You're listening to the Back Home Network presented by Home Field Apparel. All right, folks, welcome back to Crimson Cast. Scott here with you programming. Note that this was honestly the plan today as I was watching the game. Galen is in route today to New York and he was able to land at like 11:00 today. Not to give away is where it's, you know, 5 million people there. It's but he's there and he's able to watch the game and we're like, maybe we'll try and
connect today and do a pod. Not sure. And then I was watching the game and I fly out tomorrow at 5:00 AM, Good, good times on American Airlines, like 5:30 AM And then I'm flying into New York. So I was like, you know, I was like, all right, you know, if if we win, that's nice. If we lose, it's going to be a bummer. It's like I, you know, we're kind of like we love you as the listeners. We're kind of like, all right, maybe we can do something tomorrow.
We can figure it out. And then that game happened. It was kind of what I was expecting in the end of the game is just like it's I've got to talk to somebody. I've got to put something out. There's a chance that Galen and I connect at some point later on today as we get ready for, yeah, meeting up in New York tomorrow. But I've had to have our friend Taylor Lehman on before. We get to Taylor who's sitting here waiting and smiling and has all kinds of thoughts.
I want to say we are a proud probably sponsored by the home network. For any of you guys who are going to New York tomorrow and Monday, Home Field Apparel, I'm sorry, part of the home network, we're sponsored by Home Field Apparel. Home Field Apparel is doing a kind of a meet and greet and a watch an event before the games at Madison Square Garden at the Storehouse in New York. So check out their website for that. I will be there tomorrow morning.
I'll be tired and maybe cranky from a long flight, a short flight, but it'll be early morning. But I will be there. I think it's 9:00 AM. They start the storehouse tomorrow on Sunday and then they're doing it again Monday before the game. So go check it out. They're going to have a pop up store. They're going to have sales. So you can use the promo code HOME 23 today for 15% off your first purchase and then go to the event tomorrow and go even
get more and get more stuff. So check out home field apparel. Taylor, thank you for hopping on on such such short notice. You can tell him I'm already a little bit. I was not prepared to pod, I'm having trouble. I'm. I'm stumbling over my words more than normal. Normal. But Taylor, how you doing, man? I'm good, I'm good.
Scott, thanks for having me on. I'm looking forward to, you know these reaction pods like I, you know, jumping into some of the data and stuff, but a lot of it largely is just reactionary, right? So I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts and kind of working towards shaping my own around this game that. I think a lot of people have a lot of thoughts and a lot of different thoughts. But yeah, I mean this is different than it you and I did this for another game this season.
It's a little different than what we normally do here on Crimson Cast. Normally we get a little bit of time some time to look into the data. I mean even like the I normally go to like the just the IU schedule page, they have a good box score. It's like that's not even up yet. So it's like you know I'm I'm on game on paper I'm I'm looking at some just like random Google box score. It's like a lot of the stats aren't even up yet.
This is a little different, but you know for me, I know you have thoughts outside the last 30 seconds or so. For me, what really stood out was the last like 40 seconds of this game, which think stood out for a lot of people. You know, the game was, I'll leave some of the the thoughts for the rest of the game to you. I mean, for me, I'm, I'm watching the game and it's like there's moments where you know, Hauser for Michigan State's having trouble finding, you
know, hitting open receivers. And I'm like, man, this this Michigan State team is they're not good. It's like, Oh yeah, we're down by 7. Like we're down, but we're down to them. Like you're watching them at, like, reminding me very much of that Wisconsin game where it's like this is just a wounded team. But I'm sure that the exact same could be said if you were a Michigan State fan watching the game. But here's the thing.
So Michigan State scores that final touchdown in a play where it's just like that guy was not like #6, which is not going to be tackled, just bounces around. We have like 3 guys touching, I mean towards touchdown, whatever, we drive the ball down. It's awesome. I'm going to layout. I know people watch it. I'm just going to lay out what what happened and my thoughts behind it because it's to me, it's kind of staggering what happened. And so we we finished with an 8
yard passing play. So we have the ball in the Michigan State 28. It's third and two. There's 22 seconds to go. You're down by three. Soresby throws a pass to the end zone. There's maybe some pass interferes though. Like I think it actually might have looked worse than it actually was. Like I'm not sure there was Pi. That's a whole different discussion. We can have that. I I I can see where you can see there's Pi also. Don't think it was egregious.
I don't think it was a horrible call either way. Obviously it's not call because it's Indiana. We don't get those calls. And so now you kind of get this Crucible of a decision and you know, so it's 4th and 118 seconds to go. Indiana has two timeouts. I'm actually, to be fair at this point, I'm thinking I kind of like just going for it like you've had some missed field goals this season. I don't want to say not what are you playing for, but like let's let's go for it.
