THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Only saw action in three games last season and wasn’t a factor in any of them. Had a solid junior season but not sure what happened after that. Injury? He dominated at D3 Ferrum College in 2021 and was pretty good in 2020. I wouldn’t expect him to be an impact player here based on his D2 stats to this point.

Trust the Tort (just not with timeouts).

[iupgroundhog]

Trust the Tort (just not with timeouts).

He could be a diamond in the rough. Looks like he was all-conference at both Ferrum (2x) and Emory & Henry. It also looks like he might have been injured last year. It also looks like he graduated from HS in 2015. Is that right?

[EyeoftheHawk]

He could be a diamond in the rough. Looks like he was all-conference at both Ferrum (2x) and Emory & Henry. It also looks like he might have been injured last year. It also looks like he graduated from HS in 2015. Is that right?

Yes. He’s been around a while. Some guys his age are married with 2-3 kids by now. He’ll be close to 10 years older than some of his teammates. There’s an interesting story there somewhere.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yes. He’s been around a while. Some guys his age are married with 2-3 kids by now. He’ll be close to 10 years older than some of his teammates. There’s an interesting story there somewhere.

Kennan Brown (formerly of Colorado State and more-recently of Colorado Mesa) is the the one they really need to get in to camp. This guy is legit and will be an instant big-time playmaker. He is also a very fiery player -- something this team lacked a bit last season. He's very physical and fast -- and will be a big matchup problem for smaller DBs. He will also take a lot of heat off of Ridley.

Obviously something is up, however, as he committed months ago and still isn't cleared. He's on campus.

There's yet another WR aside from Brown and Penn waiting for clearance (per the rumor mill). He's also another big target.


As for Penn ... they needed some big targets and he has some experience and skill. He may also be the oldest player on the IUP roster since Paul Failla. August signees (like him and the Wheeling TE) always come with some risk. Some work. Some don't. Penn was lost early last season and took a medical redshirt.

I think the Wheeling TE is going to find the field -- perhaps just not at TE. He's a big, athletic guy who was a pretty good QB/RB/WR/TE in high school. I think they can get a little creative with him and he can also be a strong special teams guy this year. Hell, he might even make a good Edge rusher. He's got the perfect size at 6'3" and 240 lbs.

We may see a couple more new faces this week aside from WRs. Stay tuned.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The mystery WR is Maurice Massey (6'4", 200 lbs)

He played last season at Southeastern Louisiana (prior to that he was at Missouri).

He played in just (2) games last year due to injuries but averaged about 50 ypg receiving. In 2022 he had 40 catches for 525 yards and 4 TDs.

Honor student so admissions won't be an issue. He's not 'officially' signed yet by IUP although he is in Indiana.

Also, Jack confirmed this morning Keenan Brown is awaiting clearance but they are expecting that to happen within days.


So, this 'small' WR corp may be a pretty big group here real fast.

[IUPalum]

The mystery WR is Maurice Massey (6'4", 200 lbs)

He played last season at Southeastern Louisiana (prior to that he was at Missouri).

He played in just (2) games last year due to injuries but averaged about 50 ypg receiving. In 2022 he had 40 catches for 525 yards and 4 TDs.

Honor student so admissions won't be an issue. He's not 'officially' signed yet by IUP although he is in Indiana.

Also, Jack confirmed this morning Keenan Brown is awaiting clearance but they are expecting that to happen within days.


So, this 'small' WR corp may be a pretty big group here real fast.

That WR group better be ready to catch all the lame ducks being throw around.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Blayne Romano (QB3) suffered a leg injury yesterday and is now on crutches. He's likely to miss some time.

Looking at the depth chart:

QB1 - Karst Hunter
QB2 - Nico Marchitelli

QB - Blayne Romano (injured)
QB - Zayd Etheridge (R-Fr.)
QB - Zac Hahn (freshman)

[iupgroundhog]

Blayne Romano (QB3) suffered a leg injury yesterday and is now on crutches. He's likely to miss some time.

Looking at the depth chart:

QB1 - Karst Hunter
QB2 - Nico Marchitelli

QB - Blayne Romano (injured)
QB - Zayd Etheridge (R-Fr.)
QB - Zac Hahn (freshman)

That's too bad. Hopefully, it's not too serious. I have a feeling Etheridge can fill in as #3.

Unrelated, one thing I've noted about our QB's is that they all can run.

[Tdobson]

Can someone please explain to me what a redshirt freshman means vs just a regular freshman? I never understood that term or concept.

Thank you,

[Ship69]

Can someone please explain to me what a redshirt freshman means vs just a regular freshman? I never understood that term or concept.

Thank you,

Just basically means that a newcomer is held out of athletics for his first year of college, but retains his freshman eligibility when he does suit up.

