Aaron

Z is def a go to player inside when healthy. The question is her health. Saw enough last yr to confidently say she is a top 3-4 center in this league when on the court. Also, most importantly, with Jess Petrie and Kenzie Hare out of the portal to go with Lenee, you have three top-tier three point shooters. Z demands enough attention inside to open the three point line for these players. Clearly the team also had way more money for the portal this year which was good to see. I wouldn't say it was top-tier, but solid middle class money that got you three solid p5 starters in Petrie, Hare, and Samuels and a decent backup in Williams. Last year everyone who came at the time was a low end rotation player from the p5 or a mid-major starter. Clearly team went from a working class budget to a middle class budget for the portal given who they brought in.

Stanton gave Tholl another lesson today in her culture and system again today. Sometimes Stanton's system of power ball and avg pitching result in the 9-8 type losses you saw yesterday against decent teams. However, the joy you see in the dugout on every pitch and the home runs being hit like they are going out of style with wins far more often than not, you more than accept the sometimes shaky pitching. Stanton has built a winning program in this sport that has not been seen since the 1980's.

I believe Smiley does stress all of that as that is what Heller and Hannahs build their program on and how Heller took Mercer to school this weekend with Iowa.

Yup. Got the perfect guy who will almost certainly take the job and his name is Brian Smiley and he is only 41 years old. Born in Evansville and worked for years under Rick Heller and Mitch Hannah at Indiana State who are two of the most respected coaches in the game. Then went and instantly turned Miami (OH) and they are good again for the first time in 20 years after we stole the last good coach from them (Tracy Smith obviously) and he built IU from nothing. Miami (OH) might hate IU for stealing their best coaches but oh well. Def need to make a move on Smiley before someone else does but can absolutely get him if you act now given this is his home state. Do NOT bring back Chris Lemonis as fans on social media seem to want. Given Mercer's struggles, some people have gotten Tom Crean syndrome and remember that era far to fondly. Lemonis was better than Mercer, but that is a low bar right now and had serious issues with player development and was living off what Smith built. Did same thing at Mississippi State inheriting a palace and winning a championship before driving it into the ground. Other guys you should call who will probably say no is a Tracy Smith reunion (although he is getting up their in age), Hannahs himself, and Kansas' Dan Fitzgerald. Assuming they do say 'no' though your list should end at Smiley and bring him home to 812 area code. Most importantly IU seems to have good luck with Miami (OH) guys (Smith, Terry Hoeppner) and very bad luck with Dayton guys (Mercer, Archie Miller) making Smiley ideal.

Look everyone is entitled to disagree and maybe I will be wrong and you all will be right. Only time will tell. Scouting is like a weather forecast that is a pretty good guide but often not perfect. This was definitely a case of drafting someone way higher than any so called expert (aka meteorologist in weather field) thought. As a fan with the ability to be an amateur scout due to a brief job in past, i can tell you I see all the red flags that the scouts do. Doesn’t mean anyone is right and Black can absolutely be the ‘sunny’ pick on the ‘rainy’ day forecast as happens a lot when teams ignore the consensus. I am just trying to provide realism without the rose colored fan glasses. Doesn’t mean I am right and everyone else is wrong. I really hope Black is still in the NFL in five years but my ‘amateur expert’ opinion tells me Mendoza, Cooper, Ponds, Sarratt, and Fisher will be the ones around in five years. As with everything above, could be very wrong here. I wish all our Hoosiers luck in the NFL and hope Black tears it up even if i’m skeptical now.

Great pick!. Franchise CB in making.

