Well, the wife and I spent the several hundred dollars to make the trip to Bloomington, a couple hundred dollars to buy tickets, and a full weekend of our lives in B'town. Now that my fat butt is back home on the couch, I will share a few thoughts:
1) Gameday Experience - I haven't been to a Hoosiers' football game since I graduated 30 years ago since it's such an ordeal to get back to B'town. The stadium looks amazing and the gameday experience is just lightyears ahead of where it was when I was in school. It's great to see the investments being made in the football program and facilities.
2) Officiating - From the stands, I felt the officiating was really one-sided against us. When we got home, just for giggles, I watched a recording of the game, and several of the plays about which I was outraged at the stadium, upon review, were not outrageous. The push-off in the end zone before half was a missed call, but we played such bad defense that possession, we got what we deserved.
3) Offense - Payton played a great game. To borrow a phrase from Dan Dakich - "not a good game...a great game." He was running for his life and getting hit nearly every snap. Watch the film and count the number of times the kid was under pressure. For the second time in four games, the line just took the night off. If the O-line can't hold their blocks, the receivers don't have time to run deep routes and you can't really feature a vertical passing game. You could put Drew Brees behind center and if the line can't hold their pass blocks and you can't run the ball, it isn't going to make much difference who is behind center. Payton is in total control of the offense, knows where people are going to be, and is moving the team even while trying not to get physically dismembered by a 250-pound defender
4) Special Teams - Another terrible week. Giving up a trick play touchdown was a killer.
5) Defense - We lost the game by 14. Our offense gave away a pick six. Our special teams gave up six on a fake field goal. You take those 14 away and it's a tie game. Coach has been saying the offense was going to have to lift up the defense since the defense is so young, but, from my vantage point, it's starting to look the other way. I thought the defense played pretty well even after Marcelino Ball went out (after what was the right call according to the stupid rule as it is written).
6) Love Coach Allen - Watched his post-game presser. I love that guy. He just tells it like it is and doesn't sugar coat. He said something along the lines of "we had a big opportunity for the program and didn't capitalize." I think he's the man to get us where we want to go. Love that guy.
7) Debord - I think he called another good game. Again, anyone who has played knows the playbook shrinks like crazy when the O-line can't hold up. Going up-tempo in the second half was a good move and muted the MSU pass rush.
Overall it was a nice weekend. I wish the game would have ended better - or would at least have been a little more dramatic. The outcome never seemed in doubt after the pick six in the first quarter, even when we got close. No shame in losing to MSU, but boy oh boy, that game was there for the taking. I love where the program is headed. Good days to come
1) Gameday Experience - I haven't been to a Hoosiers' football game since I graduated 30 years ago since it's such an ordeal to get back to B'town. The stadium looks amazing and the gameday experience is just lightyears ahead of where it was when I was in school. It's great to see the investments being made in the football program and facilities.
2) Officiating - From the stands, I felt the officiating was really one-sided against us. When we got home, just for giggles, I watched a recording of the game, and several of the plays about which I was outraged at the stadium, upon review, were not outrageous. The push-off in the end zone before half was a missed call, but we played such bad defense that possession, we got what we deserved.
3) Offense - Payton played a great game. To borrow a phrase from Dan Dakich - "not a good game...a great game." He was running for his life and getting hit nearly every snap. Watch the film and count the number of times the kid was under pressure. For the second time in four games, the line just took the night off. If the O-line can't hold their blocks, the receivers don't have time to run deep routes and you can't really feature a vertical passing game. You could put Drew Brees behind center and if the line can't hold their pass blocks and you can't run the ball, it isn't going to make much difference who is behind center. Payton is in total control of the offense, knows where people are going to be, and is moving the team even while trying not to get physically dismembered by a 250-pound defender
4) Special Teams - Another terrible week. Giving up a trick play touchdown was a killer.
5) Defense - We lost the game by 14. Our offense gave away a pick six. Our special teams gave up six on a fake field goal. You take those 14 away and it's a tie game. Coach has been saying the offense was going to have to lift up the defense since the defense is so young, but, from my vantage point, it's starting to look the other way. I thought the defense played pretty well even after Marcelino Ball went out (after what was the right call according to the stupid rule as it is written).
6) Love Coach Allen - Watched his post-game presser. I love that guy. He just tells it like it is and doesn't sugar coat. He said something along the lines of "we had a big opportunity for the program and didn't capitalize." I think he's the man to get us where we want to go. Love that guy.
7) Debord - I think he called another good game. Again, anyone who has played knows the playbook shrinks like crazy when the O-line can't hold up. Going up-tempo in the second half was a good move and muted the MSU pass rush.
Overall it was a nice weekend. I wish the game would have ended better - or would at least have been a little more dramatic. The outcome never seemed in doubt after the pick six in the first quarter, even when we got close. No shame in losing to MSU, but boy oh boy, that game was there for the taking. I love where the program is headed. Good days to come
