You're listening to the back home network, presented by home
field, apparel, welcome back to Crimson, Cask ale and klaviyo.
Joining you along with Scott Caulfield?
It is Sunday. November 27th.
IU football is over. We made it.
We made it folks.
The the 2022 season comes to an end and Indiana drops to 4 and
8. We're going to talk about the
bucket game and everything that happened in it.
We're going to talk about some larger conceptual aspects,
regarding the IU football program.
And I don't know where we're going to land with all of this,
but we'll try to give the season the post-motor post-mortem that
it deserves first of all, before we Get to that and before I
asked Scott, how he's doing, just a reminder that we are part
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Scott how are you doing? I'm doing well, doing well good.
Yeah. It's, it's always interesting
when we come to these season-ending football podcasts,
we've done a lot of them and you know there's been some years
here in the last six or seven where we've had either to wait
until the end of December. Beginning of January to do the
post season pod and that's been nice.
That was definitely not this year though as the Hoosiers.
Really just stumbled pretty much straight down the stretch, they
did pick themselves. Zup slightly at the end and it's
it's a really it's one of those feelings.
I think that we got very used to as I you fans and then we got
used to not having these kinds of feelings at the end of the
season and now it feels like we're fully back under a rock,
not the rock, just just a rock as Indiana.
They really with there's some there's some real issues that
we're going to talk about later on but I wanted to I guess,
first of all, start with the Bucket game Scott because there
are we're going to get to the larger issues later.
Yes anyway, Indiana loses this game 32:16.
It was an odd game for a variety of reasons and obviously the
headline here was the injury to Dexter Williams.
The second who was unfortunately, on a non-contact
play injured. And it was just, it was one of
those plays where when you watched it happen, if you've
watched football long enough, It was that you knew immediately
that it was bad and you knew also that, you know, when they
didn't show a replay after a 10-minute delay that they
realized how bad it was as well. And I mean, you know, you don't,
you can't really fully speculate on, you know what, it might have
been to some degree, it doesn't matter here in the short term,
it certainly didn't matter for the game but just just a real
bad set of circumstances for that for Indiana as You know,
you thought with the way that the momentum seemed to be going
that Indiana might have been able to do something that, you
know, they were, they were rolling in that first half of
that first quarter, you know, and they'd had the, the two
plays for 74 yards drive that had given them the 7-3 lead, I
mean, calling that a drive is a bit of a misnomer Jalen Lucas
with that. Brilliant, 71 yard, touchdown,
run, you know, and then they force a punt from Purdue and
Indiana drives down the field. They get all the way down
convert on a fourth in one. They have a First and Ten at the
Purdue 24 and then it just kind of all unfortunately, you know
falls apart there as Williams gets injured, you know, Scott,
it's hard to it's hard to project.
What might have been in this game.
Clearly Indiana was moving the ball and clearly Indiana had a
lot of momentum going for them. That's just that's that's a
really Ali, tough emotional thing to try to come back from
as a team. We do when your quarterback goes
down under any circumstances. But especially in this case,
given how the team had kind of fully-formed finally around
Dexter Williams as the starting quarterback with a very specific
offense designed to exploit his skills.
Yeah, it's and I think the way it happened also doesn't help
either. I mean, if you know, it happens
on a contact injury, nothing that's any better or worse.
But at least mentality wise, maybe for the team, it's like,
all right. Like, you know, now we're even
more pissed at Purdue or it's like this happens, we shake it
off like I'm sorry to have it happen on kind of a the way it
did. A complete no contact, not even
making a cut. I'm going to get to in a sec but
it's like that almost I do in the fanbase.
You automatically get all the tweets of you know.
Oh my God we're cursed and It's hard to come to a lot of other
conclusions besides that. But you also feel that I'm sure
as a player to where it's like, man, this is, this is not going
to be our day. Yes.
Sorry. Did the the kids are up to and
they want iPad. They they also don't want to
re-watch the IU game, but it's the injury itself just to go
back to it. I mean, it, obviously like it
sucks. That's the headline that the sub
headline is like I watched a ton of football, you watched a lot
of football, you Just you don't see injuries like that a lot,
you know, non-contact is also bizarre though, I texted you
it's like it's wild, you have back-to-back Seasons where you
have DJ Matthews last year non-contact Tara's ACL out for
the year this year. You know, Dexter does this, this
would have put him out for the year.
Had it happened earlier in the year and it wasn't even like
making a hard cut was just literally stepping back.
And I mean that sucks and yeah, I don't want it.
I don't want to project and we'll talk about next season
later. You know, you and I were
texting, you know, if it's a Paul George type situation and
again, it's a kid, it's a medical thing.
I want to dig into it but you're probably looking at like maybe
not even next season. He's fully right.
Well back, but it's just it, sorry.
I'm going ahead of myself, but it it it changes everything.
And then you're there was the moment where it's like, all
right who does who's Alan go to now like for a guy who's so
bizarre with his choice of depth chart at quarterback.
We had a lot of choice. A lot of Chances to see what
Allen's depth chart looks like, but we go back to base lack and
yeah, the offense doesn't do much after that and it did.
It did kind of feel like you were kind of holding, whereas,
with Williams, you kind of felt like, you know, we were, we had
some momentum against Purdue, and we were doing something at
automatically, then felt like one of those Michigan or Ohio
State Games Were Somehow were up by, you know, fluky play.
And now it's like, now we just got to somehow nurse the 73 game
too. Victory, which I have some
concerns about for the end of the second quarter.
But yeah, it felt like they got super conservative and super
crazy. It's just like they the team.
And the coaching didn't also seem to know how to call plays
after that as well. Like everybody seems Shook and
it sucks, but it's just like, there's always say it.
It sucks for the kid. It sucks for the team.
I think they might have been able to do something.
They may not have been able to win but he was definitely, he
provided Walt L and the ability to play it offense.
That looked a little more interesting than when Bay's lack
is in there. And again, I have to stress, I
don't think it's days lacks fault.
I just think the offense they built around Bay's.
Lack is really predictable, really boring and really good at
getting three and outs. It's like, that's that's kind of
what it does. Well, yeah, there's a lot to
unpack there. I mean, first of all, I think
that the issue that I had with the way that I you approach the
game was, you know, look, you have to go with what successful
and clearly last week they found some kind of magic in the
running game. Mostly in the second half
against Michigan State, and some of that I think was Michigan
State not effectively adjusting and having a really bad game.
But a lot of that also was Indiana, you know, discovering
that yes they can run block and yes, they can used extra
Williams abilities, you know, in terms of running and his agility
is a quarterback. To their advantage, especially
when you pair it, with the running backs that are on
Indiana's roster. I guess, you know, from my
perspective, the problem is okay, if you're going to build
that as your offense, you can't go in and have just one person
capable of running that offense because injuries do happen and
and, you know, it's, it's certainly bad luck.
That Dexter Williams suffers a non-contact injury, that knocks
him out of the game. It was entirely possible.
That Williams could have suffered a contact injury, at
some point in the game and not been able to proceed.
I mean, that's just the nature at, you know, and that's not
even something specific to. Anna.
