you're listening to the back home network, presented by home
field, apparel Scott Jared thing what ball when
you downloaded that theme music Eric 14 years ago, that we'd
still be using it? That was like there's no bad
ideas in a brainstorm. Hey, here's an idea for a song
and then smash cut to bitches imprinted in my mind, that gate
that that the thief song so we will talk about it.
They it's like a cult following among the followers and
listeners it's someone described it as a banger once and it's
like the origin of it. It's a royalty free podcast
theme which you downloaded? Yes.
From. There's a royalty Free.
Like it was, it was an indie and it was at you.
It was yes, it was an IU student.
And the problem is a Tunes. I can't.
I cannot like I can't doesn't exist anymore.
I can't go find it. I want to know who made it.
They are welcome on this show anytime we've, we've tried to
track down who the original artist was and what's occurred?
Then I remember this. The the song is called fully
charged. I know that because I've got the
original MP3 file that you sent me, but we the, the Website.
Because member I, you had that whole remember that awful era.
When I use Big Ten Network, add, was that awful podcast sad, you
know, podcasts are unpredictable.
Like, I mean, like someone, wow, like there was, there were some
decisions made in that marketing meeting, as far as like that
being the ad that they put out. But there was a site that held a
bunch of these things and we just can't find the name of the
guy who wrote the podcasts. Theme.
And I feel terrible about it because I'd like to, I'd like to
dab him up on the show. But yeah, it's amazing that that
that's the one thing that's sustained, like, Egyptian
hackers couldn't take it down and and things like that.
It's which that's an inside joke, folks, but we got taken
down twice by Egyptian hackers in the early stages of the show.
So it's it's a thing that we would love to someday find.
I'd love to buy that guy a meal somewhere and just thank him for
all of what he's done for us. Frankly, I love it.
What he's doing like he could be working in Hollywood, like,
maybe like the new Thursday Night Football theme on Amazon,
like he made it's like we could be getting better but you would
get even better bangers like fully charged to Electric
Boogaloo. Yeah.
It's it's, I can only imagine what the extended like EDM remix
of that sounds like we've definitely passed that point
where there was a point, you know, three or four years like,
all right? Yeah.
This will do and what we'll find something better and then we
didn't and we're now at the point where it can't be changed
like this is that is just our theme song.
Like that is what we come into. Yeah, it's so look there's any
way will you wanted to give some?
Give some give some well thanks. Thanks for joining everybody
that. But that's crazy cast talking
about our music. We're here doing what we do
know, we're here to talk about IU football, Indiana taking on
Western Kentucky this weekend. And before we get to that, just
a reminder that IU is being covered by Crimson, cast and
Crimson cast as part of the back home network in the back home
network is brought to you by home field apparel your place to
go for the softest and finest. College sports apparel, plus
some pro sports apparel and we're getting into hoodie
season. We're getting into a crewneck
season. We're not quite there yet.
Although Saturday morning season yet, you love the clothes that
go with it. I do.
That's true. I am.
It's perverse. That way.
We had a question actually from one of the folks on Twitter,
they wrote this in I want to find it because it was a good
question since from Daddy Hoosier.
Does Crimson fit cast, in fact, fear the oval hashtag?
And the answer is no, I am a huge proponent of the oval, in
my eye. You room that I'm sitting in
right now, doing this podcast. There's an oval over there on
the opposite wall and I have my wife, just texted me, she's
listening in all caps. Love the oval.
I have an oval t-shirt, I have an oval crew neck.
Why do I have those things Scott?
Because you love the oval. No, because home-field apparel
brought the oval back. That's why I have those things.
It's not because this the oval so people of my generation and
Scott's generation those of us who were there in that narrow
band at IU between like 1997 and 2002.
Some of us love the oval, some of us hate the oval.
I personally love the oval. I think it's a great alternate.
It's actually we are old enough now that it is I can
appropriately retro logo. It looks.
It's like those. It's like those Art Deco, things
that home field. Also cells in the eye you
collection from the 50s, that look like Looney Tunes, things.
It's like, you know what? We're we got something going
right here. This is nice.
And what's cool about everything is Scott's door opens behind him
in his audio, though. The dogs waffles waffles is
joined my, the golden retrievers likes, the oval, I will say
this, you I think You still have it may be home.
Field needs to make the helmet head.
Me the helmet head that I had in college you and I wore them
City. Indiana, Ohio State game.
When I caught a Snickers from Lynn Swann.
I thought for sure we were going to win that game.
We were down. 53 23, I think it halftime.
Yeah, it was a soft helmet head. It was one of the greatest
giveaways of a university ever, but it had the oval somewhere in
one of my many moves I lost it and that was one of the greatest
regrets, like, on my deathbed, I will have many questions and
one, Where did that go? Yeah, I know.
Well, look and a lot of have yours.
I still do. The kids were playing with it
the other day so I don't know where it is right now, but I
know it's around somewhere and to be careful.
That's like that's, I mean it has a fire in the in the in the
Galen house. I feel like you know, it's one
of the things that's in helmet are going to be.
I know which one you're going for is gonna say, that's one of
the four things that get saved. But, but anyway, yes, I am.
A big fan of the oval and you can find the oval almost I think
exclusively at home field apparel.
So go downfield apparel and check out the oval.
You can use the code home H ome. If it's your first time at home
field apparel and get 15% off your first order, I mean, what
how could you turn that down? Quite frankly.
So by the oval wear it proudly, I've seen people walking around
with you who are like 19 years old and I'm just like man, you
don't know the half of it and I'm excited to see you wearing
that thing. That's awesome.
There will be a game were they will break out the oval as a
retro jersey. I just, I know In Our Lifetime
speaking of like money off and stuff.
I do have to Bone to pick with you.
