THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPNation]

They may also be in a depression due to the Squealers' lousy season.

Indiana High School got b-slapped all season, you’d think the locals would cue up behind the local team that wins.

I think the local resentment factor towards the school and students plays in too…the locals need to get over it. You are a college town whose economy is married to the school for better or for worse. Without the campus you are just a slightly bigger version of Punxsutawney but instead of a giant rat you have a statue of a dead actor to rest your laurels on…liberal college towns tend to embrace their schools.

[CHIP72]

Their townies showed up. Ours either didn’t care or were out of town at Mom Mom’s….

They may also be in a depression due to the Squealers' lousy season.

[IUPNation]

Interesting to hear Tort not shy away from showing some disappointment in the crowd on Saturday on the Hawk Talk show. Quote of the night: “They must not have had Thanksgiving at Shepherd, there were 5,000 fans there,” LOL. Well played coach. Well played.

Other notable information was he said Brown looked close to 100% today in practice and a decision on Stewart will come after a test on Wednesday. He said he liked how he was moving around today, although he did not practice.

Their townies showed up. Ours either didn’t care or were out of town at Mom Mom’s….

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday.

Tort has a ton coming back next year but will need to purchase some portal DL. Good ones don't come cheap.

[GregD]

Can somebody explain why they come out that side now instead of walking from the field house where it is visible to the fans? I used to really like that.

It avoids conflicts between the team and some knuckleheads that has happened a few times before.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Interesting to hear Tort not shy away from showing some disappointment in the crowd on Saturday on the Hawk Talk show. Quote of the night: “They must not have had Thanksgiving at Shepherd, there were 5,000 fans there,” LOL. Well played coach. Well played.

Other notable information was he said Brown looked close to 100% today in practice and a decision on Stewart will come after a test on Wednesday. He said he liked how he was moving around today, although he did not practice.

[EyeoftheHawk]

The fans were the issue. Tort was tired of players talking to girlfriends leaving the field at halftime. He said too many distractions.

Where they come out now is where Frank's teams all came out.

Yeah, for those of us who have been around for a while it was odd when they started coming out by the front of the stadium. I personally like them coming out where they do now, but I’d still like a tunnel. :)

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Can somebody explain why they come out that side now instead of walking from the field house where it is visible to the fans? I used to really like that.

The fans were the issue. Tort was tired of players talking to girlfriends leaving the field at halftime. He said too many distractions.

Where they come out now is where Frank's teams all came out.

[IUPNation]

I think Ship's stadium could use some improvements on the visiting side, but other than that I think certainly satisfactory for our uses.

They all serve their purpose.

[IUP24]

I like that. Here are a few additions. Take down the high fence and surround the stadium (the areas between the bleachers) with hedges, similar to Georgia. The gates are always open anyway so there’s really no use for the fence, and there are ways to concentrate fans so they have to enter through a ticket taker. Further develop the areas in opposite corners of the end zone for grass/lawn seating. That little spot up by the Field House has become quite popular and you could easily build a gently sloping embankment in the opposite south west corner. A press box overhaul is an obvious need. Finally, how about a tunnel for the players to come through onto the field and through the band? Even an inflatable one would be better than the randomness that happens now in that north west corner.

Can somebody explain why they come out that side now instead of walking from the field house where it is visible to the fans? I used to really like that.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Here's the quickest fix (albeit not a cheap one):

Move the track to the old practice area behind the stadium and move the home side forward toward the field (as part of replacing the home side). Same on the visitor side. Instantly a whole new vibe.

More than enough room. Parking lots remain the same.

I like that. Here are a few additions. Take down the high fence and surround the stadium (the areas between the bleachers) with hedges, similar to Georgia. The gates are always open anyway so there’s really no use for the fence, and there are ways to concentrate fans so they have to enter through a ticket taker. Further develop the areas in opposite corners of the end zone for grass/lawn seating. That little spot up by the Field House has become quite popular and you could easily build a gently sloping embankment in the opposite south west corner. A press box overhaul is an obvious need. Finally, how about a tunnel for the players to come through onto the field and through the band? Even an inflatable one would be better than the randomness that happens now in that north west corner.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Here's the quickest fix (albeit not a cheap one):

Move the track to the old practice area behind the stadium and move the home side forward toward the field (as part of replacing the home side). Same on the visitor side. Instantly a whole new vibe.

