THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Well I did see an IUP team w a chip on their shoulder for sure but the Bloom team was far from thinking about turning equipment in. They had 2 wins in the last 3 games and a 1 score loss to ESU. IUP may have changed that thought by halftime.

I think teams can simply get a snakebitten season -- and IUP certainly had one last year.

If you go way back in this thread you will read the posts from the night of the Timeout heard 'round the world. Most of us said IUP wouldn't recover from that -- and, they didn't. That lingered long.

They then went up to SRU a couple weeks later and got smoked -- looking totally unprepared and out-coached. The following week the QB went down and missed the next 3-4 games. The backup did OK but they weren't nearly the same. When he eventually came back they went 2-0 to close out the season.

During that stretch they lost at Seton Hill (and looked about as interested as a kid in Sunday School). They lost at home to Gannon on a 55-yard field goal that hit two crossbars before dropping in.

Along the way they lost a star defensive player to an arrest. You name it, and it pretty much went wrong last year. In all honesty, they were lucky to finish 6-5. That was a good a team the night it beat Ashland and against East Stroudsburg. The balloon just popped after the timeout fiasco.

But, nearly everybody is back. They took some losses to graduation but have added some high-profile transfers (mainly at RB and LB). They've added some bulk to the DL, which was badly needed.

We'll see what happens. As EyeoftheHawk said this morning, if they don't have a pretty good year with this upcoming roster ... something is seriously wrong. Tort got a free pass after that mess of a season last Fall. For his sake it better not happen again.

[Ram040506]

Well I did see an IUP team w a chip on their shoulder for sure but the Bloom team was far from thinking about turning equipment in. They had 2 wins in the last 3 games and a 1 score loss to ESU. IUP may have changed that thought by halftime.

Shepherd had 2 of the worst games i've seen them play in about a decade last year. Bloom was one of them for sure. They didn't show up to play and got smacked for it.

[Huskie14]

Talent on the field is just part of the equation and as you observed, that hasn’t been the problem for the most part. I did feel last year’s team was a little down in that department at a couple position groups. You may have also seen a Bloom team on that given day that was thinking about turning in equipment playing an IUP team that had a chip on its shoulder considering how the season went. If you saw IUP play Seton Hill earlier in the year you’d know exactly why they didn’t have a better record.

Well I did see an IUP team w a chip on their shoulder for sure but the Bloom team was far from thinking about turning equipment in. They had 2 wins in the last 3 games and a 1 score loss to ESU. IUP may have changed that thought by halftime.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IMO...Out of all the teams I got to see Bloom play....IUP by far had the most talent on the field. Their team speed and size was impressive. I didn't see that against the 2 benchmark teams in the east, Shephard or Kutztown in which I thought Bloom competed against very well. IUP always has the kind of talent to make a a deep run in the playoffs. I watched them in the last game and couldn't put my finger on why the didn't have a better record.

Don't ask lol. That disaster has been put to bed.

[EyeoftheHawk]

IMO...Out of all the teams I got to see Bloom play....IUP by far had the most talent on the field. Their team speed and size was impressive. I didn't see that against the 2 benchmark teams in the east, Shephard or Kutztown in which I thought Bloom competed against very well. IUP always has the kind of talent to make a a deep run in the playoffs. I watched them in the last game and couldn't put my finger on why the didn't have a better record.

Talent on the field is just part of the equation and as you observed, that hasn’t been the problem for the most part. I did feel last year’s team was a little down in that department at a couple position groups. You may have also seen a Bloom team on that given day that was thinking about turning in equipment playing an IUP team that had a chip on its shoulder considering how the season went. If you saw IUP play Seton Hill earlier in the year you’d know exactly why they didn’t have a better record.

[Huskie14]

It’s so difficult to tell how this class stacks up against the other schools. Every kid’s highlight reel looks good, of course. You can make a 5’10” 145 lb. RB from Penns Manor look like a D1 prospect these days. They probably brought in a few more than I thought they would. I was expecting about a dozen kids. All but one of them is in-state. Just about everyone else brought in more kids from out of state. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, or a reflection of the budget. The grass isn’t always greener across the border, but it sure helps when you can expand your reach.

I can’t put my finger on it but I have a fear IUP is starting to fall behind and isn’t far from perennially being the 4th or 5th best program in the PSAC. I have no data to back that up, but what we saw last year was scary. The 2024 season is going to tell us a lot about that because if they can’t finish 1 or 2 in the West with the material returning, that’s an ominous sign for the future.

IMO...Out of all the teams I got to see Bloom play....IUP by far had the most talent on the field. Their team speed and size was impressive. I didn't see that against the 2 benchmark teams in the east, Shephard or Kutztown in which I thought Bloom competed against very well. IUP always has the kind of talent to make a a deep run in the playoffs. I watched them in the last game and couldn't put my finger on why the didn't have a better record.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Looks like Tort signed 16 today (plus the 5 mid-year transfers).

I don't spend much time on the high school players but word is they think 1-2 could possibly play this Fall in some capacity. The rest will likely redshirt.

I'd assume Tort will add some more transfers during the next palooza (after Spring camps break).

It’s so difficult to tell how this class stacks up against the other schools. Every kid’s highlight reel looks good, of course. You can make a 5’10” 145 lb. RB from Penns Manor look like a D1 prospect these days. They probably brought in a few more than I thought they would. I was expecting about a dozen kids. All but one of them is in-state. Just about everyone else brought in more kids from out of state. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, or a reflection of the budget. The grass isn’t always greener across the border, but it sure helps when you can expand your reach.

I can’t put my finger on it but I have a fear IUP is starting to fall behind and isn’t far from perennially being the 4th or 5th best program in the PSAC. I have no data to back that up, but what we saw last year was scary. The 2024 season is going to tell us a lot about that because if they can’t finish 1 or 2 in the West with the material returning, that’s an ominous sign for the future.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Looks like Tort signed 16 today (plus the 5 mid-year transfers).

I don't spend much time on the high school players but word is they think 1-2 could possibly play this Fall in some capacity. The rest will likely redshirt.

I'd assume Tort will add some more transfers during the next palooza (after Spring camps break).

[iupgroundhog]

McAadoo to join Patriots.

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/artic...17039_39924724

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Tomorrow is the big day. We can all be convinced our schools signed great classes. Of course, about a third of them (or more) will be gone by January. Hit repeat.


Anyway, any word last-minute flips, etc.?

I've seen several committed to Team Timeout. That doesn't mean anything until tomorrow morning.


Blessed. đź’Ż ... and all that other happy sh!t. Happy Signing Day Eve.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It's now tomorrow...

I had heard they got a WR from Clarion but I didn't have the name. The cat obviously came out the bag two days later.

[Bart]

Sounds like they have added a WR transfer. More later today.

They picked up two. https://iupathletics.com/news/2024/1...024-squad.aspx

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Any word if Tyrone Fowler signed anywhere yet?

[Iupgh]

It's now tomorrow...

I wouldn’t think there would be any additions until the next Portal opening after Spring Football. Should be numerous Wideouts available after they see there standing after Spring action.

[IUPalum]

Sounds like they have added a WR transfer. More later today.

It's now tomorrow...