Recruiting Progress

[RBB89]

We do not have the worst facilities in the conference...that’s absurd.


We also have a full scale football complex renovation coming next summer (new and expanded locker room, players lounge, recruiting room, football only training room, coaches area, and equipment room). They will also redress the weight room and meeting rooms.

 

[Larryismyname]

Actually, Rutgers is in the middle of a building cycle. Rutgers is near completion of a new practice facility that will house both men and women basketball as well as wrestling and gymnastics. Attached to the facility will be a state of the art medical and research center in a joint venture with Rutgers and Barnabas Health Care called the Barnabas Health Athletic Performance Center. This was accomplished through $100 million fundraiser with money coming from the private sector and the state giving a tax break to help jump-start the project. Both facilities should be open by the end of the school year. Another project that just broke ground is the new academic center across from the football stadium. It's called the Gary, and Barbara Rodkin Center for Academic Success as the Rodkins donated the first $10 million ( total cost $30 million) to the building of the center and should be completed sometime next summer. In 2017 Rutgers opened a new indoor practice facility for baseball and softball. It contains a complete infield with multiple hitting cages and area for pitchers to throw. The teams can now practice year round.
Last year Rutgers opened a new grass and turf practice facility for football to replace their old facilities. The Towers (husband & wife) donated $8 million to pay for the entire facility. They run a hedge fund for an NYC company, and they have no ties to the school. The Towers are encouraging other local businesses in the NY/NJ area to join in building Rutgers Athletics. At the same time as the new football practice fields opened, Rutgers opened their new weight rooms. The Gartuttis donated $3 million towards the new football weight room and $1.65 for the new basketball weight room. At the end of this football season, Rutgers will remodel the locker rooms and expand the football center as soccer and lacrosse move into their new temporary facility as stated by AD Hobbs the press conference for the new Academic Center. AD Hobbs hopes to start on a new indoor practice field for football within the next 2 to 3 years, but that depends on well the new round of fundraising goes.
The AD for Rutgers came aboard three years ago and said by 2020 he wanted to upgrade most of the major sports and start addressing the Olympic sports by then. It's all part of the school's $1 billion overall master plan for expansion through 2030 campus-wide. There is a lot of activities going on at Rutgers right now, and the average B1G fan isn't aware of it.

Thanks for the update. It reinforces the point I made about the perpetual arms race in college sports and how, in the instance of IU, the facilities can be quite nice and still be in the bottom third of the BiG 10 in respect of football. Hopefully, the powers that be in Bloomington understand that and continue to both develop new and refurbish existing facilities, as some relatively recent ones are already showing a need for updating.

 

[Hoosier_Hack]

We have a 4 star and a bunch of 3 stars. We have an identical average star ranking as PU because they have a bunch of 2 stars. We also have more slots to fill.

Do people just not read? And when’s the last time we had a 4 star this early?

Do people just not read? It was a question. What I see is the 2018 class at Purdue was thrown together without a full year of recruiting under Brohms belt. They finished 49th and we finished 45th. I’d say after 5 years of futility on Purdue’s part that was a good steadying of the ship. Now in 2019 they are having more success. I think when it is said and done they will finish stronger than IU this year in recruiting. If they get that “upset” win that IU has been talking about since CKW arrived I think it only helps them particularly in Indiana. Does it matter that much? I’m just looking for IU to be dominant recruiting school for in state guys behind Norte Dame. Id like to see us competing and winning some of the QB battles for Indiana kids with Michigan, OSU, and PSU.

Do you just like to argue or something? Geez

 

[RBB89]

25,000 sq ft:

 

[Indianaftw]

Nobody has even signed yet. ALOT can happen throughout the season and that includes IU's class. Its nice to have these commits but closing them is another story.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

i know of a kid in FT Wayne who attended football camps at IU and Ohio State and he claims that IU facilities are better than Ohio State and that was before the South End Zone was complete. The locker room and players lounge is up next to be remodeled. And again your claim that sharing a huge weight room is a problem because it is not. I have not seen IU facilities in person but I have seen UF, Miami and FSU and I can tell you they are much better than UF and UM and not any worse than FSU.

 

[Courtsensetwo]

i know of a kid in FT Wayne who attended football camps at IU and Ohio State and he claims that IU facilities are better than Ohio State and that was before the South End Zone was complete. The locker room and players lounge is up next to be remodeled. And again your claim that sharing a huge weight room is a problem because it is not. I have not seen IU facilities in person but I have seen UF, Miami and FSU and I can tell you they are much better than UF and UM and not any worse than FSU.

