The IUFB Hype Train is ROLLING. Where Are We Overrating and Underrating the Hoosiers? [348]

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
All right, you fans, we're in August. Look, preseason NFL
is underway, and that's the sign from God to say
summer's over and football is here. And yes, this is

(00:27):
something that's of high importance to the Lord. So I was.
I was fully in yesterday to watching the Anthony Richardson
Daniel Jones QB won battle vantage DJ through one game.
Say the least. I was all in on seeing George

(00:51):
Holdani tear up the Raiders defense out of the backfield
for Seattle. The Boise State running back showdown against the
gent You had more rushing yards than Gentee did yesterday. Congratulations,
Thank you. Indiana's fall camp is underway with her signetti

(01:12):
delivering Haymaker quotes and the Hoosier's getting all sorts of
hype going into a very very important twenty twenty five season.
And Matt and I we've seen a lot around here
around these parts as it relates to AYU football too much,
too much, and as we're going, as we're going into
this upcoming season, you know, Matt and I wanted to

(01:34):
talk about, Hey, what are we underrating and what are
we overrating on this twenty twenty five roster, on this
schedule in the Big ten on this coaching staff, who
knows what? What are we underrating? What are we overrating?
That's what we're gonna discuss and so much more here

(01:54):
on episode three forty nine of The Hoosiers Sound, where
we are the official podcast of Indiana HQ. We're recording
this edition of The Hoosier Sound on Friday, July eighteenth,
twenty twenty five. I'm your host, Nathan Christenin here with
me is my normal co host, Matt Lukens. Matt, we
were talking before hitting record that the real inspiration for

(02:15):
this episode comes out of us pretty hyped up and
excited for the twenty twenty one season before it all
fell apart. Yeah, this is a time right before we
really dive in. This is a time of optimism, of excitement,
of hype. We're not going to be overly negative. But

(02:35):
as someone who's watched college football since very early childhood,
do you find that people are overly optimistic this time
of year or overly pessimistic this time? Because I feel
like it's optimistic, but I could be wrong.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
Oh, it's for sure optimist. This is the this is
the part of the year where everybody convinces themselves. This
is their year, right. The Purdue fans of the world
are convincing themselves they can get three wins this year. Uh,
you know, the the Florida fans of the world, many
of my personal friends are convincing themselves that DJ Lagway

(03:12):
is the second coming of Jesus Christ himself. Sorry, exactly precisely.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
I mean he's actually pretty close. Like good, good job.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
Teabo's Tebo's my Tebo's my guy. I will never ever
say anything bad about Tim Tebow. That was my childhood
him and Aaron Hernandez. Anyways, Yeah, that's that Florida team
is wild. That documentary they did on that Florida team perfect.
Percy Harvin is still amongst one of my favorite college

(03:48):
full players.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
By the way, urban a lot has happened to him
since then.

Speaker 2 (03:54):
Dude, that whole that that whole team is just a cluster. Anyways,
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna say Chris person known
to any editing anyways. Yeah, no, everybody's optimistic right now, right,
you have you have a fresh new Starts, right. We
haven't seen them play a minute of football other than
the spring game, right, and no one really takes no

(04:16):
one saw it, and no one exactly wasn't even televised
for use. I use perspective, but a lot like why
is are you doing a lot of things untelevised by
the way, I don't like that.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
I don't like them.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
All they're doing with the basketball team right now, they're
doing that with the football team previously.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
I you know, I have an answer. I think there's
an answer. I think the answer is is the transfer
portal has changed everything, and you don't want to give
other teams in college football or in college basketball a
standalone window opportunity to poach your guys. You know, that's

(04:54):
what would have been like if Indiana had televised the
spring game live run oh we need Yeah, that's it.
In the same people college school even now in August,
like you're still three months before the season starts. Uh now,
Jason Drake isn't playing all that much. Let's go get

(05:16):
him just that's but he did play anyway, that's funny.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
Yeah, I don't I don't get that because like if
you're going to commit to a program and you want
to go play there and you have to fight for
your spy and I just don't understand it. But yeah,
You're right with the with the new portal stuff like
that's going to be a more common occurrence. So it's sad.
The old man in me is angry at the clouds.

(05:42):
But but yeah, I guess it's just three. You're right,
that's the reality we we currently live in. But anyway,
it's going back to Yeah, every fan base is is
super super you know, excited and highly anticipating the season,
and you know you brought up twenty twenty one earlier,
so I guess I'll just rip the bandit off. I mean,

(06:03):
we were so excited for that season. I think everybody was,
and who's your nation, especially after such a historic season
in twenty twenty and with you know, starred Mike Pennox returning.
But I think from that season, we really, you know,
miss underestimated how much of an impact Caylin de boor
padd on that entire team, right, how much you know

(06:28):
the guys that left after twenty twenty really impacted. Because
we were talking before the podcast about all the guys
we were excited about, you know, as far as replacements
on that twenty twenty one team, and none of them
turned out. I will say this my last bit of
the spield is that this year is not going to
be twenty twenty one. All Right, we can still be

(06:50):
disappointed in this year, but it's not going to be
a complete and utter disaster. Okay, we still have the
same head coach who's a winner, right, not to talk
about and wasn't technically a winner. Ye, great stuff. But
you know we still have the same offensive coordinator and
defensive coordinator this year, right, So there's going to be
some continuity along both systems, right, unlike that year.

Speaker 1 (07:14):
Right.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yes, we don't have a returning quarterback, but we return
a ton of starters and a ton of very important
players from last year's team, much more than we did
in twenty twenty one. So there's more continuity across the
roster this year, across the coaching staff. And if I'm
being honest, I think the schedule this year is a

(07:37):
little bit easier than twenty twenty one schedule, even though
you know, ironically, I guess we play at Iowa.

Speaker 1 (07:44):
Well, the ramp.

Speaker 2 (07:46):
There's a ramp up, right, We're not going straight into
playing in Kinnick week one. We get them a couple
of weeks off. So I would be very surprised if
this year turned out anything like twenty twenty one turned out.

Speaker 1 (08:03):
Yeah, me too. Two to ten. Indiana's record in twenty
twenty one, after a season where they cracked the top ten,
were corruptioned out of being in the Big ten second time. Yeah. Yeah.

(08:25):
And and I like a lot about what you said
about how the schedule has a ramp up. Yeah, a
lot of returning pieces, especially on the coaching staff. The
reason I think a lot of people are optimistic about
their teams every season is because, guess what, if things
go right, you could be the twenty twenty five Indiana Hoosiers, sorry,

(08:50):
the twenty twenty four Indiana Hoosiers, right like you, You
could be twenty twenty four Indiana at wake Forest at Boston.

Speaker 2 (08:59):
College, right like, absolutely exactly. They probably have it easier
than you. They play easier schedules than I you does.
Even though people wanted to claim about how your scheduled last.

Speaker 1 (09:09):
Year easier schedules. By the way, they have like a
track record of more success than Indiana did going into
last season. You know, they you know, all these teams
across college football, at Stanford, at Syracuse, at Mississippi State.
You know, if you do things right, you can have

(09:30):
a season like Indiana had. Because if Indiana can have
a season like they did in twenty twenty four, knowing
what Indiana football has been about over the decades hasn't
been about or hasn't known, than anyone can. So that's why,
you know, Matt and I are like, hey, look, what
are we overrating going into the season? Is there anything
we're underrating We're not talking about enough, We're not giving

(09:52):
enough value to. Is Indiana in general better than the
sixth best team in the conference, which is where the
Media Day preseason poll unofficial had the Hoosiers after a
season where Indiana finished second, third in the league, third

(10:14):
because obviously they weren't in the Big Ten championship game,
so they finished third in the conference. So you know,
is the team in general underrated? So man, are going
to dive into all this, Let's talk about the offense first,
met There's a lot of people to pick from as
far as this Indiana offense is concerned. You talked about
the new quarterback in Fernando Mendoza. The offensive line is

(10:38):
getting a lot of hype, getting a lot of anticipation
and excitement. Bringing over Pat Coogan from Notre Dame, bringing
over his Zen Mahalski from Ohio State, bringing over Khalil
Benson back after he spent a little bit of time
in Colorado. Carter Smith returning, Drew Evans returning, Bray Lynch returning,
Omar Cooper, and Elijah sir At returning. But some new

(11:01):
receivers out here and Jonathan Brady Makaia Jackson. Tight end
room's gonna look all different with Holden Stace and Riley Nowakowski.
Running back group is fascinating. I'll toss it over to
you first. Let's let's start positive. Is there something we're
underrating about this Indiana offense going into twenty twenty five

(11:22):
or something we're underrating about this offense?

Speaker 2 (11:26):
I would say the running back room. I think Mendoza
gets all the highlights right because it's you're always excited
about a quarterback. The wide receiver room obviously gets its
plott its because it's fantastic. And I think people have
been really harping on the offensive line because again we
go and get a guy from Notre Dame in Ohio State,
and you know, get back Benson from Colorado, right, and

(11:51):
people are super and then we're returning Carter Smith, Yeah,
and a bunch of the other guys like that. That
position should be one of our strong suits.

Speaker 1 (12:00):
Right.

