Aaron

Fair, but it took half a season to figure out who to start that season along with Bothwell. Bottom line is in four years you have had 1.5 starters you have had in a weekend rotation (Sinnard, Foley) from get go you were confident is. Bottom line is that is not going to get it done and seemingly Glant is only one with this problem. Everyone else in 4 years would have 8 starters at minimum ready to go at beginning of a given season in that same time time period. Its the bottom line why program has somewhat struggled and is not sustainable to maintain winning. This is why Glant's tenure for most part has been failure. Its not ERA or eye test which is better than some and worse than others and OK which would cut it if he had eight starters ready to go in four years rather than 1.5. Bottom line.

Outside of Sinnard, no one has developed into a constant starter for an entire season and team spends half a year mixing and matching and maybe finding a guy or two down stretch. This is why Dustin Glant's tenure has been an abject failure so far. Every other issue discussed is hit or miss on every team. The inability to find at least two decent starters to go 5-6 innings within a week or two of season starting is unique to IU since Glant has been here and affects no one else. We can pick apart all aspects of program which are hit or miss. Bottom line though is there is one standout issue (length) since Glant has been here that affects no other team in conference or even nationally. Can't say if it is recruiting or incompetence on Glant's part. What I can say is after four years of this same glaring issue outside Sinnard, its time for someone else to come in and run the pitching program. It is time see if someone else can fix something that is a very basic issue with length that affects no one else and has killed program. Clearly Glant doesn't have the answer or we would have seen it after four springs. Whether Mercer is the long term coach here rests on this. A program that cannot develop length with starters is a non-starter for maximum success and until this is addressed mediocrity will remain. Everything else will come and go as happens everywhere regardless of who is in charge and can be tweaked as needed. Ability to develop length and starters though is non-negotiable and a basic of the game and it has been Glant's downfall since he came on board in 2022. Think of it as baseball's version of three point shooting with men's basketball. Other problems have existed. However, bottom line is programs inability to compete is due to not being able to shoot 3's which is a fundamental aspect of the game. Same with starting pitchers. Both are seemingly only issues IU has. The three-point shooting or lack thereof has led to mediocrity and addressed with a new coach. Same thing with pitching needs to happen now.

The pitching in totality is ok, not great. Its the inability to have even one reliable starter or ace that is the massive issue. If team had the same ERA but two reliable starters, you could live with this. The issue with Glant and this pitching program is not the ERA. That could be better but the massive problem year in and year out is having to piece together every game 2-4 innings at a time and not having a go to person. We can look at the ERA and eye test all we want (which could be better but isn't the big issue). The bottom line though is every other Big Ten team has at least two reliable weekend starters that go 5-6 innings at minimum every week. Meanwhile, IU is throwing everyone no more than 3-4 innings at most and cant get length or a steady rotation. This introduces far to many variables into winning and keeps team from having a fresh or reliable bullpen. We can debate ERA and other numbers all we want which can be spun however one would like. However, what is inarguable is Glant and this current pitching program has completely failed at developing length which is a must to be successful in college baseball. Every other pitching coach and program starts freshman with promise a few innings at a time and develops there length into solid starters. IU cannot get length from anyone currently for an entire season outside Luke Sinnard since Glant has been here (and not surprisingly this was best season since Glant has been here). Offense has been hit or miss, ERA could be better, defense could be better. These are all issues every team faces and can be picked apart. The bottom line though is only IU's pitching program cannot develop pitchers to go the normal length as weekend starters. This is the bottom line difference between the Hoosiers and every other team (especially better ones), and until it is rectified we can pick apart other problems to death, but nothing will get better and win at a higher level until this fundamental issue that affects no one else is fixed. This has started since Glant has been here. He has other issues but it would all be fixable if he could find guys to be good for length and be starters. Since he seemingly can't someone else needs to try, especially since he is seemingly only one with this issue.

FYI an interview with Yarden at Maryland now. Confirms everything I have been told in regards to her departure. While she faced anti-Semitism, it was not factor in her decision for leaving and felt well supported at IU. Without saying it per se, this interview matches everything I have heard in that she is leaving for more money and better chance to win. With filter off now and talking to a Maryland Jewish newspaper, she could easily air any dirty laundry and this interview pretty much confirms what I have said that it was NIL related and wanting to win more without being part of a rebuild. Definitely no ill feelings towards IU. https://umdmitzpeh.com/2025/04/30/visual-composer-15703/