Like we're trying to win games. We're trying to win trophies. We're we're maybe we're in trophy mode not playoff mode but like let's let's win some games. So I got no problem going for truth be told I got no problem going for it. So we line up for a field goal. I'm like, all right like that's kind of the. But you know what that's even that's not a bad decision in my mind either. It's like you can go for, you can kick a field goal.
As always happens. We pick like this random third door that didn't didn't know existed. That's like the worst of all options. So Michigan State calls a timeout. You now have even more time. Taylor, I'm not picking on you to think it over. So then you line up for a field goal. Fine. But then IU calls a timeout. So we waste one of our timeouts. Again, these are late game situations.
Timeouts are important. Tom Allen needs to play Madden, like just needs to have some time playing Madden, getting used to these moments. So we call a time out like that. Time out is I'm going to take a pause right here. We'll stop at this point before we got to this point. We have more to go. That is a baffling time out to me, Taylor. Like, no matter what you're deciding to do, that time out makes zero sense in my mind.
Yeah. Yeah, Scott I. And. I've noticed this whenever it gets into field goal range right and and I I don't think we, I don't think IU has kicker on the roster that they trust. And I think that that's kind of at the heart of this and I think whenever it whenever they get down into this area of the field, they're just really hoping they get past it. You know, just get a little bit closer so that they have a higher percentage chance of hitting these field goals.
Even though free, you know, Chris Freeman has hit some. A couple, you know, I think he had a 42 and then A50 yarder, you know, he's shown that he can hit these field goals. But I just, I don't think that they really actually trust him. And I think that was kind of at the heart of some of these moves and later in the game, which, you know, that's something that that's an offseason issue. No, I completely agree.
And anyway, so it's like, if you don't, if you want to kick the field goal, just kick the field goal, that's fine. If you want to burn another time out there to give, I guess you're icing your own kicker, I don't know, but kick field goal. But so you you, you just completely just kick the time out into the sun. It's gone fine.
So then you run it up the gut, which you barely get that first down, but you get it. But now you can't call a time out because you just kicked one away 12 seconds ago. So you you have to run a play. You could like, spike it, but you don't. And then you run a busted play. Busted plays can happen, Taylor. Like, that's fine. This is college. But to me it's like even more infuriating because you created a situation where you just you
can't have that busted play. It obviously gets called for intentional grounding, but it's like you you gave yourself an extra 2 1/2 minutes of lead time. You knew you were going to go for it, like you had to have. You knew you were running that play up the middle. You have to be scripting 2 plays there. You can't use the time out, take all of that time and then screw up that second play. You just can't.
Like if you're going to go for this, you have to trust the execution of your team or do things that work. But like, that's the infuriating part of all of this is like, it was totally intentional grounding. It was a busted play. It sucked, but it's like to me, it's it's not as simple as just like, oh man, well stuff
happens. Like, no. Like you created a situation where everyone was rushed and busy, but like, it shouldn't have been and you've had all this extra time because you're wasted time out. Yeah, yeah, no. And and some people have been tweeting about the the the rule itself for intentional grounding the the quarterback has to be under pressure, I think. I wouldn't have considered but Soresby with that situation I I wouldn't have considered that under pressure right.
I I don't know if I agree with the intentional grounding call even even by even by the rule itself. But I mean I there has to be some room for subjectivity in there to to because it was clearly a miscommunication. But no, you're, I mean you're absolutely right and and kind of what my mind goes back to is, you know. If you name your starting quarterback before we hate, maybe something like that doesn't happen, you know, so that's that's kind of, that's kind of where my mind went when
I saw the play happen. Like every time there's a miscommunication like that, I'm like, you know, maybe if this quarterback and receiver had more time to work together before the season started or even, you know, throughout the season, it would have been, it would have had a different result. But that was just a mess, man. And I I I could not believe that it happened. I was, I was, I was kind of speechless.
I was like, I I mean, I know IU football, you know, like, I know these things happen to this program. But you know, there's just always unique ways. There's always a unique way that they're losing these games. I know. And then the minute they got pushed back, it's like we all knew they were missing that field goal that just was not a makeable. There's a world, too where you just like, I'm Tom Allen, just call time out and just get another penalty.
Like just yell at the rest of the point, you get another penalty and then you don't kick field ball. You can just go for a for a shotgun play. But I mean there's an alternate universe where and again this is also I I would say that like there's two situations here where it's like I like going for it is one, like that's one decision point. Go for it or not go for it.