Oh no, we are in, I listened to your podcast your preview.
I'm excited to be on a preview. This is unlike me, but I
listened to it is. I mean I like I like your
preview where you did some tailgate talking.
One of the questions was about, you know, if you could have a
hundred dollars for n IL for students to come and you just
very Cavalier lead you, where it n IL.
I Don't want to be you know Arizona's under FBI or sorry,
not Arizona, Kansas under FBI investigation.
You just very casually like, you know, I'll pay everybody $33 and
I'll just talk at the last dollar for myself just threw
that in there. Like, you're just, I mean, if,
when Galen starts be Crimson cast and IL Collective, just
please keep that in mind, I had nothing to do with it galen's
just pocketing one or two percent on his own, you know, to
buy all his oval gear in the oval oval mansion.
They're in Bloomington nothing. Nothing buys Mansions like a
dollar especially with six percent mortgage interest rates
which we just hit today. I think for the first time in a
while. So yeah.
The that refinancing your fine ass.
Well, you know bring bring them after me at this point.
Well let's let's see what they do and as he double, I probably
earlier like ABS keep the actual dollars.
I got you in C, double I, come on, come at me.
Anyway, let's talk about this. By the way, they would let
everything else go and just be like, they'd come after you for
one thing he said in the podcast.
So, so in, we It would absolutely.
I'm a booster clearly. So we had a lot of questions
We're not gonna be able to get to all of these but Indiana
playing against Western Kentucky.
They be Western Kentucky last year.
It was a close game. This is a close Series in
general. Indiana has had success against
Western Kentucky, but was Kentucky, always seems to give
Indiana a really good game and it's a one of those where you
looking at it and you're like, I don't know if this is a good
thing. Indiana is playing Western
Kentucky. It's certainly going to be a
challenge. And this is where it can be a
little bit difficult. Sometimes to figure out exactly
what to think of teams after two games, you know, because you
when you look at these two teams, neither of them.
I mean, Indiana's had the more impressive of the two schedules,
Western Kentucky so far. The beat Austin Peay who's FCS,
they're not FBS 38 to 27 and then they traveled to Hawaii,
who's very bad. Got blown out by you might be
FPS, got blown. By Vanderbilt bad and they beat
them 4917, which certainly was impressive and this is a Western
Kentucky team. Obviously, that had a very good
season last year as they finished nine and five and that
included a bowl win against Appalachian State.
Who we know is a very good program Indiana's got the better
win. They win at home against
Illinois and week one, they play Idaho last week, not a good game
but a good second or good, third quarter.
I guess we could say for Indiana as they end up.
Winning that game. Bye.
You know, the maybe a disappointing score of 35 22,
but still a win. So Western Kentucky comes in and
let me know. On the one hand, you can look at
Indiana and say, well they beat Illinois and they, you know, is
awful, conditions rain and all that stuff against Idaho.
On the other hand, you know, you look at PFF College Pro Football
Focus, you know, and they do these game ratings, where they
look at individual teams, and what they are able to do.
And, you know, B, the fact that Western Kentucky has not played
to particularly good teams, they've looked really pretty
good. Statistically in those two games
and right now, Western Kentucky comes into the game.
Under the PFF college rankings, ranked 68th in the country which
is not great, but you know, it's it's Florida's. 67 Purdue 64th.
Oklahoma state is 68 during some decent company Indiana.
You want to guess what Indiana's PFF College rating is coming
into this game? I'm Scott we in the 70s 80s.
That's what I would have guessed to Indiana through two games is
ranked 111th in PFF College because when you go through
that's not the 70s or 80s, know it's bad.
When you look at the ratings and, you know, PFF, this is Pro
Football, Focus and then they're not the end-all be-all of things
by any means. But you, they, they go through
and they grade how teams do in all these different areas.
So everything from overall to how well, they looked on
offense. How the pass blocking look, the
Run blocking looked the the defense and the different
aspects of the defense and the real concern.
I think for Indiana right now is they really looked pretty subpar
and pass blocking against Illinois.
They and on a 0 to 100 scale, they were 35.4 in pass blocking
against Illinois, which is real bad, then they weren't that much
better in run blocking now, they certainly were better against
Idaho. But that was Idaho who's not a
very good team and defensively they've been pretty pedestrian.
Their run defense has been pretty good at both games, their
their, their secondary is not look that great in terms of how
well they played in coverage. They're tackling has been subpar
so far and so you come into this game and you look at Western
Kentucky and you say to yourself, well, this is clearly
a program with a pulse and it's clearly a program that is not
afraid of anybody. So, you know, it's one of those
games where Indiana comes in and you're you're hoping that
they're going to just come right out and be able to Showcase
against an inferior Talent set with Western Kentucky, what they
can do. But Scott I'm just not totally
sure having watched I you for two games now, what exactly,
they can and can't do. I don't know if you've got a
clearer sense of it than I do at this point.
No, I mean this game scares me because Western Kentucky can put
up points. I mean to eat, like you said
they are Conan's this so far, this year were not great but I
mean they put up points against them and for a half we couldn't
even put up points against Idaho.
You know? So are and what also is kind of,
you know, you think about Western Kentucky, think about
their offense based on what they did last year with their doing
this year. But their defense, I mean they
have seven interceptions this year.
I mean, they take the ball away as well.
That's a big part of what they're doing, you know.
I think we can play well on defense and still probably give
up 21 to 28 points. And I'm just I'm not sure if
this offense is capable of putting up twenty one or twenty
eight points against a team that has a pulse.
Just because we kind of did a little bit with smoke and
mirrors against Illinois. We had a really hard time doing
inside a hoe and you know we've lost, you know, Bedford on the
line. The line is look bad.
We have not shown an ability to have a very strong running.
Presents at all so far this year.
