Weaver & Kelly's IU Football Podcast: Indiana destroys Illinois

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome and everybody.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
It is Wednesday, September twenty fourth. Indiana continues to assert
themselves on the Big ten and national stage, huge winners
sixty three to ten, over then at number nine, Illinois
at home to improved to four, and OHO On this season,
Peace dot coms Matt Weaver Jared Kelly here to break
it all down. Matt, I'm sure you have a lot
of thoughts coming out of this game. I've been looking
forward to this podcast for a few days now.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
I'll let you have the four.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
First, because I'm sure you have just just a ton
of thoughts on the overall atmosphere and everything that happened
in this game.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
You know, I said afterwards when we did our video,
I want to be surprised at the outcome. But then
part of me wasn't it felt to me a little
bit like Nebraska last year. No, it's not apples to apples,
but you know, Nebraska came in, people weren't sure how
good Indiana was, and there were you know, there were
a number of national guys who picked Nebraska to win

(00:56):
that game, just like they did then national guys.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
PA.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
I think everybody on the ESPN Game Day thing, except
for Pat McAfee picked Illinois, and I thought Indiana could
win handily. I did not see sixty three ten, just
like I don't think I saw fifty six seven or
whatever it was last year against Nebraska. But they, you know,
I after the game. I mean, I think if they
played ten times, I don't think Indiana wins by fifty
three points every time, but I think they win nine

(01:19):
out of ten times. I think they're the better team
and just across the board, and just an unbelievable performance.
But again, I don't think we should be surprised. It
wasn't a perfect performance, and there never are those, but
it was really good. I mean, you know, offensively throwing
the ball, running the ball, defensively, getting after the quarterback.
I mean coaching Netty did did mention. Kirstyanna mentioned yesterday,

(01:42):
I'm sorry on Monday that there was some breakdowns. I
think he said five or six egregious. I think that
was a word he used, breakdowns and they only got
burned on one. That to me right now is the
biggest concern with this team. But other than that, this
team is really fired on all cylinders and they are
going to be a handful for everybody.

Speaker 2 (01:59):
For the US this season, So we could attack this
game from several different angles. Of course, let's start with
the atmosphere and just everything we saw on game day,
the tailgating lots, the stadium being full, you know, forty
five minutes before kickoff. Of course, Notre Dame and Purdue
pushed the kickoff time back twenty minutes. I know people

(02:21):
weren't too thrilled that they had to start to watch
the game on Peacock, but neither here nor there, but
the overall atmosphere, Matt, this was I don't know if
you're going to ever be able to replicate this type
of feeling just because of the circumstances. You know, Indiana
is still a rising program. Like, in my mind, the
only thing that could be bigger than this at Memorial
Stadium would be a CFP home game, and even then

(02:41):
that would be in like late December, where you know
it's cold and you know it's probably snowing. Like this
might be as good as it gets in terms of
fan atmosphere Memorial Stadium.

Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, And I would say the only other one that
maybe would come close is if you're playing let's say
you're playing like Ohio State or or you're playing at
home and it's in November and it's for maybe the
top you know, to be the top team in the
Big ten or whatever, maybe go to the Big ten
yet But then again, it would probably be whether it
could be an issue, whether it was on an issue.
On Saturday, it was it was, uh except for I
guess it what the third or fourth quarter started raining.

(03:13):
But before the game, up to the game, the weather
was great, you know, perfect for tailgating and for hanging out.
So yeah, in the atmosphere that give the fans, I
mean they started waving the towels. I mean it seemed
like what fifteen minutes, you know, they were they were,
they were, they were ready to go. Give the fans credit.
That was That was a tremendous, tremendous environment for for
college football. And it's obviously something that we have not

(03:34):
seen a ton around the IU program. But I think
it's going to become more of the norm going forward.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
Yeah, I know there was a lot of angst within
the fan base.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
You know, first three games of the season, the non
conference games that didn't sell out, and there's still pockets
of empty seats. Uh, you know, once big time plays
started I kind of feeling that this was how it
would go, sold out seats and stuff like that.

Speaker 1 (03:54):
And uh, I don't know.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
If you saw mab I I honestly probably could count
less then maybe a thousand Illinois fans in the stadium.

Speaker 1 (04:02):
I saw virtually no orange.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
I don't know about you, like walking through the tailgate lots,
but you know all this talk about you know there's
gonna be a lot of Illinois orange in the building,
I basically saw none of that.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
Yeah, I saw a few, but not very many. It
was like kind of a smattering of fans here and there.
When I was walking up to the stadium from my
from my parking spot and then just looking through a
binoc pillars out in the crowd, you'd see like an
orange shirt, you know, maybe a couple here and there.
But yeah, and usually it's down that you know, from
where we sit are right down on the that'd be

(04:33):
the west stands. That's where the visitors sit, right above
where the team comes out. And it didn't look like
they had as I thought there'd be more. I mean,
they're not that far apart. I mean it's only what
a couple hours if that too, you know, from Champagne
over to here. It's not that far. I would assume
there's probably a number of Illinois fans that are just
in this area because maybe they work or live Indianapolis
or whatever. But yeah, I was a little bit surprised.

(04:55):
But get credit in the n fans That tells me
that they weren't unloading their tickets u for profit on
some of these ticket sites.

Speaker 1 (05:03):
Yeah, yeah, for sure.

Speaker 2 (05:05):
Definitely a really cool uh uh you know atmosphere there
with the redout and the drone show they had at halftime,
and then even the rain in the third quarter. I thought,
you know, kind of just tied everything together. Some of
those pictures that came out of the rain in the
third quarter was really really cool.

Speaker 1 (05:20):
All right.

Speaker 2 (05:20):
Getting into this game, Matt, normally we start offense, I
want to start defense because I really feel like the
defense in this game set the tone.

Speaker 1 (05:26):
Early and they just manhandle Illinois.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
And this is you know, we talked about this last
week previewing Illinois. We felt that Illinois's offensive line and
their struggles this year would be something that Indiana could
exploit and we were, I mean, we were very very
right on that front. Seven sacks, ten TFLs. You had
the dangel Pond's block block punt. Indiana should have had
two pick sixes that fell right through their hands. The

(05:49):
defensive line in this game, like I thought Indiana would farewell.
I didn't know it was going to be this good
for them.

Speaker 3 (05:56):
Yeah, they were. They were fantastic. I mean, Tyry Tucker
played well. I mean one guy I want to mention,
and we talked about this after the game. His stats
are it's not show on the session, but mcculchkinbars played
good football. I know he got off to a slow start,
but I mean, and I know we would you like
to see more production, but he was disrupted. He was
he forced a lot of the in my opinion, TFLs
and plays behind the line of scrimmage by getting pressure

(06:18):
and then somebody else kind of cleaned it up. But
Mario Landino, Tyree Tucker, Stephen Daily played terrific. Isaiah Jones,
I know he's on a D lineman, but he's kind
of it's almost like he's kind of become their uh.
I don't know what you would have called it, like
he's their blitzer. I mean, Fisher does it too, but
Isaiah Jones is really really good at it. At least
he was on Saturday. But yeah, across the board they

(06:39):
played that that front, and you know, linebackers included, they
played great football and I mean they they uh that's
as rattles you're going to see Luke Altmeyer, I think
in a game. I mean, this is a veteran guy
who's played a lot of good football, uh just a
lot of football in general, won a lot of games,
and he was shell shocks. I mean it was not
long he was. They were beating him around, and like

(07:01):
I said, after the game, part of me almost felt
sorry for him because he was just getting killed the
entire night. And I was a little bit surprised Illinois
kept him in as long as they did. When it
was like forty two to ten or forty nine ten,
I would have pulled him. But regardless, credit to the
d line, credit to Pat Coots, Buddha Williams, Brian Haynes.
Those guys all work hand in hand and their ability
to generate pressure and get after the quarterback. I mean, listen,

(07:25):
for years, I've said Indiana's got to be able to
find a way to generate pressure with four players. They
can never do it. The last couple of years. They
do it regularly and it's really fun to watch.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
Coming into this game. You know, we heard a lot
about Luke Almyer. His three years are starting experience. You know,
he's a senior, He's been in these big games, these
close games, and you know, I honestly thought Almayer early
on he showed a little bit of those jitters, a
couple of those sacks. I felt like we're on his
end because he held them all on an awful long time.
You know, because Illinois early in the first quarter, at

(07:57):
least before they started to really break down and get overwhelmed,
I thought they gave him adequate at least protection and
Altmeyer got to get rid of the ball. But that
does speak to Indiana secondary as well. They played well.
I want to go back to you, Matt, So here's
a name I have for Isaiah Jones, like sort of
a comp and maybe not a one to one comp
in terms of talent level, but his blitzing ability, like

(08:17):
you mentioned, there's a lot of Michael McFadden in him.
I think the way he's able to get through the
lines and you know, like destroy blocks that we haven't
really seen that since McFadden you know, his ability to
get in the backfield like that.

