IUP Football 2020

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That's quite a step up for the program from what it had morphed into during the end of the Lou Tepper years. Curt Cignetti deserves praise for his reclamation project as well as Tort who has been magnificent since taking the reins of the program.

-

I still remember to this day, vividly, sitting in the Miller Stadium bleachers near the end of THE Lou Tepper era. The program I had grown up watching dominate people was just a shell of itself. The decline in talent was so drastic. Frank's best teams would have beat Tepper's best team by 5-6 touchdowns.

But, to be fair, you have to remember the climate within the Field House at that period in time. The new president (Atwater) wanted a new (clean) image for the football program -- no more headlines for arrests ... or punching police horses on Homecoming. He also had a giant mess down the hall with the men's basketball team and the end of the Gary Edwards era.

Did Atwater steer Teeper away from continuing 'Transfer U' within the program? Perhaps. Probably. Lou still had transfers but just a guess they got vetted much more thoroughly than some of Frank's did back in the heyday.

I thought Lou was a good hire at the time. He had some strong teams at Edinboro and I figured with larger finances he'd do really well in Indiana. He still had some very talented players here but not nearly enough of them.

When Curt took over things kind of went back to normal. Atwater also hired Joe Lombardi, which was obviously a home run. That street in between Miller and the KCAC will probably be named Lombardi Ave some day in the future.

One other item to keep in mind is while some have some beefs with (current) President Driscoll ... he's a sports guy. He's at EVERY football and basketball game -- and numerous road games. A pro-sports President goes a long way down here in the bush leagues.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

I still remember to this day, vividly, sitting in the Miller Stadium bleachers near the end of THE Lou Tepper era. The program I had grown up watching dominate people was just a shell of itself. The decline in talent was so drastic. Frank's best teams would have beat Tepper's best team by 5-6 touchdowns.

Easy. Maybe more than that even. But I guess in fairness to the Lou Tepper he did lose his starting QBs to injuries his final two seasons IIRC.

But, to be fair, you have to remember the climate within the Field House at that period in time. The new president (Atwater) wanted a new (clean) image for the football program -- no more headlines for arrests ... or punching police horses on Homecoming. He also had a giant mess down the hall with the men's basketball team and the end of the Gary Edwards era.

No, that was basically a different time period. Gary left by early 2006 which was about the time or so Tep got hired. They never would have worked together for very long. Joe Lombardi had established his team as a national power by the end of the Tep years.

Did Atwater steer Teeper away from continuing 'Transfer U' within the program? Perhaps. Probably. Lou still had transfers but just a guess they got vetted much more thoroughly than some of Frank's did back in the heyday.

I thought Lou was a good hire at the time. He had some strong teams at Edinboro and I figured with larger finances he'd do really well in Indiana. He still had some very talented players here but not nearly enough of them.

When Curt took over things kind of went back to normal.

Probably one of the biggest detriments to the Tep era was that the Cignetti Mafia was not overly supportive of having an outsider take over the program. Funding for IUP football scholies really dried up quite a bit. The Cignetti crowd wanted their own man, Tom Rogish, to take over and when he was passed over for the job many of them up and left until Curt Cignetti took the job.

Atwater also hired Joe Lombardi, which was obviously a home run. That street in between Miller and the KCAC will probably be named Lombardi Ave some day in the future.

The street will probably be named either Bravado Boulevard or Redshirt Road. LOL.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Easy. Maybe more than that even. But I guess in fairness to the Lou Tepper he did lose his starting QBs to injuries his final two seasons IIRC.




No, that was basically a different time period. Gary left by early 2006 which was about the time or so Tep got hired. They never would have worked together for very long. Joe Lombardi had established his team as a national power by the end of the Tep years.




Probably one of the biggest detriments to the Tep era was that the Cignetti Mafia was not overly supportive of having an outsider take over the program. Funding for IUP football scholies really dried up quite a bit. The Cignetti crowd wanted their own man, Tom Rogish, to take over and when he was passed over for the job many of them up and left until Curt Cignetti took the job.




