PODCAST: Matt Weaver and Jared Kelly break down IU football's 2024 schedule, preseason predictions

pigs.com Jared Kelly Matt Weaver gameweek Indiana football the first under new head coach Kurt setty Matt we've finally made it uh I said this yesterday but it feels like this uh this offseason has felt like five years just with everything that's gone on with the portal the the coaching staff turnover and everything uh but we're finally here we're we're through fall Camp uh Indiana is on to game prep uh have you had a chance to sort of uh wrap your head around all that's happened this offseason uh I mean I guess a little bit I mean it's you know it's obviously been a while um since there's been a coaching change that football in in the last one there was no search you know they went from you know Kevin Wilson was fired on a you know and Tom Allen was hired the same day and I was on interim basis but it you know it became permanent obviously um and you didn't have the portal back then you know you didn't have all the stuff that goes on now so it was kind of lowkey as low-key as a coaching change can um obviously this one you know you had the search and and and then you had the roster turnover which was you know U extraordinary um and then you had you know uh uh do regular recruiting this summer for the 25 class you know while you're still doing portal recruiting so yeah it's been um it's been a whirlwind um uh you know and like you said it does feel like it's been it's been feels like it's been forever since that first press conference with Kurt cetti back back in December when he was hired but we F like that like he said it's here it's game week and and so now you can just kind of turn the focus to football uh Indiana made it through fall camp and and obviously through the summer mostly unscathed with injuries uh obviously we've uh done content on this on the site but uh Nick Kidwell the big the big Story coming out of fall Camp his injury season ending knee injury um I just wanted to touch on that off the top uh you know obviously Bray Lynch and Tyler Stevens and Drew Evans the three guys still battling for those two guard spots uh just just how impactful is Kidwell going down he's a seventh year guy projected to start had had a lot of familiarity with the Shanahan offenses how how impactful is that well I think it's it's pretty impactful I mean if you look Kidwell didn't practice in the spring obviously he was injured last year didn't practice the spring and I would I would say and he was immediately put in as a starter at Right Guard um and you could pretty much say that you know some are written in pencil that one looked like he was written in pen you know barring an inj and unfortunately that's what happened B an injury you know um he was going to be the guy at Right Guard you know they only had 14 scholarship lineman coming into the to fall Camp you're down to 13 and five of those the Four Freshman and Austin Barrett have basically not four of them not played in college football and Barrett might have got a couple of like you know snaps that not significant at all so you basically have eight guys who who have been in college football for more than a year and a few of those haven't played much so it hurts from a starting standpoint and it hurts your depth because they're a little bit thin o line you know the good thing I guess the Silver Line Is It Happened two weeks you know basically before the first game instead of two weeks into the season so it gives you time to adjust you know to kind of start getting somebody else ramped up and I mean Bob B set does a great job of getting guys prepared but now you can kind of shift your focus and try to get this other guy or guys like you said ready to play uh one one of those the Right Guard spots so the timing at least was beneficial but yeah it's a tough blow I mean it's not you can't it's not something that you can't overcome but it is it is it is a tough blow for the for the o line and for the offense yesterday we had touched on this a little bit in our uh peak's take right after we heard from cetti uh during his Monday availability but he uh he did mention that um you know he didn't he didn't throw this out there for no reason that uh you know all three of Stevens Lynch and Evans had been taking Snaps at Center uh and you had mentioned that you know something that was kind of interesting I thought that was pretty interesting too because cetti is not one to just kind of say stuff you know on a whim uh it do you think there's any chance that you know maybe they slide mik kic out to to you know where he's been playing the last few years at guard and and you know use a Bray Lynch who's been practicing there throughout the spring and summer at Center maybe yeah you could um you know I I like I said to me when you say all three guys can snap that indicates that there's a possibility that they could be the center and maybe if you feel like you know I think I think the tough thing is is one the biggest thing you sold Mike hack on to come back was we're going to play you at Center and it's going to make you more Mar marketable for the next level for the NFL so you know that's kind of tough but you know I you know K's a team guy I think he he he understands I mean I would guess he might be disappointed and I'm not saying he's not gonna play center I'm just saying when you throw that out there like we both kind of perk both our ears up I immediately thought okay there's a chance one of these guys could be at Center at some point in either in the game or the season and Mike Kad it