Hoosier Huddle Podcast: 2024 IUFB Season Preview

[Music] so many new pieces to this IU football team to me that's going to set tone on how you get ready for games on on Saturday uh in the [Music] fall I would put that in the in a room up against anybody else in the conference and that's something that we typically don't even come close to saying if you want to get total sickos committee about it there's position battle at Long Snapper to this is the hooer Huddle podcast part of the college huddle [Music] podcast good evening and welcome to the hooer hudle podcast I'm Sammy Jacobs along with me is TJ Inman and Alex Compton as we continue our 2024 Indiana football season previews today we're doing the big season preview we'll go over our expectations for coach zetti and the hooers in year one we'll do a schedule breakdown we'll give MVPs on each side of the ball a bold prediction talk about the game day changes that were announced today on io.com uh and then where to watch your games when the hooers are on the road or the pregame before home games so welcome to the show guys how are we doing doing well it's uh 10 days out I think now um so we're recording this on uh Wednesday evening for those of you that are going to listen later in the week or on the weekend uh it's officially week zero it's officially college football time um I've seen some uh some funny you know memes and stuff on Twitter of uh you know guys informing there significant others that uh they will they will see them again in the spring so I think it's that time for a lot of us and really excited to be talking IU football and in the schedule I think it's uh if it wasn't go time already is now y definitely fired up ready to go uh we got a game Saturday between Florida State and Georgia Tech is a little warmup tuner uh tuneup event for for us fans to get acclimated to college football being on our televisions thankfully once again um and then Indiana you know the the real thing for us uh that next Saturday afternoon so ready to go excited for this uh season preview let's get going did you skip over Delaware state in Hawaii TJ in week zero I did yeah I did right to the big game I would argue that Delware state Hawaii is H that's true can't forget the blue henss that's right that's right all right let's get uh right down the business Indiana starts the season on Saturday August 31st against Florida International uh it is a new era in Bloomington with Kirk cetti taking over for for Tom Allen who was fired at the end of last year Indiana spent a ton of money to get Allen out I believe it was around5 Million to buy out the rest of his contract you also had to bring coach Signet in buy out all the assistance that went with Allen as well um there have been massive game day changes which we'll talk about later but let's talk about expectations for Kirk cetti in year one at media days he said we don't expect to be 10th that we want to be the best um that's great that that's the attitude everybody wants to have uh but let's see what the expectations are for for the fans to to give them a base of reality to where you know if they lose a game during the season it's not full meltdown you know basketball board mode so um we'll start with with you TJ what are your expectations for Kirk scetti Indiana's done a lot to to change the attitude and um you know atmosphere around the football program yeah so I think it's important to kind of delineate expectations versus limitations um I I'm not saying here's what I expect and I think that's the best they could possibly do that's not the case I'm not putting a ceiling on this team necessarily um now do I I think that IU is capable even if they play their absolute best every single game do I think that IU is capable of making the college football playoff I do not not this year um do I think that Indiana is capable of winning eight or nine games if they everything falls into place and they play their best yeah I do now what is the expectation I think a lot of that gets made by your schedule for a program like Indiana the schedule can make or break what you are capable of in a season and I used schedule fairly favorable especially compared to what we are kind of used to um My Hope and Baseline expectation for this team is that Indiana makes a bowl game beats Purdue that that always has to be thrown in there makes a bll game beats Purdue and then I would like to see Indiana break that streak and get a bull Victory so I think that would leave you with the winning record I think that would leave you with the win over produce you've got the bucket and you break the the bull losing streak uh and get into the the win column in a Bull game for me that's the Baseline meeting that I'm really happy exceeding that I'm you know running naked in the streets and anything short of that we're going to have to see you know what conditions played out to make that not happen yeah with you Alex yeah I think for me it's not record as much I think you want to be above 500 of course we always want that um you want to win every game every game we lose sucks but for me you just after all the talk all the momentum all the buildup seems like a lot of really really good changes kind of a departure from probably the past two eras honestly um you got to get some positive momentum going and you got to finish the season strong you just you can't come out and lay a 4 and eight egg you can't you know win one game in the Big 10 um you got to show that you've established kind of a system on both side of the ball I think that's one thing we haven't seen it's kind of been Helter Skelter on offense and defense for the last kind of three seasons I would say um so you got to come out show you have an identity on both sides of the ball I think not only should that help you win games you're supposed to win and be competitive in those games we typically haven't been competitive in but it also helps you sell div Vision to portal guys that will be a topic of conversation probably three months from now the portal will be rearing again um so you have to have a vision for that you have to be able to show guys you know this is a year on tape this is how we would use you this is why we need you that that I think is is critical um and then yeah you need to build some momentum and I think this is an older roster and I think that's by design for Coach SNY and his staff this year to just get off the ground okay um and then I think getting off the ground okay really really allows you to recruit that 25 26 class um classes I should say um harder in kind of how you want to rather than just taking guys that are interested I think