And so, I'm very concerned this offense is going to be able to
provide the defense with what it needs to win games.
Yeah, I mean it's a big question mark and you can look at the
offense against Illinois and say, well that's a pretty good
Illinois. Defense there, there a defense
that is certainly capable from a talent perspective.
You look at the way. Illinois has played so far on
the season PFF College. Really likes how Illinois looks.
I mean, they are 2 and 1 on the season, and they are 19th in the
country and the PFF grades, and you look at their defense, they
have their rankings or, or their rating out of 100 has been
seventy nine point four 73.5 against Indiana and seventy nine
point four. You know, their offense has
struggled a little bit but overall Illinois has played
pretty well. They they almost shut out
Virginia. Last week, Virginia only scores
three points in that game, so, This is where it gets tricky
with Indiana because it's like, well, they certainly get credit
for beating Illinois. And they struggled offensively
against Illinois, was that because Illinois is actually
really good, or was that because Illinois had a bad game or was
that because of some other or like, or is it just because
Indiana was bad. And I don't think we yet know.
And this is where it's unfortunate that the weather
became as bad as it became in that Idaho game because we
really didn't get a clear sample size from Indiana outside of
Illinois. Going into this game about what
they can do. Granted against a subpar It but
you need that. I feel like to try to figure out
exactly what to expect out of Indiana in this game because I
still don't know. But I am concerned like you are
because I don't think Western Kentucky is going to
particularly be scared by Indiana and what they bring to
the table. They know they almost beat
Indiana last year and that I mean I don't yes certainly
Western Kentucky lost a lot. But you could say Indiana lost a
lot to now, maybe maybe with Indiana, that was some addition
by subtraction but we still have yet to really see Indiana the
dominant in any phase of any game so far except maybe the
third quarter of Idaho. I will I'm just going to take a
quick step back toward this game which is you know, beginning of
the year, we talked about, you know, I think a bowl getting to
a bowl is a pretty, you know, it's a far bridge for this team,
although I thought more about what you said.
And in the preview that, you know, if if truly last year was
the ill. If we believe that, you know
what the team is telling us that last year, was the aberration
that it's like, well, that a bowl should easily be pretty
like your, this is a team that, you know, when seven games wins
eight games like that, this should be part of the process
that uses go to a bowl. But if we want to get to a bowl
or even if we want to get to five wins for that, Purdue game.
So you're playing for a bowl, you know?
And I think everyone could agree that would make it, you know,
that's at least. Just you know, acceptable enough
of the season, I think if you only get 24 wins as a tough year
but if you want to get to five wins or six wins, you have to
win this game but you just have to win this game.
There's just there's not a or you're going to have to do
something very out of the, out of the ordinary.
What your expect yet, you got to win, you know, Penn State or
Michigan State or something that doesn't look like it's going to
happen this year. So, you know, this is where the
rubber hits the road. And like I said, I'm not sure
how they're going to get the offense to do it.
This is a game that you have to win because if you don't your
path to five or six wins this year, is really going to be
tough. It's tough when you have a game.
You know, when Idaho game those supposed to be kind of a
confidence Builder and it left with people wet and kind of
confused and frustrated after a half and then if you, if you do
lose this game, it's like I think a lot of people think,
well, there's really not a path to five or six wins and it's not
even September. You know, 19th, we had a gram
asked, does the Western Kentucky game define whether or not it?
Deanna will have a good or bad rest of the season.
I'll be coming to see. Nope, got a phone call there is
Grandpa. Didn't know, it was calling.
It really want to know. It was not that was not get
cramps like oh, here's our burden.
What's going on? Yeah, but no, it was not g know
the the an interesting question I'm going to say it doesn't
define whether or not I use going to have a good or bad rest
of the season because it's possible.
I you wins and still has a bad. Rest of the season, but fair,
but I you if they lose, I think we'll have a bad rest of the
season. So, it's like a bad Choose Your
Own Adventure novel. You know where there's, you
know, I don't know, you either die immediately or you could die
in two more days. Right?
Exactly. Yes, you know.
So I look at this and I say if Indiana beats Western Kentucky,
there's a lot of things positive with that, they're at that
point. They're three, you know?
And as much as we have learned now, The Tom Allen era that this
is I you Football under Tom Allen is as much a Vibe as it is
a progression of of outcomes that I you at 3 and 0.
I think suddenly starts to get high on their own Supply so to
speak. Like they really start to
believe. We are good, we have 3 R 3 and
0, we've beaten Illinois, we've beaten Western Kentucky.
These are not pushover teams and and I think that that actually
has a really positive impact on Indiana.
And there their whole conceptualization of themselves
as a football team, if they lose, I think a lot of that goes
away. Now you could beat Western
Kentucky and then get, you know, slaughtered in nippert stadium
the following week and then lose on the road at Nebraska, and
it's all out the window anyway. But I think losing against
Western Kentucky suddenly those two Road games, you lose those
two. And now you're scaring two and
three in the face with Michigan coming into town.
So it's a pivotal game, but it's not.
It's It's not going to be a guarantor of positivity.
I think would be the way that I would answer that question.
Yeah, some other questions of note.
So Keith asks in years past we've had a number of good
losses and near misses, should we now be happy with
frustrating? Second half wins.
Is this what progress looks like the answer is, yes, that is
exactly what progress looks like.
I'd love to say that progress. You know was was Thirty Point
wins. We're never in question where
you're just essentially just drinking beer in the in the
second half and thinking about like how the third-string wide
receivers doing but that's not how it works.
Like you you go from losing games in the end to slightly
winning games and that's really all that matters that the
winning. The games is ultimately the big
thing that matters. And so you know, if Indiana is
in the fort in a tussle in the fourth quarter against Western
Kentucky and they pull it out by Three or four points, you know
what Scott, that's progress, as far as I'm concerned, even
though they, you know, I mean, yes, they struggle a little bit
on the road last year. Any win for Indiana at this?
