IUFB Offseason Updates

[HoosierFan1994 4,753]

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..

[HoosierX 1,572]

25 minutes ago, HoosierFan1994 said:

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..

Let’s just hope it goes better than the last time we were take to start the season. I am very confident that it will. 

[JerryYeagley23 3,669]

I know I’m in the minority here. But with the way the CFP first round is set up, I really would have maybe liked it better if we made and won a bowl game. These games are still special. We would have played a good SEC or ACC team. Our fans would have been able to celebrate a great season with the team in a nice location. It just seems like such a letdown to have lost that game away and without fanfare and the things that go with bowl games. I see a team last night got to have a free throw contest at the half of the Grizzlies game. The teams in the Vegas bowl got to get custom Air Force ones made. 

I know I’m wrong, you take the CFP every time. But it’s almost like we got there ahead of schedule and maybe too early. Wish our guys would have gotten the experience of beating a good team, because I think they would have, on a neutral field. Lifting a bowl trophy. Having that momentum heading to next year. They only played two good teams this year, lost both. Would have maybe been nice to get a convincing win over a high quality power five team. Feels weird being bowl season and all the good teams starting to have games and we’re at home. Seeing Dylan Raiola running around Fenway hyping up the crowd, you just know that will spin forward into momentum for that program. 

Time will tell, and again, I’m sure I’m wrong. But can’t help but wish selfishly I was getting ready to go to Orlando or wherever to watch the Hoosiers and have that time I had in Jacksonville when we played Tennessee at the Gator Bowl. Just felt like it meant a lot to the fans and program. But I digress. Great season. Can’t wait until next year. 

[Brass Cannon 24,859]

54 minutes ago, JerryYeagley23 said:

I know I’m in the minority here. But with the way the CFP first round is set up, I really would have maybe liked it better if we made and won a bowl game. These games are still special. We would have played a good SEC or ACC team. Our fans would have been able to celebrate a great season with the team in a nice location. It just seems like such a letdown to have lost that game away and without fanfare and the things that go with bowl games. I see a team last night got to have a free throw contest at the half of the Grizzlies game. The teams in the Vegas bowl got to get custom Air Force ones made. 

I know I’m wrong, you take the CFP every time. But it’s almost like we got there ahead of schedule and maybe too early. Wish our guys would have gotten the experience of beating a good team, because I think they would have, on a neutral field. Lifting a bowl trophy. Having that momentum heading to next year. They only played two good teams this year, lost both. Would have maybe been nice to get a convincing win over a high quality power five team. Feels weird being bowl season and all the good teams starting to have games and we’re at home. Seeing Dylan Raiola running around Fenway hyping up the crowd, you just know that will spin forward into momentum for that program. 

Time will tell, and again, I’m sure I’m wrong. But can’t help but wish selfishly I was getting ready to go to Orlando or wherever to watch the Hoosiers and have that time I had in Jacksonville when we played Tennessee at the Gator Bowl. Just felt like it meant a lot to the fans and program. But I digress. Great season. Can’t wait until next year. 

I agree. I think bowls should invite the losers of the four first round games so kids still get a trip to a bowl. Our guys got rewarded with a trip to south bend for winning 11 games

[AZ Hoosier 7,345]

2 hours ago, JerryYeagley23 said:

I know I’m in the minority here. But with the way the CFP first round is set up, I really would have maybe liked it better if we made and won a bowl game. These games are still special. We would have played a good SEC or ACC team. Our fans would have been able to celebrate a great season with the team in a nice location. It just seems like such a letdown to have lost that game away and without fanfare and the things that go with bowl games. I see a team last night got to have a free throw contest at the half of the Grizzlies game. The teams in the Vegas bowl got to get custom Air Force ones made. 