you go after some guys that you know probably larger programs are interested in as well so uh for me it's just establish an identity on both sides of the ball um we've heard the new culture that's great you gotta you gotta show it you gota you gotta play like it um W which coach zeni has said a couple times um and then you got to finish with momentum I think we've seen some streaks and some okay things the last you know half decade whatever you want to call it um but you got to finish the season strong and I think that's been a challenge yeah I'm kind of with you guys not saying that there's a specific record but there's definitely some boxes that I have that need to be check the first one you have to have a winning record at home you've got eight home games for the first time in a long time uh your three non-conference games should be wins at home you also are bringing in Maryland who's going through transition you're bringing in Washington who's going through transition Nebraska who's starting a a freshman at quarterback is coming in Michigan again another team in transition and then Purdue who is not expected to be great this year if you could go five and three or six and two and take care of bow eligibility just at home you'll be that to me is you know now it's not only great record but fans come to expect to to win at home and and it's a little bit more fun uh second thing on my checklist and this is kind of like the video game right you're you're coaching Hot Seat um stuff w win your trophy games uh Michigan state is on the road this year but they they're a team that Indiana's split the last four games with them and and both of them have been on the road uh so does that pattern continue can you win a road game in November up at sparton stadium and then Purdue at home is that that's a game you always have to win and I know Kirks you know coach that he wants to do more than just beat Purdue and get to a ball game but they are your biggest rival your instate rival you recruit against them in state and I think he might know not know the he he needs to talk to Mark deal about the importance of this rivalry he might not know the just the impact it has and maybe he'll take uh that the boiler make special coming down 17th Street and blowing its horn to make him realize just how big this uh the this rivalry is but you know whenn win that game and then you know get to the postseason it's it is a high bar to jump over as a first year coach at IU uh you know the only coach I remember coming in and being semis successful was Bill Lynch and that was a one special year and and done type of thing you know Kevin Wilson came in went one and 11 Tom Allen had 25- seven seasons um Hep went I think 4- seven had dinardo and and all those going back even bill mallerie came in and I think went 0 and 11 his first year so to to come in and get to the the postseason and get to a bowl game and win that bowl game you're going to change a lot of things around um so that's on my checklist and that those are the the expectations also just have a functional team don't we not no delay of games on the opening kickoff of the Season no timeouts coming out of a Timeout on a TV timeout look prepared be prepared just look like a functional outfit which Indiana football did not look like from you know basically the last five minutes of the uh Gator Bowl until the you know the end of the 2023 um 2023 bucket game you know and they had they have some times in 2020 where where they they look like at it together and turned around but for more times than not since the last five minutes of the Gator Bowl uh you know things kind of started spiraling and falling apart so let's do our schedule breakdown in there quickly yeah I another one for me could we could this just be fun I think both for the team and the fan I think everyone you could tell the players have been really tight the last couple seasons and I think the fans have been very on edge and tight which I I understand I am too during the games like you you probably don't want to watch an IU football game with me but I mean it's supposed to be fun like when you're at the game it's fun to stand on third down it's fun to high five people you don't know when you score like it's okay to win and to have fun and I think both on the The Fan side both in person and online and then the team side I think it's it's supposed to be fun and you're supposed to celebrate when you make plays and supposed to celebrate when you win games I don't care who you're playing we saw that last year it's it's hard to win and it's supposed to be fun like I I I want the team to have fun winning obviously but I want to just play loose and exciting and fast football instead of this tight scared to mess up crap because we saw how that works and it doesn't so that that's my challenge to people at the game I'll be at the opener which I know we'll talk about in a second um you know I'll be the guy you have to tell to sit sit down on third down but you know if you're mad at me for standing on third down uh at the home opener for a new coach you know I would challenge you to look at yourself in the mirror a little bit um so it it should be fun I want it to be fun yeah insert the uh coach Boone from you know Remember the Titans GI GIF in there football football's not fun anymore Alex didn't didn't you get the message zero it hasn't been it hasn't been but I'm choosing to to believe it will be now yeah no it's and especially for the students you get whatever maybe 25 home games 30 at the most um enjoy it they go by quick um let's do this schedule let's do the schedule breakdown as we mentioned earlier there are no more divisions in the Big 10 you're out of the Big 10 East you do draw Ohio State and Michigan again but they're at the end of the year you don't open with them uh and you get a bu week in between the 2024 is one of those odd years the leap year where you have however many weekends before after Labor Day so there is that extra by week in there which I think is is helpful but you know you get eight home games four on the road one of those Road games is at Northwestern you go at UCLA as well and then at Ohio State and at Michigan State let's just break this schedule down between non-conference um those first six games and then the the back half of the schedule yeah non-conference I give credit to whoever set the schedule if that's Scott Dolson if that was Tom Allen playing a part in that earlier if that was somebody else in the athletic department I give that person credit for setting this non-conference schedule because it actually makes sense it's the it's the non-conference