The thing that never gets brought up is like what play are you running like that's the other part of this where I can like going for it but say that play call sucked and like then overall the decision was bad or you can be like that was not go for it is you know it's a little different like you kicking the field goal but too often it's like people just like I you know I shouldn't have gone for it. It's like no, I I again I like going for it. I think the play call sucked
like again this run up the middle that you barely get that just I know they stopped the clock for a second but then you're stuck with this like running clock you you don't have the timeout. It's like my thing would be is an alternate universe where the two times we were close to the end zone we run that little sweet play with the tight end that worked perfectly one time with Bamba second time with I'm
not even walking. Well yeah you know it worked twice and like there's a world where maybe you run that play like look at this like a Cleo you're 4th and one you run that play. I know I'm getting kind of alternate university here, but maybe you get 567 yards, you get that boom, you call a timeout. You have 12 seconds to go. Now you have some time now you can take a shot, you can get everyone lined up. It's not like you're trying to
get 2 plays in at a time. Now you got one shot at the end zone. Maybe people are lined up. You still have a time out in your pocket. So if Soresby gets sacked, it's like time out, boom, you still got the field goal. Like that's a much better setup of this game versus I I still just can't get to the we're going to line up for field goal and then time out our self and then come up and try and run 2 plays in a row in 12 seconds. But I just, I think that play on 4th and one was also a really
bad play called. It's like it's always that play like the the the run up the gut where you're trying to get a half a yard. Like, has that ever been a good play for IU? Right, right. No. And kind of along the lines of what you were saying and I forgot to mention earlier, but about the the past that was called ungrounding I think. You know, I don't know for sure, but based off what it based off
miscommunication that was there. Usually that is, you're telling the receiver to to go out, and then the quarterback and receiver are reading the coverage, and the receiver must have read that he wanted to stop the route and run a hitch, get that quick gain of yardage and potentially stop the clock by getting out of balance or something along those lines. But Soresby must have read it as there was an option there to go
deep. And so he threw that ball and I think that was actually pretty decent play call if it would have worked. No, I agree. And it's. I don't want to pick. I mean you kind of are like, I don't, I'm not even sure who the receiver was if it was Carter, I don't know who was out there. But it's like there also is like situational awareness where it's like if you're, you know, so it's a it's a running clock. I think there's 12 seconds to go. Soresby's back. Like, you only have one time out
left because you burned one. If you're the wide receiver, it's like you can't cut the route short at the 10 yard line. Like what? What does that do? Like even if you get the ball out of bounds, you probably still can't run another play. Like with 12 seconds to go in one time out, needing a field goal to tie, you got one shot at a touchdown. So like, that's the other piece of, like, the situational awareness that that I do. Like everyone in the field just has to know.
Like that doesn't. Maybe if you're doing a slight hitch and go but like you still should have been going to the end zone like there's there's no world we're cutting the route short and catching it at the 12 yard line or the 10 yard line makes any sense. And again, this is where in my alternate reality universe, even if you just run that crappy up the middle play, you call a timeout, you bring everyone together and just let, hey, you got to be in the end zone.
Like do not catch the ball if you're not. If you're 5 yards out, just bat it out of bounds. Like you have time to do that. This is the the the problem you have. And like you mentioned, something about how Allen does. It seems like we get very nervous when we're in field goal range, like when the Crucible gets tough and when the decisions start to get very
pressurized and quick. It does feel like he makes the wrong decision and kind of goes for like the, you know, I I think of this kind of like coach speak, coaches always like, you know, on to the next game and that's tough. You know, players play hard like they just have coach speak and they just kind of go in the zone. Like feels like he goes in this coaching zone like well, I'm
just going to call time. Like I call time out and like you just do this kind of the random coaching stuff, like that's not always the right call, just always calling time out or always doing what, you know, you've seen coaches do for 30 years. Yeah, yeah, I know when when the game was actually when the game was started, the very beginning of the game, they were showing Tom Allen on the sidelines and
I've often wondered this but. But when his team is on offense, I'm, I'm always wondering what's going through his head. Like what what is he, what's he thinking? This team's not he looks very nervous. He always looks nervous. He looks very nervous and and I'm like, what what is the process here? What's going through? Tom Allen said When this team's
on offense because. No. Yeah I mean you're you're right the the the usage of timeouts and I didn't even think before this this like 42nd period that that you wanted to highlight. I don't even think before that the timeouts were used in egregious ways. I thought they, I thought it was OK it was just like when they got there. What was the issue then? Yeah, no, I'm I I totally agree. So I don't know that those are, those are my thoughts at the end of the game.