More than enough room. Parking lots remain the same.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Yeah you've got it. Since IUP is state-owned, construction dollars from the state are difficult to come by so they prioritize state money for renovating more mainstream buildings. They'd have to use university savings (rapidly depleting) or fund it in pieces. Either way, the folks on the academic end will howl. The major donors have specific interests. I don't know of any high wealth IUP alumni who are IUP football followers. The KCAC received some nice funds from the state because it was billed as a regional events center (to supplant the aging arena in Johnstown) and a mini convention center (hence the IUP Foundation-financed hotel). I just don't think you could spin a new football stadium in any way as a common good for the region - unless as I've mentioned before - it was tied into the Indiana County fair grandstand. I don't see the need for a neutral site for high school games like say Edinboro, Clarion, or Slippery Rock are for the PIAA, either. All IUP really needs is a new home grandstand and spruce up the complex (replace the fencing). All the other pieces are there from previous piecemeal projects. A center reserved section (with chairbacks) will impress the local old farts and some indoor suites for Frodo Driscoll to entertain would generate interest (and revenue) similar to what the KCAC provided for basketball.

I would like a chairback for my seat now that you mention it!

[Ship69]

I’d rather have money for scholarships than piss it on a stadium that gets used 5-8 times a year. There isn’t one nice stadium in the Pee Sack.

Everyone is free to write a check to Sutton Hall for a stadium renovation fund.

Scholarship money for IUP is why it’s been successful.

I think Ship's stadium could use some improvements on the visiting side, but other than that I think certainly satisfactory for our uses.

[Fightingscot82]

Good question. I don't think anybody knows the answer to your question - however - I suspect there is no plan to make the stadium match the level of the football program.

It's inexplicable on one level. But, I guess, we know why. It's not a priority for the people who decide what the priorities are.

IUP isn't an independent entity like Ashland. It's completely tied in with the state system and upgrading the stadium has to get approval from the state, either in the form of the PASSHE annual budget, or, more likely, as a capital expenditure (FS82 can correct me on this). So, there are powerful people who hold the purse strings who would ask "Why IUP? Why IUP football?", even though, yes, IUP, in its history has arguably had more on-field success than any other PASSHE school. There is no "IUP is special" mentality.

The KCAC was built along with the promise of serving a greater economic development and community/regional-based role and it has met those expectations. It's hard to make that case for a football field.

IUP has large benefactors. For example, see "new science building." However, they don't have donors on that level who are sports-crazed enough to put their money into a football field. This is in contrast to Ashland University, as I understand it, which has those donors who have provided for academics and athletics on a roughly equal level.

So, for the rest of the contributors, if it's a choice between putting a consistently quality product on the field and having a great stadium, the default is the program. I guess without the commitment from the administration there is no chance of having our dream facility.

At the minimum, though, upgrade the pressbox!

Yeah you've got it. Since IUP is state-owned, construction dollars from the state are difficult to come by so they prioritize state money for renovating more mainstream buildings. They'd have to use university savings (rapidly depleting) or fund it in pieces. Either way, the folks on the academic end will howl. The major donors have specific interests. I don't know of any high wealth IUP alumni who are IUP football followers. The KCAC received some nice funds from the state because it was billed as a regional events center (to supplant the aging arena in Johnstown) and a mini convention center (hence the IUP Foundation-financed hotel). I just don't think you could spin a new football stadium in any way as a common good for the region - unless as I've mentioned before - it was tied into the Indiana County fair grandstand. I don't see the need for a neutral site for high school games like say Edinboro, Clarion, or Slippery Rock are for the PIAA, either. All IUP really needs is a new home grandstand and spruce up the complex (replace the fencing). All the other pieces are there from previous piecemeal projects. A center reserved section (with chairbacks) will impress the local old farts and some indoor suites for Frodo Driscoll to entertain would generate interest (and revenue) similar to what the KCAC provided for basketball.