Its up there but I go a lot so besides tonight been at following games that were thrilling and this is in no particular order of best one: 1. Haliburton 4 pt play in regular season early this year 2. Nembhard long three for win vs. Knicks in playoffs last yr 3. Haliburton game winner vs. Bucks in OT last yr of game 3 4. Late winner vs. Suns middle of last year 5. Bogdanovic game w/ seven three's and 30 points to beat Lebron in playoffs 6. Thriller over Knicks in 2013 to advance to Eastern Conference Finals 7. NBA finals game 3 win vs. Lakers 8. First ever game I went to beat Bulls and Michael Jordon when Bulls went 72-10. 9. Tonight of course There are probably a few others but those immediately come to mind including tonight. Another note is it amazing to me how Gainbridge Fieldhouse goes from a library and my least favorite place for a game atmosphere in regular season to as good an atmosphere as any big time vintage Assembly Hall atmosphere in playoffs. Gainbridge is by no means unique in this regard in NBA, but atmospheres from regular season to playoffs go from about 2/10 to 10/10 in postseason. I would say NBA is league with biggest discrepancy from regular season to postseason with intensity both on the court and in the stands.

IU gives far better coverage to its women's program that 90% of schools. It could absolutely be better but there is more support and coverage here then the vast majority. Just need to get NIL and recruiting up a bit (which hopefully this new Alabama assistant will help) and hopefully that is coming now that Moren gets how important this is as I talked about previously.

According to Talia Goodman on Austin Render's Dribble Drive Show on Back Home Network, IU is in mix with Iowa for UCF star freshman Emely Rodriguez: https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/player/_/id/5239475/emely-rodriguez Said a few other things of minor interest (she loves addition of Socka, Phoenix and Jerni but unsure how team fits as whole which I think we all would agree with) but that was most noteworthy by far about Rodriguez who would be best player IU has gotten this offseason so far.

Not sure

Rubber has met the road. No pitcher has developed this year to be solid. Right now you have inconsistent arms who are sometimes good and others who are unusable. It needs to be told to Mercer by athletic department after the season he has two choices. He can make the necessary changes to the pitching program and be safe for a while or if he maintains status quo its his head that will go in 2026 if things go poorly. I have been very clear that I think Mercer is a solid coach. However, Glant is an awful pitching coach and if Mercer stands by him they can go out together. Otherwise I think Mercer can have a long solid career here if he brings in a different pitching coach. The rubber has met the road here and this has been teetering. You threw away a season with two high draft picks and elite offense. You have a ton of elite freshman to form a core for a while with the bats. However, not sure they will want to stay if pitching problems are not addressed. Bottom line is Glant is Darren Hiller and if Mercer stands by him like Tom Allen did its curtains on his career here. Mercer has a choice to make in offseason for the future of the program as well as his own. We will see what he does. When Glant cannot find even one trustworthy weekend starter, you can't be continued to be employed. Every season he has been here he has had zero or one long inning guy as his ace and no other reliable starters. Any good pitching coach should be able to develop two if not three. Also no depth at all and no one in bullpen developing to be good. Its time for a change with Glant and if Mercer keeps him they can go out together in 2026. We are about to find out how smart or Loyal Mercer is. I think he is a pretty good coach but he has an anchor around his neck he needs to get rid of (Glant) or drown.

Would hope so and will certainly tell us if the recruiting struggles were mostly on Sayavongchanh. It should be noted she took Glen Box's place (after he went on to become a head coach) who got far better results here despite less success on the court when he started.

New assistant coach named in Colsten Thompson who is also now the recruiting coordinator and was previously at Alabama. Had a couple top-15 classes in last few years with Crimson Tide. Replaces Linda Sayavongchanh who is no longer with team. https://iuhoosiers.com/news/2025/4/23/womens-basketball-colsten-thompson-named-assistant-coach-recruiting-coordinator

Jerni Kiaku commits who seemingly no one knew IU was after: https://goduquesne.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jerni-kiaku/12628 Started every game for Duquesne (They were 21-13 and 126 RPI). Averaged double figures. Against power five had 13 against PSU, 20 against Pitt. Not a good long range shooter but more athletic and may have driving ability. Really hard to know how a player at this level translate. Could be great or nothing and fits into team being a huge unknown that could make team 25-10 or 10-25 and no one would be surprised. Also, the continued foreigners show IU not where they want NIL wise. Doesn't mean that won't work. Teams have loaded up on foreigners and thrived. Just speaks to the continued shopping on budget

Glad they won series but at point of Big Ten Tourney championship or bust.

A split is more than OK on the road against a ranked team. Team is very much in contention for third straight NCAA Tournament still. This is the same top 35-40 team with an elite offense we have seen for three seasons now. More than acceptable given history in this sport.

