THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Article below. It's a pretty good one (very positive), IMO. I forgot about Houser's academic prowess and being in the Cook Honors College. Nice to get the recognition for that.

Regarding the two big injuries, it is great to get Brown back. Not a lot of info on Stewart's injury. We'll see. I'm hoping for the best.

https://www.indianagazette.com/sport...955186338.html

Best part is that means Houser isn't counting toward the football 'tab' (money-wise).

If you can get kids on academic money that is a fantastic avenue and obviously helps you add more quality depth.

[Ram040506]

IUP dropped everyone back in coverage, seems to me that's trying to make a team one-dimensional...that's what I heard Tort himself say at halftime...

Did it work? Dropping everyone into coverage would try and force a team to rush the ball, correct? Go read the box score and tell me if that is how it played out.

[iupgroundhog]

Did it work? Dropping everyone into coverage would try and force a team to rush the ball, correct? Go read the box score and tell me if that is how it played out.

Yes, that comment seems completely counterintuitive.

[Ship69]

Article below. It's a pretty good one (very positive), IMO. I forgot about Houser's academic prowess and being in the Cook Honors College. Nice to get the recognition for that.

Regarding the two big injuries, it is great to get Brown back. Not a lot of info on Stewart's injury. We'll see. I'm hoping for the best.

https://www.indianagazette.com/sport...955186338.html

The bye week should be a big plus for IUP as far as getting Brown back to 100 percent.

[WarriorVoice]

Did it work? Dropping everyone into coverage would try and force a team to rush the ball, correct? Go read the box score and tell me if that is how it played out.

I'm just repeating what Coach Tortorella said at Halftime...Shepherd obviously went away from the run in the 2nd half, being down multiple scores. Played right into his plan of making them one-dimensional. Dropping everyone back in coverage is an attempt to make it difficult to throw the ball. It worked. Shepherd's longest pass was 33 yards. Bagent threw 2 picks and there were chances for others. Brown was the only ball carrier other than Bagent, so maybe the Rams had injury issues there.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Did it work? Dropping everyone into coverage would try and force a team to rush the ball, correct? Go read the box score and tell me if that is how it played out.

They probably got very excited watching the film from the Gannon game. Heck, if I had Bagent and watched that film ... I'd have been excited, too.

But, that's kind of a trap. IUP's secondary is actually much better than many on here give it credit for this year. Sure, they got smoked at Gannon but that had a lot to do with the DL taking the day off ... and also the GU QB looking like John Elway on that day. He was just in the zone. That was just a horrible day for the defense but I think it was the wake up call it needed. Shep WRs going all stonehands helped IUP, too.

I think Tort was right when he said he felt the long drives IUP kept having kind of perhaps sped up the play-calling and added a level of 'we need to strike fast' thinking. To have Ronnie Brown (in a slippery, wet jersey) and not run him was mind-boggling.

Weather will likely be an issue again should they meet up.

But, that's a long time from now (football-wise).

No easy games from here (although I think Shep will smack New Haven).

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The bye week should be a big plus for IUP as far as getting Brown back to 100 percent.

No doubt. Sounds like he will be ready roll.

Positive is they threw out a lot of new wrinkles in that Shepherd game. Those TEs showed they can be a force. So did WR Daniel Debner. His TD catch was highlight reel stuff. He's not a big guy and went right up over the DB and snagged it. Adam Houser also had the breakout game everybody had been waiting to see.

At the very least it gives their next opponent more to worry about next week.

[Ram040506]

I'm just repeating what Coach Tortorella said at Halftime...Shepherd obviously went away from the run in the 2nd half, being down multiple scores. Played right into his plan of making them one-dimensional. Dropping everyone back in coverage is an attempt to make it difficult to throw the ball. It worked. Shepherd's longest pass was 33 yards. Bagent threw 2 picks and there were chances for others. Brown was the only ball carrier other than Bagent, so maybe the Rams had injury issues there.

Ok, you didn’t see the game. You just want to have an opinion I get it. Bless your heart.

[EyeoftheHawk]

At times I think they are conscience that they have a QB with NFL aspirations and in order for a D2 QB to get noticed he's gotta put up some big stats. It's worked and they've been more pass heavy for over a decade now, so that seems to be just the way the offense has evolved.

