THE IUP Football Thread

[EyeoftheHawk]

I generally feel that coaching staffs and programs sometimes just need "change." There's a ton of guys on that staff who have been there for a lot of years. If your argument for keeping somebody around is strictly a W/L record, I get it. But there's also a bigger picture to evaluate too. Where is the standing of the program to others in the conference compared to when he took over? Where do they stack up against other SR1 players since he took over? People have been talking about Cal's demise for over a decade now. Did he increase the separation? How is SRU trending in comparison to IUP?

I'm not saying what should or should not happen. Truth be told, I don't think IUP will be in the market for a new head coach in December. Regardless, there are scenarios where sometimes change is good for all parties. They may be at that point. He had a fantastic year in 2017. He had a fantastic year last year as well, but when that team got deep into the journey, they proved to not be on the same level as another team within their own conference. I don't expect them to win the PSAC every year. I don't expect them to win the region every year. Heck, I don't expect them to reach that game every year. But at a macro level, evaluate this holistically, and not just the W/L record.

There's been commonalities for this team for years. Poor special teams play, horrific on-field discipline, slow starts, questionable offensive game plans, no attention to detail, etc. I'm not saying everything that happens between the lines is the fault of the head coach. But some of those items are a reflection. You have an OC, but the HC approves the game plan. You have special teams coach, but you continually see the same mistakes happen time and time again. You may have quality control people, but the HC should be involved in knowing time, score, situation, and remaining number of timeouts. Guys commit dumb personal foul penalties, don't keep putting them on the field. It's stuff like that that is worthy of discussing.

Quite honestly, I couldn't care less about who he's beaten, who he is undefeated against, etc. SRU is a good program. You aren't going to win 8 out of 10 games against programs which operate at that level. So I don't look at the result of them losing that game this year, or this week to Cal either, as a reflection of his performance. That said, process matters. They looked woefully unprepared against SRU. They looked unfocused against Cal. Those are things I look at. And those are things that seem to be happening with more and more frequency.

Very well put. I can’t disagree with any of it. The problems have been the problems for the majority of this administration. Those issues combined with the timeout debacle and an unwillingness to take full responsibility for it fanned the flames. Then that’s backed up with two losses to your two best opponents and rivals in the division. It’s ugly right now, no other way to say it. On top of that, the journeyman QB brought to Indiana is likely done for the year. He wasn’t playing great when healthy but I thought he was improving and is still a better option than QB2 and QB3. The offensive line transfers didn’t pan out for the most part. The defense was great until it wasn’t. I think Cal still has receivers running wide open.

It has just kind of been the perfect storm this year, so a longer view is what’s needed before deciding what to do. Let’s also allow for the possibility that Tort doesn’t love the job like he once did. These relationships aren’t a one way street. Maybe he, and others, have been thinking about other opportunities. It’s easy to forget that the coaches have feelings, families, and their own ambitions or life plans that factor in. That’s totally fair. As of today I would be surprised if the university initiated a change. I do think how things go for the rest of the season will be important, however.

[Ship69]

Interestingly, this was my original post on the topic. Nothing more, nothing less. Nothing about gun control.

We have, by many estimates, more than 400 million guns in this country. It's almost useless to talk about gun control at present because it's so ridiculously easy to get a firearm in this country that the control horse has basically left the barn. When I was a kid, gangbangers often had to make do with zip guns, which were crude devices jury-rigged to fire .22-caliber rounds. Now they have Glocks, semiautomatic rifles,, and sometimes even hopped-up illegally modified automatics. It does little good to have some controls in your area when a nearby state is headed for no-permit concealed carry. It should be fun.

[IUsuallyPonder]

Did Tort participate in his weekly propaganda telecast from the Hilton, or did he use a forth timeout and blame his lack of attendance on the game clock operator?

[iupgroundhog]

I read today's article in the IG. Regardless of all the negativity, I think there is a reality-based perspective in place and everybody is looking and planning for the future. There is another game Saturday. IUP wants to win it. They have to come back from this and that process starts now. IUP is actually a junior-dominated team. Yes, it all needs to be held together. I am rooting for Marchitelli and/or Romano to reap the benefits from all this. Regardless of their performances last week when they were abruptly thrust into a bad situation, I believe both are top QB prospects. Go IUP!

Edit: I should add that I wouldn't count Hunter out yet, either.

[IUPNation]

Maybe next season..IUP should only have players whose sign is Pisces.

:::Waiting to see which yinzer is the first one to get it:::::

:-)

[RockPride]

Maybe next season..IUP should only have players whose sign is Pisces.

:::Waiting to see which yinzer is the first one to get it:::::

:-)

Dr. J and the Fish that saved Pittsburgh. That’s my old man guess.

[IUPNation]

Dr. J and the Fish that saved Pittsburgh. That’s my old man guess.

