THE IUP Football Thread

[iupgroundhog]

All I have are doses of reality.

Good one!

[ShoNuff]

Wow, that's huge.

Yes, that is HUGE NEWS!!!

[IUPNation]

Football??? Anyone???

You better hope we haven’t been cursed.

[IUPalum]

You better hope we haven’t been cursed.

What?

[EyeoftheHawk]

If Karst doesn't play this weekend then I think things get a little dicey. I'm not sure I'd want him making his return start against SRU if he hasn't played in 3 weeks. That's not exactly a 'get back' type of game. He'd likely be rusty at that point.

I 'think' he's going to go this week. There was talk of him possibly being cleared (he may have been, actually) last week but I got the impression they didn't want to rush him back. Given Millersville wasn't really a threat it was the right call - cleared or not.


As for RB, I'd guess Younger starts this week and then they make the switch to Monaco the following. I suspect regardless of who starts Monaco will see a big workload jump this week. He got his feet wet last weekend. Unfortunately, I'm not real confident we'll see Adam Houser again this year. If we do, it will be late in the season. Washington can't play RB with a cast on his right hand. It sounds like it will be on for several weeks. We may soon see the debut of Amir Major.

It’s amazing how many times this has happened to the running back room. In spring ball IUP has an embarrassment of riches at the position and we talk about how they’re going to spread the ball around. By the third week of the season we’re talking about who can move over from the defense to run the ball if necessary. Anyone have any specifics on Houser’s injury? I hate to be down on the kid because maybe it’s just terrible luck but he has been the most unreliable running back I can remember in terms of staying on the field. Monaco is still getting his sea legs and Younger has always been better as a change of pace back, not the feature.

If IUP doesn’t have a serious threat of running the ball, they can’t beat the better teams. This isn’t a throw it around the field kind of offense. Hunter needs to have a running game to help his passing game. They’re lucky to have Millersville and then Clarion on the schedule heading into Rock week, but I still don’t think it sets up well. Being healthy is part of being good and as of 9/24, I think Slippery Rock is a double digit favorite.

[IUPNation]

What?

Letting a 34 time convicted felon, rapist, insurrectionist and grifter on our campus might end up cursing our teams.

Are they still de lousing the KCAC?

Did any checks get cashed?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It’s amazing how many times this has happened to the running back room. In spring ball IUP has an embarrassment of riches at the position and we talk about how they’re going to spread the ball around. By the third week of the season we’re talking about who can move over from the defense to run the ball if necessary. Anyone have any specifics on Houser’s injury? I hate to be down on the kid because maybe it’s just terrible luck but he has been the most unreliable running back I can remember in terms of staying on the field. Monaco is still getting his sea legs and Younger has always been better as a change of pace back, not the feature.

If IUP doesn’t have a serious threat of running the ball, they can’t beat the better teams. This isn’t a throw it around the field kind of offense. Hunter needs to have a running game to help his passing game. They’re lucky to have Millersville and then Clarion on the schedule heading into Rock week, but I still don’t think it sets up well. Being healthy is part of being good and as of 9/24, I think Slippery Rock is a double digit favorite.

Houser has a 'hip injury' ... read in to that as you wish but that's never a good thing for a RB. I'd guess he's out at least another month. He was hurt early in the Ashland game and then early in the Lock Haven game, so, yes, he's barely played this year. He would be a medical redshirt candidate at this point if he still wants to keep trying to play.

Tort didn't go to either of his hyped true freshmen RBs last week. It could be simply because they didn't make the travel list. The deep bench RB they played (a regular special teams guy) in the second half didn't show much (hardly anything, actually).

It's not fair to completely evaluate this team yet. We haven't actually seen it yet. But, what we have seen on the offensive side hasn't been too impressive. That said, it's been a patch-work, hodge-podge of players at WR, TE and RB. Add to it the starting QB has missed half the season so far (1.5 games).

I'm not sleeping on Clarion. They have a history of getting pretty 'up' to play IUP. Tort's teams have laid some duds in home openers -- and, of course, we all know what is coming the following week. Coaches can yap about not looking ahead but that's all they are doing -- yapping. Teams look ahead.

