IUP 2018

[IUPMonk]

Re: IUP 2018

Sounds like they have been watching too many Stiller games - Levon Bell and Antonio Brown wannabees. This isn't pro football. The players should keep their mouths shut, execute the game plan, and take the coaching when it's needed. What's next - no contact in practice until Wednesday with Mondays off?

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: IUP 2018

Sounds like they have been watching too many Stiller games - Levon Bell and Antonio Brown wannabees. This isn't pro football. The players should keep their mouths shut, execute the game plan, and take the coaching when it's needed. What's next - no contact in practice until Wednesday with Mondays off?

I see that legendary football coach John Gagliardi just passed away a few days ago. He may tend to disagree with you here regarding the physical contact in practices. Just sayin'

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[EyeoftheHawk]

[Tony33]

Re: IUP 2018

This is how I see it as well, great observation.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: IUP 2018

That's the lone ray of hope ... as undisciplined, out of sync, argumentative, etc., as they've been ... they still could have won the last two weeks.

If Tort can somehow fix this locker room mess and they can get in ... nobody would be in a hurry to play them.

However, I have my doubts. This team seems to have some major diva types on it. And, the biggest diva types I've observed this year are the ones getting smoked on the field and throwing tantrums on the sidelines. There's a lot of 2013 on this team.

And, even if they win out (which I think they will), they still need help.

Obviously, Cal and SRU still have to play so one of them is getting a loss. IUP needs an Edinboro over Rock type uspet (likely a couple of them throughout the region). That's reaching, but, that's the only thing left to do.

[ironmaniup]

Re: IUP 2018

That's the lone ray of hope ... as undisciplined, out of sync, argumentative, etc., as they've been ... they still could have won the last two weeks.

If Tort can somehow fix this locker room mess and they can get in ... nobody would be in a hurry to play them.

However, I have my doubts. This team seems to have some major diva types on it. And, the biggest diva types I've observed this year are the ones getting smoked on the field and throwing tantrums on the sidelines. There's a lot of 2013 on this team.

And, even if they win out (which I think they will), they still need help.

Obviously, Cal and SRU still have to play so one of them is getting a loss. IUP needs an Edinboro over Rock type uspet (likely a couple of them throughout the region). That's reaching, but, that's the only thing left to do.

It goes to show how important guys like Walt Pegues are to your team. He didn't have a great season last year because of his injuries, but his leadership - along with some of the other seniors, was essential. Looking back, you can see the trouble start with all of the players that didn't return. I started listing the lost players who would be playing now, there were too many to post - its huge differences.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: IUP 2018

I'm hoping all the academic casualty knuckleheads were just a one-year fluke and not indicative of this coaching staff not managing a tight ship.

I wouldn't be surprised if they beat Clarion by 45 points. I wouldn't be surprised if this group loses, either. We'll learn a lot about this team and staff come 12 p.m. Saturday.

I expect this to be one of the worst-attended home games in a long time.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Re: IUP 2018

I'm hoping all the academic casualty knuckleheads were just a one-year fluke and not indicative of this coaching staff not managing a tight ship.

I wouldn't be surprised if they beat Clarion by 45 points. I wouldn't be surprised if this group loses, either. We'll learn a lot about this team and staff come 12 p.m. Saturday.

I expect this to be one of the worst-attended home games in a long time.

2013 keeps popping into my head too, although that team probably had more overall talent than this one. What you say is true though. This team could win by 45 or lose depending on its mindset. We'll know more after this weekend. Clarion is not a bad football team, or at least bad enough that IUP can just show up.

[IUP24]

Re: IUP 2018

Some good points being brought up. While I'm not necessarily wishing away the season, because there's still a lot of football to be played, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't interested in how some items get addressed this offseason.

It seems like Tort is a loyal guy. That's evident in how long he stuck around as an assistant, the retention of his current staff, and the number of Cignetti cast offs that he welcomed back to the team. Let's not forget that some of the contributors from last year's team were casualties from the Cignetti era. So the loyalty there didn't hurt. That obviously brought playmakers like Allen Wright back into the mix. I think the coaching continuity helped make a smooth transition to Tort as well. So you can't necessarily fault him for anything there. That said, it's his team now - and this is now the first time that the boat has hit the iceberg with him at the helm.

The question is how does he handle some of these guys that didn't quite make the cut in the classroom. Does he make an example out of say a Duane Brown? Some of these guys won't learn there is a consequence to not going to class or doing the off field stuff until they see a guy that's a shoe in to return not be welcomed back after getting his grades up. It's gotta be frustrating as a coach, because it certainly is as a fan.

It's also hard to argue with mixing up the coaching staff a little bit. There's a lot of stuff we all have seen that we have said we haven't liked. I don't think I need to go further. I think others have already addressed it.