Speaker 3 (08:30):
Yeah, And I think it's a skill. I mean, I
I mean, yeah, you can coach guys, but some guys
they're just good at it. It's just it's not only
you know. I mean, obviously you got to be able
to time to snap and but I mean they and
then when you get there getting to the quarterback. And
Mike Kid was really really good at that, and he
was such a great player Indiana. And like I'm with you,
I don't want to compare. That's not fair to Isaiah
Jones or to Mike McFadden, but in that, in that

(08:52):
part of their game, they are very very similar and
obviously both very very effective. And to me, Isaiah Jones,
he played him last year. He one of the real
pleasant surprises defensively. And it's not that I didn't think
he was a good player. He's just he's had a
bigger role than I think both of us probably thought
he would have. He's playing quite a bit. They're playing
a lot of three linebacker looks. They'll probably do. I
would assume they're gonna do that a ton this weekend

(09:13):
against Iowa, because I was gonna try to run the
ball and they're gonna try to shorten the game. And
there I could see them playing Hardy Fisher and Jones
a lot together. But he's been awesome and obviously you
put him out there at Aden Fisher eight, and Fisher
is also good at blitzein. It makes it tough on
the defense because if they're both lined up in that
a gap over the center on each each a gap
by in the center, who do you take? And if

(09:35):
one of them, you know, I mean that they can
one draw up and one can go, or both can
go or whatever it's. That's that's hard for for an
offensive line a center for those guys to be able
to block the right guy and get it and get
their quarterback protected for that play.

Speaker 2 (09:50):
And this goes back to Brian Haynes two and retaining
in this offseason, which was critical. But you know, so
last year we saw a lot of four two five
where it was two linebackers for four down line and uh,
this year, I feel like, you know, we've seen a
ton of three three five more so than maybe honestly
the four down front. And we may note this because
it's been kind of surprising, but with how well Jones

(10:11):
played you can stick him in there and take a
linement off the field. And we've even seen, you know,
they like to line up about Realijah Hardy off the
edge a lot too, whether Blitz are dropping back. So
that's been an interesting wrinkle in you know, teams that
are preparing for Indiana that are trying to use last
year's tape defensively, I don't think you can use a
whole lot of that because what they've shown this year
is is, you know, quite a bit different than what

(10:32):
we saw last year.

Speaker 3 (10:34):
Yeah, and I mean, I you know, coach Sgnetti always
talks about on offense, you've got to kind of evolve,
you've got to tweak things you're you're you're even from
even from week to week in the season, definitely from
season to season. And you know that's something obviously Brian
Haynes is doing and it's you get we we've noticed
that we talked about the press box, Hardy kind of
in that two point stance standing up. Sometimes he comes,
sometimes he drops back. We'n't even seen him go out

(10:56):
when they run like you know, the two receivers right
next to each other, he'll go out and it's almost
like part of it looks like he's going out there
to kind of blow it up, like if the one's
gonna block, they're gonna use him to blow up the block.
But it's just interesting. He's become kind of a chess
piece for them, and it's been fun to watch. Kellen
White's another guy thinks a little bit of a chess
piece because he can rush, play it with his hand
on the ground, and he can also drop, which is

(11:17):
what he did in Maryland. They've you know, it's this
defense seems like it's got a little bit more flexibility.
As good as the defense was last year, maybe a
little bit more flexibility with their players. I mean, Jalen
Walker was really athletic, but I don't know if he
had the size to kind of play up on the
edge of the line like Hardy does. You know. It's
just it's it's fun to watch they they what they're doing.
It's got to be a nightmare for offense an offensive

(11:38):
coordinator office staff to game plan for them because you
just don't know where it's gonna come from. And that's
what you obviously want to do as a defensive unit
and defensive coordinator. And Brian Haynes is he's he's fantastic.
There's a reason why he's getting paid what he's getting paid,
because he's really really good at what he does.

Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, I don't I don't know if you're gonna find
any better decoordinators in the nation than him, especially after
we saw last week interior Matt defensive line, Mario Landino,
Tyrek Tucker two best games of their career, I thought,
And a lot of that kind of goes back to
what you were saying about Mikyle Kamara.

Speaker 1 (12:11):
You know, he was forcing a.

Speaker 2 (12:12):
Lot of double teams in a lot of tension his way,
which you know, leaving guys like Talker and Landino on
one on ones. Like there was a couple clips where
Tucker and Landino just like completely destroyed and bullied whoever
was on them. Those two guys, if they can keep
coming along as they have and putting up those type
of numbers, you might see a you know, season kind
of production wise, similar to what Carpenter and west Wrothy

(12:35):
will give you last year. And I'm not saying they're
they're necessarily those type of players term talent level, but
the production is slowly coming on and that's really good
to see.

Speaker 1 (12:42):
From the interior as well.

Speaker 3 (12:44):
Yeah, I agree, and and and you know it makes
them deeper because you got Wheeler, you got Tucker, you
got Landino. I mean, Ratcliffe has played. He's He's maybe
not played as much as I thought he would coming in,
but he's still I think I think he was around
fifteen snaps on Saturday, if I remember from my PFS.
But yeah, to me, I think, you know, because last
year it was kind of it was kind of West

(13:06):
Carpenter and then a little bit of Tucker and those
guys kind of carry the load. This year, I think
he got a little bit more depth. But yeah, they
they're I mean, Landino was fantastic and Tyree Tucker. I
you know, I said it last year. I just don't
think he gets talked about enough. I think maybe it's
because maybe he doesn't look the part. He's not like
a real big guy like as far as hot, you
know what I mean. But he is just a darn
good football player. And and you know, he's not Aaron

(13:29):
Donald at all. But we've seen shorter guys who are
really really good at getting it and that he's like that.
I'm in no way Aaron Donald's with the greatest defensive
tackle or three teching probably ever going to see in
your life. So I'm not saying that, but he's he
just kind of reminds me of that in his ability
to penetrate in the gap, even though he may not
have the measurables and all that kind of stuff that
you look for, uh from from those kind of players.

(13:49):
But I mean, listen, Pat Coot's a great coach, Boda
Williams a great coach. These guys have done an outstanding job,
and obviously Brian Haynes kind of ties all together as
a qui. They've done an outstanding giant If you've been
a practice, you go watch those guys work with their guys.
It is so much fun to watch Pat Koon's coach
d Line and to watch bood To Williams coach, and
they are so intense, they're so detail oriented, and they're guys.

(14:14):
It shows on the field. They they are developed as
well as any position group, not only on this team
but in my opinion, the country.

Speaker 2 (14:21):
Yeah, it's almost a shotgu coming out of practice. How
Pat Kunz has a voice. Ever, he's just screaming his
head off during practice.

Speaker 1 (14:29):
And it also goes.

Speaker 2 (14:30):
Back to to Indiana getting the most out of its
players because a lot of these guys like Tucker obviously
came from jmu Landino was a jam you commit before
he came over. Probably, I don't know if he had
any powerful or offers like Derek Owens and his staff
in the strength room for them to man handle Illinois
a big ten offensive line group like that. I don't

(14:50):
know how else they manhandled them. That was so impressive
to see. And you know, like I said, it goes
back to Indiana just getting the most out of its
because they're never gonna have the most talent the team
on the field. Uh, you know when when big ten
play stars, but the the the I don't even know
how to put it. Like the effort they play with,
the tenacity that they play with. You talk about edges

(15:11):
and get you know, finding little edges and games like
that is an edge that I don't think most teams
can can match up to.

Speaker 3 (15:18):
Yeah, and I and that's what I asked Christianity after
the game. I said, let's be honest, you guys, they
brought some blitzes, but they could have got after him
with just four guys. Yeah, I mean the blitz has
definitely helped. But I asked, I said, you guys physically
whipped him, and he said, that's what I saw on
tape that we could do because Duke kind of did
it do got after him to uh and you know
not to go. But you obviously do help them out
with the turnovers. But they they they physically whipped him in.

(15:40):
And you know, this week will be I think will
be a tougher matchup. We'll get to that later, but
I I don't, I don't. I think I think I
was gonna have their handful, handsful, and all teams going
for we're gonna have their hands full blocking these guys.

