What I don't know....and what I do

[oldcougar77]

I don't know if we are where we should be in year five of a coach's tenure or if we are going to get the door to bowl eligibility kicked down this season or anytime soon. But I do know these things:

1. If we fire this staff at the end of this season we will lose a recruiting year and likely see multiple transfers. The odds get pretty good that we become a two or three win team the next two years. Depth is still an issue for us but it will be worse for sure the next two seasons if we make a coaching change.

2. Our young defensive backs are killing us - every game. There is potential there but all of our problems on defense right now go right back to that issue. We give up big passes for scores and long gains at critical times, we can't get off the field on third and long. This leads to fatigue all across the defense late in games. This group will likely be good in time, but not this year. The losses of Allen, Turner, and Clark from what should have been an experienced group returning have been devastating. With better play from this group we are 6-2 or 7-1 right now and those close wins against SIU, WKU, and Wake are laughers. I think next year we are a very good defense barring unforeseen circumstances.

3. We are far more competitive against good teams than we have been in twenty years. As frustrating as the last few weeks have been, I still think we are better off staying the course for a while than starting over.

 

[SWINDIANAIUFAN]

I don't know if we are where we should be in year five of a coach's tenure or if we are going to get the door to bowl eligibility kicked down this season or anytime soon. But I do know these things:

1. If we fire this staff at the end of this season we will lose a recruiting year and likely see multiple transfers. The odds get pretty good that we become a two or three win team the next two years. Depth is still an issue for us but it will be worse for sure the next two seasons if we make a coaching change.

2. Our young defensive backs are killing us - every game. There is potential there but all of our problems on defense right now go right back to that issue. We give up big passes for scores and long gains at critical times, we can't get off the field on third and long. This leads to fatigue all across the defense late in games. This group will likely be good in time, but not this year. The losses of Allen, Turner, and Clark from what should have been an experienced group returning have been devastating. With better play from this group we are 6-2 or 7-1 right now and those close wins against SIU, WKU, and Wake are laughers. I think next year we are a very good defense barring unforeseen circumstances.

3. We are far more competitive against good teams than we have been in twenty years. As frustrating as the last few weeks have been, I still think we are better off staying the course for a while than starting over.

Is it coaching? Let me explain. Maybe someone that can analyze football more than an "older" fan can explain to my why the players always seem to be out of position defensively. The defensive end is always seems out of position. It is just extremely frustrating watching a team that constantly gets beat on big plays defensively. Listening to the coaches show the other night on the radio, Sprigs and the kicker were interviewed. Seemed like the kind of players that IU needs but one thing struck me. It seemed like they were not "pissed" about losing. So I thought do the IU players just accept that being on a full ride scholarship is good enough and if we win, ok. If we don't win, ok. This to me is unacceptable. I want so badly for the IU football program to win and each player and coach to want to win so badly they will coach a play with a sense of urgency, not complacency.

 

[IUHarselCo]

Is it coaching? Let me explain. Maybe someone that can analyze football more than an "older" fan can explain to my why the players always seem to be out of position defensively. The defensive end is always seems out of position. It is just extremely frustrating watching a team that constantly gets beat on big plays defensively. Listening to the coaches show the other night on the radio, Sprigs and the kicker were interviewed. Seemed like the kind of players that IU needs but one thing struck me. It seemed like they were not "pissed" about losing. So I thought do the IU players just accept that being on a full ride scholarship is good enough and if we win, ok. If we don't win, ok. This to me is unacceptable. I want so badly for the IU football program to win and each player and coach to want to win so badly they will coach a play with a sense of urgency, not complacency.

Except for a few big passes, and a run here and there, the linebackers and dline shut down the running game of the #7 team in the country. This just doesn't match your assessment of general poor D play. If we shut down just half their passing game with experienced dbacks and we probably are 6-2, or 7-1. Can't agree with your assessment.
However, I do agree that a bit more fighting spirit seems to be in order. Still, that's just an impression so I could be wrong. I though they fought hard until fourth quarter then ran out of gas. Exhaustion makes you look like you're not trying when you are giving it what you got. Hey, I've been through Marine Corp boot at PI in 1969...learned all about that! Vbg

 

[hoosierdaddy2015]

Our d-line has been decently good this year. Outside of ^^^^^ being out of position in impressed compared to years past. Our db's is our issue, they don't press which they need to more, that would give our hogs at least 2secs more to the QB, but then they get burned and our 2 back guys are usually off assignment as well. So they play 20yds off the receiver creating hook routes and slants alllll day long. Either sell the house on better db recruits or or really invest in these young kids. Either way something has to change cause our pass defense sucks!!

