IUFB Offseason Updates

[Lebowski 3,797]

1 hour ago, Artie86 said:

....all due respect, but for the life of me, I can't believe you spent all that time trying to dissect this guy's posts!! There's nothing worse than a combative poster who enjoys "fishing"!

He and I engaged the conversation to begin with. I hope I'm not coming off as combative. If I am that's certainly not my intention. 

[CSP 12,244]

The only people that know our true depth are our coaching staff. Inexperience is obvious... that's where coaching, preparation supplement. 

[8bucks 7,617]

2 hours ago, Lebowski said:

I'm just going to say this and leave it at that.

I think AH1971's point is that IUFB isn't a blue blood. I could be wrong. But if I'm correct, we all agree that's true, for now.

All of this winning stuff is new to us IUFB faithful. His causes for concern are legitimate concerns. He's pointing out that losing a significant impact player at any given position will break this current team. The only thing he doesn't address (or maybe he is, I'm just not seeing it) is the success rate of this coaching staff.  Most of the staff have been coaching for decades. They've seen their fair share of major injuries to their football teams. They've had to start underclassmen due to injuries. They've even started true freshman when the position is earned. They have also been able to develop players at a high success rate. And they win, a lot. 

I could also be reading that he thinks the staff won't pull off wins with a completely decimated roster. I could be wrong. But if I'm correct, I don't disagree with that premise. I don't think any coach will win with a completely decimated roster at any level, blue bloods included. The beautiful thing about this sport is there are 22 positions to fill in order to field a team. I highly doubt we'll be seeing a roster full of backups. The numbers are just too high for that to happen. It can happen but the likelihood is low. 

My point being, this coaching staff knows how to handle these type of things. Losing someone like the starting QB is a big hit, but the coaching staff will make it work with RS underclassman or upperclassman that've been here for the long haul or what have you. We see is that happen all the time with good coaches. Good coaches have back up plans and back up plans to the back up plan. I'm not as concerned as AH1971 is but he does have some valid points folks. I just don't think we're going to see the days of a team below .500 (regardless of how bad the injury bug hits the team) with the current head football coach. I could be wrong and eat a poop ton of crow for making that statement, but this coach has never had a losing season, ever, so I like my chances. 

Good points.  Not speaking for anyone else, but it is hard not to be skeptical of continued success at IU.  Hep. Wilson seemed to be making inroads then he imploded. Allen got us up to #8 during the covid year and I remember analysts saying things like everyone loves playing for Coach Allen and LEO.  Then we stopped winning.  

I love your comment about this staff having a history of winning.  Even if you just take his last year at JMU and IU, he had both programs ranked top 25.  But that old doubter creeps back in to remind me we did end up with a favorable schedule last year and maybe the staff just got lucky with the kids he brought over from JMU.  

Winning this year, against a tougher schedule, will certainly help bring me to Lebowski level confidence.  Especially if we can top 9 wins with some of those against top 20 opponents. 

[Pagoda 5,447]

For me, as long as we get 8 wins this year I think we keep our upward momentum.  Improvement isn’t always a straight line as we know.  Fewer wins than that and we’re dropping some games we really should win and we’ll fall out of the national discussion with pressure to bounce back in year three of Cig.

I get why there would be comparisons to former coaches, but Hep (whose time was cut short sadly) and Wilson never had a season close to last year.  Allen had one exceptional non-Covid year… turns out we had Alabama’s future HC and DC as our coordinators! (lol -  that still cracks me up)  I don’t think Cig’s success is coordinator-driven, though of course staff continuity is important and IU is doing a great job there.  IU’s current support of football is light years ahead of where it was for previous coaches.

Last year was literally unbelievable.  Inherit a team with three total conference wins in three years, get one transfer portal and modest #35 or so NIL to adjust the 100 man roster, and finish top-10 in the CFP.  I didn’t think it was possible.  A lot of talking heads ask who is this year’s Indiana?  Then they name a bunch of teams that are starting from way better points than we did.  In reality, the only team this year starting from a similar spot to where we did is Purdue.  We’ll see how that goes…

And after last season recruiting picked up.  We beat out UGA and Miami for Fernando, and both those schools have way more money than us.   Since when has IU ever done that?

CFB is uber competitive and cutthroat and it won’t be easy, there will be bumps in the road.  But IUFB is in the best position it’s ever been in.  No guarantees of course, but I think after 30 years of struggling with our FB and MBB coaches, we’ve got a great one on our hands worth getting really excited for.  Fingers crossed.

[AH1971 3,436]

3 hours ago, Artie86 said:

....all due respect, but for the life of me, I can't believe you spent all that time trying to dissect this guy's posts!! There's nothing worse than a combative poster who enjoys "fishing"!

Who is being combative? Certainly not the guy being ganged up on by the mob for making a matter of fact statement.