IUs stadium is not as large as many BIG sites but nicer than most at this point. The tailgating area is second to none. That said, most BIG schools will make improvements, they all have the money.

 

[JohnsyRick]

We do not have the worst facilities in the conference...that’s absurd.

View embedded media

We also have a full scale football complex renovation coming next summer (new and expanded locker room, players lounge, recruiting room, football only training room, coaches area, and equipment room). They will also redress the weight room and meeting rooms.

The issue is , and I believe I’m right on this, they have already cut funding for the football renovations next summer. The issue is we do not have “football only” facilities and that matters to recruits who are already hearing, “ you don’t want to go there, they are a basketball school”. The issue is a commitment to football, recruits see a “basketball only” facility and then they walk in for the tour of our football weight room and there is a 150lb golfer working out. The SEZ looks nice but it is for ALL athletes, that may sound insignificant to most, but recruits and HS coaches notice and have commented.
It is fact our administration has ignored football at IU for decades, what we have added recently is great, but it is merely playing “catch up”. For IU to untie the arm behind CTA’s back they need to make a big commitment to a football only facility ( the current weight room is fine, just get other sports out of there) including a new indoor replacing the 22 year old Mellencamp Pavillion .

 

[Larryismyname]

The issue is , and I believe I’m right on this, they have already cut funding for the football renovations next summer. The issue is we do not have “football only” facilities and that matters to recruits who are already hearing, “ you don’t want to go there, they are a basketball school”. The issue is a commitment to football, recruits see a “basketball only” facility and then they walk in for the tour of our football weight room and there is a 150lb golfer working out. The SEZ looks nice but it is for ALL athletes, that may sound insignificant to most, but recruits and HS coaches notice and have commented.
It is fact our administration has ignored football at IU for decades, what we have added recently is great, but it is merely playing “catch up”. For IU to untie the arm behind CTA’s back they need to make a big commitment to a football only facility ( the current weight room is fine, just get other sports out of there) including a new indoor replacing the 22 year old Mellencamp Pavillion .

Agree completely on your football only points. It’s already being used against them in Recruiting, as is the disrepair in certain areas of existing facilities.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

The issue is , and I believe I’m right on this, they have already cut funding for the football renovations next summer. The issue is we do not have “football only” facilities and that matters to recruits who are already hearing, “ you don’t want to go there, they are a basketball school”. The issue is a commitment to football, recruits see a “basketball only” facility and then they walk in for the tour of our football weight room and there is a 150lb golfer working out. The SEZ looks nice but it is for ALL athletes, that may sound insignificant to most, but recruits and HS coaches notice and have commented.
It is fact our administration has ignored football at IU for decades, what we have added recently is great, but it is merely playing “catch up”. For IU to untie the arm behind CTA’s back they need to make a big commitment to a football only facility ( the current weight room is fine, just get other sports out of there) including a new indoor replacing the 22 year old Mellencamp Pavillion .

I have coached high school football in Florida for over 30 years and never once have I heard a kid complain about schools having to share their facility with other sports. I have had kids go to Michigan, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Virginia Tech, FIU, Colorado State, Ole Miss, LSU, Minnesota they have visited many other schools and it has never come up. Don’t know if you have ever seen the Hecht Center at Miami it is a complete dump but they seem to be doing ok in recruiting. FAU’s football building housed female sports Howard did that because of Title IX. Again you can talk about it being a huge factor but to most it is not.

 

[IU Scott]

I don't think the lack of facilities is why we don't get the big recruits as much as them seeing a half empty stadium for most of the games. Also seeing a lot of the fans leaving at half time and not coming back hurts recruiting as much as anything.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

I do agree they may be saying that it is a basketball only school but having football only weight room is not going to stop people from saying that. IU’s history of success in basketball and lack of success in football lends itself to that kind of rhetoric. You can’t fight history. Getting wins will lead to success in recruiting and it is always going to be tough in the BIG east. But I do know that CTA is well liked and well respected in Tampa are and now is starting to tap into Dade county ad now getting a kid from Oxbridge Academy in Palm Beach County although not sure where he landed after Oxbridge disbanded football.

 

[Bowlmania]

I have coached high school football in Florida for over 30 years and never once have I heard a kid complain about schools having to share their facility with other sports. I have had kids go to Michigan, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Virginia Tech, FIU, Colorado State, Ole Miss, LSU, Minnesota they have visited many other schools and it has never come up. Don’t know if you have ever seen the Hecht Center at Miami it is a complete dump but they seem to be doing ok in recruiting. FAU’s football building housed female sports Howard did that because of Title IX. Again you can talk about it being a huge factor but to most it is not.