goes to he you know he's played both guard spots mainly left guard you know I think recently so um but I he would think he could go to Right Guard if you needed him there um but yeah I I it's hard to say but you know it it wouldn't shock me to to see that happen at some point and if you're if you got a comfortable lead maybe you stick one of those guys in there um you know like I said we said this yesterday the first two games give you if they go how you expect them to give you an opportunity to kind of experiment to almost not treat I you want to win them but almost like a spring game or a scrimmage where you can kind of you know move guys around and see what works and see what doesn't obviously not forsaking the chance to win the game but you know if you if you get to a point where you feel comfortable maybe you can try some things to see how guys look yeah that that's that's the nice thing about you know this year's schedule that that you know Indiana might not have had the luxury of previous years playing Western Kentucky Louisville those kind of teams where you know you get these three non-conference teams that you should beat pretty handily at home um it really does give you an you know opportunity and like I had said yesterday I think you I think you know cuz cetti was pretty non-committal about uh you know uh Lynch Evans Stevens uh you know he said we'll see who who we tried onto the field for the first series uh I would not be surprised if you see all three of those guys play in the three non-conference games um give all three guys a shot to see who can um you know really solidify themselves um so we'll kind of see how that plays out but the rest of fall Camp Matt uh everything we've heard coming out of fall Camp obviously the coaches are going to pump out uh you know a lot of confidence a lot of good things about the team out of fall camp but aside from the Kidwell injury it seems to be you know everything is is is is looking on the up and up for for IU yeah they seem to come through pretty healthy I mean um you know I think other than Andrew the paye if I'm saying that right who is the walk- on for Michigan State transfer um I don't know that they have any and obviously Kidwell but any other than that any really serious inju injuries and I I'm not sure dep Pepe was gonna Factor much this year as far as the rotation at at Edge you know um maybe he would have worked his way up but early on I I it didn't seem that way but they seem to pray you you me you asked about cornerback and I know you know JoJo Johnson got hurt a couple weeks ago but it sounds like if he's not ready by G week one it shouldn't be too long after that he didn't give a time table but he he strongly indicated that they could be at full strength for the first week so yeah I think I mean that's what you're that's the biggest thing about fall Camp is is Health you know obviously you want to get better and Implement install your systems and I think they feel good about that but can you come through and healthy especially to your main guys and other than Kidwell as we mentioned that was a blow um that seems like a pretty healthy Squad uh so for the sake of uh not doing position overviews again because we've done tons of that uh and we we can uh link that stuff over on the sites um but I did want to get into U uh sort of the you know different you know we we we obviously heard from different players throughout fall camp we heard from the coordinators heard from cetti a lot uh were there any you know any you know two three players that really stood out to you as guys who really got talked about a lot because I know for me you know D'Angelo Pon and we've texted about this uh if everything they're saying you know because obviously we didn't get to watch a lot of uh fall Camp just you know the the early the Early individual drills and stuff but everything they've been saying the staff has been putting out about pwns if if that translates this this you know this fall he could be an absolute stud um obviously we'll see how that translates but anybody else Matt besides ponds uh that that that kind of caught your ear well I mean you always he the you know defensively and he didn't play practice in Spring I think he was coming back from inj but Jaylen Walker the linebacker and um I I think cetti described him as maybe one of the fastest guys on the team he can run sideline to sideline and obviously we saw Aiden Fischer did in the spring game he was fantastic um you know so on defense um you know in in Kamar um I think Brian ha said like basically he's out there every play like he's he's just one of those guys that they can lean on um you know offensively um I would say not really the three running backs you know they seem to really like and he mentioned yest say Kayon black Justice Ellison um and Tyson lton and you know I I think those three guys we saw what they could do in the spring they were impressive um and then C Curtis TR I mean for him a couple weeks ago to come out and say he has he's not named him as a starter but let's be honest it's the writing's on the wall but he came out and said he has clearly and significantly separated himself may not be quoting that exactly right but it sound like he put a pretty good amount of distance between him and everybody else and really in particular Tav Jackson because that was who he's really competing with um you know for the quarterback job so um you know I I those are the kind of those are the names I mean at receiver there's so many guys I don't know if that they really focused on one I mean you know he did