Speaker 2 (15:52):
All right, I'm moving on to the secondary here before
we flip over to offense. The one busted coverage and
and you know, I'm pretty sure I tweeted about this
like this has become a trend over the last four games,
and churtz Netti even said it. You know, you can't
put that stuff on tape because teams are gonna, you know, better,
teams are going to debt to certainly take advantage that
the one bust of coverage was just miscommunication between ponds.

(16:14):
I think Farrell might have been out of position as well.
He was supposed to take the deep post and he didn't.
Things like that, like and I you know, it's it's
hard for people to wrap their head around because they're like,
you know, three seniors at the safety spots, like they
should know better. Uh, it takes time to gel like
that in the back end. And I know, obviously four
games in the season you'd like to have it buttoned up,

(16:35):
but it takes time. And we saw it with the
Illinois game that you know, the secondary might might need
a little more time to to really get you know, cohesive.

Speaker 3 (16:43):
Yeah, and I'm not making excuses, but let's look at
their Let's look at the first three games they played
Old Dominion. Old Dominion really didn't challenge them over the top.
What challenge what Old Domanion did was, I mean, they
ran forty six plays, they tried to run the ball,
they were shortened the game in the second quarter. Kennesaw State,
that's where I first noted noticed the cracks in the
back end, and there was a couple of plays but

(17:04):
probably should have been either a touchdown or much bigger
player than what it was. And then Indiana State, they
there was no challenge at all. They couldn't even they
didn't have time to throw the ball ten yards, let
alone thirty yards. So you know, and again not make excuses,
but they just need reps. And hopefully after the Illinois
game and they've seen it on tape more coach Adams,

(17:25):
coach Ojean on the back end, they'll they'll get this
fixed because they're gonna have to get it fixed. I mean,
this week it may not be as big of a problem.
Although Illinois always been a good play action team, I'm sorry,
Iowa Illinois. In my head, I was always been a
good play action team because they run the ball so well.
But going forward, when you play when you took a
couple weeks after that, when you play Oregon, if you
have these breakdowns, I mean, it's gonna be it's gonna

(17:47):
be bad deal. So you got to get it fixed.
It looked to me, I mean Pond said on that
touchdown he said the safety was out of position. I
assume an he means feral because Lewis Moore came on
of blitz off the edge. My guess is and it
looked like Pond's let that receiver go. So it looked
to me like Pond's expected a Marii Ferrell to run
with that receiver to run in the deep route, and

(18:08):
he didn't, and he was wide open. I mean he
was twenty yards past the defense. So these are fixable things.
It's concerning, but it's not like it's not like you're
getting beat because you can't physically match up or because
your scheme's terrible. It's you're getting beat because guys just
need to They just need to work on communication and
being where they're supposed to be. Like they always say,
do your job. That's all you got to do. Do

(18:29):
your job, don't try to do anybody else's. And I
think they will get this fixed. This These coaches, this
coaching staffs too good not for this, for this not
to get corrected.

Speaker 2 (18:37):
You mentioned the in game reps two, which which is important.
It's almost it's almost felt like Indian it needs to
be tested their past. Second, the passing depencility's testing even
more because the first three games they were virtually untested
just because of how dominant Indians D line was. This
game was more of the same, where Indiana's D line
was in the backfield all game Allmyer couldn't really take
deep shots. We're four games in and you know, we're

(18:59):
saying that Indiana still needs to be tested more. But
I I kinda, I kind of, I kind of would
like to see, uh Iowa take a few deep shots
see how Indiana will respond, because you know, they haven't
really seen a whole ton of that this year.

Speaker 3 (19:11):
Yeah, And I mean, you know it'll be interesting. I mean,
I Iowa can't get into a shootout this week. They
know that, but they're but they're probably gonna have to
try to generate a few explosive plays. And I think
I think they're gonna My guess is you're gonna see
them somewhat throw the kitchen sinking Indiana. We'll get that more.
But I you know, I could see some trick plays
or they where they try to get they try to
get sneak a guy and then listen. Indiana' is an

(19:32):
aggressive defense, and teams can at times that can be
used against you, you know, if you you know, like
if they run reverses or they run some kind of
half back pass back to the quarterback or something, they're
gonna try to use the fact that you really run
to the ball against you, and that you're really aggressive
and you get upfield, you know, I Indiana will have
a great play, but yeah, I'm with you. I'd like

(19:52):
to see them take a few shots and just see
how how the DBS do. Friendiana, this isn't the same
kind of test you're gonna get on October eleventh at
Oregon or you know, maybe even later in the season
against some other teams. But you know, it would be
nice to see them get tested a little bit more
and see how they come out of it.

Speaker 2 (20:08):
But all these Indiana's passing defense, you know, good on
the day minus dot one broken play, one hundred fifty
nine yards passing from Illinois, what did they have like
nine total first downs? So overall, just a good day
from the secondary and in a really good day from
the defense.

Speaker 1 (20:23):
Overall.

Speaker 2 (20:23):
Let's talk special teams real quick, Matt, because obviously there's
a lot to go through for the offense special teams.
We had the Dangelupon's block punt for the touchdown.

Speaker 1 (20:34):
Going back. There was only ten guys on the field
for an end of there.

Speaker 2 (20:37):
I don't know how they lucked into that block punt,
but kudos to dangel Laponts for getting there. And it
just speaks like you you've talked about this the buy
in from the team that the fact that all Americans
are willing to give that much effort, it speaks volumes.
Jonathan Brady had the one long punt return for twenty
seven yards, almost broke it for even bigger gain. And

(20:58):
then Quinn Warren he's still back punting though miss McCarthy
was in there holding. So it makes me wonder too
a little bit if if you know, Quinn Warren might
be might be uh in line for more points even
with McCarthy helding going forward. So any way you want
to attack those special teams, go for Matt.

Speaker 3 (21:13):
They've been great. And again, special teams is a is
a as a part of the football team that if
you're talking about them, they're usually not playing very good.
And we haven't talked we haven't talked about them all
that much, and to me that's usually a positive because
that means they're not screwing up. So Brady has been
really good, I mean as good as Miles Prices was
last year. He was obviously he's doing the NFL. Jonathan

(21:35):
Brady's been really really good for Indiana. Quinn Warren has
stepped in. It'll be interesting to see if McCarthy maybe
they held him out one more week. If it was
if that was had to do with the injury, or
if it had to do with Warren's just passed him,
I'm not sure. We'll see this week. You know, Radyschick again,
you know hasn't really it's not he's not we're not

(21:57):
we're not seeing any field goals. But that's because they're scoring,
so that's not a bad thing. He's just kicking extra
points covered seems to begin. They're gonna have to be
good this week. Again. We'll talk about Iowa a little
bit later on, but uh, this returner for Iowa, it's
just amazing. They always seem to have these dudes that
are just ridiculous as kicking prompt returners. I don't know
where they find them, but they're gonna have to be
on their on their you know, their p's and q's

(22:18):
this week against against Iowa and that guy because he's
really good. So yeah, right now, you know, special teams
are great, and they're not only they're not only are
they not costing Indiana chance to win games, they're helping
them win games. That was that was a big if
you remember in the Illinois game, I mean when you
look at it, You're like, well, but Indiana kind of
started off a little bit slow, I mean offensively, they
weren't really and that to me kind of got them going.

(22:40):
That play was a big play.

Speaker 1 (22:41):
Now.

Speaker 3 (22:41):
I know Illinois came back on their next position, got
the possession, got the touchdown, but like that that guy,
you know, I don't say the crowd was dead, but
there was a little bit of a lull just because
I think Indiana came out offensively and they didn't really
do a lot on their it was their first or
second possession, and then he gets that play and it
just that was when everything just came alive. That place
was rocking after.

Speaker 1 (22:58):
That the pop.

Speaker 2 (23:00):
It's both seasons now it seems like Ponds makes a
play that like could be a season defining one. Last
year was a pick six versus Washington that on Glue
Memorial Stadium. This year it was the block punter of course,
so that guy, he's a guy that just makes plays,
finds a way the Also, it should be noted to
Matt the punting Quinn Warren was two points for one

(23:22):
hundred four yards fifty two yard average. And you mentioned
this early in the first quarter as well, where I
think it was seven to seven. Indiana had just went
three and out or something. They punted and Warren Pinndham
met like a two yard line and then Illinois got
a holding penalty on that drive couldn't get out of
their own end zone, and I thought that was a
real turning point in the game too. So he's done
a really good job stepping in for McCarthy.