Mendoza, Cooper, and Ponds will all be solid pros for a long time and great picks where they were taken! However, removing my rose colored glasses, that is a bad pick in third round with Black. He would still be there in the late rounds if 49ers like him and could make a nice complimentary back with his grittiness and ability to grind for yards. However, the third round is for franchise backs and Black is not that with his lack of speed. Not a knock on him and think could have a nice pro career and one of my favorite players. Just not a primary NFL franchise back with his somewhat slower wheels. He got caught from behind far to often on runs a franchise level pro back would not in college. Also, wish someone would have taken Sarratt or Fischer and whoever does next round will be getting steal on other solid pro guys for next several yrs. Also can't wait to see Coogan, Kamara, Hemby, and Nowakowski hopefully taken in late rounds for 10 total guys even if extended pro careers are a long shot. Mendoza, Cooper, Ponds, Sarratt, and Fischer will likely be the ones who are still playing in NFL in five years. Never thought I would live long enough to see double digit Hoosier pros taken in one draft including top pick but its a potential reality that makes me smile everyday:]!

I love IU as much as anyone but that is a horrible pick in third round. He would still be there in the sixth round for 49ers if they like him and could make a nice complimentary back with his grittiness and ability to grind for yards. However, the third round is for franchise backs and Black is not that with his lack of speed. Not a knock on him and think could have a nice pro career and one of my favorite players. Just not a primary NFL franchise back with his somewhat slower wheels.

The flood lights going out for a few minutes due to a glitch late in the game is the perfect message and metaphor from the baseball gods on the state of the program right now. Its why a leadership change is likely needed this year or next. Mercer really struggles with coaches like Rick Heller whose entire system is based on pitching and fundementals.

Michigan softball is basically IU soccer in the Mike Freitag era right now who gave the job from the retiring legend (Carol Hutchins) to her top assistant (Bonny Tholl) a few yrs ago and while it has not gone horribly, it has definitely led to a fairly noticeable drop off. Shonda Stanton basically gave Tholl a lesson in her system and culture she has built today. As soon as the Hoosiers hit or miss pitching gave up a 2-1 lead late to trail 4-2, IU didn't panic and instead poured it on with power ball in last two innings and pulled away to win 8-4 while being loud and joyful in dugout. That's the program Stanton has built in her time at IU and today was a microcosm of it and its why the team is cruising towards a fourth straight NCAA Tournament, while the Wolverines are likely to miss the postseason all together for the second time in Tholl's four year tenure. If Michigan is smart and wants to go back to being a top tier squad in college softball as they were for 30 years, they need to being in someone new who has head coaching experience and not keep the legend's top assistant as doing it this way almost always leads to slow decline.

Skim Milky just dropped the IU meme on twitter meaning Malia Samuels who just visited likely committed. Avg 3.4 pts at USC. Likely 7th-8th person in rotation based on those numbers. Update: Talia Goodman confirmed it is indeed Samuels who committed.

This is a realistic get to fill a final roster spot. Not sure if it will happen. However, with sister on team and where she is as a player, this is absolutely the prototype for 12th and 13th player on rosters.

Id be thrilled with 20 wins and getting back to tourney as IU builds this back up with a young team. You can’t supercharge a rebuild and the fact that Ngeuman was unwilling to wait behind Lauren Betts another year (hence how IU got her) should be ultimate proof no starting level big will come when you already have one. If Cori Close can’t get two bigs to work together at UCLA who are both starting level, I am not sure how you think Moren can. There is zero way to divide minutes amongst two starting bigs who mostly occupy the lane in today’s modern game. That is Z’s prototype and no amount of coaching or wishing makes her a four or someone you can split time with divided between two starting level centers. Moren will either look like a genius or an idiot for hitching wagon to Z and this season will answer which it is. However, in today’s game there is no third option to bring in another top tier big or hoard players. Despite what IU fans seem to think, its not always championship or bust. Its about the journey and establishing an identity with this group as Moren did in 2018-2019 before taking off. The pieces are there if Z stays healthy and everyone besides the transfers have at least two yrs left. I am much more concerned about building a foundation and culture and returning to tourney than setting a number on wins and contending. Feel same way about DeVries and Moren and this year will show if they have the stones to coach in current Big Ten environment given talent they have now.

