I've been pondering the season the last couple of days in anticipation of losing to PU. I hoped we would win but it wasn't to be. So we end this campaign 5-7, a common landing spot for an IU FB team, historically.
But the more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that my 5-7 prediction was wrong and I admit it. I thought at best we struggle to stay in some games to get where we are...that we would play some games where we literally stood little to no chance to win. That we would be muscled aside by the big boy and be staring at a long recruiting saga to return to any legitimate chance at better than 5-7.
At seasons start, many predicted 6-7, 7-6, even 8-5, some even farther out that those. I thought it unrealistic and silly to hope for something that couldn't happen. And it didn't.
But something else did and maybe that is the entire ball of wax, the most important single fact to take from this disappointing season: that not once were we in a game we didn't have a chance at some point to win it. I mean all of them. OSU, MSU, UM, PSU, all of them we COULD have won, and not a wistful could have...we were in the games and mistakes stopped us from finishing the win...too many times, but the amazing thing is we really were that close to beating everyone on our schedule.
That we didn't is a bit problematic...we could have...and you know, I cant say there have been many times over the last 40 years I couldnt say that with a straight face. But I can...we can look the entire B10 in the eye and say yeah we blew it, which makes you lucky. Don't count on us always being like that.
If we did no more than clean up the mistakes that we controlled, not those forced upon us by the opponent, I think we would have had our 6 wins going away, probably 7 wins. That's just post season talk, but I believe it in my heart that despite what we saw as results, beneath that is the underpinnings of how we get to those wins.
There needs to be some changes. Allen needs the best around him and I don't think our staff is there yet. But it can be...its another of those correctable errors I alluded too. But talking about it wont get it done...force of Will only will get us to a winning season. We are so close it hurts...really hurts...but that's a sign of growth. There was a time we would have been resigned to having no chance at all.
Right now, that is our prize to carry forward. We may be building the hard way and now must find a way to get past the last hurdle to winning for IU...ourselves. That may prove harder than beating OSU in the Horseshoe...but this season we did show it was possible. What and how other programs are doing it doesn't matter to IU...we are unique in that aspect.
Now they must finish the job...best of luck. GO IU!
But the more I thought about it, I came to the conclusion that my 5-7 prediction was wrong and I admit it. I thought at best we struggle to stay in some games to get where we are...that we would play some games where we literally stood little to no chance to win. That we would be muscled aside by the big boy and be staring at a long recruiting saga to return to any legitimate chance at better than 5-7.
At seasons start, many predicted 6-7, 7-6, even 8-5, some even farther out that those. I thought it unrealistic and silly to hope for something that couldn't happen. And it didn't.
But something else did and maybe that is the entire ball of wax, the most important single fact to take from this disappointing season: that not once were we in a game we didn't have a chance at some point to win it. I mean all of them. OSU, MSU, UM, PSU, all of them we COULD have won, and not a wistful could have...we were in the games and mistakes stopped us from finishing the win...too many times, but the amazing thing is we really were that close to beating everyone on our schedule.
That we didn't is a bit problematic...we could have...and you know, I cant say there have been many times over the last 40 years I couldnt say that with a straight face. But I can...we can look the entire B10 in the eye and say yeah we blew it, which makes you lucky. Don't count on us always being like that.
If we did no more than clean up the mistakes that we controlled, not those forced upon us by the opponent, I think we would have had our 6 wins going away, probably 7 wins. That's just post season talk, but I believe it in my heart that despite what we saw as results, beneath that is the underpinnings of how we get to those wins.
There needs to be some changes. Allen needs the best around him and I don't think our staff is there yet. But it can be...its another of those correctable errors I alluded too. But talking about it wont get it done...force of Will only will get us to a winning season. We are so close it hurts...really hurts...but that's a sign of growth. There was a time we would have been resigned to having no chance at all.
Right now, that is our prize to carry forward. We may be building the hard way and now must find a way to get past the last hurdle to winning for IU...ourselves. That may prove harder than beating OSU in the Horseshoe...but this season we did show it was possible. What and how other programs are doing it doesn't matter to IU...we are unique in that aspect.
Now they must finish the job...best of luck. GO IU!
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