[AH1971 3,436]

1 hour ago, Lebowski said:

He and I engaged the conversation to begin with. I hope I'm not coming off as combative. If I am that's certainly not my intention. 

I enjoyed our back and forth. Nothing but civil. Post was taken entirely out of context by the same 2-3 posters.

[Lebowski 3,797]

1 hour ago, 8bucks said:

Good points.  Not speaking for anyone else, but it is hard not to be skeptical of continued success at IU.  Hep. Wilson seemed to be making inroads then he imploded. Allen got us up to #8 during the covid year and I remember analysts saying things like everyone loves playing for Coach Allen and LEO.  Then we stopped winning.  

I love your comment about this staff having a history of winning.  Even if you just take his last year at JMU and IU, he had both programs ranked top 25.  But that old doubter creeps back in to remind me we did end up with a favorable schedule last year and maybe the staff just got lucky with the kids he brought over from JMU.  

Winning this year, against a tougher schedule, will certainly help bring me to Lebowski level confidence.  Especially if we can top 9 wins with some of those against top 20 opponents. 

Yeah, well, the Dude abides. 

[ebridges24 2,776]

SIAP, Old Dominion game sold out

[IndyHoosier1997 220]

1 minute ago, ebridges24 said:

SIAP, Old Dominion game sold out

Is it? Still showing tickets on the website

[ebridges24 2,776]

9 minutes ago, IndyHoosier1997 said:

Is it? Still showing tickets on the website

buddy of mine that is a real follower of things like this, just told me it was sold out

[Hovadipo 62,120]

Kaelon Black made Bruce Feldman's Freaks List:

No. 58 Kaelon Black, Indiana, running back

One of the former James Madison players who followed Curt Cignetti to Bloomington, the 5-10, 210-pounder rushed for 251 yards and two TDs in limited action. Black vertical jumped 40 inches, bench pressed 415 pounds and squatted over 500 this summer.

“He’s our biggest Freak for sure,” said DL Mikail Kamara. “When he lifts, everything moves so fast. He’s ridiculous. I’ve never seen him struggle (in the weight room). I saw him bench press 415 the other day, and it was butter. It touched his chest and went right back up. It looked like a warmup set. And he’s hella fast.”

[OGIUAndy 1,174]

On 8/1/2025 at 3:20 PM, ebridges24 said:

buddy of mine that is a real follower of things like this, just told me it was sold out

Think they're mistaken. 

[CSP 12,244]

2 hours ago, Hovadipo said:

Kaelon Black made Bruce Feldman's Freaks List:

No. 58 Kaelon Black, Indiana, running back

One of the former James Madison players who followed Curt Cignetti to Bloomington, the 5-10, 210-pounder rushed for 251 yards and two TDs in limited action. Black vertical jumped 40 inches, bench pressed 415 pounds and squatted over 500 this summer.

“He’s our biggest Freak for sure,” said DL Mikail Kamara. “When he lifts, everything moves so fast. He’s ridiculous. I’ve never seen him struggle (in the weight room). I saw him bench press 415 the other day, and it was butter. It touched his chest and went right back up. It looked like a warmup set. And he’s hella fast.”

415 is stupid 

That's a really good squat for most humans 

[ebridges24 2,776]

4 hours ago, OGIUAndy said:

Think they're mistaken. 

looks like it

[ebridges24 2,776]

what's everybody think about our ranking in the coaches poll that came out today?

[WayneFleekHoosier 51,823]

1 minute ago, ebridges24 said:

what's everybody think about our ranking in the coaches poll that came out today?

I like it.  Good starting place.  Could argue we should switch with Illinois but we get the chance to prove that on the field early and at home to put a quick fix on that.  

[OGIUAndy 1,174]

13 minutes ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

I like it.  Good starting place.  Could argue we should switch with Illinois but we get the chance to prove that on the field early and at home to put a quick fix on that.  

I am looking forward to that game. 

[Lebowski 3,797]

3 hours ago, ebridges24 said:

what's everybody think about our ranking in the coaches poll that came out today?

It's preseason.  I would have thought they'd crack the top 15 but whatever. The silver lining to it is we play three on the poll. Regardless, it's effin' glorious to see Indiana in a top 20 coaches poll.  Times have changed.  

[DChoosier 9,988]

12 hours ago, OGIUAndy said:

Think they're mistaken. 

Yes they are mistaken.

The IU ticket office lists the Old Dominion game as “not many left” but looking at the seat map there are actually a ton of available seats in  sections 102 through 112.
 

I’d try to go to the opener if I lived within a few hours drive but my attendance requires airfare/rental car/tickets/hotel and I’m not spending that much cash for any of the first three games. Have my Illinois tickets and will also try to make the MSU or Wiscy game. Can’t wait!

[Lebowski 3,797]