I know I’m wrong, you take the CFP every time. But it’s almost like we got there ahead of schedule and maybe too early. Wish our guys would have gotten the experience of beating a good team, because I think they would have, on a neutral field. Lifting a bowl trophy. Having that momentum heading to next year. They only played two good teams this year, lost both. Would have maybe been nice to get a convincing win over a high quality power five team. Feels weird being bowl season and all the good teams starting to have games and we’re at home. Seeing Dylan Raiola running around Fenway hyping up the crowd, you just know that will spin forward into momentum for that program. 

Time will tell, and again, I’m sure I’m wrong. But can’t help but wish selfishly I was getting ready to go to Orlando or wherever to watch the Hoosiers and have that time I had in Jacksonville when we played Tennessee at the Gator Bowl. Just felt like it meant a lot to the fans and program. But I digress. Great season. Can’t wait until next year. 

Can't disagree with this, and your point is well-taken ... and even though we lost to ND, it was almost worth it, and pretty epic to watch the SEC heads explode over us getting in... 

 

[8bucks 6,469]

2 hours ago, JerryYeagley23 said:

I know I’m in the minority here. But with the way the CFP first round is set up, I really would have maybe liked it better if we made and won a bowl game. These games are still special. We would have played a good SEC or ACC team. Our fans would have been able to celebrate a great season with the team in a nice location. It just seems like such a letdown to have lost that game away and without fanfare and the things that go with bowl games. I see a team last night got to have a free throw contest at the half of the Grizzlies game. The teams in the Vegas bowl got to get custom Air Force ones made. 

I know I’m wrong, you take the CFP every time. But it’s almost like we got there ahead of schedule and maybe too early. Wish our guys would have gotten the experience of beating a good team, because I think they would have, on a neutral field. Lifting a bowl trophy. Having that momentum heading to next year. They only played two good teams this year, lost both. Would have maybe been nice to get a convincing win over a high quality power five team. Feels weird being bowl season and all the good teams starting to have games and we’re at home. Seeing Dylan Raiola running around Fenway hyping up the crowd, you just know that will spin forward into momentum for that program. 

Time will tell, and again, I’m sure I’m wrong. But can’t help but wish selfishly I was getting ready to go to Orlando or wherever to watch the Hoosiers and have that time I had in Jacksonville when we played Tennessee at the Gator Bowl. Just felt like it meant a lot to the fans and program. But I digress. Great season. Can’t wait until next year. 

I think this season where we were genuinely in the playoff discussion the last month of the season took us as fans further than we could have imagined had we just been a top 25 team playing in a bowl.  Had the latter happened I think we would have been thrilled but I don’t think many of us could have truly imagined Indiana being a playoff caliber team.  
 

Now that we have seen it, tasted it, we can legitimately consider those results. The team, staff and coaches can too. For me that is the advantage we have vs just being in a bowl. 
 

I do like the idea of getting a bowl game after the first round since there is so much time. 

[cthomas 6,488]

I feel like I went to sleep and woke up in an alternate universe. IU being in the CPF was not in the top 1000 things I considered possible. But, I think being one of 12 teams is the greater accomplishment vs going to a bowl game. Being in that group is other level. Back this past season up with other really good one, and we'll be on our way. This year's IU freshman class may never know the horrible IU football that I have experienced most of my life. I believe we are in for a great ride and I'm happy to say that I was here when it started.

[rcbowla 7,132]

1 hour ago, 8bucks said:

I think this season where we were genuinely in the playoff discussion the last month of the season took us as fans further than we could have imagined had we just been a top 25 team playing in a bowl.  Had the latter happened I think we would have been thrilled but I don’t think many of us could have truly imagined Indiana being a playoff caliber team.  
 

Now that we have seen it, tasted it, we can legitimately consider those results. The team, staff and coaches can too. For me that is the advantage we have vs just being in a bowl. 
 

I do like the idea of getting a bowl game after the first round since there is so much time. 

Pretty simple too. 4 1st rd exits play each other in 2 bowl games. I'm sure the bowl sponsors would have been all for it.