schedule Indiana should be scheduling it doesn't mean you automatically go three and 0 you have to go out there and play the games you have to play well and and you have to get the wins but this is much better than for instance what Purdue is doing this makes way more sense this makes way more sense than playing Louisville okay so I give credit to the decision maker that put this non-conference schedule in place that gives you a very good opportunity to go 3 and0 that's what you're looking for I think Florida International perfect opener they're a competent team they have good athletes y but it's a game that if you play well you should have it pretty much sewn up heading into the fourth quarter and giving yourself a chance to develop that depth okay Western Illinois very bad FCS team in the past couple Seasons very literally the worst football team in division one right they may have improved quite a bit and they'll still be no very bad they okay so that game gives you a chance to have it be done by half time competitively and again develop that depth Charlotte interesting program I think that they will be the biggest challenge out of the three um but that's a game you should be somewhat comfortably winning at home so I like the the non-conference schedule for those purposes one it's should be three and0 and if it's not there's larger problems and then two it gives you a chance if you play well to get that depth into the game and develop it for later on in the season uh like that quite a bit now the first three big 10 games before that bye at UCLA that's a tossup game uh I I think it's we don't know a lot about what UCLA is going to be under DeShaun Foster new offensive coordinator and Eric benamy we'll dive into that specifically for that game week and kind of the details on them once we get a little bit of an idea of what does UCLA look like um you know that's that's a tossup game it's in a cool atmosphere obviously uh that's a good opportunity it's a good early season opportunity uh for Indiana on the road Maryland at home always competitive between them Maryland's gonna have a new quarterback they're going to look a lot different than they did under taga Bola at the toss up at Northwestern unique environment playing on the lake small stadium Northwestern overachieved last season I think by pretty much any metric do they have some regression yeah probably but still that's a road game in the Big 10 against a very competent opponent that's another toss up so you've got a chance in those first six games to probably worst case scenario be three and three and if that's all you get out of those first six games you're in trouble headed down the backstretch so you gota be aiming for four- two or better or better yeah that's you know going into that and you know I forgot about the UCLA game that if you could split the UCLA and Northwestern road trips right you're you're in good shape and then you know we'll see what Maryland is coming into that game but again to my point earlier you have to win your home games You' got eight of them this year you could take care of B eligibility without even leaving Memorial Stadium so I then you know you hit that by week after was it after Northwestern yes yeah before home bring in yeah before homecoming which brings me to that third chunk of games which is Nebraska at home Washington at home um Michigan and what's the road trip in there at Michigan State state then Michigan yeah yeah yeah so at at Michigan State and Michigan at home those you don't know what those teams are yet yeah Nebraska has a lot of hype coming in with with Dylan rayola uh but they haven't been to a bowl game since 2016 which is kind of ridiculous um for them I know Alex is ready to talk all the smack to his brother about that and all that stuff but uh you know you look at Washington who knows what they're going to be they lose a ton this is the unknown part of the schedule to me and if you could go what's it four games between then and and Ohio State yeah yeah if you if you split those at two and two man you're done before you have to go you've got your six wins before going to the second bye into the Horseshoe um and you feel pretty good about yourself now that's all you're asking for is two- two if you could go three and one or heck even maybe 4 and0 in that stretch which is not it's not unimaginable um it's as an IU fan yes it is unimaginable that everything goes our way if you're looking at it a game at a time yeah they're you might go three in one and say hey Michigan's that automatic there you go yeah yeah but I think I think Michigan despite their personnel losses I I think that's a pretty screwed on tight operation that uh I don't see a step back for them and the level of physicality they play with I I don't you know at that point in the season glad has a I'm glad IU has a byee after that Michigan game I think that comes at a good time not having to go back to back without arrest between Michigan and Ohio State um and you can kind of recharge your batteries before you you take on Purdue yeah I also I also like playing Ohio State uh the week before they play m you know not that you know all things go well for them they're 10 and0 they've beaten Oregon at the road at that point um you know at that point I doubt they're looking ahead but you know at that point if Ohio State wins 10 games and loses out I still I don't know how you leave them out of the playoffs so right you know maybe they're well they're gonna be looking for a new head coach if they lose out yeah yeah but I mean they'd still get in I think the playoff but um yeah I think for me it's like it always seems to come down to for IU it's the to those tossup games that we talked about and those there are this year which I think is you hired a new coach and you blew up the infrastructure we had because it was extremely maddening in those tossup kind of games like the marylands of the world the ruer of the world where they've essentially tried to hand you a few of these games and Tom Allen just just wouldn't take um you hope a new competent staff operation whatever you want to call it I think just by being more sound and function and technique these games hopefully slide our way and over time become you know ones where the other teams go oh I don't really want to play Indiana because they're always just very solid and I think you look at Maryland I think just technique and holding on to the ball has usually beaten them in conference play um it's those kind of crazy games or the shootouts where where they seem to get you um they also always seem to start really hot and kind of start to Wither