The street will probably be named either Bravado Boulevard or Redshirt Road. LOL.

Love it !! We should start the campaign.

[Ram040506]

Probably one of the biggest detriments to the Tep era was that the Cignetti Mafia was not overly supportive of having an outsider take over the program. Funding for IUP football scholies really dried up quite a bit. The Cignetti crowd wanted their own man, Tom Rogish, to take over and when he was passed over for the job many of them up and left until Curt Cignetti took the job.

.

Rogish came to Shepherd shortly after that and coached OLB's. From what I heard, he was an excellent DC for IUP during his time there. Although Rogish was a great guy, I thought he was a terrible coach. I get that he was out of his comfort zone within a new defense, but the guys he was coaching on our team knew the defense better than he did so he had a really tough time gaining the respect from some of his players at the start. I know he and the DC certainly weren't on the same page, we were lucky we had a very veteran Defense. He didn't seem to really care either and Shepherd was happy to see him go to Frostburg when he did.

I think IUP lucked out by not hiring him. He ended up being way over his head, with no perceived plan on how to succeed at either stop after IUP. 14-45 at Frosburg State as the head coach.

[CALUPA69]

Aaaah, fond memories of an evening at ADAMSON...
September 29, 2018...

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Love it !! We should start the campaign.

Instead of a white out night you should push to have everyone who cheers for IUP to wear a red shirt to an assigned game. Joe would no doubt be beaming seeing all the red shirts. Maybe he would even have "Lady In Red" piped in again. LOL.

-

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Instead of a white out night you should push to have everyone who cheers for IUP to wear a red shirt to an assigned game. Joe would no doubt be beaming seeing all the red shirts. Maybe he would even have "Lady In Red" piped in again. LOL.

-

Zion Williamson could have left Duke and transferred to IUP. He'd have been redshirted upon arrival.

The Red Out is hilarious. Redshirts everywhere.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Zion Williamson could have left Duke and transferred to IUP. He'd have been redshirted upon arrival.

The Red Out is hilarious. Redshirts everywhere.

LOL. Air Jordan. Wilt the Stilt. Magic. King James. Shaq. Red Shirt City all the way!

Joe no doubt had the family dog do a redshirt year before he actually got to obedience school.

-

[IUPbigINDIANS]

LB transfer headed to IUP from Happy Valley.

Denver Light (6'2", 220 lbs). Preferred walk-on as a true freshman a year ago from Tyrone. Four years eligibity at IUP.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Love the headline on KDKA today: "House Shot Up in Drive-By Shooting Near the IUP Campus"


That house is on North 3rd ... nowhere near campus. Shameless plug.

[IUPalum]

Love the headline on KDKA today: "House Shot Up in Drive-By Shooting Near the IUP Campus"


That house is on North 3rd ... nowhere near campus. Shameless plug.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Love the headline on KDKA today: "House Shot Up in Drive-By Shooting Near the IUP Campus"


That house is on North 3rd ... nowhere near campus. Shameless plug.

My favorite drive-by of all time was in Boyz N The Hood when Monster took out those three Bloods with what looked to be an AK-47. I think he was on probation to boot.

-

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Interesting Tweet on the IUP Football page (via Matt) ... IUP has the longest home winning streak in D2 history at 31 games from 1986 to 1992.

I can remember in the heyday of the Frank era ... when they'd come through the band to Cherokee teams were defeated before the game started.

They don't lose at home often in the modern era but that Crimson Express (debacle) doesn't quite have the same intimidation factor. Of course, I think the band playing Ghostbusters 5-6 times per game really psyches out opponents.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The Homecoming date has been announced ... Oct. 10 vs Clarion.

[ShoNuff]

LB transfer headed to IUP from Happy Valley.

Denver Light (6'2", 220 lbs). Preferred walk-on as a true freshman a year ago from Tyrone. Four years eligibity at IUP.

It appears he had scholarship offers from St Francis and Fordham. He committed to Fordham during last summer, then flipped for the PWO Offer from Penn State later in the Fall.

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/5387600...53fd0ad862a418

We shall see if IUP can get some productivity out of him.