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What do we need to take the next step...

You can never have enough DL and OL. With talent at those positions you essentially elevate the rest of the players on the field. Mac Jones threw the ball all over OSU because he sat in the pocket for 15 seconds. His WR were running 3 routes per play. If he were at IU, he might've been Matt LoVecchio. VBG

Outside of that, I think IU has done a good job getting WR/DB type hybrid type players. It allows IU to shift players and offset lopsided roster issues due to injury/transfer....etc. But we have a lot of defenders who aren't getting younger so I would load up there.
 
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There's several different answers to this but attracting higher rated recruits is my answer.

Kids like Penix/McCulley is how you elevate the program. Landing dynamic QBs is a must for Indiana to win games. Build the program around that philosophy, IMO. In the Big Ten East, a game manager isn't the ticket.
 
Why exactly do we need a veteran QB to transfer in? Penix and Tuttle are both going to be RS Juniors and then we have Williams and McCulley.
I have to agree with you there.

At absolute BEST, you're bringing in a MAC level starter who understands he's not going to be any higher than QB3 out of the gate but wants to get a graduate degree.

I'm more comfortable with a RS-Fr in Dexter or a high rated true Frosh in Donovan as I am the MAC grad transfer.
 
I have to agree with you there.

At absolute BEST, you're bringing in a MAC level starter who understands he's not going to be any higher than QB3 out of the gate but wants to get a graduate degree.

I'm more comfortable with a RS-Fr in Dexter or a high rated true Frosh in Donovan as I am the MAC grad transfer.

I agree. If Penix goes down, we are likely better suited getting the young guys some reps anyways.
 
Why exactly do we need a veteran QB to transfer in? Penix and Tuttle are both going to be RS Juniors and then we have Williams and McCulley.
For example look at what happened in the bowl game with Tuttle’s injury. Having another experienced player would have proved helpful. I think we should strive to have three QB’s with game experience. Just my opinion.
 
For example look at what happened in the bowl game with Tuttle’s injury. Having another experienced player would have proved helpful. I think we should strive to have three QB’s with game experience. Just my opinion.
You're not wrong, 3 QBs with starter experience is ideal, just not terribly practical. Someone with the experience probably didn't do it at a high-enough level. Someone with the talent doesn't want to be 3rd string for the chance top 2 go down.
 
What is the next step?
Next Step(s) seemingly are: Win B10 Championship (which means beating OSU), then winning major bowl game, then qualifying for Final Four, then winning national Championship.

I'm not saying qualifying for final four or winning national championship is an easy one, but I AM saying there is no reason not to have it as "possible" where in the past people would say "could never be done." I don't think that with Tom Allen now.

As per next season, IF you get Penix back and playing well, with Fryefogle and most of the rest of the offense, combine that with most of the defense returning one year older/wiser, plus strong DE added...it literally may be the most talented team of Jr's/Srs in primary starting roles we've ever had. Given OSU NFL exodus every year, the OSU vs. IU game being at IU, maybe next year is as good as any for the art of the possible to happen.

And I do think IU's 2022 recruiting class will be the best one we've had in 10 yrs. Predict 3-4 4-stars minimum, and rest 3-stars, good athletes, etc. We are very close to having really good depth of truly quality P5 level talent, not the old 2-stars we had to beat a MAC school to land. Those to me, are the next steps!
 
Next Step(s) seemingly are: Win B10 Championship (which means beating OSU), then winning major bowl game, then qualifying for Final Four, then winning national Championship.

I'm not saying qualifying for final four or winning national championship is an easy one, but I AM saying there is no reason not to have it as "possible" where in the past people would say "could never be done." I don't think that with Tom Allen now.

As per next season, IF you get Penix back and playing well, with Fryefogle and most of the rest of the offense, combine that with most of the defense returning one year older/wiser, plus strong DE added...it literally may be the most talented team of Jr's/Srs in primary starting roles we've ever had. Given OSU NFL exodus every year, the OSU vs. IU game being at IU, maybe next year is as good as any for the art of the possible to happen.