Speaker 3 (23:42):
I think, yeah. And if you know, I remember last year,
I think he was the kickoff guy for for a
lot of the season. This is a walk on. I think.
I think he's from Burbuff and he's been. I mean,
you know, that's when you can get walk ons like that,
that's always your goal, you get a guy like that.
I mean, I don't think you ever expect him to
produced as much as he has, but he Yeah, you're right,
he's been awesome to be punt of the ball great

(24:05):
and you know, obviously the staff really really likes him.
I mean he's been he has been just huge for
them last year and then again this year with the punt,
and you're right, that punt was huge. I mean, they
pinned him and he I got great and I think they won.
I think they I think they score a touchdown on
their next possession after that punt, So that was that was,
that was the big time punt from him.

Speaker 2 (24:27):
All right, let's flip over to the offense here, because
a lot to go through. Top of mind, of course,
Fernando Mendoza right now, he is the Heisman Trophy front runner.
I don't even know if he was top five coming
into this game. But what a difference a game makes
on the nationals. And this is I've said this for
a while now, like in terms of Heisman race and
Heisman conversations, a lot of it has to do with

(24:48):
what do you do on the biggest up stages, and.

Speaker 1 (24:51):
This game with the entire country watching, there.

Speaker 2 (24:54):
Was no other big game going on in the in
the seven thirty pm slot, like everybody was this game.
You had over whatever, over fifteen scouts in attendance for
this one. Mendoza twenty one for twenty three, two hundred
and sixty seven yards, five touchdowns, just a couple of
really beautiful balls. Like there's not many flawless games, if ever,

(25:15):
when it comes to football, but this was as close
to that for Mendoz as you can get.

Speaker 3 (25:21):
Yeah, he was he was trying and a lot of
you know, he wasn't taken. They weren't taking a ton
of deep shots. But I think that's kind of how
I mean Illinois was. They were banged up in the secondary.
I don't think it would have mattered if they had
their starters because the way Indiana is playing, but they
were playing softer. The one thing that Mendoza to me
is so and Rourke was good at this too, but
Mendoz's pH is he hits his guys and they allows

(25:43):
him to get it. I mean, I think you pulled
it out in the first half. We were talking. I
want to say it was like one hundred and thirty
seven yards after catch or something like that. In the
first half. It was something crazy and it was only
it wasn't even halftime yet. And obviously a lot of
credit to the receivers, but also to Mendoza for throwing
the ball those crossing rots when he hits you know,
Omar Cooper, and then Omar Cooper can get the ball
and get up field. I mean that, you know, if

(26:04):
that ball is just a little bit behind him, he's
got to slow down. Instead of being a thirty thirty
five yard game, that may be if you know, it's
still a good game, but it's not the game it
could have been, So give him credit. He has got
an incredibly quick release, you know, in that in that
kind of read option game or whatever you want to
call it, where he can he pulls it out and
throws it. He's just he's he is. I mean, he

(26:25):
was surgical. There's no other way to part it. He
was absolutely surgical Saturday night. And he is as good
of a fit as Rourke was for this offense. I
mean if Mendoz is almost basically perfect, like he's exactly
the kind of quarterback that and yeah, I think he
would thrive in a lot offices because he's a really
talented player. But with what Indiana wants him to do.
He's smart, he's cerebral, he's accurate, he gets through the

(26:47):
ball quickly, he's got a strong arm. I mean, obviously,
quarterbacks like that are gonna be good in any system,
but in this system that Signetti and Mike Shanahan have
where they give a lot of put a lot of
onus on the quarterback, he is a great, great fit.

Speaker 1 (27:00):
I keep going back to the touchdown throw between him
and E. J.

Speaker 2 (27:03):
Williams, where Mendoza like loft at over four guys in
the middle there, it seems like he really trusts his arm,
which obviously you want your quarterback to but him especially
like he believes every single time he throws that ball
that he's going to be able to fit it wherever
he wants. And that's that's such a good trait to have.
And and and you know, for as good as Curtis
work was last year, like Mendoza is a step above

(27:25):
in terms of talent level. I think that was pretty
clear against Illinois.

Speaker 3 (27:29):
Yeah, you know, and I don't want to talk about
the NFL draft because we're early, but there is a
lot to talk about him and being a draft pick
next year. And one thing I've read this they said
scouts like about him is his ability to layer the
ball to different levels. That was right there, a perfect
I mean, we got the side angle. I'm sure you've
seen it. When they showed the angle from behind that
camera that they have on the field, it shows you

(27:50):
how difficult that throw was. He had to put a
little bit of touch on it, but he also had
to throw it with a little bit of steam at
the same time, which is I mean, it's that that
was an NFL throw, and it wasn't like a super
long throw like you know, thirty forty fifty yards, but
that's an NFL throw. That's the kind of throw you
have where the window is really really small and you've
got to make not only that you got to put

(28:11):
it over a guy, but throw it hard enough so
that the next guy, you know, that's layering the ball.
And that's what the NFL scouts are talking about with
Fernando Mendoza and that's why he's so so good and
why the NFL is really starting to take notice of him.
They already were, but now they really are. You go
out this week and you put on another great performance.
Not only you know I mean and I mean this,

(28:32):
we're geting way out of ourselves. But like he's getting
Heisman talk. One of the top Heisman guys is going
to be out for a month, John Materia and Oklahoma's
out for a month. I'm not saying's gonna win the Heisman.
I'm saying that you keep putting the other performances like this,
but you got to do it against Iowa, Oregon, Penn State.
You got to keep doing against these bigger teams and
do it in their venues. If you do that, not
only are you going to be a high draft pick,

(28:52):
but you're going to be in New York whatever weekend
that is or whatever day that is. Like I said,
I'm not getting out of such. But he's got that
kind of ability. This guy is legit, legit, big time talent.

Speaker 2 (29:03):
Yeah, Matt, can you believe we're living in a time
right now where the front runner for Heisman isn't playing
at Indiana? Like, I don't think people are really grasping
how crazy that is.

Speaker 3 (29:16):
Yeah, I mean, you you you it is before your time.
But I mean I'm old il to remember Anthony Thomps
in the late eighties. Was he finished? Actually, second, I
think that Heisman tare where and and quite honest, you
can make a case and I still say he didn't
win it because Indiana and go to a BOWLGA, But
that's neither here nor there. But yeah, this is that's
the only time that an Indian player, I mean, Antoine
got a lot of pub but he never played on

(29:37):
good enough teams, you know what I mean, Like he
could have been a guy that could have been in
those discussions, but the teams were just never you know,
What makes this great is Indiana's good. I mean, it
wouldn't be this wouldn't be as much fun and is
enjoyable if Mendoza was putting up big numbers but they
were getting beat you know, which we've seen a lot
of at least I have, and I know you've seen
some of it too. That's what makes it fun. And

(29:57):
and you know Kurtsin said it. If the team win,
guys are gonna get individual recognition. You don't have to
try to go get at yourself. And you look at
the recognition. They had three All Americans last year. They
could have that as many that many this year, maybe more.
Everybody gets recognition. Everybody gets to eat, so to speak.
And if everybody's gonna have a chance at the next level,
if you're playing playing at that kind of level to

(30:19):
be noticed by the NFL because you're on a really
good team. That scouts I mean we saw him in
the press box. I mean there had to be seven
to eight ten scouts up there. And it's gonna grow.
There's gonna be more and more. And if Mendoza Keith
playing the way he is, we're gonna start seeing GMS
in the press box. Yeah, Yeah, we're gonna start seeing
general managers of teams coming to these games late in
the year because team es first three teams are gonna
be in the top ten or fifteen in the draft.

(30:41):
They're gonna be looking at him and they aren't gonna
want to see him in person.

Speaker 2 (30:45):
It's it's crazy times, uh. And I don't want I
don't I don't want toot our own horn here too much.
But we've been saying this, you know, even going back
to the spring when we got odds on him for
the first time, and then going into fall camp, like
me and you both were extremely high on him just
from what we had seen. And I know a lot
of people were skeptical and they wanted to see with
their own eyes. But this is nothing new for us.

(31:06):
Like we have seen this arm talent, that his ability
to make pros and all through levels, and now you
you add in his processing and his ability to go
through his progressions, and I think it's an internal clock too,
especially in this Illinois game, his internal clock is speeding
up a lot more you add all that together, Like there,
I mean, obviously we've never seen a first round quarter
A first round quarterback looks like I mean, you could

(31:28):
you could argue Panix, but he he did a lot
of it at Washington. But I mean, we've never seen
what a first round quarterback looks like. And I have
to imagine this is what what it looks like.

