So there was no pleasing you unless we pulled off one of the 10 largest upsets in college football history - equivalent to App State beating Michigan.
Would 3-1 to close the season change your mind?
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So there was no pleasing you unless we pulled off one of the 10 largest upsets in college football history - equivalent to App State beating Michigan.
You consider us, a Big Ten school, to be the equivalent of an App State? And why are you satisfied with 2-21?
I suppose that if I were a gambler and I'd played IU to cover, there'd be some satisfaction to take from that game. Since I'm not, it's just like dozens, probably more like a hundred games I've watched since 1967 that leave me feeling gutted.
There are times, for instance in CKW's second or third year where it was becoming apparent that the offense alone may just steal one that we had no business winning. Coach Allen is in year seven. The days of getting excited over near misses are done. The question now is, why seven years in, we're still 30+ point underdogs to anyone.
App State has the 6th best record in FBS since 2015, behind Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Clemson, and Oklahoma.
They have won 6 out of the 7 bowl games they appeared in.
in what conference do they play, why are you satisfied with 2-21, and why have you ignored our game against Rutgers?
My optimism of this team's season also might be it's downfall. Tons of new guys. I think it's taking longer than anticipated for everyone to know their role and for the coaches to figure out who can play and what they are best at. But this problem lays at the feet of the coaches to not recognize early enough who should be starting ie QB. They needed to stick with a guy after the first couple of games. I still think this team is decent talent wise. But man, the coaches need to help put players in a position to WIN. Super conservative play calling is dumb with a team like IU.
You’re incredulous that people aren’t satisfied after yet another loss . . . I’m simply curious as to why you would have that perspective.
Most of us are beyond single games deciding whether a staff is failing or not. And we've seen enough 23 minute bright spots to be more than a little wary of that meaning anything with regards to the program improving.
They've played 5 really, really crappy games this year. And have played 2 solid games. And 1 game that isn't worth evaluating one way or another, though I'd say an underwhelming win against arguably the worst team we've played in over a decade (ISU).
But if the affirmation is necessary...sure, we played stretches of some good football on Saturday. It was fun to watch while it lasted.
The man's not getting paid 5million a year to come close. Certainly not in year 7.
More like win, or it's a loss. No matter who you're playing. It's really just that simple.
I think it means more if we hadn't gotten housed by Maryland and Rutgers, and been gifted the game against Akron. THEN the narrative is more...man we're close, he's got us right there... But as it is...and with how the game ended...its pretty obvious the good minutes from Saturday won't be widely repeated, consistently, going forward.
If it does...we'll go 3-1, or even 4-0. If those minutes are a sign we're improving, we should be able to beat Wisconsin...and handle the other 3.
They are 4-4 against the spread this year. Neither exceeding nor performing below expectations.
Last Saturday was the best game they played all year. Some "fans" are dismissing it because they didn't win.
These "fans" claim when they lose that the only thing that matters is winning, but then ridicule the team for not beating Akron by enough.
These same people dismiss the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
You said that I said I was satisfied with 2-21, please point to where I said that.
I said during the Penn State game that if we beat them - then one more win the rest of the season and Allen would keep his job. That's how low I feel the expectations are by Dolson.
Now, with even some internet posters here seemingly touting the squandered Penn State game ( 'close', 'competitive', 'improved line', 'improved dee', 'improved OC') as such a strong result, I think Dolson surely must be counting it at the top of the 'beat expectations' category. So now I fear one win the rest of the way, is all it'll take. As long as one or two others are 'close, and 'competitive'.
We are 'low-expectation-having-mf-ers'.
Now, with even some internet posters here seemingly touting the squandered Penn State game ( 'close', 'competitive', 'improved line', 'improved dee', 'improved OC') as such a strong result, I think Dolson surely must be counting it at the top of the 'beat expectations' category. So now I fear one win the rest of the way, is all it'll take. As long as one or two others are 'close, and 'competitive'.
We are 'low-expectation-having-mf-ers'.
When you proclaimed you were satisfied after our most recent loss, it was a natural assumption to make, especially when you’ve been a huge defender of the status quo. Just don’t understand why you’re good with where we are. Please explain if you feel differently.
We’re 2-6, not 4-4. Who gives a flying F what we are ATS?
