IUFB Spring Practice starts March 5

[TomEric4756]

Indiana head coach Tom Allen announced on Wednesday that the Hoosiers will open spring practice on March 5th

https://hoosierhuddle.com/hoosier-b...s-iu-to-get-back-to-the-fundamentals/2022/2/3

The return to fundamentals will focus on takeaways, toughness on offense.
I think the first two deep depth chart will be particularly interesting for OL, LB, and DL.

 

[vesuvius13]

Football will start soon for the new IUFB team. I hope they run open practices so reporters can do stories letting us know what players are standing out, how practices are going, and the overall tenor of practice.

 

[ElMeson]

There’s been rumors that there will not be a spring game and the fact that it was not mentioned is interesting.

 

[DANC]

There’s been rumors that there will not be a spring game and the fact that it was not mentioned is interesting.

That would suck. I always looked forward to the Spring game. Great excuse to go to Btown.

 

[IndyIUFan66]

Trend over last few years has been less and less of a spring game type activity, more of a controlled practice scrimmage. Until we are back bowling and rolling I’d just assume not risking injuries and let them squeeze every ounce of practice time they can get for improving.

 

[oldcougar77]

Trend over last few years has been less and less of a spring game type activity, more of a controlled practice scrimmage. Until we are back bowling and rolling I’d just assume not risking injuries and let them squeeze every ounce of practice time they can get for improving.

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.

 

[DANC]

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.

Well, it actually IS practice. At a minimum, it's practicing game-day situations, which is something they should be doing.

It's a 'game' only in the sense that it's a practice game.

 

[TomEric4756]

Spring Practice Q&A quote

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/vid...oach-tom-allen-previews-2022-spring-practice/

In terms of your early enrollees, how are they meshing with the kind of program that you want to run, and who has kind of stuck out to you in terms of who got here in January?

TOM ALLEN: Yeah, I’ll tell you what, we did some things different to help accommodate that and expedite that. “Build” is our one word for 2022, and part of the reason for that choice was understanding the number of new guys that we were going to be bringing in to our program in January, which is 19, which is a record number, so how do you get those 19 guys gelling and meshing as a team, because the best team is the one that wins on game day.

That’s our whole goal for the spring is to leave as a better football team.

Right now we’ve had accountability teams, so this last couple years the accountability groups were really more by position, and so now it’s been by just a meshing of positions. Cross-positional, cross-class, so you’ve got guys from all different grade levels in those accountability teams. You’ve got coaches working with guys that aren’t necessarily even on their side of the football. You’ve got guys mixed together, offense, defense, special teams on the different accountability teams.

It’s been really good. They’ve been doing activities together, holding each other accountable. You have things you’ve got to do that creates communication.

 

[TomEric4756]

Nice Rundown of the Spring QB Roster … 1st Practice Tomorrow

https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/s...s-5-quarterbacks-wide-open-spring/9359268002/

All five are learning a new offense, and they seem to like it so far. New offensive coordinator Walt Bell runs a spread system like Nick Sheridan, but there will be more of an emphasis on tempo and inside run.

"We're going to be uptempo and play fast," Bazelak said. "We're going to throw the ball down field when we need to. We're going to run the ball. ... Not allow defenses to get into a lot of exotic coverages and blitzes and just simplify the game."

Allen will spend the spring evaluating who bests runs that offense, but he also wants to see how they run the team internally, and that might ultimately determine who he decides is quarterback.

"Whoever becomes the starting quarterback has to win the locker room, and the guys' belief in them," Allen said. "...You can't manufacture that. It has to be authentic and real from the players."

 

[CC Mac]

They didn’t bring Bazelak in to hold a clipboard.He’s not the second coming of Joe Montana but if he’s not the starter come this fall,it’s gonna be another long season.

 

[76-1]

They didn’t bring Bazelak in to hold a clipboard.He’s not the second coming of Joe Montana but if he’s not the starter come this fall,it’s gonna be another long season.

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....

 

[IndyIUFan66]

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...we

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....

People don’t always love Tuttle, and he has had both good moments and frustrating moments along the way. But I think Leadership wise he is strong. Think he has a good arm. Just think he has needed a few tweaks and better line play.