Thanks for this insightful post, and for sharing your first-hand knowledge that this is a non-issue for most kids.

Our recruiting is undeniably trending up. For example, there's not a school outside of Florida that is mining the talent-rich Tampa Bay area like we are. Recruiting will really skyrocket if we go bowling this year, irrespective of shared facilities.

 

[Hoosiers Rising]

I don't think the lack of facilities is why we don't get the big recruits as much as them seeing a half empty stadium for most of the games. Also seeing a lot of the fans leaving at half time and not coming back hurts recruiting as much as anything.

The administration sees that as well as far as investing in facilities. It's all chicken and the egg and we need to overperform at some point to bring crowds and recruiting up.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

Thanks for this insightful post, and for sharing your first-hand knowledge that this is a non-issue for most kids.

Our recruiting is undeniably trending up. For example, there's not a school outside of Florida that is mining the talent-rich Tampa Bay area like we are. Recruiting will really skyrocket if we go bowling this year, irrespective of shared facilities.

Anther thing that would help would be filling Memorial Stadium with the kind of loud, passionate and rabid fans that fill Assembly Hall. That would go a long way toward helping in recruiting.

 

[Larryismyname]

I have coached high school football in Florida for over 30 years and never once have I heard a kid complain about schools having to share their facility with other sports. I have had kids go to Michigan, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Virginia Tech, FIU, Colorado State, Ole Miss, LSU, Minnesota they have visited many other schools and it has never come up. Don’t know if you have ever seen the Hecht Center at Miami it is a complete dump but they seem to be doing ok in recruiting. FAU’s football building housed female sports Howard did that because of Title IX. Again you can talk about it being a huge factor but to most it is not.

No one said kids are complaining, but high school coaches have noticed and made comments about it, and opposing coaches are using it against IU in recruiting, and IU’s coaches are aware of both.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

I know Fred Glass takes a or of heat. One thing he is passionate about his love for IU and the sports programs (all of the teams). I love his 24 Sports and 1 Team, I love his new hires in basketball, volleyball, softball and yes football.

 

[Larryismyname]

I know Fred Glass takes a or of heat. One thing he is passionate about his love for IU and the sports programs (all of the teams). I love his 24 Sports and 1 Team, I love his new hires in basketball, volleyball, softball and yes football.

But there is some concern within the football program that he’s not fully cognizant of the facilities / upkeep issues that have been communicated to the coaches. Not saying he doesn’t care, but there’s a feeling among some within the program that he’s not as committed to addressing some of those issues as they’d like him to be.

 

[JohnsyRick]

I have coached high school football in Florida for over 30 years and never once have I heard a kid complain about schools having to share their facility with other sports. I have had kids go to Michigan, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Virginia Tech, FIU, Colorado State, Ole Miss, LSU, Minnesota they have visited many other schools and it has never come up. Don’t know if you have ever seen the Hecht Center at Miami it is a complete dump but they seem to be doing ok in recruiting. FAU’s football building housed female sports Howard did that because of Title IX. Again you can talk about it being a huge factor but to most it is not.

You may not have experienced it there, but I can assure you CTA has experienced it at IU, I have first hand knowledge. Most schools in the Big Ten either have , or will have shortly, football only dedicated facilities. What is shows is a commitment to football, schools like Miami, Florida and FSU don’t require that as much as they are considered “football” schools already. IU has largely ignored football forever, they need to do something to change the “perception” that IU doesn’t care about football. Hard to accomplish that when you have a beautiful “basketball only” facility, but we don’t care to give the same to football. Again, what has been done is great, but it is just trying to catch up for decades of neglect, meanwhile, our opponents are continuing to do more. And I see U of Miami is just finishing a new 83,000 square foot football facility.

 

[Bowlmania]

No one said kids are complaining, but high school coaches have noticed and made comments about it, and opposing coaches are using it against IU in recruiting, and IU’s coaches are aware of both.

He's a 30 year high school coach. You are not. He said, in his experience, shared facilities is a non-issue for kids, regardless of what coaches might be saying about it, and it's not having a significant recruiting impact. Can you possibly be this arrogant, believing that you're more informed on this subject than someone who's in the business?

 

[Larryismyname]

You may not have experienced it there, but I can assure you CTA has experienced it at IU, I have first hand knowledge. Most schools in the Big Ten either have , or will have shortly, football only dedicated facilities. What is shows is a commitment to football, schools like Miami, Florida and FSU don’t require that as much as they are considered “football” schools already. IU has largely ignored football forever, they need to do something to change the “perception” that IU doesn’t care about football. Hard to accomplish that when you have a beautiful “basketball only” facility, but we don’t care to give the same to football. Again, what has been done is great, but it is just trying to catch up for decades of neglect, meanwhile, our opponents are continuing to do more.

