IUFB Spring Practice starts March 5

[Hoosiers47614]

How much time does Bell get? Does he get the benefit of the doubt in 2022, even if the offense is bad, and he gets 2023? Is that also Allen's crucible?

Frankly, I see this season as more or less a free one for the coaching staff, so long as we don't completely bottom out again. With all the turnover and new faces, I'd call 4-8 or 5-7 an acceptable performance given the circumstances, even if obviously not ideal. 3-9 would be worrisome, but still not completely disastrous in a way that should threaten Allen or the new faces. People like Hiller and other old assistants who are still around, though, absolutely need to be out at that point.

2-10 (or worse, I guess), without just getting killed by injuries again, and I think things get iffy for the new coordinators because I struggle to see it happening without one or both of them just being awful. In my mind, Allen should be near-totally safe for at least the next two years on the basis of what he does off the field alone. IU can't afford to give up the quality of recruits he is able to bring here, and his apparent pull with NFL-tenured assistants, unless and until the results on the field make it ABSOLUTELY necessary. And that won't be this year.

 

[DANC]

Skepticism about the offense is fair. Same OL players and coach - hmm. WR- new guys plus return of 2 injured players & FR - TBD at best. RB - transfers, TBD. TE -Hope Barner comes into his own and good FR recruits can produce. TBD. QB - think talent there but also TBD how they do (and how OL does.)

But on defense - I like this team a lot. DB’s - a TON of experience returning and better depth with good young talent in depth chart. LBs- Main starter back in Cam, 2 good looking transfers and some good returning players + 2 good looking FR. DL - 3 solid P5 transfers in, Sio + Demarcus Elliott (5), 3-4 returning pure DE’s, and some good looking FR including Dasan McC!

If offense can’t score it could lead to a demotivated team like last year. But if they can be say 25% better, the IU D could then win them some games next year. (Think MSU game, held them to like 10 pts, but offense had a pick 6 and only scored about 13 pts and we lost.).

I think our Defense will be OK, but it's disturbing how they fell apart when McFadden had to go out for a half.

 

[ElMeson]

IMO there are similarities between the 21 schedule and 22. Illinois is not Iowa but the will have played a game and have many offensive contributors returning. I felt that the key game in 21 was UC, so much so that I would have preferred easing Penix into the starting role slowly through the first 3 games rather than put so much focus on the Iowa game. Nonetheless the UC game was winnable and IMO turned on a couple of unfortunate plays. UC lost some playmakers and this game should be winnable as well, I think going to Nebraska 2-2 is a recipe for a bad year.

It’s not going to be a popular opinion but I think Nebraska wins the West or be right there. They upgraded at QB and I believe every loss last year was a TD or less. They will definitely not be a team to over look.

 

[Champs1976]

IU’s run-oriented OC, Walt Bell is installing the run offense, himself.
CTA, says it’s the first time one of his OC’s has done that. (Really!)
Different has to be better than retrying the past two years of low YPR.
Let’s hope Wilt’s progress with the front seven is viewed as positively.

https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2022/3/8/football-quoted-spring-practice-two.aspx

CTA on inside run installation

On what he and Walt Bell talk about coming out of spring practice with...
TA: …

And, just putting his (Bell’s) entire personality on our run game. I have not had a coordinator since I have been here that has been this involved in the run game. In just the way he approaches it and teaches everything. It has been really good. He is super involved on inside run, he has a high level of energy and attention to detail. He is extremely bright and just understands [the whole offense]. He could coach every position on that side of the ball, which is a really rare thing to have. I have really been impressed with that.

I think that vision that he has for what we are trying to do on that side of the football, it is multiple things he is trying to get accomplished. Overall, you are trying to get the guys -- it is really, I think the difference between day one and day two was obvious. The speed with which we were doing things and the execution on offense and the knowledge they have gained in the last 48 hours, because we didn't practice the next day, I thought was huge.