Point up until the point they get to six wins is absolute
gravy and that's something that I know that fans don't want to
hear, but that's absolutely the setup at this point, that's
where Indiana has to be, especially building back from a
too intense. He's completely agree.
I mean, win is a win and I would say Yes, I was kind of, you
know, dismissive of that in the immediate aftermath of the Idaho
game, but I think where that comes from is, you know, for me,
I was looking at the Idaho game to help answer some questions
that I had from the Illinois game.
And those questions were not answered and that's where you
kind of left being like, I don't know where the other winds are
going to come from until these questions are answered, but to
your point, a win is a win. So, if we get, if we beat
Western Kentucky, like you said by three but we Still have you
know 67 yards in rushing? I will come on this post game
and be like I'm very concerned about our rushing, but that's a
win like that's great. We're three winds down.
Let's still continue to find a way to win without getting, you
know, any kind of rushing game. Let's see if we can do it.
So I think you can kind of discombobulated the to but yeah,
a win is a win, is a win. I will say I'm on college
football stats, just looking at college football stats and it
has the attendance of both the Illinois and the Idaho game.
I know that Indiana releases attendance figures and all that,
but it has the attendance of the Idaho game as higher, the
Illinois game of 46,000 785. That's a lot of people who are
there in the rain that I well see on any of the TV cameras, I
think that that might have been tickets sold to be fair, as
opposed to actual butts in seats.
I know, I know, I know, but and I would believe that because
this was an easier game for people to attend than the Friday
prior to labor day, but it's a fair point.
It's a fair point. This is why are you have to be a
little careful about attendance figures in general across all
sports. It's just kind of how it works.
Some other questions that we had daddy.
Hoosier XD asks, I've encountered several people
voicing concerns about safety play.
Thus far, do you share those concerns?
So this is something we've heard a lot about it's like, well, the
safeties haven't looked that great.
Yes. I use been intercepting the ball
but they've The back we were we were somewhat impressed with the
way the back seven played against Illinois and maybe we
shouldn't have been going back and watching that game
afterwards and getting a sense of how it actually went down a
lot of Bend but don't break even though they deny that in the
press conference afterwards they didn't look great against Idaho.
Are you concerned about any aspects of the defense at this
point? Maybe a little more.
Generally Scott I'm concerned that we're not getting
takeaways. Then we played Idaho and they
had more takeaways than we did. We currently have one
interception throughout the year.
Being that is what made 2020 such a unique year was that team
had 17 interceptions throughout That season and they didn't even
play a full schedule. That was definitely an outlier
season but that really changed a lot of it.
So for me, that's been the concern with the defense is
where you know to your point Allen's teams do well.
They're giant, you know, Vibe it and stuff.
But they've also done really well with the defense has been
very opportunistic. Taking the ball away, flipping
the field. We saw a good amount of that in
2019 like you know, seven interceptions, you know,
recovering 12 fumbles. But 2020 was just like it just
took that off to a whole new level and that's what really
allowed that team to thrive. And so the bend but don't break
defense has been good it's been good to see them, not breaking
but for this Team to be dynamic especially when we still have
the struggles on offense, but I think are going to be there
especially once you get to the Big 10 based online play, you're
going to need your defense to make some place for you're going
to your defense to. Not only get you off the field,
but flip the field and have a night, you know, have a pick six
or a pick six or a pick that you can get 35 yards on and flip the
field. So that's been the part with the
defense has been concerning to me.
Yeah I know. I mean the big question mark for
me is look I mean I think there's going to be some Growing
Pains As the defense re adapts, the Tom Allen and re adapts to
the system that they want to use.
You know, I'm not the big thing I'm concerned about out of the
Idaho game is the team's inability to handle receivers
coming out of the backfield and that is a problem.
I think we get this Western Kentucky teen.
I will see if that actually manifest.
Maybe I you makes a bunch of changes, you know.
I think there's a real possibility that they were just
trying to show his little as possible.
Isabel in that Idaho game and they ended up in a situation
where it they had to show a little more than they wanted to,
but they'll make some changes afterwards.
I think it's entirely possible, but I don't want to make any
Final determinations on the defense until we get closer to
October. I think did I need two more
games to really see what the defense can do against better
competition. So I'm not going to get panicky
about it yet, but I think it's worth keeping an eye on.
Absolutely. Some other questions that I
wanted to get to IU artifacts asks, is this on mcculloh the
most important key to success? Not only for I use defense.
But the entire are you football squad?
No. Because I think Connor basil,
lack and to a slightly lesser extent.
The offensive line are the most important aspects of success for
this IU football program overall, because I think if
they're not working, the team's not doing well.
But I do think McCullough, Allah has clearly been like visibly a
standout on defense so far at a position that I you desperately
needed a standout athletically. I saw someone the other day,
they tweeted something like, well, Tom Allen needs to get
more guys like this on mcculloh, like, like they grow on trees
and we've just, we've neglected to pick the fruit off the tree
as we walk to the football conference.
I got doesn't way it works. Okay.
Let me the fact that decide McCullough is here in the first
place is a very very specific set of circumstances.
From stances had to occur for him to be an Indiana uniform.
And to some degree, they get his kind of Lucky.
He's still in an Indiana uniform given what happened with all of
those circumstances over the course of the last 12 months?