mention you know Jeff RAB John's asked about Omar Cooper um and he said you know he if he translates what he does on the practice field so sounds like he's doing well in the practice field and Omar's a guy that I think is a chance I've kind of mentioned him as a possible sleeper even though that position's deep to kind of have a breakout year so those are the names off the top of my head kind of come to mind I wanted to hit on receiver really quick because I was kind of thinking about this a couple days ago um you know we we didn't hear we haven't heard much about receiver um just that the room is coming along and and you know early uh early in the spring and then and then coming into fall uh cetti kind of sounded like he had he had some of his some concerns there um you know we we heard him you know kind of publicly pushing Donovan mccol to give a little bit more in practice EJ Williams couldn't stay on the field don't know his you know we assume that he's back on the field and he'll be ready for for week one uh but it was kind of interesting I thought that uh we didn't hear too much about receiver other than you know what was asked you know we heard a little bit about Elijah Sarat who who's you know expected to have a huge role Omar Cooper who's like you mentioned a sleeper pick um did that Intrigue you at all a little bit that you know with with as much talent as IU has a receiver that we didn't hear too much about you know this guy standing out that guy standing out yeah maybe a little um yeah I think the most interesting comment I I think I heard about receiver was that big 10 media day in the breakout session when he talked to us and he somebody asked him about receiver I can't remember the question but he was basically like we could we could afford we could we could handle a key injury at that spot like you could lose obviously hope you hope it doesn't happen but one of your top guys and you'd still be okay so um maybe a little bit they didn't mention anybody specifically but I I just think it's a room where there's so many guys like I said before I think Don mccol could be as impactful or more impactful than he was last year and his numbers could actually go down just because there's just so many guys there that um you know you got to kind of pick your poison when you're the defense when when they line up so and they're I think they're going to rotate a bunch of guys at that spot and and keep them fresh so I mean you know it's it I guess maybe a little surprising nobody was mentioned but I to me it doesn't mean that it's not a good because they've mentioned many times it's a very talented group all right uh that that'll do it for fall Camp if you guys want to check out our position previews we'll have much more we can include all the links and stuff over on the site we covered a lot of that in our uh fall Camp preview podcast if you guys want to go check that out all right let's jump into the schedule Matt uh we haven't talked about this much at all um up until now and I feel like going into game week is a good time to really dive into this uh you know very favorable schedule maybe I use most favorable schedule since you know before the East West Big 10 divisions uh obviously you still have to play Michigan you still have to play Ohio State uh but you get eight home games this year and you get a lot of teams that are you know in in in you know a very similar position to IOU with coaching changes roster turnover uh eight home games four away you know you get that Northwestern game that could be a total toss up at Evon on their Lakeside temporary field um so this is this is a schedule Matt that really sets up nicely for IU to start strong and and I know a lot of IU fans are you know are are dreaming high and and hoping big things um but there is a legitimate scenario where IU is you know close to Bow eligibility by by the time they get to the second half of the season um for you this this schedule has to be one of if not the most favorable you've seen since since you've been covering a you I'm guessing yeah that at least definitely um like you said from um they went to the east west uh divisions because obviously every every year you almost started 0 and three when you had Michigan Ohio State and Penn State on your schedule and then you know Indiana for a number of years you know and I I always thought it was I said it I thought it was foolish they would schedule a Louisville or or Cincinnati you know so you were basically scheduling another it's almost like you schedule another conference game because those team teams could compete in the Big 10 and beat several teams in your league so this year the schedule non-conference is the way it should be it's three games where you should be able to get wins um not have to play your guys for four quarters get some guys some snaps who normally wouldn't get snaps and get halfway to bowl eligibility and I know you know he C the goal's not six and six and I get that and that's that's the way that's the right way to think but when you won nine games in the last three years six and six looks pretty darn good um so so you know I the schedule lays out like you said you play Michigan Ohio State those are going to be tough games you get a bye-week in between them which is interesting to by weeks this year in the season which doesn't it does not happen very often um in college football so but it it lays out well and the and you know there is a legit shot to be five- one or possibly six and0 going into that first bye in in mid October not saying it's going to happen but three of those