IUP Football 2021

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Three interesting names on the Spring roster.

Devin Carney (WR/DB). Formerly of D3 Thaddeus Stevens. This guy is a really good athlete with nice size. Curious to see which side of the ball he lands on ... maybe both. He's a guy they can do a lot with at several positions.

Nolan Labuda (WR). He's small (5'8") but had an outstanding career at Belle Vernon. Spent a year as a walk-on at Akron.

Prosper Saydee (DB). Had a stellar high school career and ended up at Valley Forge Military Academy. Nice speed and size at 6'1" and 200 lbs.


Labuda probably won't be in the mix in 2021 but the other two should challenge for some serious time.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Anything more would require BIG money (unlikely) or shifting resources from FB/MBB (extremely unlikely). Its my understanding that IUP puts nearly all of its unallocated men's athletic scholarship dollars into FB and MBB. The remaining scraps are given to the remaining sports to placate coaches. Anything above scraps are raised by the program or are already designated by alumni gifts. This allows IUP to maintain an above average profile in the only D2 sports that have any regional profile but they're also struggling to increase that capacity beyond what it is now.

Well, Joe's office is a Ritz Carlton inside the KCAC. The baseball office is the equivalent to a broom closet in the Field House. That probably sums it up pretty well.

[IUP24]

Maybe it's long overdue to change the old philosophy ... or continue being basically a dumpster fire.

I wish I could tell you about the scholarship situation there, but I know people who wanted to play there (and had there choice of other surrounding D2 programs to play at) and the coaching staff wouldn't even blink at them. The "we don't recruit local players" line was spoken to more than one person I know who would be considered "locals."

[Fightingscot82]

I wish I could tell you about the scholarship situation there, but I know people who wanted to play there (and had there choice of other surrounding D2 programs to play at) and the coaching staff wouldn't even blink at them. The "we don't recruit local players" line was spoken to more than one person I know who would be considered "locals."

I get it though. When you've got Seton Hill, Slippery Rock, and Mercyhurst heavily recruiting your area you're just going to get caught in a bidding war that you can't win. Between Rock and Cal you're also in a losing battle on facilities (even though its gotta be a 45 minute drive from Cal's campus to Wild Things Park). I guess you can deal with it or look for work elsewhere.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I wish I could tell you about the scholarship situation there, but I know people who wanted to play there (and had there choice of other surrounding D2 programs to play at) and the coaching staff wouldn't even blink at them. The "we don't recruit local players" line was spoken to more than one person I know who would be considered "locals."

Believe it or not, I've know several D2 coaches personally (in varying sports) who had the same philosophy. The reasoning: they don't want the parents around yapping all the time. Some also feel locals have too many distractions. Locally to IUP, the Heritage Conference just gets a bad wrap. It produces a lot of athletes. Most end up playing against IUP down the road.

Trust me, I get it that IUP looks at the baseball program as the step child in the house. They have for decades and I don't see it changing anytime soon. And, believe me, I'm not saying take any coin away from Joe or Tort just so they can win a couple more games a year.

Other side of the coin, I can see Seton Hill pumping big coin in to baseball. They are never going to compete in football or men's basketball in the PSAC. Pick your spots.

[iupgroundhog]

Some player names missing from the IUP Spring Roster:

Ken Roman - I thought I read that he would be back.

P/K Jordan Washington and Nate Clair. Does this mean the Kicker role is open?

TE Jacob Watts - he had made a good impression in a backup role.

QB Joe Hauser

DB Javonte Haynes - he had seen a lot of action as a true frosh

Other DB's:

Obi Anyatonwu
Donte Terry
Darrell Holloway

Otherwise, the roster looks really solid. They should be able to fill Shockley's spot. Maybe another LB and OL. That's about it, though.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Some player names missing from the IUP Spring Roster:

Ken Roman - I thought I read that he would be back.

P/K Jordan Washington and Nate Clair. Does this mean the Kicker role is open?

TE Jacob Watts - he had made a good impression in a backup role.