in the middle and back end of the season so um you know we catch them kind of early so that is a bit of a concern but um yeah I mean you have three essentially true Road games the Northwestern situations going to be really unique I'll be there I know I expect a lot of Indiana fans to be there just with the presence in in Chicago um yeah I mean looking at the pre- bye you have FIU Western UCLA Charlotte Maryland and Northwestern I mean those are not that I'm saying those are games you should all win but those are games I think the team looks at that schedule and goes yeah we can win all of those games yeah yeah and you know yeah and that's what he's been talking about all off season is oh your record in one score games you're they've been so close and it it's you know there there's a lot of talk about it so let's see if if Kirk cetti and this team can can win those those close games which you know the last few years Indiana has not Yeah you mentioned you mentioned fun and exciting this is a a fun exciting schedule it is yeah yeah yeah some intriguing matchups and FIU is a you know Jeremy Passmore um I think was no his brother so a couple IU ties um but yeah I mean not only have to win the non-conference games in my opinion we we talked about it on our roster breakdowns last couple weeks I do think IU is very very thin at a couple key positions so you have to win these sure but like we've talked about you'd like to win them running away so you are you know resting guys heading into that road trip to La instead of you know getting and getting some dep guys to right it's critical it's critical like I think we've totally mismanaged a lot of stuff in the past but the non-conference games like we've talked about have just been terrible um so not only do you need to win them you need to be healthy and hopefully you win them by enough of a margin where you know you're getting these other guys in the game I think that's gonna be really the rest of the schedule yeah and somebody commented on it that that you know we're like one of the only sites that bring that up but if you go back to 2017 and 2018 when Tom Allen played all his young guy recruits you saw what they became in 2019 and 2020 and then all of a sudden he stopped playing the depth guys and you saw what they became in 21 22 and 23 so the formula's there um to do that let's uh move on to that the back half of the schedule the last two games you know we talked about the first six those was middle toss up four which TJ you won't throw Michigan in there I will um and then the last two which are you know we can't get through an IU football season without a trip to Ohio State um and then the bucket game yeah um Ohio State look you know it trips to Columbus are rarely enjoyable um for Indiana football uh Ohio State Ohio State might have the most talented roster in the country Georgia May disagree but they don't take a back seat to anybody in terms of roster um certainly some I think legitimate questions about quarterback uh whether or not will Howard will still be starting by that point who knows but regardless of who they put out at running back or I'm sorry at quarterback that one is a severe long shot for Indiana and that's okay Purdue at home um the boil makers they over under win total last I've looked was four and a half uh they were projected or picked 18th in the uh preseason media pull for the Big 10 uh look they lost their best two players to the transfer portal Deon Burks and Nick scon I don't think they replaced them with anybody of that caliber um I I do not think their lines of scrimmage are that good I do not think their skill position groups particularly wide receiver are that good I think their defense could be okay and I think HUD Hudson card is is capable and the running game could be okay um with Reggie love and Devin mcabe yeah but that's that's one that as of right now and that's a super long time before that game so who knows what both teams will be healthwise who knows what they'll be uh on the field I mean we don't know yet but as of right now I would feel confident in Indiana against Purdue uh we'll see if it it goes that way during the year but home game against Purdue is one that you you need to to win it doesn't really matter what Purdue looks like what Indiana looks like you got to get those yep yeah it'd be good to get for sure I mean just to to stop him from talking so much and yeah I I get IU fans talk too and all that stuff and sometimes I do side with the Purdue fans but it's like let let's re-enter the chat in this rivalry yeah and get one back um you know haven't had the bucket since 2019 probably would have won it in 2020 had it not been cancelled due to the to covid um and then you know Purdue has basically hammered you the last three years under Allen you had a shot last year blew a what 12 point 18-point lead or something 10-point lead uh heading into the fourth quarter um yeah let's move on cherry on top of that era for me that was a perfect summation of many of the issues we had seen yeah um all right let's move on to quick question um let's say no Purdue game which game do you think is the most important game for Indiana to win on the schedule the first one I know that sounds like a sarcastic answer and it and it might be but the first game I think the first game is the most important one you got to change the narrative a little bit and yeah you know if you come out and beat FIU 24-21 people are going to be like well this say all this talk from Kirk cetti and we could barely beat FIU people don't realize FIU against Kevin Wilson's team was going in for the tying score when I think it was Andre Brown had a 97 yard pick six um you had some close games down there where the defense needed to bail out under Tom Allen and Kevin Wilson so th this is not a slouch slouch FIU team the they're if you let them hang around they they'll hang around and they'll beat you um yep but yeah to me it's the first game I think that's a very valid answer in the interest of choosing something slightly different um I'll go with Maryland um Big 10 home opener uh I I feel like if if you assume which is a very dangerous thing to do but if you assume that Indiana takes care of business against FIU Western Illinois and Charlotte and loses to UCLA I think that would be okay that's a fine start that's a fine start not great because we lost to UCLA but fine three and one that's fine and then you got Maryland coming in at home yeah I think that's a pretty big pivot between 4- one and 3 and two and Maryland's one of the you know matchup opponents that you've got in the Big 10 so I think that'll be an