He was one of the ones, and Coach [Darren] Hiller, that came to me and said it would be wise if we did it this way this year because of some of the things we are doing different. I think that was good and I think he has a vision for that. And, with him being able to be so involved with the receivers right now has kind of sped up their learning curve and the things he wants to see them do and their reads and different things we are doing with that, which has been really super positive. Then, obviously, with the running backs and a new coach there, it has been pretty seamless. …

[Walt] is a huge part of that, and every single coach on that side of the football. We just have to keep working and just keep getting a little bit better every day.

Very scary for Allen to be taking any advice at all from the clearly incompetent Hiller. Hopefully Bell knows how to coach offensive linement because his position coach doesn't have a clue. BTW, CTA said good things about Charlton Warren originally also. Warren's past record as a DC at Air Force was underwhelming to say the least, not sure Bell's past is quite as bad as Warren's was, but for me the jury is out on Bell.

I honestly feel bad for Bell because what he really needs is an outstanding OL coach and he doesn't even have a mediocre one.If bell can create a functioning offense that can score 24-27 points per game with an average YPA for the running game at 3.7 or higher with the OL coach he has, he will be a genius in my book.

 

[TMFT]

Very scary for Allen to be taking any advice at all from the clearly incompetent Hiller. Hopefully Bell knows how to coach offensive linement because his position coach doesn't have a clue. BTW, CTA said good things about Charlton Warren originally also. Warren's past record as a DC at Air Force was underwhelming to say the least, not sure Bell's past is quite as bad as Warren's was, but for me the jury is out on Bell.

I honestly feel bad for Bell because what he really needs is an outstanding OL coach and he doesn't even have a mediocre one.If bell can create a functioning offense that can score 24-27 points per game with an average YPA for the running game at 3.7 or higher with the OL coach he has, he will be a genius in my book.

Bad comparison to Warren. Warren put out a good defense this season until injuries depleted the secondary in the second half of the year.

 

[DANC]

Bad comparison to Warren. Warren put out a good defense this season until injuries depleted the secondary in the second half of the year.

It was just a bad post overall.

 

[i'vegotwinners]

i first knew we were in big trouble last yr, when the first thing i read long before the season was that the offense was going to be run oriented.

now i'm reading that again, and my reaction is the same.

what century are these guys living in????.

 

[i'vegotwinners]

could we please have less info on how things are going.

there's no way i could ever read through all the stories on who's looking good in practice, how each QB is doing, who's looking like a breakout new guy, etc, because there are just way way too many, and they are just way way too information packed.

and could we please have much less info on the spring game, or if there is even going to be one, as the total massive onslaught of information there is just way too overwhelming as well.

perhaps i should find a website that isn't TOTALLY DEVOTED to IU fball and bball, that doesn't just over bombard me with massive wanted info overkill.

 

[lUCX9]

could we please have less info on how things are going.

there's no way i could ever read through all the stories on who's looking good in practice, how each QB is doing, who's looking like a breakout new guy, etc, because there are just way way too many, and they are just way way too information packed.

and could we please have much less info on the spring game, or if there is even going to be one, as the total massive onslaught of information there is just way too overwhelming as well.

perhaps i should find a website that isn't TOTALLY DEVOTED to IU fball and bball, that doesn't just over bombard me with massive wanted info overkill.

Yeahhhh.... no.

Give me all the information so I can psychoanalyze every minute detail, make speculative leaps spanning the Grand Canyon, and hope and pine for an IU football program that never experiences a losing season ever again. Maybe a couple B1G championships and a natty.

 

[jsenleo]

Yeahhhh.... no.

Give me all the information so I can psychoanalyze every minute detail, make speculative leaps spanning the Grand Canyon, and hope and pine for an IU football program that never experiences a losing season ever again. Maybe a couple B1G championships and a natty.

Really?... If you think it's worth the money to have had just one or two articles covering 12 days of spring ball, and with hardly any specifics.... then maybe you should stay on the Bball forums.