That's the nature of a running quarterback and being in a
position where you're you're going to get hit pretty much
every play if you're a running quarterback so I guess what
disturbs me a little bit and surprises me is they weren't
prepared to continue on with that style of offense with
somebody else and you know this is where it's like if this they
clearly had worked on this prior to the Michigan State game.
They clearly had tried to establish something completely
different. And I give Walt Bell credit for
doing that because I think they finally found some alchemy in
terms of their offense. That had really not been there
since mid-september the, but then to not have somebody else
that you could bring in, even a Donovan McCully.
Who while I know he's not in the quarterback room, certainly
hasn't forgotten everything about playing quarterback and
certainly is capable of running with the ball.
You know, to not have that option and too.
Have to go to Basel. A can try to reinstall an
offense that wasn't working when it had cam camper and DJ
Matthews catching passes, you know, to try to, you know, to
run that in a very ineffective situation was disappointing.
And too kind of highlights the brittleness of this IU program
where it's like they do one thing and if everything goes
right in there able to keep doing that one thing
consistently, they can be in good shape.
But when something happens that precludes them from doing that
one thing, they really don't have something that they can
pivot to. And, you know, it's interesting
because, you know, you look at the yardage gained, it wasn't
like the offense was irrevocably broken in this, you know, I
mean, after McCulley goes out Indiana gained.
I think 275 of the 421 total yards in, you know, on offense
that they gained after me. Gully where, excuse me?
After after Williams went out, like it wasn't like their
offense, just broke for the rest of the game.
What did break was their ability to do anything in the red zone
or do anything in terms of scoring?
And that is not a new problem. With I you like, you know, they
they showed an ability to move the ball down the field somewhat
and that was actually an improvement, but their
inability, it's kind of like I'm having to watch it a lot of
World Cup lately and I've see a lot of teams that just don't
have a goal scorer. And I you essentially just
reveals itself as You know, most of their their highlight
touchdowns over the last few weeks.
If there were any came on either long runs are home Runners sorts
of plays and they just don't seem to be able to pull those
things off. Either in the red zone or
outside of it with basil, act under Center running that kind
of pass offense because I think it's far too predictable and it
gives the defense far less to worry about.
So that's unfortunate. I can't hold it too much against
IU in this game. Because again, you know, you're
starting, Back goes down that early and you have to try to
completely pivot but it is disappointing that they didn't
fully commit to the bit and they tried to go back to something
that clearly wasn't going to work long-term in the game.
The other thing that I texted you about during the game that
drove me nuts and it's something that I see a lot in Indiana
leans into and it drives me crazy.
And at times, I feel like I've always on an island with this.
I'm I'm constantly amazed from a large perspective at how
conservative Ball. Coaches are just all across the
board. I feel like, I feel like if you
just transported me to 1987, I'd be the same way if I watch the
NBA knowing what I know now and be like, why are you guys taking
more threes like three is worth more than to the corners reason
shorter shot? Like why are you taking more
threes? I feel like at some point.
Somebody's going to unlock this and this is Bill.
Belichick kind of does this he's pretty aggressive but the the
fact that coaches preach, you know, ball control and every
possession is important. Fight for every yard we do
everything just to watch them completely piss away.
A possession drives me nuts at the end of a half and you have
it set up where you have back-to-back possessions your up
73. Theoretically, you could be up
21-3 with two good drives without Purdue touching the ball
because you and the second quarter with the ball, you start
the second half with the ball, you know?
But it drives me, that's the thing that I wrote down, I'll
let you pick the line. It's, you know.
Are you like you aren't good enough to be conservative or you
haven't earned the right to be conservative?
I'm not sure which I like but a workshop it but I was also
texting you that you know this is something I am a fan.
I'm also an investor I like keeping up with investing.
I watch Like CNBC, this is something Jim Cramer harps on
that. I think it's a fair point that
people get into investing and when they're young, one of the
biggest mistakes they make is there to conservative like why
don't want to lose money on negatives like well no, you have
like being conservative can actually great, you get 2%
return like you you're losing out on.
A lot of other returns, and I feel like that's something that
I you falls into you. Look at it, take the injury
aside to Dexter Williams and to your point.
You have to because this is football, you have to have
alternate plans, you only had four possessions in the first
half, but the first three were a to play to a drive for TouchDown
for two plays great, a 15-yard sorry, 15 play Drive, where you
had a field goal attempt? That's a great drive.
You want to You play drive for a pot, but you still have 50 yards
and 13 place. You had three really good
drives, you've unlocked. Something even with Dexter
Williams out, you've done, you have Purdue on the heels.
You have a season history of having bad halftime adjustments
- one game and Michigan State. You get the ball with 335 left.
Any basis to say we're going to feel it out like you're up, 73.
Your Purdue on their heels. Purdue look shook for new looks
like, oh my God, we're gonna piss this way, and we're going
to lose the Big Ten West to Indiana.
You the ability to have back-to-back possessions.
I know that, you know, you're like, oh my God, what if we turn
it over? It's like, well, you can't live
like that. Like I'm going to Atlanta
tomorrow like I'm not worthy. Oh my God.
What if the landing gear breaks the plane?
Like, you can't live like that, you can't be this conservative
and then the second then, you know, getting because you come
back net, you after half times three and out three and out,
nine plays field goal attempt 10, plays field goal by that
time, the game is over. And now you're doing now
suddenly. Then you're doing laterals with,
you know, inside the 5-yard. Line on a kickoff.
I This is something that I really wish would get addressed
is that you just when you're at a deficit for coaching, when
you're at a deficit for players you can't just be conservative
and do the same thing everyone else does because yeah, maybe
you throw a pick six and it's over but like the other option
is you die by a Thousand Cuts which is what happened?
And but you had an opportunity there to at least you and I say
this all the time you throw it deep.
A lot of times good things happen, but okay, I'm going to
agree and disagree with you at the same time.
I look, I think at the end of the half the initial play calls
made sense because look while you are correct that I you did
put together three good drives in that first half.
It was almost entirely on the ground you know I mean go back
and look at even at that 5013 play 50-yard you know it's five
yard run for yard, pass three yard run.
There was a 12 yard pass but then run five are pass, run,
run, run, run, run. One yard pass and then the three
yard pass and that was it. I mean, most of what was being
done, was running the ball, you're in the shadow of your own
goal line there. I don't so much mind that they
ran the ball. The first few times I do have a
bit of an issue with the idea that they let so much clock run
during that time, but the play calling itself at least up until
the last two play calls where they did really run the entire
clock out there. You know, once you get out of
the shadow of your goal line, once you Get to the your 16 like
they were on that first down. That's where I think.
Okay, at that point, you take a couple of shots because even if
you don't make it there, you can punt.
The ball produce, not in danger, of blocking it, or you're not in
danger of getting a safety generated, or something like
that. So, to some degree, I think the
bigger issue though, was the reaction.
The Tom Allen had to that last drive and to the halftime.
I mean, when and this to me, goes back to something that
we've About a lot with IU football under Tom Allen and
this Vibes based economy that runs this team, Allen's County
well yeah I mean Alan's in the way Alan real hide you the front
of you the same next to you physicality.