the three non conference games and you have three very winnable games in um in the Big 10 um you know even if if you can get to five or six wins it's you're playing with house money you you really are for the rest of the season you're playing with house money and you know I'm not saying the pressure's off but it's not like you have your back it wasn't like last year where you had to go what four and0 over the last four weeks or whatever it was to even have a chance at a bowl game so it does lay out nicely for IU this year uh the first two games of the Season against FIU and Western Illinois at home are two two of the arguably easiest games out you could have scheduled FIU ESPN's FBI had them I think third worst coming into this season in all FBS I think profile Football Focus might have had them last in the FBS FIU and then Western Illinois they haven't won a game since I think the 2022 season they went 0 and 111 last year 0 and 111 the year before uh so that is you know arguably the worst FCS team as well uh those two games Matt you know you hope aou can can get out of there without much trouble uh you know you know early blowouts put it on early and get the backups in just those two first games though are going to be you know critical even if they are not the caliber of opponent that I is going to see just what are you looking for out of those first two games well the week one I mean there's going to be some hiccups it's the first game you got a bunch of new players um you know what you're what I'm looking for and I kind of mentioned yesterday when we talked after the press conference is can you impose your will on teams that you should impose your will on and to me Florida National I I'm not saying they're exact this is similar to the akaran game last year you know now they Florida National is gonna have some guys who can run they're a South Florida team they're going to have some of those from down there who maybe were overlooked by the bigger schools and but they played at good programs down in that part of the country um to me though you know they they got a quarterback who can be a little bit dangerous um but you should be able to upfront on both sides of the ball I would think impose your will and kind of dominate the line of scrimmage and make life very very difficult for for them you know the next week you you mentioned Western Illinois is just they're it's a really poor program right now and it's you know coming from the FCS so those are two games where you know I would think uh um especially with wois you know mid third quarter if not sooner that game's pretty much kind of over Florida National you know maybe a smidge later but you should be empty in the bench I would hope late third quarter into the fourth quarter in that game and getting some guys playing time but yeah this is where you need to come out and you know I at times under Tom Allen I felt like he didn't try to you know step on people's necks when when they the few times they had that chance I I don't get that S I think Kirk is going to do that he doesn't strike me as a guy now he's not going to play guys past where they need to be played but he's also going to try to put away teams when he has a chance to put him away and kind of beat him down for lack of a better term you know when that's what should happen yeah you the biggest thing coming out of these games keep your guys healthy yeah and then obviously you know try to keep the Playbook as as vanilla as you can not too not show too much and then obviously get get out of there with two uh you know two two wins to start the season the UCLA game this is one I've had cirle since you know the schedule came out this is going to be a huge I think litmus test for IU not because UCLA is you know overly dominant but just because there you know it's a first road game first Big 10 game and and UCLA is in a very similar position to IU now I know UCLA obviously you know they hired Eric Vimy who was you know a longtime NFL offensive coordinator um so that that was a big hire for them but DeShaun Foster is is highly unproven never been a head coach at any level of football uh and you know we saw what he did at Big 10 media days up there on the podium that was that was not too great uh but you you know going on the road going to the West Coast for your big first Big 10 Road game is is not going to be an easy thing uh the rosebowl has never been you know a huge uh you know home field advantage for UCLA and you know there are a ton of IU alumni over on the west coast which I think uh you know I think it will surprise some people how many IU fans end up at that game but this is one i' I've really had scheduled for for a long time now if IU can pull this one out you know and you're heading into that Charlotte game which you should win you know you're looking at 4 and0 coming out of uh you know four weeks there Matt the first four weeks of the Season that UCLA game I would not be surprised if whyu kind of tries to throw uh you know a not not everything it has at UCLA uh but you know really really open up the Playbook there because if you can get that game then you're you're really rolling to that point yeah absolutely and I I agree I mean it's you know you can lose that game and still get the bowl eligibility but obviously it makes it makes the road a little bit tougher um you get that game and you're for like you said you should be four and0 that's why you said a five- one no start before the first bye is is very possible for this program and it would be huge and and you know UCLA it's not this is not a team that's