You're listening to the back home network presented by home
field apparel. Welcome back to Crimson cast,
the third of September of 2022. We're back once again and joyous
Ian Scott, I you as a winning record there aren't a big 10
win. Feels like they're just start,
we haven't done enough podcast with IU, having a winning record
in our whole span of time doing this and it's normally happens
around this time but it almost never happens with a win over a
Big Ten team to start a season, and that is certainly something
special. We got a lot to dig into with
this game. Indiana knocking off Illinois.
Last night. Lot of stuff in that.
Game and in the aftermath of the game.
Scott, first of all, how are you doing?
How was your experience? Are you are you, are you?
What's your Vibe right now, sir? I'm good, I'm good.
It was, it was a fun experience. We came down and tailgated, it
was actually funny. I'm walking down with my son,
picking them up from the bus. Stop.
I apologize for the longer story, but this is a great dad
story and I'm like, Hey, we're going to the game James, and I
was a kid. We can go to my friend Gibby,
uh, mister gheylens pot. You know, tailgate, we can go to
our friend, Carolyn Jeff. Like we could do our own thing
just kind of he's like well nothing's better than tailgating
with your dad is like you and I have to do it together and I'm
like how do you say no to that? It's like, guys, like I had not
planned on it so I got, we're going to Walmart, we're buying
the cheap Grill. We're buying a charcoal, so
bought all the stuff came on down through some burgers on.
Had a great time. I have some Grill questions for
you because I ended up getting like a cheap twelve dollar grill
at Walmart, I left it there because we come back to drive
home and like Members are still hot and like I don't want to
fire my car for a 12 dollar Grill, but that we had a great
time. The crowd was students, brought
IT Crowd was really good and had a great time.
Weather was fun. I mean, it was, it was a really
good time. Unfortunately, I'm that guy
having I have a nine-year-old, son.
I'm trying to end up indoctrinated into football
games at, you know, the 8:00 kick with a slow-moving college
game. It's like, at 11:15.
My son was sleeping on me and it's like, this is not.
We have plans today. I don't want my entire A weekend
to be. So I had to bring him home a
literally, but I listen to the game on the way home and got
home, just in time to watch the last drive.
There you go. Well, good timing.
On your part, you have fun times for us as well up in Lot, 12.
As lot of people stop by the tailgate and then the game was,
it was an experience. I'm not entirely sure.
You're entirely sure. How I want to classify it in my
brain yet, but we'll try to dive into that, on the podcast before
we get to that. Just a reminder, that Crimson
cast is part of the back home network.
In the back home network is brought to you by home.
Yield apparel. It was a good day for folks, at
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Maybe that's the case. I don't particularly want to be
in those places where I can't wear a surfing anteater on the
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Let's talk. About the game Scott.
So Indiana wins this one by the final score twenty three to
twenty and there's there's really a lot of stuff to think
about with this game and it's like, you can go.
I mean, first and foremost. Indiana winning is a big deal
especially when you consider all of the things that we're going
into this game, you had obviously all of the doubt
around the program. With what happened last year,
going to and 10 winless in the conference, you have a new
quarterback, you have a new wider, new set of wide receivers
basically, new starting running back.
You've got a lot of guys back from injury on defense.
So you think you're going to be pretty good?
But hard, to say, for sure? Because we haven't seen them
play? Well in a while, you have no
depth chart so nobody knows who's playing what and you've
got new coaches on The, you know, on the assistant staffs
were both offense and defense just a lot of stuff and you're
also playing in Illinois, team that frankly had a better year.
Year. Last year than Indiana.
Already played a game against Wyoming last week that they won.
Pretty handily and it just seemed like a lot there that I.
You had to overcome as they thought about what this game was
going to entail. And they I think the the bright
line item here obviously, is that.
Indiana did not play great and yet they still managed to win
this game and that by itself, I think, without digging into a
lot of the Rationales as to, you know, why they weren't good.
I think we can start there and say, that is growth for this IU
team because that's exactly what we didn't see pretty much at all
last year. So, during the game I'm thinking
about, you know, and it feels like this was going to be
another ayehu loss, where there's lots of opportunities to
win and I'm thinking about what we're going to talk about, you
know, today and I was going to be really bothered by any kind
of narrative of, you know, how you Ooh, so close.
But just give a little bit more time.
Like, it's got to get this, right, like, just a lot of the
stuff that you and I've dealt with over the years of like they
lost, but, you know, we're really seeing progress.
And, you know, Illinois is really good.
You don't understand. It's like, I was going to kind
of come in really hot on that and lay out the eight things
that you should have done to to win.
And as you pointed out, we can talk about those.
There's some things that definitely make me very
concerned for the season, but as you look at this game, it's only
fair. It's only right on the flip
side. If Would have been, you know,
that annoyed at, you know, talking about growth in a loss.
You just I feel like you have to be.
This is a fan like we gotta win and for a program where we're at
for last year. Like this was a game that you
just had to find a way to win and they did and yeah there was
a lot of things that could have been better.
That probably shouldn't have been that close.
There are things that again are concerning for, you know, the
rest of the season but they got a win and they want a game and
this is going to propel them hopefully to to know maybe a 3-0
record before. They go to Cincinnati but you
know they did what they couldn't do against Maryland last year
against Michigan State last year, you know, have a game
where you have chances to win and they waited to the last one
they went to the last possible one, but they gotta win.
So like, you know, to me the top of the head line that you know,
largest Point font and then we can dig into some of the other
concerns. But I walk away.
Happy I'm excited. I'm happy for this team.