interesting one um and important I mean all these tossup games are important and each one that you win kind of lessens the pressure on the next one the next one if you lose ratchets that Notch up and reduces your margin for error so that that's that's the way it goes we're no surprised to that I'm excited to talk about this next one we're talking about offense defense special teams players to watch uh or MVP or MVPs we'll go MVP lot of options man lot of options so Alex if you want to start with offensive player to watch or MVP uh kind of somebody you want to highlight on that side of the ball yeah it's got to be I'll take the easy answer to start but it's got to be Curtis roor uh for me I think we talked about it's an old roster by Design you want to get off to a good start not only season wise but kind of long-term program trajectory wise that's why you bring a guy like that in um we've talked about in our roster breakdowns he's been one of the only guys that's been getting kind of you know positive glaring public reviews from coach cetti um so it's got to be him I think you saw flashes of Brendan sorby that you liked obviously he's you know whatever he was doing at the end of the season if that's true or not but either way he's at Cincinnati I think roor is is a better player if you had to pick you know this season obviously swords be's younger but I think you you're happy you have roor on the roster yeah um but you just want consistent quarterback play and for someone that was you know as critical of pton Ramsey at times like I was you know you miss a guy like that that was just very steady distributed the ball leader you know seemed to always kind of make the big play when you needed it instead of the defense making a big play um so for me it's got to be roor if you want to get to where you want to get to like we just talked about when we walked through the schedule uh if if Ro's not your guy I think I think you're in trouble um so I'll take the easy answer but it's got to be Roar for me yep I think that's the right answer um the the player that I'll highlight to be different because I I do think it's really critical I could get cute and say Carter Smith but I don't know enough about offensive line play to pretend that I do so um Elijah Sarat I think that his importance emerging as a true number one wide receiver if he can be what you hope he can I I I think that that kind of helps out everyone else in the offense into a really good role for them I think it would help Donovan mccauly into being a really good number two and if the defenses have to focus on Sarat and mcau can just get single coverage consistently I think you feel really good about that and I think he would feel really good about that it would help miles price in a natural slot receiver role uh so I I think that it would it would help the offense flow better with everybody in a natural role if Sarat can be your you know hey this is this is the guy that defenses are forced to pay attention to because if they don't he's going to catch nine or ten passes you know for 80 or 90 yards and score a touchdown and and if if he can stay healthy and be that for Indiana I think it helps the rest of the players in that wide receiver room um so I think R's the the correct answer because you you've got to have that leader on offense that can stir the drink I I'll take the Wild Card answer I think Miles price is the most important player on offense um we we've seen it the last couple years there have been too many of the same types of players at the in the wide receiver room on offense and Miles price gives you that you know Shane win wfi your guy who you could get the ball to in space who you really wish Jaylen Lucas would have been um but you could use him on reverses you could use him on the little pop pass um you could you could use the Outback Bowl Playbook and throw it to him 22 times uh like it did with W filer but he's the guy when I use offense is really good under with Kaylin dor and Tom Allen and um Nick Sheridan it was because they had a player like a wob failure who could go across the middle make the tough catches outrun the defense I think miles price after a couple years of not having that brings that to the to the offensive room to where if if he goes down I think it would be a bigger loss than maybe losing some of these other guys that you could stick an EJ Williams in or an Omar Cooper in um because he has that unique speed yeah but you guys left me no choice H that's a good choice yeah it's a good choice yeah y yeah let's uh move move over to the defensive side of the ball um I I'll go first the most I think it's CJ West the most important um part in in the player to watch or MVP of that defense uh just because he he's a a space eater he can make plays he'll free up you know the the rest of the defensive line to make plays free up the linebackers and you know him coming in made you feel the impact he had when he committed to Indiana was that you went from a major concern like oh my God what are they going to do at defensive tackle to okay now they have their answer as a starter and they they brought in some depth behind them um Alex will go to you next yeah West is a good one I think gosh since probably what who Ralph green or or Darius leam you really haven't had a true kind of a People Eater at at defensive tackle at least unless I'm forgetting a couple but you know that that I think is a big ad um shout out to Ralph green but um yeah I I think that's a good one for me it's been a problem for these teams the last couple years and that's that's pass rush production um and I think when I look at this defense again I like the starters at a lot of spots U depth is where I get a little concerned about uh especially in the secondary so one way to help the secondary is to get pressure on the quarterback uh so for me it's it's Mel Kamara who has gotten again similar praise to roor I think is one of those JMU transplants that's not only you know going to be expected to produce but also kind of help change this culture here uh they like him for his versatility they like him for his pass rush ability productive player last year uh for me he's got to be one that you look at and you go yeah that was I'm glad we brought him along um he had a productive season um so he's gonna play a ton of snaps So Ready or Not For The Big 10 um I think is a big question with a lot of those kind of transfers um he's going to be one for me that's going to be critically important to stay on the field one and then produce you know too um so for me that's a big one you could throw Mangan Ferrar in there I think similarly