THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Only a Tort team could've lost that game

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I watched that game. Neither team looked very good. Frostburg would maybe be .500 in the PSAC. Maybe.

Lock Haven would be the second best team in the MEC this year.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Wheeling did Tort a huge favor last night in knocking off Frostburg State.

Now the Lord of the Timeout needs to do his part.

I watched that game. Neither team looked very good. Frostburg would maybe be .500 in the PSAC. Maybe.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Wheeling did Tort a huge favor last night in knocking off Frostburg State.

Now the Lord of the Timeout needs to do his part.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUP and Cal common opponents:


Lock Haven - Vulcans won, 27-20 / IUP won, 20-17

Clarion - Vulcans won, 31-27 / IUP won, 31-0

Seton Hill - Vulcans won, 28-21 / IUP won, 20-13

Slippery Rock - Vulcans won, 28-7 / IUP lost, 33-32



Biggest items for IUP:

* Hawks have trailed three straight games at halftime -- and have been shutout in past three first quarters
- This is going to be a big crowd. Another horrid start will only further excite the locals.
- Imagine IUP playing with a lead in a big game? They did at Ashland (seems like a long time ago) and totally took the crowd out of the game.

* IUP DL has to get heat. The past three weeks, they have not. If Davis Black is allowed time - with those WRs - IUP's secondary will get smoked. Jim Smith has two elite LBs. Blitz them occasionally.

* Muck it up. IUP likely won't win a shootout. For IUP to win, this needs to be a grinder.

* Ever notice when IUP's offense is most effective this year? It's out of the I-Formation. Teams don't see it anymore. Parker Gregg is a monster at FB. In turn, it opens everything else up. Karst, in particular, is at his best out of this formation. He is deadly in misdirection's and play action. It also gives him the ability to take off, which terrifies teams. No matter how bad Larry Wilson wants him to be a drop back passer, he isn't. Play to his strength.

* Make extra points. Tort goes in to freak out mode when they have to chase points.

* DO NOT get in position for the Jim Smith Prevent (Nothing) Defense to make an appearance late in the game. It will get sliced and diced.

* IUP's TEs had two of the biggest plays of the game last week against SH. Use them. Ridley and Massey can have big games this week and Cal knows it. The TEs won't get as much attention.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Honest question - is there any involvement from the SWPA coal industry in the Coal Bowl?

To my knowledge, no. It's a brother on each side. I believe they created it.

When Marshall plays WVU, they call it the Coal Bowl, too. I think there are also others.

IUP and Cal have obviously played forever, but it wasn't really a rivalry until Angelo's reign. Before that, it was an extremely lopsided series for a long time.

The 'Coal Bowl' gives it a nice little name but this game doesn't need anything extra.

I will say IUP vs Cal is different than IUP vs SRU. IUP vs Cal is just a beat the hell out of each other type game. They shake hands after. There's almost never any extracurricular stuff. IUP and Cal recruit nearly each others' rosters. IUP vs SRU is a different vibe. Both intense games. They are just different.

[Fightingscot82]

Honest question - is there any involvement from the SWPA coal industry in the Coal Bowl?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Here's a look at the IUP vs California series under Tort (he's 3-3):

-

Year	Winner	Score
2023	Cal	30-20
2022	IUP	22-21
2021	Cal	38-34
2020	No game	No game
2019	IUP	17-6
2018	Cal	36-24
2017	IUP	26-10

-

Some memories -- good and bad:

2023 - What looked like a shootout (tied early 14-14) turned in to a dud after IUP QB Karst Hunter was knocked out early in the second quarter.

2022 - IUP comeback was preserved when a Cal WR lined up offside prior to attempting game-winning FG. Due to the penalty the clock run-off ended the game.

2021 - Cal scored 21 points in the fourth quarter and stunned Miller Stadium. A dropped Irvin Charles (wide open) TD bomb was dropped, which would have put IUP up 28 points. The script flipped immediately after.

