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I think that's presumptuous. We improved the talent level, which we had to. This is not some obvious T25 team at the end of the year to me. We very well could achieve that, but it's not a given.

Yes, in week 5, before we played anyone, we were a fringe Top 25 team. Objectively looking at the talent on IU’s roster, the years of eligibility remaining, the size, the playmaking ability, and the overall roster construction, it’s hard not to conclude that the program is clearly moving in the right direction. C'mon now...

I live in Brownsburg and can attest. It was insane the extent football took over this town between the high school team and then IU football. Im friends with the High School QBs aunt. I actually had the scoop on where he was committing a day before everybody else which was so cool lol.

I think retention is a great thing, but I don't understand how you save money? If players on roster progress, they will want a raise and a big one if they did so good that other schools are willing to enter a biding war. You will always have your 2nd and 3rd tier players that you plan x amount $$ for regardless. Maybe I'm not looking at it right though.

Meh. I don't think he was downplaying Carr's contribution as much as reframing the question to share the credit with the entire staff

Drake beat Wichita State in 2021. He's 1-3 overall.

In fairness, last year's team was also fringe top 25 at the start of the year. Peaked at #22 in week 5. "Clearly moving in the right direction" is an optimistic take that I can appreciate, but don't find objectively true yet. We missed the tournament again and the staff decided they had to completely rebuild the roster for a second straight year. How many times has IUBB won the offseason with no results to show for it? IMO a lot of positive assumptions (which could prove to be totally valid) are needed to say the foundation is being built "the right way." Don't know that we can say that until after the season when we see how the pieces fit together and how many holes we need to fill in the portal. At least the money should go further if you're only filling 4 or 5 spots instead of 12-12. The talent is undeniably better than last year, and it had to be. It's not unquestionably a tournament team as things stand today, though IMO

It's interesting that DeVries downplayed Ryan Carr's contribution to this Portal Class in yesterday's interview.

We haven't made it to the second weekend in ten years. Haven't made a Final Four in 25 years. Our new coach has never won a tournament game. Yes our long term goal is to build a championship level program, but challenging for a NC this season is not a reasonable goal. If this is a top 20 team, with a chance to return most/all of our significant contributors in '27-28 - that would be a big success IMO.

We’ll be competitive this year and likely in the fringe Top 25 conversation. Considering where the program has been, we’re clearly moving in the right direction. With our entire roster having at least two years of eligibility remaining, the plan is to retain the core of this group, invest in keeping our top talent, and address weaknesses through next year’s transfer portal. That should position us to take another step forward and potentially become a Top 15 team in 2027-2028. This is a progression, and the foundation is being built the right way.

MIC/HCC are just so legit in football and really all sports. The schools that are in those conferences are absolute MONSTER high schools..... A quick reference point--- in OH the largest HS is 3500 kids, followed by by 2800, but only 7 total with 2500 or more. There are 4 HSs in Indiana with more than the largest OH school, and another 3-4 with basically the same amount. In Indiana, there are 20 HS with more than 2500 kids-- 15 of those 20 are members of these two conferences. Zionsville, another member of these conferences has 2300. When the Terre Haute school combine-- that'll make another school larger than 2500, easily. There are 56 HSs in the state of Indiana with more than 1500 kids... All of these numbers don't include Cathedral--- who takes a back seat to very few teams in the Midwest in terms of talent/D1 athletes. Xavier Booker, Pete Werner, Danny O'Neil, Terry McLaurin... Furthermore-- the socio economics are MANY of these schools are absolutely ELITE. Carmel, Zionsville, Noblesville, HSE, Fishers, Avon, Brownsburg, Westfield, and Center Grove. And while LN, LC, NC, BD, and WC all have some rough parts-- they still have plenty of money, too. Again, MASSIVE enrollments... and again, in terms of just sheer talent. Cathedral is in this grouping, as well, they just don't have the school enrollment. I don't think it's coaching at LN. I think it's a new age of talent in Indy that isn't growing up being enamored and lured away from football by picking "only basketball" at an early age. You could also throw Donovan McCulley into this mix, btw, he went to the same HS. As Greg Oden, Mike Conley did, as well.