If we go 3-1 the rest of the way, then the improvement argument is probably valid enought to get TA the final year of the promised contract. If that is the case, it should be pretty easy to say that continued improvement means a bowl game in 2024 or his tenure is over.
That being said, I haven't seen anything from this team that suggests to me that it can actually seal the deal and win three of the last four. If we cannot win three of the next four, it's time to cut our losses and move on. Offer TA a reduced buyout with the money up front and hope he bites. Either way, he has to go.
External expectations were abysmal. Living up to that is literally saying nothing other than our average is sucking.
We lost. Everybody here is a fan. Good God, why else would anybody be on a message board talking about Indiana football? Being unimpressed does not equate to a lack of fandom. Casual fans are probably more ok with moral victories, yet they're bigger "fans" because they're not fed up?
We were a 23 yard field goal away from losing to Akron...at home...in year seven. We didn't block the FG or make a big play, they just missed the kick because that's how bad they are.
2019 and 2020 matter less than 2023, 2022, and 2021 in that order.
Again, the point here is that we have been 30+ point underdogs two out of our last three (conference!!!) games. Those were sandwiched around losing to RUTGERS (at home) for the third year in a row. Did we play better against Penn State? Better than what? Not better than our opponent.
This is easily the most humiliating time to be an Indiana football fan in my nearly 30 years of attending games....and it ain't even close.
I was sad when we fired Cam...I really thought he was turning a corner. I was sad when we fired Bill Lynch because the offense was fun and we only missed a bowl game because of Belcher's drop. I was pissed when we fired CKW because we were building something and making history. I will personally pack CTA's belongings yesterday.
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I agree with you. But since the season does not end today let's see how the season plays out. I think anything less than 3-1 and we should move on. If we 3-1 I think another season is warranted.
Agreed. We looked like a football team in State College but that game means nothing if it can't be leveraged for confidence, motivation, toughness, perseverance and at least three wins in November. Time to earn your salaries, coaches.
Allen's job, in my opinion, should hinge on how we finish the season. And close losses over this final stretch shouldn't be viewed as a positive. We've got to win games.
Having watched his body of work and inconsistent games over the course of 7 seasons, Allen is much closer to losing out versus winning 3 of them.
It wouldn't be warranted but that would provide Dolson with enough cover to justify keeping him
I think that subconsciously I have not acknowledged that Walt Bell is no longer the offensive coordinator. There is a real possibility that the Hoosiers are a hell of a lot better than they were just a couple of weeks ago. I am thrilled that the Hoosiers took Penn State down to the wire but I can't let go of the coaching fiasco starting with the first down on the 21-yard line.
Going into the last month of the season the Hoosiers could be a 6-6 team and Tom Allen gets another year added to his contract or the Hoosiers could be a 2-10 team without a consensus starting quarterback.
Going into the last month of the season the Hoosiers could be a 6-6 team and Tom Allen gets another year added to his contract or the Hoosiers could be a 2-10 team without a consensus starting quarterback.
Saturday changed my mind as far as us having the personnel to compete, but it doesn't mean we're going 3-1 the rest of the way. Special teams mistakes, penalties at the worst times; allowing opposing QBs to scramble for 20 yards when it's 3rd and 19; playing conservatively on offense as if you're in the running for one of the four playoff berths, etc., etc.
Relative performance means nothing. We're 2-6. As Bill Parcells said, you are what your record says you are.
That seems to be the opinions of B!G broadcasters that spoke after the game. I would have liked them to give us a little bit of credit instead of saying that Penn State just made mistakes.
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Completely agree there are/were winnable games on our schedule..
I have zero confidence we will win any.
"The spread" exists to make the house money, not accurately predict the outcome of a game or evaluate performance.
One of the falsehoods that is regularly trotted out to justify Tom Allen’s departure is penalties or—even worse—untimely penalties, which essentially makes the claim unfalsifiable.
Statistically, we average 5.1 penalties per game, which places us in the upper quartile for fewest penalties (#36). Over the last three games, we have averaged slightly less.
On an unrelated note, have we recovered a fumble this year?
Thank you … two thirds of the way through the season and zero fumble recoveries—odd.