I'm is great to see, you know, Alan the team, get fired up.
It's like yes, like all that. Hard work.
You've got to win your hopefully, moving in the right
direction. And so top level, you know, that
is the main thing you gotta win. You did what you had to do.
You beat a big 10 team. So yeah, that to me, that's the
top level thing. Yeah, I mean, and it was the way
that it happened with Indiana, winning on the final drive of
the game essentially, and, you know, driving down the field,
12-play 75-yard Drive taking a minute, 53.
I mean, it was such a it was such a A difficult second half,
if you were an Indiana fan because you know, Illinois comes
out immediately scores in the third quarter and then it's just
kind of like it actually kind of the game essentially devolved
into what I thought it was going to be for the whole game, which
was a game where neither offense could really do a whole lot.
You know, Illinois was moving the ball really well between the
30s and then Indiana would stiffen.
And we've seen that before like Tom Allen likes to play that
way. We saw That a lot during the
first couple of years when he was defensive coordinator that
bend? But don't break style.
They were letting a lot of yards on the ground, they weren't
letting it a lot of yards up through the air and then
offensively I use offensive wine.
Just it may have looked worse than last year and I'm not sure
if that was possible. Like, it was really bad not just
in the running game but the pass protection was almost
non-existent. You felt like Connor basal-like
was just constantly trying to find anybody.
That was open as early as possible.
Possible. So we could avoid getting hit
but I give it to you. I'm very proud of my top level.
You preview, just talk about the o-line.
Yeah. Oh yeah.
This is really bad, you know? And so you look at that and you
say, well, there's a lot to be concerned about in terms of
those things, but What mattered in this game was the fact that
Indiana was able to stick around.
It looked like they had given it up there at the end, you know,
Illinois, drives down the field. It looks like they could
potentially go in for a touchdown.
They don't, they Kicking a field goal and you I really felt like.
Okay, the game is probably over at this point because we've not
seen anything this half from. I you that would make you think
they're going to move the ball down the field and yet somehow
they put together a drive and I think Connor basil lack in his
debut as an Indiana. Hoosier deserves a tremendous
amount of credit not just for making those throws but being
able to shake off. What had been a really bad
previous 30 minutes of play and get himself in the mindset?
Where he was just connecting with receivers.
I mean, this was the first debut for an Indiana.
Starting quarterback where he throws for 300 yards since
antwaan, Randle, L against Western Michigan in 1998.
That's a long time. We're talking about their and
well, it's not a great, it's not a great correlation, you gave
wise but you know, the night before you had a Purdue Penn
State game, where it kind of was just devolving.
It's like, gosh, Purdue has a chance to win this and Penn
State's going to blow this and then Penn State makes OneDrive
wins the game. And, you know, you think about
it, like, very similarly here, you know?
I was thinking about that game going into the IU game, it's
like, Purdue's got to be kicking themselves.
Like, damn, we had a chance to win, we didn't.
And if your Penn State, it's like all right, you know?
We probably played that a little too close, but in the end, like
we got to win and that's what you do.
I know it's a road game versus different but it's like, that's
a similar feel like this is and I'm not saying we're a great
team that we're Penn State or were at that level, but like
this is what teens who are competitive and good, they do
this. It's like they make some
mistakes and they get themselves to the edge but then it's like
we're going to pull it back and when it's not crunching time.
So to speak where he had it done, and I felt very much like
Indiana was similar to Penn State in the night before kind
of coming out. Like we got some things to work
on but it's much better to work on them at 10 in the Big Ten,
the no 11. Yeah, that's the thing.
I mean, ultimately, there's a lot of little concerns that are
probably going to be big concerns as you go forward in
the season. But the Is want to know winning
a big 10 game, maybe that's that's that matters a lot and at
the end of the day, I think this is the type of Team.
They're not going to be able to win a lot of games going away.
They're probably going to have to eke out whatever they get
outside of, maybe the Idaho game next week, you would expect them
to play really well in that, and maybe they can knock some of the
rust off and things, but every other team on the schedule that
they're going to be matching up against his, got a pulse at
least as strong as Illinois. Boy, you know, maybe not
stronger, in the case of like Rutgers, but but strong enough
that you're probably not going to build comfortable, 14, to 17
point leads. And so, any win is a good win
for Indiana football in any year.
But I feel like especially this year and especially early in the
year when we saw what not winning did to the psyche of the
team last year to be able to start off on the right foot,
belief covers a multitude of sin.
It really does make a big difference in terms of how teams
Perceive themselves perceive the way they're playing and what
they're actually able to do and it can allow you to do things
that maybe you wouldn't normally be able to do.
And having a win under your belt at this point is a big thing.
And so I look, I look at the when Illinois, scored that
field, goal that subsequent quick kick off, Illinois's win
probability was 90.5% and so for Indiana to be able to go and
take the ball down the field and score and Essentially reverse
that win probability clip. It's not just that they won.
The game, is that they won the game in a way that was
improbable. And I think that that will
hopefully help them from a psychological perspective.
As they move ahead, one a Connor, Bay's lack thought.
So the the telling you, before we started the guy behind me we
move seats one. Row over is a yeller big fan,
but it's and he's very loud, which I'm also a loud person.
So I can't really, you know, can't throw stones, but the
offense is coming out and he's telling his wife.
She's like, I wonder who quarterback is like, well, you
know, there's no depth chart but you know, to me, it's got to be
Tuttle like, you know, Tuttle was the starter and you know,
you got to loot you you got to earn that spot.