I'm one of the few who are only here for the football and the lack of coverage so far this spring is aggravating. I'vegotwinners makes a great point.

 

[lUCX9]

Really?... If you think it's worth the money to have had just one or two articles covering 12 days of spring ball, and with hardly any specifics.... then maybe you should stay on the Bball forums.

I'm one of the few who are only here for the football and the lack of coverage so far this spring is aggravating. I'vegotwinners makes a great point.

I was being sarcastic.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

As much as I enjoyed going to Bloomington for the spring game ( on the rare occasions when the weather wasn't completely shitty), I always felt it was high risk/low reward for IUFB. It would be different if there were 40,00 rabid fans willing to buy tickets and concessions but given the typical turnout, no reason to risk an injury and lose a day of practice.

The crap weather has definitely killed the Spring game, along with the establishment failure(or turf wars) to link the Spring game with Little 5 weekend.....

It just makes too much sense.....

Which has been a problem with IU for decades...

 

[vesuvius13]

I would like to see IU tie the Spring game to fit better with Little 500 weekend. It may be tough if coach Allen doesn't want a Spring game but if they could bring in 25K+ to the game, I think it would be a big selling point for the program to build the game up even more each year.

 

[jsenleo]

I was being sarcastic.

My apology... it didn't read that way.

 

[Mas-sa-suta]

The crap weather has definitely killed the Spring game, along with the establishment failure(or turf wars) to link the Spring game with Little 5 weekend.....

It just makes too much sense.....

Which has been a problem with IU for decades...

Spring Game story;
Coach Hep's first season, about 4 or 5 guys with a minimal grill setup..
SuperHoosier, Daydreamer, my buddy Salvatore(RIP), maybe 7 max...
Rather cool and the burgers were on the grill when this Chrome and Crimson golf cart rolls up, and out hops Coach Hep..
He's shakin' hands, bantering with everyone
and answers a couple of questions. I asked him something about 'how good was James Hardy?"

Hey answered;' Oh, James Hardy..I'd buy stock in him if I could'!"

Great guy, great loss

As is the loss of James..

 

[DANC]

Really?... If you think it's worth the money to have had just one or two articles covering 12 days of spring ball, and with hardly any specifics.... then maybe you should stay on the Bball forums.

I'm one of the few who are only here for the football and the lack of coverage so far this spring is aggravating. I'vegotwinners makes a great point.

Besides the one on his head.....

 

[76-1]

Spring Game story;
Coach Hep's first season, about 4 or 5 guys with a minimal grill setup..
SuperHoosier, Daydreamer, my buddy Salvatore(RIP), maybe 7 max...
Rather cool and the burgers were on the grill when this Chrome and Crimson golf cart rolls up, and out hops Coach Hep..
He's shakin' hands, bantering with everyone
and answers a couple of questions. I asked him something about 'how good was James Hardy?"

Hey answered;' Oh, James Hardy..I'd buy stock in him if I could'!"

Great guy, great loss

As is the loss of James..

Bill Mallory used to something similar at "Pancakes & Pigskins"... He would walk the line and say hello... Another who's Really missed..

 

[DANC]

Bill Mallory used to something similar at "Pancakes & Pigskins"... He walk the line and say hello... Another who's Really missed..

It's just inconceivable to me that there isn't something the fans can attend for Spring practice.

 

[76-1]

It's just inconceivable to me that there isn't something the fans can attend for Spring practice.

Yeh..., I can understand the thought about limiting injuries but perhaps some type of "Combine" scenario could be set up..., along with the young kids Skills Training stuff they used to have along with a meet & greet hot dog dinner routine for the kids...

These guys seem to work at missing what amounts to cheap (when looked at as cost vs return) marketing of the type that builds the fan base for decades into the future...

I've always been baffled that a University with one of the finest Business Schools in the country can't come up with more imaginative and aggressive marketing for Football than they have over the years... 😣

 

[td75]

The lack of spring coverage is pitiful. I'm seriously considering opting out of membership here after 20 years.