But look, he certainly, I think a really, really good player and
if fact, if I you can keep him, I don't know if they can but you
know, he could end up being one of the best talents on defense
that Indiana has ever had. And the fact that he's showing
his much ease as a Freshman, I think really highlights how few
of those types of players athletically, Indiana tends to
get on defense. You know, they've had athletic
Marvel's like, antwaan, Randle, l or or, you know, Tevin
Coleman. I mean, there's there's guys
like that that have stood out on offense, very rarely, I mean,
you get a, you know, Mike McFadden was a really excellent
defensive player but he stood out for his effort and his
intelligence not so much his physical gifts, which, which
McCullough clearly has when two things.
On that first off, the if anybody's saying like why don't
we get more of them? And as if like other
McCullough's were just saying, hey, go ahead and take the
Alabam offer like we don't, we don't need you.
Like, you can go ahead and Levi, are you?
The second thing is like this is, you know, it's great to see
but this is also the slow maturity of a program because
like you said, you know, Randall L comes to Indiana, part of the
reason he came to Indiana is that we were willing to play him
at quarterback. Has he gone to Ohio State or
Michigan? He would have been a safety or
something else like that. This is most of the time and
Indiana's history when you get just an athletic stud.
It's like, well, we got to put you in an offensive skill
position because we need, we need you in it.
That's where we need the most need.
And so, to be able to say we're actually going, you know, it's a
luxury to put somebody like that on the defensive side and it's
your point like Mike McFadden was awesome, but I also didn't
see him running like a wide receiver route, and I know so
and it's able to do is I get five stars that are athletes and
just throw them in. You know, linebacker and safety
rules. Hello.
You don't have to be a great athlete to be a great
linebacker. I mean, it's helpful but I mean
look Mike McFadden made the Giants.
It's not a criticism of McFadden but it's like for a freshman at
because McFadden was not that great in his first two years and
people forget that like he took a lot of criticism for missing
tackles for not being a right position.
He grew into that role in his last two years and really became
what he is now but McCullough just kind of has it out of the
box and that's really exciting to see Let's see.
Some other questions to get to Hoopa ROTC asks, thoughts on why
I use schedule, Western Kentucky, and Cincinnati home
and away. And should I you continue to
schedule those types of opponents?
Good question because these are two pretty good teams.
These are teams that are, you know, Western Kentucky goes to
bowls. Cincinnati, you know, I think
this is the first of all, there is a historical precedent to
scheduling Cincinnati. We played them in the 90s.
I think we played them in the 80s to and they are.
I think I think of the eyes of IU, they don't they and I don't
have any, I've never talked to anybody about this.
I don't know if it's absolutely the truth, but they really don't
want to go full Minnesota where they just schedule the absolute
dregs of division 1 and pit themselves against him.
It for easy wins in the non-conference.
Now the or three. Is he wins now?
I guess now they should I think if there's a program that needs
that it's Indiana. But I for whether if you go back
and look, historically at Indiana's, non-conference
opponents like all the way back to the early 80s their
scheduling really, really good like will go for non-conference
opponents, really good like mid-level programs, whether it's
Navy, you know, obviously I you struggled with in the early
2010's Missouri, who Ooh, keeps popping up on the schedule.
You know, North Carolina was on the schedule, North Carolina
state was on the schedule, they've really resisted
scheduling, like, Georgia, Southern who had.
That's a bad example, I guess now.
But, you know, those sorts of teams Troy State, like teams
that are absolutely on the fringes of FBS and it's probably
something I, you should consider because look at the end of the
day in a nine-game conference season.
If you're Looks like they may catch the positive end of a wave
with Louisville because they scheduled that.
As I wire, we scheduling an ACC team in the non-conference but
you know they they may get a positive end there but there's
always the chance in this day and age that you're going to get
a Western Kentucky or Cincinnati is going to put together a
couple good recruiting classes be really tough to play and then
all of a sudden it's like oops what do we do now?
You know you replace last year's Cincinnati game with a team
that's like slightly down the Totem pole and Indiana.
Winds that maybe it's a completely different season.
So I understand the philosophy, I don't always agree with it but
it's one of those things that Indiana's done as long as I can
remember. They rarely, even if they dip
into the Mac, they're generally dipping into like the middle and
upper reaches of the Mac. They're not scheduling Eastern
Michigan. Yeah.
I mean, the the counter that I would say is that this is also,
you're catching Western, you know, Kentucky, it kind of a
time where they get just a you Absurd coach player transfer.
We beat him last year to yeah, you know.
And as we talked about last year, when they scheduled at
Cincinnati series, I definitely did not think that they were
expecting Cincinnati to be a college playoff team like they
thought it might be good but not like, you know, top five in the
country good and all that said, you know, we almost beat them.
It's like so if maybe they're, you know, a top 25 team, maybe
we win that game and you know, if they don't have five NFL
prospects and You know top-tier NFL quarterback on their roster
maybe we do win that game. So I do think some of this is
you know we're getting some bad luck.
I would I would push back a little bit on, you know, us
trying to schedule those bad teams.
Just because historically, when we've had, like, I think we did
have like Coppin State come in once or we've had some of those
lower-level teams. Normally the crowds are not as
good for those and it does kind of as a programmer kind of like
we treat them kind of like a nothing game.
When really, we're not the kind of a poem, we're not a team that
has the ability to do that but we treat it like that and so I
can see from Athletics. Apartment, trying to build
crowds and fan bases. At least games, like Kentucky
everything. Sorry, Cincinnati, you're going
to fill the stadium. It may not be the best for your
long-term projections to making a bowl.
But at least, you know, it's probably a dollars and cents
decision to. But I think some of this is just
bad luck in that the last couple of years, especially Cincinnati,
we're just hitting teams on a Cincinnati's in like a 50-year
historic high like last year. Could have been maybe the
absolute Apex, you did not want to play them and that's when we
play them. Yeah, I know.
I know there's, that's a really good point and Personally, if
there's a team that's going to get the bad end of the stick, in
terms of scheduling a team on a historic upswing.
