THE IUP Football Thread

[Fightingscot82]

Of the four remaining, they should handle three of them pretty easily. However, the #LIT-AF visit in 12 days is going to be a tough game. That's always a very chippy, dirty game. Much like IUP, Gannon does show flashes of being a very good team. However, much like IUP, they also show flashes of not being a very good team.

Not one person at IUP will ever call 8-3 and missing the playoffs a good season -- especially with (lopsided) losses to Cal and SRU. As the Yinzer coach says, the standard is the standard.

The important part to finishing 8-3 (if) is heading in to the off-season on a five-game winning streak. I think that would at least salvage the season and build some momentum for next year. The offense is set to arrive next Fall, so we also have that to look forward to.

They do deserve credit for the second half against Edinboro. They looked dead in the water late in the first half. As soon as they went to the I-Formation, their RBs looked like themselves again. I sure hope that is the offense the rest of the way. That is the perfect offense for their current situation. Did anybody else notice the OL went from (again) dismal in the first half to looking dominant in the second half after switching the offense? Makes you wonder.


The visit to Greensburg Salem will be interesting. The Griffins, despite being the Griffins, talk on par with the 1980s Miami Hurricanes. This may be a personal foul festival.

Air Raid & West Coast are fun to watch but its funny how when used properly the time-honored I-Formation and Wing T are pretty strong.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

In all honesty, 8-3 is still a good season. Not great, but good. Most PSAC teams would be happy with that.

Of the four remaining, they should handle three of them pretty easily. However, the #LIT-AF visit in 12 days is going to be a tough game. That's always a very chippy, dirty game. Much like IUP, Gannon does show flashes of being a very good team. However, much like IUP, they also show flashes of not being a very good team.

Not one person at IUP will ever call 8-3 and missing the playoffs a good season -- especially with (lopsided) losses to Cal and SRU. As the Yinzer coach says, the standard is the standard.

The important part to finishing 8-3 (if) is heading in to the off-season on a five-game winning streak. I think that would at least salvage the season and build some momentum for next year. The offense is set to arrive next Fall, so we also have that to look forward to.

They do deserve credit for the second half against Edinboro. They looked dead in the water late in the first half. As soon as they went to the I-Formation, their RBs looked like themselves again. I sure hope that is the offense the rest of the way. That is the perfect offense for their current situation. Did anybody else notice the OL went from (again) dismal in the first half to looking dominant in the second half after switching the offense? Makes you wonder.


The visit to Greensburg Salem will be interesting. The Griffins, despite being the Griffins, talk on par with the 1980s Miami Hurricanes. This may be a personal foul festival.

[Fightingscot82]

In all honesty, 8-3 is still a good season. Not great, but good. Most PSAC teams would be happy with that.

[IUPalum]

Houser cleared the 1,000-yard career rushing mark today.

Nobody cares.

[iupgroundhog]

It's been a disappointing season. There is no doubt about that. We can all speculate about what went wrong until the cows come home but it won't change the first half of the 2023 season.

I prefer to look to the future. As I mentioned in a previous post, IUP actually is a young team. Combine that with throwing together the OL and a QB who arrived in the summer and we are where we are. Yes, there was an inexcusable miscounting of timeouts in there. I only count Lockhart, Zinoble, Taylor, Holmes, and Djouha as players using up their eligibility this year. I don't really question Tort's "one year away" assessment. I think it has a lot of validity.

Now is the time to start building for next year. IUP has a whole lot of potential in the pipeline. The staff needs to look to the future.

As far as the coaching staff goes, I wouldn't object to some tweaking but wholesale change is probably not what IUP needs now. When Wilson came to IUP from Cal everybody considered it to be a major coup. He had tremendous success at Cal. On the other side of the ball, Smith has coached some of the best defenses in D2.

I'm going to enjoy watching the remaining games on the schedule.

I would also mention that for many, many years IUP didn't really have to develop a QB. The former D1 transfers were already developed. They just had to adapt to their new role with IUP. And they did. By going with a D2 transfer, it was not the same.

[Fightingscot82]

Two of Boro's big plays today ... there wasn't an IUP DB within 15 yards.

Told you IUP's DBs are a liability. Only 2 INT on the season. Yesterday probably isn't a good sample due to weather.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Another thing. Edinboro’s bench spent the whole night heavily cheering for those on the field. When IUP came out in the second half they copied that behavior and played much better. I think it really helped to boost morale. Overall I have nothing but respect for that Edinboro team and staff. They played a great game.

