HoosierFan1994

Never thought there would be a time that I would be more interested in IUFB off-season than the IUBB regular season but here we are. The cupboard isn't exactly bare. 11 starters are returning (5 on offense, 6 on defense) including 3 All-Americans on defense and an All-B1G WR. Plus 3 starters from a Joe Moore OL Finalist. Another awesome transfer haul for IU Football. I don't care what the rankings say, but it feels they added some big time additions. It really does feel like the team is just reloading. I guess for me my biggest area left is the offensive line. Not sure how healthy Drew Evans will be to start the season. C and RT spots up for grabs. Still a sour taste in my mouth from the OSU and Notre Dame games. Can Indiana compete with Oregon and Penn State? That will be the question for 2025. Both will likely be top ten teams. My guess is the Hoosiers are picked 4th and ranked in the top 25 to start the season. Not that it matters..

Really like our chances. I think Beck could potentially come back to Georgia.

Looking at the roster for next year, these are my top 5 portal needs for the season 1) QB..Would be awesome to land Mendoza for 2025 and 2026. Have Cherry or his brother be ready in 2027. Hope TJ sticks around. Had he been our starter this year, Indiana probably goes 9-3 at worst. Crazy to think about. (That's no shot at Kurtis, that just tells you how talented this team is). 2) DL Starters and depth...Losing Carpenter, West, and Carr. Kamara could go pro. I hope he sticks around but Kiper has him as a top ten DE. Probably puts him around round 3/4. Outside of Tucker not much else returning. 3) OL Depth..losing Katic and Lynch. Not sure if Evans will be ready by the start of the season. I'm sure a guy or two currently in the program will be ready to start next year. Would be awesome to get at least one proven starter. Wonder if Kidwell will apply for a medical hardship waiver to return? He was a projected starter. 4) RB depth..Kaleon Black is someone who I think has to be in the equation. I really liked the tandem backfield this year with Lawton and Ellison. Would be nice to find one more back to go with Kaelon. 5) WR Depth along with TE..going to be nice to have Sarratt and Cooper back. Not much else after that. I know Williams returned and the incoming Freshman (Bond) is their highest rated offensive recruit coming in for this class. Considering 5 WR's put up decent numbers this year, feel like IU would be an attractive place for WR's. Horton will be missed. Again, not sure if the program has someone else that is ready to step up. I feel really good about the LB room and secondary. Now, I don't want to think about the 2025 season until hopefully January 21. Ridiculous that this program had to deal with signing day, prep for the CFP, and recruit the portal...although it can't be a bad thing that Cig can tell a portal recruit "Hey, come visit us. Watch us practice to prepare for the CFP..this could be you next year."

My thoughts exactly. I get college semester starts on January 6 or 13 in most places, but this is ridiculous. I have to think that's the main holdup with all of this.

haha...was thinking more like 2023 level.

I have zero idea if this will work, but I think having guys like Deion and Belichick in college makes it better for the sport. I thought WVU was the best job of the P4 schools simply because they have the best path to get to their conference title game. The question is can Bill put UNC on the same level as Clemson, Miami, FSU, and now a school like SMU?

Love that the staff is going to get a top portal QB. I'd love for TJ to stick around and compete, but I feel if IU wants to continue to be in the college football playoffs, you have to have an elite QB.

I'd say 10 for 29 yards or 12 for 33 yards and that is a win.

Very true. I'd argue they haven't seen an offense either like ours.

Not a big "film" guy, but I know some of you are. I have a question: Did Northern Illinois do anything special in stopping Riley Leonard from running that game? Or was it so early in the year ND didn't figure it out yet that their only way to win is for him to run the ball. Reason I ask is that he had the 2nd most pass attemps all year against them. It was also by far his worst game running the football. He was only sacked twice that game. In fact, he ran the ball 11 times which is near the most attempts he's had all year. Not a coincidence they lost that game. That is what this game will come down to. Can Indiana completely eliminate him from doing that. This is the kind of game I hope Indiana can score early and often...make them play without a lead. My magic numbers are for him to have more than 25 passes this game and less than 3 yards a carry. If that can happen, I like Indiana's chances.

Thoughts on the draw: give the road route (that should be for debate as well) this is the best possible draw. Play a Notre Dame team that relies heavily on the run. Key is going to be containing Riley Leonard. Win that, and you play a Georgia team struggling on offense right now. Their OLine isn't great, run game has been inconsistent, and most likely their backup QB. Their defense is very good. Probably best of the possible teams left. What's odd is Georgia got the Sugar Bowl (NOLA) and not Peach Bowl (ATL). Then, semifinals would be SMU/Penn State or Boise State. You could argue that game would be the least challening. OSU game might be somewhat of a blessing. Listening to Cig on ESPN talk about things he would do differently this time.

One last thought: I don't hate Notre Dame. Kind of like the Colts, my "2nd" favorite team I "root" for in CF. That being said...Indiana CAN beat them. Notre Dame can't throw the football. Our defense has been incredible against the run this year. I think that's a very good matchup for IU. Maybe the best possible one? Am I wrong to be that optimistic?

Debates I think the committee has left: 1) SMU or Bama 2) Order of Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State for 5-8 seeds 3) Clemson or Arizona State of the last bye Vegas showing SMU gets in which I 100% agree. Really should not punish a team for playing an extra game. ACC commish did a nice job talking about this on Gameday this morning. If SMU is in, I think Texas is 5, Penn State is 6, Notre Dame is 7, and Ohio State is 8. They won't want to punish Texas and Penn State for the extra game. Will be interesting to see since OSU beat Penn State head to head. I think Clemson jumps Arizona State. #17 Clemson beat #8 SMU. #15 Arizona State beat #16 Iowa State. How I think it'll play out.. 1) Oregon 2) Georgia 3) Boise State 4) Clemson 5) Texas 6) Penn State 7) Notre Dame 8) Ohio State 9) Tennesssee 10) Indiana 11) SMU 12) Arizona State First 2 out: Bama, Miami I think 1, 2, 3, 9, and 10 seeds are set in stone. Rest are up for debate.

As far as IU's matchup in the first round, I think there are 4 likely teams: Penn State, Ohio State, Texas, and possibly Georgia. Really only the Big Ten and SEC champ games have an outcome on this. Order is from most likely to least likely based on vegas odds. Oregon and Texas win (IU at Penn State): I think it goes 5) ND, 6) OSU, 7) Penn State, 8) Georgia, 9) Tennessee, 10) IU Oregon and Georgia win (IU at Ohio State): 5) ND, 6) Texas, 7) OSU, 8) Penn State, 9) Tennessee, 10) IU Penn State and Texas win (IU at Ohio State..maybe Georgia): 5) Oregon, 6) ND, 7) OSU, 8) Georgia, 9) Tennessee, 10) IU Penn State and Georgia win (IU at Texas) 5) Oregon, 6) ND, 7) Texas, 8) OSU, 9) Tennssee, 10) IU I think this Indiana team can go into Penn State and win. Unless it's a Friday night game I don't see it being in primetime...just better matchups they'll put in that slot. I'd like another crack at Ohio State. I wonder how that team will respond after losing to Michigan. There is a part of that fan base that wants them to lose first round so they can fire Ryan Day. I don't want any part of Georgia or Texas...Not sure why, just see us losing to them on the road.

I can't see them playing Georgia as they will either move up or down. I don't see a home game unless Penn State and Georgia lose in a blowout fashion. Might need SMU to lose just so we jump them in the overall rankings.