Speaker 2 (12:01):
As as far as that position group SEP one of
the stronger ones on the team, I think the running
back room is is equally as fantastic, if not better.
Like I think Hemby is going to be an all
big ten back or has the potential to be an

(12:22):
all big ten back. Yeah right, you know, and then
the rest of the guys in the running back room
can all do so many different things that I really
see them benefiting each other, right, and playing off of
each other and helping each other significantly this year. So

(12:45):
I'm just excited to see what they do. I think
they cover a ton of bases. I think it's deep. Again,
they do a bunch of different things. It's very versatile
and in an offense where you're running a lot of RPOs, right,
oh yeah, they're gonna get a lot of touches. And
remember last year year, a lot of people, you know,
they talk about the flashy big plays with Amark Cooper
or you know, the the sideline uh you know, fade

(13:10):
catches from from Cooper for them, Yeah everybody else? Did
people talk about that so much. But the meat and
potatoes of the offense last year was the running game, right,
just like every good offense is made out of. And
again I don't see them, especially if you're gonna be

(13:33):
applauding and lauding this this upgraded offensive line. The running
backs have more room to run through the last year,
and they running backs were fantastic last year. So I
I think this year the running backs are going to
maybe even steal the spotlight from some of the other
guys that are returning because I think they're gonna be

(13:54):
so consistent and so good.

Speaker 1 (13:56):
I like that. Yeah, I forgot, uh going back to
the twenty twenty one season that for the last five games,
Indiana's leading passers. You want to you, you want to guess, like,
this is it. I'll give I'll give the folks. I'll
give the folks a chance here who are listening to
think for a sing I remember. But of course Michael

(14:19):
Penick started the season nightmare games Iowa, uh brutal loss
at home, the Cincinnati brutal loss, not in the same way,
just got crushed at Penn State in primetime. And at
the end of that, in the middle of that Penn
State game. I believe Pennis got hurt and then yeah,

(14:40):
Indiana basically was a revolving Dorrit quarterback the rest of
that season. So the last five games.

Speaker 2 (14:48):
Wait, wait, I think I can remember.

Speaker 1 (14:49):
This all right, Here you go passing yards leader for
a game for Indiana. Two guys that really stand out.

Speaker 2 (14:57):
Well, one was Dexter Williams. Right, No, he did not.

Speaker 1 (15:02):
As crazy as that sounds, Dexter. Donovan McCully led Indiana
in passing yards for three different games, for three straight
games at Maryland, at Michigan home Rutgers. That was the
game where you had shipless section.

Speaker 2 (15:17):
Yeah, but anyway, yeah, Donald McCully, Yeah, Soresby was not
on that team.

Speaker 1 (15:25):
Was not. There was a different guy who led Indiana
passing yards the last two games of the twenty twenty
one season home Minnesota and at Purdue. I I would
not have gotten this had I been in your position.

(15:45):
It's not Jack Tuttle. Jack was the backup Dexter, Not Dexter,
Dexter will not Jack Tuttle.

Speaker 2 (15:54):
Dexter Williams. The next year is that when he played
French Toast. I swear I'm not looking it up.

Speaker 1 (16:03):
I think, yeah, I think Dexter. I think dex was
the quarterback the following season when he scored that awesome
rushing touchdown against Purdue. And by the way, we'll see
Dexter williams uh upcoming season against Kennesaw State, it was
Grant Gremmel shout out, Tommel a King, who's your quarterback?

(16:30):
By the way, in that season, you had Charlie Spiegel
lead Indiana and rushing yards in rushing for a game
against for a game against Rutgers, you had Trent Howland
who led a game in rushing yards three Indiana against
Ohio State. You had daveon Urban Point Dexter lead Indiana
in a game. As far as rushing yards was concidned
Aj Barner had thirty one receiving yards before he really

(16:54):
blossomed as a football player. My uh, you know a
lot of good.

Speaker 2 (17:02):
Football, by the way, good one year.

Speaker 1 (17:06):
Good for him. Man. You know what you get to
tell You get to tell your kids, your grandkids about that.
That that's that's that's heartwarming. My uh. My underrated guy
on this team is Omar Cooper. I am. I am
a huge Omar Cooper fan, and I I don't think
he's getting enough like enough respect as a guy who

(17:29):
could be the best receiver on this team this upcoming season.
And I know that seems like a high bar considering
elijahster At is also on But but I'm talking about
not only the best receiver on this team, talking about
one of the best in the league in the non

(17:50):
Jeremiah Smith category. I get it. I get it. No, no, no,
I'm not going that far. But but I do know
that Omar Cooper Junior has an unbelievable skill set and
when it comes to a lot of the contextual nuances
of the game, that's where he really shines. If you

(18:11):
ask me, blocking on the perimeter, knowing the rules to
avoid penalties for offensive pass interference, knowing the rules to
avoid penalties for illegal motion, things like that. I like
the receiver in the way he creates separation before getting
the catch. I also like him at the catch point,

(18:33):
and then I like him to really take a step
forward in getting yards after the catch this upcoming season.
So I understand he's not going to play in the
slot too much, only twenty four snaps out of the
slot last season. He's gonna be on the boundary. But
the way Fernando Mendoza rips the ball down the field,
if Mendoza gets protection like we're expecting and like you're

(18:57):
like you mentioned with the offensive line being the way
it is, if the running backs that you talked about
add that gravity to the offense. You know Omar Cooper,
who already had a high average depth of target last year,
where the ball was when they threw the ball to
Omar Cooper, they weren't throwing screens to him. They were
throwing down the field, trying to get first downs, trying

(19:17):
to get touchdowns. I think that's the type of player
that you could see really take a significant step forward
this upcoming season. We were talking about some some of
the greatest hips from twenty twenty. Miles Marshall was a
guy we were really excited about going into that year,
and I don't think we're gonna get a replay of

(19:40):
that coming up. I'm very excited to watch Omar Cooper
this upcoming season from an offensive standpoint. The two big
games of the season left a lot to be desired,
but of course he did score a touchdown in the
playoff game against Notre Dame. I'm really looking forward to

(20:01):
seeing him go up against the quality corners on Indiana schedule,
especially against Iowa, especially against Penn State. Oregon has a
very good secondary with Dylan Thieneman in the safety spot,
who was at Purdue the last few years. I'm really
excited to watch Omar Cooper really take a step forward
the offensive side of the ball. What are we possibly

(20:23):
overrating on the offensive side of the ball? Met Who
are we hyping up too much? Who are we talking
about as if they're the next? Is it worth firing
a shot? All right? All right? Who's the next? You know?
Who are we talking about? Like he's Stephen Carr? Who
are we talking about? You know, like he's the next

(20:44):
that's messed up by? Like? Who are we talking about
like he's the next Jacoby Hewitt or or or Javon Swinton?
Who are we hyping up too much that maybe we
need to tap the brakes on a little bit?

Speaker 2 (21:04):
I would I would venture to say this. I'm a
fan of Fernando Mendoza. I like this, okay, but I
think we're misunderestimating how much of it impact.

Speaker 1 (21:22):
I don't think that's underestimating is a word. Man. Let's
go with with over overrating or where we're over hyping
is that what you're saying.

Speaker 2 (21:31):
I I'm an English teacher.

Speaker 1 (21:36):
I'll just be good at this.

Speaker 2 (21:39):
Look. I I think last year Oka like the QB situation,
even though he was playing through a torn a c
l still, Rourke was so good last year and so
consistent for us. And Mendoza has shown snippets at cal

(22:02):
of him being mortal right and consisting being very inconsistent.
And so I'm sitting here going when you have the
most important player on the field, just the quarterback at
all times, the quarterback is the most important player on
the field, who's a guy that could be inconsistent? And

(22:28):
people are like getting ready to just go out there
and replace Roork with him. I don't think it's going
to be a straight up replacement. I think it's going
to be or a very well could be you know,
a slight downgrade, right and instead of a you know,
just flat replacement. And then my second one is the

(22:51):
wide receiver room you just went and talked about. You know,
people are undressing. I think Omar Cooper is a great
wide receiver, don't get me wrong, but his game last
year was fairly one dimensional. Surrats was only really used
in you know, a couple of different ways. And you

(23:13):
had at least had a guy who came over with
Rourke where you know Rourke got his.

Speaker 1 (23:20):
His slot receiver back, right, Well, Miles Cross come over
from Ohio, Miles Cross coming out high Price from Texas Tech,
and he was very helpful. Kishawn Williams was very helpful.
You don't have Price anymore, you don't have Kishawan anymore,
you don't have Cross anymore.

Speaker 2 (23:36):
And now you're adding people to an offense they've never
played before, in a system that they've never worked with,
with a you know, quarterback and offensive line they've never
dealt with before. You have a new QB. You have
a bunch of new slot receivers. You were hoping it
was going to be what's the guy's name from Michigan
that transfer Mike.

Speaker 1 (23:59):
Uh oh oh oh oh, Tyler Morris, Tyler.

Speaker 2 (24:02):
Morris, Sorry, Mike Morris, Tyler Morris, You're hoping to be
Tyler Morris. But he gets injured before the season, and
now you're gonna go out to the portal try to
find somebody last minute. At least you are bringing over
that one guy from cal Jonathan Brady, right, and Jonathan
Brady with Mendoza, so at least they'll have a little
bit of connection there, right, right, But again, you're trying
to replace a guy in Rourke who played the position

(24:24):
at an all time level that I you you're.