And I do think IU's 2022 recruiting class will be the best one we've had in 10 yrs. Predict 3-4 4-stars minimum, and rest 3-stars, good athletes, etc. We are very close to having really good depth of truly quality P5 level talent, not the old 2-stars we had to beat a MAC school to land. Those to me, are the next steps!
You are on the money about the next step, 2021 will be a very important season for IUFB. 2020 was an important season for IUFB to show that 2019 was the first step up and IU is still on the climb. 2021 will show recruits and fans where IU stands in the B1G and in the national picture. IUFB is in the toughest part of rising in the national picture because people now expect them to win big games. How well IU responds to these expectations will determine the year they have in 2021. Lets hope they avoid the fall MN had this past year or the one NW had in 2019.
 
I’m hoping that we have solidified the foundation. As stated above due to the amount of competition our record could fluctuate significantly. I’m just hoping that our team is capable of winning any game on the schedule.
 
OMG the next step??? WTF the next STEP? How about we maintain for a minute and prove that we actually belong. Ima tell you something beating the teams "in league" we beat this year may never happen again in your life. We have to prove we belong and win a damn bowl game against good competition. Next step...You owe me for a new keyboard with sh!t like that as I just spit out coffee all over mine.
 
OMG the next step??? WTF the next STEP? How about we maintain for a minute and prove that we actually belong. Ima tell you something beating the teams "in league" we beat this year may never happen again in your life. We have to prove we belong and win a damn bowl game against good competition. Next step...You owe me for a new keyboard with sh!t like that as I just spit out coffee all over mine.

I think IU has earned the status of proven themselves after last two seasons. Yes bowl losses stink (both against SEC) but it’s not like IU was outmatched or Purdue vs Auburn embarrassed. But they need to win one soon!

But IU seems to be well positioned to be seen in genre of Iowa/Wisc, which to me means can beat any team in the league including OSU, but no one beats OSU without having a great team and things going well in that game. But catch them in a reloading year (no Justin Fields & few others to NFL) and 2021 could be that year. You don’t think Fryefogle will be confident vs them after putting up 200+ on them?

Depending on how week overall season goes and if IU could win B10 outright- then seemingly ANY B10 champ is a contender to make final four too.

One step at a time for sure, but like NCAA hoops March Madness, teams with Juniors & Seniors often do well in hunt for National championships over teams loaded with Freshman stars.
 
Have not convinced me yet...Sure we had a great year, but its a whacked year (2020) IMO. We played a short season too. We plugged in a 4 star QB that failed miserably and did not execute. Go back and watch the film. How many guys were wide open that we missed. How did our offense come to a screeching halt? Why can't we run the ball against the shittiest run defense in the country? Theres alot of stuff to fix IYAM.
 
Do t think anyone is saying we are 100% there yet, but two years of improvement is leading to a potentially great 2021 season with heavy veteran leadership and experience. Throw in spring/summer practice and no reason to think IUnis going to regress. So if you don’t regress, you’re improving. Improve upon 2020 and you have something special.
 
The most important thing is to hire good coaches. He's losing good hires in Wommack and Hart. The Sheridan promotion is looking like a question mark right now. Hopefully Sheridan develops in year 2.
 
The 2022 recruiting class is critical- it should be a large class I believe, and we need to hit on some top talent - as great of a job as CTA/staff have done developing guys, we need a higher starting point talent wise to stay where we are and to move up going forward....I guess I need to keep trusting CTA....
 
OMG the next step??? WTF the next STEP? How about we maintain for a minute and prove that we actually belong. Ima tell you something beating the teams "in league" we beat this year may never happen again in your life. We have to prove we belong and win a damn bowl game against good competition. Next step...You owe me for a new keyboard with sh!t like that as I just spit out coffee all over mine.
I think that is the next step. Beat Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State again. Add Ohio State to the list. Breaking in a new quarterback, losing other guys Sermon , Teague perhaps some o linemen. Losing guys on a defense that was not great. Beat Iowa. Win the Bucket. Then quite win a damn bowl game that quite possibly could be in Florida for the third straight year.
 