It's it's or, you know, it's the opposite.
It's like, well, you get Yukon and like with their first or
second year as an FBS team. And it happens to be a game
where your coaches out because of getting cancer treatment, you
know? I mean, it's just like, yeah, I
you it doesn't matter to some degree it and I use tends to
find a way to lose those games, a lot of different ways, and
it's very frustrating. So anyway, a couple of the
things, we always go to the Penn State one.
It's like, you know, Penn State's on historic sanctions
there playing no players and yet it's like when we play them and
note, no knock on Xander edema. But it's like we have Saturday -
our quarterback like they can't score like.
Anybody know where didn't get score either didn't Danny
Cameron have to play in that game too.
Yeah that was yeah that was that was no, it's a great point.
It's there's what year consult fell just be healthy for that
one game like I'd Just beat Penn State.
Once I remember what you know, they did be big didn't beat them
once. They did beat them once in that
stretch but that was it. Yes.
So God. Anyway, a couple other things so
quick detour off the game Jared from assembly call asks if
someone from another country who doesn't understand college
sports, ask you to make sense of why Nebraska fired its football
coach weeks before, they could have paid him millions of
dollars less, what would you try to or how would you try to
explain it to them? So this is an interesting
question. Because for those of you who
don't know, Scott Frost is buyout dropped by half in three
weeks basically like the Sunday. After the Indiana game, they
could have fired him. And only I think dropped what
seven and a half million dollars right?
Or five bad forgive with the actual number was it was half of
what they ever are, paying him now, having fired him, Scott,
I'm interested in your answer to this like, like, well, how would
you explain that to somebody? I actually don't think it's as
hard to explain to a soccer fan than it would be to explain to.
Somebody doesn't understand Sports at all.
But like, do you have an explanation for this that you
would give to people? Yeah, I love the the alien, you
know, explaining to aliens, I think that, you know what, makes
us a little bit. Easier is the meteorites deal
that was just signed like, three weeks ago and this is something.
I'm not to bring it to the NBA that Bill Simmons has been
joking. Like you know, people don't
fully get that like NBA players are going to start making 70, 80
million dollars a year and therefore year, yeah, it's like
just like look at the TV package.
That will be signed in a couple of years and it's like some
Indiana fans here like DeAndre like 0 to 30 million a year.
It's like yes. Like in four years that's going
to be a massive steel because you're going to be paying mapper
and 60 million just to get weight.
Like there will be a player on the Pacers and five years,
making 75 million a year, whether it's But so you have a
huge windfall of money coming. So if you're a Nebraska, three
and a half million dollars is it's not immaterial but it kind
of is and if your Nebraska the heat that you're getting is the
athletic department for just continuing to lose games in poor
fashion. It's just you.
I think that I would have to do a deep dive of like, what's it?
Like to live in Lincoln Nebraska every single week.
We can be the one in charge of the entire Nebraska football
program and how important that is and how much you can't go to
your local, you know, Piggly, Wiggly or Meyer or Wigwam or
whatever. They have their you know, and
everyone's yelling at you. Everyone's telling you you're
stupid. Like there comes a point where
like if you could just take three and a half million to get
everybody off your back, you probably would, especially when
money is really no object as an athletic director.
And so, I think, I think the money is a little bit overblown
and I think that well, pretty obvious.
He's just not a good coach. Well, and it's and There's two
things here, one restraint, because he said it was simple.
I feel like I made it way. More complex.
So what's the simple answer? No, no, no.
Actually, I think you actually hit upon the simple answer,
which is two things. Hey, it's not Nebraska's money.
Nebraska did not write the check.
Yeah, a booster wrote the check. Just like a booster wrote the
check to fire Archie Miller like that wasn't Indiana's money.
Now Indiana, you know it's so funny because like the
meteorites deal is huge. If they are getting at Ton of
money but when it comes time to fire, it's like, hey boosters.
Yeah, things are pretty tight over here in Nebraska.
Like I don't listen to the 80 million a year, we get from the
Big Ten Network, that's that's not that's that.
Well, the play stuff, it's getting really tight.
I was able to find 50 bucks. Yeah.
But if you guys could come up with over 3.5 million or three
point four nine five I mean the other stuff he has its it my
venmo account I think Lincoln money it's like it's coming and
you know if they ever a time you guys take Zell.
Do you guys take zeldo 2? Yeah.
Inflation. And, you know, thanks to you,
let's go Brandon's all, it's all very confusing, but if you can
just the other three and a half million, we really would just
need that money. Yeah.
They always go to their boosters matter how much money they're
getting. Anyway.
Sorry. Now it's like, it's like, it's
like proteins asking taxpayers to pay for stadiums.
It's the same thing, right. It's like you got you, did you
make a lot of money off that Medium?
Amber you doing know? You gotta.
We gotta have the 900 million dollars from the taxpayers.
Is no way we could possibly. Yeah, I know.
So that's that. It's part of it.
But I also think he had on the other aspect of this which is
that it's that it's you could kind of asked the same question
but Indiana firing Archie Miller like one more year of Archie
Miller with that a would that have really been that much of a
difference. What he, you know.
But I think the reason is You you have to do is to fold.
You have to a, you brought the guy back and you didn't have to,
you could have fired him in the offseason and yes, the buyout
dropped. But realistically speaking, you
probably should have just fired him in the offseason.
So that wasn't really money that you were saving.
It was money. That probably shouldn't have
been there in the first place. Like, you just needed to get rid
of the guy you made a mistake. If your travel birds, like
everybody's been praising trail of Albert's.
Who's the athletic director at Nebraska for making the right
decisions like should have The guy in the offseason like under,
what equation did you think that this was suddenly going to work
after not working for the last four years?