Speaker 1 (24:26):
Not just replacing him. Maybe people are hyping him up
to be a first round NFL draft pick. There's heat
sleeper talk for Fernando Mendoza, and you're you're gonna go
into Kinnick and you're gonna go into this happy valley
and you're gonna go into Watson.

Speaker 2 (24:43):
Good luck kid, exactly exactly, that's what I'm saying. And
you're going in there with a with a new offense,
with a new offensive coordinator and all new wide receivers.
You know, obviously we have their returning for us. But
for Mendoza's perspective, he doesn't played with these guys before,
and you're working with an all new offensive line and

(25:04):
you know, it's a completely not a completely different system
from cal but at least it's a somewhat different system
that he's going to be a little bit uncomfortable. Like
I think the combination of I think the wide receiver
room towards the bottom is a little shaky. I think
so I think what I said earlier about Sarratt and
Omar Cooper, They're going to be used fine this year,
like that's gonna be a problem. But you know, and

(25:27):
Brady's gonna be used fine as well, I think, because
they're gonna have that nice relationship from a previous stop.
But I think combination of him being new and then
the bottom end of that receiver room being iffy is
could end up making some of us look really foolish
about Mendoza's preseason expectations.

Speaker 1 (25:46):
It's a lot, it's a craze right now, it's a
it's a everyone's there, it's a fever pitch.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (25:53):
The only the only break tapping of brakes that's been
done is Kurt Signety not sending him to Big ten
media Day, which you know, if he could take a
fourth guy, I'm sure it would have been Fernando Mendoza
or or D'Angelo Ponds or something like that. But like
he you know, I know Signetti wanted his quarterback there,
but the Big Tun only permitted three people. The three

(26:15):
guys that Signetti took to Vegas made a lot of sense.
And yeah, as great as Curtish work was, you talked
about the ACL he was a seventh round NFL draft pick.
Now we're talking about Fernando Mendoza as a first rounder.
We're talking about Mendoza as a heisman. Like if this

(26:35):
is what I'm saying, what I'm saying, it's possible, but
and like you can defend it. But this is exactly
the point we're trying to make with this episode. Like
right now, everyone is so excited about their team and
at Indiana that is backfired frequently in recent times, so

(26:59):
so I like your.

Speaker 2 (26:59):
Coma, it's at all times forever.

Speaker 1 (27:04):
Well, we haven't been this excited that much. I remember
twenty twenty because the twenty nineteen season was really good,
and then I remember twenty twenty one because twenty nineteen
and twenty were really it really exploded. But even back
during Kevin Wilson, you know Kevin Wilson era, Like there
there were seasons where India is coming off a bowl
game appearance, you were feeling pretty good and it just

(27:25):
never materialized. And it's like, okay, why And by the way,
this happens to all all NFL teams, all college football
teams at some point or another. For me, the overrated
aspect that we can we need to maybe watch out
and maybe just hold back on a little bit with
the hype and the excitement and the anticipation. Is like,

(27:46):
I think Carter Smith and Pat Coogan are really good.
The other guys, well, we got to watch out, like
we gotta. We got to see how this plays out,
especially during the ramp up period the first three weeks
against Old Dominion, Keennessa State, Indiana State. I think Carter

(28:07):
Smith and Pat Cougan are awesome, I really do. And
I think guys like Bray Lynch, Drew Evans, Zen Mahalski,
Khalil Benson can all play snaps at a high power
five level, power four level. Yeah, but there's a floor
there that is pretty far down into the mind shaft.

(28:30):
I mean, it is it is possible that Zen Mahalski's
injury and lack of consistent reps at Ohio State meant something, right,
Zen Mahalsky wasn't a frequent force at Ohio State, you know, injuries,
you know, moved around, you know for positional purposes where

(28:50):
you know where I can definitely see a great season
from Mahalski. I can see one where he doesn't play
that much, or Signetti tries to move Signatian boss Dad
try to move him around the first few weeks and
they don't really find a great position for him, or
someone like Drew Evans gets hurt. Remember last year Indiana

(29:11):
saw an injury with Nick Kidwell, of course Drew Evans
is coming. I believe it's Drew Evans who's coming back
from an injury of his own for this upcoming season.
You know what happens there. And then, by the way,
after the six guys, you know the five that you
know about Khalil Benson, it's just a bunch of unproven

(29:32):
freshmen and who knows what else behind Carter Smith, Drew Evans,
Pat Cougan, Bray Lynch, Zen Mahalsky, Khalil Benson. Like after
that is it is freshman, it is freshman, It is
developmental projects, it is you know, guys that have not

(29:52):
played at all. So Carter Smith and Pat Coogan lock
him load. They you know, Carter Smith could very well
be the best left tackle to ever play it Indiana
and Carter Smith I think has a very very long
NFL future in front of him. Pat Coogan was an
unbelievable portal victory for Kurt Signetti, one that should pay

(30:14):
off not only his upcoming season, but in future seasons
as well. But other than that, you know, we saw
what Fernando Mendoza struggles look like. You know what what
what his you know when his when his clock gets
sped up, when he is under heavy pressure, disruptive, immediate pressure,

(30:41):
it can go sideways real fast. So I'm gonna pay
very close attention to those other three offensive linemen starting
week one against Old Dominion. So looking forward to see
to seeing how that, how that plays out over the
course of the Old Dominion tennessas State Indiana State sequence

(31:02):
of games. To get us going, let's head over to
the defense. Matt obviously a lot of excitement about the
defensive side of the ball. Bryant Haynes is back, which
is music to my ears, of course, Aiden Fisher, Mikhail Kamara,
Mikhail Kamara, D'Angelo Ponds, all superstar level defensive players in
the Big Ten. Who are we underrating on this defense?

(31:26):
Who are we not talking about enough going into this
upcoming season on the defensive side of the ball.

Speaker 2 (31:34):
Well, I think he's a very obvious pick, but I
really think we just don't talk about how good Mikhale
Kamara is. Ooh, okay, I think people talk about how
fantastic Angel Pons is. I think we talk about, you know,
Aiden Fisher and how good he was last year leadership,

(31:56):
but like and the leadership and everything that comes with
with Aaiden Fisher. Uh mkil Kamara is a legit NFL
prospect at the end and is being ranked amongst like
the top. Yeah, you know lineman in the country, in
the country.

Speaker 1 (32:15):
In pressures last year, QB pressures.

Speaker 2 (32:18):
Last year exactly like, uh, you know, I as an
Eagles fan, I've seen this, right, I don't know. You know,
Colts fans too, back in back in their hate lines
win championships. Quarterback is the most important position on the field, right,
you can't win without having a good one, but you

(32:38):
don't be the best one. But if you have the
best offensive line in the best defensive line, you have
the best chance of winning a championship. The fact that
we have one of the best d line players in
the entire country, one of the best ends in the
entire country at Indiana, right, we were talking about I

(32:58):
remember this exactly because we had this topic. We're talking
about it during the twenty twenty one season, we said,
what is the issue? Why, like why why can't I
you compete with the big boys? Or maybe it might
have been off season talking around twenty two and I
talked about how the linemen and the physicality of these

(33:20):
these lines at Ohio State, at Michigan, at at Oregon,
at Alabama, they're just miles ahead. It's not the skill
position players. I use had good skill position players before. Right,
That's that's absolutely, that's that's happened. We've had good qbs before.
We've had Heisman Trophy hopefuls before on the offensive end,

(33:44):
and that's coman. We've we've had top ten performers at
many different defensive bank positions. Right, I'm thinking of how
Taiwan good, Thailand, Momen was at one point, Tracy Porter,
Tracy Porter exactly. We've had that before and year. But
we haven't had is an absolutely elite defensive end that

(34:07):
combines with an even better defensive unit like we've had
like a James Hardy. Right, we've had We've had a
good d end before.

Speaker 1 (34:18):
Yeah, great middle solid, Yeah, Jamie Curle.

Speaker 2 (34:24):
I don't even think they I don't think they were
even at the level Michal Camara could be and could reach,
and then you surround him with a much more complete defense.
And the fact that we miraculously didn't lose either coordinator
after last year, right, which seemed to have Indiana every
single year. Sure, right, whenever we have a good year,

(34:44):
we lose all the coaching staff, right, and and and
so continuity across coaching, you have continuity across the defense.
You've upgraded I think at a bunch of different positions
other than your You know, he did lose C. J. West,
which is a big loss, but and multiple there's depth,
there's and he is the star of that defense. Damsel

(35:09):
Plan gets all the plaudits, Aidan Fisher gets all. It
should be Michael Kamara, It really should be. He is
a just a jewel of a prospect and something you
just do not see it Indiana right, right, And so
I I really think he could be the key to
for this year's defense just being an absolute right machine machine. Yeah,

(35:32):
just mowing people down, right.

Speaker 1 (35:34):
I think funny because because like was what I.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
Was looking for, because I was looking for the word,
I couldn't find it. I was looking for the word
and I couldn't find it.

