Still shaking my head at the play calling. I can see a straight up-the-middle run the first time, but their defense was obviously stout.https://hoosierhuddle.com/2025/09/03/coogan-reflects-on-first-start/
We've got a QB famous for his running ability. We've got tall, experienced WRs. We don't have plays on the 2 to roll out and run or find a WR?
I can only think this was a Dinardo-type dick measuring contest and ours wasn't big enough.
DANC
@old-crescent They aren't going to put much on tape before Illinois.
@old-crescent well, ODU was stacking up to 10 in the box. Tough to do when you are outnumbered that much. I agree that they needed to come up with a play to counter that. I think that is what Cig was saying when he questioned the red zone plan going in.
... when he questioned the red zone plan going in.And that was very disturbing.
'Well, we put it in Thursday, but I didn't trust it then ... "
Similar to some comments about game plans for on the road at Ohio State, and then some on not changing the offense during the game at Notre Dame.
I thought Cig would be elite at game planning, which includes alternate plans. He's clearly very good at it, maybe not elite. Or maybe he trusts his staff and just runs quality control. But that looked iffy offensively against Notre Dame and Ohio State. The defense was up to the task both those big games.
I hope that without Tino Sunseri to bounce ideas off of during the weeks' game planning, that Mike Shanahan doesn't turn into Nick Sheridan. ;D
But I liked our offense against ODU. Just why go into a less familiar formation near the goal line. Weird. I know they had their reasons though, whatever they were.
Everyone worships Cignetti but he is not perfect. And I have soured on Shanahan a bit after the offensive no shows against Ohio State and Notre Dame.
@iugradman Kurtis Rourke threw an awful pick against ND into triple coverage instead of finding the wide open guy.
Oline fell apart against Ohio State and didn't change the snap count. He's not Walt Bell and 14 games into a tenure and chicken littling stuff is old
Old? But we just started.
I thought his worry about the offensive game planning was do to lack of worthwhile film of their intended D. I've read that twice since the game. Cignetti for sure isn't perfect but he's proved he can gameplan with the best. Hard to argue OSU and ND didn't have a talent advantage over the HOOSIERS.
The staff inherited a completely broken program and they had one portal window to fix the roster and $4.5M to pay players. They somehow won 11 games. Incredible.
Yea, we struggled on the road vs the #1 team ($20M roster) and #2 team ($15 million roster or something like that) who had both been stacking top recruiting classes for years and had very established programs. I was bummed, but only so much is possible in year 1 of fixing a broken program.
Building a good program at IU is one of the hardest jobs in the P4. It’s going to take years and there are no guarantees. There will be bumps in the road. But the fact we’re even on the path we’re on is amazing vs where we were just two years ago (in the process of going 3-9).
@thehoosierhuddle LOL. Telling Iugradman that chicken littling is getting old is like telling this guy to start eating broccoli.
Something I'd like to see in the game plan going forward.....more swing passes and/or wheel routes for Hemby and Beebe...both have got a lot of passes in prior seasons (don't know about Black's hands). That could be something they hold in reserve for Illinois....... when he questioned the red zone plan going in.And that was very disturbing.'Well, we put it in Thursday, but I didn't trust it then ... "
Similar to some comments about game plans for on the road at Ohio State, and then some on not changing the offense during the game at Notre Dame.
I thought Cig would be elite at game planning, which includes alternate plans. He's clearly very good at it, maybe not elite. Or maybe he trusts his staff and just runs quality control. But that looked iffy offensively against Notre Dame and Ohio State. The defense was up to the task both those big games.
I hope that without Tino Sunseri to bounce ideas off of during the weeks' game planning, that Mike Shanahan doesn't turn into Nick Sheridan. ;D
But I liked our offense against ODU. Just why go into a less familiar formation near the goal line. Weird. I know they had their reasons though, whatever they were.
I'm sure in the history of college football there have been equally amazing one-year turnarounds....but I don't remember any, and I've been watching for 50 years.The staff inherited a completely broken program and they had one portal window to fix the roster and $4.5M to pay players. They somehow won 11 games. Incredible.
Yea, we struggled on the road vs the #1 team ($20M roster) and #2 team ($15 million roster or something like that) who had both been stacking top recruiting classes for years and had very established programs. I was bummed, but only so much is possible in year 1 of fixing a broken program.
Building a good program at IU is one of the hardest jobs in the P4. It’s going to take years and there are no guarantees. There will be bumps in the road. But the fact we’re even on the path we’re on is amazing vs where we were just two years ago (in the process of going 3-9).