You know they they probably could have kicked a field goal. I don't know if they would have made it honestly because we've not had good field goal kicking all season. So like I said I I think going forward is fine.
Just it's like that was probably the worst series to the series of events and the way to go for it it's like you're you're kind of but you're not like you're just if you're going to do it just go for it And then that you know I I again that third down play where Soresby throws it and it's pass interference.
I like that play, but this is again where I I always have to question like the longer term thinking of you know, Tom Allen and the coaching staff is like, you know you get a 8 yard pass to get to 3rd and two at that point, you know you kind of have to commit at that point. What's your plan for 4th down? And it never feels like we're doing that because if your plan is to go forward on 4th down you probably shouldn't throw a fade to the end zone at third and two.
Like what you should be trying to do is go for you know a 7 yard play there and then if you don't get it you know you can run it in or like you know the the second down play that you got the 8 yards that's probably the like it always it just it, it feels like if you knew you were going to go for it the whole time that was just the wrong way to kind of stack the
way that you did things. And and I I agree and I totally believe like I don't think they thought they were going to go for it until like I the question I would love to know Michigan State calls the time out. We come out and line up for the field goal. What is the plan like? Was that was that were they thinking of kicking the field goal And then he called the time out to change his mind. Were we doing like that? Like, I I would love to know.
Why did you do that? Like, were you trying to see what Michigan State's coverage was on a field goal? Like I I don't know. Did they just get cold feet on the field goal you know yeah it's it's like yeah, I I don't know I yeah, no I'm with you the the the the time out after the Michigan State time out was. Just bizarre. Yeah, it was. That's the end. I mean, I think that's about as much as besides me just ranting the same things over and over again for the end of the game
situation. You had other thoughts for the game as a whole. I mean, it was, you know, it was what you'd expect from 2-3 and seven teams. Like not an amazing. I mean, and you watch the game, it's like I'm tired of hearing the announcers talk about spitting into the spittoon. It's a whole other side note, but what were your thoughts on the the game as a whole? Because I know you had some thoughts outside of the The 42nd
Crucible at the end. I thought it was lifeless, you know, But the game in general was lifeless. Like it felt like, you know, just the people that we could like, you know, picture pictures of the the attendance of the stadium beforehand, which I'm sure it filled in more. That's always how it goes. And and and knowing that there were 8 seniors out there who were recruited by IU out of high
school. Out of the 26 on the roster who were having their senior day in front of this, like sparse crowd, not a great start for the game, I thought. But I I just, I thought the game in general just a kind of felt inconsequential and lifeless, you know, Like, I it didn't feel like a a trophy game. And if the broadcast didn't mention this platoon, I don't think a lot of people would have been thinking about it. And you know, but anyway, I mean. It was a Michigan State team.
I mean, this team obviously lost his head coach earlier this year. Katyn Hauser is like their third quarterback. They've played in the game this year and and he's graded by PFF as the worst in the country of all the quarterbacks with at least 100 drop backs. And then he was 4 yards shy of his career high at halftime against IU because the secondary apparently can't stop anyone.
So I'm sure Hudson, Hudson, Carlo have a hell of a week next week, but no I. I mean, but honestly the and and so then, you know Michigan State has what is like just shy of 20 inactive players and it just it was a game that Indiana should have handled. But this this whole situation that we've just been talking about shouldn't even happen because they should have. They should have handled the game and and and and you know it's not exactly in Indiana's
DNA to do that. But I just thought the the the circumstances were. Extenuating enough where they could potentially do it, but I mean, just looking at Scott the the The Game on Paper report and their successful plays on offense, they had a 60% success rate. That is insane. That's like that's that is one of the highest that you're going to see in college football this
year. It's 60% and they scored 21 points like I and so I was looking, I was like how does that happen and and so obviously I'm going to dig into it deeper later on. But most of it I think was just like field position. I mean they they when they start their drives you just look at the first half and they start they don't, they don't start a drive actually the entire game. They don't start their drive further down the field than their own 30 yard line. I mean that's according to the
stat broadcast. But like I guess you know you can have all the success you want on offense but it's going to be a little a little tougher sledding when that's your field
position. You know. So I think that contributed to some of some of it but I mean the defense that you just got to stop somebody you know that this is not AI mean this is one of the worst offenses in the country like statistically and and and they you know I mean they they it didn't blow up the box score by any means They only had a 39% success rate and and but when they were passing they had a 47% success rate from Kate and Howser like I mean I know
Malik Carr is a is a really good high end and and he really burned Indiana on a lot of ways really showed that the secondary has to hit the weight room a bit But you know I I just I thought that Indiana should not have been in this situation at the end of the game anyway and and I I, you know it's just the second week in a row where the defense is just kind of let the offense down. Yeah. I mean. I, I, I I agree it.