 

[lUCX9]

My apology... it didn't read that way.

No problem. I thought the part about an undefeated IUFB, a couple B1G, and a national championship gleaned from the microscopic coverage was pretty sarcastic. But maybe not. Haha.

 

[Walt542]

The lack of spring coverage is pitiful. I'm seriously considering opting out of membership here after 20 years.

Well, maybe give them a little break. There has only been 3 practices and none since spring break started. IU is not allowing the press into any of the practices when they do have them. I would think that when spring practices start back up next week we will have a little more to read about the team.

 

[Champs1976]

It was just a bad post overall.

How so? You a Hiller fan? Hiller's O lines have been atrocious.

You think all of those points scored on IU last year was the sign of a good defense? Injuries and TOs are an excuse. Warren was such a great DC that other schools wanted him as a DC? Not! His previous job wasn't as a DC and the job he took leaving IU wasn't as a DC.

You have gifted insight as to Bell's offense? Based on what? Pretty spotty record as an OC.

 

[i'vegotwinners]

Spring Game story;
Coach Hep's first season, about 4 or 5 guys with a minimal grill setup..
SuperHoosier, Daydreamer, my buddy Salvatore(RIP), maybe 7 max...
Rather cool and the burgers were on the grill when this Chrome and Crimson golf cart rolls up, and out hops Coach Hep..
He's shakin' hands, bantering with everyone
and answers a couple of questions. I asked him something about 'how good was James Hardy?"

Hey answered;' Oh, James Hardy..I'd buy stock in him if I could'!"

Great guy, great loss

As is the loss of James..

a few months back i watched a bit of one of IU's "classics" old games on the B10 Network.

James Hardy was playing.

not only did he look on a whole different universe ability wise than any receiver on our team in recent yrs, but better than any wide receiver i've seen in the B10 recently.

that said, IU used to actually court and be appreciative of fans, both fball and bball, even when season tics were sold out in bball.

now they act like they are paying us a huge favor just allowing us to be fans, despite the small fortune we pay to attend games and even watch on tv.. (we probably pay north of $300 bucks a yr for tv to get IU bball and fball now, once you factor in your pay tv/streaming costs for the over 10 channels you have to subscribe to to get IU games, since conferences all part out the car now as the only way they'll sell it).

and if the IU Corporation administration doesn't like the characterization of acting like they are doing us some huge favor just allowing us to be fans, then they perhaps can quit acting precisely that way.

the more money IU administrators and coaching staffs get from fans, (which is now off the charts, and funded by fans), the more entitled and bigger dicks they become.

i remember the days of open scrimmages, recruit games, spring games, (often part of Little 5 weekend), high level exibition games, practice not being treated like you're violating a nuclear facility, the Knot Hole Club, nobody caring if i carried my McDonalds cup into MS on a hot day, actual coverage of practices and who was looking good, free parking in the grass lots, not ticketing cars parked in lots of IU buildings that weren't even open on game day, coaches' tv shows in both fball and bball, and reasonable ticket prices.

 

[Big Red Crimson Buffalo]

Now I see why coaches might have left. Seems that Bell is very hands on and super involved. Perhaps DMC and Heard did not like that (micro managing?) Some people are ok with bosses that micro manage, some are not. Hopefully the new coaches know what they are coming into and are willing to fit in the best way they can.

Bell needs to be very, very hands-on. Good for him. DMC left and he didn’t know how to keep an RB room together. Heard needed guidance and he’s gone. Hiller needs a chaperone 24/7.
I hope Bell micromanages the shit out of that unit. It was a disaster under the guy who had limited experience. Bell has actually run a college football program. Now, he wasn’t successful but nobody is up there.
The very irony in all of this was that when Bell was at FSU, he was the OC but was very transparent about the fact that Taggert called all the plays. He “managed” the unit but Willie was the guy calling every single play.
This is not unusual. Allen will call the defense. Many head coaches call their “specialty” and also have a coordinator.

