THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPNation]

The big team on campus right now may be women's volleyball. Huge start and last night beat a then 8-0 Shepherd, 3-1, in WV.

That team is really loaded up and the new coach seemed to be the missing piece.

Dixon Trophy here we come!!!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

With all due respect, the people playing the sports and the people that actually care about the whole University care! Plain and simple. The Neanderthal way a life is long gone! Go back to the 1950's.

Agreed. The athletic department is changing under Todd's leadership. There is MUCH more emphasis being placed on the 'non-revenue' sports inside Memorial Field House. Those sports were treated as 4th Class Citizens under the previous regimes.

Several of the women's sports are gaining steam -- quickly. And, he made a fantastic hire for the baseball program. Their turnaround in Year 1 last year was incredible.

Volleyball has a chance to win the PSAC this Fall. Men's Golf and Women's Tennis are winning PSAC titles. Times are changing over there. Men's basketball is is the top program and has won three straight PSAC titles -- and is probably the favorite to win a 4th this winter. Women's hoops, however, will be a disaster this year.

[IUPalum]

With all due respect. No one cares. The University is ran by the football and basketball program, that simple.

With all due respect, the people playing the sports and the people that actually care about the whole University care! Plain and simple. The Neanderthal way a life is long gone! Go back to the 1950's.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

With all due respect. No one cares. The University is ran by the football and basketball program, that simple.

Obviously. But, neither is playing yet. If IUPNation is ever going to get his Dixon, the 'no one cares' sports have to do well.

[IUP PSAC Fan]

The big team on campus right now may be women's volleyball. Huge start and last night beat a then 8-0 Shepherd, 3-1, in WV.

That team is really loaded up and the new coach seemed to be the missing piece.

With all due respect. No one cares. The University is ran by the football and basketball program, that simple.

[IUPalum]

Two of the ties were against Gannon and Slippery Rock, the #2 and #3 teams in the preseason coaches poll.

Went 0-3-1 against them last year.

Gannon and Slippery Rock are solid programs as is Mercyhurst.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Two of the ties were against Gannon and Slippery Rock, the #2 and #3 teams in the preseason coaches poll.

Went 0-3-1 against them last year.

The big team on campus right now may be women's volleyball. Huge start and last night beat a then 8-0 Shepherd, 3-1, in WV.

That team is really loaded up and the new coach seemed to be the missing piece.

[Matt Burglund]

Women's Soccer is now 0-0-3

Pretty odd to start with three ties.

Two of the ties were against Gannon and Slippery Rock, the #2 and #3 teams in the preseason coaches poll.

Went 0-3-1 against them last year.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Women's Soccer is now 0-0-3

Pretty odd to start with three ties.

[EyeoftheHawk]

From what I have seen and know: This team is potentially better than some of the good teams we've had in recent years.

Here's why:
1. Veteran OL (4 starters back and the one new addition (Comedy) I have been told is already very special.
2. Good pass rush (Fowler, Feazell, Mayr) and good CBs (esp. Taylor). Good teams have both, mediocre teams have one.
3. Excellent skill. Brown has had his best camp yet. Lockhart looks the part. Carter can help many ways. Stewart and Houser are a solid 1-2 punch.
4. Tight ends. The new OC wants to use these guys like WRs and create matchup problems. Grant Smith is proven, but Cole Laney could be a major weapon. Huge target, has speed.

Concerns
1. The kicking game. Sounds bad to be starting over, but the 3 punts blocked last year weren't the fault of the snapper or the punter.
2. DL depth. If Mitchell gets hurt, they could be hurting up the middle.
3. The QB. If Sexton is what they think he is––and he has had a very good camp––then they can be very potent on offense. If he gets hurt or is ineffective, they won't be.

If I’m the head coach I’m going to cry the blues about injuries, depth, and experience and put lots of doubt in my quotes at the start of the season. What Matt wrote here is going to be more reflective of the situation than Tort is likely to make it sound, and I think that’s a good strategy.

Keep in mind that every program deals with the types of things IUP is dealing with. Inexperience in some spots. Lack of depth. Injuries. Kids doing stupid things. Let’s see them play a couple games and then we’ll have a better idea of what this group is all about.

My biggest concern is still the QB. How good will he really be, and can he stay on the field? It would be nice to have a little more depth at RB, but the two starters they have could be special.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

From what I have seen and know: This team is potentially better than some of the good teams we've had in recent years.