Speaker 1 (35:43):
Well, it's funny because like Indiana didn't get Kamara as
a pooral guy from Georgia, Orbama or Texas. Right, Like
this type of superstar, incredible round one and f draft
prospect was a guy who didn't have many f I

(36:04):
don't think he had any FBS offers and he went
to James Madison. So it's like, why hasn't Indiana gotten
that type of player before? You know what I'm saying,
And that's exactly what you're saying, Like, these aren't guys
that are just going five star high school to Texas
or five star high school to Ohio State, Like this

(36:25):
was Mikhail Kamara. James Madison worked his way up, specialized
at the position, and now he's at Indiana, and yeah,
he's gonna be He's gonna be a highly discussed NFL
draft prospect in addition to whatever he accomplishes his upcoming season.

(36:45):
Do you know who another trivia question for people listening
out there. We'll give it. We'll give him a we'll
give him a few seconds to think about it. Who
was Indiana's leading sack getter in the twenty twenty one season. Uh,
you know, a lot of a lot of crazy, a
lot of crazy.

Speaker 2 (37:04):
Why do we keep going back to twenty two. I'm
trying to forget that lot of names.

Speaker 1 (37:09):
Indiana in two and ten that year, the leading soacker
had six and a half. So it's a decent season
getting to the QB. Decent season. Let the people sort
of think about it for a few seconds. Indiana is
leading soccer in twenty twenty one, played all twelve games

(37:34):
six and a half.

Speaker 2 (37:35):
Transfer.

Speaker 1 (37:35):
Right, No one else had more than three and a half.

Speaker 2 (37:38):
He was a transfer.

Speaker 1 (37:40):
Right. Uh, you're probably thinking of Writer Anderson and it
was not Writer Anderson. You might be thinking of Weston Kramer.
It wasn't Weston Kramer. Indiana's leading sacker was not a transfer.

(38:01):
He was an in house guy, in house guy.

Speaker 2 (38:11):
Should I know this? I should know this?

Speaker 1 (38:15):
Yeah, But like no, at the same time it was
it was MIKEL. McFadden right, Like you wouldn't like, yeah,
you see what I'm saying. It's your point. It's the
point that you're making, which, like as great as even
the twenty twenty one team had some great defensive players.

(38:37):
Michael McFadden. Ryder Anderson was in camp for multiple years
in the NFL with the Giants. Cam Jones is on
that defense. Devon Matthews is on that defense. Marcelno Ball
played all twelve games. He's still in camp with the NFL.
Reese Taylor, Jalen Williams. Like these guys, Noah Pierre, he
ended up being very solid in Indiana secondary in future season. Yup,

(39:01):
it was Mike McFadden led the team in sacks six
and a half. And again, if you're linebacker, I understand
he is very very skilled at pressuring the quarterback coming
in on blitzes. But guess what that means. You're committing
more guys to tackling the quarterback. Leaves others in the
linebacking crew and the secondary defense for themselves in smaller numbers.

(39:23):
So that's the point you're trying to make. Indiana is
gonna get pressure out of guys like Mikhail Kamara. He's
gonna They're gonna get pressure good ends. You just have
to Stephen Daily. We'll see if Mario Landino, uh, you know,
can can take a step forward this upcoming season. Kellen Wyatt.
My underrated pick for this defense is I'll just I'll

(39:52):
just lump in a couple of these guys, Jose Wheeler,
Tyreek Tucker, and Amari Ferrell. Amari Ferrell, I think I'll
go quickest on he is just awesome. I mean a
Mario Ferrell last year, like after the midway point, I
thought really sort of saw the game a little bit
more clearly, and he just he really really impressed me

(40:14):
as far as what he did on the football field.
PFF even sent out a tweet about him yesterday, the
PFF college account he ended up having. He ended up
playing seven hundred and forty snaps last year for Indiana,
and his best games came against teams in the second
half of the schedule, against like Nebraska and Michigan State

(40:35):
and Washington and even had a good game against Ohio
State in Columbus, had a decent game against Notre Dame
in South Bend, and and you know, I think, I
think he is just absolutely fantastic. Tyreek Tucker is is
somebody who didn't play much last year because of just
depth and numbers with CJ. West and James Carpenter doing

(40:55):
a great job on the interior. But Tyreek Tucker's someone
who in the three hundred snaps he played, I was
very impressed by what I saw, Like he flashed on
the screen to me almost every time he played, and
so I'm really looking forward to seeing him in a
larger role this year. And I think I also mentioned

(41:16):
Jose Wheeler and the underrated crew I really like, I
really really can't wait to see Jose Wheeler, especially in
those early September games, get a little bit of comfort playing,
you know, at Indiana in this system before really ramping
it up. The one fascinating part about the schedule to
me met is like the four teams that were all

(41:38):
highlighting are all different, right. Illinois plays the game very
differently than Iowa does, and they played the game very
differently than Oregon does, who plays the game very differently
than Penn State does. And I can really see Jose
Wheeler being a major force against teams like Penn State
with k Tron Allen Nick Singleton at the end of
the season. Against teams like Oregon, Dan Lanning does a

(41:58):
very good job running the foot ball, especially now this
upcoming season. The passing game may take a step back
at Oregon with Dante Moore taking over for that. Bon
Nicks Dylan Gabriel back to back run at quarterback. I
think Jose Wheeler is going to be somebody you see
a lot in these big games Iowa. You know, the
way they run the ball, they're trying to They're trying

(42:19):
to hype up the forward pass at Iowa during this
fall camp. We'll see if they're actually We'll see if
that actually.

Speaker 2 (42:26):
They're trying to catch up the rest of cultural ball.
They're trying to do one hundred years of innovation.

Speaker 1 (42:32):
I don't think they should stick to running the ball
in punting, they're really good at those things. Just stick
to just stick to it. We're gonna talk about uh,
what's maybe overrated on this defense in just a sec.
But first it's time for who won the week this
past week? And I use sports. There are a lot
of people to pick from. You know, Kyle Schwarber is

(42:52):
doing some big things out there as far as as
far as the baseball baseball world is concerned, a lot
of good things as far as the swimming UH lineage
is concerned. At Indiana, there's a big meat recently uh
you know, you know an American UH was an American
championship event in the swimming side of stuff. A lot

(43:14):
of baseball guys getting getting major league work. I think
there was a day recently where five or six Hoosiers
all played in the major leagues on the same day,
which is awesome. I think that's set a new record
for the baseball program as far as Hoosier major leaguers
all playing on the same day. I see grays Berger
and Mackenzie Holmes finding some some work in the w
n b A, which you know, they should always have

(43:37):
a w NBA contract. I'm not saying they got to
be All Stars, but uh, there are enough w NBA
roster spots for grays Berger and McKenzie Holmes to have,
uh to have to have a roster spot in the
in the w n b A, so many, so many
people to pick from. Of course, the basketball team is

(43:58):
in Puerto Rico, the Mets team, and I mentioned Jason
Drake played earlier. He was the one he did not
suit up, But Indiana took care of business. I it's fine.
Everyone played, Everyone played double digit minutes. Indiana played basketball

(44:18):
for the first time under Darren Dereze. Anything catch your
attention there, Mett.

Speaker 2 (44:24):
There's a couple of videos that came out of that.

Speaker 1 (44:27):
I saw sure.

Speaker 2 (44:28):
One was Lamar Wilkerson hitting a three off of some
very good ball movement YEP, which was sick yep obviously
was in Transition as well, which I don't I'm gonna
sound dramatic, but I don't remember the last time I
saw a Transition three. And then also Trent Sisley had
a game which was nice. I will say, I'm absolutely

(44:50):
have no takeaways on minutes or points or anything other
than the only person I will have any sort of
opinion on will be Sisly being like, oh Okay, the
dude can ball, right, That's that is. That is my
only reaction from that game. Other than that, I mean,

(45:11):
like we're basically playing plumbers and uh important plumber plumbers, plumbers,
we're playing university, we're playing professional university students. And also
like it's so early on that, like the staff is

(45:34):
still trying to figure out who the heck plays where
and how you play them. I thought the starting five
was interesting when you're playing, uh, you're playing Lamar at
the three, right, and Tucker at the four and then
at the five.

Speaker 1 (45:54):
Yeah, I'll get that here. I think en Wright started
as well, and right, yeah, so the starting five was Taton,
connor Way and Connor en Right, Uh, yeah, Lamar Wilkerson
three guards. You talked about Tucker Devreez at the four
and then read Bailey finished things up Bay. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (46:12):
Ye, so just super interesting that that was starting to
line up and somebody I saw people talking about maybe
Sam Alex is starting. I saw a lot of people
talking about there's no way Connor Enright starting on this team.
This is just interesting. I mean it's game onek It's
game one.

Speaker 1 (46:29):
Yeah, game one, correct, Game one, and and and the
great thing about this upcoming season, if you ask me,
is that it'll all just be merit based. Like I
don't think maybe I should walk it back a little bit,
but I don't think politics are gonna play as big
of a role as they used to.

Speaker 2 (46:48):
Well, I mean we know the coach's son is blank,
but like that, I'm fine with that because the coaches
soun is actually good.

Speaker 1 (46:54):
Correct, So fine, exactly the coaches shuns should start on
this team and play thirty five minutes a game if
you can.

Speaker 2 (47:04):
Yeah, exactly, Tucker, Tucker's the best player.

