THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Sad to say, but I have IUP at 7-3 and likely missing the post-season. I know some things didn’t go IUP’s way last year but I also think they just weren’t that good. It’s largely the same roster this year. I don’t think they added any difference makers. The LB coming in from Millersvill, Cox, was a nice addition, but I don’t know that he’s much of an upgrade over DiNunzio-Biss. I still think QB and O-line won’t be as good as they need to be to make the playoffs. Defensively, they’re going to need a lot more out of the D-line and frankly, the D-backs stunk last year and it’s mostly the same group.

I wish I was more optimistic.

It would be extremely risky -- and, scary -- to place an actual bet on this team. I think Las Vegas would set the total wins over/under at 7.5 based on their 10-game schedule. You can certainly make a case to bet it either way.

Ironically, I'm completely torn which way it could go. Yes, last year was a disaster. And, yes, most of that team is back. But, they are a year older. Here's my two (in my mind) most likely scenarios:


The Good

at Ashland - Tort is 4-0 in this series -- but could easily be 0-4. He seems to have a little magic here. IUP wins, 24-21 (1-0)

at Lock Haven - The first half will be a fight. The Bald Eagles will certainly be hyped for this one. Tort pulls away in second half. (2-0)

at Millersville - This is a better Marauders group than the one that came to Miller years ago, but the portal hasn't been kind. IUP wins fairly easily. (3-0)

Clarion - Tort's teams are iffy in home openers. Golden Eagles hang around for a bit but IUP pulls away. (4-0)

Slippery Rock - IUP was embarrassed a year ago. That will surely be the theme all week. Tort gets his payback. (5-0)

at Edinboro - IUP (barely) wins an ugly, hungover, post-Homecoming game. (6-0)

Seton Hill - Don't think for a minute IUP isn't waiting for this one. (7-0)

at California - Tort broke the Adamson Curse two years ago - in fluke fashion. IUP will be due for a loss. It comes here. (7-1)

at Gannon - Weather will likely be a factor in early November. Another team on the payback list. (8-1)

PSAC Title Game - Tort is 2-0 in this game and will get to host it. Make that 3-0. (9-1)



The Not Good

at Ashland - As said above, Tort is 4-0 here. Barely. IUP is due for one to go the other way. (0-1)

at Lock Haven - IUP is tough off a loss. (1-1)

at Millersville - (2-1)

Clarion - (3-1)

SRU - Slow start in front of HC crowd dooms the Hawks. (3-2)

at Edinboro - (4-2)

Seton Hill - (5-2)

at California - With playoff hopes on the line IUP stumbles in Adamson -- likely in fluke fashion. (5-3)

at Gannon - IUP wins a chippy road contest (6-3)

Week 10 - Opponent TBD in front of 127 on a cold day at Miller Stadium. (7-3)

[EyeoftheHawk]

Usually every July I'll talk to several people close to the program to get a gage on the temperature. Typically, it's the same old IUP hype train. It's been a little different this summer. Some are still in the normal 'this team is loaded' camp. Others tend to think this is a team in the 8-2 or 7-3 range. A few think worse.

Tort's been here long enough his numbers can start to get analyzed a bit.

2017 - 13-1 (PSAC Champions)
2018 - 8-3
2019 - 10-2
2021 - 7-3
2022 - 10-2 (PSAC Champions)
2023 - 6-5

Overall: 54-16

Playoff record: 3-3 (all at Miller)

Record vs Cal: 3-3
Record vs. SRU: 3-3


We haven't seen the actual roster yet (although I'm not expecting any major surprises). Anybody have a prediction?

I do think last year was simply the perfect storm -- from the Timeout to massive injuries at QB, TE, WR, RB, etc., to a star player being arrested/suspended to losing on a 53-yard FG that bounces of both posts to totally no-showing in Greensburg ... just an absolute train wreck. It did end well, albeit against inferior competition. Question is was it simply a blip?

Two of IUP's toughest games are on the road (Ashland and Cal) and don't forget about that pesky trip to Erie.