Glant has been teetering for a long time and the dam has finally broken this yr with no trust worthy pitchers. This year they clearly are not finding reliable arms down the stretch. Mercer has a choice. He can replace Glant after the season with a competent pitching coach and have a long career in Bloomington or he can do what Tom Allen did with Darren Hiller and sink with him. Its Mercers choice and will tell us a lot if he is a long term fixture here. You have thrown away Devin Taylor's final year and would not blame these good young players if they enter portal if Mercer doesn't make some major changes to the pitching staff. Huge offseason for program and we will see if Mercer is willing to make some tough changes. This year its to late to do anything now unless team wins Big Ten Tourney.

Moren is clearly spending on a budget (a big part of it her own doing with NIL as I described earlier in thread many times) and hoping to make lemonade with lemons. Noyan is another player who is more athletic and had huge games, but not consistently. Someone asked me if team will be good next year and I truthfully told them I have no idea. Given the athleticism and Moren's coaching, team could be better then last year or much worse and we won't know until they take the court. Socka, Noyan, Stotijn, and freshman all have potential to be elite or mediocre and until we see them play, team could literally be anywhere from 10-25 to 25-10.

The Mercer quirk of struggling with mediocre pitching while pounding elite guys happened yesterday with all the mediocre ISU arms paraded out there. As I have said, these occasional losses and this issue could be overlooked if IU had its own pitching in order since this cancels out on offense. Once again this loss in isolation is not awful, but given where team is at due to its own woes on mound, and overly hard pitching program (see above), yesterday was pretty much a must win and season is going down the tubes. Larger picture, if all this talent enters the portal after season I would not blame them. Mercer's tenure going forward will likely rest on what he decides to do with Glant. Glant has become to Mercer what Darren Hiller did to Tom Allen and Mercer has a choice. If Mercer wants to, he can make the move Allen refused to on Glant and save his career here or fall off further and likely be fired in a couple of years. Mercers legacy could either be like the Tom's (Allen and Crean) with some success and not a terrible coach but also too much of a roller coaster and gone. However, if he makes the move to the pitching that is needed, he could be here a decade or more similar to Moren and Yeagley with more ups then downs.

I don't totally understand it myself but somehow it consists of spinning the ball and focus on locating it perfectly for strikes. When it works, there is no better way as it makes the pitches pretty much unhittable. However, if the location and spin are not perfect, it can lead to a lot of walks and wild pitches or getting shelled if thrown in wrong spot. In other words it is very boom or bust and is harder to grasp hence a lot of strikeouts but also a good amount of negative. With top talent, it could work great. However, as northern baseball with second tier players who need to be developed, it can take more time to figure out for some, hence the slow starts.

You can thank Glant for Seebold’s inconsistency and lack of pitching depth. He is a great talent but the inconsistency is direct result of Glant’s hard to grasp system. Until Mercer realizes this, IU baseball will always be a rollercoaster.

No doubt. However, as of this moment that would be their projected lineup.

The first two games of this series are a perfect example of why starting so slow each yr is such an issue. Losing a close low scoring game yesterday with a dominant victory today, is nothing to be ashamed of on the road against a decent Illini squad. However, with RPI stuck around 70, it places an unnecessary premium on tomorrow to stay in NCAA Tourney contention realistically.

Definitely a risk, but given (potentially improving but still behind) NIL situation, best IU could do at center likely. She was stuck behind Lauren Betts last year which is nothing to be ashamed of. However, needs to prove it at college level but talent clearly there given she was top-30 recruit and McDonalds All-American out of high school. Moren has never had a player that high straight out of high school (Makalusky is closest five spots behind her in current class). Only higher ranked transfers out of high school that eventually came to Bloomington were Patberg and Parrish who were hits and Danielle Patterson who busted. Projected starting lineup in general of Shay, Lenee, Stotijn, Socka, and either Spreen or one of the freshman carries a lot more risk than past. However, the talent potential and athleticism is higher then previous.

No one is safe from portal madness. Even South Carolina's star MiLaysia Fulwiley just entered portal: https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/college/usc/2025/04/11/milaysia-fulwiley-transfer-portal-south-carolina-womens-basketball-dawn-staley/83045762007/ Granted they got FSU star Ta'Niya Latson who is best player in portal and plays same position but still shows best teams can't stack talent as easily now.

I mean I had a couple people now tell me NIL situation is improving in last couple of days while a couple of others telling me it is still not great. Until the last couple of days I had heard nothing but that NIL situation was not great.

Update: NIL situation may be improving although heard both ways on this from a couple different people. However, proof will be in pudding if IU can get visits and lure in some better prospects than we have seen so far.