Like what planet were you on other than Planet loyalty which
is a stupid planet to be on if you're an athletic director?
So I think that's part of it, I think it's a way for Trev
Alberts to save face a little bit for screwing this up further
by not, just chopping the head off over in the summer or in the
spring rather than trying to make this work again.
Well, not just say face, it's that, you know, being there's
only so many athletic director jobs at Power five schools and
if you don't fire Scott, Frost at some point you're going to
get fired like this is, you know, like the Colts at the end
of last year. It's like, all right, well,
either Frank Reich or Carson Wentz is going.
So like who's it? Going to be caused.
By the way, cuz Ur say, is not going to fire himself and like,
that's what I mean if here is like, yeah, not to delve into
NFL talk, but that might have been one of those words
shouldn't have been either or, you know, it's like how it fares
what. But but it's You can set it up
where it's like if you're the athletic director and that's
kind of where Scott Dolson is like, you know, to the to the
Archie Miller thing is a car. If you don't fire Archie this
year, it's very possible. The next year you both go.
Like so there is a you know there comes a point where you
fire offensive coordinator and football so you use the head
coach. Don't get fired like everyone
below you. You can fire them in different
orders so that you don't get fired.
I think it's also something that happens here too.
All right, couple other things here real quick before we get to
the big question. So So, Patrick asked what our
take was on the defense, which kind of gave that already and he
mentions as well. On a positive note, been
impressed with the linebacking and defensive unit, defensive
end unit with McCullough has particularly looking like a
star. I agree with all of that st.
Tom Allen asks macro question. How does I use performance so
far, match up with your expectations, going into the
season? Scott, I'm going to let you
answer that one first. They line up.
Well, and I thought we were gonna win three games.
Maybe for, and I still kind of think I still think that I was
pleasantly surprised. They were able to put together a
good drive at the end to beat Illinois, but they are me.
I'm bullish. Yeah, you're showing a bowl
there. Somebody like Jim Crane.
That's a bison, man. When he's talking about your
shirt, it's like, Jim Cramer with, like, the stuff of bulls.
I need to get the soundboard sell sell sell.
Yes, it's pretty much what I expected and I was Acting three
to four wins. And I try to be pessimistic, but
they kind of exceeding my expectations right now.
There's still a lot of question marks with this team, with the
ability for, like I said, the offense, the running and all
that. So it's, you know, I'm
pleasantly surprised and I didn't have super high
expectations. Yeah, I'm it's about in line
right now. I mean, I predicted, they were
going to beat Illinois and Idaho, and they've done that.
They haven't like been dominant in either game by any stretch of
the imagination there. That, if anything they've under
I performed a little bit because I know it was wet with that
Idaho game, but give me a break. I mean, only when that game by
13 points, it's, that's it. That's disturbing.
And so, I'd say so far, it's kind of in line with what I
expected. But I also think Indiana just,
there's a lot of improvement that they need to show, and I'm
hearing a lot of. There's a lot of talk coming out
of these press conferences, the Tom Allen, and the players and
coaches are given, and I just don't know if it matches Up with
reality. So we'll have to see.
It's one of those deals where I am not at this point.
Committed to the idea that this is a better team than I thought.
And I predicted them to be five and seven.
I think they could still be worse than that.
So I'm ambivalent right now about what I've seen and I hope
that I become a less. Ambivalent, as we move forward,
we had another question. This was from csw, Hoosier, our
old buddy from up, north in the state?
If Anna somehow makes it to bowl eligibility.
What are the three things that must happen in order for that to
even be remotely possible? So I'll say this the office have
to be Western Kentucky 11. We have a little of that.
Yes I honestly think they need to win two other.
Next three they got to win. Yeah the Western Kentucky game
or or and or at Cincinnati and or at Nebraska they got to come
out of this stretch for in one and then they you know so that's
but that's I don't think what he's really asking I think
Clearly. They have to figure out a way to
pass block against an FBS opponent, because they did not
show an ability to do that at all against Illinois.
We're gonna have to wait until this Western Kentucky game.
And even then honestly, if they pass block against Western
Kentucky, I'm not sure if that's a that's that's probably the
worst defensive line you're going to face the rest of the
season. So it's like, if you can't block
against Western Kentucky, I really fear for what happens
against Cincinnati and Nebraska let alone the rest of the
schedule. And I look I think the third
thing is the defense Has got to get more if I think of his one.
If there's one thing I've been disappointed in is that I mean
the defense was good against Illinois it to some degree, one
them, the game. But if this team is going to get
to six wins, the defense has to be a lot more dominant than they
have been through the first two games, and that might not sound
fair, but they've let both teams score, you know, enough points
the both teams have scored in the 20s.
I don't think that's Be good enough like when you let an FCS
team score in the 20s that's a sign of problems.
If you're a defense as far as I'm concerned and so I'm I think
we you know there's got to be a game where this defense only
allows like one touchdown. There's got to be a deep game,
where this defense pulls off like four or five turnovers in a
game. That's that's going to be the
key for Indiana. If they're going to try to get
to six wins because I just have yet to see enough out of the
offense to really make me believe that they're going to be
able. To carry the weight needed to
get this team to bowl eligibility.
What about you? They just got to love each
other. Just a little bit more if they
could do that. No, I was saying that I can
start games and halfs a little bit better.
So you have four start, you know, two starts two games, two
stars, two halves. They started the first half, the
first game against Illinois. They were down 73.
Came out a little bit. Lifeless, they turned it on the
second quarter. But then, as we talk about the
Illinois post game, you know, they come out in the third right
after halftime and immediately pick six and or a pick.
And then just A defense kind of gives Illinois, you know, pushes
them in and then the Idaho game, they came out and looked
completely unprepared for the entire first half of the game.
