Reasons for optimism, yet lots of questions about 2021

[bdhman]

Tons of experience with guys who’ve played and won big games (and played and lost big bowl games).

Young coaching staff should be better in 2021 with another year of experience and benefit of bowl practice reps.

Any players leaving early or transferring? Will be very interesting to see what happens here.

Who will IU’s QB be next season. Who knows?

From a fan’s eye, other than QB clarity, O needs speed and improved O line play. D needs improved 4 man pash rush and edge pressure. Special teams should be great.

Go Hoosiers, thanks for 2020!

 

[BayernFan]

good stuff and reasons for optimism. Grist for the mill.

and yet, this season is probably close to as good as it gets for IU.

we shall see.

 

[IUgradman]

A lot of experience is returning which should in theory be a good thing. Penix will hopefully be ready to start the season. The schedule will be tough but if this program is where we all hope it will be it can be a successful year.

 

[TR32]

One in 50 years type of season. I think I saw IUs recruiting at 36th or something like that. That won't be good enough to sustain.

 

[ce36ei]

Our team feels like a Wisconsin type. I wish we’d turn into a hammer on offense. Run first, play-action, dominate the trenches. That seems to be where Allen wants the team. I really think a Mike Hart at OC would’ve accomplished this. But what do I know. I’m just a fan! The defense is our strength, and we always seem to put a ton of pressure on their shoulders. We need to be a TOP team, give the D some nice long breaks and let them play 100% every snap. That seems to be our winning formula. We did that 2 years, only a lot of those screens acted like runs. We would dominate TOP.

 

[ORG]

One in 50 years type of season. I think I saw IUs recruiting at 36th or something like that. That won't be good enough to sustain.

i think the ranking of this recruit class was artificially low due to a low volume of recruits. IMHO the average IU recruit this year was similar to past years.

 

[ce36ei]

i think the ranking of this recruit class was artificially low due to a low volume of recruits. IMHO the average IU recruit this year was similar to past years.

Yep. 22 is the really important year.

 

[vesuvius13]

IU you added a speedster that can return kicks along with being a receiver plus a B1G interior OL player with starting experience and 4 years of eligibility left.

 

[iueyedoc99]

Which Srs come back will be a huge one (assuming IU offers them).

 

[Andy06]

One in 50 years type of season. I think I saw IUs recruiting at 36th or something like that. That won't be good enough to sustain.

You must not be following IUFB very closely if those are your thoughts.

This past decade is the first time there has been ANY investment in football. Coaches, facilities, marketing, etc. This is the beginning of a good run.

Recruiting rankings are skewed toward to classes with 20+ players. We had a small class, plus one was a punter which will drag the rankings down. If you look at the quality of the class, this is one of the best classes IU has had.

 

[Hoosiers47614]

One of the most concerning things about this game was our lack of speed at the skill positions.

Like, Tuttle didn't look good, but our receivers (none of them, really, not even Ellis or Whop) could consistently get open or get away with the ball against the athletes of even a bad SEC defense. Like, Fryfogle never had a step on the deep shots, nor did Marshall. They were blanketed by DBs who were torched all year long.

And our offensive line got dominated up front, which is less surprising since that unit is what held us back most all year. It really needs to be a focus in recruiting going forward, and hopefully the Michigan transfer helps.

 

[iueyedoc99]

You must not be following IUFB very closely if those are your thoughts.

This past decade is the first time there has been ANY investment in football. Coaches, facilities, marketing, etc. This is the beginning of a good run.

Recruiting rankings are skewed toward to classes with 20+ players. We had a small class, plus one was a punter which will drag the rankings down. If you look at the quality of the class, this is one of the best classes IU has had.

We got hurt by low numbers but 36 would still be one of the top rated classes in the Rivals era. Too lazy to look it all up but we’ve never been higher than 33 or so.

 

[Hatchets7times]

Are you shitting .
After a bunch of drinks.
We're on a up swing.
Shit Indiana Football is in a better place than hoops...

