I'll admit I'm a "Kool Aid Drinker" when it comes to Kevin Wilson and his staff and what they've done with IU football. I am NOT one of those folks sitting on his couch on saturdays with his computer on his lap waiting to pounce and complain at the first punt. We know those people exist. Heck the Bible teaches us that many of the Israelites complained to Moses that they were better off in slavery during Exodus. But that's another story. In another time. I guess the point is that it's human nature to many to complain. Not only will people "look a gift horse in the mouth", they'd complain that Secretariat wasn't Man of War. You "less seasoned" guys need to look that one up.
i was struck by a comment made in yesterdays program. I can usually pick out voices of journalists during the press conferences. But a woman asked about the 1-11 season and how it's affected the program. Pausing with his bottle of water, Coach Wilson explained that the program had just come from Coach Hoeppner being sick and ultimately dying and a year of an enterim coach. Basically two years of tough recruiting circumstance. As a result, IU recruiting (which has often been a disaster) suffered even more.
He said when he came, they had 27 GUYS ON THE ROSTER HAD D-1 OFFERS OTHER THAN IU.
(Thank you Matt for correcting my mistake from the first edition)
Not Big TEN OFFERS. But D-1 offers. 1 in 3 players on the team were considered by other teams WORTHY of playing big time football. That's astounding. A team and program with virtually no history of success or culture and 1/3 of the team is regarded as capable of playing on that level. Note I didn't say START on a good team. Just be on the team.
So they played the best players regardless of class. And they threw Jason Spriggs out there as a kid and Dan Feeney as a kid, and injury caused them to play Nate Sudfeld as a kid.. And they got drilled. And the naysayers cried.... "Moses we were better off as slaves".. Oops.... wrong whiners. sorry.
With each successive year they recruited a bit better and tried to build depth and culture and a winner. They tried to add age with JC kids and for the most part, missed. That was a setback.
And as they did, players they couldn't really afford to lose left for the NFL. At OSU you plug in a new guy and roll. At IU (to quote Borat) "not so much".
If you take the time to look at the commitment section on recruiting, and go back at individual classes you'll note that about 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 guys actually makes a contribution on his team. This is pretty universal. About 25% of a recruiting class plays consistently. You don't have to believe me, look it up yourself.
So incrementally in terms of improved culture and improved recruiting, IU is making strides and has gone from getting absolutely "slaughtered like sheep at passover" to having a shot to beat OSU, and Michigan and Iowa and being down 5 at MSU with a couple minutes to go. I'm the first to admit that when he came, Coach Wilson had never been a head coach and his time and score management was not what I'd have liked. But watching so many games has taught me that no lead is safe in college ball today with the rules as they are.
I don't know how things are going to play out for Coach Wilson's program. For all I know, someone on this team wins the Heisman trophy. Probably not, but you never know. I don't think I thought IU would ever have two All American offensive lineman at once. Did YOU? I can look and see tangible living improvement in this program. And I see it getting better. I'm as excited as I can remember about the future. If you don't see it, I have to wonder if you really want to.
Go IU football.
i was struck by a comment made in yesterdays program. I can usually pick out voices of journalists during the press conferences. But a woman asked about the 1-11 season and how it's affected the program. Pausing with his bottle of water, Coach Wilson explained that the program had just come from Coach Hoeppner being sick and ultimately dying and a year of an enterim coach. Basically two years of tough recruiting circumstance. As a result, IU recruiting (which has often been a disaster) suffered even more.
He said when he came, they had 27 GUYS ON THE ROSTER HAD D-1 OFFERS OTHER THAN IU.
(Thank you Matt for correcting my mistake from the first edition)
Not Big TEN OFFERS. But D-1 offers. 1 in 3 players on the team were considered by other teams WORTHY of playing big time football. That's astounding. A team and program with virtually no history of success or culture and 1/3 of the team is regarded as capable of playing on that level. Note I didn't say START on a good team. Just be on the team.
So they played the best players regardless of class. And they threw Jason Spriggs out there as a kid and Dan Feeney as a kid, and injury caused them to play Nate Sudfeld as a kid.. And they got drilled. And the naysayers cried.... "Moses we were better off as slaves".. Oops.... wrong whiners. sorry.
With each successive year they recruited a bit better and tried to build depth and culture and a winner. They tried to add age with JC kids and for the most part, missed. That was a setback.
And as they did, players they couldn't really afford to lose left for the NFL. At OSU you plug in a new guy and roll. At IU (to quote Borat) "not so much".
If you take the time to look at the commitment section on recruiting, and go back at individual classes you'll note that about 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 guys actually makes a contribution on his team. This is pretty universal. About 25% of a recruiting class plays consistently. You don't have to believe me, look it up yourself.
So incrementally in terms of improved culture and improved recruiting, IU is making strides and has gone from getting absolutely "slaughtered like sheep at passover" to having a shot to beat OSU, and Michigan and Iowa and being down 5 at MSU with a couple minutes to go. I'm the first to admit that when he came, Coach Wilson had never been a head coach and his time and score management was not what I'd have liked. But watching so many games has taught me that no lead is safe in college ball today with the rules as they are.
I don't know how things are going to play out for Coach Wilson's program. For all I know, someone on this team wins the Heisman trophy. Probably not, but you never know. I don't think I thought IU would ever have two All American offensive lineman at once. Did YOU? I can look and see tangible living improvement in this program. And I see it getting better. I'm as excited as I can remember about the future. If you don't see it, I have to wonder if you really want to.
Go IU football.
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