[NashvilleHoosier 3,719]

40 minutes ago, rcbowla said:

Pretty simple too. 4 1st rd exits play each other in 2 bowl games. I'm sure the bowl sponsors would have been all for it.

Having a solid season that culminates in a solid bowl game is one thing. Having a great season that culminates in prepping for and playing in the CFP and a shot at a national title is another. I’d be surprised if many players and staff had any interest in, after the build up to that, turning their attention to a bowl game that would have very little significance in comparison. I think you’d have a hard time getting most programs to even accept those invites. And bowls couldn’t just wait around and see if the losers accept. 

[Hoosierfan2017 21,513]

Honesty I had largely forgotten about the bowls. They used to mean something, but now they are largely meaningless with the expanded playoff, transfer portal, opt outs, etc. You get stuff like Cam Ward playing one half so he can set an individual record and then sitting out the second half when his team needs him/has a chance to win. Give me a shot at a national championship every time over a bowl game. 

[Hovadipo 56,413]

Ward only playing long enough to get his record is TRASH. Cristobal doesn’t seem like the type of guy to go for that. 

[Demo 20,265]

Just now, Hovadipo said:

Ward only playing long enough to get his record is TRASH. Cristobal doesn’t seem like the type of guy to go for that. 

I didn’t realize that was the deal. Thought maybe he’d just gotten nicked a little and shut it down. That is a touch sketchy. 

[Artie86 1,972]

13 minutes ago, Demo said:

I didn’t realize that was the deal. Thought maybe he’d just gotten nicked a little and shut it down. That is a touch sketchy. 

…..a touch? That is outright selfish not to finish, especially since the ended up losing.

[Hoosierfan2017 21,513]

1 minute ago, Artie86 said:

…..a touch? That is outright selfish not to finish, especially since the ended up losing.

Honestly way worse than sitting out the entire game, imo. I understand the injury concerns when you’re about to be a first round pick, but playing until you set a personal record and then quitting on your team afterwards is just so selfish to me. 

[JerryYeagley23 3,669]

4 hours ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

Honesty I had largely forgotten about the bowls. They used to mean something, but now they are largely meaningless with the expanded playoff, transfer portal, opt outs, etc. You get stuff like Cam Ward playing one half so he can set an individual record and then sitting out the second half when his team needs him/has a chance to win. Give me a shot at a national championship every time over a bowl game. 

Don’t disagree at all. My rant was probably a little bit because I’m just watching college football without much interest at this point and jonesing for some more meaningful IU games. Also as I mentioned, I went to the Gator bowl and feel like I missed out on a great experience gathering with my fellow alumni for a few days and having some fun. I couldn’t really swing for the ND tickets. Nor did I really want to pay those prices just to see an away game in South Bend in the cold. Hopefully there will be many more bowl games and CFP quarterfinals in our future. We shall see. 

[go iu bb 6,187]

I think he was out of eligibility anyways. Good luck to him.

[Demo 20,265]

 

Done deal. Sorry, Kirby.

[Pagoda 489]

24 minutes ago, Demo said:

 

Done deal. Sorry, Kirby.

I'm a being homer fan, but it's so damn awesome to see IUFB program become such an appealing option for recruits.  We're stable with a staff that has worked together a long time, the players improve (especially QBs), and so far we have won.

Compare that to schools with off the field issues (UGA), a circus atmosphere (Colorado), erratic coaches (Lane), pressure to perform after struggling (Auburn, USC, OK, etc.).  If you're a recruit, IU is one of the places that's a safe bet for your career.

[southsidehoosier 5,043]

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/iu-football-makes-addition-of-new-qb-coach-chandler-whitmer-official-cignetti-comments/

[Demo 20,265]

 

I almost spit my coffee. Yeah, I don’t care if that kid was only here 1 year, he’s a freaking legend and he’s on the Rushmore of IUFB.