I I go to Galen's you know pregame podcast about this and I think his analogy that he's used a lot is very apartment. Of like a boat that just has holes and every time you plug something it's like another thing another hole pops up and then it's like all right well that one's plugs we'll get take
care of this one. You plug the new hole and it's like the other one that you plugged pops up and it's like we need to get sure seal like the guy in the you know 22 AM and infomercials you know filling a boat with his sure seal glue. We need that guy because I I hear you. But on the flip side, like you look at, you know, you know. Plays per drive. In this game, Indiana has 9 plays per drive. Michigan State has seven. Michigan State's only getting 38 yards a drive.
Indiana getting is getting 52. You know the defense played, you know they held Michigan State to 17 points until the last drive. And like that's where it's like you just need one last stop. Like you're up 2117. You need to lot not let car, you know, pinball through 12 people and score a touchdown.
But they do. And like that is where it's like it pops up. So I I I think that, you know if the defense had held Michigan State to 17 and Indiana wins this game 21, I think 2117, I think we're like, hey man, like that was, you know they they held where they had to. And I think the numbers, you're right.
But the numbers would have looked OK and the defensive numbers actually look OK. The trouble is, like when you needed that last stop, it happened and like that's where it's like the another hole sprung in the boat. And you suddenly you're down 24 to 21. You have a minute left and now you're scrambling.
And it also covers up the fact that you know on a positive note, another you know pretty good offensive game out of Brendan Soresby. The receivers are looking good and guys are this is, this is a great way to end the season. This is just like pitch and catch for Soresby. Like no one's playing defense in any of these games. Soresby finishes, you know, 19 for 35, not great, but 197 yards, 2 touchdowns. You know it. It looks like we have our starter, you know, well named.
I'm so excited to see how we mess this up in the offseason and how we do a 12 man quarterback battle to start next year. But Soresby looks like the guy and and again your defense gets 2 takeaways.
Like everything lined up right and I I focused a lot in those last 40 seconds, but I'll go back and focus on that last defensive Dr. It's like that is. I I think back to Galen's comments about just like you know the the the boat popping holes and it feels like, you know they they actually played a pretty good game. You hold the team to 17, that's good. But it's like at the the last
moment and This is why. Like this team is just really hard to trust, is in all facets, whether it's the defense or the offense or the coaching or the special teams when you really need them. I don't think anybody feels like I can trust this team to get it done. Yeah I will say the the rushing defense was was really effective. I mean they only had 72 yards
rushing. It just seemed like whenever they needed a play they could turn to Kate and Hauser to to find either car or foster somewhere in the secondary you know. But no I agree.
I I think I yeah if if it was a 17 if they if it was a 17 point game for Michigan State. I do think we would have walked away thinking that the defense had a pretty productive day and I I I just you know there were just I I guess it was just more like there were just some moments you know some some moments where you know it's tied at 14 late in the third quarter they get the interception from Jamari Sharp and and he fumbles
it and he turns it back over. You know like it's it it was just a collection of moments that that kind of led up to it. It just always kind of felt like OK this game is going to end in
some stupid way. You know like it wasn't going to be as as the as the third quarter was going on and it seemed like neither team wanted to win this game and it was tied at 14. It was like OK you know the time is the clock keeps going down points don't keep going up on the board some stupid thing is going to happen because something has to give and it and it did.
It really did. But I mean yeah, the defense on that, on that last drive, you know when Malik Carr scored, obviously there was the the holding penalty that that wasn't called and I think they probably should have been called. But at the end of the day it's, you know when I'm thinking about penalties, you know I I I am very slow to to credit penalties with losses or for losses. I think that there are always things that could have been done beforehand that that didn't give
the officials that power. And you know there were three late in the game that's really tough to overcome. But you know that that holding penalty on the last drive is probably what what people will point to mostly as you know, what kept the defense from stopping Michigan State on that drive. But you know it. It is what it is. And and I I, yeah, I mean, yeah, I don't have anything else there, Scott. No. No, I'm, I'm with you. It's it. You know, I I don't have the
drive chart here. They can't play the drive chart game. It's not up or I'm not finding the right box score that has it as we're doing this. But I hear you on that and it's like you have the holding penalty on the Michigan State score. You have the oh, that's cool. Zoom's giving me like a thumbs up bubble, 'cause I'm doing a thumbs up to you, you have the
holding penalty. On the the Michigan State score you have the non pass interference on the you know the the third third down play and then you have the uncatchable ball penalty that is called. All three of those were very suspect and it does it does suck. But I'm also with you when you have a three and seven team that it's like you shouldn't be that close. You know, I I go back to the the idea of the furthest, you know, coach, speak many different places.