for me um I like lenel car because I think I know what I'm G to get from lenel car yeah he was their best patch rusher last year which is very solid production so I I love having car back I think he's gonna have a great season um but those other two edges if you will I think are more important just because I don't know what we're going to get and shout out to Lenell car's dad always commenting on our stuff and our show so we we we know we give Lenell Carr Jr a little love on this show but yeah let's TJ what's your pick yeah I think the obviously pass rush is something that needs to step up um Carr jmf both options there Kamar um you know hopefully Vincent Sneed maybe can can jump up in there get you a couple sacks but uh I think the two guys that I'm torn between would be D'Angelo pwns as a hopefully a shutdown corner I'll go with the guy that Kurt cetti and Bryant Haynes both seem to adore uh and they've called him the quarterback of the defense he's probably going to be IU's leading tackler if he stays healthy I know that tackles are apparently not all that important if you look at what impacts winning and linebackers aren't all that whatever I think a really good linebacker that's a true leader in the defense in the middle of it I still think that's really important so I'm going to go with fer uh I I think that Aiden fiser is a a potential all big 10 linebacker um not first team because I think there's some you know returning studs at that position but I think he can make an all big 10 team um and just with the headset rules coming into play inside the helmet that's the guy wearing that for Indiana is going to be Fisher uh coaches talk about how how good he is instinctually how well he understands scheme and the opposing scheme how much he studies and how good of a leader he is plus he's really talented um so I I'm going to go with him on that we switched to special teams I think we we have to take place kicker don't we uh who's that who's that gonna be it sounds like they're it does that's not what he said I know long and one for short yeah McCormack's a kickoff guy and I think they're gonna use Nico on the short as the short shorter guy and McCormick on the long field goals which makes sense yeah so if we can't choose if we can't choose a position of kicker if we have to choose an actual individual then I guess you have to go with the punter right I mean yeah look if you need a field goal to beat FIU we're in trouble then yeah James Evans is your MVP yeah yeah yeah if you have to go with an individual because Kurt sigety does not seem particularly concerned about returns uh kickoffs or punts he feels like they've got a trio of guys that can do it they're interchangeable and he said before he doesn't really think kickoff return is something that happens all that much anyway so I don't think it's going to be an emphasis for Indiana uh we'll see but no matter how good your offense is you're going to have to punt some uh and if you can pin your opponent deep and flip the field and rely on that uh directional punting and just length and and height of a punt to give your coverage team time to get down there and get in good position if you can rely on that from Evans as you can I mean he's proven that that that's a valuable weapon to have yeah let's uh yeah I would just for sake of being I think if miles price is your PR returner which sounds like he may be um he was productive at Texas Tech I think yeah having another all all conference guy yeah having another weapon I think would be good we've seen in my opinion terrible punt coverage and reception um just you know lack of discipline wrong guys out there you'll just be better if yeah you don't have a walk on behind your first act just be competent and in the punt return and punt kicking game it helps a lot it helps a lot um so I I think that's a big one so all right T let's get to bold predictions TJ we'll start with you yeah so Indiana's offense last season and you have to take things in context Indiana's offense last season uh ranked just had this pulled up 105th in scoring offense 22.2 points per game 105th in the country my bold prediction is Indiana increases their points per game by 10 points per game which would put Indiana at 32.2 points per game and for context that would put the hooers at number 31 as of last season's offensive numbers uh that would put them right at where Toledo was right at where just a tick below Missouri um so I'm putting Indiana increasing points per game production by 10 points per game which if the numbers from last season would translate would put them up at a top 35 top 40 offense nationally um it's a a big jump forward uh and it it would certainly you know require some very strong performances and your numbers can be goosed some if you go out in the non-conference and put up you know 70 against Western Illinois or something that you know that skews things but overall I think the offense will be a significant Improvement and I put a number on it 10 points per game average uh up for Indiana that would be a a a bold Improvement for the hooers but I do think it's doable thanks to the coaching staff improvements the scheme which I think is a lot better and the Personnel improvements which I think has been upgraded across the board right with that we will say good night to TJ thanks for joining us as always game week pod next week fellas I'm uh I'm excited for it we'll get uh get rolling I'll let you guys carry this home yep we have a special guest for next week too we'll get into that but Alex and I we're gonna carry at home with our bold predictions and update you on the game day experience changes which is our uh labor of love what's your a big one yeah you and I it's a big a big one uh for me I it's tough to say I'm trying to not do like the big schedule ones um I think offensively and defensively I think you see a a big turnaround and and turnover margin for Indiana um which is something that has kind of slipped the last couple years um I think last year we were 103d in the country um in turnover margin um I think IU ends up like plus 10 to 15 in the turnover margin in a positive way this year um I think you're going to see an offense that values the ball much more is a lot more calculated with their shots knows when to take the shots um and I think on defense you'll see a much more aggressive style of play um especially if the offense can move the ball you can pin the opposing offense back a little bit I think you'll see you know a defense attacking more than just being on their Heroes all Gam that that would be a combined one for me a super super bold take that is is