Footballking16

5 minutes ago, temptation said:

He/she told on themselves with this one:  “because im a former player, coach or alum.”

This impacts a person’s ability to think or draw conclusions rationally.

This person “knows the DNA” of every team on Warren’s schedule apparently also.

It’s cool to see that the east side is still playing  that “us against the world and nobody respects us” card however… some things never change.

If they compete with CG for 4 quarters my attitude might change. Talent level at CG has dipped the last two years and that's not a knock on the Trojans, just speaks to how loaded they were the last two years, but if they get blown out by a Center Grove team breaking in a lot of new pieces I'll stand firm on my original prediction. 

40 minutes ago, temptation said:

Just to be clear, we are not counting the sectional which is two guaranteed wins, correct?

I think they top out at 6 wins for the entire year. 4-5 regular season, win sectional, lose regional.

You might be selling Detroit King a little short. Dante Moore is the best QB in the country not named Arch Manning and many think he has a better upside given his mobility. Just won the Elite 11 (Arch didn't participate) last week.

2 minutes ago, Bash Riprock said:

Sorry...I thought he did redshirt year prior....even more of a challenge with a true frosh being handed the keys

That was the plan and then IU lost 2 starting QB's in 2 weeks. Dexter Williams who was the third string QB tore his ACL fall camp so can't imagine McCulley getting hardly any reps right up until the time he was thrown to the wolves. 

Tough year for the Hoosiers. 

21 minutes ago, temptation said:

I’ve never understood this mindset.  Just get the best damn players regardless of geography.

IU basketball fans said the same about Archie, he brings in three consecutive Indiana Mr. Basketball winners and then gets shit canned, lol.

You’re not wrong in your premise, however I think there is a substantial difference in terms of top end talent when comparing Indiana high school football players and basketball players. Indiana produces top flight basketball talent just about every year. IU would be a consistent second weekend tourney team if they consistently landed the best prospects in the state. IU has missed on way too many blue chip in-state recruits the last 25 years and the results show.

As far as football goes, I think Indiana generally produces 4-5 guys a class who have legitimate offers from almost every school in the country. And while I’d love for IU to land some of that talent, they just aren’t going to consistently beat out ND, OSU, Mich, etc for those types of players. 

25 minutes ago, Bash Riprock said:

I think people keep forgetting that a major reason the wheels fell off and Indiana last season was the loss of their first 2 QB's and then going with an inexperienced RS frosh. Who in their right mind would think that last year with that happening would be a banner year? They didn't have the depth to absorb that kind of hit.

I don't have high expectations this season, but with more depth at QB with the Mizzou transfer and others coming off injury (i.e., Mullen) it should be a tad more interesting this season.  I just hope they can develop and improve at offensive line.

 

McCulley was a true freshman who planned to redshirt but otherwise everything you said is 100% correct.

7 minutes ago, Snadenjr said:

Coach Allen next year needs to get back to Indiana kids . If you can't win your state it's hard to compete.you can still get Florida kids but you should have more in state kids.

IU has signed plenty of top in-state kids the last few years. Unfortunately, many haven't worked out. 

Indiana, nor Purdue, are ever going to win the state in terms of landing top in-flight talent. And I take little joy in saying this, there just isn't enough talent in Indiana to make it your primary recruiting base if you ever want to seriously compete in the B10. 

2 minutes ago, Irishman said:

My only guess is if FSU is in, then they and Florida only want 2 schools in from the State and not a 3rd.

Miami would be a good opportunity then for the B10. Add another huge media market and historically good football program. Miami might not have another choice either. 

58 minutes ago, Irishman said:

I had a feeling we were just seeing the tip of the iceberg. It certainly has been the most interesting Summer for college athletics in a LONG time. I figured we could consolidate it all into one topic. 

 

 

I feel the SEC is in an interesting spot here. While they do have the dominant teams at the top, they do not have the TV markets the B1G now has. And with just a couple teams so dominant in football, are they just adding more mediocrity to the mix? 