The the way that Alan reacted to essentially running the clock
out with 3:30 to go in the first, half up for in a rivalry
game. Where as you mentioned the
opponent is on there. R heels and and seems incapable
of doing very much at all offensively was you would have
thought we were going to the Rose Bowl.
It was very I mean it was I mean it was embarrassing in that like
just give his run off the field like you've got another 30
minutes to play like seriously like you've got your team has
another 30 minutes to play and acting like you just like one
the game up for having not scored on offense.
Your previous three possessions is you were not going to hold
this Purdue team. 23 points, the rest of the game and certainly
you can be happy that your team held on to a lead at the first
half but who cares? I mean look who legitimately
cares and if that's what you're getting fired up at.
And if you think that that's going to carry over at all into
the second half, that's that to me, is the mentality in the
approach. That's really led to many of the
problems that Indiana's had in games where it's been closed
because the It's like the steps are being celebrated, not the
end result and then they result in never comes and so all you're
left with is the celebration of the steps.
Like I guarantee three years from now, nobody's going to care
that Indiana was up for on Purdue at half at home, you
know. And that's that to me was the
big issue and yes. Oh yes.
There was conservatism and certainly I think the
conservatism get a link for that, right?
I'm like there's an eye. There's a peep.
There's also like the, you know up like it's a little bit longer
at a bigger lengthening up for it half.
We get a link for that, right there was.
It was the problem to me was less the the drive at the end of
the first half but it was still a problem because I think it was
clear at that point, Indiana was not had no clue how they were
going to win the game other than try to maintain this defensive
Supremacy over the course of the next 30 plus minutes and that
was never going to happen. If you've watched any IU
football this year, if you watched any Purdue football this
year, you knew that that scenario was not a plausible
scenario and then to come back out.
Get three yards in three plays punt it away and then produce
scores a touchdown and then do another three and out.
I mean, you knew at that point that it was over if you were an
IU fan, because you've seen that scenario on numerous occasions.
But it's just, it's irksome that in a rivalry game where Indiana
ended up gaining over. 400 yards of offense.
I mean, you know, one of my friends was looking texted last
night and was looking at the stat sheet and was like, if you
just looked At the stat sheet. You'd have a hard time believing
that I you wasn't the team that won the game, you know?
I mean, they, they outgained Purdue by 40 yards.
They out rushed Purdue 215 298. They had fewer penalties, they
only had one turnover, you know? I mean, it was, it looks for all
the world like Indiana won the game.
And yet, produced postgame win expectancy was 99.8%.
So statistically, this wasn't even a remotely close game.
Because Purdue made plays that mattered at the times that they
mattered throughout and they adjusted, you know, and all the
people who spent yesterday, evening saying, well, I you was
going to win if Dexter Williams doesn't get injured.
Like, I don't know that. I mean, the chances of Purdue
never adapting in this game were non-existent.
In my opinion. Yes, they were certainly on
their heels, those first couple of drives but the moment that
halftime blue and Indiana had their coach running around
Around acting like they just won the, the college football,
playoff over a four-point win, it's like that.
The game is essentially going to be over at this point because
Purdue is going to go in and scheme around what they need to
do to get themselves back in the game and sure enough they come
out and it's touchdown Drive, followed by touchdown drive and
suddenly the game is theirs because Indiana has shown at
that point that they don't know what to do to put the ball in
the end zone. And so, look, I'm I understand
where you're coming from and certainly there is ISM.
But it's also, I you is so limited.
By the way, it's offense is set up by the Personnel that it's
got and by its ability to impose its will for a full 60 Minutes
on another team that I'm not surprised.
They went conservative because I don't think that they knew that
they had any other options and that to me is the larger
problem. Yeah.
Well and to anybody who's like you know, Dex really doesn't get
hurt in Indiana wins that game. It's like do we were tied with
Michigan at half if you remember that?
Dear Point, like nobody remembers that was 10 10 at
half, nobody's saying, like, well, you know, but if we would
put in texture in the second half, like, there's no, there's
no scenario where like I think Indiana beats Michigan this
year, but that game was a tied game at Halftime.
Yeah, I mean people of Indiana was tied with Nebraska at
halftime that game was 21:21. Indiana was up on Rutgers 14 to
7 at halftime and look what happened there.
And you know, it's it's been a consistent thing with Indiana.
Over the course of this season. That, you know, they they cannot
carry through positive. Momentum in most cases and this
was another example of that, and look, losing your starting
quarterback hurts, losing your starting quarterback.
When you put your entire offensive plan around, a very
particular set of skills that the rest of your quarterbacks
don't have hurts a lot. No question.
But you know for people that look at this last two games is
like the turning over of a new Leaf.
I don't really see it. I mean, what you're essentially
doing? You can say, oh, Indiana, you
know, it has fight and spirit again.
It's like, did they? I mean, they had three good
quarters essentially, the last two, quarters against Michigan
State, and the first quarter against Purdue and the rest of
the time, including the first half against Michigan State,
they looked very much like the average or the not the average,
the bad football team that they've been for most of the
last two thirds of the season. And I, I mean, this is not, this
is just math and numbers. I encouraged by what Dexter
Williams could be as our quarterback, but I do think
people need to, you know, listen to Galen but also like, listen,
you know, his numbers are worse than McCauley's were last year.
You know, he's basically completed three passes into
games, you're not dealing with like this is not a dual threat
quarterback. This is a kid who can run, who
we can kind of find some places to pass.
Pass. He's got a, he's got an arm, he
can throw the ball, but we've not shown an ability to pass.
It is not. So even going into this game,
you know, people were kind of like, oh, and we have some,
there's like, I know he went to 47, like, I kept on thinking,
like, I just don't know how you can replicate this, and I still
feel that way. And, you know, so I would urge
everyone to pump the brakes because, well, he said are,
aren't they? We had a guy like this last year
with Macauley, and he, he's now our Receiver and his numbers
were better. I mean, I tell you, it's
interesting because there are some positives from the the tail
end of the season and also from this game that you I think can
carry forward and feel okay, about?
I mean, look at the offensive line did not play.
Well, when, you know, for the first few drives when basil act
came into the game because they suddenly had to do something
that they haven't been good at all year, which is pass
blocking. Now that the thing of it is
there's there's clearly a if they had to go back to hill or
stuff. There's well the but the thing
is I mean they clearly they actually did get better that
this was one of the better great outs that the offensive line has
had and both in pass blocking in and run blocking and clearly
there was a an increase in the squad's ability to do the basics
of pass blocking and spring running backs and Mr. Williams
over the course of the last couple of weeks or at least over
the course of the, you know, that three quarter period.
That is something that you could look at positively, you can.
Also I think you can say to yourself.
Well OK, Dexter Williams as a talent is a guy that you could
potentially build around. If you are going to fully commit
to just being a run, only attack the and you know you got jail.
And Lucas, who certainly, I think has Has revealed himself
over the course of this season, as one of the best young talents
that we've seen at IU in a long time.
A guy that is really able to be decisive with the football,
whether he is running the ball or whether he is, you know,
returning kicks. What have you the problem though
is like and I feel like, with Indiana, it's like it's hard to
even enjoy the little things. Because so many caveats, come
with all of the stuff that you, you know, are supposed to enjoy.
