THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The offense has received most of the attention on here this summer.

How are you Tort experts feeling about the other side of the ball?

* One massive addition (the biggest addition) is the return of DE Tyrone Fowler (who was lost for the season in last year's win against Slippery Rock). He has extreme upside (and will likely project to play beyond college). He is going to make a lot of OL very nervous.

* An interesting addition (of sorts) is DL Logan Danielson, who, after a very long time, will finally make his IUP debut. Recall he was extremely hyped up coming out of Thomas Jefferson (years ago) but for a variety of reasons has yet to play at IUP.

* Cole Weightman (DE) was thrown in to the fire as a true freshman a year ago and did very well. He's poised to make a big jump this year. Two other DEs, Maurice Feazell and Noah Vaughan, also return. Pass rushing should not be an issue.

* Drew DiNunzio-Biss returns at LB (he'll only be a Junior this year, football-wise).

* The famous freshmen secondary of a couple years ago are all very experienced juniors now.

* Message Board favorite (of sorts) ... "No. 11" returns for his senior year. Naszhir Taylor had his moments last season (mostly pretty good). He should be one of the top DBs in the league again this Fall.

* Darius Bruce and Jaheim Howard should have major breakout seasons.

* Dakendrick Daniels and Tai'Don Strickland should be candidates for big roles.

[IUPNation]

Is there still a Ruby Tuesday over there along 286? Many years ago went to a fraternity regional meeting at IUP and drank underage there during dinner.

Almost all of them closed in suburban Philly. There is still one open in Plymouth Meeting. The one that used to ge here in Exton is now an IHOP.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Is there still a Ruby Tuesday over there along 286? Many years ago went to a fraternity regional meeting at IUP and drank underage there during dinner.

Amazingly, yes, it's still there.

[Fightingscot82]

Looks like you Indiana yinzers are getting a Texastan Roadhouse (good rolls) out along 286 in the future. Says Panera (good) and Applebees (EW) are interested in Indiana but no plans yet.

Hoss’s has sone competition.

https://www.wccsradio.com/2023/07/11...c_ref=facebook

Is there still a Ruby Tuesday over there along 286? Many years ago went to a fraternity regional meeting at IUP and drank underage there during dinner.

[IUP24]

Correct. But, some hype is justified. Others is not.

For instance, there's not a soul on here that could tell me -- based on who is coming back and those signed -- that even an 8-3 regular season wouldn't be a disappointment.

Perhaps those are expectations and not hype.

Only thing I can say for sure is there was a big money influx this off-season. With that comes expectations and (a lot of) hype.

I'm not saying that an 8-3 season wouldn't be a disappointment. But we don't know how any of these guys will fit. This is not the first time there's been a massive influx of hyped transfers into the program, combined with a nice returning cast. They can still lose week one. They have to travel to SRU. That's a great program and a tough environment. "Cal isn't what they used to be." Stop me, but I've heard that one before, and I've seen that movie too. Every year the margin for them against IUP is razor thin and the outcome is within a few plays of tilting the other way.

The makings for a great team are there, but right now everything is on paper. One injury can change that. One attitude can too. I hope it works out. I'm just taking a "wait and see" approach. I'm happy there's a good injection of energy into the program (fan interest, money, etc.). But a good program comes to Miller Stadium week one. After that, anything said by anyone up to that point is irrelevant.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

On July 12, it's all hype.

Correct. But, some hype is justified. Others is not.

For instance, there's not a soul on here that could tell me -- based on who is coming back and those signed -- that even an 8-3 regular season wouldn't be a disappointment.

Perhaps those are expectations and not hype.

Only thing I can say for sure is there was a big money influx this off-season. With that comes expectations and (a lot of) hype.

[IUPNation]

Looks like you Indiana yinzers are getting a Texastan Roadhouse (good rolls) out along 286 in the future. Says Panera (good) and Applebees (EW) are interested in Indiana but no plans yet.

Hoss’s has sone competition.

https://www.wccsradio.com/2023/07/11...c_ref=facebook

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Crazy right? And she’s probably cleaning up even from those outside the stadiums just listening and singing along.

Shepherd spends most of its athletic cash on foosball. They are the top threat to IUP and I am wondering the new found funding isn’t a response to last years final game. Losing to two tin pot schools from West Virginia in regional finals for foosball and basketball was embarrassing.

They did more than lose. They got clobbered in both.

[IUPNation]

Perhaps if IUP took on the mantra of Taylor Swift, they could compete outside of the Region. After all, Taylor Swift is pulling in 8-10 million dollars a night on tour, and if you correlate your analogy to Shepherd, they are the only team in SR1 in this era to get legitimately close, like dangerously close, since the 2007 Cal team. Money talks. And money wins. So perhaps the Swifties are opening the checkbooks with their revenge posts. The one time IUP sniffed that stage, they were not competitive.

I know, I know... Max Redfield.

Crazy right? And she’s probably cleaning up even from those outside the stadiums just listening and singing along.

Shepherd spends most of its athletic cash on foosball. They are the top threat to IUP and I am wondering the new found funding isn’t a response to last years final game. Losing to two tin pot schools from West Virginia in regional finals for foosball and basketball was embarrassing.

[iupgroundhog]

BTW, IUP has been over-hyped since before you were born. It's a yearly tradition.

On July 12, it's all hype.

[IUPNation]

They weren't competitive in the first half. That was a game in the second half.

BTW, IUP has been over-hyped since before you were born. It's a yearly tradition.

One losing season in 40 years will do that…

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Perhaps if IUP took on the mantra of Taylor Swift, they could compete outside of the Region. After all, Taylor Swift is pulling in 8-10 million dollars a night on tour, and if you correlate your analogy to Shepherd, they are the only team in SR1 in this era to get legitimately close, like dangerously close, since the 2007 Cal team. Money talks. And money wins. So perhaps the Swifties are opening the checkbooks with their revenge posts. The one time IUP sniffed that stage, they were not competitive.

I know, I know... Max Redfield.

They weren't competitive in the first half. That was a game in the second half.

BTW, IUP has been over-hyped since before you were born. It's a yearly tradition.

[IUP24]

I can’tvunderstand how a program that is 6-2 vs IUP is always in need of some sort of revenge. It’s just so exhausting like a Taylor Swift revenge song

:-)

Perhaps if IUP took on the mantra of Taylor Swift, they could compete outside of the Region. After all, Taylor Swift is pulling in 8-10 million dollars a night on tour, and if you correlate your analogy to Shepherd, they are the only team in SR1 in this era to get legitimately close, like dangerously close, since the 2007 Cal team. Money talks. And money wins. So perhaps the Swifties are opening the checkbooks with their revenge posts. The one time IUP sniffed that stage, they were not competitive.

I know, I know... Max Redfield.

[IUP24]

Man that hype train is rolling! This might be the best offense in D2 history. Ferris State better buckle up!

To be frank, I'm off the hype train (or not adding weight or momentum to it, should I say). I'm excited and optimistic for potential of a great team, but it ends there for me. There have been 1-2 other recent IUP teams hyped up considerably like this. Those didn't end well. Curt had one. So too did Tort. Football has a lot of moving parts, and players get hurt. IUP has a ton of new faces coming in. No telling how that materializes.

They could lose week one to Ashland. People will scoff and argue about that, but they could wake up that Friday morning 0-1.

The caveat argument is that plenty of teams in the PSAC, and the stronger teams around the region, have had some turnover. Shepherd obviously. Ashland too. I never count out SRU from having an extremely strong or competitive team both in the PSAC and in the Region. People have called Cal dead for years, but they still find a way each and every season to be a thorn in IUP's side, and mostly be in the mix all season. Reality is that all those teams have resources too, and some have plenty of them at that. They have players on scholarship, and coaches who are paid to do a job. And those guys all want to win as well. I think IUP could be a great team this year, but I'm not guaranteeing anything outside of them playing 11 games in the regular season. Too many things can happen. And guys are bound to get hurt.

[IUPNation]

It's the narrative of July 11.

We can talk about football hype, or Bobby Huggins, schools shrinking or why Indiana Jones flopped.

Come on, Shepherd's offense last year was the best ever (until it left SR1).

I can’tvunderstand how a program that is 6-2 vs IUP is always in need of some sort of revenge. It’s just so exhausting like a Taylor Swift revenge song

:-)