But like, just never let the game be so close that you're giving the officials a chance to decide the game. Like, get up by, you know, in basketball, get up by 10 points in football, get up by 10 or 1214 points. And then it's like, yeah, the calls suck and that that's no fun, but it's like. If if you would have stopped, just do something along those points.
And to your point, the game was 1414, It felt like for an unbelievably long amount of time, like put up some points there, get up by 24 to 14, and then those plays don't hurt you as much. You're not letting the officials decide these games because while it sucks and all of those calls, I think you could have a real argument. We're not great now. I've been watching IU football for 40 years now. You've been watching for, you
know, 1520 years. You know, we're not at a level we're going to get the benefit of the doubt in calls. And so you have to assume that you're going to get calls go against you and that's unfortunately something an Indiana team has to fight and and and learn to, to go through.
Yeah, yeah, Scott. And then one thing I wanted to make sure to touch on because I saw people talking about this on on Twitter was the Indiana drive that started at the end of the third quarter and ended the beginning of the fourth quarter.
They went 14 plays for 66 yards. It lasted 5 1/2 minutes and and and they got down to the Michigan State 33 yard line and there were some some folks who thought they should have kicked the field goal on 4th and short instead of going for it in which they went for it. They turned it over on downs and then what what did Michigan, Michigan State went down and kicked their field goal to go up 17 to 14.
So as all this was happening a lot of folks were saying, well it would have been really nice to have that field goal. But if you do the math, I mean we add 17 yards for every field goal. So that that'd be a 50 yard field goal from Chris Freeman which was actually 2 yards longer than the one at the end of the game. I don't think I would have been comfortable putting him in that situation even though he's hit 50, a 50 yard field goal before.
But it kind of goes back to what we were talking about before where you know I I don't know if they know exactly what the cut off is for where they want to take a Chris Freeman field goal
or not. And and I I think that there's just always there's just been like a bunch of like the foundation of their kicking of their place kicking game has been sand the entire year like they there's nothing solid there and and it's just like little things like that going forward on that 4th down when you know if you had a kicker you could rely on then you could kick that field goal for 50 yards. 50 yards is still pretty young long for a college kicker, but, well,
but it goes to that. It goes to. That idea of, you know that, then you should know that this is, again, one of the struggles I have with where Indiana football is, is just like have an identity and feel like you have a plan for the game. And what I mean is, like, everything you're saying is 100% dead on. If I was the coaching staff and I'd just go in and be like, all right, you know, hey, unless we're within 25 yards, like we're going for it, like just that.
That's the call. Like we're just so now. And you know hey you know offensive coordinator you can plan on just going for it. So if we're in we're on the 40 yard line and it's second and five. You know you got to you know you're going you're going to go for it on 4th down you just know all the time go for it. But it seems like we get there and to your point like we're we're we're making the decisions in real time.
We're trying to figure out it's like you should just know like a 50 yard field goal is not going to happen. Know that. So it's like when you're on the 40, you're not kicking a field goal you're going for it and. It does feel like we're almost handcuffed by like everything has to go through a decision tree when to your and you know
this is not pick. Allen's made it very clear he's not you know he doesn't really get involved in the offense the offensive plays and we've gone through five different offense. I don't know where it seems like we're always stopping and asking for approval along here like whether it was Walt Bell or Rod Carey. Like somebody should just be like, hey, you're in charge and then they should have a plan where they just let everybody know like.
Hey, we're going for it. And by the way I was fine with that 4th down play and like I said at the end of the game, I'm fine going for it. Like you're you're playing for the Splatoon, you're not playing for much but you're playing for something but just win. Like just go for a win and I think the aggressiveness would be there. But it's like you're you're passive and you can see the entire team and coaching staff thinking and they're trying to
figure out like what's best. Like once you're there you're you're screwed. Like you got to know. 8 plays before and I think that's where I have real frustration is just feels like they're trying to figure these out on a case by case basis when in reality you just go in and have a game plan like hey man, we're going to win this game. Like we're just we're not. Not that we're not going to kick field goals, but unless it's like a 25 yarder, we're just going for it. Like let's just let's be
aggressive. Let's just put them out of their misery. Let's go win a freaking game. Yeah. No, I agree. I I think I I have this kind of would have honestly Scott is what I expected. So when they were when way back before the 1st week but they were saying that they didn't really have a starting kicker and that it was going to be distance based. I was like, OK, so they probably put in this idea where I had a haunch.