It's like he's done. Nothing to lose the spot and
then phase lag comes out. He's like oh, it's base lack.
And so then the first play is that little, you know, that
little Flair steel, Flex screen and he just gets the receiver.
I think it was Shiver drivers drivers.
Yeah just gets blown up the guy behind these.
Like man total would have read that like total wooden to put
that nut. Position.
Like total would have seen that coming.
Would hit the Deep kind of like, what are you talking about?
Like, okay. Yeah, knocking title.
But it's not like they paying you for this analysis are like
god. Wow, that's that's that's it.
Did was there it? Was there a brace available so
that he could deal with the Whiplash of that.
But, but, but I will say it to your point like, beige black
looked for, as, as much pressure as he was getting, as far as
little the offensive line, which Getting him, you know, any kind
of blocking. He looked calm out there like it
didn't feel like he was running around or making quick
decisions. We had a couple of work.
He threw some really good passes under duress and threw it in the
right spot. He's got a nice deep ball, he's,
you know, tight with the ball. He overthrows it a little bit.
So it was a lot of guys in college football and we could
talk about that pick at the beginning of the second, half of
that was a huge Turning Point table.
Just a high throw. But, you know, I I think that
your point is, is needs to be taken also.
With the huge caveat in a positive direction, as well.
This is a guy who gets 300 yards.
Passing your average is six yards, a pass and he's also the
leading has the longest run of anybody on IU.
He has a 12 yard run. You know, he only gets 32 yards
of rushing behind him of which he brought 12, so there was only
20 yards of rushing. That he had supporting the Run
game. So, I mean, you talk about a
team that knows like, we're going to be throwing a lot.
They know that and Illinois knew that and he still got 300 yards.
So it's like that has to be brought.
It's not like, oh, he did that with you at Evan Coleman, you
know, getting 185 yards behind him.
It's like that, that really threw the defense office like,
no. Like, he was also the leading
rusher. It's like there's way more
Parallels for Randall. L, or it's like, I don't think
of Base like as a guy, you know, with his feet.
But it's like, I wouldn't have bet money on a 300 yard game
passing. Plus longest rush for Bay's.
Lack going into this game. Yeah, no it's a basil.
Act did a really good job. And look, I think part of the
problem part of the trepidation of the, the previews of the
season is you didn't know what Connor basil, act.
You were getting. You really didn't know what he
was going to be able to do, because frankly they're just
what there wasn't a lot of material there to go off of in
terms of, you know, I mean he getting freshman year or
sophomore year Basil act from from Mizzou, is he going to be
able to step right in? And he's working with a bunch of
receivers. He's never worked with before.
And this was about, the best case scenario that you would be
expecting for a guy making his first start in a, not ideal
situation from a blocking perspective.
Certainly. And also, you know, just not
knowing his targets and not quite understanding what all is
going on. And so, I think that you got to
be really optimistic about that. And I hope that his protection
improves. I do worry with any and this, he
does to. I mean, it's one of those
things. It's like the number of injuries
that I, you quarterbacks have suffered over the last decade
whether it was Trey, Ro J. K+ tray, Robeson ornate sud,
felled, or obviously Michael penix multiple times.
You are the only guy I can't think of ever actually getting
injured was Peyton Ramsey, but he was just kind of built in a
way that it was unlikely. He was also pretty smart with
the ball and with him, Self, you know.
But it's a dangerous job of being how you quarterback, you
should get like Hazard pay or some better level of workman's
comp. And so I do hope that the
protection improves because I think when he's given time to
throw and scan the field, he's demonstrated already.
He can make pretty much all the throws that you would want a
starting quarterback to make and the difference.
And this is where the Tuttle thing.
Kind of surprises me. A little bit from the your
newfound friend in the stands. It's like we've seen Jack
Tuttle. Be a serviceable quarterback.
You know, that Wisconsin game, the the Maryland game in 2020
they had to come in and, and play in even I mean he obviously
had the shoulder issue in the Ole Miss game.
But then, You didn't really see him, making throws like that.
Like a lot of his throws were high, especially in like, the
Michigan State game and some of the others that you saw last
year. He just hasn't really as of yet
and maybe he will develop into this eventually, but he has not
demonstrated that intangible was actually pretty tangible but
that thing that's hard to describe about quarterbacks when
they are in the pocket and the ball comes out and it goes
exactly where it's supposed to go.
That you know, you can always tell when you have a quarterback
that can't do that and it's also So one of the cool things and I
think I said this after like the third or the fourth row, not too
shy Ivar's. One on the first play,
obviously, but the way that he was started throwing, I was like
almost immediately. Okay, this guy's got it.
There's some Secret Sauce here that I think will be helpful
for. Are you moving forward?
Unfortunately, to your point where you say, I hope that the
line play gets better for him. There's really no history of our
line play. Normally is what it is and then
gets worse throughout the year. That's kind of been the history.
Why and play? I think, ever since I've watched
IU football, he remember a year where it's like man, they're
really blocking better. They did it September.
Yeah. So unfortunately like that and
this is where we can start talking about some of the things
that are a little bit concerning or some alarms.
As like the line play did not look fantastic.
You know you talk about rushing this is you know chivers for
what you know 15 carries for 28 yards, average of one point nine
Henderson, you know six yards. This is also you know it all
Annoyed team that gave up 182 yards to Wyoming the year before
their sorry, the week before, you know why?