 

[82hoosier]

For the last three months of 2020 Hoosier football was one of the few optimistic things that many of us can share together. Today really sucked and there's no way you can put a bow on that one. Have to say that I'm also pretty disappointed about the Mickey Mouse thing with the Big Ten emblems on the uniforms. I think that's going to be a stain that lasts longer than today's loss. But this season has been a huge step in the right direction. And one has a chance to learn more from mistakes than they do from positive reinforcement. I'm excited about next season. Keep wearing your freaking masks. LEO

 

[limestonecowboy]

For the last three months of 2020 Hoosier football was one of the few optimistic things that many of us can share together. Today really sucked and there's no way you can put a bow on that one. Have to say that I'm also pretty disappointed about the Mickey Mouse thing with the Big Ten emblems on the uniforms. I think that's going to be a stain that lasts longer than today's loss. But this season has been a huge step in the right direction. And one has a chance to learn more from mistakes than they do from positive reinforcement. I'm excited about next season. Keep wearing your freaking masks. LEO

Yeah we really had to win to pull of the big ten logo thing. I hope talk of it gets kind of buried.

 

[Big Red Crimson Buffalo]

IU was the only Big Ten team to lose its bowl game. Let that simmer for a while. Made all this fuss about the conference trying to keep us down and we go out and lay a big, fat turd at Raymond James. Once again, IU did itself no favors by all the chatter and then not backing it up to represent the conference. A big “F” on the preparation and game plan today.

 

[h20pls]

Tons of experience with guys who’ve played and won big games (and played and lost big bowl games).

Young coaching staff should be better in 2021 with another year of experience and benefit of bowl practice reps.

Any players leaving early or transferring? Will be very interesting to see what happens here.

Who will IU’s QB be next season. Who knows?

From a fan’s eye, other than QB clarity, O needs speed and improved O line play. D needs improved 4 man pash rush and edge pressure. Special teams should be great.

Go Hoosiers, thanks for 2020!

There has been a tremendous amount of "negative Nellie-ism" on the board since this disappointing loss. And it was just that. A disappointing loss.

I posted a few weeks ago that I thought the future was bright for a young team doing such good things and showing so much growth on the field.

Having said all that.

I think it'll be a bit more interesting next year.

As a fan, I'm going to go into our schedule expecting to win. I expect a win each Saturday next year. If CTA handed me a card ans said "write down the team or teams you think we're going to lose to"...he'd get a blank card from me...

I think this team is going to have to alter its mindset a preparation...expect to win. Prepare to win. Execute the plan and win.

 

[iu2win]

One of the most concerning things about this game was our lack of speed at the skill positions.

Like, Tuttle didn't look good, but our receivers (none of them, really, not even Ellis or Whop) could consistently get open or get away with the ball against the athletes of even a bad SEC defense. Like, Fryfogle never had a step on the deep shots, nor did Marshall. They were blanketed by DBs who were torched all year long.

And our offensive line got dominated up front, which is less surprising since that unit is what held us back most all year. It really needs to be a focus in recruiting going forward, and hopefully the Michigan transfer helps.

Did you attend the game? I was at the game yesterday and I totally disagree with your statement regarding IU's receivers. From our seats yesterday I saw many occasions upon which IU had wide open receivers but the QB either didn't run through his progressions, abandoned the pocket to soon, and/or had a defender in his face immediately after the snap. Hendershot was wide open in the end zone (and I mean there was not a defender in sight) on one particular missed td opportunities. Several times IU's receivers had their guys beat but the throw came too late and too short; giving the DB's time to recover. Gotta give props to Tuttle for gutting it out but it was clear to those of us in attendance that Tuttle does not see the field; he has a focus on one designated receiver.

I will also tell you that Whop will always be one of my favorite IU football players but yesterday IU fans all around us kept yelling the same thing after his catches, "stop running backwards". In short, the IU defense held a team that averages 40 pts per game (including putting up big numbers against Alabama) to 26 but the offense sputtered. Yesterday wasn't about the Jimmies and Joes, it was about lack of experience at the QB position and poor play calling that did not take advantage of a very weak run defending Ole Miss team.