And so how kind of looking like you're ready, when the game
starts we come out of halftime, I think would be really nice.
They did come out of halftime against Idaho and do well, but
you're kind of like that's 144. So I think starting a game and
starting a half in kind of a good mode would be, would be a
nice change to, ya know, it'd be it'd be a nice change of pace.
Certainly Last question and then we'll wrap things up here.
We had a, this has become a common thing.
We almost need to split this up into its own podcast and maybe
we will. But the question coming in, of
course from our buddy. Let me find it here real quick.
Where to go William, follmer. This is actually a follow-up to
the original question from Crimson Cory.
What's the tailgate menu? But William Fulmer asks, or
says, some of my favorite content from week to week
number. No details too much.
I really enjoyed dr. DC's comment about not liking to
cook cylindrical meets on the Blackstone last week, which is
true. Like, yeah, it was, it's true.
Also, I'd like to note if you didn't see the footage from the,
the Miami Dolphins parking lot, this is why you use gas folks.
It's why you don't put like charcoal in your grill and you
certainly don't put the charcoal grill under the car, otherwise
you end up with 11 torched cars in the parking lot, avoid that.
Don't be a bad neighbor. Okay.
My, my life I wanted to start with you.
Actually, what's your menu going to be?
You've got the queue. I'm excited for you.
What are you planning on cooking this first week we're doing
we're going to we talked about this at the start.
Did we well do it again out? I'll do it again.
So, yeah, double down. No cylindrical meets.
No Blackstone. Do we are doing little.
Is this is straight off of a previous doctor GC breakfast,
tailgate don't don't get too crazy.
Z. So I'm not going to do like, you
know, egg burritos or, you know, Ranchos wear velour.
I really Richard. Does that go with the burrito
from the previous podcast. Yes.
Every time to to mess up of a pretty sure?
This podcast, if you do is lay, it's like 11:00.
I'm also watching the the Chargers and Herbert not get any
way on the menu is so we're doing pre-made biscuits.
We're going to bring some sausage little sausage patties,
going to grow those up and throw some cheese on there may be Will
salsa. And then my son wants to bring
Coruscant. So that's that's what my son.
It really wants to bring a. Don't know where that's coming
from. Well, I do know, of course are
awesome, but it's not really a bit.
So anyway, that's that's what we're looking to do.
Something kind of nice. Simple, easy enjoy the kids.
We just got to figure out the right time to leave.
I've been pushing. 7:30, my wife wants to sleep in so we'll see
what time we get there. I love the very French
pronunciation that you're throwing on croissant.
It's nice. Huh?
Wow. I can you say brioche next A
brioche. I can't, I can't pronounce a
Ranchos where I think, which one shows like this whole.
Soundboard. It's coming out of the last two
minutes of his five guests. Great.
So we are also doing breakfast sandwiches at my tailgate.
We got a little more expansive because we got more grills
competition. Yeah, it's let me have my thing
but now dealt with that your thing I've been doing breakfast
sandwiches for 12 A man who's talking about.
But, yeah, we're have. We've my so, my wife has
perfected, the mock Chick-fil-A, brine that you put the the
chicken breast in. So we'll do some chicken
biscuits which are always a big hit with people, throw some
pickles on, there may be a little sauce, we will have
sausage and bacon both and then we'll have both pre-made
biscuits. Like you said we bake those
ourselves the night before. And then we might do croissants.
We might do something else. I haven't decided yet for the
other one and the nice thing about what I the way I try to do
the breakfast sandwiches is I cook everything to order, you
know, so I'll you know, I'll make eggs, you know.
And some people like they like just whites some people, like
the whole thing with a like it broken.
Some people like it scrambled up.
So we put all that together and then the, you know, for those of
you who are out there listening, they want to do the breakfast
sandwiches and Scott, I mean, I'll throw you in on this as
well. The key with making breakfast
sandwiches Not to just cook the meat, put it on the biscuit and
give it to a person. You have to cook the meat, put
it on the biscuit, wrap it in foil, put it back on the grill
and let the cheese melt. And that really like, so is
funny because last week we did Philly cheesesteak and we also
did tacos. We did like this whole taco bar.
It actually was really nice and fortunately, everybody ate
everything right before it rained.
But people kept coming up to me. They look, what do you
seasoning? This with this is amazing.
And I'm like Literally just salt pepper and garlic like that's it
and it's amazing if you buy good things and then let them meld
properly on your cooking surface.
How much that does for flavor. And so with the breakfast
sandwich at all happens in that foil, but when you wrap it up
and you let it cook and you let it heat up and you let it all
kind of get to the same temperature.
It makes a tremendous difference.
Your guests will notice it. They will thank you.
So that would be my advice. Bring foil and You know, put it
all together, let it toast a little bit internally and then
serve it. And everybody was like, wow, you
are amazing at this. Scott please keep doing it so
that's my advice to you and everybody else out there.
That's listening. I'd taken.
All right, I'm done. Well, that'll wrap it up for us
on this one. We went a little long from what
Scott was hoping. So I apologize.
Scott, but good conversation. Thank you for all the questions.
Sorry we didn't get to all of them but we are going to be back
on Sunday. Most likely to Talk about
whatever happened in this game, hopefully, you're coming down
for the game wherever you're at, whether that's Indianapolis or
Fort Wayne or the north side of Bloomington noon kick.
Indiana takes on Western, Kentucky should be a fascinating
game. Hopefully, I, you comes out
Victorious, Scott. Thank you as always.
Great to talk with you. Thanks to all you folks for not
just listening but those of you who set your questions in, you
can always send your questions to Crimson cast on Twitter.
We will take them. We will read.
Most of them will try to come up with something, witty and
Adventure filled to say, catch you folks on the flip side,
bring back the Bison. So long, everybody.