Tell me having a guy with you averaging five point eight yards
a carry another one averaging nine point five yards a carry so
it's not like you're playing, you know, the Alabama defensive
line here. The fact there is very little
running and it's not like it's a game that we were down, twenty
five, we had to throw all the time, like the line play is one
thing and the ability to get runs or just even Again, it's
like the I've seen this so many times that I, you fan, where I
don't even know where the I can't blame the running back.
I don't know where you're supposed to go.
Like, there's not a hole and, you know, people are like, why
is dancing around? It's like, well, because there's
no, the whole That was supposed to be there is not there well.
Now he's trying to figure out like, what do I do when it's
like, I'm supposed to run forward.
There's not a whole and so much try and hope something happens.
But this is a, it's a massive flashing red light.
It's like the on your car, the, the beacon is going, Going off
like you know engine problem take you to the dealer.
It's something that is very concerning it is and the number
of running plays that went outside because clearly there is
zero trust in the guard Center guard.
Combo to block on the interior. Yeah, I mean it was it was
amazing watching in person from The End Zone the way that all of
that came to be because it you're just, you're looking at
it and you're like, what They have to do this but watch how it
gets to a point again after the last couple of years with the
offensive line, being as bad as it's been in, really both run
blocking and pass blocking that you're coming into this year and
you're playing Illinois. Who's I mean, you know, there
are big 10 team but in total talent in level of defensive
line you're talking about, probably a bottom, three team,
I'm guessing. Maybe it's like Illinois,
Indiana Anna and Rutgers perhaps Wyoming average.
Five point nine yards arush against right and and you know
sort of average 1.2 yards rush for the whole game to
essentially and that's what 12 on a quarterback scramble and
I'd be like I know not immaterial when you're talking
about 32 total yards got you. If you took that out you're
probably you're averaging less than 1.2 maybe.
Yeah, it's not maybe you're definitely your.
I mean, it's absolutely incredible and I think if you're
going to be the rain cloud on the parade of this game, I think
it's very, very reasonable and legitimate to say, look what
they won the game and they deserve credit for that.
But wow, this is this is a line that is not going to be
functional moving forward if it's going to play like that
now. Yes you've got, you know, a
first game maybe there's some Jitters there but the flip side
of that is ultimately, this is about the second or third.
Easiest game, you're going to play all year.
Probably, maybe the fourth, he's I don't know.
It depends on where in Illinois ends up landing and you got to
play Idaho next week. So you're not going to get a lot
of tuned up there. This is like the one of the more
experienced groups of players on the team in terms of returning
people that have played together and there's just not a lot of
optimism right now on this front and so I think it's going to
take a lot of adaptation from Walt Del the offensive
coordinator to figure out. Okay, I got a scheme around this
because Cuz once again, the early returns, do not look
positive on this line. And I don't think there's a fix.
I mean, you've already started the season.
It's not like you're going to somehow watch the line blossom
into this amazing thing. Especially, if Matthew bedford's
out. I mean, he goes down and what
look like a non-contact injury in the first quarter.
That's bad news because, you know, that's a guy that, if you
were going to pick a bright spot of the line out, maybe he's, you
know, one of the two that you would pick out so that only
makes things potentially worse and it also worsens one of the
edge blockers as opposed to Problems being mostly in the
middle. So that, you know, it needs to
be mentioned and it's something that is absolutely a concern as
this iut moves forward because they're just not going to be
able to survive and keep people healthy.
If they try to win games the way that they tried to, they had to
win this one. I'm glad they won this one.
I think they deserve credit for it, but that's that's not that,
that's not one of those like annual return yields.
That's probably going to be very positive.
Yeah, I will also say this like just being a Taking a positive
spin on this though is it was nice to see what we'll know more
about Walt Bell and how he runs his offense when we get a couple
more games under our belt, but it did seem like he understood
that line issue very early on and then did something we
haven't seen in two years. Not to mention who you Sparrow
coordinator made adjustments during the game and ran
different types of play. We saw a couple option plays,
you know, it's like, you could see it's like, oh, this is not
working. I'm going to try something new
and Playbook in a different part.
I'm going to I'm going to turn the tab, go to a different color
page. We're going to try something
else and that was really nice to see.
I also appreciated the pace. I like them coming up.
I liked seeing a team that took advantage of situations.
What I mean and I can't think of a situation in the past, I feel
like it's happened. Many times under Sheridan, where
we'd come to the line, the up, the defense was not set and then
we'd to be about ready to hike it and we pull back and look for
the play because like that's what we're supposed to do, and
it's a goal. Like the defense is already like
run the play. And there is two or three times
last night where Illinois was doing these massive you three or
four people, you know, shifts after our substitutions after
every play and early in the first quarter there is one words
like we lined up and you could tell they IU was not going to
snap it but they snapped it because like it was not ready
and it's like we took advantage of that.
They I like the pace, the offense play with a nothing
drives. Me more drives me more nuts than
when we used to get to the line and like get set and then pull
back and like get the play. It's What what are we doing?
Like, I like the pace. I like the seeing different
types of play. So I will say in a positive
note, you know, the early returns from what I've seen from
Walt Bell thus far have been much better that we had the last
two years. It was absolutely reminiscent of
Kevin Wilson in the early days. Yeah, I mean, really was, I felt
like I was back in 2012 again and it was, it was fun, it
really? I mean and it was it would have
been more fun if they had been better on offense in terms.
Of having a running game but I will say that they got as our
friends. A kosterman often says they did
a good job of getting some athletes in space at times.
That DJ Matthews touchdown was really well, delivered cam
camper who sounds like a creative player, you know, from
a name perspective, from a video game, you know, 11, catches 156
yards, 14.2 yards per catch it three guys who were Were 10
yards per catch, Emery Simmons, had 11 yards per catch Matthews
with 15 and a half and AJ Barner play.