Pretty surprised Miami isn't in this picture. 

3 minutes ago, DT said:

Hence the CYO advantage we keep talking about.

 

It's a huge advantage, not sure it warrants a multiplier though.

There are several public schools who have high level feeder programs as well. 

9 minutes ago, foxbat said:

I don't think it's necessarily a downfall, but instead a "not keeping up" ... which makes it look like a downfall.

If you go back a decade or so, you'll see a situation where Harrison had three 0-10 seasons, 2011-2013, in a row.  This was on the eve of Coach Peeples taking the reigns there.  In those years, you'll also see that McCutcheon was also struggling ... along with Jeff too.  The local town talk tended to be around which of those would end up "winning the area" because the idea of having winning seasons was out of the discussion.  Coach Peeples embarked on a steady program of building Harrison's foundation; nothing overly flashy, but getting student/school/community buy-in and building his pipeline.  The HYF self-contained youth program was formed and instead of the various feeder schools competing against each other, they started playing together ... at least in the K-6 kids.  Jeff also had the Moore transition into the Shanley-era where there was a change of buy-in and foundation-building.  McCutcheon, at least from my viewpoint, seemed more in a status quo mode where they were expecting to get better, but didn't seem to be taking similar growth steps of their Lafayette-area brethren.  McCutcheon had big kids in the mid-2010s and was relatively competitive.

One other thing that may have also contributed, although this is pure conjecture backed with a little anecdotal info, is the move toward non-contact football at McCutcheon.  At one time, McCutcheon had Little Mavs, which was a self-contained contact youth program.  About a half-decade or so ago, they moved to flag-only.  It likely hasn't had a physical/direct impact on the high school program, but it may have had an impact on buy-in.  Anecdotally, I was over at Jeff a few years back for Jr. Broncho baseball tryouts and I was talking with a couple of parents who had commented that there were some McCutcheon kids trying out for Jeff youth baseball.  They had stated that the kids had come over to Jeff to play tackle ball with the 56ers when McCutcheon went to flag through 6th grade and had stayed behind to also tryout for baseball.  Again, just anecdotal and just a local outsider's view.  McCutcheon folks may be able to give much more direct and accurate inputs. 

 

Thanks for the info.

Others will laugh and call it a non-issue, but your last paragraph makes a ton of sense. I always keep coming back to it, but having a strong youth and feeder system in my mind is the biggest key to maintaining a successful high school program. I get the safety issues revolving around football these days, but not having tackle football until 7th or 8th grade is still an insane concept to me. Kids should be taught as early as 3rd or 4th grade the fundamentals and techniques to contact and hitting drills. Kids having to be taught the basic fundamentals of contact football at 13 or 14 years old puts them at an extreme disadvantage to their peers who have kids that have been participating in contact football as early as 8 or 9 years old. 

16 hours ago, Indiana Fan said:

Are we for certain they would be voted in? Or are we for certain that CG is planning another go at this?

Rumors are still floating around of CG and potentially Carmel creating their new conference. Drawing the likeness of a few of those HCC schools. These are rumors that have some substance…

I would think that's a more likely scenario myself. I just don't see Center Grove getting almost unanimously denied by the HCC only to be re-admitted a year or so later. And I have real serious doubts that Center Grove and Carmel petitioned themselves as a package deal upon entry. Would have to assume there was some serious legwork done by both Carmel and Center Grove before formally requesting membership, and if Center Grove's acceptance wasn't contingent to Carmel, a package deal would have never been on the table.

Center Grove and Carmel forming a new 6 team conference with 4 new members makes the most sense. Carmel and Center Grove are too big of names in the Midwest to be relegated to a nearly locked conference schedule. 5 conference games with the ability to schedule other Indiana powers/out of state opponents makes the most sense in my opinion. 