Speaker 1 (47:06):
Yes, yeah, all the other guys, it's just gonna be hey,
you play, you play well, you play more great music
to my ears. And of course it's not just looking
at the box score, right. Indiana's had a history of
players that don't flash on the box score but are

(47:26):
very important to winning. And yeah, you know, it'll be
very obvious to Darren DeVries and the staff, Rod Clark,
Kenny Johnson, et cetera, like who is playing well and
helping this team win. These five guys, these six guys,
these seven guys. Guess what they're gonna play? More so
looking forward to seeing that Indiana's next game is against

(47:49):
Mega super Bet Saturday night, seven Eastern tip. It'll be
a much more challenging.

Speaker 2 (47:58):
Mega super Bet sounds like like an on like you know, well,
we're playing We're playing steak.

Speaker 1 (48:04):
It's a whole different conversation. It's an absurd name sports
books should not sponsor. Yes, actually is it?

Speaker 2 (48:15):
Actually it used to be. It used to be.

Speaker 1 (48:17):
It used to be b C Mega, like when Indiana
played them in yes, a few years ago. Yeah, like
when Indiana played them with Woodson and the Bahamas there
were BC Mega and then Mega super Bet sponsors them.
So that's not what we need to call them. So
it's just really sad, so disheartening and not like not

(48:39):
slimy at all. Have you have you? And I'm not
saying we're any better here, yesterday, every single NFL preseason
game I watched, had you know, sports book signage all
over the stadium, whether it's the link, whether it's uh
Seattle's field, Baltimore's field, it's it's it's off. It's awful.

Speaker 2 (49:01):
Have you have you seen like the Russian betting site
where they're just they've locked these people up inside of
like like like a like a warehouse facility and they
forced them to play sports against each other and then
people bet on it.

Speaker 1 (49:18):
I have not met what all right, you have a
promo I don't have a promo code for anything.

Speaker 2 (49:25):
But there's an interesting there's some YouTube documentaries because they're
watching us on YouTube. I'm assuming, sure, go check that out.
That's that's a rabbit hole. I think everybody needs to
go down. It's it's scary. Anyways, I hope that's not
what super bet is. That's just all I'm I'm saying
with that. Anyways, Yeah, if you had said it was,
if it was Mega, I would have known that. But

(49:46):
he was like Mega Mega super Bet, Like what what,
we're playing a casino.

Speaker 1 (49:51):
It's awful. Yeah, but they are going to be that's
a good opponent. They're gonna be challenged. It could easily
lose these these I think it's two games coming up
against Mega super Beat, so I think it's so. So
we'll see. Uh, we'll see what the degree of difficulty
looks like.

Speaker 2 (50:12):
Who's the Who's the I'm I'm so rusty. We haven't
done a podcast in a while, and I swear god,
my English is getting worse the longer.

Speaker 1 (50:20):
I stay here.

Speaker 2 (50:21):
Who's Who's the new European that's on the team.

Speaker 1 (50:26):
Who's the guy we not Alexa Ristitch, because Alexaristitch is
uh is on the team, in on the roster. He's
in Puerto Rico. He got minutes.

Speaker 2 (50:40):
It is Ristage, Yeah, it is No, it's not, it's not.

Speaker 1 (50:42):
It's not. It's not. It's not, it's not. There is
someone else.

Speaker 3 (50:49):
Yeah, and uh, I liked what I saw from Ristage. Yes,
it was a video of him under I think Achimovic.

Speaker 1 (51:04):
And he's not with the team yet, correct, right, exactly, yes, correct,
he is still going through visa stuff Bosnian center. He
will join the team at some point here.

Speaker 2 (51:15):
Because we need another body. We just needed one more.
I don't even care, that's what you said.

Speaker 1 (51:20):
There was a lot of criticism of Achimovic across social
media like oh how did he get D one power
for scholarship and like effectiveness efficiency wise. I don't know
what we're gonna get in year one. But the point
we made on this podcast a few weeks ago is
like Indiana needs another six to ten guy.

Speaker 2 (51:45):
We just needed Dallas James k like literally one, we
needed one more guy.

Speaker 1 (51:52):
You have roster spots. You're not gonna get elite NBA
talent in August getting a guy who can come in
body up. There you go, that's what we're getting, and
Andreya Chimovic maybe can be something more than that in
future years we will see how.

Speaker 2 (52:10):
I'm also glad we haven't gone down the route that
like Illinois has where we are pulling international prospects. But
the international prospects we're taking aren't of graduated age from college.

Speaker 1 (52:25):
Right, I mean, yeah, well, there there are no rules anymore.
There are no rules, and.

Speaker 2 (52:33):
There has to be an age cap. We can't be
adding twenty five year old Europeans dudes to every single
because I mean, like for.

Speaker 1 (52:40):
Those it's like those are good leagues too, Matt, those
are great leagues. Yogi Ferrell is a good basketball player,
even though he's not in the NBA, and he is
in that type of level of competition. I know we're
adding players like that to college basketball.

Speaker 4 (52:59):
What do you do?

Speaker 2 (53:00):
I know that's what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (53:03):
The worst I know, I know.

Speaker 2 (53:08):
It's terrible, but it would be awesome if we got worse. Yeah,
I mean, if I use taking advantage of it, I
might let us slide.

Speaker 1 (53:19):
Wristitch is a freshman, like he's nineteen, you know, exactly.

Speaker 2 (53:23):
Exactly, exactly, yeah, exactly, And I'm glad that I can
I have we have a fact that we can sit
on so.

Speaker 1 (53:35):
At Illinois like he was in he was a youngster.

Speaker 2 (53:38):
Like, yes, but now they're having like twenty two twenty
three year olds from Spain and I'm like, all right, guys,
ge come on.

Speaker 1 (53:45):
So anyway, guys, all of the people we just discussed
one the week this past week, and I use sports
and so we including andre ASIMOVICHA welcome to Indiana. We
can't wait to watch you, looking forward to prosperous times ahead.
And a quick reminder, folks, if you'd like to enjoy
our If you enjoy our show, leave us a review,

(54:08):
tell a friend, share o links. Your support really helps
us grow this podcast and reach more passionate eufense such
as yourself. You can find us on social media at
the Hoo's Your Sound as well as at Indiana HQ. So, Matt,
we were talking about this IU football defense. Who's underrated?
You said, Mikhail Kamara. I said, hey, watch out for
AMRII Ferrell, Tarry Tucker, Jose Wheeler comes up from Western

(54:29):
Kentucky and had some great games against Ohio State and
Alabama in recent years. For me, like the overrated guy
on this defense. It's hard to pick out, but to me,
like the way I'm the way I'm answering this is
that Jalen Walker last year was really underrated. And I

(54:49):
understand right now we're trying to figure out this other
linebacker on this defense next to Aidan Fisher and Elijah
Hardy is getting a lot of love, and hey, mayb
Indiana uses some unique defensive fronts, and hey, maybe Isaiah
Jones can help give some snaps, Maybe Cayden Turner will
help give some snaps. Like I'm very nervous about this

(55:11):
other linebacker spot. Aiden Fisher's fine, like he's gonna he's
gonna be great, but especially he gets dinged up. I
can't get ugly real fasted linebacker. I'm excited to watch
Elijah Hardy, But to think he's gonna just step in
and perform even at seventy percent of what Jalen Walker

(55:32):
gave you last year, I think it's kind of ridiculous.
So that's who I think I'm sort of circling and
highlighting as the nerve racking spot on this defense. How
about you? Who do you think is maybe overrated on
this defense or where's an area for concern he's head
into twenty five.

Speaker 2 (55:47):
I would say my most obvious point of concern for
the defense is the star players staying health.

Speaker 1 (56:00):
Yeah, easy, that's it.

Speaker 2 (56:02):
They It's an easy cop out answer, but it really
is makes sense. We've seen it throughout the history. Buy
you Football, right, You need these guys stay healthy. We
need Dangela Pons healthy, we need Aiden Fisher. Yeah. Great point.
By the way, I you stole my point. Actually, I
was gonna say the linebacker because I love Jayla Walker

(56:23):
so much.

Speaker 1 (56:24):
He was good.

Speaker 2 (56:27):
But even the new guys we're heading in that are
going to be stars. Joseah Wheeler needs stay healthy because
God knows what we're gonna do if he did. If
he's not playing, everybody across the secondary needs needs to
be healthy. Who's filling in at safety this year? You know,
can they play consistently? Can they actually play better than
last year? Right?

Speaker 1 (56:47):
Right?

Speaker 2 (56:49):
Can you elevate? But again, the three guys Mikayla Kamara,
Aiden Fisher, Dangela Pons they need to be playing every
single snap this year and they be healthy and otherwise
this defense could crumble quick.

Speaker 1 (57:06):
Yeah. No, I think that's a very good point to
say the least. So those are some of the guys
we think overrated, underrated as far as the roster is concerned.
On the schedule, met, you know twelve games. Everyone sort
of knows that there's there. They're they're three easy non
conference matches for Indiana will be favored by at least
twenty three points in all three. You know that the

(57:30):
four marquee games are highlighted and under underlined and started
on the schedule Iowa, Illinois, right, Oregon, Penn State. Uh
in order. I think it goes Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, Penn
State right, and then they're the there are the five
other games. So based on the schedule, met, who do
you think are one or two underrated opponents on Indiana's schedule?

(57:53):
And who do you think are one or two overrated
matchups on this IU schedule this year?