Okay, I think he could have been a little bit better, but he was
there as a safety valve and a couple of points.
I mean it was nice to see, are you spreading things around a
little bit and getting the ball to multiple receivers.
And you could clearly tell that there was a lot of effort placed
on trying to get the ball in the interior of the defense about
five to seven yards down past. At that first level and they did
a good job. I think of mixing it up like you
said, and making some adjustments based on what
Illinois was trying to do throughout the course of the
game. So yeah, I was I was really
pleased with what I saw all around from, from that.
And, you know, I think it's still too early to say, oh,
yeah, Walt Belgrade higher simply because we don't know how
I mean. We've got one game so far, what
we've seen Walt belt coach for IU in and there will be a Spoons
made. Because now everybody knows what
Bells going to do if there was any benefit to keeping
everything, so close to the vest, that's kind of out the
window now. So, now what sorts of
adjustments does he make? And how does this line fix
itself? Because I think you're never
going to see a fully unlocked offense here, unless you're able
to rush the ball a little bit and 26 carries for 32 yards is
just not going to get the job done over the course of the
season and so we'll see what happens with that.
But one other thing I'll stay on the offense and then I want to
talk about the defense a bit is, as you go through and you think
about the way that I use drives, went a lot of it.
I think, you know, the the second half it was the thing
that was fascinating to me was just how difficult it will annoy
was able to make it on Indiana in terms of getting a whole lot
of time to themselves and I keep going back to that last Drive.
That they put together and what I found fascinating about.
It was how effectively basil a con that drive was able to see
the field. Where is that really didn't seem
to be the case on the rest of the drives in that second half?
And I'm I just keep coming back to this idea.
Like, what was the trigger point there, that allowed things to
work out the way that they did? I mean, obviously sometimes it's
like, well, you know, rubber hits the road, every play
slightly better in that last drive, but I am curious, if they
Were holding stuff in reserve until they got like down to a
point where they had two minutes left and it's like, all right.
We're going to because I felt like they were doing a lot of in
breaking stuff. They were doing a lot of stuff
that was really like even higher Tempo than what we'd seen
earlier on in the game. And you know, it was all it was
essentially just all camper and Matthews all the way down the
field. I mean, you look at the chain of
things, Matthew's six yards incomplete, pass to Matthews 12,
yard pass to Matthews three. Our pasta Matthews 17-yard,
Stick a incomplete to camper 14 yards to Matthews, nine yards to
camper nine yards, to Matthews incomplete to camper, and then
the scramble. And then the touchdown.
It's like that's that's like I'm going to push all my chips into
the table on this particular thing and it worked.
And you know I'm just that's I don't it feels like we haven't
seen that in a few years where it's like we're just going to
zero in on these two guys and say you cannot stop one or the
other, they're getting the ball and every play and and it really
seemed like Illinois, couldn't stop that.
So I do give you credit for it. I just think it's kind of an
interesting sequence, the collective which I don't feel
like we've seen that much without you.
It was really nice to see DJ Matthews come back.
I was kind of where he left off last year because last year he
was looking like he was going to be our number-one receiver.
Maybe he was at the time and then just kind of went down the
freak injury so it was great to see him.
Come back at that long play. It's also interesting.
This is Kind of goes into, you know, the two things I love to
hate the most is recruiting. And then, you know, spring
practice and fall practice. Updates is parched partially, I
fully get it. Like we had, you know, we're not
media. But the media had zero
information on depth charge or how people were doing.
So people kind of just, you know, went wild, but a lot of
talk about Donovan McCauley and he's so tall and I moved to wide
receiver and he, you know, everyone's got a bad night,
maybe it wasn't his number to be called, but he had, you know,
one reception 41-yard, it was basically under unnoticeable
there and it's going, it's going to be interesting to see, you
know, especially a game like Idaho.
Does he get some, you know, attempts like it would be just a
weird move if, you know, you have this super high level
recruit and everyone talking about what a great recruiter as
a quarterback in the to come in and be like, oh he looks over
Master quarterback, love them, wide receiver, that's the great
move and then if he just becomes a non-factor and again it's one
game but I just that is something I want to keep an eye
on is like is McCully going to move up at least become one of
the you know, higher too? Because you're right, if nothing
else that's often showed in one game that you know, Walt Bell
has the receivers that he likes and that he trusts and right now
it's camper and you know, Matthews Junior like those are
the guys when it was a final drive time, those are the guys
who are getting the call and nobody else and so, you know, it
makes you wonder like, it's just going to be a team that spreads
it around. I'm just, I'm curious to see
where where McCulley fits in moving forward.
I get that and I understand where you're coming from, but
But I am not sure if that's fair because it's the first game that
he's ever played at the college level at that position and it
was clear. I think that Matthews and camper
were the guys that were easily getting open.
And I think and I looks like Simmons is like the third guy
there it. So you've got, you've got to
start in group that are more experienced.
I look at McCully and I say, if he's, if he makes one or two
games of really sizable, Contributions this year where he
catches you know, four or five balls, maybe breaks are for a
touchdown or is able. I really think like what he
brings to the table. We don't know really what his
speed looks like, but I think where he will be really
effective is on fade routes or sideline routes or things where
I you has to throw the ball above defensive backs.
And you can have a 65 guy, go up and get it.
And that just really wasn't a scenario that played out.