It can be done for a variety of reasons — perhaps a team is stacked at the player's position and does not want him to waste a year of eligibility sitting on the bench. The player might be a shaky student, and the school and coaches might feel he would benefit from additional time to adjust to college life and expectations. Sometimes, often in football or basketball, the coaches use a redshirt year to help an undersized or thing player to develop physically so he is better able to take on bigger and more skilled college players.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Just basically means that a newcomer is held out of athletics for his first year of college, but retains his freshman eligibility when he does suit up.

It can be done for a variety of reasons — perhaps a team is stacked at the player's position and does not want him to waste a year of eligibility sitting on the bench. The player might be a shaky student, and the school and coaches might feel he would benefit from additional time to adjust to college life and expectations. Sometimes, often in football or basketball, the coaches use a redshirt year to help an undersized or thing player to develop physically so he is better able to take on bigger and more skilled college players.

I've long believed the more true freshmen you are playing ... the bigger problems you have. Ideally you'd redshirt about 95% of your incoming class.

The step from high school to D2 is a gigantic one -- and, just about none of them are physically or mentally ready. They almost all need a full year in the weight room. I suppose you could make the case some positions may be a little easier for a true freshman than others to play right away. The linemen, for instance, just about all get destroyed. They clearly aren't lining up against high school kids anymore. The size, speed and strength of upperclassmen is just too much. We've seen a select group of true freshmen QBs have some success over the years, along with the occasional WR or RB. You can also get some DBs playing well right away but consistency is a major issue.

That transition year (redshirt year) is so key to their physical development. They get to practice for a year against much better competition, the game eventually starts to slow down, etc.

Of course, slapping a redshirt on a kid isn't so easy these days. There is a huge risk involved now with the way players hop around from school to school. Some of these kids are essentially deciding to transfer the day they get the redshirt.

Basketball has just reached a level of near insanity with transfers. I'll tell you one thing ... about 85% of PSAC teams better wear name tags come opening night. You know we call Joe Lombardi 'Redshirt Joe' because of his infatuation with redshirting freshmen (and even most incoming transfers). It worked for a very long time, obviously, but the past several years just about every player he redshirts is gone come early April.

Getting back to football ... you'll see the traditional top programs in this league all redshirt a huge number of incoming freshmen. Even the top programs will lose some of them the following off-season.

The redshirt year also gives the staff a long time to better evaluate the player. Sure as day every kid they recruit isn't what they thought he was going to be. Some are jerks, knuckleheads, cancers, academic failures, etc. ... or the staff just really over-estimated their talent level. Not all kids who go to the portal do so on their own.

[Iupgh]

Only saw action in three games last season and wasn’t a factor in any of them. Had a solid junior season but not sure what happened after that. Injury? He dominated at D3 Ferrum College in 2021 and was pretty good in 2020. I wouldn’t expect him to be an impact player here based on his D2 stats to this point.

Was injured early and out for year. Hence he received a medical redshirt and is available in 2024.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That WR group better be ready to catch all the lame ducks being throw around.

At the very least -- pending they all sign/clear -- Karst is going to have some big targets.

And, he'll also have a couple smaller targets with track speed (Cyair Clark and Isaiah Houser).


Let that powerful group of upperclassmen RBs carry the load. Dayjure Stewart and Kaleb Monaco should be a really dangerous 1-2 punch. Adam Houser (when healthy) can also take over a game. There's also a name most haven't heard of yet -- true freshman Amir Major.

Add in the threat of Karst's home run ability with his legs. You also have the man-child at TE with Cole Laney (6'6", 245 lbs and runs like a WR).

All of that said, if Karst has to run around again this year like he did last year (chicken with no head) ... all the skill guys in the world won't help.

And, of course, we'll find out real fast how this OL looks. Ashland's DL is stacked.

[Tdobson]

If I’m correct, and I’m probably not, when I was at IUP from 1999 to 2003, the only freshman to start was Brian Eyerman which was in 1999. What a run we had that year. I still can’t believe we went that far after starting 3-3.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

If I’m correct, and I’m probably not, when I was at IUP from 1999 to 2003, the only freshman to start was Brian Eyerman which was in 1999. What a run we had that year. I still can’t believe we went that far after starting 3-3.

Correct - and he surely wasn't in the plans in camp. IUP lost two QBs for the season in the narrow loss at Youngstown State.

That team had so much talent. It had to find itself again with a true freshman QB (not easy to do).

I knew that day IUP would never, ever get invited back to Youngstown, OH.

Eyerman went from deer in the headlights in September to being a very good QB by the playoffs. He won at SRU in the playoffs, avenging the infamous '99 Homecoming debacle.

Any true freshman getting on the field in the Frank glory years was pretty rare. Those teams were vastly deeper than the current editions.