Again in an ideal world I would love two bigs that split 20 min. Its just not realistic in this day and age with NIL and everyone wanting a guaranteed 30 min a night. There were two realistic ways to handle this with Z: 1. Moren tells Z she is to worried about her injuries and recruits over her and Z goes in portal. 2. Moren trusts and hope Z stays healthy and gives her the starting spot and she returns and shuts the door on a high level big IU chose number two. There is an argument to be made IU should have chose number one and recruited over Z and have her leave. However, once Moren chose number two, you took yourself out of the running for everyone except stretch fours like Petrie or a backup level big like Williams. You cant play two bigs together in modern games which limits options once you have a starter level one (even if injury risk). In modern game playing Z at four will definitely lead to a bad season given she operates within a few feet of basket. You can’t have a second starting level player in that mold playing at same time and be successful. Period I have no idea how good IU will be but starting lineup now is Z at the 5, Petrie at the 4, Maya at the 3, Lenee at the 2, and Battle at the 1. Also Nyemcheck and Hare of bench. This could well win 22 games with having four shooters again around Z but key is her health. Hoosiers clearly have more portal money this yr getting a plug in starter in Petrie and a borderline starter in Hare. Both are better than anything IU got in portal last year. It is just impossible to get any player of starting post quality to consider you once you hitched wagon to Z and whether that was a good idea is certainly arguable. There are certainly unknowns and questions, but this is a higher ceiling roster if things click. Between returnees (four), freshman (four) and current portal players (three) you only have two or three spots left and a USC reserve guard visiting today. None of the spots left offer much playing time based on who is there. You can argue with how roster was built, but now that it has been, you are fishing for bottom feeders for better or worse. You can’t assume anything right now based on how talent will do till we see how everyone develops and fits together.

A backup level one sure as insurance policy. A second true starting level center is not coming here as long as you have Big Z. You can be worried about her injuries and it’s legit concern. However, once you hitched your wagon to her, no high end post player will consider being an insurance policy. You can’t play them together and no top center will risk playing 10 min a game if Z is healthy. Its definitely a conundrum, but one you brought her back, you have to accept she is seen as the one who will play the vast majority of minutes in post. Also, Petrie did not fall off late in season and was in double figures six of last eight games. Every fan base thinks they won with the player they got in portal and only time will tell who is right.

Again unless you plan to throw Big Z overboard no top level starting center is going to come to IU. You can certainly make an argument to nudge Z out with her injury concerns, and then a high level center would be banging down IU’s door. However, once it was decided Z is coming back, you essentially took yourself out of running for a tier A starting center. There is certainly room to disagree with team here and send her into portal and look for an upgrade but thats risky. IF Z is healthy she is a top 3-4 center in Big Ten and the glimpses when she played clearly showed that. Another borderline starter like Striplin from two yrs ago at something like 9 points and 8 rebounds would be a great insurance policy and very necessary given Z’s injury history. Essentially the Mackenzie Hare of bigs would be perfect here. However, the chances of a top tier post player like Gracie Merkle or Audie Crooks coming here is zero as long as Z is on roster. It makes no sense for either side. OK State and Minnesota needed a top tier big to plug into that center spot since they didn’t have one. It’s not about name on jersey. IU got a high level stretch-four who can plug into starting lineup in Jess Petrie since they needed that position. However, a starting level post player who camps out on block is incompatible right now as long as Z is on this team no matter how good. Hoosiers are not UConn or South Carolina who can stack multiple starting level players at same position no matter how much we wish that. However, neither is Oklahoma State or Minnesota. They just had a need at that center position IU did not. If Indiana did, they would have gotten a top starting level post player just like these two.

Not sure how this would work. Cant start Merkle and Big Z together. The era of twin bigs is long over and one would have to back up the other and not sure either would go for this. Also, Merkle is very slow which I am not sure fits Moren’s system. Don’t get me wrong, Merkle is a load inside and a legit high end post player. Just not sure how her speed in general and fit with Big Z work at moment.

To me this is the smartest move of DeVries’ tenure so far. He effectively told Sherrell ‘You are free to come here but a luxury and I am not waiting around. You take my original offer or i’m moving on and not letting you drive up price any farther’. Ultimate big league move.