I honestly think like if they don't get that third Goal,
touchdown him. I like him because he is because
I mean, he's this guy is at the size or at least the height of a
tight end. I think you could have seen him
getting integrated there, but at the end of the day, there are
better options for IU from a receiving perspective.
And I think that, you know, for this one you want to make sure
he's moving into that role slowly.
So that you're not putting too much pressure on him and I will
say it's nice. That I use seems to have some
depth at wide receiver. Again, where they can afford to
not throw him into the fire and then That is not actually
prepped. Anyway, let's talk defense this
defense we had some questions from last year.
We weren't sure exactly how things were going to play out
that they took a big step back in terms of they forced a lot of
turnovers in 2019 and 2020. And they really didn't last
year, they struggled to shut down teams at key points and it
wasn't like the defense was awful awful.
I mean that sort of happened at the end of the season but the
early and middle part of the season, the defense was put into
a lot of bad. Bad situations by the offense
here that happened again. But I really liked what I saw
out of the defense for almost the whole game.
The fact that they were able to force three turnovers, they
technically forced for but that last one doesn't count.
It was a fumble on the last play of the game, you know.
But to to be able to force, you know, a fumble.
There was that Drive-In. What was it in?
Like it was I think it was the third quarter.
Of course, the end of the third quarter where, you know, they
get all the way down to the Indiana, 20 yard line and then
DeVito fumbles the ball and I you picks it up.
And that kills a drive that almost certainly would have
resulted in at least a field goal attempt, if not a touchdown
attempt. I you with that play with the,
with the shutting down Illinois and the goal line situation that
should count as a turnover as well, you know, That was really,
really cool to see this Indiana defense kind of get its mojo
back, a little bit and assert itself.
And this was something we talked about in our pre-season podcast
where it's like you know, this is if Indiana is going to win
this year. It's probably not going to come
from the offense. It's going to be the defense
putting them in position. Keeping the other team out of
the end zone, keeping them to field goals and I really feel
like we saw a lot of that in this game, great game by cam
Jones, you know, I think he finished with what Of tackles,
which was almost double, what anybody else, had no appear at a
great game, you get a couple of sacks rather what they ended up
with three sacks on the game overall and you get an
interception out of dress sanguinetti like overall.
I felt really good especially about the back seven but overall
just a good effort by this defense in total.
I'll take a different approach but gets the same answer as you
had the again. What I didn't like to see was
after half time you come out you're up 9:44 you throw an
interception on the second play not great.
It happens. That was a great time for the
defense to kind of pick you up and keep it you know keep it to
16 213 if they can but you know you have Illinois and five plays
gets a touchdown, some of your down. 1716, it was Little bit,
you know, worrisome like, oh my God, we're coming out of
halftime again. Looking sloppy, the defense,
just kind of let Illinois, you know, push them around and get
right in there and score a touchdown.
It's like that really killed the Mojo of most the second half.
But when you look at the defense, the rest of the second,
half after that touchdown play, it's a punt.
It's a fumble. It's de turnover on Downs, it's
an interception. It's a field goal.
That's why they held didn't break, and then it's a fumble.
Like, that's a great second half.
After a bad first series right after halftime.
So to your point yes. Like they they really stepped it
up and they had to him and that he was 17, 16 obviously until it
was 2016 but any one of those are you had again punt.
Fumble turnover on Downs. Interception field goal you had
four series there where I think any one of those if there's
points, you know, obviously it one more field goal would have
tied the game at the end, but it does feed it be.
They're watching the game. It felt like any points could
have pushed it over the edge, and any kind of touchdown felt
like that might have been the game at that point.
And so did feel like the game was in the balance in the
defense held tight for basically the rest of the second half.
So I've with you I was I was really happy to see that again.
There's would like to see us come out a little bit crisper
right out of halftime, but again, let's work on that.
Yeah, I mean you're gonna ultimately I think see the
defense get better and it'll look I mean we're According this
on Saturday afternoon, I mean Tom Allen takes the defense back
over and and there's some I think good and bad with that.
It's a different style from what we are used to with quinoa.
Make it's certainly different from last year and I think more
successful Charlton Warren. His DC is now I think the
coordinator at North Carolina they just gave up 61 points and
they won but they gave up 61 points.
So I think Indiana made the right choice here.
All things considered and moving on and so I do tip My cap to
Alan for being able to motivate that defense and put them in a
position where they could be this level of successful.
And you know look again it's Illinois it's not a great
opponent from an offensive perspective, it might be one of
the three or four worst offenses, that Indiana will face
this year but it's a nice starting point.
And the fact that they're generating turnovers again is
really good to see because I think that so much of this
defense is ability to change games comes out of their
ability. To change fields and get get the
other team's offense off balance by creating turnovers and
creating doubt in what they're doing.
So, just in general, I like that start and I think honestly that
is probably going to be what carries Indiana through the
early stages. If they're going to obviously
Idaho is more of a fine-tuning game one would hope, but I think
if they're going to beat Western Kentucky, it's going to start
with their defense giving their offense enough time to put
together, momentum and confidence.
In what they're doing and so that we'll have probably have to
be what it goes along with until the offensive line either gets
it stuff together or Walt Bell, figures out, how to reconstruct
the approach to try to game plan around that as much as best he
can. Yeah.
But if I go back to his like, OneDrive really changes the view
of this game because if Indiana comes up short or, you know, we
just go out on Downs or, you know, you said, we we don't get
it on that. Fourth down, third down, play we
go to 4th and we, you know, drop a pass.