It might be Chris Freeman because Niko Radich is is just so young and and so I was like, OK, well, they're probably probably going to do exactly what you were just saying probably going to set up a line where if they're behind that yard line they're not kicking field goals. And it doesn't seem like that's exactly what's happened. And and yeah, no, I totally agree. And and there, you know there's a lot of a lot of things like that where it just seems like every week or something new.
You know, like like this week decrees Carter had six catches. Like, where has that been? And I tweeted it like he he his competence really showed in this game like when when he was catching passes he seemed confident and like he see he just it just seemed like he was an experienced receiver who was bringing some what's what's the reliability to to the the passing game and and I think how many targets did he have. He had seven targets. EJ Williams had 12 and Donna
McCauley had seven. So you know the quiz card like very involved this week in in in a different way. And I was like, where has that been all all year? You know, and and I like it just and and it just seems like there are things that are constantly changing. But the one thing that won't change is that if if they're struggling in the running game, which they didn't today, they were OK in the running game, but they won't go away from it.
You know, like they still play a bunch of tight ends to help the offensive line run block, which they're not even good at doing, and it keeps other playmakers off of the field. And then you know when when it comes to passing situations, you end up passing to a James Bomba or a Trey Walker and instead of a instead of an Anderson Kobe or a Jaylen Lucas. Who were, you know, Jaylen Lucas? I don't know. Did he get any touches today besides the No, I was. I was.
Going to say he became the we should have a new position like you know, IU football has taught me about. The Husky and the Bowl and all the I've watched football for years and it's like all these positions, I didn't know that they existed until we got Tom Allen's defense in here. We should have like the designated, you know, what were they calling them on the broadcast? It was the gadget, not. Gadget It was like, Oh my gosh, I got to cut all this from the podcast.
I'm losing my Don't Don't Turn 40 Man 45 and like I'm losing. Is it an H back? No, it's not even it was. Just a decoy. Sorry. Gosh, it was. Slit my mind like just just a decoy like we should have like just the official decoy. Like I'm excited next year I messed my joke up by not knowing a word like going into the going into the season like who's going to be the decoy? Like we have a quarterback
battle. We have a decoy battle cause like Jalen Lucas was like he's just on decoy bat he's on decoy now like he got no rushing, no rushing, no no receiving. I mean that that was 5 weeks ago. It was like how do we get him more involved in the offense. He's not. And it's just it is that cycle, so. You know, Taylor, we'll end with this. We are three and eight now going to play Purdue. We're still in trophy mode, baby, still going for a not a Splatoon.
We're going for a bucket. It's heavier than the Splatoon. I like a lot of talk in the broadcast with the weight of the Splatoon. That was awesome as well. Where do we go? Apparently it's older than the the universities themselves. Yes, I actually didn't know that, but it doesn't weigh that. Much. And you spit into it not, but not during COVID. Where, where does this team go from here?
I mean that I again, what I will say that I'm pleased by is it doesn't look like the team has given up like they're still trying, they're still fighting. So that's good, man. Yeah, it's. It's good the decisions at the are still perplexing, to put it lightly. I I worry about this defense against Purdue, you know?
I worry about this team going into West Lafayette and winning and I do worry at some point about them just kind of running out of gas and being like all right what do we have to play for. I know it's the bucket I know it's Purdue but you have a lot of transfers in this team and a lot of guys who might just be like I'm I'm we've we've pushed about as hard as we can I'm ready to see the the light at the end of the tunnel but how how do you.
I mean real quick. I know you'll do the bite size bison. We'll check it out. But what What's your? Thumbnail thought on where we go from here as it stands right now at 4:43 on a Saturday. Yeah. I mean, I think you have to just get them prepared for one game. You know, it's like one last game. Just go out there like it's this one team. Like it's just, I think it's a lot easier when it's the when it's the last game, there's nothing after it. And it's like, you know, what
are the players willing to give? I think the players are willing to give. You know what? What what needs to be given. And I think that they, you know, they kind of prove that today too. I thought there was a lot of good effort out there. But yeah, I I mean I think you I, I don't I don't really know how you overcome such a late season collapse from an entire
unit like your secondary. I don't know what has to change there and and it it can't be personnel and it I I don't think that they have the capability of changing their scheme. I think you know they probably should provide some help to the defensive line and pass rush. The pass rush has been terrible. It wasn't good today either and honestly, Andre Carter's been a little disappointing in that department and Lanelle Carr is the best pass rusher on this team.
And besides the linebackers and I I don't know, man, I I I think the offense is, is OK. Like, I think if you do what you've done recently against Purdue, I think you're going to be OK. It's just can the defense help out more. You know that they obviously they stopped the running game for Michigan State but Purdue's offense is, is a bit better than Michigan State's.