Speaker 2 (58:00):
So overrated matchups. I think Oregon's overrated. Okay, I think
playing I think the team is overrated. I still think
we're going to lose the game, sure, because you're playing
in Autson and that's just a hard ass like Indiana's
playing two of I would say the five hardest road

(58:22):
games in all of college football. Playing in Happy Valley
is a top five game. Hard game. I think playing
in Aughtson is a top five road game. I think
playing at Ohio State is top five road game. Death
Valley from LSU is another one. And then I would
think maybe Bryant Denny at five. I think Alabama's hard.

Speaker 1 (58:48):
No, maybe Tennessee Texas, No, Nah, Clemson.

Speaker 2 (58:58):
Clemson maybe trying to think I'm forgetting somebody, very obvious,
it's hurting.

Speaker 1 (59:03):
A bread I never found I never found Alabama to
be like a hostile road environment like at that level.

Speaker 2 (59:11):
Yeah, it is a.

Speaker 1 (59:12):
Wine cheese crowd ocleholme on Florida, Yeah, Florida, Florida can
be hostile for sure, Florida.

Speaker 2 (59:20):
I think I think the swamp is is hard to
play it, but.

Speaker 1 (59:23):
I think Penn State are in the top four based
on what we're saying.

Speaker 2 (59:27):
Yeah, yeah, two top four top five artists Road Environment,
Display and Indiana plays both of them.

Speaker 1 (59:33):
Name.

Speaker 2 (59:33):
That means that I still think I give I you
a better chance of beating Oregon. Sure, then I do
think they have a chance of beating Penn State. Yeah,
I agree with that, And that's not really a hot
take given that Penn State's ready to higher than Oregon.
But I think on an in any normal given year,

(59:56):
you probably reverse that. It's just that Penn State has
a fantas pastic roster this year, really truly. But you know, again,
Dante Moore is starting, there's.

Speaker 1 (01:00:07):
A lot of the guys on that Derek Harmon's gone,
and you know, Terrence Ferguson's gone, and good receivers are
gone like a lot.

Speaker 2 (01:00:15):
There's there's a lot of new guys on that team.
They're putting a lot of new pieces together. And then
then again, the most important position on the football field
is going to be a freshman, right, or a guy
that's barely started. So new guy, right, he's going to
be a fresh, fresh starter, and that guy is a

(01:00:36):
lot to ask for. When you're handing him the keys
to a you know, it's like getting your license, you know,
doing your permit or whatever. You know, you sit behind.
It's not really the same thing as driving on your own.
And then you know, you get out of the driver's
test and your mom hands you the keys to a
Ferrari and it was like here you go, right, like
I could go fantastic, you learn to drive super well

(01:00:57):
or you what could very well happen is you end
up cry, get burning super fast.

Speaker 1 (01:01:01):
Right, And so the Elijah Arenas situation, that's what they
call it.

Speaker 2 (01:01:07):
Well, thank thank god, thank god he's alive.

Speaker 1 (01:01:10):
Esus Georgia football, that's what they call it.

Speaker 2 (01:01:15):
There you go, that's better something died there. Let's just
stop making car jokes.

Speaker 1 (01:01:21):
Well, maybe you shouldn't be crashing and burning your.

Speaker 2 (01:01:25):
Vehicles, you know this year you shouldn't be racing cars ever. Anyways,
did I have to do one under? I don't know.

Speaker 1 (01:01:35):
I give you your underrated under schedule. Who's better than
expected on the schedule.

Speaker 2 (01:01:39):
I think I think I'm I think I think I've
been buying it on the hype I think Iowa might
be better than people actually give them credit for work.

Speaker 1 (01:01:48):
I agree.

Speaker 2 (01:01:51):
I think they might actually be a semi complete football
team this year. Yea, which is a scary thought. Oh,
I think they're a favorite to win the West. I'm
being honest. There there's no West anymore. There's no West anymore,
but if the West existed, they'd be the favorites to

(01:02:12):
win the West. I think they're better than Illinois.

Speaker 1 (01:02:14):
But by the way, you know, we were just talking
about playoff odds on the sports.

Speaker 2 (01:02:17):
Books right now Iowa in the West.

Speaker 1 (01:02:19):
Shoot me the Iowa's plus nine hundred right now to
make the playoff. And this is a season where you know,
they get Iowa State on the road, so you get
a Pee four non conference rivalry game on the road
that people will be watching. And then they get all
of the good teams at home. Indiana's at home, Penn
State's at home, Oregon's at home. They play them all

(01:02:41):
and they play them all at home. So there's a
path there for Iowa to make the CFB.

Speaker 2 (01:02:46):
Why why can't Indiana get that schedule? Why can't we
play the good teams? Look, we're playing Illinois at home. Sure,
so I'll take that, But why, why what did we
do that we can't get Oregon? And like, why is
it every year we get Ohio State on the road
and Michigan at home.

Speaker 1 (01:03:06):
Well for the schedule, for the schedule, complainers, find me
a team that plays Oregon, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and
Penn State and Iowa on the road over a two
year season, and then you can talk. Then you can talk. Yeah,
by the way, my overrated team on the schedules Illinois.

(01:03:32):
So the so the marquee team that Indiana gets at home,
I think is going to end the season well outside
the top twenty five. I am not a believer in
this Illinois team at all. They had a bunch of
close wins last year against average teams, and congrats they
had a great season. I was passionately rooting for Illinois

(01:03:54):
against South Carolina in the bowl game. I was gonna
say Florida, and I was like, that didn't sound right.
Illinois played South Carolina in the bowl game and I
watched it. I was happy Illinois won, But you know,
South Carolina I think is a legit force this upcoming season.
Illinois is not, you know, close win at home over Kansas,

(01:04:16):
close win over Purdue at home, close win on the
road against Nebraska, a team that Indiana beat by a billion.
They ain't it, Illinois, ain't it. And right now I
think you can get Indiana minus two and a half
against Illinois week one. Like that's that's non san that's nonsense.

(01:04:37):
Like I think by the time that game kicks off, Illinois,
I'm sorry. I think by the time the game kicks off,
Indiana will get pushed out to seven or eight point
favorite status. And here's what helps Indiana won't have to
expose Illinois as a fraud. I think Illinois is gonna
lose to Duke in week two on the road.

Speaker 2 (01:04:57):
That would be funny, Yeah, that would be really fun. Actually, want.

Speaker 1 (01:05:03):
I know, I know you don't want it. I know
you don't want it. But this isn't about what we want.
This this episode is about calling out the frauds and
UH and and and also and also giving credit to
some people who don't who haven't gotten it yet. So
Illinois majorly overrated. They can they can, they can get lost.

(01:05:29):
The underrated team I have on the schedule is Old Dominion.
Week one. Everyone wants to lump in uh Indiana cupcake
non confidence blah blah blah blah blah. Yeah, like Old Dominions,
an actual gritty, competitive, middle of the pack Sunbelt team

(01:05:51):
in the group of five that is going to cause
Indiana problems in Week one. Remember Indiana didn't look all
that impressing against f I you in Week one last year.
I wouldn't be surprised if you saw a similar story
in Week one this year. They have a couple of
all conference preseason sun Belt selections at linebacker Old Dominion does.

(01:06:15):
They also have a very good offensive tackle. We'll keep
an eye out to see if he plays in Week one,
but they have an excellent offensive tackle that is probably
going to get matched up against Mikail Kamara, and then
it's going to be a matter of, hey, can Indiana
get these other lineman pass rushers to step up. We'll
see they're a good football team. Indiana did take Grant

(01:06:36):
Wilson over from Old Dominion, but grand scheme of things
like this is a game that I could see being
a one score game at halftime, a bit of a
nervy game in the third quarter. I think Indiana went comfortably.
I think twenty three and a half is too many
points at this moment right now. We'll see if it
comes down any but this Old Dominion team is a

(01:06:59):
very very good test for Indiana week one before you
really cleanse your palette weeks two and three, ahead of
that Illinois game in week four. So I'm looking I
think Old to me is the underrated team. Illinois is
the overrated team. Do you do you want to defend Illinois?
Met Like, is there any like? I like your point

(01:07:23):
about Iowa to I think they're very good.

Speaker 2 (01:07:26):
I'm not depending Illinois. I agree with you. I don't
believe in this Illini football team at all. Like I
think Belama's a fantastic at coach.

Speaker 1 (01:07:36):
But yeah, I think they'll be good. I think they're
seven and five, six and six.

Speaker 2 (01:07:42):
I think there's no I think they're like eight four.

Speaker 1 (01:07:46):
I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:07:46):
I think they're like eight and four. They're eight four.

Speaker 1 (01:07:50):
But you know, to your point, a large reason they
win close games is probably because Beilama is the head coach.
It's not, you know, a average guy, it's it's a
b Lamont. Full respect to him, Yeah, for sure. So
so so so those are the couple teams we're pointing
out as far as underrated overrated on the schedule. We'll

(01:08:10):
talk about one or two more underrated overrated things here
before we wrap up, But real quick, a social media
shout out again, folks. If you enjoy our show, leave
us a review, tell a friend. If you don't feel
like comfortable leaving a review, like, tell a friend that
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starting share our links. If you see us post something,

(01:08:31):
retweet it like it, spread the word again. That type
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You can find us at the Who's Your Sound or
Indiana HQ on Instagram at We're not Indiana HQ But
what are we?