 

[lUCX9]

Bell needs to be very, very hands-on. Good for him. DMC left and he didn’t know how to keep an RB room together. Heard needed guidance and he’s gone. Hiller needs a chaperone 24/7.
I hope Bell micromanages the shit out of that unit. It was a disaster under the guy who had limited experience. Bell has actually run a college football program. Now, he wasn’t successful but nobody is up there.
The very irony in all of this was that when Bell was at FSU, he was the OC but was very transparent about the fact that Taggert called all the plays. He “managed” the unit but Willie was the guy calling every single play.
This is not unusual. Allen will call the defense. Many head coaches call their “specialty” and also have a coordinator.

As long as everyone knows that's how its going to be and fit in as best as they can.

 

[Big Red Crimson Buffalo]

As long as everyone knows that's how its going to be and fit in as best as they can.

I think they know the deal. It’s Allen and Bell calling the shots. When Allen hired his DC from Minnesota, he made it clear that he (Allen) will be calling the shots on defense. I think he realizes that when he let go of the defensive duties and let Warren have free reign, it lost our identity. That was a disaster. Especially as the season wore on.

 

[lUCX9]

I think they know the deal. It’s Allen and Bell calling the shots. When Allen hired his DC from Minnesota, he made it clear that he (Allen) will be calling the shots on defense. I think he realizes that when he let go of the defensive duties and let Warren have free reign, it lost our identity. That was a disaster. Especially as the season wore on.

Defensively, I would prefer Allen to let go of play calling duties like with Wommack. It allowed Allen to just be a Head Coach and build the program instead of worrying about the defense. I thought it worked out really well. The defense took a downturn in 21 because the offense was so bad and because of injuries.

 

[DANC]

Defensively, I would prefer Allen to let go of play calling duties like with Wommack. It allowed Allen to just be a Head Coach and build the program instead of worrying about the defense. I thought it worked out really well. The defense took a downturn in 21 because the offense was so bad and because of injuries.

If the new DC works well with Allen, I"m sure he'll get more responsibility.

Wommack was kept on a short leash his first year and he'd worked with Allen (and Wommack's dad) for years.

 

[76-1]

Well, maybe give them a little break. There has only been 3 practices and none since spring break started. IU is not allowing the press into any of the practices when they do have them. I would think that when spring practices start back up next week we will have a little more to read about the team.

Personally, I'm glad Allen is keeping the new installs under wraps...

The biggest (as in "key") game of the year may very well be the opener against Illinois... I'm for Not giving them any edge whatsoever... Keep em guessing till we run it on them...

I wouldn't mind reading individual progress "fluff" pieces on both players and new coaches, but I Don't want to read anything that might give intel to the opposition...

 

[vesuvius13]

Personally, I'm glad Allen is keeping the new installs under wraps...

The biggest (as in "key") game of the year may very well be the opener against Illinois... I'm for Not giving them any edge whatsoever... Keep em guessing till we run it on them...

I wouldn't mind reading individual progress "fluff" pieces on both players and new coaches, but I Don't want to read anything that might give intel to the opposition...

Illinois has plenty of film on Bell from U Mass and Maryland, I would bet even Arkansas State, as there are few mysteries in football with film available. If IU is thinking they are keeping things from Illinois I think they are mistaken. Even as a high school coach I tracked down enough film I could draw up the opponents play book - offense and defense. I just don't buy keeping new installs under wraps.

 

[IndyIUFan66]

If the new DC works well with Allen, I"m sure he'll get more responsibility.

Wommack was kept on a short leash his first year and he'd worked with Allen (and Wommack's dad) for years.

Agree. I think Allen sees a lot of himself in new DC, likey wants to get comfortable with him and could see him turn over the reigns to him in a year or two after they get comfortable with each other.