Here's why:
1. Veteran OL (4 starters back and the one new addition (Comedy) I have been told is already very special.
2. Good pass rush (Fowler, Feazell, Mayr) and good CBs (esp. Taylor). Good teams have both, mediocre teams have one.
3. Excellent skill. Brown has had his best camp yet. Lockhart looks the part. Carter can help many ways. Stewart and Houser are a solid 1-2 punch.
4. Tight ends. The new OC wants to use these guys like WRs and create matchup problems. Grant Smith is proven, but Cole Laney could be a major weapon. Huge target, has speed.

Concerns
1. The kicking game. Sounds bad to be starting over, but the 3 punts blocked last year weren't the fault of the snapper or the punter.
2. DL depth. If Mitchell gets hurt, they could be hurting up the middle.
3. The QB. If Sexton is what they think he is––and he has had a very good camp––then they can be very potent on offense. If he gets hurt or is ineffective, they won't be.

My assessment (sight unseen, of course) is they are going to score lots of points.

It's going to be hard to really focus on any one position or player for a defense ... i.e. focus too much on Duane and the others will smash you.

The previous OC drove me (and most) bonkers by not utilizing his big TEs.

I love the RB combo at 1A and 1B. They have to stay healthy. I love the idea of Q. Carter getting time at RB. He's elusive and a burner. Great spot back and a great pass catcher out of the backfield. Probably not a coincidence that was mentioned this week ... one more headache for ESU to prepare to face. If the top two stay healthy, that is a legit duo teams will have to fear. Start worrying about the run and all those targets go crazy.

They are really big at WR. Duane is only 6' (rare player I think listed shorter than he is) but plays way bigger and is a physical specimen. Ridley and Lockhart are both 6'3" (ish). I saw all I needed to see from Lockhart when he smoked IUP a year ago for 9 catches, 160-some yards and 2 TDs. He's very physical, too.

And, as you said, the OL doesn't get the pub on here but that starting unit is stacked. They'll need to keep working the depth.

Hopefully they get the opportunity to have some big leads and get the bench some work. Only a matter of time until somebody will be needed.

First and foremost, Sexton doesn't need to be in any stat races. They get up comfortably ... get him out of the game. The thought of them going to the bench at QB this year is frightening. Tort has had the tendency to keep stars in far too long. Recall Duane got hurt two years ago in the second half with IUP up 35 or 42 points. They may yap about coming out but tough sh!t.

Point is the D isn't going to need to pitch shutouts. There's probably only a couple teams on the schedule that can hold IUP to 28-35 points or less.

Their offense was stale and predictable the last couple years. They just had the athletes that when clicking teams couldn't stop it. Having some fresh blood at OC will pose the element of surprise. Hell, last year we could call the plays from the home side and be correct about 85% of the time.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

FYI, the first Hawk Talk is tonight ... 6 p.m. at the Hilton.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Last year's PK and LS were both true freshmen. They did OK.



It's my understanding that it was a minor injury and he could have played in the scrimmage but there was no reason to. They were trying to see who else is worthy of getting carries.

Hopefully they do OK. True freshmen -- at any position -- make me nervous.

Obviously there have been exceptions.

Can't tell until the lights get bright.

[Matt Burglund]

Not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about this season. they're gonna need some luck, I think, to make Playoffs. And Tort hasn't been very lucky - hopefully it swings in his direction this year.

From what I have seen and know: This team is potentially better than some of the good teams we've had in recent years.

Here's why:
1. Veteran OL (4 starters back and the one new addition (Comedy) I have been told is already very special.
2. Good pass rush (Fowler, Feazell, Mayr) and good CBs (esp. Taylor). Good teams have both, mediocre teams have one.
3. Excellent skill. Brown has had his best camp yet. Lockhart looks the part. Carter can help many ways. Stewart and Houser are a solid 1-2 punch.
4. Tight ends. The new OC wants to use these guys like WRs and create matchup problems. Grant Smith is proven, but Cole Laney could be a major weapon. Huge target, has speed.

Concerns
1. The kicking game. Sounds bad to be starting over, but the 3 punts blocked last year weren't the fault of the snapper or the punter.
2. DL depth. If Mitchell gets hurt, they could be hurting up the middle.
3. The QB. If Sexton is what they think he is––and he has had a very good camp––then they can be very potent on offense. If he gets hurt or is ineffective, they won't be.

[Matt Burglund]

Freshmen (some true) at K, P and long-snapper.

Good Lord.

Last year's PK and LS were both true freshmen. They did OK.

Houser seems injury-prone. Hoping the hammy doesn't linger.

It's my understanding that it was a minor injury and he could have played in the scrimmage but there was no reason to. They were trying to see who else is worthy of getting carries.