2020 - No game

2019 - IUP's defense dominated the Vulcans, giving up just (6) points during a very hot Homecoming game. The game was televised locally. Between commercial breaks and Cal throwing about 700 incomplete passes, this game took nearly 5 hours.

2018 - As IUP was about to score the winning touchdown in the final moments, California All-America Safety Lamont McPhatter had a 100-yard pick six.

2017 - IUP scored 14 unanswered points in the second half while shutting out the Vulcans' offense.

[IUP24]

I've convinced myself that it is satire. That keeps my sane.

This is the worse it’s ever been. And it’s not close in my opinion. The days just a few years ago where you paid to watch a game on a grainy computer with no broadcasters was far better.

[Fightingscot82]

What's funny about that is it has been said two of Tort's power donors have offered to pay the transportation tab for the band on a couple occasions to travel and the band declined. This was under the previous regime (band director).

Obviously by now we know the school isn't paying for those buses.


It really adds to the visiting crowd. The people who travel with the team are the parents and diehards. So, they are there to actually watch the game and cheer. Add the band and all the sudden you get an energetic bunch. Cal has routinely brought its band to Miller and the visiting side has actually taken over the stadium a couple times - in particular the year IUP blew a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter (2021).

It's amazing every high school band in Pennsylvania travels to away games -- many of which are larger than PSAC bands -- yet there's no money for college bands to make these relatively short trips.

Different rules and different standards. School districts budget for that and either own the busses or have a quoted rate on extra trips like that. A parent with a full sized pickup tows the equipment trailer. With PASSHE the band is a class, not a student organization. There is no operating budget so any purchases are taken to the department. Big things like uniforms and instruments can be projected and budgeted for. But there's no fleet of busses and Mr. Smith can't drive the university box truck. The university has to rent the busses usually at the open market rate. The last time I booked a school bus it was $350 per bus for 4 hours.

Our schools are surprisingly slim in these areas. I'm an assistant Dean with 3 programs under me and my annual operational budget outside of payroll is $5,500. That's for printing, supplies, postage, and my association membership & conference travel. And I'm at a university operating in the black.

[ShoNuff]

This is what watching the game online sounds like for 3 hours.

I understand and respect that they have to start from somewhere. However, I do not believe they quite know the game. So for me, it is difficult to listen to.

[IUPNation]

I'm glad the "Valley Girls" thing is taking off here. I've seen it now in a few posts. I've been reduced to watching the games on mute on my computer and having other games on TV that I am watching with the volume on. Yikes...... That's all I'll say.

This has been a topic on there for a while - every season probably for about 7 years. But this is rock bottom. I just hope they aren't calling basketball games. But past history tells me they will be.

This is what watching the game online sounds like for 3 hours.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

"Who's going to pay for that?"

What's funny about that is it has been said two of Tort's power donors have offered to pay the transportation tab for the band on a couple occasions to travel and the band declined. This was under the previous regime (band director).

Obviously by now we know the school isn't paying for those buses.


It really adds to the visiting crowd. The people who travel with the team are the parents and diehards. So, they are there to actually watch the game and cheer. Add the band and all the sudden you get an energetic bunch. Cal has routinely brought its band to Miller and the visiting side has actually taken over the stadium a couple times - in particular the year IUP blew a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter (2021).

It's amazing every high school band in Pennsylvania travels to away games -- many of which are larger than PSAC bands -- yet there's no money for college bands to make these relatively short trips.

[Fightingscot82]

Could you imagine if:

(1) The IUP band made the trip to California?

(2) The IUP cheerleaders made the trip to California?

(3) IUP actually offered a student bus?


Mention any of these things to anybody important at IUP and they'll look at you like you have 3 heads. "It can't be done."

The band makes such a big difference on the road. It's huge. Again, ... 3 heads.


Luckily, IUP historically travels well for this particular game.

"Who's going to pay for that?"

[EyeoftheHawk]

You'll at least get a good broadcast this week. Cal's production and announcers are very good. it will be extremely one-sided, but, that's pretty much expected.

Good because I’ll be watching from home. I’d be happy to be wrong but I see Cal winning by double digits on Saturday.