Because with Williams, I think you brought up the point really
well. As we saw in this game like,
you're just not getting a lot of passing out of him.
Now, that could change. I think part of the issue that
you run into with Williams now is we don't know the extent of
the injury. But as was pointed out in some
of the postgame pieces, he really needed to work on the
ability to throw the football. He's not going to get that
opportunity now. Likely, unless the injury is a
lot less severe than it looked like, it was, you know, the
offensive line despite Having a good couple of quarters has not
shown an ability to do it for the entire game in any game so
far this year. And that's probably going to
take a couple of years to turn around, you know.
And so you look at the rest of what we saw in this game and
what you saw was essentially the same thing that we've seen
before, which is another team, in this case, Purdue gradually
imposing their will on Indiana specifically on, you know, on
the offensive side of the ball we're Indiana's.
Defense partially because they're out there too long, but
partially, because they haven't really measured up play after
play, like they need to in order to keep Indiana in games.
Eventually just gets capsized. And and so it's this game really
ends up being one of those things where you like the
promise of the early going. And it's hard to extrapolate
going beyond that because ultimately it's still just kind
of looks like the same Indiana team.
It just the script was flipped a little bit in terms of how
everything laid out. The other thing I saw some of
this mentioned and I'm it's a our friend Tony and Ron, you
mentioned a couple times on Twitter.
I'm going to butcher his tweet out.
But the other thing too, is you're mentioning guys who again
near the end, it's like these are the ones giving us hope
going in the next year is Dexter Williams Jalen Lucas.
It's like, these are all guys that were buried in the bench to
start the year and I understand therefore, the other freshmen,
they're young, but to be at the end of the year, and it's like,
well, Dexter Williams is so important that if he goes.
Doubt, we can't even function our offense.
Like this was a guy who was, I don't know, like, based on that.
You know, the one game where we had 17, like he's fifth on the
depth. Chart started the, I don't know
where he was, but it's like he how in a matter of two and a
half months, has he become the most important player?
But he wasn't even our starter or sniffing to be starter jail,
and Lucas all the fans were saying, we should play me again,
the backups always are, but like here it's kind of Justified.
It's like the fans may be right? That the backups might be the
better player because We feet. I seem to be proven time and
time again, that like JLo Lucas looks electric, but he couldn't
get any playing time to start the season, and to me, that's
also something kind of when we had it, you know, to you year
ago, with penix, repentance didn't look right, and it took
five games for, it's like, alright, we gotta go somewhere
else. Then we're just completely
flummoxed to find the answer, I really am.
Honestly, I always say this like, yeah, we're just
podcasters, like I'm not a professional football coach, I
don't do this. The full time I have kids
coming, interrupt me to play iPad.
I'm but I, I know that college football coaches, no way more
than I'll ever know about football.
That said I need someone to explain to me why I feel so
uncomfortable. That this coaching staff is
enable unable to figure out who the best players on their depth
chart are because I feel like we're seeing this time and time
again that guys who are second third fourth string.
Come in and are able to do things and change.
You know, our Dynamics is MM on offense and it's kind of
mind-boggling that these guys weren't given any kind of run to
start the season and it's that is something that is also very
concerning. Because now it feels like we're
going to have extra Williams jail.
Lucas like those are our guys. Like it feels like Alan the
staff. Get kind of fixated on people.
That's our guy and it's like maybe jail.
Lucas is. Maybe you get somebody who's
better? Like are we having competition?
Missions in practice or we just I mean I don't know but it's
like that's something that I think is very concerning that we
come out of this and our two best players are guys who were
buried on the bench in The Times.
They Came in. They looked great.
It wasn't like, you know, we've been playing jail and Lucas all
season and suddenly he's figured something out this year.
Like, he's been looking great every time he plays doesn't
played very much. Yeah.
There's a lot to be said for that.
I mean, it's and I guess we just kind of transition out of the
game and into kind of the overview of the Season.
No, no, but I mean, it's a good time.
Do it. But I think we raised a good
point. I mean, I think we're where this
became the biggest issue for me was last year with Michael
penix. Who was clearly, not right in
the what five games he played for IU before they shut him
down, and it's clear that. If you've been watching
Washington football, it's clear. Michael penix was not
irrevocably broken, but it's also clear.
He was not ready to play as a starting quarterback last year,
and And what I can't get out of my head is that the coaching
staff was fully vetted or fully vested in.
Michael penix is being the starting quarterback last year.
How you don't see that? He is not ready to go and the
how that doesn't kind of move you towards getting Jack.
Tuttle, fully invested in prepared in the season.
I don't understand. Same thing with Dexter would
hold on, hold on. Same thing with Dexter Williams.
This year. I mean, Connor.
He's alack. I think, you know, I will always
stay my own opinion which is that basil.
Act was a pretty serviceable quarterback.
He was a guy who was going to get things done through the air.
He got the hips from constant pressure and then he started
making really an accurate throws and that essentially sent him
completely off off the pace for the rest of the year.
But, you know, I guess what I find weird about a whole thing
is that the passing game never really.
Look good Indiana's going to finish this season with a
completion percentage of 54 percent which is hideous.
I mean Indiana's opponents completed, sixty four percent of
their passes. If you look at Basel lack over
the course of the Season, he had three games in a row to start
the year. Where his quarterback rating was
over. 109 Illinois was 109 Idaho was 128, Western Kentucky was
128 and then he had essentially One good game remaining in him,
which was that? Maryland game and the rest of
the time he just got completely shut down.
If and, and look, we talked for the course of the Season about
how bad the pass blocking is, and that's not, I mean, I only
got some state secret, like the past walking was really bad.
It was actually at its best in this Purdue game largely.
I think because Purdue wasn't expecting Indiana to pass.
There was clearly some magic there with Donovan.
McCulley, as you said, why? Why not only, is he not in the
mix or sorry? I keep saying down in the Kelly
because I'm looking at his name on the screen here.
There's clear there was clearly something with Dexter Williams.
So why didn't that happen earlier?
Why when you pulled him, who you pulled basil?
Lack out of that, Ohio State game, was he the first person
out there? You know, and I've heard people
say, well, clearly they were saving him because they knew
they were going to go to him in the Michigan State game and it's
like, man, that's you, that's not a football work.
You know, I need this idea that you have to occupy like
everything has to be under subterfuge in order for you to
be successful and that we couldn't possibly show a preview
of a successful running offense because people might get film of
it. Well, that's not a sustainable
model and I think it kind of goes back to something that you
were saying it's like to some degree.
The reason players coming off the bench have been more
successful in the depth chart is the longer.
You're in the lineup in the Tom Allen era at IU the worst you do
because the more film gets generated Serrated on you and
what you can do, which makes it easier for the defense to stop
you. And that's basically it.
Like I, you never has a plan B when it comes to using their
players. And so, you know, it's a
testament to a guy like Jalen Lucas that he's been pretty,
pretty consistently good, even with a bunch of film, finally,
accruing on him, but he's the exception.
So, yeah. It's a very, very weird setup
when the subterfuge thing is funny because I look at like,
you know, I I do not know this is true but you know, you wonder
with a team like Michigan. I wonder if they're just
scouting Ohio State all year and it's like, well think we'll go
die you. And the cool thing with they're
doing that well configure what they do in the first quarter and
then we'll, it's like there's a part where it's, like, we're
being so sneaky is like, we don't want to get any film on
anybody. It's like, I don't think half
the Big Ten cares what you're doing.