QB Joe Hauser

DB Javonte Haynes - he had seen a lot of action as a true frosh

Other DB's:

Obi Anyatonwu
Donte Terry
Darrell Holloway

Otherwise, the roster looks really solid. They should be able to fill Shockley's spot. Maybe another LB and OL. That's about it, though.

I thought it was odd they signed a kicker on signing day. I don't love the prospects of a true freshman kicker.

[Fightingscot82]

I thought it was odd they signed a kicker on signing day. I don't love the prospects of a true freshman kicker.

At least IUP has a great track record in developing kickers. Could also be guys who took the spring off from school. If they're not enrolled they're not supposed to be listed on the roster. Totally conjecture there but common at D2.

[iupgroundhog]

At least IUP has a great track record in developing kickers. Could also be guys who took the spring off from school. If they're not enrolled they're not supposed to be listed on the roster. Totally conjecture there but common at D2.

I think in Roman's case he is supposed to be back for the Fall.

[Matt Burglund]

Some player names missing from the IUP Spring Roster:

Ken Roman - I thought I read that he would be back.

P/K Jordan Washington and Nate Clair. Does this mean the Kicker role is open?

TE Jacob Watts - he had made a good impression in a backup role.

QB Joe Hauser

DB Javonte Haynes - he had seen a lot of action as a true frosh

Other DB's:

Obi Anyatonwu
Donte Terry
Darrell Holloway

Otherwise, the roster looks really solid. They should be able to fill Shockley's spot. Maybe another LB and OL. That's about it, though.

I talked to Tort last night.

• Ken Roman is supposed to be back in the fall. He has one semester of eligibility left.
• Nate Clair is on the roster.
• Jacob Watts left after the 2019 season to transfer to a school that had the major he wanted. Not sure what it was or where he went.
• Joe Hauser left the team after the 2019 season but is still in school.
• Same for Jackson Heasley.
• Tort told me there are some players who have to pay some of their way and they are unable to, so they are not in school.
• Players not on the roster for academic, financial, health, or personal reasons (Tort didn't specify which for each of these): Leonard Robinson, David Filippello, Javonte Haynes, Ryan Langdon, Bryon Williams, Cam Turner, Donte Terry, Jordan Washington and Darrell Holloway.
• Obi Anyatonwu sat out the 2019 season with an injury and transferred to West Chester in January 2020.
• Gunnar Royar transferred after the 2019 season to Baylor and was the Bears' long snapper last fall.
• Branden Myers and Tyler Balega have graduated (or will in May) and chosen not to come back.
• LB Denver Light, the transfer from Penn State, is in school but will not be playing football.
• Joey Tortorella has been moved from LB to FB and Bryce McCleester has moved from RB to LB.

[iupgroundhog]

I talked to Tort last night.

• Ken Roman is supposed to be back in the fall. He has one semester of eligibility left.
• Nate Clair is on the roster.
• Jacob Watts left after the 2019 season to transfer to a school that had the major he wanted. Not sure what it was or where he went.
• Joe Hauser left the team after the 2019 season but is still in school.
• Same for Jackson Heasley.
• Tort told me there are some players who have to pay some of their way and they are unable to, so they are not in school.
• Players not on the roster for academic, financial, health, or personal reasons (Tort didn't specify which for each of these): Leonard Robinson, David Filippello, Javonte Haynes, Ryan Langdon, Bryon Williams, Cam Turner, Donte Terry, Jordan Washington and Darrell Holloway.
• Obi Anyatonwu sat out the 2019 season with an injury and transferred to West Chester in January 2020.
• Gunnar Royar transferred after the 2019 season to Baylor and was the Bears' long snapper last fall.
• Branden Myers and Tyler Balega have graduated (or will in May) and chosen not to come back.
• LB Denver Light, the transfer from Penn State, is in school but will not be playing football.
• Joey Tortorella has been moved from LB to FB and Bryce McCleester has moved from RB to LB.

Thanks for the update.

[jrshooter]

I wish I could tell you about the scholarship situation there, but I know people who wanted to play there (and had there choice of other surrounding D2 programs to play at) and the coaching staff wouldn't even blink at them. The "we don't recruit local players" line was spoken to more than one person I know who would be considered "locals."