17 minutes ago, foxbat said:

Given that outside of last season, McCutcheon hasn't been the victim of a 3-win-or-less season since 2012, I'm thinking that "thrilled" isn't the way I would look at a 3-win season if I were McCutcheon.  Those three wins would require McCutcheon to beat AT, Marion, and Muncie Central.  For a little context:

• AT is the team that folks have been talking about in other threads as being so bad and that they should go to the MIC for other-than-football reasons.  In the four meetings with Tech since 1994, McCutcheon is 3-1; dropping last season's match, at home, 34-28.  Given the shade thrown at Tech in other threads, a win over Tech by McCutcheon would be fairly status quo.
• Since 2014, McCutcheon is 8 for 8 on beating Muncie Central.  If you toss in the old Muncie South, then they have met 12 times with McCutcheon holding a commanding 11-1 lead in the series ... their last loss coming to Muncie south in 2000.  A win there would/should be status quo. 
• Marion and McCutcheon have met four times since 1994.  The series is tied 2-2 with Marion winning the last two in 2021 and 2020; outscoring the Mavs 25.5 to 6.6 across those two games.  Picking up a win over Marion wouldn't be status quo, at least based on the last two seasons, and fits into my major-bit-of-luck scenario leading to a 3-win season.

While three wins would be good for the start of the Strasser era, I just don't see it as being anything in the realm of considerable improvement ... again since McCutcheon hasn't seen a 3-win-or-less season since 2012, they will likely consider considerable improvement being an even or winning season and getting some wins against teams other than Muncie Central, Anderson, and Richmond.  Incidentally, I would be quite surprised if Coach Strasser's spending any time at all right now conjecturing about the fate of the NCC and grabbing a piece of the Iron Throne in a new Westeros.  As you pointed out, he knows what he's getting into and right now, and I expect that he's spending pretty close to 100% of his time working on his Xs and Os and Jimmies and Joes and not a whole bunch of time playing negotiating strategies of where a team that he just inherited might be able to curry favor in a yet-to-exist league ... maybe the AD might be thinking about it, but I suspect that Coach Strasser's focus is 100% on the team and this season.

What's been the downfall of McCutcheon?

Jeff and Harrison are continuing on an upward trajectory and West Lafayette is one of the best public school programs in the state. 

7 minutes ago, temptation said:

Yep.  Same with you and FRL.  😉

Lol.

FRL is your only talking point and your whole schtick and reason for being here. You rehash it in every thread you post in.

You made the parameters, not me.

24 minutes ago, temptation said:

They don’t work as hard or want it as much as Cathedral does in the off-season obviously…though according to you, no one does.

Mystifying how you bring Cathedral up any chance you can.

Rent free.

10 minutes ago, BTF said:

I understand the overall picture. Suburban schools always have and always will dominate country club sports. It's an unfair fight. It's a complicated issue. But from a football standpoint? Warren could still schedule CG if they wanted to, but it's pretty clear they don't want to. So is it political or is it competition? The million dollar question.

It’s a competitive issue dressed up in political theater. I think that’s painfully obvious. Unfortunate situation when you have doorknobs in leadership roles. 

On 7/3/2022 at 1:30 PM, DT said:

https://247sports.com/Season/2023-Football/RecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=highschool&State=IN

If you are on the IU football recruiting staff, the attached list either makes you swallow your own vomit or justifies Coach Allen's theory that its better to pick up 2 and 3 star leftovers in SEC states than to recruit the home state and Ohio with the same effort and intensity we are seeing from the Purdue staff.

Of course, 2-10/0-9 might have something to do with it as well.

 

Of the players on that list, there’s about 3, maybe 4 that I would say are going to be difference makers at the next level. None of those kids are going to Purdue. Indiana just had its best recruiting class in program history coming off a 2-10 season. I’ll take a 3* kid out of South Florida who plays legit competition 9-10 games a year over a 3* from North Central (for the sake of being from Indianapolis) any day of the week.