Speaker 3 (31:37):
Yeah, the closest side k when when our site was
still back with Rivals and they did the Rivals camps.
I was over Ohio and I saw Joe Burrow in
between his junior and senior year and Tommy Stevens was
in that same class. For Indiana fans, remember Tommy Stevens
from Decater Central committed. I you of flip the Penn State.
Joe Burrows a three star recruit. I don't have anything
to do with recruit rankings, but I told the recruiting guys,

(31:59):
what's going on, like this dude is and now I
did not think he was gonna be greatest college football
season ever hit arguably by a quarterback ever that l
s u TV threw for like six thousand yards or
whatever it was, or or for whatever that many yards
he threw for him, He's like five hundred a game
and number one pick. I didn't think he was gonna
be that good, but I thought he was better than
three star. So that's the closest I can see. I

(32:20):
the first time I realized it was that Pro day
and Mendoza threw to the receivers in front of the scouts.
It's all on air. They're in shorts and T shirts,
they're in you know, they're in their underwear, basically as
guys like to say. But his arm talent was ridiculous.
His ability to throw the ball forty fifty yards and
drop it down a chimney was I don't care if
you're on air or not. That is special. I mean,

(32:41):
not everybody can do that. And you know, until in
Michael Pennick's is the last guy that the closest I've
seen to that kind of ability. And I mean Mendoza,
like I said, this is this guy is for real.
He's really good. Is he gonna have a great game
every week? I don't know. I think I think I
think most weeks he will. But the guys on the

(33:03):
other team are good too, in the big ten. So
but he is. He's really good. And I mean, enjoy it.
You fan should enjoy it. I mean I don't want,
like I said, I don't want to talk about the draft.
But if he keeps us up. We're gonna have another
quarterback in Indiana next year.

Speaker 1 (33:18):
Last thing at Mendoza too, and they go best with
what you just said.

Speaker 2 (33:21):
I remember in the preseason we were kind of hedging
our bets and saying, you know, do we think Mendoza
comes back next year?

Speaker 1 (33:26):
Do we not? You know?

Speaker 2 (33:27):
And after seeing these last four games, I'm in the
camp that he's gone after this year. Like, if he
can do this, obviously he's gonna need to do this
on bigger stage against Oregon and Penn State. But I
at this point, I have a lot of confidence that
he's gonna perform on them, even if even if those
don't necessarily a result in wins. Like Mendoza, I believe
has shown enough to where you feel comfortable that he's

(33:48):
gonna perform in those big games. And if he does that,
I mean I think is gonna have a new quarterback
next year.

Speaker 3 (33:54):
Yeah, I agree, And I think the only thing that
derails that is if he gets hurted knock on wood.
That does not happen. But I'm with you. I mean,
he listen, he's gonna throw a pick. He's gonna throw
more than one this year. He hasn't thrown any picks
at all. He may have, he may get hit and
fumble the ball. He may make some it's gonna happen.
I mean, nobody's perfect, but he is. For the moment,
I think he's gonna play again. The one thing, the

(34:15):
biggest thing that he has over work, and it's a
big deal, is that is that athleticism, the ability to
move and even with I know Rourke, we didn't about
the knee injury, but even if he was healthy, he's
still a better athlete than Roark. Although you go back
and watch work Ohio, he moved decently well. But that
Mendoza's ability to scape pressure, throw and throw on the run.
He is so good at throwing on the run, Like
it's that that is such an NFL thing. Again, not

(34:37):
comparing to the guy, but you watch like Patrick Mahomes
when he gets out of the pocket is so dangerous
because of his ability to throw the ball and not
saying he's packed up, but guys like that Burrow can
do it in the NFL. These guys can do it
in the NFL, you know, And that's what he can do.
I'm with you, he is, and I don't want to
say and listen, it's a good thing if it happens.
I know, you'd love to have him for two years.

(34:58):
And of churse Youtti listens to this, which he probably
doesn't because he's got better things to do than listen
to us. He's probably not happy that we're saying this,
But the bottom line is it's the truth. I mean,
this guy looks like an NFL player. Now he's got
to do it week in and week out for the
rest of the season. But if he does get drafted,
if you've got a guy that goes in the top five,
top ten, let's just I mean, this is crazy to
say the number one pick overall, like you're gonna have

(35:20):
your You're gonna have your choice of any portal quarterback
that's out there. Like why would you not want to
come here and play because you're gonna put up numbers
and you're gonna get and you're gonna get paid not
only you, but the year after if you go to
the pros. So's he's been fantastic. I don't want to
hype him up too much because he's still got some
tough game, but this this dude, I mean, Signetti's talk

(35:41):
about him after the game was. I don't want to
say it's surprising, but I don't think I've ever heard
him talk about a player like that, talk about how
he's a tremendous person. I'm not saying he's not done,
but like you could tell, Signetty really really loves having
this guy as his quarterback.

Speaker 1 (35:55):
Okay, so that's enough of the Fernando Mendoza hypeer now.

Speaker 2 (35:57):
I'm sure we'll have plenty more time to talk about
his NFL draft prospects going forward this season. But you know,
the reason Mendoza was able to do what he did,
Indiana's receivering corps was really really good in this game,
and that granted it was against the banged up Illinois secondary,
but one hundred and eighty six yards after the catch, like,
Indiana's ability to make plays in space in this game

(36:18):
really really helped keep the ball movie keep the chains moving.
And you know, for as much as we want to
talk about for Nanda, Mendoza's an NFL's talent, Matt, I've
slowly come around Omar Cooper. You know, we we know
Elijas Ratt is probably going to be an NFL talent
in time, But Omar Cooper like what he showed in
this game, his ability to run after the catch and
make plays and you know turn turn like what what

(36:39):
would be a you know, a ten yard game into
twenty five yard games that somewhere in somewhere inside of
Omar Cooper is an NFL guy And I think this
game really showed it.

Speaker 3 (36:51):
Yeah, he's he and we and we saw we saw
some last year. Well, he might not have caught as
many balls as some of the other guys. I think
I want to say he ever close to it. He
was like twenty yards of reception. I mean some great
I'm thinking about the catch against uh was the Washington
Nebraska the the kind of the fade ball and it
was a go route to the corner the end zone
and roar through and he went up over the top
of the guy. I mean, that's that is that's next

(37:11):
level stuff. You know, he's not a big guy, but
he's not small either. He's got pretty good size. He
can play the slot, he can play on the outside.
He's got that speed. Obviously, the ball skills are tremendous
and the yards of the yak as they like to
say yards after catch for him, he is probably I
would I mean, I don't think it is the best
on the team. I'm not sure it's close as far

(37:33):
as once he gets the ball in his hands. Yeah,
I don't think it's close at all. And that's not
a knock on the other guys. That's that's a that's
a compliment for how good Omar is when he gets
the ball in his hands. So he's been he's been
awesome obviously. Again another you know, I want to say another, uh,
the waffle House performance from Elijah Surat. I mean, you know,
even if he's not open, he's still open. I think

(37:55):
he had like I think it was nine for like
ninety seven yards and a couple of tds. You know,
he was, he was, he was great. Again. We saw
you J. Williams making a big catch. Didn't see as
much from Charlie Becker and Lebron Bond, a couple of
younger guys. Brady was out there some. But this receiver
corps is really good and they've obviously connected and they've
got that chemistry with Fernando Mendozo.

Speaker 2 (38:19):
With with their top three, with Surat, with Cooper, with EJ.
Williams each catching a touchdown in this game. Uh, you
know this Indiana has a luxury essentially of three wide
receiver one types, Like all three of these dudes could
be a top receiver at most powerful schools. There are a
lot of them at least, Like, how do you even
defend a team like this that is so deep at receiver,

(38:40):
because you know, we were even if Illinois was fully
healthy in the secondary, there were still you know, Xavier
Scott for example, he was the ALLPIC ten first team
guy who was out of that game. He's a slot,
he's a slock corner. He would have been on Cooper Well,
loges Erroute, e J. Williams still would have had their
sort of their pick them and field day against that secondary, Like,
how do you even defend this?

Speaker 1 (38:59):
Is it this trio at this point?

Speaker 3 (39:02):
I mean, if you can't get pressure on Mendoza, I
don't think you can. I don't think you can. And
we haven't even talked about it, but I mean, I
know it was not like a screen pass, but Noakowski
had it. I mean that was that was a tremendous
run after catch. Holden stations a guy. He's not caught
a ton of balls, but he's another weapon. I don't,
I don't, I don't know what you do. I mean,
to me, you've got to you've got to win up
front if you want to stop this passing game, because

(39:23):
if Mendoza has time, anytime at all, somebody's gonna be open.
They're just there's I mean, you're just there's not there's
not There's not enough good players on a defense to
cover all these guys. There just isn't. So yeah, I
don't know how. That's the only way to me is
how you stop him is I mean, I guess you
could try to press them and try to jam them
off the line of scrimmage. But man, that's dangerous because
Sarat and Cooper and Williams are all they have the

(39:46):
ability to get off of that. And if they get
off of that, you're done. It's over. I mean, it's
lights out. So I mean, I don't know if I
would take that risk. Maybe if I'm back against the
wall and the decordinator, I might try it, But like
I said, I think the only way you can really
slow them down you get them in third and long.
You you know, you stop him on the run and they run,
they run the ball early, and then you try to
blitz Mendows and hope you get to him, because but
if you don't, he more than likely he's gonna find

(40:09):
somebody and it's probably gonna go for a big game.

