IUFB @ Iowa - Saturday, 09.27.25 @ 3:30 ET on Peacock

[str8baller]

19 hours ago, Hovadipo said:

Part of my “we really weren’t bad today” post from yesterday. Everyone was surprised that Gronowski was hitting all these passes early in the game, but it was clear that making him hit those easy throws within our zone coverage was exactly what we wanted. His high 1st half completion percentage ended up being completely meaningless. Haines would much rather make him hit those than worry about covering 5-8 yard hitches and let them start gashing us on the ground. Once they crossed midfield we had our way with them. 

Yet another masterclass from Haines and the big fellas. 

The defense played well and won the game for us. But those early completions were often on obvious passing downs—3rd and 5 or longer—and we just played soft coverage there. I sensed the strategy was more just don’t let them get anything big over the top, which is a perfectly viable strategy. Ordinarily, that would’ve been enough to let our offense pull away, but really it was the offense that struggled.  
 

I’m not entirely convinced that that soft zone cover on 3rd down would’ve held up late in a close game if Gronkowski didn’t go down (and IU may well have adjusted).  In any event it is all academic now. The D came up big when they needed to on the road. 
 

I think Iowa is pretty tough but they have a tough schedule and probably won’t have a great record at the end. Maybe they can knock off one of PSU or Oregon. 

[Stuhoo]

Mr. "Too Serious" in the post-game locker room handing out game balls:

[Brass Cannon]

While I can’t say I would have said it on Saturday.  I think in general I would like to do away with the victory formation.  I think the clock should stop on any loss of yards.
 

It would help offenses if they took a sack on a comeback which means more comeback drives. And prevent teams from running 2 minutes off the clock to end a game. 

[AZ Hoosier]

39 minutes ago, Brass Cannon said:

While I can’t say I would have said it on Saturday.  I think in general I would like to do away with the victory formation.  I think the clock should stop on any loss of yards.
 

It would help offenses if they took a sack on a comeback which means more comeback drives. And prevent teams from running 2 minutes off the clock to end a game. 

If I was Cig, I'd have just sent Sarratt streaking down the field and stick it to Ferentz... throw the bomb there and  stick it in his face.

 

 

[cthomas]

58 minutes ago, AZ Hoosier said:

If I was Cig, I'd have just sent Sarratt streaking down the field and stick it to Ferentz... throw the bomb there and  stick it in his face.

 

 

I like it. I have no love for Iowa in any sport, men's or women's. Knock them down and then kick them while they're done there.

[CSP]

1 hour ago, AZ Hoosier said:

If I was Cig, I'd have just sent Sarratt streaking down the field and stick it to Ferentz... throw the bomb there and  stick it in his face.

 

 

My grandma was a HUGE sports fan and big proponent of running the score up... She would have said "they do it to you if they could"

[southsidehoosier]

https://x.com/indianafootball/status/1972802420045447451?s=46

 

[mike vannice]

17 minutes ago, southsidehoosier said:

https://x.com/indianafootball/status/1972802420045447451?s=46

 

LOVE Don Fisher

[OliviaPope40]

One of the radiologist I work with is an Iowa alum. 

[Hoosier987]

Gritty and Gutsy win! We stood tall and came out with a W.

I'm hoping we work on our 4th and short plays. WE got stuffed a couple of times. 

[southsidehoosier]

 

[DChoosier]

45 minutes ago, southsidehoosier said:

 

Those guys are a great listen.

They are obviously vey impressed with Cig but, like many of us, they were mystified with our 4th and 1 calls.

[CSP]

I was mystified we didn't punt/kick FGs. 

Just convert in your first 3 chances to get a first and you don't have to worry about 4th. 

[Pagoda]

1 hour ago, DChoosier said:

Those guys are a great listen.

They are obviously vey impressed with Cig but, like many of us, they were mystified with our 4th and 1 calls.

Dittos, these guys are are better than 95% of CFB pods.  They know ball, they know how to podcast, and they don't get emotional and biased.

Two other things were nice to hear:

1) They said that was about as good as Kinnick gets in terms of atmosphere.  There aren't many places harder to go than Kinnick.  Great experience for our team.

2) They were more or less claiming a few moral victories: played us close, made Cig sweat, got Mendoza a bit uncomfortable.  That put a big smile on my face -- it's been a very long time since someone took some moral victories in a loss against us.

[Hovadipo]

29 minutes ago, Pagoda said:

2) They were more or less claiming a few moral victories: played us close, made Cig sweat, got Mendoza a bit uncomfortable.  That put a big smile on my face -- it's been a very long time since someone took some moral victories in a loss against us.

How about the point (paraphrasing), "we're beating up on Rutgers and these other lower tier programs, but this is something you should be proud of."

I just sat there stunned after he said that.

[Brass Cannon]

Those guys are amazing if they expanded their coverage to more big ten teams they would develop such a following. 
 

Listening to them gush about our line really gives me hope for Oregon.  Because legit they have a better line than anybody else we will play. And if we give Mendoza time he is dangerous. 

[Golfman25]

On 9/28/2025 at 7:08 PM, LamarCheeks said:

The whole ending to that game was bizarre. Iowa had all three TOs left, so we were trying to kill as much clock as possible before Nando would take a knee. But the officials kept blowing the play dead before he ever went down. Since it was fourth down and there were still 7 seconds left, I guess he wanted to make 100% sure the clock would run out and Iowa couldn't get the ball.

Maybe Cigs told him to do that. He was PO'd about the way they kept blowing those plays dead so early. I never did see an explanation for it. 

Cig mentioned that they have a "delay" victory formation to run a few extra seconds off the clock.  First snap, Iowa didn't even rush and the official blew it dead.  He was going to seek clarification from the Big10.  

[Golfman25]

On 9/28/2025 at 8:11 PM, AZ Hoosier said:

If the defense isn't pursuing the ball carrier, the clock should keep running. It's a BS rule, if, in fact, that is the rule.

And Ferentz is a d!ck for using his time outs in that situation. There's no chance of a fumbled snap in that scenario. The game was lost... just own it like a man.

Exactly, the line isn't blocking.  The defense can easily step in, the QB can take a knee, and play is dead.  It is all about player safety at that point.  Last thing you want is someone rolled up on trying to kill clock for no real reason.  And that is when it's going to happen as players are going at different speeds.  

[Demo]

21 hours ago, southsidehoosier said:

 

One of the best fan pods I’ve ever heard. Maybe the best. I wonder if they can be recruited?

[Lebowski]

Yeah, I started watching that ANF Podcast and just cringed to hear them talk about our defensive front. These guys know ball. Dude just said, "one of the underlying best stories in college football is Cignetti's defensive line development and talent evaluation." The cat's out of the bag folks. I was hoping this could have stayed silent for at least a few more games. I've been consistently saying the D will be the reason IUFB wins big time football games this year. The Coach Cig offense is gonna offense. It's the defense that's the secret sauce.