You win!

The Fish That Saved IUP!!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I read today's article in the IG. Regardless of all the negativity, I think there is a reality-based perspective in place and everybody is looking and planning for the future. There is another game Saturday. IUP wants to win it. They have to come back from this and that process starts now. IUP is actually a junior-dominated team. Yes, it all needs to be held together. I am rooting for Marchitelli and/or Romano to reap the benefits from all this. Regardless of their performances last week when they were abruptly thrust into a bad situation, I believe both are top QB prospects. Go IUP!

Edit: I should add that I wouldn't count Hunter out yet, either.

I wouldn't get too far ahead. You're assuming all these juniors will return next Fall. I have my doubts.

I can say with certainty the team we've seen the last two weeks is not the same team we saw play Ashland. What happened to it ... we may never know. But, they are vastly different. I don't think the band is all singing the same song. Put it that way.

As for what remains, it's far, far from a given IUP wins out as some have alluded. Being honest, I'm not even sure they are favored this weekend. If they are, it's by a very small number. Every team upcoming is going to be licking its chops to get a shot at the wounded animal.

It's very difficult to predict how a team with very high expectations will respond to it's final five games after being eliminated so early.

I can say this for sure: there will be plenty of good seats available Saturday. Indiana's forecast is calling for an inch of rain, heavy wind and temps in the low 50s. Add to it both teams are toast, and this may be one of the lowest-attended games at Miller in a very, very long time. I'd expect less than 1,000.

[Fightingscot82]

I wouldn't get too far ahead. You're assuming all these juniors will return next Fall. I have my doubts.

I can say with certainty the team we've seen the last two weeks is not the same team we saw play Ashland. What happened to it ... we may never know. But, they are vastly different. I don't think the band is all singing the same song. Put it that way.

As for what remains, it's far, far from a given IUP wins out as some have alluded. Being honest, I'm not even sure they are favored this weekend. If they are, it's by a very small number. Every team upcoming is going to be licking its chops to get a shot at the wounded animal.

It's very difficult to predict how a team with very high expectations will respond to it's final five games after being eliminated so early.

I can say this for sure: there will be plenty of good seats available Saturday. Indiana's forecast is calling for an inch of rain, heavy wind and temps in the low 50s. Add to it both teams are toast, and this may be one of the lowest-attended games at Miller in a very, very long time. I'd expect less than 1,000.

A perfect game to partner with the local schools LOL!

I think your uncertainty about players returning is valid. Part of what IUP sells is swagger, winning, and dominance. This team seems to lack those three things. Its never been easier for players to walk. IUP has benefitted greatly from the latest transfer rules by poaching PSAC players. What irony if the same thing happens to them.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

A perfect game to partner with the local schools LOL!

I think your uncertainty about players returning is valid. Part of what IUP sells is swagger, winning, and dominance. This team seems to lack those three things. Its never been easier for players to walk. IUP has benefitted greatly from the latest transfer rules by poaching PSAC players. What irony if the same thing happens to them.

Well, it could be Tort doesn't want them all back. Lord knows what is going on inside Memorial Field House right now.

Like I said, something happened to this team. You can see it from the stands very clearly. That IUP 'swagger' vanished after the ESU debacle.

Being honest, I go back to the Timeout. I think that exact instance killed this team. It's my opinion that travesty resulted in the players losing faith in their coaching staff. Regardless of all the 'coach speak' and everybody under the sun being blamed, players just don't brush that off. If you want the singular moment the 2023 season changed, go back to about 6:45 p.m. on September 9.

The players again being publicly called out these past two weeks on Tort's show surely isn't helping matters. Tort again said that Cal didn't do a thing they hadn't seen before and they were ready for all of it -- but just didn't play well. He was particuarly harsh on his defense, stating that only two players played well the whole day (Biss and Fowler). He said his experienced secondary played similar to how they played as freshmen two years ago. Granted, they (again) gave up a ton of big plays.

Question many are asking in Hawk Land is were they really prepared, as he keeps saying? Interestingly enough, while Tort said they were prepared for everything and knew what Cal would do, Vulcans coach Gary Dunn, on his show, stated they knew they could hit those big plays against the IUP defense.

Obviously, the Cal game completely changed the moment Karst went down. The Vulcans saw blood in the water and had no fear at all of the IUP QB (whomever it was going to be). Much like the SRU game, the defense did play better in the second half. But, just the same, the damage was long done due to the first half.

In IUPs last three 'big' games (ESU, SRU and Cal), IUP gave up a long TD drive on the games first series. In each of those games, IUP then responded with a three-and-out. Slow starts and instant holes. Maybe it's time to quit deferring the toss and taking the ball.

Sadly for the IUP faithful, I still believe that was a good team. It was lost along the way. But, that's a good roster. That, of course, brings up a whole different discussion.

