Same here.

Although I felt pretty good, it took longer on the things I didn't like, to think through that 'it's not game three or four yet!' 

Yeah, remembering how much we improved the first few weeks last year has kept me in a positive mind set. They will look much better the next few games.

7 trips to the red zone, only scored twice. Over 300yds rushing and 500 yards of offense. IU had over 500 yards just 5 times last season.  Defensively, outside of two badly blown coverages, we shut ODU out.  

There's a lot to like but we also have a lot of tape to learn from our mistakes.

People seem to be forgetting that Cig had no need to break out the fancy stuff and put it on tape for people to scout.  It was a Milton Berle game.

We will look uninspired v Kennesaw too.  No big deal.

I think there are two factors that led to more disappointment than we should be feeling.

1) We were hyped up for Fernando Mendoza and thinking he would be a better QB than the super accurate Rourke (heisman talk and being #1 pick in the draft by at least 1 pundit).  So anything less was going to be a bit of a letdown.  I'm holding out hope that it was just some first game jitters and he will settle down and show better accuracy on touch throws.  A lot of his misses were just barely off though so I don't think it's quite as bad as the stats suggest.  I don't think Mendoza passes for over 3000 yds behind a crappy OL in Cal if he is a bad QB so I think it was just a bad game.  

2) There is still a prevailing thought the non-P4 teams suck.  Despite our experience last year in making the playoffs by stealing an entire Sun Belt coaching staff and quite a few players from the Sun Belt.  Old Dominion may not be as bad as we all think because most of what we think is likely based on nothing more than school name and their conference.

Other than our average passing game, red zone struggles and 2 missed assignments on defense are the biggest reasons the score wasn't a blowout...and both should be fixable. 

Posted by: @mobilehoosier

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As I replay the game in my head, I'm not as disappointed as I was after the game. We were in Red Zone at games end.  Blew some easy points with bad execution.  Blew some assignments that cost us points.  I admit, I expected Nebraska, got Michigan.  In reflection, much to like.  Good team.  Need to improve drastically before week 4.  Go Hoosiers!

I thought the way the game played out was very fluky.....on any other day with the same dominance we would have won by 48-14 at the absolute worst.

My 3 biggest concerns (1) Mendoza and Rourke are so different in their approach that last year's game plan will have to be tweaked......Cig did that at JMU several times; (2) Missing West.  Wheeler was good and maybe he can get there; and (3) Wyatt at the DE was a huge disappointment.  Will we looking at someone else there before long? #4 would be missing Walker, but Jones is ok there...not Walker but ok.