Clarion should be 3-1 and had a chance to be 4-0. They were down 14-9 at Shepherd, with the ball and had 6 minutes left. They then tossed a pick six (and then another one) to make the final a deceiving 27-9. Their defense is fairly solid (and IUP's offense right now isn't too hot). Loses are loses but Clarion being in a game -- at Shepherd -- with 5 minutes to go is impressive for them.

Flipping the script, IUP's defense has been very good (aside from two plays at Lock Haven). Clarion's offense was pretty good its first three games but stalled against the Rams. Also of note, this is Clarion's third straight game on the road. Typically by the third game of a three-game road trip, it starts to drag the team down a bit. We saw it with IUP last week.

I don't see this weekend being some work of art. I'd guess IUP wins in the 20-10 range.

[EyeoftheHawk]

It's not fair to completely evaluate this team yet. We haven't actually seen it yet. But, what we have seen on the offensive side hasn't been too impressive. That said, it's been a patch-work, hodge-podge of players at WR, TE and RB. Add to it the starting QB has missed half the season so far (1.5 games).

This is where we have different perspectives. I’m in agreement with you that IUP hasn’t had its best players on the field yet. Heck, in the Lock Haven game half the starting offense was out at one point. What we’ve been seeing so far is the IUP team until they show differently. Being unable to get your best players on the field is part of what makes up a team’s capability and IUP is struggling mightily in that area. Until I see something different, this is a team that has a fair number of good players on the roster, but they need to be on the field and not just a spreadsheet.

I also agree that IUP can’t overlook Clarion. They’ve shown signs of being decent this year, and we all know IUP has had their struggles with them. Saying that though, it’s unrealistic to think IUP will lose on Saturday. Not impossible, but unrealistic. Since I’m just a knucklehead fan with no influence on these games, I’ll look ahead to next weekend. Based on what I see now, Slippery Rock is the more complete team and has been playing better than IUP. They’ve also played better competition by far. I don’t think Ashland is very good, Millersville is a disaster, Lock Haven might end up with a winning season at best, and it’s unlikely Clarion will win more than four games.

We also can’t expect IUP to run guys out there against Slippery Rock that haven’t played yet or have played very little and expect great results. It doesn’t matter what the pedigree is, it still takes playing time to get up to peak performance.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

This is where we have different perspectives. I’m in agreement with you that IUP hasn’t had its best players on the field yet. Heck, in the Lock Haven game half the starting offense was out at one point. What we’ve been seeing so far is the IUP team until they show differently. Being unable to get your best players on the field is part of what makes up a team’s capability and IUP is struggling mightily in that area. Until I see something different, this is a team that has a fair number of good players on the roster, but they need to be on the field and not just a spreadsheet.

I also agree that IUP can’t overlook Clarion. They’ve shown signs of being decent this year, and we all know IUP has had their struggles with them. Saying that though, it’s unrealistic to think IUP will lose on Saturday. Not impossible, but unrealistic. Since I’m just a knucklehead fan with no influence on these games, I’ll look ahead to next weekend. Based on what I see now, Slippery Rock is the more complete team and has been playing better than IUP. They’ve also played better competition by far. I don’t think Ashland is very good, Millersville is a disaster, Lock Haven might end up with a winning season at best, and it’s unlikely Clarion will win more than four games.

We also can’t expect IUP to run guys out there against Slippery Rock that haven’t played yet or have played very little and expect great results. It doesn’t matter what the pedigree is, it still takes playing time to get up to peak performance.

It is funny how that crossover draw can change opinions. Lock Haven got IUP and Cal. That sucks. Next year they'll play both on the road back-to-back. If they had Clarion and Edinboro instead they'd likely be undefeated and the Twitter-sphere would be blowing up in Lock Haven.

With the East gauntlet, the Bald Eagles getting swept by the West is essentially a death sentence for this season. Sure, anything is possible. But, their odds of running the table are slim to none.