Oddly, the Edinboro sideline seemed to lose all its enthusiasm after halftime. They looked like two different teams, first half to second half. The end of half time management botch seemed to really take the wind out of their sails. Not getting any points there was a killer.

Luckily, I think their talking is what actually woke IUP up. The Hawks did not have a good first half (to say it nicely). It seems they finally got tired of the talk and noise, and physically dominated the second half.

IUP going with that power running game in the second half was a breath of fresh air. It looked like the old days. I sure hope that is the primary offense the next four games.

[jrshooter]

Houser cleared the 1,000-yard career rushing mark today.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Edinboro played a pretty solid game, just lost to better talent. Nothing to be ashamed of there.

Nico looked a lot better at QB when having a full week to prep rather than being thrust into the game for Karst. He’s not a QB1 talent by any means at this point, but at least he didn’t look like a deer in the headlights this week.

IUP is still LOUSY in the first half every game, but I’m sure Tort will tell us Edinboro played exactly like he expected. Must be all the players fault.

Coming into the season I thought they were supposed to be one of our biggest assets, but man our secondary SUCKS!!! Poor tackling and consistently beat long while giving up short passes for free most times. If they stick with their man (assuming they don’t let someone streak past all their coverage) they just watch them catch the ball and bring them down after. Or like we saw today they get beat deep 2 on 1 then get juked out of their shoes for a TD. YIKES!

Two of Boro's big plays today ... there wasn't an IUP DB within 15 yards.

[DeepBallEnjoyer]

Another thing. Edinboro’s bench spent the whole night heavily cheering for those on the field. When IUP came out in the second half they copied that behavior and played much better. I think it really helped to boost morale. Overall I have nothing but respect for that Edinboro team and staff. They played a great game.

[DeepBallEnjoyer]

Edinboro played a pretty solid game, just lost to better talent. Nothing to be ashamed of there.

Nico looked a lot better at QB when having a full week to prep rather than being thrust into the game for Karst. He’s not a QB1 talent by any means at this point, but at least he didn’t look like a deer in the headlights this week.

IUP is still LOUSY in the first half every game, but I’m sure Tort will tell us Edinboro played exactly like he expected. Must be all the players fault.

Coming into the season I thought they were supposed to be one of our biggest assets, but man our secondary SUCKS!!! Poor tackling and consistently beat long while giving up short passes for free most times. If they stick with their man (assuming they don’t let someone streak past all their coverage) they just watch them catch the ball and bring them down after. Or like we saw today they get beat deep 2 on 1 then get juked out of their shoes for a TD. YIKES!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Do you think that game settled the locals? The IUP crew seemed much more impressed with Edinboro. I do wish Edinboro could have been at full strength - two of their better OL are out for the year.

No. Most don't care about IUP winning these types of games. This is at minimum a playoff or bust program. They already busted. Nice for the players to get a W.

Neither was near full strength but I hear ya.

I also thought Edinboro put up a nice fight. They seemed to lose all their mojo at halftime, however.

[Fightingscot82]

Nico had a pretty good second half. He really settled in after the break. The conditions were obviously awful but he hit two big TD passes.

Based on the final four games, he should be able to keep them afloat.

Stewart and Houser ran hard today. They dropped some licks in the second half.

Do you think that game settled the locals? The IUP crew seemed much more impressed with Edinboro. I do wish Edinboro could have been at full strength - two of their better OL are out for the year.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Nico had a pretty good second half. He really settled in after the break. The conditions were obviously awful but he hit two big TD passes.

Based on the final four games, he should be able to keep them afloat.

Stewart and Houser ran hard today. They dropped some licks in the second half.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Well IUPbigINDIANS , He may just have a point there. The OL is pretty young to include starting-playing experience and playing time together as a unit. Plus you have RB Stewart still trying to get back to his play 100% physically and mentally from the knee injury, same goes for WR Lockhart. Now you bring in a QB that still needed some developing AND learn a new system. So maybe Tort has a point. But again, that is Tort not putting any blame on his staff, who deserve some blame on this season.

You know how many teams would have died to have that offensive roster back in August? A lot.

That should have been a juggernaut in my opinion. But, all hindsight now.