Speaker 2 (01:08:48):
Indiana dot HQ exactly.

Speaker 1 (01:08:50):
You can find a single there, any anything. As far
as teams that are overrated underrated in the Big Ten Matt. Obviously,
Indiana doesn't play every Big Ten team out there. That
would be hilarious if that ever happened. Indiana is not

(01:09:10):
going to play every Big Ten team that exists. As
far as Big Ten teams college football teams, if you
even want to go more broadly than that is, there
are there one or two that are underrated or overrated
to you as we're a few weeks ahead of the season.
Started a couple of weeks, I got ahead of the
season starting go for it.

Speaker 2 (01:09:31):
I got a list for overrated. Are you ready for this?

Speaker 1 (01:09:33):
Let's go.

Speaker 2 (01:09:33):
Ohio State, WHOA, Oregon? Okayf in the Big ten are
overrated significantly.

Speaker 1 (01:09:43):
We got matt over here.

Speaker 2 (01:09:46):
I think Michigan, I think they're they're very overrated. I
think South Carolina is very overrated. I think I think
SMU is very overrated. I think Floorida is very overrated.
I think Kansas State is very overrated.

Speaker 1 (01:10:04):
Let's go.

Speaker 2 (01:10:04):
I think BYU is very overrated, and I think Notre
Dame is very overrated. Thank you for coming to my
ted talk. I just named half the top twenty five.

Speaker 1 (01:10:16):
Let's go wet Blanket Lucas.

Speaker 2 (01:10:18):
But I and if you wanted me to tell you
the reasons why for each team, I could go down
and list and tell you, but I won't.

Speaker 1 (01:10:26):
But there there I.

Speaker 2 (01:10:27):
Will give me.

Speaker 1 (01:10:28):
Give me Ohio State in Michigan, Okay, Ohio State's easy.
I go.

Speaker 2 (01:10:32):
How say Michigan and Oregon are the same reason for
all three? And that is your most important position as
a first year starter, right.

Speaker 1 (01:10:43):
Like like not yeah, okay, Julian saying, Bryce Underwood.

Speaker 2 (01:10:47):
Julian San Bryce Underwood, Dante Dante Moore. All three of
them are first year starters and they're being handed keys. Well,
Michigan's a totally different thing, but they're being handed saying,
and and and more are being handed keys to Ferrari's right, right,
And I think out of all of them, my Ohiosa
has the best chance of proving me wrong. Obviously, they

(01:11:09):
have the best wide maybe the best player in college football.
Let's be honest, Well they might have the best individual
player in the entire sport next year.

Speaker 1 (01:11:18):
As long as Ohio State doesn't make the national title game,
you're right, Like they're That's.

Speaker 2 (01:11:24):
What I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (01:11:25):
Yeah, I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:11:27):
I don't think they're making the national title game. I
think Penn State's better than them. I think Clemson's better
than them. I think George is gonna have a back,
a you know, a bounce back this year. I think
Texas better than them. I think I think, if anything,
Oregon is going to be where Snowhile State. But but

(01:11:47):
we'll see, Yeah, same thing, just most important player on
the on the field, and then they then they lose
a bunch of pieces from last year's team and they
replaced them with transfers. And that's not a for sure thing, right, Yep,
that's not that's not a guarantee. And in a in
a sport, in a college football, like a business, you

(01:12:08):
want guarantees on things.

Speaker 1 (01:12:10):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (01:12:10):
I don't think they give me enough guarantees where I
can say, oh, yeah, they're for Shore, a top two
team in the country, like, yes, they're the defending national champions.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that.

Speaker 1 (01:12:22):
But too many variers, like.

Speaker 2 (01:12:25):
Way too many variables.

Speaker 1 (01:12:27):
I like that. I like that. Underrated for me uh
u ce La and Wisconsin going into this upcoming season
Big ten wise, of course, Wisconsin is on Indiana schedule.
I'm oh, go for it. I thought you were just

(01:12:48):
I thought you were wet blanketing, all right, all right, alright, alright,
so okay, okay, so so here, I'll make sure to
give you a chance for that. But underrated, I'm going Wisconsin,
U see La in the Big ten. Overrated as far
as the Big Tennis concern, Oh, Washington, I'm a Washington
guy too. It's gonna be funny for the history books

(01:13:10):
to try to to try to slander Indiana's win over
Washington in twenty twenty four, as Washington comes off of
a National title game appearance in twenty three and like
a nine to ten win season in twenty twenty five.

(01:13:31):
Like it's gonna be, It's gonna be one of those things.
Everyone's Indiana's schedule easy. Indiana schedule is Indiana with the
backup quarterback, made life extremely easy against Washington in twenty four.
Great defensive performance, probably the best defensive performance of the season.

(01:13:52):
So Washington. I'm honestly, I'm probably wrong about Wisconsin, but
I have just seen so many great with consin teams
that I think Luke Fickle is going to make them feisty.
Uh not not against Alabama early, but eventually eventually, I

(01:14:13):
think they're gonna They're not and six, I don't know,
maybe lately, like maybe maybe they beat Ohio State mid October,
They're gonna beat Illinois at the end of the season.

Speaker 2 (01:14:25):
Just screw this.

Speaker 1 (01:14:26):
This is stupid as far as as far as as
far as teams that are over over God, I'm just
at the top of this thing here. I'm not a
big LSU guy, I think Clemson wins that game in
Week one. I'm not a big Texas A and M guy.

(01:14:47):
I don't think they should be in the preseason top
twenty five.

Speaker 2 (01:14:51):
They are.

Speaker 1 (01:14:51):
Oh my god, yeah they were in the coaches preseasons. Yeah, yeah,
they are.

Speaker 2 (01:14:55):
They are there there, that's wild.

Speaker 1 (01:15:00):
I don't think Lincoln Riley's going to turn it around
this year. I think people want him to. I don't
think it's going to be a this year thing for
Lincoln Riley and then one other at the top at
the top of college football. Well no, not at the time.

(01:15:22):
Colorado's in trouble, like Dion's going through some health stuff.
We underrated Shador Sanders and Travis Hunter. As crazy as
that sounds, over the last few yearstand I understand Juju
Lewis is there. He was almost going to be a
Hoosier but he didn't, and he's fine. Like I think,

(01:15:45):
I think he's going to be good eventually. I don't
think he's deserving of even Bryce Underwood level of twenty
twenty five hype. I think Colorado's in trouble and I
think we're going to be possibly looking at a new
head coach there at this point next year, I think
that's I think that's my list. I'll maybe throw on

(01:16:05):
one or two others down the road. But who are
your underrated teams?

Speaker 2 (01:16:11):
Underrated teams in the Big Ten? I talked about them
earlier Iowa, right, I really I was.

Speaker 1 (01:16:18):
I was.

Speaker 2 (01:16:19):
I was underrated. I'm with you on Washington, Oh, I
was overrated.

Speaker 1 (01:16:25):
Remind me before we finish up.

Speaker 2 (01:16:27):
Okay, well, I got one more team I have that's underrated.
My underrated team of the year is the Penn State
in the Alliance.

Speaker 1 (01:16:38):
Oh.

Speaker 2 (01:16:42):
Now, I think they're just should be national title favorites.

Speaker 1 (01:16:45):
Well, right now, they're tied for third. Right at the
top of the board, it's Texas, Ohio State, and then
Penn States.

Speaker 2 (01:16:51):
I think it's I think it's clear.

Speaker 1 (01:16:54):
I yeah, they're third.

Speaker 2 (01:16:55):
I think they're clearly the number one team. Okay, I
I think on both sides, it's the ball. They're the
best team in college football. I don't think it's the
most solid on both ends of both ends of the field.

Speaker 1 (01:17:11):
No, easy enough, I see what you're saying. I have
still some anxiety about Drew Aller. You know where it
comes from. There was that game I think in twenty
three where Indiana went to Happy Valley in almost one.

Speaker 2 (01:17:30):
I was at that game.

Speaker 1 (01:17:31):
It was like a noon I was.

Speaker 2 (01:17:33):
It was a noon game. I was at that game.
We were in that game until about three and a
half quarters and we were or not even it was
like two minutes left.

Speaker 1 (01:17:41):
It was still uncomfortable, right. I remember very end.

Speaker 2 (01:17:44):
I was in the crowd wearing Penn State merch with
an IU shirt on underneath because I didn't want to
sit because we were right next to the students and
I didn't want to get I didn't want to get harassed.
So I just went with the pen stages on and
I sat the whole time and was biting my nails.
The whole game is like, oh my god, I can't
look like I'm celebrating, but oh.

Speaker 1 (01:18:05):
My God, like like uh yeah, shout out to Keys
Carter three for one oh four in a touchdown, Shout
out Donovan McCully uh four for ninety six, Omar Cooper
three for one fifty two in a late uh and
and a touchdown in that one. Just some really questionable
play calling at the end of the game from was it.

Speaker 2 (01:18:24):
A punt that was.

Speaker 1 (01:18:27):
No? So who's who's the guy that took over for
Walt Bell halfway through the season. Rod Kerry Rod Carry
questionable play caller too late questionable. Yeah, in a game
where he was playing well and Indiana we're doing work.

Speaker 2 (01:18:51):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:18:52):
You had a deep touchdown pass late from Drew Aller
to KeAndre Lambert Smith.