Exactly. I don’t think people appreciate how far behind the pack IU has run for decades and how, in spite of some recent updates, there is still much to be done to truly get the football program facilities on comparable ground to most everyone else in the conference.

 

[JohnsyRick]

He's a 30 year high school coach. You are not. He said, in his experience, shared facilities is a non-issue for kids, regardless of what coaches might be saying about it, and it's not having a significant recruiting impact. Can you possibly be this arrogant, believing that you're more informed on this subject than someone who's in the business?

In fairness, that is his perception, he is one coach. I have heard from coaches in Indiana that have a different perception, not discounting Palmbeaches viewpoint, just saying his is not the only one. BTW, I see Miami is putting the finishing touches on a brand new 83,000 square foot facility, so they too are not standing still.

 

[Larryismyname]

He's a 30 year high school coach. You are not. He said, in his experience, shared facilities is a non-issue for kids, regardless of what coaches might be saying about it, and it's not having a significant recruiting impact. Can you possibly be this arrogant, believing that you're more informed on this subject than someone who's in the business?

The comments I made are based directly on comments from coaches who attended IU’s summer camps, as well as people within IU’s football program. He shared his experiences from the perspective of South Florida kids while I shared the comments of coaches who have been to Bloomington, as well as some who are currently in the program. That Johnsy, who has been critical of a number of my posts over the last few days, agrees with my perspective should be telling to you. Hope that provides clarity for you.

 

[Bowlmania]

Hope that provides clarity for you.

Clarity and you are mutually exclusive.

Thanks for the laugh.

 

[UncleMark]

Most schools in the Big Ten either have , or will have shortly, football only dedicated facilities... [...]they need to do something to change the “perception” that IU doesn’t care about football. Hard to accomplish that when you have a beautiful “basketball only” facility, but we don’t care to give the same to football.

Isn't Cook Hall also used by the women's basketball team? Would other schools use that fact to negatively recruit against IUMBB? Or would that just be silly...

 

[JohnsyRick]

Isn't Cook Hall also used by the women's basketball team? Would other schools use that fact to negatively recruit against IUMBB? Or would that just be silly...

It is dedicated to basketball, you will not see golfers or tennis or volleyball players using it. When we get a women’s football team they would be free to use the “football facility”. Do yourself a favor and take a look around at what other Big Ten schools have for football facilities, objectively, I think you will see we are not setting the pace. Look, I’m not complaining just to complain, I want us to be good in football, I’m sorry if that is a problem.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

I believe that is IU football crowds were like the basketball crowds you would see increase in recruiting. I understand that is tough to make an effort to go games with high aspirations, only to be disappointed. But it happened at Florida. It happened at Louisville and other places. It can happen at IU. The addition of BTN money and upgrades in facilities have already started to pay off it is now time for upgrade in fanbase. There was abuzz for the opener last year and the team rose to the occasion until depth and conditioning finally took over and the negativity immediately took over. Bill Snyder talked about how they downgraded schedule to get K Staye going however with the number of BIGgames we are required to play and the division that can’t happen but do laugh when people make fun of non conference schedule. Playing PSU,MSU,Mich and OSU not an easy task and has made it tough to change program. But I do believe it can and will come if the fans will get on board and not give up so early.

 

[RBB89]

We already have what Miami is adding. It’s throughout the rest of the stadium. The football team doesn’t share time with anyone. Who cares if the volleyball team uses it when the football team isn’t? Why would that possibly bother anyone?

 

[UncleMark]

We already have what Miami is adding. It’s throughout the rest of the stadium. The football team doesn’t share time with anyone. Who cares if the volleyball team uses it when the football team isn’t? Why would that possibly bother anyone?

Some of these people won't be satisfied until Fred's head is mounted on a pike alongside the Rose Bowl trophy.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

We already have what Miami is adding. It’s throughout the rest of the stadium. The football team doesn’t share time with anyone. Who cares if the volleyball team uses it when the football team isn’t? Why would that possibly bother anyone?

They share their stadium with Miami Dolphins which is about 45 minutes from campus

 

[RBB89]

I mean you don’t need a separate building if everything fits comfortably IN THE FOOTBALL STADIUM.

Mellencamp could use some new turf. Other than that, I’m happy. We aren’t struggling in recruiting...at all. We never have all 3 and 4 stars. This is the best start we’ve had in years.