 

[Walt542]

Illinois has plenty of film on Bell from U Mass and Maryland, I would bet even Arkansas State, as there are few mysteries in football with film available. If IU is thinking they are keeping things from Illinois I think they are mistaken. Even as a high school coach I tracked down enough film I could draw up the opponents play book - offense and defense. I just don't buy keeping new installs under wraps.

Yes, but you might as well make them work for it. The other thing you cannot get from previous tape is the individual matchups ( possibly the returning starters are more evident). But speed, technique, strength will all change to some extent during spring practice.

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

Understand where you're coming from but if Tuttle learns to get the ball out just a little quicker he might just surprise us all...

I want to see who has "the Ramsey" factor...: Leadership and Toughness combined...
//((I don't usually care about guys who've transferred but his efforts in the Nebraska game made him a Hoosier for Life in my book))\\

If we find a guy with those qualities And a Big arm... Sky's the limit....

My uninformed opinion is that the release of both Penix and Tuttle last season was slower “on purpose” - that they were coached to look around and make a choice instead of whipping it out to the open option. I could be wrong … it could have been lack of open receivers. But it was slower and not as good.

 

[Hoosiers Rising]

Personally, I'm glad Allen is keeping the new installs under wraps...

The biggest (as in "key") game of the year may very well be the opener against Illinois... I'm for Not giving them any edge whatsoever... Keep em guessing till we run it on them...

I wouldn't mind reading individual progress "fluff" pieces on both players and new coaches, but I Don't want to read anything that might give intel to the opposition...

The flip side is keeping fans in the dark and not having a spring game to give the fans something other to think about besides 2-10. So if it doesn’t work……..

 

[76-1]

Illinois has plenty of film on Bell from U Mass and Maryland, I would bet even Arkansas State, as there are few mysteries in football with film available. If IU is thinking they are keeping things from Illinois I think they are mistaken. Even as a high school coach I tracked down enough film I could draw up the opponents play book - offense and defense. I just don't buy keeping new installs under wraps.

Let's hope he's added a few wrinkles... I'm still for doing anything that makes it tougher on them...

 

[76-1]

The flip side is keeping fans in the dark and not having a spring game to give the fans something other to think about besides 2-10. So if it doesn’t work……..

Personally, I'd do what I mentioned above And have a truncated (30 minutes - consisting of 2 - 15 min halves) Spring Game with 4th team and below only... ***

Give the guys that get fewer live reps by design their chance to show what they can do under live game conditions...

Have the top 2 guys coach them at a 2 to 1 ratio..., and the 3rd team guys work as Analyst support for the 1's & 2's... Team building... Get everyone involved and invested (with the usual steak for the winners and dogs for the losers)...

*** ((may have to play the 3's just to get full teams on both sides of the ball))

You're welcome T.A...,😉🍺

 

[DANC]

Personally, I'd do what I mentioned above And have a truncated (30 minutes - consisting of 2 - 15 min halves) Spring Game with 4th team and below only... Give the guys that get fewer live reps by design their chance to show what they can do under live game conditions...

Have the top 2 guys coach them at a 2 to 1 ratio..., and the 3rd team guys work as Analyst support for the 1's & 2's... Team building... Get everyone involved and invested (with the usual steak for the winners and dogs for the losers)...

You're welcome T.A...,😉🍺

Anything is better than nothing.

 

[76-1]

Anything is better than nothing.

Forgot to add: Have them run all Illinois stuff (just like they'd run on the scout team) so the tape would be worthless to the Illini 😉.

 

[76-1]

My uninformed opinion is that the release of both Penix and Tuttle last season was slower “on purpose” - that they were coached to look around and make a choice instead of whipping it out to the open option. I could be wrong … it could have been lack of open receivers. But it was slower and not as good.

Penix just seemed to get it out of his hand a lot quicker than Tuttle to me, as in, once he made a decision as to where it was going, bang it was out and on the way (but he had a true pro level release, so perhaps the comparison is unfair)...

If Tuttle can learn to get it out just a couple of tenths of a second second sooner (and get it where he wants it to go) I think he might really be onto something...