Sad to say, but I have IUP at 7-3 and likely missing the post-season. I know some things didn’t go IUP’s way last year but I also think they just weren’t that good. It’s largely the same roster this year. I don’t think they added any difference makers. The LB coming in from Millersvill, Cox, was a nice addition, but I don’t know that he’s much of an upgrade over DiNunzio-Biss. I still think QB and O-line won’t be as good as they need to be to make the playoffs. Defensively, they’re going to need a lot more out of the D-line and frankly, the D-backs stunk last year and it’s mostly the same group.

I wish I was more optimistic.

[IUPNation]

Not getting hyped up for IUP is a better route to go….

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Late addition


IUP has signed Wheeling transfer TE Jeremiah Drummond (6'2", 240 lbs).

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Don’t see many transfers. In fact there best defender went D1. Tons of freshman and redshirt freshman 51 out of 100 players. That is post Covid stuff for sure. That is a huge number must of lost 2 classes.

Not many but a couple. I've fallen in to the trap on here so many times about them being down ...

I see a lot of weapons back along with a pretty solid QB. I think that program is coached exceptionally well, too. It seems every year they take some big losses but always have the next guys ready to go.

In my own stab of predicting IUP ... that road trip certainly stands out as an 'iffy' one.



I do think that would have been one of the more entertaining games of the year last season had Karst not went down early in the second quarter. I think it was 14-14 when he went out. It was obviously over at that point.

[iupgroundhog]

#94 Williams was actually there best DL last season. He is back.

You're right. I got the names mixed up.

[Iupgh]

Cal's roster is up. Let me save all the 'they'll be down' crowd ... they won't be. Many key players return including the addition of several impact transfers.


Of interest, former IUP DL coach Anthony Leonard now has the same position with the Vulcans. He did an excellent job in Indiana prior to taking a job at Fordham.

Don’t see many transfers. In fact there best defender went D1. Tons of freshman and redshirt freshman 51 out of 100 players. That is post Covid stuff for sure. That is a huge number must of lost 2 classes.

[Iupgh]

His last name is Jacobs, not Jones. It looks like they have the not so big duo of Danielson and Jeffries, last year's starters. Both are listed as DL. Listed as DT are the bigger Cyler Rozina, the transfer from Lackawanna CC, and RS Freshman Jamar Brison. Plus, any incoming freshmen. They could use a late transfer there but, as you say, it's difficult right now. It could probably be done if they want to/feel they need to.

#94 Williams was actually there best DL last season. He is back.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Cal's roster is up. Let me save all the 'they'll be down' crowd ... they won't be. Many key players return including the addition of several impact transfers.


Of interest, former IUP DL coach Anthony Leonard now has the same position with the Vulcans. He did an excellent job in Indiana prior to taking a job at Fordham.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Usually every July I'll talk to several people close to the program to get a gage on the temperature. Typically, it's the same old IUP hype train. It's been a little different this summer. Some are still in the normal 'this team is loaded' camp. Others tend to think this is a team in the 8-2 or 7-3 range. A few think worse.

Tort's been here long enough his numbers can start to get analyzed a bit.

2017 - 13-1 (PSAC Champions)
2018 - 8-3
2019 - 10-2
2021 - 7-3
2022 - 10-2 (PSAC Champions)
2023 - 6-5

Overall: 54-16

Playoff record: 3-3 (all at Miller)

Record vs Cal: 3-3
Record vs. SRU: 3-3


We haven't seen the actual roster yet (although I'm not expecting any major surprises). Anybody have a prediction?

I do think last year was simply the perfect storm -- from the Timeout to massive injuries at QB, TE, WR, RB, etc., to a star player being arrested/suspended to losing on a 53-yard FG that bounces of both posts to totally no-showing in Greensburg ... just an absolute train wreck. It did end well, albeit against inferior competition. Question is was it simply a blip?

Two of IUP's toughest games are on the road (Ashland and Cal) and don't forget about that pesky trip to Erie.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I wish I could upload pictures from the tailgate from Homecoming 1987. It was a perfect weather day..and the old B& O lot on the other side of the railroad tracks was packed and we are ****faced drunk. I easily walked around with the mixed drink in a tall refillable Sheetz container. I even managed to make it into the game at some point…and the Cig was at over capacity. It a fun day.