They do get the ball to Brown in a myriad of ways in the pass game, return game and run game. He typically has somewhere between 12-15 touches per game, but I could see 3-5 more would be nice. The part I'd like to see is the back up RB Hartman getting a consistent 8-10 carries a game as well and maybe take the 45-50 pass attempts down to 35-40. Hartman is a north/south runner who hits the hole fast, where Brown is a home run hitter in the Barry Sanders mold who is always looking to break it big.

Offense is just more finesse now, so that is just typical game flow and I should get used to it I guess. Rams are 100% shot gun now, so running the ball can be a bit trickier from that set up. The lineman have got into a flow where they are more comfortable pass blocking, but I don't think they are poor run blockers, just not enough opportunity.

Obviously you know your team better than I do but from what I saw Saturday aligns with what you’re saying. I went back and watched the game online and thoroughly went through it because you miss a lot watching from the stands in fan mode. What stood out do me was the Shepherd O-line’s lack of athleticism compared to IUP’s defensive front. They’re big, yes, but they don’t move well as a unit and I think that’s something the Rams coaching staff could see. They did try to get Brown going but he had 2-3 runs that went for almost nothing. If he pops one or two of those maybe they keep trying it. Next thing you know they’re down two scores and the dynamic of the game changes. In the end they put the ball in the hands of Bagent, and who wouldn’t. Unfortunately for him it was a terrible day to throw, and the line and receivers didn’t help him.

As mentioned earlier on the board, for all the skill on the field this game was won across the lines and I thought IUP controlled things on both sides of the ball. One thing that wasn’t mentioned is that the two touchdowns IUP scored in the third quarter were into the teeth of the wind and rain, which was blowing hard out of the west. That was Rams’ quarter to maybe grab a lead with the wind at their back but instead IUP controlled the ball for most of the quarter and padded their lead. By the time Shepherd did get the ball back the task was insurmountable going into the wind and rain down 17.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Obviously you know your team better than I do but from what I saw Saturday aligns with what you’re saying. I went back and watched the game online and thoroughly went through it because you miss a lot watching from the stands in fan mode. What stood out do me was the Shepherd O-line’s lack of athleticism compared to IUP’s defensive front. They’re big, yes, but they don’t move well as a unit and I think that’s something the Rams coaching staff could see. They did try to get Brown going but he had 2-3 runs that went for almost nothing. If he pops one or two of those maybe they keep trying it. Next thing you know they’re down two scores and the dynamic of the game changes. In the end they put the ball in the hands of Bagent, and who wouldn’t. Unfortunately for him it was a terrible day to throw, and the line and receivers didn’t help him.

As mentioned earlier on the board, for all the skill on the field this game was won across the lines and I thought IUP controlled things on both sides of the ball. One thing that wasn’t mentioned is that the two touchdowns IUP scored in the third quarter were into the teeth of the wind and rain, which was blowing hard out of the west. That was Rams’ quarter to maybe grab a lead with the wind at their back but instead IUP controlled the ball for most of the quarter and padded their lead. By the time Shepherd did get the ball back the task was insurmountable going into the wind and rain down 17.

IUP went 93 yards for a TD to start the 3rd quarter (in to the weather) and the drive burned about 8 minutes of game clock. That was a thing of beauty.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Ashland is on the clock.

[IUPalum]

Ashland is on the clock.

Ashland/IUP starting a mini rivalry.

[Tdobson]

How does IUP stack up with Ashland? I watched their game today, and I see they have athletes, but was wondering.

Thank you

[IUPbigINDIANS]

They moved back IUP's home basketball game against New Haven to 4:30 p.m.

So, a nice doubleheader next Saturday.

[EyeoftheHawk]

How does IUP stack up with Ashland? I watched their game today, and I see they have athletes, but was wondering.

Thank you

Ashland is VERY good. They have athletes all over the field and their a successful program that expects to win. Of course, that sounds a lot like IUP too, which is why this could end up being a bit of a regional rivalry if it’s not already. Both games these two played in the regular season a few years back were tight contests that could have gone either way, although IUP won both.

I think IUP has a bit of an advantage on both lines, similar to the Shepherd matchup. The Ashland QB is good, but more similar to Grover at Slippery Rock than Bagent at Shepherd. If you don’t have a good QB at this point, your season is already over so everyone will have a good QB going forward. IUP also has the advantage of playing at home after a week off. The Ashland/Notre Dame game today was a very physical battle with several guys going down with injuries, cheap shots, etc., all while IUP was sitting in Indiana probably watching the game in a warm room.

If I was setting the line for this one it would be IUP -6, but I expect this game to be every bit the game with Shepherd was.