very Kool lady to me um I think you're going to lose a couple of those crap tossup games that at the end you're just fuming about I think who whoever is the coach I think you're GNA have that with Indiana football for the next couple years but uh for me I actually think my boldest prediction is that you go two and0 against the teams that were in the national championship game last year um so I see you beating Michigan and Washington both at home um I I just two programs in the midst of a lot of turnover I know Michigan is ultra physical Ultra athletes all that good stuff um I do think they are legitimate concerns with their quarterback room um and I think behind Donovan Edwards I'm not sure you know who your guy is kind of on offense so um I think they're getable especially at home then Washington I really like fish I I really like that hire for them um but you know totally new system for Will Rogers obviously lost a ton of guys to the portal in the draft after a great season last year um so I think both of those teams are are really getable um it's harder now and we we've talked about this as well to build that kind of depth that just kills you especially in the end of the season and the second half of games with the portal era um a lot of those guys that would be rotation guys are starting for other schools or smaller schools or whatever so if I had to throw a really bold one out there I think you beat both of the teams that were in the national championship game last year um which if you said that to me in August last year uh you know I would have said you were out of your mind but um that would be a super bold one for me yeah uh that is a super bold one I I I'm going to go it's like a two-parter um think Curtis Ro finishes top five in the Big 10 in passing yards uh maybe even top three and then I think Indiana finally gets ends that streak of a thousand yard receiver um might be Eliza serat it might be guy like miles price it could be Donovan mccauly but they're going to throw the ball um and they have some Playmakers to where if one guy's getting double team they're going to like you said throw it to the next guy but I do think H Curtis finishes top five and Big 10 in in passing yards that's my my bold prediction um and then my not so bold prediction is you know fans will melt down as soon as something uh bad happens and yeah you know we'll see but let's get uh let's get to those fans and The Fan Experience and game day experience so things have been leaking out all summer IU uh finally announced them all in one um One release today for new Memorial Stadium editions for the 2024 season uh the thing that I'm pumped about is this btown Boulevard I I feel like I need royalties for this I've been saying close off the circle by the and bring in um this bring in everything so Miller Plaza has been transformed into Festival like atmosphere uh with the unveiling of btown Boulevard the spaces will open two and a half hours before kickoff and is open to all ticket holders as well as the general public uh the new space will feature a concert stage with live bands food trucks what remind me if this sounds familiar an outdoor bar familyfriendly g games IU team store with IU merchandise and other IU related attractions perfect great have a good time I think you know even opening it to the general public you're going to get some people with maybe kids who can't really last the whole game or or whatever where they're still G to spend 25 bucks a person there and maybe not go into the game which right now is fine um you also have enhanced concessions experience with Levy uh it looks like Buffalo will be there yogis social Cantina A's Pizza um in addition to some person person concession op options and and grab and go so yeah there's a dead they moved the student section they relocated The Rock outside there's a new stadium tunnel uh run out and you know several other things in there uh Alex what are you most excited about yeah I think for me it's been near and dear to my heart to get people to leave the lots and go into the stadium so I think anything Festival like or noteworthy that's as close to Stadium as possible to lure you in is a big deal for me um so I love the idea of btown Boulevard I think it's cool I'm going to check it out on the 31st um I I think that's great um I think all the new concessions things are great I think they need to work a lot on the lines and making sure people are ready to take payments and all that stuff because I know that's been an issue for a lot of people um but it's only as great as you're going to let it be great so if you're going to have all this new stuff you still have to make sure all the other stands are staffed properly um you know there's been lots of instances where the upper level stuff just hasn't been open or haven't had enough staff it's it's got concerns they're they're now going with a professional yeah vendor who's gonna run everything it seems so it's it's got to be you know buffal Louise is great but if that's the only place that you know knows how to accept payments or get people through the line's going to be longer than they've ever been so um unless you still still have everything else running well enough and and properly the the new stuff's going to be overwhelmed and deliver a terrible experience so I'm really excited too as a student section guy I can't wait to see what that looks like um I think it's a great idea um to kind of transform that and put everyone in the same area my dream one day would be to uh make you know the North End Zone hanky Hall I would use that like outdoor area as like a party deck I think a lot of scho do that where they have stuff for students to hang out in at half time take pictures for Instagram all that kind of stuff I think that would be one change I would make is over time maybe you know the top of those sections become no bleachers and more of you know concrete for people to stand on and hang out I think you throw a DJ in there all that kind of stuff but um really excited to see what that looks like too but um yeah very excited for the boulevard I think that's a great idea um you now we've seen it a couple places on Twitter now but you now have four kind of noteworthy things at each entrance of Memorial Stadium I think that's really cool um for me you gota you gotta get people to leave the tailgating lots and go into the game before the game starts um and then you got to give them a reason to stay so it really does all come back to the the team um underrated thing that I think is also great is there's no more pass outs so you can't leave the stadium and come back in um I'm I'm