Speaker 2 (40:11):
But both of those Surrat touchdowns, I think one was
like an out rout or a corner route to the
back of the an zone. He had like five yards
on his guy and then he had a just a
slant inside. I think he was in the slot there. Yeah, yeah,
he had like another like three yards of separation. Like
Surrat is so good at finding leverage and creating space
for himself. And that was always my concern with Illinois was,

(40:34):
you know, we heard about how good they are and
man covers because they like to blitz. And then I
thought to myself, I'm like, okay, they can play man,
but Eliza Surrat might be top five, top three route
runners in the country, like I playing man is is
a dangerous game against Indiana when you have a guy
like Serrat who is as good as a possession receiver
as he is, and then Cooper who if you give

(40:54):
him like three yards of separation, he he's the potential
to take it to the house every time. So I
don't know, because Indiana's seen zone defense. This year, they've
seen a man defense. Now it's gonna be very, very
tough for secondaries to game plan against it.

Speaker 1 (41:08):
I don't I don't really know how you do it.

Speaker 2 (41:10):
And also to Matt we have to shout out Mike
Shanahan and Brian Haynes too, because they both called just
tremendous ball games, especially in the first half. Mike Shanahan, like,
I don't know if there was a single play where
we scratched our head and said, what was that? Like
it felt like every single time Indiana, Indiana had the ball,
like he was pressing all the right buttons.

Speaker 3 (41:32):
Yeah, I mean, I mean, listen, these guys, and again
you don't want but at some point Indian is gonna
lose them. They're gonna get they're gonna get head coaching opportunities,
and deservedly so because they're really, really good. And Sinnetti
obviously has a big hand in the office. But man,
Mike Shannan's a play caller and somebody else. Chandler Whitnmer's
done a tremendous job with Fernanda Mendoza. Now he had

(41:54):
a really nice piece of clay to work with, and
Ta Mold and Obviously, Mendoza had played football and really
good foot bought cal but Whitmer came in here and
he had big shoes to film because Tino Sinsei was
a big part of this offense for a long time,
even before they got the Indiana and Whimer's come in
and you know that that had to be I mean,
listen that that's not an easy thing to walk into

(42:15):
a team that was really successful offensively, one of the
best teams in the country last year, and a quarterback
who just had a ridiculously good season. You got to
replace the guy who coached him, and he has done
an awesome job. I mean, I I don't there's this
They look like as good or better than they did
last Year's is a well oil machine. So kudos to
all those guys. Offico Shanahan coaches the receivers and so

(42:38):
he's obviously a big part of developing those guys along
with the offense. I mean all this, I mean, listen,
it's we're we're sitting here and I know it's to
pray you have to praise, but they deserve it. Like this,
this program is what big time football is supposed to
look like. Okay, I mean I've seen enough of what
it looks like on the other end to know this

(42:58):
is what it's supposed to look like. It doesn't mean
they're gonna win every game, doesn't mean they're gonna make
to College Football Playoff all the time. But this is
I said before, Under Kristinetti, the floor to me is
eight wins. The ceiling will be ten to eleven, possibly
twelve wins. I unless you just have a season where
you have a bunch of bad luck with injuries. I
don't see this program ever dipping below eight wins with

(43:19):
him as a coach. I just don't. I think this
is this is gonna be one heck of a ride
for hopefully he coaches for another decade. But you know,
and he regardless of who was on his staff, this
program is in great hands.

Speaker 1 (43:32):
I mean he wins, right, he wins?

Speaker 3 (43:33):
Yeah, google him.

Speaker 2 (43:35):
A last part of this game before we flip over
and look at indianavers Iowa. It's weekend the running game.
This was a part of Matt I remember. So it
takes us like for those that don't know, it takes
us like five minutes or so to go from the
press box to the field level. Late in the fourth
quarter because we got to get down there for the
press conference and everything. So in those five minutes, I
think if Marie Ferrell had an interception, I completely missed that.

(43:56):
I remember I walked out onto the field. I look
up in the scoreboard. Indian is like two rushing yards
away from three hundred yards up for a fourth straight.

Speaker 1 (44:04):
Game, and I'm like, when did that happen?

Speaker 2 (44:06):
Because you know, we saw all the big passing plays
this game, and it kind of took for granted how
well Indiana ran the ball. Next thing, you know, Kobe
Martin's got one hundred yards and he is over three
hundred yards. I feel like the running game kind of
went under the radar of this game. But they were
just as big a part of this as anything.

Speaker 3 (44:23):
Yeah, And I mean I could be wrong, but I
want to say they ran for like was it the
second half of the fourth guard? They ran They didn't
throw the ball at all, and they ran for like
one hundred and forty something yards on like seventeen carries
and had two touchdowns. And I get it was late
in the game, illough, it was probably emptying their bench,
but so was Indiana, and you know, we wondered how good.
I should say how good? But if what Kobe Martin

(44:44):
did against Indiana State could be translatable to better competition,
and I mean we still I'd still like to see
little bit more. But I will tell you that his burst,
his vision, his ability to get north and south is
really good. And you know, I'm not sure he's ready
for twelve fIF team carries a game, but I don't
think he's far from it either. I you know, it'll

(45:05):
be interesting to see it. We saw. I mean Illinois
game was a little bit of an outlier because they
got so far ahead, so he got a lot more carries.
If the game's closer this week, does he what does
his carries look like? Is it more of a three
back split or is it more like last year where
two guys do like ninety five percent of the work
and then somebody gets like three, four or five carries.
I don't know. Whatever he gets, I think he'll do

(45:26):
a great job. Heim Bey was terrific. Kaylon Black had
a huge run. I mean, I mean, they they this
is just just a good football team. I mean we've
been going over and I feel like I keep saying
the same thing, but it's just a good football team.
That's well coached, and they've got good players at every position.
Like I said after the game, Illinois's got good players
a lot of positions. Indian has got NFL players a

(45:48):
lot of positions.

Speaker 2 (45:49):
And what sets it apart to the running game and
this is something that always goes under the ard because
you can't quantify it. Once again, Indiana continues to be
a premier perimeter blocking team, like you get buying from
all the receivers, all the tight ends. You think back
to that Omar Cooper touchdown the screen pass where E. J.

Speaker 1 (46:05):
Williams is holding his dude for like.

Speaker 2 (46:07):
Five seconds, not holding but blocking him for five seconds.
Some of these runs in Indiana had you know, you
got some rat on the outside running with running alongside
the running back like.

Speaker 1 (46:16):
Things like these.

Speaker 2 (46:17):
You know, and coaches preached us all the time, you know,
buy and buy and buying whatever. You don't see it
a lot on the field. Indiana is is is quite
literally the definition of buying because you know it doesn't
like these guys truly don't care who gets the ball
and we see it on like we see it with
these rushing totals. You don't get three hundred yards unless
every single person is blocking and once a per fourth straight.

Speaker 1 (46:38):
Game, Indiana is over three hundred yards. It's truly remarkable.

Speaker 3 (46:42):
Yeah, and your guy Riley Nolkowski deserves a shout out too,
because he's he has I mean, I thought it would
be tough to fill that Cord series. He's come pretty
darn close by himself, and he's you know, I'm not
even talking about the touchdown pass. Obviously that was a
beautiful play call. That was exactly the right play call
for what Illinois was doing. But still he is, you know,

(47:02):
and you're right, you could you could run for one
hundred and eighty two hundred yards with not great blocking.
If you can't run for three hundred yards unless those
guys on the perimeter, they're turning those five or six
yard games into twelve fifteen yard games. That's how you
get to three hundred yards. And they're and and they're unselfish.
I mean, Elijah Shurrad goes just as hard blocking as
he does when he's going for a pass. He gets

(47:23):
saved from EJ. Wills, from these tight ends from Omar Cooper,
all these guys Omar Cooper trying to think which they
the Kaylon Black run he goes in motion and comes
back and cracks that guy or whatever WAYM blocks and
whatever you want to do, you want to use, and
just enough for k and Kaylon blackwoot right off his
right hip underneath him and boom, he's gone. Now there's
other guys who blocked as well, but that right there,
if he doesn't make that block, he probably Kaylon Black

(47:45):
maybe gets like four yards on that play, you know
something like that. That that's it's you know Kursey that
he preaches it and his team lives it every game.