In The End Zone. You know, we're having a
different talk about the defense today, honestly were just like,
you know, it didn't do enough. I can't give up 20 points like,
you know, you gotta hold them after it, is it, you start
looking at all of the mistakes and all of the problems and it
could become a snake. Eating its own tail very quickly
and so it it was a game you really couldn't lose.
Not again back to the initial point.
I wasn't ready for a moral Victory.
So it's a well that you really had to win and they found a way
to win. And look, I also think it's
important to mention That ultimately I you I mean got
something we always complain about is I, you not baked
getting the benefit of calls and I you benefited from a couple of
calls in this game where you're just, you look go back and look
at it. Like the touchdown that didn't
count that should have been should have been a touchdown, I
don't know, I still don't know. And then keep in mind, you know,
for those of you who go to the games, you lose a lot of context
that those of you who are watching at home, get because
you've got cameras everywhere. There's no replays of note in
Memorial Stadium at this point. I don't know what happened with
that 12 men on the field that, you know, where they just
essentially canceled the play. Yeah, and said, there's no, I'm
TV. That's why I was driving over
that. They even the TV.
They're like, I've never heard of play.
Be canceled. Is a the, the umpires mic wasn't
working. So they're all right.
Like, what we're all doing. What he said.
It's like, I guess the play was cancelled, like I guess the
plate is didn't happen. We were we were all standing
there because it like you said, there was no Mike.
And so it's like, what, what? Exactly occurred here and I
still don't Good explanation on that.
And so I look I use gotten screwed by Big Ten officiating
enough times in its history. I am I I have no sympathy for
Illinois fans or their team on this at all.
Like this is just occasionally this good things have to happen
to Indiana when it comes to officiating.
So I guess this means we can't complain when these same things
happen against Michigan, or Ohio State later this year, which
almost certainly will occur because it happens every year,
but There was also a play in the first half for us.
It was my buddy. Tom is like, a defensive shift
or something? Like I don't know.
I'm not sure what they called and we're like, I don't know.
And like my joke is always been two things.
First off with IU, I've seen things called at IU games, I've
never seen call, but I remember five or six years ago, we had
two players with the same number.
It's like, I didn't, I guess, I guess that's a rule.
Like I didn't know that was a rule.
And then my joke, always is like, as my wife was learning
more, the intricacies of football, we'd go to IU games
that I realize, like I shouldn't be Teaching you football with IU
because every these questions like what does that rule?
Like I don't know. Because actually never heard
that rule before, I'm not sure. And then there'll be things.
Like, remember one time she like, well why would you punch
it there? I'm like well, you know I'm like
punching get some yardstick. Well, our pump will only went 22
yards like why not just throw and take a shot?
I'm like, yes it, yes. Again, let's watch Alabama.
Like that's how football supposed to be out but yeah,
again weird weird calls but yes, don't feel bad for anybody else
in the Big Ten they can suck on it.
That's right. So anyway any other thoughts
from the game overall? Anything else that stuck out to
you. You just brought it.
Yeah, I do just brought it, they were fantastic.
The crowd was awesome. It's funny.
I was joking after halftime my buddy, Tom group Bloomington
with he hasn't been to a game in a while was like this for the
students are coming back because now like that that's kind of the
way it rolls here. Like they're gonna people leave,
they don't come back because like honestly normally the team
kind of doesn't give them a reason to come back.
And then once we had the interception, the touchdown
like, this is why they're right, but again I you proved him
wrong. Think do this enough times,
people will start coming back. But, you know, let's not get
into that. The crowd was all way bigger
than I thought, it was going to be the students were fired up
cheering stuff to start the game.
Really cool. Fly over a little bit late but
that's fine. But yeah, great crowd really
nice atmosphere, and most of the get a good amount of crowd
stayed, but you had kind of that normal after halftime, you know,
leaving but I was very pleasantly surprised at the
Pants and just the overall crowd atmosphere to start that game.
Yeah, I was really, really happy with the students.
Especially, I mean, the student section was full, the Overflow.
For the student section was full.
I was disappointed in the alumni showing, I'm not surprised, it's
a Friday night, I get it. There's there's High School
football. It's a Labor Day weekend, but
it's still, I think a long night need to do better overall, and
if you're going to get sick, don't get sensitive about that.
If you getting sensitive about that, you don't have a good
reason to be, don't give me excuses.
Like, this was a big ten home opener.
You can find your way to the game.
I know it's a long drive home, like, that's okay.
You'll live the but no, I mean, the fact that the students were
able, even though they left some of them left at halftime.
A decent number came back like and yes, it was.
It had been a little bit by the end of the game.
That was a long game. I mean, that was one of those
games where your people who are only on board, like, 30 or 40
percent. It's like, am I going to really
stick with this that game time? Total was three hours and 58
minutes. And that's that is some Kettle.
So reminder of Kevin well that isn't Kevin Wilson had some for
our games. Yeah, I mean the longest game
the only game Indiana played last year.
That was over. Three hours and 42 minutes was
the Cincinnati game which of course was also the hottest game
of the year, you know. But but this is you know, this
is one of those things where outside of overtime games we
haven't seen a lot of games go. This long like Penn State went
four hours and five minutes in 2020 but that was an overtime
game. Those, most of those Kalin de
bourgh games were pretty Speedy. So this did feel kind of like,
you're back in the, in the day and, you know, my wife and I
walked out of the stadium and it was what 12 10, 12 15 in the
morning. So I am to some degree.
Not surprised. I'm actually surprised there
wasn't more leakage of fans as you got further down the line.