Yeah, I think, I think they're just show up and be like, yeah,
we might be down but halftime, but I will figure it out like
they're gonna run or pass and like, whatever they do.
They're not gonna be good at, and we'll figure it out.
Now, it's, that's the appendix. Thing like it you what?
I was going to say is like you knew within the first quarter at
Iowa, like I'm safe and I'm like, he's not ready and yet it
took five more games or four more games, whatever to make
that call and then back to your point.
It's like once that happens, then it's kind of, like, well,
this season from the coaching staff is kind of cool.
The season is lost because we don't have another plan.
So how do you not? Like I can even give you that?
Like, you think penix is the best option.
Even a 70% penix, but you can't go into that season.
Without some kind of plan b or plan C because you have to look
at him. Be like, we know he's not 100%
And if you do think he's 100% then you are out of your mind
and you shouldn't be like you're not saying the fact that we
never seem to have a plan B for a team that needs to have plan b
c and d because things never go right for us guys.
Always get injured. Like this is stuff that we deal
with more than any other school. The fact that we always seem to
be flat-footed and it's always like, well, we need three or
four games. This out.
So we don't have that luxury. Like we just don't and and that
that is again, the frustrating part because it felt like for
most of last year, we went through a year where it's like,
well, you know, shrug Emoji. We lost penix.
Like, you know, we weren't expecting this to happen.
It's like you should have been like this is and, and to your
point, like, you should be prepared for decks true, not to
get injured. But just that you might not have
dextre Williams, this game. So what are you gonna do it?
Like what's the next option that you've got to have?
Three different options and looks and it always feels like
we don't have it and then it always feels like the answer to
fans is like, well, but you can't expect.
It could have been so much more but you can't expect that.
And now we're you know, we're four and eight but you know
could have been waiting for even though really it's not.
Well, yeah, that and I think it's an ultimately, a point that
it sounds like we're on being unduly, harsh on.
I you but it just it's consistent enough that it's a
real problem and There doesn't seem to be a solution for it.
Under, this particular regime, where, you know your scheme is
again, I'll use the word brittle enough that you can't like you'd
have to tie everything up in one particular thing working.
And I think it's what we saw over and over again with the
offense this year where they would do something that kind of
worked enough that kept them within shouting distance of the
game in the first half and then the other team would adapt to
what Indiana was doing on offense.
It would stop working and there was no plan B and that opens up
a whole host of questions about you know, how and why that kind
of thing would take place because I just don't think
that's happening at the vast majority of other schools
playing football. The they are able to it either
make subtle adaptations in what they're doing or have enough
players on the field that they can at least gain some kind of
yardage, you know. And we see you know, we've seen
a lot of bad teams rise up and have good.
Good games and win games, I mean a Georgia Tech knocking off
North Carolina a couple of weeks ago or any of the things that
happen during rivalry week at Texas A&M who had essentially a
non-functional offense suddenly roaring to life and beating LSU.
Now you know, as I you as talented as as Texas A&M.
Of course not. Are they as talented as Georgia
Tech? Yeah, I mean it's like what are
you? You know, the rules can't be so
different for Indiana football that they're, you know, one of
the few programs that can. Plausibly say well, sorry option
A didn't work. Therefore, we're basically out
of the game but that's how it ends up feeling in most of the
cases. And that really is frustrating
because there doesn't seem to be any solutions present.
And well, I think we're allowed to be hard.
I mean, again, you know, you start from 20, you know, 2016,
2017 there 5 and 7 5 & 7, 8 & 5, 6 & 2 in the 2020 season like,
that's it. That's a.
You've now set a floor of five or Six wins, you know that in
the previous years for that six wins six wins, you know, you
have nice, seven-year stretch, there are five or six wins as
your floor and now we're starting to, you know, hit up
higher and everything was sold on that in the effing team, was
walking around talking about, you know, we're what have you
done to win the Big Ten today? Me, they bought into it.
It's, you know, they they reseat Memorial Stadium for the first
time, you know, in like seven years getting people to give
more money, everything's built on this like hey, we're taking a
step forward and you know, we Her base and we're going to move
forward and like again, you and I are not saying I'm not pissed,
we didn't make the Citrus Bowl, I'm not pissed or not in the
college football, playoff, I'm not pissed.
When I go to the Rose Bowl, I'm pissed that we went.
We won six games over the last two years.
There were not even Bowl eligible to end the season and I
think it's a little bit bad faith.
When people are saying like, oh, you're being too tough for you
gotta just, you know, you gotta give him time.
It's like, no, we we all kind of agreed the team, the university,
the fan base, that like we are. King, we have the possibility to
take the step forward, but worst case, we're going to be in that
56 wins. We have the infrastructure, we
have the players. We have the recruiting like it's
all there and then you come out and just just fall flat on your
face. And then this year, I think it's
slightly better, but it all kind of hinges on like, how much do
you take out of that second half against Michigan State?
Because you take that out, this team is 3 and 9, it's there.
Therefore an eight, but I think you're at, you know, you can't
get it both ways where you get to, All the excitement, all the
interest and like this team being better and then you go out
and you go to and 10 and 4 and 8 and then you're like, well
you're being way too harsh. Like there's a lot of other
extenuating circumstances. Like that's not nobody was
saying anything. About any extenuating
circumstances coming out of 2020?
There was no talk about a full program rebuild.
There was no, talk about starting down from the studs.
There was no start about. We're gonna have to fire our
entire coaching staff underneath, Allen and redo.
All of that. We're not going to have five
core. Your back street now and then
like none of that was brought up.
So to then suddenly say all of that happen and you're being too
harsh because of all those different things like that we
were being sold that this was building a base of excellence
and growth like now this team knows how to win and they know
how to win the big games and we're on to that.
And so I frankly get pissed when people are like you're not
allowed to be this harsh. It's like, no, this is this is
what normal football programs, the expectations deal.
With after a 2 and 10 and 4 and 8 season, like, go to any other
mid-range, you know, school, go to Nebraska, go to Auburn.
Go to any of those School. See how they're doing.
If they win six games in two years like they're going to be
pissed and they have a right to be the larger thing this season,
if you look at it is, You give credit for the victories, but IU
is essentially to missed field goals away, from being two
antenna, you know, Western Kentucky misses a 44-yard field
goal As Time expires. And that was that was what got
the game to overtime? And that's where Indiana was
able to pick up the victory. You know, and frankly that
almost that it almost didn't happen, you know?
I mean, it was, it was just that game required, so many things to
go right in A particular order at the very end of the game that
ended up being for the regular season in college football.
That was like the 10th least likely victory percentage-wise
in all of college football as Western Kentucky at one point
had a think I guess something like a 96.4% win probability
that game Michigan State mrs. A point blank field goal as
regulation is ending that would have given them the Victory and
then the whole Narrative of the Michigan State game goes away.
You know, and obviously Illinois.
A there was some luck involved there as well.
It right? Indiana did something.