 

[rlmartindale4]

I've been watching IU Football for 60 years. The recruiting is much better, the offensive line is very good, we have a stable of good backs, the front seven on defense are playing well, we lead the Big Ten in total offense. During Coach Wilson's rein, we have shown steady improvement. Steady, not spectacular, due to some key injuries the last two years. The Defensive Backfield will eventually get fixed. I have complete confidence in Wilson. We would be fools to fire him, like we were when we fired Coach Mallory. 5 years may or may not be enough time to turn many programs around, but not at IU. This is not a storied program that had fallen on tough times. We're all familiar with who we are, and where we were. Coach Lynch, by all accounts a fine man, basically passed on to Coach Wilson, a mediocre Mid-American Conference team, at best, with respect to talent. STICK WITH WILSON.

 

[Bligedy]

Is it coaching? Let me explain. Maybe someone that can analyze football more than an "older" fan can explain to my why the players always seem to be out of position defensively. The defensive end is always seems out of position. It is just extremely frustrating watching a team that constantly gets beat on big plays defensively. Listening to the coaches show the other night on the radio, Sprigs and the kicker were interviewed. Seemed like the kind of players that IU needs but one thing struck me. It seemed like they were not "pissed" about losing. So I thought do the IU players just accept that being on a full ride scholarship is good enough and if we win, ok. If we don't win, ok. This to me is unacceptable. I want so badly for the IU football program to win and each player and coach to want to win so badly they will coach a play with a sense of urgency, not complacency.

I don't know much about much. But I do know that on two of the touchdowns the same true freshman defender turned the wrong way on his coverage. I'm confident he as coached properly, but who knows. He probably just made mistakes.

 

[IUHarselCo]

I've been watching IU Football for 60 years. The recruiting is much better, the offensive line is very good, we have a stable of good backs, the front seven on defense are playing well, we lead the Big Ten in total offense. During Coach Wilson's rein, we have shown steady improvement. Steady, not spectacular, due to some key injuries the last two years. The Defensive Backfield will eventually get fixed. I have complete confidence in Wilson. We would be fools to fire him, like we were when we fired Coach Mallory. 5 years may or may not be enough time to turn many programs around, but not at IU. This is not a storied program that had fallen on tough times. We're all familiar with who we are, and where we were. Coach Lynch, by all accounts a fine man, basically passed on to Coach Wilson, a mediocre Mid-American Conference team, at best, with respect to talent. STICK WITH WILSON.

Thank you for this post. Maybe being old farts gives us a longer view at the problem. When I was younger I sounded a lot like some here who have lost patience and want change now. I was way too hasty with Mallory, just George Belu (now a scout with NFL Arizona Cardinals) needed to go imo. Wilson makes the kind of mistakes a first time 5th yr coach makes. Rarely serious but always in the open. I wish we had found a great coach with a staff to follow but that didn't happen. And I like how he is building the right way; no temporary quick fixes, ie., keep JUCOs few and far between. Allen just killed him this summer. Flat could cost him his job if others got their way. Other loses there just drove the spike into the heart of any chances we had for a good season. Wilson has said nothing but good things about the kid and helped him transfer to ISU. Not sure I could be that gracious. Injuries are something else...fate, if you will.

I wouldn't have Wilson's job for twice the money he makes. But I think we're lucky to have him. We could, and have, done a lot worse. Imo

 

[Cream&Crimson]

Is it coaching? Let me explain. Maybe someone that can analyze football more than an "older" fan can explain to my why the players always seem to be out of position defensively. The defensive end is always seems out of position. It is just extremely frustrating watching a team that constantly gets beat on big plays defensively. Listening to the coaches show the other night on the radio, Sprigs and the kicker were interviewed. Seemed like the kind of players that IU needs but one thing struck me. It seemed like they were not "pissed" about losing. So I thought do the IU players just accept that being on a full ride scholarship is good enough and if we win, ok. If we don't win, ok. This to me is unacceptable. I want so badly for the IU football program to win and each player and coach to want to win so badly they will coach a play with a sense of urgency, not complacency.

I wouldn't put too much stock in how the players sounded on the coaches show. I doubt if they are really ambivalent about winning, and I'm sure Oakes wasn't happy about the kicks he missed.