IUP Football 2021

[IUPbigINDIANS]

From WCCS-1160:Struzzi Issues Statement on PASSHE, IUP Restructuring

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Among today's cuts is Randy Jesick -- one of the most popular and well-liked professors on campus. Randy is also IUP's longest-tenured professor. He's basically an institution within the institution.

It's tough to see one of your best be told to walk out the door. Randy is also an extremely loyal supporter of IUP football and basketball.

He's a first-ballot IUP professor Hall of Famer ... if such a thing existed.

[ironmaniup]

Among today's cuts is Randy Jesick -- one of the most popular and well-liked professors on campus. Randy is also IUP's longest-tenured professor. He's basically an institution within the institution.

It's tough to see one of your best be told to walk out the door. Randy is also an extremely loyal supporter of IUP football and basketball.

He's a first-ballot IUP professor Hall of Famer ... if such a thing existed.

It looks like it will be a bit less than 128, probably because of likely retirements in the near future - why retrench if you expect someone to retire in a year or two,. The entire journalism department was retrenched. There are 2 other departments that were completely retrenched. Panic doesn't make for good decisions.

Around the university, many are throwing Tony Atwater under the bus, blaming him for the terrible deals he made when they built the new dorms, insuring income for the company operating the Dorms whether they were full or not. But even with that, if IUP had around 1500 more students, we'd be OK.- that should have been doable. Anyway, its a hard day at IUP today. .

[Fightingscot82]

It looks like it will be a bit less than 128, probably because of likely retirements in the near future - why retrench if you expect someone to retire in a year or two,. The entire journalism department was retrenched. There are 2 other departments that were completely retrenched. Panic doesn't make for good decisions.

Around the university, many are throwing Tony Atwater under the bus, blaming him for the terrible deals he made when they built the new dorms, insuring income for the company operating the Dorms whether they were full or not. But even with that, if IUP had around 1500 more students, we'd be OK.- that should have been doable. Anyway, its a hard day at IUP today. .

That seems to be a common APSCUF grumble: that somehow the enrollment peaks of 2010 were achieved through cooked books. At the very least, they're wasting energy lamenting decisions made a decade ago. That's life. Hell, they seem to forget that those 2010 enrollments led to some pretty sweet union contracts for their members. They make 90th percentile for faculty salaries. PASSHE presidents hover in the 40th percentile.

But if the cuts were easy, they would have been made by now. Regardless of timing, the right decision is rarely easy.

[ironmaniup]

That seems to be a common APSCUF grumble: that somehow the enrollment peaks of 2010 were achieved through cooked books. At the very least, they're wasting energy lamenting decisions made a decade ago. That's life. Hell, they seem to forget that those 2010 enrollments led to some pretty sweet union contracts for their members. They make 90th percentile for faculty salaries. PASSHE presidents hover in the 40th percentile.

But if the cuts were easy, they would have been made by now. Regardless of timing, the right decision is rarely easy.

Actually its admin people blaming Atwater - and its true that if IUP wouldn't still be on the hook to pay for empty dorms, the financial situation would be better. Its not anything to do with enrollment numbers, it's the loans for the buildings, and the contracts with the Foundation that own the buildings -Atwater way over bought. . Driscoll himself quoted the 1500 number, and with SRU losing many fewer undergrads, it seems like there was some more issues, beyond just the demographics. There is no doubt that cuts had to be made, and they are hard, but it could have been avoided, and the current cuts are IMHO being done in Panic mode.

[Fightingscot82]

Actually its admin people blaming Atwater - and its true that if IUP wouldn't still be on the hook to pay for empty dorms, the financial situation would be better. Its not anything to do with enrollment numbers, it's the loans for the buildings, and the contracts with the Foundation that own the buildings -Atwater way over bought. . Driscoll himself quoted the 1500 number, and with SRU losing many fewer undergrads, it seems like there was some more issues, beyond just the demographics. There is no doubt that cuts had to be made, and they are hard, but it could have been avoided, and the current cuts are IMHO being done in Panic mode.

Everyone but Cal and Clarion desperately needed a housing overhaul, but you're right, most overbuilt. I think they all thought they could outsell their sister schools. In the end they all lost.

I believe just a handful of professors I had at Edinboro are still there - and I graduated in 2004. Its sad because there are fewer and fewer familiar faces on campus and at events. But as being a lifelong Pirates fan has taught me, you're a fan of the team on the jersey. The painful cuts mean the schools that we love can continue for a bit longer.

[CALUPA69]

CAL U Pres Jones posted a letter to alumni indicating that a deal has been worked out that "has found a path toward financial sustainability that does NOT require a reduction in permanent faculty.
Instead the university will place some tenured and tenure track faculty members in an additional department within the APSCUF bargaining unit, so that all permanent faculty can continue with full time employment at CAL U".
I have only the slightest idea of the details of this finesse but it sounds positive. Or many it's a shell game. More details to follow.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Any new rumors floating around about a Spring season?