I still don’t think you become an under armpit elite QB without real skills. So I’m not counting him out.

But for Mizzou kid to be SEC Freshman of year, that’s pretty impressive too.

And five McCully some coaching and his first spring practice - he could show growth.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Dexter, a great athlete from Georgia may have good talent.

Het the OL shaped up and we may have talent at QB to win some games!

 

[vesuvius13]

If Bell is a better QB coach and OC then we really don't know what the returning QBs can do. There was a vast difference in Penix and Ramsey when DeBoer was coaching them compared to when Sheridan coached them the year before and Penix the year after DeBoer left.

 

[td75]

I would put my money on the kid from Missouri winning the QB job. He obviously played a lot of snaps at Missouri and had success in his time there.

Hopefully Bell can juice the offense up, definitely needs a lot of work. I would think the defense might be a bit better this year due to Tom Allen calling the defense. McFadden's replacement needs to be a good player as well...that's a HUGE loss.

 

[TomEric4756]

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...we

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....

Any QB with Peyton’s moxie and a big arm would be a big plus.

FWIW. Anyone griping about a graduating senior, who expects to sit, taking a grad. season at another institution is not being realistic. Peyton bet on himself, won the starting job at NU, and was rewarded with 3rd Team, all Big Ten honors. Ramsey acted in his best interest, and should be appreciated for his contributions to IUFB success without reservation. Peyton is sixth in career total offense at IU with over 6,000 yards.

 

[MMcCormick]

The offense certainly is off to a weird start. Bell is a run option guy and they brought in a quarterback who can't run. The running backs coach left, then the receivers coach. There is no way the offense can be worse than last year. But the jury is sure out on Bell. Was a strange hire, and everything has been a little strange since the hire. I am hoping he's wildly successful.

 

[vesuvius13]

The offense certainly is off to a weird start. Bell is a run option guy and they brought in a quarterback who can't run. The running backs coach left, then the receivers coach. There is no way the offense can be worse than last year. But the jury is sure out on Bell. Was a strange hire, and everything has been a little strange since the hire. I am hoping he's wildly successful.

I hope he runs two RBs at times and uses misdirection and not the offense that was run before. If he runs the offense he did before it will cause problems for defenses but if coach Allen wants he to run what offense they did before I don't have much hope for this season.

 

[82hoosier]

The 6-1 season had 4 days of spring football. Just saying....

 

[Hoosier Clarion]

From the announcement I was never comfortable with Sheridan @ OC or returning to coach the QB's. I don't figure he had yet earned the respect from offensive position coaches nor the organizational experience to impact game day results in IU's favor. Always suspect of his skills to coach QB'S to achieve let alone develop and overachieve.
Bell has been hired too many times for OC responsibilities not to have some offensive coaching skills to be head and shoulders above NS. Also will have the full attention of newly hired assistants not holding preconceived experience from last season.

 

[TomEric4756]

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.

 

[DANC]

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.

That is great to hear. I'm gong to hold my optimism, though, until the first real game.

We've had a lot of smoke blown up our ass before. But the fact Bell is personally taking an interest in the running game is music to my ears. Seems like he's like Wilson in that respect, and he had some good running teams.

Get a running game going, and it's going to open up a lot of things.

 

[oldcougar77]

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.

I think by doing it this way we will also find out definitively about Coach Hiller's competence. If his position group can elevate its play, everything about our offense will be much improved (and we likely find out that Hiller was not as much the problem as the OC). If Bell decides that Hiller is not up to the task, I think it will force TA to make a change there.

 

[DANC]

I think by doing it this way we will also find out definitively about Coach Hiller's competence. If his position group can elevate its play, everything about our offense will be much improved (and we likely find out that Hiller was not as much the problem as the OC). If Bell decides that Hiller is not up to the task, I think it will force TA to make a change there.

I've said all along I think the real decision on Hiller will be made after Spring practice.

 

[td75]

That is great to hear. I'm gong to hold my optimism, though, until the first real game.

We've had a lot of smoke blown up our ass before. But the fact Bell is personally taking an interest in the running game is music to my ears. Seems like he's like Wilson in that respect, and he had some good running teams.

