Improvement in the IU football program is not a simple "Wish list". Me wanting them to be good is not a recipie for success.
Several things have to happen for IU to be a success on the field.
1. Continued improvement in terms of recruiting. Speaking ONLY FOR MYSELF the Hoosiers have to ultimately become the "destination of choice" for IN STATE recruiting. The first time I did this informal survey was during the Mallory years when I did an in depth look at the TWO DEEPS of the top 4 or 5 teams in the Big Ten. In that survey I found about 15-18 kids playing regularly on those top tier teams.
That may have been a bit of an odd year, but I think 10 of those kids at IU would have made a potential big difference. IU needs to be getting these kids and not Michigan, OSU, MSU, Iowa, Northwestern, and Illinois (not so much lately)
2. Involvement of the student body. It's easy to say "Win" but if there is one thing I'll say positive about the University of Kentucky (and I don't usually) is that their fans (particularly the students) show up for football whether they are any good or not. UK probably is made up mostly of in state kids and not transplanted Easterners. I get that. But somehow IU has to get them to show up and STAY. Maybe an National Guard sweep through the residence halls fraternity/sorority row and march them to the stadium and lock the doors till the game ends. "I'll show you micro-aggressions kid.. Right here with my M-16. Now put down that cell phone and MOVE IT!!!".
3. I could waste 5 min typing something about the in game experience. But maybe winning does something for that.
So my BIGGEST HOPE for Coach Allen and why I think it's central to making this a good hire is simply back to point #1. Success at IN STATE RECRUITING. IU has tried the "local guy" approach to recruiting before. Mark Hagen was regarded as the "key" to unlocking IN STATE recruiting. I hope that Coach Allen brings dynamic enthusiasm and energy to recruiting for IU. I don't know what impact he can have in 2 weeks. But this MAY be a move more towards 2017 and beyond.
He may be more about Hunter Johnson, Caleb Jones, Britt Beery, Bryant Fitzgerald, R.J. Potts, and Pete Werner than anything right now.
So good luck to him. Go IU football.
Several things have to happen for IU to be a success on the field.
1. Continued improvement in terms of recruiting. Speaking ONLY FOR MYSELF the Hoosiers have to ultimately become the "destination of choice" for IN STATE recruiting. The first time I did this informal survey was during the Mallory years when I did an in depth look at the TWO DEEPS of the top 4 or 5 teams in the Big Ten. In that survey I found about 15-18 kids playing regularly on those top tier teams.
That may have been a bit of an odd year, but I think 10 of those kids at IU would have made a potential big difference. IU needs to be getting these kids and not Michigan, OSU, MSU, Iowa, Northwestern, and Illinois (not so much lately)
2. Involvement of the student body. It's easy to say "Win" but if there is one thing I'll say positive about the University of Kentucky (and I don't usually) is that their fans (particularly the students) show up for football whether they are any good or not. UK probably is made up mostly of in state kids and not transplanted Easterners. I get that. But somehow IU has to get them to show up and STAY. Maybe an National Guard sweep through the residence halls fraternity/sorority row and march them to the stadium and lock the doors till the game ends. "I'll show you micro-aggressions kid.. Right here with my M-16. Now put down that cell phone and MOVE IT!!!".
3. I could waste 5 min typing something about the in game experience. But maybe winning does something for that.
So my BIGGEST HOPE for Coach Allen and why I think it's central to making this a good hire is simply back to point #1. Success at IN STATE RECRUITING. IU has tried the "local guy" approach to recruiting before. Mark Hagen was regarded as the "key" to unlocking IN STATE recruiting. I hope that Coach Allen brings dynamic enthusiasm and energy to recruiting for IU. I don't know what impact he can have in 2 weeks. But this MAY be a move more towards 2017 and beyond.
He may be more about Hunter Johnson, Caleb Jones, Britt Beery, Bryant Fitzgerald, R.J. Potts, and Pete Werner than anything right now.
So good luck to him. Go IU football.