They didn't do the entire rest of the season, which was pieced
together. A last-minute drive that
resulted in a touchdown. And, you know, normally, when
you look at these kinds of things, you're like, well, you
know, you can play the, if, you know, the if San dansgame all
the time, but like there really aren't, there's no other,
there's no other ifs that should give you a win.
That's all that trouble. That's not like, that's the
problem is like, it felt like, with the exception of the Idaho
game, where they did eventually impose their will REI you win
was lucky and every eye you lost was decisive and that's not a
really good formula for success. And it's what's frightening
about that is a bad marketing tagline for next year, I know.
Yeah. It's but you know, but it's kind
of like if you believe in in regression it, you know, people
are like, oh, you know, this was about, I guess, technically,
this was the bounce-back regression where Indiana did
have a couple of close games. Last year, that went against
them and this year, they went for them.
And that's Essentially the difference, but the end of the
day you're still talking about what is essentially a three win
team. You know, if you give them you
take one of the losses or the one of the wins away this year
and you give them a win. The previous year, you're
basically the exact same spot and that ultimately is a
problem. And I think to your larger point
about people, wanting Alan given more time and this and that it's
like, look, this is the infrastructure.
Like, these are not extenuating circumstances, losing a, you
know, Using you're going through as many quarterbacks as IU has
over the last couple of years. Yes, there's a snake bitten
element to that but forcing a quarterback on the field who's
not ready physically to play. You can't turn around and then
be surprised when that quarterbacks no longer able to
play, you know, running an offense where you, I still don't
understand what Indiana thought they were going to accomplish
this year, with this passing attack, this error rate attack
when they couldn't block to pass like that.
That's the Decision making. That's the infrastructure that
that's leading to that decision making.
That's a real problem. Like there's a there's a
fundamental. I mean it's like Allen's
postgame comments about how you know to paraphrase like well
quarterback Mobility is going to be a big aspect that they're
going to look at moving forward because you know what, what
Williams is done kind of opened his mind and it's like, are we
serious like quarterback. Mobility is a big deal in
football in 2022. You're just now figuring that
out. I mean the Dia that you would
need a mobile quarterback, especially behind this offensive
line, who could avoid pressure, who could run the ball, or throw
the ball like that. That would be a revelation.
I had to read the quotes a couple of times, and I was like,
well, surely there is like not serious.
We almost need. I don't have the time my hands.
We need someone to come with a fake Twitter account, like there
was like, you know, the Civil War.
General, Andrew Luck. Needs to be like,
turn-of-the-century, coach Allen.
Where he's like this this forward pass.
Like, I think it's gonna stick like I Next year, we're going to
we're going to go into this like our team with leather helmets.
We might throw more than four forward passes this year.
It's like yeah, no you're right. It's it's wildly like a as
mobile quarterback. Think this might be a like, we
should just, we should give him video of Michael Vick.
It's gonna blow his mind like they could Virginia Tech.
He's like, whoa, whoa, It's I just it's really hard at this
point. To trust the direction of the
program under Tom Allen. I mean just it's the you know,
the I don't know where the trust is supposed to come from.
because, The on-field play has been really bad.
The last two years. There have been individual
moments that have looked good. There have been individual
players that have looked good, but the sum total of what
Indiana has done. The you know, the only reason
they're not the worst team in the Big Ten is because
Northwestern and Rutgers both exist and they lost to Rutgers
this year. So it's it's hard to even take
solace in that. I guess you take solace in the
fact that Northwestern is absolutely horrific but the
off-field Agents haven't been great either that you know who
gets hired and fired as coordinators, who gets retained,
the recruiting decisions, the transfer decisions, you know,
the, the lack of development of players.
The like there's so many things about the program, that if you
look at them dispassionately and you compare them to what other
programs are doing. It's like, I don't really
understand why decisions are being made the way that they're
made, you know, I don't understand why you would go out
and hire. Hire a guy who was going to run
an Air Raid Offense with the offensive line that can't block
for it. I don't understand why you would
put your stock in a quarterback that was not mobile behind an
offensive line. That was not going to give that
quarterback the time that he needed as a pocket passer to
make throws. I don't understand.
You know why you were in such a rush to take back the defense
and the control of the defensive play calling.
If the result was going to be a defense that arguably played
worse this year than it did, last year under the guy that you
were in such a huge hurry to replace.
I don't understand the like where the positivity is supposed
to come from in the recruiting that you've done.
When the players that you've recruited aren't making it onto
the field. In most cases and making
impacts. There have certainly been a few
success stories, but there's been a whole lot of big
question. Marks about a lot of guys who
just never made it onto the field in the first place for
Indiana. And so, you know, I look at all
of those things and I say to myself, I don't know if you're
an IU football fan, that is paying attention and isn't just
caught up in the cult of personality of Tom Allen.
I don't understand where the positivity would come from,
given what we've seen in terms of decision-making, out of Tom
Allen as the head football coach and the The CEO of the program
really since the well since, right before the Outback Bowl,
you know, I mean, it really feels like there's a demarcation
line there where the hiring the talent evaluation, the
evaluation of what's actually on the field for IU, the evaluation
of what they can effectively, do the evaluation of who's doing a
good job. And who's not just doesn't seem
to be up to par to do. What Indiana needs to do, which
is not win, nine or ten games. It's win six or seven games and
be competitive. Native IU has been so
non-competitive at the end of the day and so many football
games over the course of the last two years that, you know,
it's hard to give credit in my opinion for.
Oh, hey, they played hard at Michigan.
State was like what? Like what did you think?
Your job was exactly. Yeah.
Of course. I mean you want you want to
pause for playing hard on the road against the team that ended
up going five and seven. Like, I don't understand why
that would be cause for optimism.
It's like welcome to the basics man.
You know, so that that's that's where I really get concerned
because I do not see the, I don't see the perception on the
part of Tom Allen of what the problems actually are, and what
they what needs to be done to address the problems and fix
them because we've seen multiple years.
Now, this is, this is the second year in a row of IU, having some
glaring issues and there doesn't appear to be either the ability
to cite what those problems are. Our or the wherewithal to make
the alterations necessary to fix the problems.
I don't suddenly think that you know, religion is going to be
found this offseason. That's going to make that stuff
a whole lot different. I mean, you're going into an
offseason where your head coach is still your defensive play
caller, and we know that that's essentially an untenable thing.
You have an offense that was marginally better this year.
They know they actually had multiple for yard to carry
rushers, which I thought was no longer allowed at IU so they get
Credit there. But that came at the sacrifice
of the passing game, which ended up with essentially no viable
targets to throw the ball to by the end of the season.
In many cases that like it's just there's so many elements of
this program that are real red flags.
And we've seen very little evidence.
The last couple of years that proper adjustments are going to
be made to address those red flags.
We said this a couple times like it just feels like sometimes the
wrong lessons are being learned from the experience and it does
feel like there really is that line after the Wisconsin game,
where we took the path, the Big Ten patches off and it's like it
from that point on, it feels like Alan bought into the hype
of himself and has kind of become almost, you know, Cult of
Personality leader and nothing. I agree with everything you just
said, I want to go back real quick to just the the I really
take issue with the postgame comments about, you know, kind
of being like, we need a mobile quarterback and like, that's,
that's the future of this team is like we've seen the light and
we're going to have a mobile quarterback because when you
look at it first off, you could have, you could have looked the
same thing last year like last year, we didn't have pain X and
at the end of the year, it's like well we have Macaulay on
like maybe this works or not and what Alan do he went out and got
a transfer in beige black, who's the least mobile quarterback you
possibly could have but Everything you said is 100%,
right? I don't have faith.