Great overview on that earlier post. I couldn't agree more.

Do you think UPJ gobbles up some of those locals that Ditch won't look at? I mean, they're not really a playoff team, but their program is having more success than IUP's.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Great overview on that earlier post. I couldn't agree more.

Do you think UPJ gobbles up some of those locals that Ditch won't look at? I mean, they're not really a playoff team, but their program is having more success than IUP's.

UPJ probably gets some. The thing is -- end of the day -- not a soul at IUP cares what that program does. It's essentially there for enrollment. These last 5-6 posts on the topic are more publicity than that program has got in the media in the past decade. Can you imagine if Tort or Joe even had one season under.500 (let alone numerous)? Thing is with baseball here losing has become the norm. It's expected.

Personally, I'd like to see them do better. D2 baseball is highly entertaining. Nobody here (Indiana) knows that, but, it is.

You can argue what the biggest program at IUP is currently. It was football for a long time. I think men's basketball may have passed it up in the last decade. Certainly basketball has had much more national success. Regardless, that's 1 and 1-A.

You can't be great at everything. There's just not enough money. Bottom line, I think most are OK with IUP sinking the coin in to the two big programs. Football still needs more money. As it is now, we can be a strong regional team year after year. But, the brass who think we can win a national title are a bit delusional. We don't have the depth. First 22 guys, yeah, IUP can compete with about anybody. It's the next 22 guys on the roster that make or break national titles.

Basketball is a different story. Joe's made the final game twice since 2010. Lost both, but nonetheless. Just getting there is so difficult. But, roster-wise, IUP can win the last game of the season in basketball.

Until we can jump from 23-25 scholarships to MAX, well, it's pretty much a dream on the gridiron. It can happen, but the odds are slim. Take 2017. That was a fantastic IUP football team. If they don't lose Max Redfield for the season in Round 2 ... who knows. I know the team wasn't the same without him the next week -- talent-wise or mentally. Max Redfield's don't grow on trees at this level. He was a once-a-decade player at IUP. He made everybody better -- physically and mentally.

[iupgroundhog]

UPJ probably gets some. The thing is -- end of the day -- not a soul at IUP cares what that program does. It's essentially there for enrollment. These last 5-6 posts on the topic are more publicity than that program has got in the media in the past decade. Can you imagine if Tort or Joe even had one season under.500 (let alone numerous)? Thing is with baseball here losing has become the norm. It's expected.

Personally, I'd like to see them do better. D2 baseball is highly entertaining. Nobody here (Indiana) knows that, but, it is.

You can argue what the biggest program at IUP is currently. It was football for a long time. I think men's basketball may have passed it up in the last decade. Certainly basketball has had much more national success. Regardless, that's 1 and 1-A.

You can't be great at everything. There's just not enough money. Bottom line, I think most are OK with IUP sinking the coin in to the two big programs. Football still needs more money. As it is now, we can be a strong regional team year after year. But, the brass who think we can win a national title are a bit delusional. We don't have the depth. First 22 guys, yeah, IUP can compete with about anybody. It's the next 22 guys on the roster that make or break national titles.

Basketball is a different story. Joe's made the final game twice since 2010. Lost both, but nonetheless. Just getting there is so difficult. But, roster-wise, IUP can win the last game of the season in basketball.

Until we can jump from 23-25 scholarships to MAX, well, it's pretty much a dream on the gridiron. It can happen, but the odds are slim. Take 2017. That was a fantastic IUP football team. If they don't lose Max Redfield for the season in Round 2 ... who knows. I know the team wasn't the same without him the next week -- talent-wise or mentally. Max Redfield's don't grow on trees at this level. He was a once-a-decade player at IUP. He made everybody better -- physically and mentally.

What kind of facility does IUP have for baseball and where is it located?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

What kind of facility does IUP have for baseball and where is it located?

It's up on the hill near the animal shelter. It's actually pretty nice. If you're on Wayne Ave ... turn at Hosses' and go up the hill. Can't miss it. They built it up there around 2000 or so.