Especially honestly, I mean, there were people in our
section. I was up in the roof top section
who would drifting Out at the end of the third, beginning of
the 4th because it really kind of felt like Indiana didn't have
what it took to win. It felt like you were just going
to stick around be very disappointed and feel like well
there's IU football doing IU football things to me again, but
it was, I think really satisfying for the folks that
stuck around. And again, I think the students
deserve a lot of credit for, for being there, General, I mean,
atmosphere was good, I was out tailgating at 1:00 and the vibe
was not some, it was, it was a good traditional kind.
It wasn't as hot as I was worried that it was going to be
that the overcast Skies helped quite a bit.
And so yeah, it was a good first game day for IU.
And I'm happy that it worked out the way that it did.
Because it felt like the people that went out and decided to do
The Full Experience, had a good time.
It was a great way to kick off a Labor Day weekend.
Now, you get to do it all over again at the exact same time.
Next week, another, another leaving the game at the next day
at 12:15. My Em.
I'm hoping they're up by like 45 and it's like, you know, I think
they got this one. Let's go home and watch the
fourth quarter kind of thing. Maybe, but now in this, in this
case, it's exciting to see Indiana have a good crowd and be
able to do the things that they did in that game.
Anyway. Final thoughts on anything else.
Indiana playing Idaho next week. I mean, obviously line play,
we've talked about Quite a bit is something that needs to be
addressed like ASAP and clearly, they got to wait to see what the
situation is with Matthew Bedford.
Anything else that you would really like to see them work on
before we wrap up? I don't know.
I mean, because even if they get a running game going it's like
if they can get a hundred yard rusher, it's like all right.
Well it's Idaho. It's kind of like fools gold.
It's kind of like you know, NBA Summer League like if you think
somebody's good and you're like, oh my God, you got 28 points.
You think they're bad? It's like, you know, you're
playing against guys who are not going to be in.
The NBA. So I think you have something
similar here. Where, if they say, I will say
this, if they struggle to get the Run going against Idaho like
they did against Illinois. I think that we are in for a
very long season and maybe we need to call Mike Leach.
And just like, hey, do you mind coming on as a consultant to see
what we can do? Without any running backs but
you know if if they can get some running game going and open some
holes, I guess that's good. I'm not sure if that's going to
be a preview of anything. Going to see against other Big
Ten teams but I would like to see them work on that a little
bit. Yeah I don't know how much
again, I think you're right, you just got to get up.
I like 21, 28 points and just that you can work on some stuff
in a game atmosphere, where, you know, there's no choice.
There's no real possibility of losing.
You don't want to be where Iowa is today, where they scored
seven points on on two safeties against South Dakota State.
It's like your squeak. Like, oh man, good thing we got
those safeties. You needed those, like, that's
not the place you want to be. Be in the most Iowa game in
history, my God. Yes, sorry.
Yeah, so not all bi that's I'm kind of wrapping up its there's
there's really not much you can ever take away from this game.
We blown out teams like Idaho before and then had bad Seasons.
We've struggled then had good Seasons, but I do think with
this team psyche, with where the fan base is at.
I do think that struggling inside a ho would be suboptimal.
Like let's just go out when by 21:28 and that I don't think the
little things. I'll talk about it next week
with you. I, I'm just gonna have a hard
time being God will run game. Solve icaro lines, good.
It's like it's probably not but maybe a little bit of a mirage
for a week would be nice. So, I'll say that.
I mean, the one thing I'm a little bit curious about, not
just the Bedford situation, but I guess Jaylyn Williams left the
game with an injury. Like am Jones, had an injury
came back in I'm assuming he'll be okay, but it's always the big
question. Mark with IU football.
It's like they don't have the depth generally speaking to
sustain a lot of injuries so you know this Idaho game comes at a
really good time because maybe they can get some younger
players into those spots. Give guys a week to rest on the
defensive side of the ball. And see if they can get some
depth developed because there's just not a lot of time to do
that in the season but no overall good.
Good way to start the year and and again look we talked about
this in the pregame or the pre-season podcast which I guess
was technically also, our pregame podcast, this is a
flawed Indiana T. We know it going in.
We know this is not going to be a team that is going to blow a
bunch of teams out or win a lot of games convincingly.
This is an IU team that is going to struggle a lot.
Not with basic things but they're also look like they've
got a pulse in a way that they did not have last year and that
is promising. I don't know if it's going to
equate to. I mean right now, you know, I
picked them to win the game. Although I also bet money on
Illinois, before the game, I was like, I couldn't decide as I go.
I'm going to talk about about a bet.
I would pick Indiana on the podcast but it was very close
and it was like well I kind of feel like I like Illinois in
that spot. And I'm certainly glad Indiana
prove me wrong and I still think that five and seven is probably
about where this team is going to end up Landing because I
didn't see anything in this game that made me think.
Oh they're going to be able to really overcome and really
compete in the games against much better competition, but
it's nice to get that first one. Under the belt of the team and
who knows, you know, you get a couple of wins under your belt
and stuff can happen. So, we'll see what happens with
all that. But anyway, Scott good to try to
talk with you once again, we appreciate as always, getting
the opportunity to speak college football and I you football.
Together with you folks and continue to check in with us
we'll have a couple more podcast coming up this week as we will
preview the Idaho game. Probably Thursday some time.
So be sure to check the feed either Thursday night or Friday
morning and then we'll be back with a recap of Idaho after
that, to be sure to tune it in here for Scott Caulfield on
Galen klaviyo. This is Crimson cast brought to
you by home-field Apparel in the back home network.
We will catch you folks on the flip side, bring back the
bicycle. Ison so long, everybody.