Updated 2022 Expectations?

[lUCX9]

Outstanding recruiting class.

Outstanding incoming tranfer class.

Outgoing players.... mixed bag.

New coaching staff, with more changes to come.

How does all this affect your outlook for 2022?

 

[vesuvius13]

Outstanding recruiting class.

Outstanding incoming tranfer class.

Outgoing players.... mixed bag.

New coaching staff, with more changes to come.

How does all this affect your outlook for 2022?

A lot depends on how the offense performs; if we have a good running game, deadly play action game and QBs that can run then who knows how this season will go. So many new coaches and new schemes don't lend to having a great year in the B1G but some outstanding players and good play calling along with a good defense and ST play maybe the team will surprise teams.

 

[Hoosiers Rising]

1-11. With all the new faces on the field and the sideline improvement will be tough.

 

[It Will Do]

I hope I'm wrong but I think it is going to be bad. Our offensive coaching staff has a lot to prove.

 

[TMFT]

I hope I'm wrong but I think it is going to be bad. Our offensive coaching staff has a lot to prove.

So do our offensive players.

 

[TomEric4756]

Too early to tell. Too many unanswered questions.
As good as things went in 2020 … they went south in 2021.
we should get at least average luck next year.
Need to find an identity for next fall this spring.

 

[Jssanto]

A lot depends on how the offense performs; if we have a good running game, deadly play action game and QBs that can run then who knows how this season will go. So many new coaches and new schemes don't lend to having a great year in the B1G but some outstanding players and good play calling along with a good defense and ST play maybe the team will surprise teams.

The QB remains the most important position.
In college, and for us, I think we need a running QB. I think our offense success will be dependent on that. Unfortunately my on paper eval of Bell and Hiller is low. With no OL ( therefor no run game nor time to go thru progressions) I am a little pessimistic.

 

[Jssanto]

1-11. With all the new faces on the field and the sideline improvement will be tough.

I will have to re look at the schedule. 3 non conf games? And we win only one? And zero big ten wins?
That outcome wold call for a total rebuild. New coaches and new recruiting approach.

 

[Jssanto]

Just reviewed the schedule. Too early to predict.
Poor season I can see 2-11 with a season ending 9 game losing streak.
Best I can see is 7-5.

 

[lUCX9]

Just reviewed the schedule. Too early to predict.
Poor season I can see 2-11 with a season ending 9 game losing streak.
Best I can see is 7-5.

I think starting fast is imperative for any success next year. 3-1 or even 4-0 would be huge. I count WKU and Idaho as wins... Illinois and Cincy are definitely winnable. But, if we stumble into Neb at 2-2 and it's going to be a long year.

Neb, UM, MD and Rutgers before the bye. We could get 2 of these.

The last 4 games are a gauntlet with PSU, OSU, MSU all beating us up before the Bucket game is rough. PU in the west gets IA, IL and NW before the bucket... a cakewalk compared to us.

So as I see it... 4-8 to 5-7 is expected. Outside chance at 6-6 if we start fast, catch some people off guard in the beginning to start 4-0, and pick up a couple wins in the middle.

 

[TMFT]

We’ll have our answer by the 3rd week. The defense will do its job again. If the offense can at least be respectable, the wins will come.

 

[IndyIUFan66]

We’ll have our answer by the 3rd week. The defense will do its job again. If the offense can at least be respectable, the wins will come.

I think Tom Allen calling D (and Wilt as new DC) and all the returning and transfer players in, the IU D could be really stout.

They started out pretty good last year too, but we saw what an impotent offense can do to wear you down and hurt morale too.

So it certainly seems to fall on can the offense produce? If they can, I think IU could get back some of the magic of a few years ago as I think our defense may be top tier- but they need help from the offense this season!

 

[TMFT]

I think Tom Allen calling D (and Wilt as new DC) and all the returning and transfer players in, the IU D could be really stout.

They started out pretty good last year too, but we saw what an impotent offense can do to wear you down and hurt morale too.

So it certainly seems to fall on can the offense produce? If they can, I think IU could get back some of the magic of a few years ago as I think our defense may be top tier- but they need help from the offense this season!

I couldn’t agree more. Even with the lack of takeaways in 2021, the defense performed very similar from a Points & Yards standpoint as 2020. The offense just didn’t bring anything to the table.

 

[Bowlmania]

Outstanding recruiting class.

Outstanding incoming tranfer class.