This is going to get fixed and this is the this is the group.
It's going to get you there because you're not going to
fire. You mean as I've mentioned, many
times you've bought yourself into this corner where Alan is
not going as always people on Twitter it's like was this is
Alan's last games. It's not like it's not and won't
be next year like Allen is here for two more years, regardless
of what happens. So get used to that but your you
can't fire another Other offensive coordinator.
So you have what bell for another year whether or not you
think he's the right or wrong answer?
I'm not saying it is when were the other but it's, like, you
can't go three offense of coordinators in three years.
You, I guess, you could change defense quarter but to your
point, the defense coordinator is not, maybe that's the easiest
job at IU right now. You show up and let Tom Allen.
Do your job for you like that. This is where I do.
I continue to go back to this. Look at some point, you know,
there is a boss of this that's got Dolson like at some point
Dulce is to come in and do something but hey, Tom If
nothing else, you don't get to do two jobs that are both full
time over a hundred thousand, dollar-a-year jobs, and head,
coach defense coordinator, like, those are two separate jobs.
No other team in the country, has one person doing both or no
other team successfully is doing that.
So, you know, some point Dolphins, got to step in and
like, look, Tom, we're paying this guy to be our defensive
coordinator. He's going to be defense.
You're going to be the head coach.
That's a different job. Like we're going to look at what
those differences are and those are the things that you were
going to do and focus on. But, you know, No, we got rid of
Hillier so you're done with that like there are no changes like
this is a wild situation, you have a team that went to and 10
4 and 8, you're not going to make any changes on the coaching
staff because you really can't without looking ridiculous.
So you're not going to make any chance to go back into it.
Going back to the quarterback thing.
You know I think the biggest issue and this is in the if
you're gonna have to get somebody out of the transfer
portal because look I agree with you, you know?
This is where I hope that we're both wrong.
Yeah, in terms of Dexter Williams is health.
I would, it would be great if he is able to come back.
We'll have to wait to see what the injury is.
But certainly looked like the type of injury that is going to
take some significant rehab especially since he's already
suffered a major leg injury in his career that took you know
basically him out of the equation all of last year.
So the problem is If you're a transfer quarterback, why would
you come to Indiana? I mean, you so because because I
would, you know, the idea of people talk about oh fans the
way fans reaction, any transfer here, Tom Alec, don't call
Michael penix, like his don't talk to Mike, you know, I mean,
people people talk about how fans affect players wanting to
play at AT&T or programs and wide, but, but, but I'll bet it
but it's ultimately also the way that teams Succeed or fail with
players at that position. And if I'm a transfer
quarterback, I'm looking at Indiana.
And I say, well okay, let me look here.
So Jack, Tuttle transferred there and essentially rode the
bench for a few years, like he got to start a couple of games,
he got injured twice that knocked him out for the entire
season. And clearly Indiana did not put
an offense around him that allowed him to be successful.
Then this year they make a big deal of going out and getting
Connor basil, lack in the portal.
So they bring him in as the guy who started in the SEC and his
reward was not being named the starter for the entirety of the
summer, right? Being named the starter like
right on the eve of the first game winning at home against the
team that almost went to the Big Ten title game and then getting
basically put in bodily Harm's Way every game that he played
because his offensive line couldn't block.
He had very few receivers to throw the ball. 2 and then by
the time the season is over, he's riding the bench, he's
forced to come back in at the tail end after having basically
been put away in storage to rot and, you know, didn't do.
I mean he could have done much worse, given the fact that he
hadn't thrown a pass and another for he was put in as a tackling
dummy against Ohio State, right? You know, so it's like if I'm a,
if I'm a transfer quarterback, I'm looking at this, I use
situation and I'm like, okay this team doesn't have a
offensive line. That's functional.
In the passing game, doesn't have an offensive plan your
because if you're leaving, even if you're a primarily running
quarterback and you decide to come in, you're going to play
for a coach who started the season running, an Air Raid
Offense and running behind an offensive line.
That really only proved that it could block effectively in the
run for like three quarters of the whole season.
That I would not be excited to come to Indiana under those
circumstances. And so it does make you wonder
like in the next thing is true to like you.
A mobile quarterback, who transfer it away.
And the season afterwards is having one of his best seasons
ever behind a somewhat functional line.
Yeah, well I mean it's and I mean you can certainly look, you
can look through some other players backgrounds as well.
I mean, you know, it's it's I don't know, it's the whole thing
is fat, I mean, look at Peyton Ramsey, you know, transfers away
and then at2020 season, you know, they end up, what did they
go? They like seven and two that
year and they get to beat Auburn in a New Year's Day Bowl, you
know, it wasn't like, Peyton Ramsey, blew the doors off the
joint in terms of his numbers that year.
But that guy, you know, had a more successful at as successful
of the Season that year as I you had.
And it's, you know, so that look I just overall it just it's very
grim. And, you know, certainly there's
just a lot of frustration about the way the season went.
And and the way the season ended And I just at this point, I
don't, it would take a very unusual chain of events to occur
for me to be optimistic about. I use chances next year, you
know, because it the schedules the same and they look so much
further away, now from being able to compete, not even with
the Ohio, State's in the Michigan's, but with the mid
tier of the Big 10 East as well. Like They don't look like they
belong on the same plane of existence, as you know.
And I'm not, you know, it's the Big 10 East.
It's one of those things where Rutgers took a step back this
year and yet Indiana still lost to them.
Marilyn wasn't that impressive, but they lost to them at home,
Michigan State, they won. Congratulations.
But again, Michigan State basically had that game to win
at the very end and it and they missed the field goal.
And so I worry with everything that's played out the way that
it Has for Indiana this year. It almost feels like this might
be the best that it gets for a while because they're going to
lose a bunch of players to graduation.
They're probably going to lose some players to the portal, you
know, if they lose either Jalen, Lucas or Des on mcculloh, then
then you're really like, okay, what do you have?
And I hope I, you know, I really hope that I you figures out a
way to get both those players to stay.
I hope they both decide to stay, but if they don't stay.
And I think that's a legitimate thing to be concerned about What
are you left with? I mean, there's no recruiting
class coming in. That's going to fill those gaps.
It's the it's the worst rated recruiting class in the Big Ten
that 73rd in the country right now.
And you haven't really shown an ability to go out and get impact
players in the transfer portal. So, you know, as as was replied
to us on Twitter, this is a classic, you know, other than
that, how was the play mrs. Lincoln situation, where it just
the whole thing. Feels like it's on fire, and And
I don't, I don't know what the route is to fix it at this
point, could we be proven wrong and could there be some kind of
wholesale culture change in the offseason that gets things back
on track I guess? But that's what we were
promised. This last offseason was that
there was going to be this wholesale culture, change, that,
that was good, turn things around.