Maybe, they come in bunches the rest of the season.
Shouldn't be 32 point underdogs to begin with in year 7 of the coaching staff.
Being an underdog is just people's opinion on how our team matches up against the other team so it's still looks bad on the staff.
You act like you know more than the casual fan. However what exactly were your expectations coming
True sitting at 2-6 is a huge disappointment. We should be 4-4 or 5-3. However you come into a season with 2 quarterbacks that had 10 total college plays between them and that is not a recipe for success.
You act like you know a lot about football can you te me how you thought IU was going to beat OSU, Michigan or PSU going into the season with 2 quarterbacks that had 10 college play’s between them? You fired your offensive coordinator 3 games into the season. Yes that is on Allen. On the other hand you can be known as a guy who is constantly firing people without giving them a chance. You have numerous injuries to your top receivers and probably your best running back. You thought you had your 2 coordinators and they become head coaches. You have not had much continuity at the coordinator position when you get a good one they move on. Not his fault. I have said I think he needs to go 3-1 to even consider keeping his job. But you tell me who you think the next head coach should be and how much time do you propose we give them?
The roster and the staff are Tom’s responsibility, especially in Year 7. He’s mismanaged both and the result is a 2-21 Big Ten record over the last two and a half years. That should never be acceptable and excuses shouldn’t be made for it.
If IU loses, your narrative is "DID WE GET THE WIN? NO? WELL THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS." (Penn State game).
If IU wins, you complain that it's not by a large enough margin. (Akron game).
So going into the PSU game, unless IU were to pull of one of the 10 largest upsets in college football history, you were going to be unhappy with the performance.
If those are the conditions then why watch?
No one is happy with the past 2.5 years. Go ahead and rip apart the Akron game, the Maryland game, the Rutgers game. Or pick literally any game in 2021-22. But when our coach fires the OC, changes the QB, goes into Happy Valley with a QB making his 2nd start and a new OC, put up more points on PSU than any team this year (including OSU), plays a competitive game for 58 minutes with a top 10 team, you want to dismiss the performance because we didn't get the win? Garbage. IU wasn't dominated in the lines. IU didn't have significantly worse athletes. That was the best IU has performed in 3 years.
You say we shouldn't be 30+ point underdogs to Michigan, and that being such significant underdogs shows regression in the program, but don't take into account account that this is the best Michigan team since the 90s. They're currently the national title favorites, over a Georgia team that has won back-to-back titles and is undefeated this year. 2003 we were 33.5 point dogs. 2005 we were 26.5 point dogs. 2016 we were 24.5 point dogs. 2018 we were 28 point dogs. It's not some incredible outlier, especially given the team that they have this year, and the up and down of Michigan's program from Rodriguez to post-COVID Harbaugh. If you want a better benchmark, use OSU. We were 30 point underdogs this year. Average spread the last 24 meetings is 25 points. I cannot remember a time when OSU, UM, and PSU were all top 5 teams. We lost to OSU by 20, PSU by 11, and Mich (who beat MSU by 49, Minn by 42, Nebraska by 38) by 45.
Allen isn't going anywhere at the end of the year. He will be our coach in 2024. IU doesn't have a T. Boone Pickens to pay 20 million to get rid of a coach for a year. That's the reality. And I'm not sure who on earth you think is going to come in and be our savior. Our options are going to be a coordinator at a top program who has never been a head coach before and wants a chance, a lower level coach that succeeded who wants a pay raise, or a coach who flamed out at another head coaching job (we have 2 on staff right now). Who out there is the guy that can do that? IU is NOT a destination job, I would argue that it's coaching suicide. No one has taken this job and gone on to better things elsewhere, but we have ruined the careers of several coaches. The program has made one external hire in 20 years in part because it's really, really hard to convince people to come here. If a coach comes here, they better have a plan like Allen did to bring talent to Bloomington - we share this talent depleted state with another school, and the big boys will pluck whoever they want anyways. Allen's Florida recruiting ties (even bringing the Heisman front runner here) are absolutely an asset that we will lose if he's gone.
100%.
To add, when the offense struggled, he fired his coordinator and changed his QB, which resulted in our best offensive performance of the year, against a top 5 defense on the road that allowed less than 10 points per game.