I tried to tell everyone that Moren works quietly in portal and you often wont know till day of when she gets someone. First solid level Big Ten starter out of portal since Shay and far better than anyone out of there last year outside Z. Would like 1-2 more players of this level. However, we won’t know IU is in on someone until they commit. We need to stop worrying that national media isn't linking IU to any good names. Moren runs a tight ship.

And we finally have a player of solid level who IU is involved with in portal. Moren works the portal very quietly and no one even knew IU was in on Scalia or Ciezki till they announced their commitments. This is why I want to see who the team announces is coming before panicking. Need to actually land her or 1-2 solid players, but lack of IU connection being reported with anyone is par for course.

First off Noyan wasn’t even a top recruit, but brought in to back up Z. She played that role beautifully and its not her fault Z got hurt and she was forced into a role more than she is capable. Losing Caffey was a huge shame and there is a lot there you could have grown with. However, the two-top 30 kids are about 20 spots higher than Caffey and seeing their highlights they have a much more ready to go game. Like I said, it could still be a bit rough this year and a couple of transfers would be nice in case Z gets hurt again. However, comparing Caffey and Noyan to this next year is likely apples to oranges. This group if you can hold onto it for a couple yrs has a high ceiling as you fill around the edges.

You absolutely spend half your NIL dollars on a legit point guard and center. Than fill in the rest with mid-major shooters if needed. Trying to spread 1.5 mil each to Bailey, Enright, and Conerway type mediocre players is what got team in trouble last year. The top 2-3 players is what wins you games and should take up 50% or more of your budget. That's certainly how it works in NBA. Don't overpay for a decent fifth option like Mustaf. However, for a top player like Burton or a power five center, you pay whatever it takes as these guys wins you games. There is no 'overpaying' for the difference makers. Only what market says they are worth and you meet it.

IU needs a couple more from portal. However, you could easily role with the three returning starters and two top-30 freshman and be much better than last yr. If you want to hold on to these top freshman for more than a yr you have to play them big minutes like it or not. Michigan did exactly this with its freshman class a couple of years ago and is now rolling. Ideally you add some more, but roster is nowhere near as bear as this time last yr.

I’m still not convinced Dusty at Michigan=Dusty at IU. I do think his personality alone and reputation would have gotten us into tourney and possibly make second weekend run. However, it definitely seems IU has devoted its NIL resources to football and does not have as much as we’d like for basketball and Michigan pockets are much deeper. I think May took Sweet 16 money and won a title with it and could probably take bubble money here and be in second weekend. However, the difference between not making the tourney and winning title was not Dusty May here at IU. It was respectability and until Hoosiers’ athletic department has enough money to fully feed both sports, only football will be title contender. Now with that said, until proven otherwise, I am still not convinced DeVries completely understands roster building despite being a solid tactician. Whether number he has to spend is 12 or 14 million (even if 18-20 is ideal), i am not sure this staff gets you have to be willing to ‘overpay’ and bid 4-5 million for 2 stars and fill in rest once you identify a must have. Once you identify said person, you don’t let someone outbid you even if it means a markup from what was initially planned. Chris Ballard has made this mistake for yrs with Colts of ‘assigning a value’ to players and losing them when they exceed his price. This is the trap I am afraid this staff is falling into and it leads to a lot of mediocrity. Devries is a fine coach and will win at exactly level of talent he gets and builds. The question is not his coaching and style, but if he and his staff (especially Ryan Carr) understands the nuances of roster building and this is the unknown so far that has everyone antsy.

As I have said, IU better be ready to overpay for talent at key positions. If it cost 4 mil apiece for two top players you are going to have to pay it. Unless, you want to bargain bin for another mid-major roster and miss tourney, I recommend paying crazy numbers for 2-3 stars and filling in rest. Whether its DeVries and staff not allocating resources correctly or being NIL poor, swimming in shallow waters again will tank era whether its their fault or not. Its time to make an offer to a star that blows them away even if its 40%-50% of your budget. Thats what starts the train. Otherwise getting talent you need wont happen. I could care less about Estrella whether he comes to IU or not. However, IU needs to overpay for p5 level big regardless of who it is.