And I got to tell you, Scott, this is like, use your Illusion
part 1 and part 2, you know, it's like I'm either technically
different albums, but They know the 2021 and 2022, season seemed
pretty interchangeable. It's like the it's like the
longest football double album that we've had the last galling
thing here. That happened yesterday is, you
know, and 2020 still stands. But you know, for the longest
time it's kind of been like this bra Malin, you know, who's the
better Coach. And for the longest time, it did
feel like Alan Alan had the better record.
I think Alan had, you know, things going in the right
direction. The thing that Braun had and now
has even more Luckily, he gets those high-level spikes and I
know we had 20/20, we beat Penn State, we beat Michigan, but you
know, the trouble with 20/20. It's like it's missing that that
bowl win, which we didn't get, but it's like bronze.
Got a win over Ohio State. You know, they have some high
level winds and now they have a trip to the Big Ten title game,
which, you know, I know they're playing in the Big Ten West, I
know, it's a softer Division. I know it's based on a lot of
other factors, but like they still got their well and I mean,
yes, this will be the fourth bowl game in.
Six years for Jeff brohm at Purdue.
This will be the second year in a row that they've won at least
eight games they won nine last year, you know, they were ranked
at one point. They're going to.
They're at a twins right now. If they get a favorable Bowl
draw, they'll end up probably with, you know, potentially with
nine wins. And even if they don't a twins,
is still quite an accomplishment.
I think the thing to keep in mind is that Braun is now for,
and one against Indiana and the one loss was in double overtime,
you know, in In a game that frankly could have gone either
way. And all of this happens on the
heels of Purdue winning nine games in four years combined,
under Darrell hazell, like the program that Jeff brohm took
over in late 2016 was in the absoluteness, dumpster.
I mean, it was, they 10 11 and one big 10 games in the four
years? Like this was a this was a Jerry
dinardo. Bill Lynch level, a lack of
accomplishment. And so it's not a fair
comparison because, you know, if you look at what Tom Allen took
over Allen took over a program that in 1546 and six games had
been to two consecutive bowls and, you know, for, you know,
first of all hat tip to Purdue and to Jeff brohm.
They did not have a perfect season.
They are in the Big Ten title game, and to be in the Big Ten
title game, six years after the stretch that I just highlighted
were You win nine games in four years.
That's a tremendous coaching job at a place that whatever you
want to think. Doesn't really have any natural
advantages over Indiana in Ni l in facilities in recruiting
area. It's basically the same thing.
So yeah, I mean if you're going to go do an apples and apples
comparison between Brahmin Alan, I mean, Brom wins in like three
rounds in a knockout. I mean to be 4 and 1/2 B 4 and 1
in a six-year period to go to for bowl games, to go to a big
10. Little game.
Yes, Purdue has the benefit of not playing in the Big Ten East,
but you could still win eight or nine games as Indiana still be
Ohio State. Yeah, they still beat Ohio
State, you know, I mean there, I don't know.
The whole thing to me is just, I don't know how you could look at
it and not think, wow, Purdue made the better hire there.
They had a better vision and where the program was at to
where it's at. Now that's ultimately what we
thought we were getting. Ting with this Tom Allen higher.
And instead it almost feels like you know you've gone fully
backwards. It's like you you hit an apex in
2019 2020, and your backsliding. Now to where the program was
when Wilson took over which was probably at the lowest ebb or
the second lowest ebb that it had been at maybe in its history
you know? And that that is really, it
shows two things. A I think it shows what you've
said, many times we've talked about it a bunch Hiring the
right coach is more important than all of the other things and
you can hire the right coach at a place with bad facilities with
bad and IL with with not a lot of talent that coach will if
they know what they're doing they will be able to turn it
around get results and establish some level of you know a
baseline that they can go off of you know you look at Braum yes
Braun had a bad to 2019. The covid year was really A bad.
The Covey do was bad for a lot of programs including Michigan,
who's in the title game this year and is going to be in the
college football playoff. But they bounce back from that
and there was a nice Foundation that they were able to utilize.
I don't see any foundation for this IU team to use to bounce
back with. Like it really feels like they
are almost at Ground Zero and they're gonna have to rip out
the studs and and the drywall and like rebuild the house from
scratch. If you disagree with that out
there, if you're listening, okay, fine, what are they?
Build off of going into next year, they're going to build off
of this defense, which statistically and grade-wise was
one of the worst in the Big Ten. Are they going to, you know, not
just a big tenant. Like all of power 5 are they
going to build off of an offense?
That doesn't have a clear offensive game plan or starting
quarterback like that. That is a real concern and it's
even more galling. When you look at your
cross-state rivals or Illinois who looks like they're on the
same trajectory in just a couple of years.
It's like it should. It be this hard.
It doesn't have to be this hard, and it's not just because it's
Indiana. Anyway.
So even get Ryan Day in two years.
Really? Yeah.
Well anyway, I guess that'll wrap it up on that.
Happy note will another season of the season in the books
another season down. So you do this again next year
and we'll see how you know. It's I think I do I will say we
first of all, we really appreciate all the folks out
there listening in throughout the course of the year and past
years and we'll see what happens.
Moving forward, as Obviously, there's going to be a lot that
could happen in this offseason for IU football in terms of just
trying to restructure things or they could try to keep things
the same. We will be bringing you
basketball coverage throughout the course of this year and we
hope that you continue to tune in for that.
And we'll take a nice long break from football and kind of
re-evaluate where the teams that and yeah, you know, maybe
they'll be something optimistic and positive that we can talk
about in January or February when recruiting classes are
sealed or after You know Spring football or something like that
yield some optimism but hard to be terribly optimistic about the
direction of things right now and it sucks to say because it
was, it was nice. It really felt like IU football
as a program and established itself somewhat so that it
wasn't going to just have everything fall apart and no
longer really feels that way. And so Scott, it's been fun
talking with you about it. It's been fun talking with all
you folks out there any final thoughts for we wrap up.
No, no. I think I think we've hit
everything we can. But no, I appreciate, as we wrap
up the season, it's always. It's really nice that we have
people who listen and care. It feels like we are, you know,
in we're all in this together, we're suffering together, but
it's nice to have people who listen and care, and people send
in questions and it's, it's really nice and yeah, man, it's
nice. That my Sunday's back to though
we definitely need a break from this that you get to this point
of the end of the year unfortunately has been way too
many years like this where we're just You know, we're not going
to have that and we're going to lose that practice time.
You know, we have a bowl game. It's all about.
Do we get extra month to practice time?
While we're not going to get that.
Yeah, it does feel like everyone needs a break from football and
yeah. We'll see you in September with
no depth chart. None whatsoever?
Yeah should be fascinating Anyway by thanks to our friends
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Be sure to tune into our women's basketball podcast for the man
to Foster. Our thanks don't feel apparel,
our presenting sponsor, my thanks to Scott as always Our
thanks to all the folks who joined us on Crimson cast this
season. I'm Galen, klaviyo, will catch
you folks on the flip side? Bring back the Bison.
So long, everybody. Our thanks to all the folks who
joined us on Crimson cast this season.
I'm Galen, klaviyo, will catch you folks on the flip side?
Bring back the Bison. So long, everybody.