Purdue’s top 5 verbals are all either from the South or the Louisville area where Brohm has deep connections. Allen has a connection to South Florida, especially in and around Tampa, where he has coaching roots. Some of IU’s best players the last few years have all been from Tampa…Penix, Whop Phylior, McFadden, Mullen etc

IU isn’t going anywhere unless it’s by choice. There are lesser teams in terms of viewership and revenue producers than IU who would be shown the door first.

As far as Purdue goes in owning the city of Indianapolis, I don’t think IU is missing out on much in terms of potential. Tibbs has the potential to be a deep threat weapon down the road but the rest of Berglund, Heldt, McWilliams, Theinemam, and Burhenn have pretty meh offer lists, mostly MAC and G5 schools. Mickens and Lauck would have been solid gets but the competition is fierce. 
 

Rightfully, people are down on IU after last years debacle. They hit the portal hard this off-season and I think they have some solid pieces to work with. Brutal schedule again this year but hopefully this is the last of the division imbalance. If they can get decent QB play out of the Mizzou transfer, they’ll be more competitive than you think. 

3 minutes ago, DT said:

McCutcheon will show considerable improvement this year under new Coach Josh Strasser

I guess....

Perplexing how a team in the upper half of 5A in terms of enrollment and less than 50% F/R/L can go 1-8, especially in that conference. No place to go but up though. 

15 minutes ago, temptation said:

Can you name a sport not named basketball in which they’d compete for a conference title?

Hell, did they even compete for a conference title in anything in the NCC?

Couldn’t even field full squads in some sports, lol.

 

It appears they finished third in the NCC in Football last year if that graphic above is correct.

How far has McCutcheon fallen? 

1 hour ago, BTF said:

A can't imagine a program like Warren shying away from competition. 

Wasn’t that the case when Warren was one of 6 MIC members to unanimously vote out Carmel and Center Grove???

Of course they’re shying away from competition.

7 minutes ago, temptation said:

You don’t understand sarcasm.  
 

Try to keep up here dude.  You just show up here daily looking for a fight it seems.

I’ll be sure to keep my sarcasm sensors on high alert when reading your future posts.

Guess they didn’t pick up on any of the sarcasm in your 3k+ other posts.

12 minutes ago, temptation said:

2/2 on not taking the bait today, damn.

Not so sure you can pat yourself on the back for avoiding an argument that you voluntarily dragged the other person in to.

36 minutes ago, temptation said:

This will trigger the normal crew, but once again it’s spot on.

Did Carmel and CG actually petition as a package deal or was that speculation? Not sure why the HCC couldn’t have accepted CG and declined Carmel’s request, especially if they’re expected to be voted in unanimously the next go around? CG to the HCC makes perfect logical sense, just not sure it’s a foregone done deal.

1 minute ago, DT said:

Have all 4 indicated they are dropping CA and CG after the 2022 contracted games have been fulfilled?  I believe WC and BD have both indicated their desire to keep playing Hounds and Trojans in non con play.

Not sure but they don't necessarily have to worry about beating Carmel or Center Grove as it pertains to winning the MIC. Not having a team like Carmel or Center Grove in your conference any more has to be a big psychological boost if you're one of those teams. 

6 minutes ago, temptation said:

Great points by both of you but I still see a decisive edge for BD and Warren and due to much more than just “name recognition.”

Now, if you want to do a stock up/stock down type of ordeal then I will ABSOLUTELY agree that the other four conference teams have reason for optimism, maybe even much more so than BD and WC at this stage.

The Omar Cooper/Donaven McCulley squad that couldn’t muster more than 7 points against an average Warren team in the sectional two years back broke me I guess.

I’ll need to see it from those other four before I can believe it.  I think they are capable of springing an upset over the top two but can they stay out of their own way and not stub their toe and won the ones they should?

With CG and Carmel out of the conference, there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel for LC/LN/NC/Pike. With the exception of Pike, the other three have tasted some success the last few years against Ben Davis and/or Warren Central in some capacity. The mountain that one of these teams need to climb in order to be named MIC champions just became a hill. Would still bet on WC and BD finishing 1-2 in some order but you just never know.