and stuff until later.
 
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT