THE IUP Football Thread

[IUPbigINDIANS]

In a sense, it was because Frank had become synonymous with IUP football. On the other hand, I would argue that when Tepper came to IUP from Boro he actually had a higher profile than Cignetti in the football world. Tepper was well-known, had a lot of big-time experience, and had been a HC in the Big 10. He was the successor to the line of high-profile IUP head coaches, starting with Chaump and then Cignetti. Later, Curt Cignetti fit that mold. A lot of people had reservations about Tort because he did not fit that mold. Of course, those people, including myself, were wrong.

Tepper's HC record is what it is but his greater legacy is probably as a defensive coach.

If you go back in time, then-President Tony Atwater wanted a squeaky-clean HC to clean up the mess and rid the program of off-field embarrassments. He did get that in TLT.

But, you better win here or else you'll be gone pretty quickly.

TLT's latter teams didn't even resemble IUP Football. He served his purpose for a quick transition.

[iupgroundhog]

I imagine it wasn't exactly easy to follow Frank Sr. too. It might have also been during his tenure that IUP became the Crimson Hawks and that wasn't exactly smooth either.

In a sense, it was because Frank had become synonymous with IUP football. On the other hand, I would argue that when Tepper came to IUP from Boro he actually had a higher profile than Cignetti in the football world. Tepper was well-known, had a lot of big-time experience, and had been a HC in the Big 10. He was the successor to the line of high-profile IUP head coaches, starting with Chaump and then Cignetti. Later, Curt Cignetti fit that mold. A lot of people had reservations about Tort because he did not fit that mold. Of course, those people, including myself, were wrong.

Tepper's HC record is what it is but his greater legacy is probably as a defensive coach.

[Fightingscot82]

I think he crawled to the finish line of his career. His best work was at Boro in DII. He was probably excited about the IUP opportunity out of the gate but then lacked the desire to do all the things you have to do to stay on top. I’ve seen it happen many times in my industry as well. He wasn’t exactly a spring chicken anymore by the time he got here.

I imagine it wasn't exactly easy to follow Frank Sr. too. It might have also been during his tenure that IUP became the Crimson Hawks and that wasn't exactly smooth either.

[EyeoftheHawk]

FWIW, Tepper coached Edinboro to 3 straight western division championships prior to taking the IUP job, His first year at IUP, he won the west again. The next year IUP was second, then tied for 2nd the following year, then it all fell apart. It's kind of a hard to understand record.

I think he crawled to the finish line of his career. His best work was at Boro in DII. He was probably excited about the IUP opportunity out of the gate but then lacked the desire to do all the things you have to do to stay on top. I’ve seen it happen many times in my industry as well. He wasn’t exactly a spring chicken anymore by the time he got here.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Even the uniforms were the worst ever. The bird head on the helmet was the worst. Even the now Un PC helmet from the 80’s with the Indian on horseback carrying the spear was better than that…

Tepper was also horrible with the brass. Kissing booster tail wasn't his strong suit.

Curt wasn't good at it either (personality of a door most of the time) but after Tepper about drove the program off a cliff nobody cared so long as Curt starting winning again.

Tort is very good at the social aspects of the job -- and, when you live an die by donors, that's a REAL big part of the job.

[IUPNation]

FWIW, Tepper coached Edinboro to 3 straight western division championships prior to taking the IUP job, His first year at IUP, he won the west again. The next year IUP was second, then tied for 2nd the following year, then it all fell apart. It's kind of a hard to understand record.

He got jobbed out of playoff spot in 2006.

[iupgroundhog]

It was the worst period of time over my lifetime following IUP football. Tepper was a shadow of his best self by the time he got here and I don’t think I can agree that he was the right guy. I’m sure he wasn’t the only coach that could have cleaned up some messes within the program. I think Atwater was a little enamored with the resume and thought he might be able to squeeze a little more out of it. All that said, hiring is always a gamble and I don’t necessarily fault the decision at the time. It didn’t work out though and I really hate to give Tepper credit for much at all as it relates to his time at IUP.

FWIW, Tepper coached Edinboro to 3 straight western division championships prior to taking the IUP job, His first year at IUP, he won the west again. The next year IUP was second, then tied for 2nd the following year, then it all fell apart. It's kind of a hard to understand record.

[IUPNation]

Correct. The Tepper Era was a total disaster.

Even the uniforms were the worst ever. The bird head on the helmet was the worst. Even the now Un PC helmet from the 80’s with the Indian on horseback carrying the spear was better than that…

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Boy I don’t know that, the 2018 team that entered Ashland after a regional championship was pretty loaded with a 4 year starter at QB and 2 feature backs. This team may have football card star power and several Oline to boast…Then the expectations went higher in 2018 with solid road win in opener. I still say that rob job loss at Cal knocked the season off more than anyone will ever know.

Ironically the '18 team was the hardest to watch (sans the opener) in the past decade. I still think that team had major locker room issues.

That season finale debacle was hard to stomach.

[Iupgh]

Nice post!

You didn't miss a thing during The Lou Tepper years. It was like watching an older Ferrari that was running great rust quickly...

The affect of the Portal needs to be in discussion. A real player and game changer to say the least.

[Iupgh]

Tort has had a better run (at IUP) than Curt.

That said, Tort inherited a team ready to explode. Curt inherited a team approaching dumpster fire. So, it's not simply win-loss record when comparing.

Curt struggled under the bright lights at IUP. He lost some real flukey games but lost several nonetheless. He certainly got the train back on track. No doubt.

Tort is loaded up right now. His biggest task may be playing therapist. He's got a lot of peeps to feed. I would say this is clearly his most hyped team.

Boy I don’t know that, the 2018 team that entered Ashland after a regional championship was pretty loaded with a 4 year starter at QB and 2 feature backs. This team may have football card star power and several Oline to boast…Then the expectations went higher in 2018 with solid road win in opener. I still say that rob job loss at Cal knocked the season off more than anyone will ever know.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Very nice guy. Just was wild to me to see a guy with that kind of resume and pub about him coming from a pretty darn good program to come down to Shepherd and be tuned out so quickly. I wouldn't chalk it up to disrespectful players either, he simply had no idea what he was talking about more than half the time.

He had some teams at IUP in the 90s, as stated above, that didn't need a whole lot of coaching. Frank's teams in that era needed more off-the-field supervision than they needed coaching on the field. In the early and mid-90s they just had so much more talent than just about every team they played all season.

[Ram040506]

It seemed to me Coach Rogish a player coach at IUP. They had so much talent some of those years and he let them play. Maybe shortcomings were hidden by that talent. I talked to him a few times and he is a really nice guy who did great things for IUP

Very nice guy. Just was wild to me to see a guy with that kind of resume and pub about him coming from a pretty darn good program to come down to Shepherd and be tuned out so quickly. I wouldn't chalk it up to disrespectful players either, he simply had no idea what he was talking about more than half the time.

[cage]

I crossed paths for a very brief time with Rogish. For the life of me I don't get what the IUP hoopla was with him. He seemed completely lost coaching within Shepherd's defensive scheme and quickly lost respect of the players once they realized they knew more about the scheme than their coach did. Just was not impressed at all with him and I'd say IUP dodged a major bullet not succumbing to any pressure to higher him as the HC during that time frame.

It seemed to me Coach Rogish a player coach at IUP. They had so much talent some of those years and he let them play. Maybe shortcomings were hidden by that talent. I talked to him a few times and he is a really nice guy who did great things for IUP

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I crossed paths for a very brief time with Rogish. For the life of me I don't get what the IUP hoopla was with him. He seemed completely lost coaching within Shepherd's defensive scheme and quickly lost respect of the players once they realized they knew more about the scheme than their coach did. Just was not impressed at all with him and I'd say IUP dodged a major bullet not succumbing to any pressure to higher him as the HC during that time frame.

There was no hoopla regarding Rogish. I'm pretty in tune with the program. As stated previously, he was just another guy who wanted the job.