I think that is the next step. Beat Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State again. Add Ohio State to the list. Breaking in a new quarterback, losing other guys Sermon , Teague perhaps some o linemen. Losing guys on a defense that was not great. Beat Iowa. Win the Bucket. Then quite win a damn bowl game that quite possibly could be in Florida for the third straight year.
Good post about IU's next step in this improving IUFB team. Younger guys will have to step up and returning players will have to show they are very good for the defense.
 
Part of "the next step" is scrapping the old saw about Indiana being the graveyard for coaches. This from Punt John Punt: "The fact that a successful SEC position coach & strong recruiter would leave to become IU's DC shows how far Coach Allen has taken the program. The job was viewed as a professional dead-end just a few years ago."
 
I think that is the next step. Beat Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State again. Add Ohio State to the list. Breaking in a new quarterback, losing other guys Sermon , Teague perhaps some o linemen. Losing guys on a defense that was not great. Beat Iowa. Win the Bucket. Then quite win a damn bowl game that quite possibly could be in Florida for the third straight year.

Where is Teague going? The running back room is going to be stacked next year.
 
Have not convinced me yet...Sure we had a great year, but its a whacked year (2020) IMO. We played a short season too. We plugged in a 4 star QB that failed miserably and did not execute. Go back and watch the film. How many guys were wide open that we missed. How did our offense come to a screeching halt? Why can't we run the ball against the shittiest run defense in the country? Theres alot of stuff to fix IYAM.
Tuttle played fine in his first start against Wisconsin. Not to mention that he played better against Wisconsin than Penix played against Maryland the week prior or that he at no time played as badly as Penix did during the first 58 minutes of the Penn State game. The Ole Miss game was NOT good, no defending that. You're 100% right that there's a lot to fix, but those things didn't all-of-a-sudden present themselves in Tampa.

Penix is a game changing talent. But we all REALLY need to take off the crimson glasses when watching highlights. The offense was not awesome this year. Lots of big plays, yes, but crappy run game, lots of dropped passes from various receivers, and some accuracy problems from Penix at times all year. The 60 yard bombs are fun, but lots of 3 and outs. And that was a problem that dogged the team all year.

I don't have the answers to the offensive ills the team faced and I don't think you're way off base with most of your assessment, but I don't think Tuttle failed miserably at all.
 
Tuttle played fine in his first start against Wisconsin. Not to mention that he played better against Wisconsin than Penix played against Maryland the week prior or that he at no time played as badly as Penix did during the first 58 minutes of the Penn State game. The Ole Miss game was NOT good, no defending that. You're 100% right that there's a lot to fix, but those things didn't all-of-a-sudden present themselves in Tampa.

Penix is a game changing talent. But we all REALLY need to take off the crimson glasses when watching highlights. The offense was not awesome this year. Lots of big plays, yes, but crappy run game, lots of dropped passes from various receivers, and some accuracy problems from Penix at times all year. The 60 yard bombs are fun, but lots of 3 and outs. And that was a problem that dogged the team all year.

I don't have the answers to the offensive ills the team faced and I don't think you're way off base with most of your assessment, but I don't think Tuttle failed miserably at all.
I would have to think that some of the problems with the offense relate to having little spring practice, no summer work and a strange and interrupted fall camp. I am also concerned about the scheme Sheridan seemed to want to run this year but he also was severely hamstrung by the COVID mess, as all teams were. I just think it may have impacted a new OC a little more.
 
I would have to think that some of the problems with the offense relate to having little spring practice, no summer work and a strange and interrupted fall camp. I am also concerned about the scheme Sheridan seemed to want to run this year but he also was severely hamstrung by the COVID mess, as all teams were. I just think it may have impacted a new OC a little more.
A lot of good posts in this thread. As for me, my response to the question in the original post is simple: Better play on the offensive and defensive lines. All dominant football teams at every level from high school to the NFL begin there. Whether that occurs through better recruiting or better coaching or better play by the same guys is a question the coaches have to figure out.
 
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