And so you know is it is it to the point where it's going to be like another one of these games where it's just kind of a messy close game which is what we're you know we're we're used to seeing from a lot of bucket games but yeah I'll have to look deeper into it. But right now, it's just that that secondary is just really hurting this team right now.
Yeah, and this. Is a Purdue team that I, I don't, I mean they're having also a very poor season but it's a team that I just, I cannot you're not quite sure what you're going to get. I mean they beat Illinois at the end of September 44 to 19 and then they lost four in a row. Of course they did play Ohio State and they played Michigan. So that's that's defendable. They also played.
Nebraska and Iowa. They played Iowa pretty well, and then they beat Minnesota. And then this week they just turned around and today lost at Northwestern. Another team that's having a season like this is like the four team season from Hell battle Royale between Indiana, Michigan State, Northwestern and Purdue. It's like just who's having the worst season and we're unfortunately in the losers bracket with Purdue.
That would be awesome if the big 10s just like you know what Michigan State's playing Northwestern next week like. We're just calling it the season from hell bracket.
It's like the in season tournament the NBA like we'll get a new field we'll have a color thing going on like go for it. The we're in the losers bracket of the season from hell and I I don't know what Purdue team's going to show up bucket games were always bananas but but normally you know in these types of season Purdue has done better
preparing but who who knows. But I'm with you I'm I'm very nervous because I I unfortunately I think the only thing I can depend on is that our secondary is going to be poor. I just don't see that turning around to becoming a strength. And then it goes back to the Galen boat analogy. It's like, all right, can can we
trust the things? Like it looks like we figured out the passing game, but I don't think you and I would be like, all right, well, I'm, I'm comfortable knowing we're going to give Soresby, Soresby's going to, you know, throw 60% and get give us 250 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions. It's like I nothing against Soresby and our receivers. I just, I don't know if I trust that yet and it's like, so I just don't know what we're going to get.
But yeah it's like you're you're kind of looking at you know this is everyone understands this but it's like you're you're kind of playing to keep to tread water. You finish last year four and eight, two and seven in the big 10. You're currently 3rd and 3:00 and 8:00 and 1:00 and 7:00 in the big 10. Like you. This is not a spot where you want to regress if nothing else just to have the right momentum into next year. You know having at least a bucket win.
It's it's something, it's it's more than any other game. And you know, that's something that, you know, even when Wilson was slowly turning things around, it's like, I mean he's got some bucket wins. Like that was something you could build on. Like that's something that if you're Allen, you need any piece of good news and good momentum going into this offseason. I think Soresby is one of those
things. I think Donovan, Mccully, decrease Carter you've seen the last couple days, but just being to get a bucket win, that would be something you could grasp onto. And I think that's that's what you're really trying to push and play for. Yeah, yeah. And a quick note about Purdue's loss today. I forgot about this Hudson card didn't play today and the two leading receivers were the running backs. But no, I I think, yeah, no, I, I, I, I, I I think it's going to be a weird game.
I think you need it to be to gain to to gain some goodwill. You know and and I think I made a note of this and and if I says Bison recently. But it was you know. You you want to have some goodwill leaving the season so that you can have at least some momentum as far as like recruiting, because you're recruiting a lot of different players, right? You're recruiting not only just high school, but you're also recruiting the transfer portal and you're recruiting your own roster.
Right. Like you have to you know, like they said last year immediately after the last game they started recruiting Jaylen Lucas to keep him here. Well, I think Jaylen Lucas might be on the 1st train out of Bloomington after this year because I don't I would trust that they would know how to use me if I was Jaylen Lucas. But you know you like that's that is that's a reality and so if you if you can make your if you can you know show that
you're not. A black hole for transfers and that that's going to it's going to hurt them to be here. Then that that's a positive and I think that this game you know is is kind of seemingly inconsequential as it is because of the teams playing. I think it, I think that's important for Indiana to be able to hold on to that to have something tangible from from the season because right now it's you know you have that Wisconsin win but. I mean, everything else is pretty bleak.
Yeah, I, I. We'll, we'll end on there. There there's a title for the podcast. Everything's pretty bleak. Check him on Bite Size bison. Taylor, thank you so much for hopping on with quick reactions. If nothing else. Man, I use interesting. They find different ways to do it every single week, that's for sure. If you're going to be out and about in New York the next couple days, GAIL and I will be bouncing around the city. So come find us. We'll be at the home field event.
Check us out there. Madison Square Garden should be a good weekend. And thank everybody for listening. And for Taylor, this is Scott for Crimson cast signing off.