THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Portal era Dew for sure lands at another P5. Remember u even had to sit one year when u went D1 to D1 back then crazy…The amount of D1 kids on D2 rosters will be at zero or at an all time low very soon. It actually gets IUP and region 1 closer in talent to the GV FS and West Florida’s of the world in my opinion. U now get guys like Garret Cox which was never a thing even 5 years ago. And the difference maker D1 transfers that landed at the top 10 D2 schools go FCS or P4 especially with NIL. Look at the Gibson kid from fake ND that went to IUP until Kent came calling after spring ball cause there D ends sucked.

How did that mess go down? If he was signed at IUP how did they come calling?

I mean, legally, how did they come calling?

[Iupgh]

Agreed. However, I'm not sure in today's era any of those three would have actually ended up at IUP (D2).

Portal era Dew for sure lands at another P5. Remember u even had to sit one year when u went D1 to D1 back then crazy…The amount of D1 kids on D2 rosters will be at zero or at an all time low very soon. It actually gets IUP and region 1 closer in talent to the GV FS and West Florida’s of the world in my opinion. U now get guys like Garret Cox which was never a thing even 5 years ago. And the difference maker D1 transfers that landed at the top 10 D2 schools go FCS or P4 especially with NIL. Look at the Gibson kid from fake ND that went to IUP until Kent came calling after spring ball cause there D ends sucked.

[Tdobson]

Dew, Stennett, and Wilson was a hell of a backfield. I remember Stennett starting all over the place, offense, defense, kick and punt returner. Dew, could make you miss in a phone booth. I will never forget dews hat, that said do the dew. He wore it every time he got off the field.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The Frank teams were awesome and very deep. None of these current teams compare to that era. Example: IUP's best running back now would at best be #4 behind Amir Dew, Tink Stennett and Terrence Wilson.

Agreed. However, I'm not sure in today's era any of those three would have actually ended up at IUP (D2).

[EyeoftheHawk]

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.

This is really the key. This group got a D grade as far as I’m concerned last year. Lacked physicality, missed tons of assignments, and never got consistent push. A decent offensive line gets IUP in the end zone at the end of the game against ESU and we’re not having to talk about the timeout debacle. Not being able to punch it in there gets forgotten given what happened. As we’d learn later, that was kind of the beginning of the end for 2023.

If the O-line can at least get a B grade this year then IUP has a chance to win the division and get into the post season. A C grade has them 7-3 and missing the playoffs in my opinion. As you said, we’re going to find out quickly what that group is made of.

[IUPalum]

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.

The Frank teams were awesome and very deep. None of these current teams compare to that era. Example: IUP's best running back now would at best be #4 behind Amir Dew, Tink Stennett and Terrence Wilson.

[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.

[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]

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.

[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]

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.

[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.

[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,

[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.

[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)