The interesting item to watch will the the conclusion of the D1 season and the transfer portal. The portal gets flooded in December by the non-bowl teams.

I'm also curious to see how teams treat this short season (if it happens). Do you risk your stars for a 4-game season?

[Ram040506]

Any new rumors floating around about a Spring season?

The interesting item to watch will the the conclusion of the D1 season and the transfer portal. The portal gets flooded in December by the non-bowl teams.

I'm also curious to see how teams treat this short season (if it happens). Do you risk your stars for a 4-game season?

I hope the teams treat it as glorified scrimmages to get the whole team some game experience. Starters for the 1st quarter, then back ups the rest of the game.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I hope the teams treat it as glorified scrimmages to get the whole team some game experience. Starters for the 1st quarter, then back ups the rest of the game.

It will likely depend if the PSAC is going to award a champion. If they go four games, one playoff and a title game .... they'll go full steam. If it's literally just four games ... I doubt most stars even play -- and it's a glorified scrimmage.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

It will likely depend if the PSAC is going to award a champion. If they go four games, one playoff and a title game .... they'll go full steam. If it's literally just four games ... I doubt most stars even play -- and it's a glorified scrimmage.

Yeah, it would be glorified spring football. But it can be a good teaching tool and even a good way for the studs to sharpen the spear of their game after a whole year of no spring ball, fall camp and no season.

If I was running things I would go for a USFL theme since it is spring football. IUP as the LA Express. Boro as the Memphis Showboats, Rock as the Houston Gamblers, Clarion as the Pittsburgh Maulers, Cal as the New Jersey Generals (complete with an orange haired buffoon in a business suit on the sideline), Lock as the Washington Federals, Seton Hill as the Portland Breakers, Gannon as the Denver Gold and Mercy as the Oakland Invaders.

This would really add an extra element to things....at least for people 50 and over. All the young folks would be saying huh?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yeah, it would be glorified spring football. But it can be a good teaching tool and even a good way for the studs to sharpen the spear of their game after a whole year of no spring ball, fall camp and no season.

If I was running things I would go for a USFL theme since it is spring football. IUP as the LA Express. Boro as the Memphis Showboats, Rock as the Houston Gamblers, Clarion as the Pittsburgh Maulers, Cal as the New Jersey Generals (complete with an orange haired buffoon in a business suit on the sideline), Lock as the Washington Federals, Seton Hill as the Portland Breakers, Gannon as the Denver Gold and Mercy as the Oakland Invaders.

This would really add an extra element to things....at least for people 50 and over. All the young folks would be saying huh?

It's a tough call. If you're just playing four games for the sake of playing four games ... fact is people will get hurt. That's football. Do you want to risk a star? Do you really want a Duane Brown type of player playing meaningless games? Any serious injury (knee or something) likely wouldn't be healed by the Fall (for when the games actually count). That said, I'm sure the kids will be chomping at the bit to get on the field. If a coach gets a star hurt in a throw-away game ... he'll never hear the end of it.


If it is just four games and no champion awarded, etc., ... it should give IUP a great chance to settle the QB issue on the field. Let each start two games or something. I'm not convinced Davis is out of the mix. I know most seem to think Mr. Akron has it in the bag.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

It's a tough call. If you're just playing four games for the sake of playing four games ... fact is people will get hurt. That's football. Do you want to risk a star? Do you really want a Duane Brown type of player playing meaningless games? Any serious injury (knee or something) likely wouldn't be healed by the Fall (for when the games actually count). That said, I'm sure the kids will be chomping at the bit to get on the field. If a coach gets a star hurt in a throw-away game ... he'll never hear the end of it.


If it is just four games and no champion awarded, etc., ... it should give IUP a great chance to settle the QB issue on the field. Let each start two games or something. I'm not convinced Davis is out of the mix. I know most seem to think Mr. Akron has it in the bag.

i agree in that I probably do not want players of the calibre of Touchdown Duane Brown on the field if the games are truly meaningless. It is a fine line that coaches will have to walk here.

I like the term Mr. Akron. LOL.

I just hope that IUP keeps the rich pedigree of great QB play going. Lenny and Maxwell both were in that mold of what the great IUP signal callers of the past brought to the program. I still would like to punch that idiot Jim Haslett in the face for the 2014 nightmare that he helped to author.

[IUPMonk]

If the games are meaningless then don't play the games. Otherwise they mean something and your best players play with them and the program excepting the inherent risk of injury that puts them out for a 10 or 11 game plus playoff fall season.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Gotta love it. No football season and it's a Saturday in November ... and 73 degrees and sunny.