And where was it said that they cut the locker room budget?

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

Some of these people won't be satisfied until Fred's head is mounted on a pike alongside the Rose Bowl trophy.

So true at least he is not sitting still collecting a paycheck till he gets fired. He cares about IU and trying to get better at all the sports

 

[IUgradman]

You need to get to Btown to see the new facilities. Very very nice. Place doesn't even resemble the humble mass of even 10 years ago.

I live in Bloomington. I see the facilities plenty. I was also recently in West Lafayette and saw Purdue’s facilities.

 

[Crimson Crush]

I don’t consider Purdue’s football facilities to be the best in the BiG 10, but they’ve surpassed IU. That doesn’t mean IU has poor facilities, only that schools like Purdue have caught and passed them, which is what happens in a large conference where members are flush with cash and willing to spend it during this windfall period of Big10 distributions. As I said earlier, IU has very nice football facilities that likely rate somewhere in the bottom third of the conference. No disgrace in that, but the perceived advantage doesn’t exist.

So you have toured both facilities? What makes you say that Purdue has surpassed IU? Your opinion and you are just making shit up now. It’s a $65 million facility. There are schools that have built $160 million facilities.

While you are at it, go ahead and claim the Purdue’s basketball facilities have surpassed IU. The baseball stadium is better. Just go ahead and say it. Laughable.

Your hot take on this facility thing is based on no firsthand experience with the facilities.

 

[Palmbeachhoosier]

Clarity and you are mutually exclusive.

Thanks for the laugh.

It is dedicated to basketball, you will not see golfers or tennis or volleyball players using it. When we get a women’s football team they would be free to use the “football facility”. Do yourself a favor and take a look around at what other Big Ten schools have for football facilities, objectively, I think you will see we are not setting the pace. Look, I’m not complaining just to complain, I want us to be good in football, I’m sorry if that is a problem.

Never said we are setting the pace we are not the doormat either. And if sharing the weight room is what the coaches are using against us then that is very encouraging that they are not using other things against us.

 

[fpeaugh]

Never said we are setting the pace we are not the doormat either. And if sharing the weight room is what the coaches are using against us then that is very encouraging that they are not using other things against us.

Please name some schools with worse facilities than ours.

 

[JohnsyRick]

We already have what Miami is adding. It’s throughout the rest of the stadium. The football team doesn’t share time with anyone. Who cares if the volleyball team uses it when the football team isn’t? Why would that possibly bother anyone?

Do you understand it is a “perception” ? Whether you like it or not many recruits have the perception that we are not a football school (for most of my life, accurately, I might add) and not appearing to have the same commitment to football as other Big Ten schools hurts us in recruiting.
Whether you or I think golfers in the weight room is an issue is irrelevant, I have heard from HS coaches and their recruits that it is an issue to them. I suppose primarily because Purdue, Iowa, etc have weight rooms and facilities dedicated to football. That in turn , at least gives the appearance, that they are more committed to football and it doesn’t help that everyone already calls us a B-ball school.
I’m not sure why this is such a hard concept, facilities dedicated to a sport show more commitment to that sport than facilities open to the masses.

 

[JohnsyRick]

Never said we are setting the pace we are not the doormat either. And if sharing the weight room is what the coaches are using against us then that is very encouraging that they are not using other things against us.

And I never said we are the doormat either, but again, take a look around the Big Ten and tell me who has worse facilities (not saying ours are bad, but everyone else has good ones too, and most are dedicated to football). Trust me , they use plenty against us, years of football neglect makes us an easy target. That is precisely why we need to eliminate as many negatives as possible.

 

[IUgradman]

We already have what Miami is adding. It’s throughout the rest of the stadium. The football team doesn’t share time with anyone. Who cares if the volleyball team uses it when the football team isn’t? Why would that possibly bother anyone?

It does. The lack of a football only facility feeds the perception that IU doesn’t take football seriously. Forcing the football team to share a weight room and training facilities with the field hockey team sends the wrong message. Cutting the Tallen Complex budget sends the wrong message.

 

[reabhnt]

So you have toured both facilities? What makes you say that Purdue has surpassed IU? Your opinion and you are just making shit up now. It’s a $65 million facility. There are schools that have built $160 million facilities.

While you are at it, go ahead and claim the Purdue’s basketball facilities have surpassed IU. The baseball stadium is better. Just go ahead and say it. Laughable.

Your hot take on this facility thing is based on no firsthand experience with the facilities.

I am by no means a Purdue fan. But that new facility is very nice. The case can be made it is better than IU's. I guess it is what your expectations are. I have seen IU's also!