Get a running game going, and it's going to open up a lot of things.

I agree, tempering expectations sucks, but it's where this program finds itself. All of the transfers, coaching moves, etc., certainly concern me as well.

 

[Hoosier Clarion]

I welcome the approach Bell takes as an OC totally in charge installing his offense. He wears no blinders and won't be fooled by smoke and mirrors evaluation from any position coach. Wilson indeed involved much the same with his offense. That worked out pretty good by scoring points. If he's impressing Coach Allen he's got something on the ball.

 

[Hoosiers Rising]

So when is the Spring game?

 

[TMFT]

Any QB with Peyton’s moxie and a big arm would be a big plus.

FWIW. Anyone griping about a graduating senior, who expects to sit, taking a grad. season at another institution is not being realistic. Peyton bet on himself, won the starting job at NU, and was rewarded with 3rd Team, all Big Ten honors. Ramsey acted in his best interest, and should be appreciated for his contributions to IUFB success without reservation. Peyton is sixth in career total offense at IU with over 6,000 yards.

Speaking of Ramsey & Spring games, this is the Spring Game from his RS-Fr year. Skip ahead to 22:43 and see what I saw then when I knew he was best "football player" they had at the QB position. A real sneak peak of what we were going to see from him for the next three years.

 

[lUCX9]

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.

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.

 

[iubud]

That is great to hear. I'm gong to hold my optimism, though, until the first real game.

We've had a lot of smoke blown up our ass before. But the fact Bell is personally taking an interest in the running game is music to my ears. Seems like he's like Wilson in that respect, and he had some good running teams.

Get a running game going, and it's going to open up a lot of things.

I have little optimism going into this year. I don't see any area where we are better than last year. Late departures in the staff is a big problem. Who are our receivers? Who is our stud running back? Where did the line get better?

I may sound negative, but I am being realistic this year. It will take a perfect storm for this team to show improvement.We have to have near perfect health. Something we are not good at.

 

[DANC]

I have little optimism going into this year. I don't see any area where we are better than last year. Late departures in the staff is a big problem. Who are our receivers? Who is our stud running back? Where did the line get better?

I may sound negative, but I am being realistic this year. It will take a perfect storm for this team to show improvement.We have to have near perfect health. Something we are not good at.

I think the team needed to be blown up after last year. On paper, we have competent coaches and upgrades in HS recruits and portal transfers.

I'm not that optimistic - I just don't see how we can be as bad as we were last year.

 

[Big Red Crimson Buffalo]

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.

BINGO!!

Now folks understand the MCollough departure. This was the reason. By all accounts, however, Bell is a bright offensive mind. DMC, not so much. He was never going to be qualified enough to to assume a coordinator role here. Allen knew the mistake made with Sheridan. He wasn’t going to repeat that with DMC. It’s one thing to want to move up and have ambition. It’s another to actually have the qualifications

 

[IndyIUFan66]

That is great to hear. I'm gong to hold my optimism, though, until the first real game.

We've had a lot of smoke blown up our ass before. But the fact Bell is personally taking an interest in the running game is music to my ears. Seems like he's like Wilson in that respect, and he had some good running teams.

Get a running game going, and it's going to open up a lot of things.

I have little optimism going into this year. I don't see any area where we are better than last year. Late departures in the staff is a big problem. Who are our receivers? Who is our stud running back? Where did the line get better?

I may sound negative, but I am being realistic this year. It will take a perfect storm for this team to show improvement.We have to have near perfect health. Something we are not good at.

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.).

 

[Fenny72]

Seems that Bell is very hands on and super involved.

I think it makes a lot of sense for the new OC to want to be involved in everything. His name is on the offense, I can see him wanting to make sure the offense was going to be exactly how he wanted it, especially after it was so bad last year. Not like he was trying to mess with a good thing, but can see experienced coaches not liking the micro managing.

If the offense succeeds, Bell gets the credit, if it fails, Bell gets the blame. Not just year 1, at least 2 years, with all the new skill positions.

 

[TMFT]

I think it makes a lot of sense for the new OC to want to be involved in everything. His name is on the offense, I can see him wanting to make sure the offense was going to be exactly how he wanted it, especially after it was so bad last year. Not like he was trying to mess with a good thing, but can see experienced coaches not liking the micro managing.