As for Tort and his cast of wounded players ... yeah, it sucks. BUT, every team is going to go through this at some point this season. Hopefully IUP just got its dose out of the way early. There could eventually be a silver lining to being decimated in camp/September. He's built some depth with actual game experience.

[Ship69]

It is funny how that crossover draw can change opinions. Lock Haven got IUP and Cal. That sucks. Next year they'll play both on the road back-to-back. If they had Clarion and Edinboro instead they'd likely be undefeated and the Twitter-sphere would be blowing up in Lock Haven.

With the East gauntlet, the Bald Eagles getting swept by the West is essentially a death sentence for this season. Sure, anything is possible. But, their odds of running the table are slim to none.

As for Tort and his cast of wounded players ... yeah, it sucks. BUT, every team is going to go through this at some point this season. Hopefully IUP just got its dose out of the way early. There could eventually be a silver lining to being decimated in camp/September. He's built some depth with actual game experience.

It's tough to catch two of the West's tough programs, but with Mercyhurst out of the picture it's tough to avoid getting at least one of them in a crossover. Ship catches Slippery Rock and Cal this year (as if they needed it), and every other East program except East Stroud plays at least one of IUP, Cal, or The Rock. East Stroud drew Edinboro, Gannon, and Clarion.

Scheduling can bite you just as much in the huge new D1 conferences that are now scheduling in one division. In the Big 10, for example, Iowa manages to dodge Michigan, Penn State, USC, and Oregon. On the other hand, what looks to be a very offensively challenged Northwestern team closes the season with successive games against Ohio State, Michigan, and improved rival Illinois.

[IUPNation]

It's tough to catch two of the West's tough programs, but with Mercyhurst out of the picture it's tough to avoid getting at least one of them in a crossover. Ship catches Slippery Rock and Cal this year (as if they needed it), and every other East program except East Stroud plays at least one of IUP, Cal, or The Rock. East Stroud drew Edinboro, Gannon, and Clarion.

Scheduling can bite you just as much in the huge new D1 conferences that are now scheduling in one division. In the Big 10, for example, Iowa manages to dodge Michigan, Penn State, USC, and Oregon. On the other hand, what looks to be a very offensively challenged Northwestern team closes the season with successive games against Ohio State, Michigan, and improved rival Illinois.

The Home Office in Lock Haven does not know how to do the schedule right. What they do in the last week is fine but the first two crossovers are dumb.

Also there is no need to start the season with boh crossovers. Do one in the first week...have one mid season and then the final week. Cuts down on those long ass trips two weeks in a row.

They should not do the rotational crossovers. They actually hurt teams they way they do it messing up SOS or overburdening them with it.

The first two crossovers should be determined for the next year based on the standings from the end of the season.

They should try to balance it out so crossovers are no worse than .500 or so....

So 1 and 8...2/7, 3/6, 4/5.

Based on last year's standings and before the Backstabbers bolted this would have been the crossover schedule for each West School

Slimey Pebble - Kutztown and Millersville
Mon Valley U - East Dennyburg and Shippensburg
LIT AF - Shepherd and Bloomsburg
Seton Hill - Walk On U and Lock Haven
IUP - Walk On U and Lock Haven
Edinboro - Shepherd and Bloomsburg
Clarion - East Dennyburg and Shippenburg
Backstabbers - Kutztown and Millersville

Now this won't work until they on board Frostburg into the West.

But it makes sense and it is far more fair to everyone for SOS regionally against conferences with more balanced SOS due to not having divisions.

Is it really necessary that each school plays one another every few years. I know IUP could have gone without ever playing Cheyney ever again.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Per Matt's article today, Karst and Laney will return (and start) tomorrow.

Ridley, Houser, Okungu and Washington are out.

Tort said earlier in the week star DL Terrell Williams is expected to make his season debut. That's huge.

[jrshooter]

Ms. Houser just told me Adam and RIdley expect to be back next week.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Clarion's QB got hit and hit and hit and hit today. That dude may never want to come back to Indiana.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

IUP held Clarion to 114 total yards and zero points.

I've been watching IUP 30-some years. I don't ever recall a stat line like that.

Attendance was announced at 5,192 -- and I think that was light.