[ironmaniup]

I wouldn't get too far ahead. You're assuming all these juniors will return next Fall. I have my doubts.

I can say with certainty the team we've seen the last two weeks is not the same team we saw play Ashland. What happened to it ... we may never know. But, they are vastly different. I don't think the band is all singing the same song. Put it that way.

As for what remains, it's far, far from a given IUP wins out as some have alluded. Being honest, I'm not even sure they are favored this weekend. If they are, it's by a very small number. Every team upcoming is going to be licking its chops to get a shot at the wounded animal.

It's very difficult to predict how a team with very high expectations will respond to it's final five games after being eliminated so early.

I can say this for sure: there will be plenty of good seats available Saturday. Indiana's forecast is calling for an inch of rain, heavy wind and temps in the low 50s. Add to it both teams are toast, and this may be one of the lowest-attended games at Miller in a very, very long time. I'd expect less than 1,000.

Looking back, Losing to ESU, a game they should have won, probably caused the problems. While we all look at the timeout debacle, there was also complete breakdown of the DBs on ESU's winning drive. They've never recovered.

[iupgroundhog]

A perfect game to partner with the local schools LOL!

I think your uncertainty about players returning is valid. Part of what IUP sells is swagger, winning, and dominance. This team seems to lack those three things. Its never been easier for players to walk. IUP has benefitted greatly from the latest transfer rules by poaching PSAC players. What irony if the same thing happens to them.

Guys, my above post was just stating what the current state is. I understand there is always the possibility that current players may not come back. I was not speculating about that. I just stated it is a junior-dominated team so I don't think I am the one "looking ahead."

[Fightingscot82]

Guys, my above post was just stating what the current state is. I understand there is always the possibility that current players may not come back. I was not speculating about that. I just stated it is a junior-dominated team so I don't think I am the one "looking ahead."

IUP more than anyone since Gannon several years ago recruits with ego. They have the history and reputation to back it up, too. But ego doesn't pair well with unmet expectations. It could breed an unforced exodus. That's my point.

[Ship69]

I wouldn't get too far ahead. You're assuming all these juniors will return next Fall. I have my doubts.

I can say with certainty the team we've seen the last two weeks is not the same team we saw play Ashland. What happened to it ... we may never know. But, they are vastly different. I don't think the band is all singing the same song. Put it that way.

As for what remains, it's far, far from a given IUP wins out as some have alluded. Being honest, I'm not even sure they are favored this weekend. If they are, it's by a very small number. Every team upcoming is going to be licking its chops to get a shot at the wounded animal.

It's very difficult to predict how a team with very high expectations will respond to it's final five games after being eliminated so early.

I can say this for sure: there will be plenty of good seats available Saturday. Indiana's forecast is calling for an inch of rain, heavy wind and temps in the low 50s. Add to it both teams are toast, and this may be one of the lowest-attended games at Miller in a very, very long time. I'd expect less than 1,000.

Losing players in the era of the portal is a very valid concern. As a Ship fan, it hasn't been fun to watch Khalid Dorsey go crazy for Slippery Rock this season as the Raiders have taken about half a season to find a running game. Despite a dismal 1-5 start, Ship is showing some progress in certain areas and the offense actually hasn't been bad the past two games (fumble that West Chester returned for 99 yards helped break their back in that game). But now that they're starting to find some promising young players on both sides of the ball, how many will they keep for next season. Who knows? What I do know is that rebuilding your o-line every year is not a great way to field winning teams.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Losing players in the era of the portal is a very valid concern. As a Ship fan, it hasn't been fun to watch Khalid Dorsey go crazy for Slippery Rock this season as the Raiders have taken about half a season to find a running game. Despite a dismal 1-5 start, Ship is showing some progress in certain areas and the offense actually hasn't been bad the past two games (fumble that West Chester returned for 99 yards helped break their back in that game). But now that they're starting to find some promising young players on both sides of the ball, how many will they keep for next season. Who knows? What I do know is that rebuilding your o-line every year is not a great way to field winning teams.

Karst Hunter is going to be one of the major question marks at IUP this off-season. He didn't live up to the hype, but he did show flashes of being very good. To be fair, he also showed flashes of not being very good. Not being here last Spring, my opinion, killed him. This was a very different system compared to what he was used to running and I don't think fall camp was enough time for him to adapt.

Depending on his injury status, it's possible he wouldn't be ready for next year regardless. If it's an ACL and he gets surgery in late October or early November, he'd have about 9 months before camp starts to fully recover. Some can come back that fast. Others cannot. If it's just a bad sprain, etc., he would be ready for Spring Ball.

Now, the other question is will he want to stay here -- an awfully long way from home. And, well, his first season in Indiana wasn't exactly glamorous.


Five games to go, I know. But, for all purposes, these remaining games are essentially a start on next year.