Speaker 2 (01:18:59):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:19:02):
And uh. And I just remember that game, Like Drew
Aller numbers were all right when it's all said and done,
but did them look great? And uh? And we do
remember the crippling pass or two he threw against Notre
Dame last CFP. We'll see. I mean, you could definitely

(01:19:22):
be right on this. There's no question, like Penn State
could easily just bludgeon everyone and at some point Ktron
Allen and Nick Singleton are impossible to stop. And you know,
Oregon visits Penn State for the white Out, like that
could knock Oregon out of Big Ten title contention. Ohio

(01:19:44):
State does host Penn State this year, but even if
Penn State loses that game, it's not really the end
of the world. Penn State goes to Iowa State this year.

Speaker 2 (01:19:52):
Didn't Penn State go to Ohio State last year as well?

Speaker 1 (01:19:57):
No, that game was in Happy Valley. Yeah, it was.
It was.

Speaker 2 (01:20:05):
Yeah, j T told him, Yeah, went nuts too.

Speaker 1 (01:20:11):
Will Howard was pretty solid that game.

Speaker 2 (01:20:17):
And uh so this is a slugfest early this year.

Speaker 1 (01:20:22):
You do get a unique stretch across October November where
Penn State goes at Iowa by at Ohio State home Indiana.
So yeah, we'll see, we'll see, we'll see if they
can get through that one cleanly. Again, they could afford
to lose a game. And your point is, hey, they're
gonna make the national title game. If they do that,
you're right, they're underrated. Any other underrateds on your side.

Speaker 2 (01:20:49):
Trying to think, my the the group of five team
that's making the Collegeable playoffs is you and Ldie.

Speaker 1 (01:20:59):
Oh, well like bad? I like that.

Speaker 2 (01:21:05):
Dan Mullens, you know he's making it.

Speaker 1 (01:21:08):
Do I have a I don't have a I don't
have a group of five call yet maybe maybe in
future episodes before the season starts. I think arch Manning
is very overrated. I don't think I like. I don't
think he's bad. I think this part of this is
Quinn Yours is little too much hate, like little too

(01:21:28):
much hate on on quin Yours and then like right
now arch Manning is in a tier of his own
to win the Heisman and to be the number one
overall pick in the NFL draft. Like, that's nonsense, that's
way too over the top as far as arch Manning
is concerned, not saying he's bad, not saying he's terrible.

(01:21:53):
I'm saying arch Manning should be at the same level
right now as like Ty Simpson at Alabama, Gunner stocked
in at Georgia, Sam Levitt Jackson aren't. Like, I don't

(01:22:16):
think arch Manning is tier one by himself, the Heisman
Trophy winner favorite or the NFL draft number one pick favorite.
That's nonsense. That is way too tall, And like I

(01:22:38):
don't know how much it matters because of course Week
one Texas, Ohio State in Columbus, and like, sure, if
arch Manning plays decent, he'll you know, he'll have he'll
have a good uh, he'll have a good bump frankly
from where things are at to his Heisman stock and
to his NFL draft stock. But not only do you

(01:23:02):
go to Ohio State, like they gotta go to Florida,
they gotta go to Georgia. I don't think this is
gonna be easy for arch Manning. Like he wasn't eye
poppingly special last season. No, who's alright? Who's alright?

Speaker 2 (01:23:21):
Like, I don't know he had Yeah, his ability to
run the football was pretty astonishing to be given the
fact that he's a manning.

Speaker 1 (01:23:31):
That is true. That is true for sure, But like
we're talking about someone who you know, it's like can
like like this, it's too much. This is this is
the point, right, this is the point we're trying to
make on this episode where the hype train is like
over the top ridiculous. I think Arch is fine. I

(01:23:54):
think at the end of the season he's like second
or third team SEC quarterback, not Tier one Heisman, NFL
top overall pick. So take do that. I can you
know with what you will any final thoughts?

Speaker 4 (01:24:10):
I yeah, a final thought? One one more overrated team?
Oh Miami, Oh okay, I like that. They're they're starting
to be the last team hated him. He transfers to Miami.

Speaker 2 (01:24:24):
You're talking with his girlfriend who then they immediately break
up with each other and then he gets his Bugatti stolen. Ok. Look,
you were telling this is this is a guy that
your quarterback is a head case.

Speaker 1 (01:24:40):
He is a returner though, right, because you were nervous
about some other teams with first year starters. That's not
Carson Becks situation. Like he's playing just awful. You don't
think Miami can get the sixty seventy percent of cam
word out of him.

Speaker 2 (01:25:00):
I don't think they get I don't think that gets one.
I think he's gonna be off the team by week
four at this rate. Okay, okay, he's he's gotten full.
Justin Bieber like he's just got off the deep end,
look like, and not a good way. Bebes has been
like this is this is this is the Justin Bieber post,
you know, usher like this is this is him peing

(01:25:23):
in in you know, not in urinals and stuff.

Speaker 1 (01:25:26):
You know. So like, by the way, two home games
early for Miami week one against Notre Dame and then
week four against Florida. So screwed you'll you'll find out
real quick. I think I think Miami's favored against Notre
Dame too, Is that right?

Speaker 2 (01:25:43):
They might be, but they're gonna be two and two.
I think just a confattle.

Speaker 1 (01:25:52):
Notre Dame is a two point favorite.

Speaker 2 (01:25:55):
Okay, that's that's a toss. So that's a toss. Yeah,
But say the battle of down there in Miami battle
did anything else? I do apologize for getting English at
some point in this podcast. It's been a while since
I spoke English to people. Truly. I've been off of

(01:26:15):
work for two weeks and just hang out with my
Chinese friends, so only speaking Chinese. There you go so
literally like I had to turn on my English brain
again and be like, oh, how do I do this again?
How do I speak this language?

Speaker 1 (01:26:26):
So? Yeah, for sure, for sure, I don't know what
you just said. Uh, I don't know. I don't know what.
I don't know what that what that word was? Hmm?
Anything from my end, you got anything else? I think

(01:26:53):
Indiana could be underrated. But that's not the point of
this episode, is it.

Speaker 2 (01:26:57):
That's not the point of this point. The point of
this episode was to temp temper expectations, temper, not tamper
temper expectations. I look, I I'm just gonna lean back
on the fact that I've been speaking to the last
week and a half.

Speaker 1 (01:27:15):
Oh boy, where's Indiana's win total at eight and a half?

Speaker 2 (01:27:21):
H I'm hitting the overall that I think they're at
least going nine and three. I don't know, Honestly, they're
They're winning one of Iowa and Illinois and then losing
the other and dropping two games to Oregon and and
Penn State on the red and it's still gonna be

(01:27:43):
a fantastic season.

Speaker 1 (01:27:44):
Oh gosh, yeah, I mean, we'll see how it is.
This is, this is what I've been telling my Bears
fan friends. Uh, this upcoming season with Ben Johnson, I'm like,
you're not gonna get Signetty two, Like you're not gonna
get ten and seven, eleven and six, You're just not.

(01:28:06):
But what you want to see is just a change
in vision, a change in execution preparation. Right, Like Indiana
could have lost a couple more games last year, right
and I would have still been very positively impressed by Uh,
just approach the vision, the focus and this upcoming season. Like,

(01:28:34):
you obviously want to win, you want to make the CFP,
you want to contend for a Big Ten title, because
in the enda has not been in the Big Ten
Championship game and since its inception, But like you want
to see the vision, you know what? You know what?
I actually even saw this at Purdue with brom right,
like Perdue didn't have great seasons every year with Jeff
brom but every year you saw what they were trying

(01:28:58):
to do. Didn't always work out whatever, but you got
a year there where they made the Big Ten Championship game.
You got several quality NFL pros going through Purdue during
the Jeff Brohmiars, ron Dale Moore, David Bell, George karloftis
Aidan O'Connell. You saw what they were trying to get done.
Rondale Moore was amazing, like Tyrone Tracy before he went

(01:29:22):
to Iowa and then I can't remember which what the
order was, if it was Iowa Purdue or Perdue Iowa,
but I know Tyrone Tracy was at Purdue for a bit.
You saw the vision, you saw what they were trying
to do. That's my focus here with Signetti. We'll get
to the wins losses. I really don't want to see
this team loose to Illinois week four. I just don't
think that's gonna happen. But I really just don't want

(01:29:45):
to see them do that. Like I just don't. But
in addition to those three difficult road games, like how
does the rest of the season look, we'll see. I
think UCLA is underrated. I think Wisconsin's underrated. I think
Michigan State could have a better year this upcoming season
than they did last year. Indiana may get tripped up

(01:30:06):
once or twice, but I just want to see that vision,
that focus that I saw last season. Can that sustain?
Can that keep going? I think that's gonna be the
biggest part of this upcoming season. I hope that's what
they're focusing on here during fall camp. But folks, data
about wraps it up for a three hundred and forty
nine show to Who's Your Sound? Thank you so much
for joining us. Really appreciate your support to hear more

(01:30:27):
fantastic episodes like the one you heard today. Be sure
to follow us at Indiana HQ to make sure you
don't miss any in the future. Can also go to
our website indianahq dot com to find it all in
one place. But as always, thank you for listening Who's
Your Nation? You will see you next time.

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