Speaker 2 (47:56):
And you talk about NFL in tangibles to and developing
guys from next level like that. That's stuff that scouts
look at, is how willing are you when you don't
have the ball in your hands? And time and time again,
game in game out, week in week out, we keep
seeing Indiana flash on tape. You know, all these you know,
really really nice blocks on the outside. It's to spring guys.
So it's just so good. So I guess that'll do

(48:17):
it for now. I'm mat on the Illinois game. We'll
leave it at that sixty three to ten over the
fighting line on Indiana up eight spots two, number eleven
in the AP poll this week after the win. Now, I
know there was some consternation Matt, like, it's like, well,
you beat a team by fifty three points that was
ranked number nine in the nation. Shouldn't you be number
nine in the nation. Did you have any problem with

(48:37):
Indiana being ranked eleven because I kind of felt like
that's that's the range that they would be in. So
I don't really have a ton of problem there. There
are people that are arguing their top five team in
the nation. Where do you ultimately see Indiana right now
in the national lens?

Speaker 3 (48:51):
Yeah, I mean, listen, I get where fans have come from.
I don't get worked up about rankings four weeks into
the season. I know it's I mean, I get it's
a sign of respect. This is what I will say
about Indiana football nationally. If Michigan, Ohio State Penn State
wins that game sixty three ten, the narrative will be, boy,
these guys are awesome. This is a national championship contending team.

(49:12):
Indiana beats Illinois and becoming in People were picking Illinois
now after Indiana beats him, Well, maybe Illinois wasn't as
good as we thought. It's it's always a backhanded compliment
or back you know, to Indiana. And that's what bothers
me the most. I you know, and I saw I
saw on Monday Joel Klatt, and he was he was
the one I kind of called out after the game
because he said he didn't think there was a talented

(49:32):
he paid and that's fine, he picked Illinois. I don't
know how you can say this team's hon his talented.
I I don't get that. That that to me. I
just didn't understand that that statement all. But he said
that he owned it, so I have to own it.
I was wrong, and he and he even said the
national perception of Indiana is, you know, well maybe the
other team. He said, we need to start realizing this
is a really good football team. And I think he

(49:53):
has an eighth or ninth. I mean, I know he did,
but he liked his ranking. I think they are at
no worse than a top eight to ten team in
the country. And I think you can make a strong
argument for top five. But I'm okay with where they're at.
Like I said, you keep doing what you're doing. That
stuff will take care of itself. They'll have to rank
you where you're supposed to be. Ranked at the end

(50:13):
of the season. You just got to keep playing well,
winning games, and if you do that, you will be
there where you're supposed to be at the end of
the season and you'll be fine. But yeah, I like,
I mean, I don't get caught up in it, and
I get why fans do, but to me, it doesn't
matter until we get and I guarantee you churse you
and doesn't care either until the end of the season,
and then you want to be hopefully one of those
top teams that make the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (50:34):
Yeah, yeah, there's a there's a couple of big time
matches this weekend two around the nation, So if Anyana
can win at Iowa, you could see them rise into
the top ten most likely based on other results. And
then it should be known too that Indiana, according to
ESPN's FPI, they are over fifty percent odds now to
make the CFP. I mean, you have a top ten

(50:55):
win in your back pocket with with you know, other
opportunities coming up.

Speaker 1 (50:58):
It's it's tough to see.

Speaker 2 (51:00):
Indiana, you know, unless they really hit it, hit a wall, like,
it's tough to see them. How they're not in the
conversation at the end of the year, at the very
least for the CFP. All right, let's let's talk go
over this Indiana Iowa game. Matt first Row game this
season for the Hoosiers, a place they haven't won it
since two thousand and seven, Kinnick Stadium. It'll be a
three thirty pm kickoff on Peacock Right now. ESPN has

(51:23):
Indiana seventy eight point four percent chance to win. And
I was the opening odds man. I don't know if
you saw it three and a half points where Indiana
was was with the spread opened at it's up to seven.

Speaker 1 (51:33):
And a half. Now.

Speaker 2 (51:35):
I cannot believe that the odds maker looked at this
game after Indiana's beat down to Illinois and said, yeah,
we'll give him three and a half points.

Speaker 1 (51:41):
Because I would have.

Speaker 2 (51:42):
Obviously we don't, we can't, we don't bet on this
kind of stuff, But three and a half points, like
I would have jumped on that in a heartbeat if
I was, you know, going to take you in this one.

Speaker 3 (51:51):
Yeah, I mean I did. I did a story for
the Iowa site, and I did. I put a prediction
in there and I said thirty one to fourteen, and
I I mean, listen if Indiana plays their game. I
just don't know how I would keep this within a
couple of scores. I I don't they this, you know,
I'm just and I know stats don't tell the whole story.
This team Iowa can't throw the ball. They're last into
Big Ten in yards per game throwing. They're completing their

(52:14):
quarterback Gronowski's at like sixty one point, which isn't terrible,
but I mean, I I just don't see it. And
if they and their top running backs out now, they'll
have they'll they'll have other good running backs. But if
they can't run the ball, and I'm talking like, they're
gonna have to probably run for around two hundred yards
and I will be shocked if that happens. I don't
I just don't see how they're gonna do it. I mean,

(52:34):
I think this is a game where Inano's defense could
really feast and then offensively they'll they'll cause the problems
because you know, Phil Parker has been there forever and
he is a really really good defensive coordinator. Kirk Frentz
has built it that way. They're gonna need, in my opinion,
they're gonna need probably a score on special teams. They're
gonna need to win the turnover battle rather handily, and

(52:56):
they're gonna have to get some kind of exposed to
play on offense. I I don't see it. I'm seeing
it can't happen, because it could. I always got good players.
I just not I have not seen. You know, they
went up to score thirty. I mean, let's be on.
Rutgers is not very good this year, and I hate
to do this thing where you compare games, but they're
just not that's not a that's not a real high
level team. I I think Indiana goes in there, they'll

(53:17):
be ready to go. Hopefully the pink locker room, which
I have experience with at Iowa where literally everything is pink,
including the urinals, the stalls, everything's pink. Hopefully that doesn't
affect them too much. But I I think they're gonna
go in there. I think they're gonna play well. I mean,
you know it'll be this will be just it's her
first road test, and that crowd's gonna be And I've
been to Iowa that they are right on top of

(53:39):
I've been on the sidelines as a manager, and I've
been up in the press box. You know covering the team,
and it's a it's a great environment. It's a really
cool stadium. They support their team and they're gonna be
ready to go. Those students will be in there early.
They'll be heckling the IU players.

Speaker 2 (53:54):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (53:55):
They heckled us when I was a manager, when I
was down on the field. But I think I'll be fine.
They played in tough environments and I think they'll go
in there and they'll play well, and I think I
think they'll come away with, you know what, will be
an oppressive win.

Speaker 2 (54:08):
So Iowas already played a ranked team this season, granted
was on the road, but they played Iowa State and
I think it was Week two or Week three. They
lost sixteen, sixteen to thirteen. They only put up thirteen
points against Iowa State in that game. You know you're
getting a peer opponent in Indiana compared to Iowa State.
Like if you're if you're just not gonna beat Indiana

(54:29):
scoring thirteen points, you're not. It should be noted too.
Iowa running back Jazzy and Patterson he's out for this game.
Did injury. I know Kamari Malton is their number one guy.
I think he'll be in there for this game. But
Patterson was their leading rusher this season, so to not
have a guy like that, it is a bit of
a blow for for Iowa.

Speaker 1 (54:48):
And obviously they want to run the ball.

Speaker 2 (54:50):
And we've talked about Mark Ronowski, the Iowa's quarterback this season,
Matt and even going back to the Rutgers game where
where Iowa came from behind in the second half to
win it, like we're now, he had three rushing touchdowns.
He won that game on the ground. He did not
win that game through the air. And I feel like,
if you're Iowa, you gotta throw the ball. And you know,
through four games this season, Iowa has not shown an

(55:12):
ability to throw the ball at least consistently. And you
got to generate explosive plays. And if i was not
getting more than you know, five ten yards per pass,
I just don't see how you're gonna beat this Indiana
team when they're you know, able to rip off twenty
thirty yard chunk plays, you know, every other play.