real s yeah I'm I'm really excited for that um for people that are going to complain about that that's a just extremely common thing now across you know high level Collegiate Sports and pro sports um so I'm really excited about that you know you're going to spend three and a half hours on a beautiful day in Bloomington sitting outside and cheering on your favorite team you know you really shouldn't be wanting to leave and go to the car and then come back because we know what happens when you're going to go out to the car is you're not going to come back so um I think that's kind of a sneaky good change as well I mean you're at the game to go to the game we have to wait nine months for them to come back every year um and you only get a handful of them so why not why not sit there for the game I think it's great yeah and it's something that we've been talking about since we we started the podcast was the pass out should have been the easiest and first thing to go and if are you really wanted to you can make a designated smoking area that's you know kind of gated in but outside um but yeah pass outs pass outs are gone you're going to have to stay and look that let's be honest it also helps with the revenue and they're going to make you buy their food and beer and all that stuff and that's part of that's part of I mean yeah but it's all good and it's not like you go to other stadiums that's $17 for beer I mean you can get the good you know Upland stuff you can get the domestic stuff wine there's you know there's liquor there's wine there's you know all sorts of stuff now you're adding in all this food it's like you know it it's supposed to be fun and you're supposed to go and stay and hang out and buy some stuff like it's that's how it's supposed to be and everyone's been complaining about it forever which is definitely warranted Sammy you and I were complaining more than most but now it's here now you got to you know take advantage of it so yeah now you got people complaining on the other side too um yeah I I mean the other things relocating heps Rock outside we saw you know the Oregon Duck and it's just one of those things that now you have photo opportunities for people uh you know some social media clout and things like that I I agree having all four entrances main entrances have something special is is cool um and then just we'll see what the runout tunnel does um and stuff like that right now it it's looks like it's still under construction and but it looks like it's going through the weight room I don't know if they're going to do it kind of like Hockey style where they have the glass you know tunnel and fans can can watch them uh walk out to the ice and stuff like that but overall I think it's it's a good thing um then you have your other options too if you're not into tailg if you're student want to go to the bars I know upstairs Pub who is um you know is the place to watch the game now uh but only away games uh you could go pregame at upstairs they have their breakfast club it looked like that they brought in the scoreboard from the old Assembly Hall uh they TV wall toall TVs tickers all that stuff they put up on social media and then you know at at away away games go watch the game there you can come back read about it or watch us on on the podcast after the game for for all your Insight so excited to to yeah my favorite place in in btown to grab a drink I can't wait probably right when I park uh when I drive down from Chicago on the 30th uh the first thing I will do is probably go to upstairs get a couple amfs wake up realize I missed the game and we won 70 to nothing um and then go back to upstairs uh you know for that night so I'm excited for that but yeah definitely changed since I yeah definitely changed since I was a student that's that's how it goes yeah but yeah great place I I I love going there as a student love going going there when I go back um so yeah excited to check out the new Renovations and stuff when I when I head down there next weekend all right final thoughts it's here um so appreciate everybody hopefully this was a nice nice hour um talking Indiana football it's my favorite thing to do um it's go time lots of lots of lots of lots of new faces lots of story lines um that's what makes College football great that's why we love it um in the midst of the portal and the conference realignment and all this you know stuff going on um the second I see Indiana football play a game I forget I'm all about that and just root for him wildly so first and foremost I'm just so pumped that it's back um yeah schedule's is is fascinating I think more than it's been in recent years um you gota yeah nonon you got to take care of you hope you win those UCLA Northwestern games games um but yeah I mean it's it's time to to show what this new era is going to be all about um you hope you get off to a good start you hope you stay healthy you hope you win a bajillion games and score a bajillion points history will tell us that won't be the case um but we'll see I'm just really excited I can't wait to get back down there uh to end August and kickoff Labor Day weekend hopefully with a nice win um but yeah we'll uh get into I guess game by game break break downs now we'll get real specific on FIU um I know Sammy we have some more stuff coming there but excited to kind of get up to speed on on the Panthers here yeah uh we have our first glance out at the Panthers as well and I'll I'll repost all those uh when they're all published but yet it's a new era this feels a lot like spring training or you know spring when baseball comes around and you know Hope Springs Eternal in this case hope springs in the in the fall for for IU football fans um I'm excited to see the changes around the program both on and off the field uh be on the lookout if you're an IU fan in Bloomington we'll have a man on the ground ask questions and and looking uh looking for fan experiences and all that stuff uh but overall I'm just ready to get back to Bloomington in the fall it's the best time to be down there and to to enjoy another football season to kick off the Kirk cetti ERA with you you know with the Positive win and and move on from there so we'll have we'll have guests from from Florida International on on the next podcast which is coming up next Thursday we'll preview that game we have all our um position previews on hooer huddle.com you could follow us _ huddle and you know keep coming back subscribe like uh tell your friends about us as well um we we'll be down in Bloomington in in 10 days all right thanks for listening that does it for this edition of the hooer Huddle podcast