I believe it was also the only Homecoming as a student where it didn’t rain.

Some of our schools that actually do draw big crowds could certainly start selling beer inside the stadium (like D1). It's caused no issues at the KCAC in the past decade. Sell it at the same prices as the KCAC (very high) and it will limit most from sitting there and smashing them for 3 hours. That would perhaps keep some of the tailgating group from coming in for a quarter and then leaving (and not coming back).

[IUPNation]

I wish I could upload pictures from the tailgate from Homecoming 1987. It was a perfect weather day..and the old B& O lot on the other side of the railroad tracks was packed and we are ****faced drunk. I easily walked around with the mixed drink in a tall refillable Sheetz container. I even managed to make it into the game at some point…and the Cig was at over capacity. It a fun day.

I believe it was also the only Homecoming as a student where it didn’t rain.

[Fightingscot82]

I'm not saying I disagree with your statement, because I agree fully. But the premise is so odd to me. This is not meant as a shot or slight in any way, so I do not want it to be misconstrued that way.... But let's ask this question... Who is tailgating for IUP home games, or PSAC football games in general? The answer is that a vast majority are parents, families, and friends of players on the football team. I know that I'm casting a wide net and not every individual tailgating is associated with a member of the team. That said, most of them certainly are. So I have no clue why those individuals wouldn't want to come inside for the game.

For most PSAC schools it's the diehard locals and football alumni but most are parents of players. The ones buying season tickets. FWIW, Slippery Rock makes a decent amount on selling tailgating spots. Then again they also outdraw most of the conference after two home games.

[EyeoftheHawk]

That's true to an extent but at IUP ... you'd be surprised. The tailgating area has largely become a 'happy hour' event for locals -- in some form or another (often times loosely) associated with the program.

Think of Joe's core crowd -- almost none of them are parents. That's kind of the 'tailgate' crowd at football games. It's more of a social event for a certain group. That's fine and all. But, just come in (and stay) for the damn game.


Whatever the demographic, I can 100% tell you (I see it each week) that a huge portion of the tailgate crowd never comes in to the game. If they do, they stay for a quarter or so -- maybe the first half max.

There's been numerous -- and, I mean numerous -- games that the second half had WAY more people in the lot than in the home bleachers. It's the case almost weekly, in fact.

It's a strange thing -- but, Miller is a strange bird.

Part of it is, my opinion, Miller is an out-dated dump. IUP's football core crowd is old. And, it gets older by the year. Old people aren't sitting on those terrible metal bleachers for 3+ hours. People drinking all morning have to go to the restroom constantly. Getting out of the bleachers and to a restroom at Miller is a pain. Chairbacks would go a long way for some ... but, that's a whole different discussion. The in-game experience (music, etc.) is also pretty bad. I think, end of the day, most people just have more fun in the parking lot than inside the game.

It's a real simple fix. No tailgating during the game. Enforce it. They can then allow it for 2 hours after the game.

I’ve been at plenty of tailgates there where there were people who had no intention of coming in to the game. I’ve also been there with some who come in for the first half, then don’t make it back for the second half when they go back out and crack open another cold one. It’s a nice atmosphere that was created there but it’s not really helping get people actually in to see the game I’m afraid. We’ve thought about reserve a spot for ourselves, but have trouble committing to it.

I’m not sure what the answer is. A nicer stadium would sure help. It’s not the most comfortable place to watch a game, that’s for sure.

[iupgroundhog]

Hate to speculate but it's likely Jones is gone for a long time (perhaps/likely the season). He is one of the 'big boys' IUP signed to clog up the the DL.

So, the question becomes can Tort sign anybody else at this late date? There are guys still out there -- typically the 'problem children' type.

I don't think Jones was going to be a starter this year but was certainly going to be a rotation guy.

His last name is Jacobs, not Jones. It looks like they have the not so big duo of Danielson and Jeffries, last year's starters. Both are listed as DL. Listed as DT are the bigger Cyler Rozina, the transfer from Lackawanna CC, and RS Freshman Jamar Brison. Plus, any incoming freshmen. They could use a late transfer there but, as you say, it's difficult right now. It could probably be done if they want to/feel they need to.