My take is that this team is just unorganized and lacks leadership. I actually enjoyed the 2nd half of the game because it allowed you to really see and hear what was happening on the sidelines. My goodness do these guys fight. Particularly on the defensive side. You hear them complaining about coverages, who has which guy, late substitutions, etc. That stuff just doesn't happen overnight. It festers. Starts in camp and keeps growing. I didn't see it at Ashland, but now that they've been hit with some adversity, it does not appear that there's a true leader of that group. I think there's a lot of guys there that think they are the leader(s) of the group, but running your mouth at the opposition doesn't equate to leadership in my opinion. I think the truth is, especially on defense, is that there are just a number of guys in new roles. Think back to last year. You obviously had Max Redfield back there, but you had another 4-year starter opposite Redfield in Tahki Turner. Jay Watkins was a 5th year senior and 4 year starter at corner. Eric Doe played nickel and slot corner for them. He played for all 4 years. I was critical of some of the guys on the DL because of injuries (Moward, Diven, and Averette), but those guys played a ton of football over their careers at IUP. I don't believe the talent drop on the team overall is as large as we want to believe, but they lost some guys that played a lot of football for the program. Often times when that happens the next crop isn't as ready to lead or jump in because they didn't have to ever do it previously.

[hawks16]

Re: IUP 2018

2013 keeps popping into my head too, although that team probably had more overall talent than this one. What you say is true though. This team could win by 45 or lose depending on its mindset. We'll know more after this weekend. Clarion is not a bad football team, or at least bad enough that IUP can just show up.

Many students go home the week after big party weekends (homecoming, Halloween, IUPatty's) so campus might be dead in general. The 12 p.m. kickoff doesn't help either.

Just wondering, is it IUP or the PSAC who sets the kickoff times? If it's the home school, I'm don't comprehend why Cal and SRU play night games and IUP sticks with noon kickoffs (at least while it's still warm and before Daylight Savings Time).

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: IUP 2018

Many students go home the week after big party weekends (homecoming, Halloween, IUPatty's) so campus might be dead in general. The 12 p.m. kickoff doesn't help either.

Just wondering, is it IUP or the PSAC who sets the kickoff times? If it's the home school, I'm don't comprehend why Cal and SRU play night games and IUP sticks with noon kickoffs (at least while it's still warm and before Daylight Savings Time).

The average age of people attending IUP games isn't, well, young. The old guard, my guess, likes the noon kickoff. And, yes, it sucks. The home team sets the kickoff time.

You can find very thorough studies done across all levels of NCAA football. With each later time slot (traditionally noon, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.) attendance goes up -- often drastically.

IUP has been fascinated by these noon kickoffs for the past 30 years. It's not a coincidence.

I agree with the 'hangover' of Homecoming and many going home the following weekend. Add to it, the few casual fans the team draws likely think the season is already all but over.

Noon kickoffs also have to go up against kids' soccer, etc. It's just freaking stupid all around and makes an already lame atmosphere even worse.

Heck, I'm even debating if I want to sit and watch this team again this week. The sideline antics alone have turned me off.

[Tony33]

Re: IUP 2018

The average age of people attending IUP games isn't, well, young. The old guard, my guess, likes the noon kickoff. And, yes, it sucks. The home team sets the kickoff time.

You can find very thorough studies done across all levels of NCAA football. With each later time slot (traditionally noon, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.) attendance goes up -- often drastically.

IUP has been fascinated by these noon kickoffs for the past 30 years. It's not a coincidence.

I agree with the 'hangover' of Homecoming and many going home the following weekend. Add to it, the few casual fans the team draws likely think the season is already all but over.

Noon kickoffs also have to go up against kids' soccer, etc. It's just freaking stupid all around and makes an already lame atmosphere even worse.

Heck, I'm even debating if I want to sit and watch this team again this week. The sideline antics alone have turned me off.

I hate the 12:00 start as well, especially since it takes some time to get to PA.

[IUP412]

Re: IUP 2018

It goes to show how important guys like Walt Pegues are to your team. He didn't have a great season last year because of his injuries, but his leadership - along with some of the other seniors, was essential. Looking back, you can see the trouble start with all of the players that didn't return. I started listing the lost players who would be playing now, there were too many to post - its huge differences.

Pegues did nothing for this team last year, not playing banged up week after week only questioned his toughness not leadership....bad observation...the guys that are problems sat vs. Clarion for a while on Saturday, hopefully lesson learned.

[iupgroundhog]

Re: IUP 2018

It goes to show how important guys like Walt Pegues are to your team. He didn't have a great season last year because of his injuries, but his leadership - along with some of the other seniors, was essential.

I agree. Even when he wasn't playing he provided outstanding leadership.

[ironmaniup]

Re: IUP 2018

Pegues did nothing for this team last year, not playing banged up week after week only questioned his toughness not leadership....bad observation...the guys that are problems sat vs. Clarion for a while on Saturday, hopefully lesson learned.

right, you want tough guys who will keep playing hurt, until they get a life changing injury, but seeing how many upper class players became academically ineligible over the summer, there was a serious lack of leadership after the seniors left, whoever it was.