If the offense succeeds, Bell gets the credit, if it fails, Bell gets the blame. Not just year 1, at least 2 years, with all the new skill positions.

There has to be a sense of urgency with Bell too. He's bounced around a bunch and if he doesn't do something at IU I'm afraid his career trajectory will be going in the wrong direction.

 

[Walt542]

There has to be a sense of urgency with Bell too. He's bounced around a bunch and if he doesn't do something at IU I'm afraid his career trajectory will be going in the wrong direction.

Yes, it agree he has got to be pretty hungry to have a positive experience here and quickly.

 

[lUCX9]

I think it makes a lot of sense for the new OC to want to be involved in everything. His name is on the offense, I can see him wanting to make sure the offense was going to be exactly how he wanted it, especially after it was so bad last year. Not like he was trying to mess with a good thing, but can see experienced coaches not liking the micro managing.

If the offense succeeds, Bell gets the credit, if it fails, Bell gets the blame. Not just year 1, at least 2 years, with all the new skill positions.

Agreed. The position coaches are all going to have to be OK to being told how to do their jobs and to teach things the way Bell wants them taught. They are just going to have to be ok with that.

It seems to me that Heard and DMC could not deal with that. Hopefully the new coaches, despite being successful NFL coaching veterans used to doing things a certain way, with success, will accept that Bell will get his hands on everything.

 

[lUCX9]

There has to be a sense of urgency with Bell too. He's bounced around a bunch and if he doesn't do something at IU I'm afraid his career trajectory will be going in the wrong direction.

Yes, it agree he has got to be pretty hungry to have a positive experience here and quickly.

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?

 

[TMFT]

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?

I think he gets '22 & '23 unless '22 is an absolute repeat of this last season's futility. CTA's contract buys him at least a couple more years before his seat significantly heats up. And the buyout will be severe enough that if it goes in that direction the recruiting classes will start going seriously downhill fast and will be a pretty bad string of years. I don't think it will though because if CTA has shown anything it's that he can field a competitive defense.

A consistently mediocre offense would win games and get to bowls. Just looking back at last year, Cinci & MSU were extremely winnable. PSU should've been at least a close game if the offense had shown up. Maryland, Rutgers, Minny, & PU should've been close/winnable, although by that point in the year the defense was so beat up they weren't doing much to help the cause. There is no reason IU shouldn't have been able to win 4 of these 7 games and get to a bowl.

 

[Charlesroast]

BINGO!!

Now folks understand the MCollough departure. This was the reason. By all accounts, however, Bell is a bright offensive mind. DMC, not so much. He was never going to be qualified enough to to assume a coordinator role here. Allen knew the mistake made with Sheridan. He wasn’t going to repeat that with DMC. It’s one thing to want to move up and have ambition. It’s another to actually have the qualifications

While stated as a series of facts this strikes me as a series of opinions. As such I am reminded of an observation a wise man shared with me years ago: Opinions are like a certain body orifice, everyone has one and most of them stink. IMO DMC desires to be a head coach and IMO the path to that goal is much clearer from RB Coach at ND than IU. IMO DMC will be a head coach within a few years, perhaps at IU. I do not know DMC personally, but do know he has had a compelling life story and experienced success at many levels of football, certainly much much more than I.

 

[Charlesroast]

I think he gets '22 & '23 unless '22 is an absolute repeat of this last season's futility. CTA's contract buys him at least a couple more years before his seat significantly heats up. And the buyout will be severe enough that if it goes in that direction the recruiting classes will start going seriously downhill fast and will be a pretty bad string of years. I don't think it will though because if CTA has shown anything it's that he can field a competitive defense.

A consistently mediocre offense would win games and get to bowls. Just looking back at last year, Cinci & MSU were extremely winnable. PSU should've been at least a close game if the offense had shown up. Maryland, Rutgers, Minny, & PU should've been close/winnable, although by that point in the year the defense was so beat up they weren't doing much to help the cause. There is no reason IU shouldn't have been able to win 4 of these 7 games and get to a bowl.

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.