Coach Mallory has been there for over a decade. He's had some good and bad years. Recently he's been on a tear. I don't know much about the program and feeder system but if I had to guess, if they have one, he's the reason or has improved it. Maybe someone on here that knows more can provide us more insight. LN has always had the talent. A ton of professional athletes come from LN. For example, Todd Leary, Eric Montross, Greg Oden and Mike Conely Jr. are all LN alum. Also, I forgot to mention Donaven McCulley is from LN.

Interesting little composite. Still can’t get over what happened to Harris-Smith. Liked that kid a lot in HS and then he got to college and lost all confidence in his shot almost immediately and now he’s to the point that he straight turns down open looks.

Get that man on some visits. Let him hold the NC trophy

On the surface, if all things were clear cost/benefit... The above reasoning that 'we' are spending and IU needs 'to deliver a six seed or better' seems appropriate. Except for the apparent mandate that the team and coaches just have to deliver a six seed. (Or else 'we' won't gift NIL.) As we saw with Woody and his teams, they didn't deliver. And we still get an estimated $20 million. Football success probably had a lot to do with it. I wonder about this. Gifts to athletics are motivated by all sorts of wants and desires. Some may be because of gratitude for one reason or another. I have all sorts of questions about the process. Some may never get answered. I don't question that student/athletes deserve pay. Gifts are an interesting source of NIL. Gifts to university athletics are generally not directly part of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) because NCAA rules prohibit institutions from paying athletes directly. However, donations to NIL collectives—separate, supporter-run entities—are the primary funding source for athlete NIL deals, representing 70-80% of revenue. Seems to me that there are no musts to deliver. Coaches get paid oodles whether they deliver or not...per their contracts. Students get their $$$ regardless. There is little or no control or feedback about winning. Moral suasion, pride, doing a job well...and future opportunities...yes. That seems to me to disconnect from fans gifting to NIL and athletics. I am not questioning that it appears that $20 million in NIL appears to be in the range of a middle seed in the NCAAT. Although that is obviously subject to debate. In economics, it appears to me to be almost perfect inelasticity between how much NIL is funded by fans depending on performance in previous years. Football, those that have disposable funds and, of course, businesses marketing, all are wild cards in this.

Down the road if there's a staff opening, probably need to explore hiring whoever is responsible for developing all of these very high-level Lawrence North receivers. There is athletic talent everywhere, but Lawrence North is a public high school that is repeatedly churning out four and five star high school talent at one specific position. edit: Lawrence North's Head Coach is former IU O-lineman Patrick Mallory (no relation to Bill Mallory). A guy on the rise with full IU connections and loyalty. So YAY!

IU needs to keep the top talent in the state be it BBall, FBall, Baseball or anything.

@jermhoosierfan, yeah like @Stuhoo mentioned, it's Lawrence North High School. Omar Cooper Jr., Davion Chandler, Monshun Sales, and now Ethan Adbulraheem all have been offered and/or on or have been on the IUFB roster. It's most definitely a trend. I see this as all very good for IUFB.

Ok, I am not up on Indy HS football players down here in Evansville. LOL

Curt Cignetti Named Lee Corso Legacy National Coach of the Year Head Coach Curt Cignetti was honored last night as the inaugural winner of the Lee Corso Legacy National College Football Coach of the Year for 2025. The Award is given by the Positive Coaching Alliance whose mission is to ensure that every young person benefits from a positive youth sports experience with a coach who inspires them to become the best version of themselves in the game and in life. The award is named in honor of former IU Head Coach Lee Corso who not only had a positive impact on his players while coaching, but also a positive impact on college football during his time on College Gameday from 1987-2025. Congratulations Coach Cignetti and Coach Corso! https://www.clickorlando.com/sports/2026/05/08/lee-corso-gives-indianas-curt-cignetti-inaugural-lee-corso-legacy-award/

A sophomore from Monshun's high school.

So, he doesn't like they are recruiting another WR or he likes the fact they are going after another one who is local?

This is the key. It’s not happening at IU because there’s no team or culture to retain them to. Yet anyways.

Agree. Close to $20M spend when it's all done, plus this huge expensive staff, you've just got to deliver a six seed or better. Or else why are we spending all this money? If they can't do this and there were no serious injuries, I just cannot see a case for this staff being the right one that's ever going to do anything here. Hopefully this staff hits their stride this year...