Outgoing players.... mixed bag.

New coaching staff, with more changes to come.

How does all this affect your outlook for 2022?

One of your voting options should have been "no clue," because that's where I am. With two new coordinators, new coaches for key position groups, a returning coach who has struggled with possibly the most important position group, and uncertainty at QB, I can't even begin to predict the W/L record.

My hope is bowl eligibility. I have no idea if that's attainable.

 

[lUCX9]

One of your voting options should have been "no clue," because that's where I am. With two new coordinators, new coaches for key position groups, a returning coach who has struggled with possibly the most important position group, and uncertainty at QB, I can't even begin to predict the W/L record.

My hope is bowl eligibility. I have no idea if that's attainable.

I should have, but I wanted people to take a stab at it.... otherwise 95% would say "I have no clue" and that's just boring.

 

[Bowlmania]

I should have, but I wanted people to take a stab at it.... otherwise 95% would say "I have no clue" and that's just boring.

Yeah, I hear you. But anyone who claims to have a clue this off-season is full of baloney.

 

[jlasson]

Honestly, it's way too hard to predict what this team will be come September 2nd. Every position group outside of O-line(unfortunately) and the secondary has undergone a massive overhaul. The season opener is must win if they want any shot at a bowl. It's also hard to predict what teams like Nebraska/Cincy are going to look like. I expect Cincy to fall, but still don't think we will knock them off on the road, I expect Nebraska to be stronger, but you really never know with them. 6 Wins and a bowl win would be the ceiling for this team. The floor is another 2 win season, my guess is they finish with between 4 and 5 wins, but my guess this past year was 7 wins and we all know how that panned out. With IUFB it's a total crap shoot until they kickoff next year.

 

[Chriselli]

3-9/4-8...our offense is not good. No outside receivers and no OL. Our head coach can't scheme offense, and our OC is bottom of the barrel. The defense will be good, but I expect this to be like the bad Mallory teams at the end that played hard but lacked playmakers (outside of Alex Smith). I think Reese Taylor could have played extensively for us at WR...I think we are that bad. I love David Ellis and DJ Matthews, but they play the same position.

 

[Sir_Saucy]

I go with 4-8, but would not consider that ok, that's bad and not acceptable. We went 15-7 over the 2019 and 2020 seasons. 6 wins is the minimum.

 

[jsenleo]

I've asked the Swami but he hasn't answered me yet... I'll let you know when he does

 

[lUCX9]

I've asked the Swami but he hasn't answered me yet... I'll let you know when he does

Haha.

 

[lUCX9]

I go with 4-8, but would not consider that ok, that's bad and not acceptable. We went 15-7 over the 2019 and 2020 seasons. 6 wins is the minimum.

4-8 in year 6 of CTA. Ouch. And most who voted agree. Expectations have dropped quite a bit and its especially disappointing considering the 2 seasons you mentioned.

We go from preseason #17 to absolute uncertainty and lack of confidence in the program. Such is IU football.

 

[Big Red Crimson Buffalo]

2-10 and a new coach.
IU football will see everything that could go wrong, will go wrong. That’s how we’ve operated for years. Most of this is because our OL and DL are dead last in talent and that’s where it all starts - up front.

 

[hoosierfan13]

It's hard to have optimism after being 37 points worse than Purdue and 35 points worse than Rutgers.

Allen is the most successful coach we've had in decades, and our winning percentage is 88th in the NCAA during his time (2007-2021).

I hate that we have a road trip to Cincinnati during Week 4. Hate that we've scheduled Louisville for the next 3 years. Our entire OOC slate should be MAC-tier teams and an FCS cupcake.

IU will always be judged by how they perform against Maryland, Rutgers, and their OOC opponents. There's a path to a bowl, but you have to beat Illinois Week 1. It's a shame we're not playing Northwestern instead.

As awful as we were last year, we were a coin flip to beat Cincinnati going into the 4th quarter. Coin flip to beat MSU in the 4th quarter. Even on our 3rd string true freshman QB, Maryland game was a 3 point loss and we were competitive until the later stages of the 2nd half. Prior to last year, the worst season Allen had was a 5-7 record.

Bell is not an inexperienced OC. Sheridan was. The offense can only get better (I hope). Shivers is an upgrade. McCulley will be better with a year under his belt. None of this matters unless the OL plays better.

Really everything comes down to Week 1. A win over Illinois will instill so much confidence.