Speaker 3 (55:30):
Yeah, I agree with you, And I mean, obviously Indiana's
you know, they've seen a guy who can run the ball.
And Old Dominions not Iowa, but the guy at Old
dominion was obviously he was a heck of a runner.
Uh you know, that's the biggest thing is Goronowski us
And like I said, my guess is that's what they're
going to try to do. It's gonna be a lot
of him running the ball or hand it off, and
they're going to try to get three to four yards,

(55:50):
get first downs, and keep it Indiana's offense off the field,
because if they lose the time and possession battle, they
have no chance. They have absolutely if it's like thirty
three to twenty seven, this this will be this will
be a whipping in my opinion. They they have to
control the ball Iowa. That that is to stay in
this game. Their their offense is not good enough to

(56:11):
stay with Indiana. And the thing is, it's not just
Indiana's offense. Now, Indiana has a defense that can shut
them down. And I've said it before, if you get
into the mid twenties, you're probably gonna beat Iowa. The
Iowa State game, that's just close to them. That those
two teams they play, it's always a rock fight. I
mean it's literally like the first team to seventeen wins
that game or fourteen or whatever. Maybe I mean, those
are some low scoring games because they both kind of

(56:33):
play the same way, you know. You know, I'll be
esai if Indiana is able to protect Mendoza, and I
think they will. I think it's gonna be it's gonna
be a tough you know what. I don't I haven't
checked the weather forecast. I assume it's gonna be okay.
That could be a factor, but I I just don't.
I don't see. This is not a vintage Iowa team.
I think they're a solid team, but this is not

(56:53):
a great Iowa team, a vintage team they've had like
they've had in the past, and I think Indiana is
gonna be able to handle them.

Speaker 1 (57:00):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (57:00):
I was talking to Sean from the India the Iowa
two or seven site yesterday. I did a podcast with him.
If you guys haven't listened to that, uh we put
put it up yesterday. But even he was saying, like
this this defense, Phil Parker, defensive coordinator, he's been there
for a while now at Iowa, this is not as
good of a defense as they've had, you know, as
as most people will remember Iowa for. And they've shown

(57:21):
both vulnerabilities this year, even against Rutgers where they let
Rutgers quarterback calac Manus throw for I think like three
hundred yards or something. He isn't you know, he's probably
a mid tier quarterback. And even he was able to
throw for like three hundred yards against his Iowa defense.
So it's gonna Indiana should have a pick of guys
they can throw to against this Iowa defense. Now, the

(57:42):
one area, Matt, because we've we've been you know, a
few siven appraise of Indiana, and you know, we think
we're there.

Speaker 1 (57:47):
They're gonna they're gonna be able to roll over Iowa here.

Speaker 2 (57:49):
But up front, especially defensive line Indiana versus i was
offensive line. I think I saw that all five off
I was offensive line starters ranked like number one or
number two in the nation in PFF grade. So this
is gonna be the best offensive line Indiana has has
gone against this season. So I will be curious to
see how, you know, how disruptive Indiana is if it's

(58:12):
if it's on a similar level to what we saw
against Illinois, which I don't expect. So that that that
that is the one area where you know, if I
was gonna gonna make this one close, it's probably gonna
have to start upfront with with how well their offensive
line is playing.

Speaker 3 (58:25):
Yeah, I agree, and and and it's not just the
D line for Indiana, but the linebackers. They got to
come up and they got to play well. And like
I said, that's I mean, if I'm Kirk Frienz, if
I'm Tim Lester, their offensive coordinator, We're we're gonna I mean,
I'm trying, We're gonna try to run the ball forty times,
I mean at least and keep them off the field,
control the clock, you know, get a lead, and make

(58:47):
them play our game instead of them letting them play
their games. So yeah, it'll be a good test. I
was always got a good old line, you know, they're
they're always they're always good up front, so you know,
and and have that mobile court back adds an element.
I mean, And listen Gronowski. I know it wasn't FBS,
but he was, I mean, just one like crazy at
the FCS level, incredibly successful quarterback. He knows how to win,

(59:11):
and his legs could be could be a problem for Indiana.
So that's, you know, that's it'll be interesting to see
what that. Like I said, I expect they use him
a lot in the run game and then try it
when Indiana maybe sneaks up, maybe they try to sneak
something over the top against them, some kind of play
action or something like that. But it's it'll be a challenge.
But then again, like I said, I always got to

(59:33):
play really well in all phases, to my opinion to
win this game.

Speaker 1 (59:37):
Yeah, no, I'm right there with you.

Speaker 2 (59:40):
I mean, this is not dissimilar from what Illinois's game plan,
at least pristive game plan was going into that game,
which was, let's establish the run because you know that's
our strength is running the ball, and then maybe we
could pick apart Indiana the secondary that way.

Speaker 1 (59:52):
If I away is coming in.

Speaker 2 (59:54):
With a similar game plan, we saw Illinois completely fold,
like they gave up running the ball, like midway through
some quarter, they they kind of knew they couldn't run
the ball. If I would get in the into the
same pattern as as Illinois did, like it's going to
be a long day for the hawk Eys for sure.
All right, Matt, let's uh, let's get into predictions here.
I know you just mentioned yours, but I don't know
if you can expand on it. If you want Indiana

(01:00:14):
seven and a half point favorites right now. They haven't
won in Kinnick since two thousand and seven, so this
is their opportunity to end that drought.

Speaker 1 (01:00:21):
What do you got? How do you see this game
playing out?

Speaker 3 (01:00:24):
Yeah, I've got I've got Indiana thirty one fourteen. You know,
obviously not you know, they're scoring. I think they're having
fifty four and a half points a game. I know
it's only it's really the season, but like I looking
at the CFB CFB stats and Washington's fifty five point seven,
which is wow, that's good, and he has fifty four
point eight, so they're basically at fifty five. I'd be

(01:00:46):
really shocked if they got to that. But I do
think I do think you know, they get they get
around thirty points, and they win this game, like I said,
by a couple of scores. You know, crazy things gonna happen.
I aways a proud program with good players and really
good coaches. I just don't think they have the horses.
I don't think they have it across the board to

(01:01:07):
pull this game out unless Indiana really really helps them.

Speaker 2 (01:01:09):
Yeah, no, I'm right there with I could almost see
a scenario two where you know, going back, you remember
the Michigan State game last year, matt on the road
where Indiana, Yeah, time they trailed all year. I believe
they went down by ten nothing earlier, and then they
exploded for like whatever, seven straight touchdowns.

Speaker 1 (01:01:24):
I wouldn't be surprised if it kind of goes that way.

Speaker 2 (01:01:26):
You know Iowa, you know, with the home crowd and everything,
they start off a little bit hotter than Indiana does.
But once Indiana gets their feet settled, I don't think
this is gonna be too much of a ball game
once once the fourth quarter, late fourth quarter comes around.
So yeah, I like Indiana win by double digits.

Speaker 1 (01:01:40):
Here, I'll go.

Speaker 2 (01:01:41):
I think Indiana breaks into the forties this game, especially
once you know Chris Nate talks about breaking the other
teams will like once that happens, I think Indiana is
a run away. So I'll go Indiana forty two, Iowa thirteen. Yeah,
forty one thirteen, So I was about right. Special team
is gonna play big, big factor in this. You can't
let Iowa spring spring big plays, momentum plays on special teams.

(01:02:04):
But yeah, we'll go forty two thirteen and will ultimate
see how this plays out. Anything else, Mattter for this week,
I know you're going up to Iowa this week with
the Rabbie.

Speaker 3 (01:02:14):
Nope, nothing else. I mean, I it's it's about a
five hour drive, not a terrible drive. And I actually
always enjoyed Kenning Stadium. It's a fun place to go
and uh it's the atmosphere is good. And hopefully they
played better than and I think they will then they
have the last few times. I mean two thousand and
seven that was killing. I think that was the Kelling
Lewis flipping the end zone game. Yeah, and I think

(01:02:36):
Josiah Sears had a big run in that game as
well for a touchdown if I remember right. And that
was also I think I went through a Hail Mary
tan of the first half to score a touchdown, but
in the endf went went in by quite a bit.
So I don't know if it's good or bad that
I can remember all that. That's kind of sad. But anyways,
I think it'll be I think it'll be a good
performance and then you know, you know, road trip with

(01:02:57):
the Rabbi is always a treat.

Speaker 2 (01:02:59):
It's really will be all right. So Matt and Rabbi
will be in Iowa for live coverage of the game.
Of course I'll be doing my thing as well, watching
the game from Afar. It'll be three thirty pm kickoff,
three thirty Eastern, two thirty Central on Peacock. So I
know people hate, hate getting all these dreaming services, so
good luck to you if you don't got Peacock. But
three thirty pm kickoff and we will see if Indiana

(01:03:21):
can continue their winning ways on the road. Who's just
looking for the first win at Kennick Staium since two
thousand and seven. Will have more covers to come this
week and leading into the game over on peas dot
Com for now, Matt Weaver, Jery Kellywistive folks over on
the site

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