expected to contend for the title The Big 10 um but they're gonna have some talent I mean Chip Kelly was the coach there they had some they have some good players um you know they have guys that get drafted but it is a new coaching staff uh a guy who like you said never been a head coach um and then you and you have to factor in the travel across the country um you know Indiana you know they've made some trips but I mean going to to to uh Lincoln Nebraska is not the same as going all the way out to LA um you know and playing but you know the the atmosphere should not be overwhelming you know I'm sure you know it'll be cool to play in the Rose Bowl and then to see the backdrop of uh the mountains and all that around there I mean I'm looking forward to seeing it myself um but this is a winnable game and I I'm with you I think this is a game where you know you're not throwing the kitch and sink at him but maybe you have some wrinkles to really try to go out there and get this win so you can come back and you know you know uh the first uh finish off the first third of your season um or sorry first quarter of your season three and 0 the first quarter and um you know like Kevin wils used to say if you can do that you know everything really sets up well for this program to get back to a balll game uh the Charlotte game like we said you know both of us are predicting a win there we'll see the UCLA is really a tossup but even if you're three and one going uh going into you know the thick of the Big 10 play three and one halfway to bowl eligibility after you know third of the season is uh you know kind of where you want to be if you're IU at this point um you know with a first year coaching staff uh so we'll kind of gloss over the charlot game a little bit because you know that should be kind of on par with FIU Charlotte is a little bit better uh than fiu's predicted to be uh this season so that might be a little bit of a tougher matchup uh but but then you get Maryland at home and Northwestern on the road two games at IU you know again toss-up games um that you could be really looking you know back on when the season's over is you know man we could have had that game um you know or games that you know really push aou to another level to you may be the seven eight win mark there with the Maryland game especially it's going to be interesting because you know obviously toia taga uh started three years there he was you know prolific now they got a new quarterback uh you know Mike lockley has that program rolling a little bit uh but Indiana getting them at home you know it shouldn't be too much of a uh you know they might be underdogs going into that game but I don't I don't think they'll be as big of underdogs as people might give them uh a credit for it yeah I mean it's a game I mean last year they got their doors blown off by Maryland I was at that game over over in College Park but they've been competitive with Maryland it's it's a team that they've beaten um multiple times over the last few after last several years um so it's you know the one thing is you know Mike oy is an offensive guy you know offensively they're going to be a challenge to deal with uh and then they're gonna have they're going to have some good players I mean they they recruit well and they get a lot of guys from that you know Washington DC that uh Baltimore DMV area and um you know those guys are you know they get athletes guys who can run make plays or explosive you know the quarterback um situation obviously is a vastly different um than it's been the last three years so you know that like once again it's a winnable game this is a game where on paper you can compete with these guys now it's just you know can you go out and um can you go out and uh you know get the win uh win one of these I would expect this to be a close game um kind of go down to the wire and obviously last year that was not great for Indiana that's one of the things I expect to see different this year under kirkon edti is these close games making those plays at the crucial time in the fourth quarter to pull out a win uh G your head Matt UCLA Maryland does aou walk out of that one and one two- 0 what do you think there um I think at worse one and one but I I I like their chances to go two and0 in those games I mean I really do and you know maybe maybe you know and people on the site the last couple years i' I've kind of been you know not not overly optimistic about the program because I kind of saw where it was headed um you know I I think this team you know this team has a chance these are games that they can win and I just I feel like Kurt cetti you look at his background it's not just what he said I look at what he's done and this is a guy that has proven time and time again um he can come in he can AFF change immediately and um you know I think that's going to happen I think these are the kind of games where the coaching and and the little things matter in the in the in the Heat of the Moment that we just haven't had Indi hasn't had the last few years and we're going to see that um you know starting this year yeah kind of where my head is that with with especially with the the the first two big 10 games with UCLA and Maryland uh is you know if IU can go you know these are two teams that are sort of in the same tier as IOU just you know both in terms of what they've done recently and then you know recruiting and and and all that you know uh if IU can go two and0 in those two games and kind of set themselves on a different level and and prove that okay we're not in the same tier as everyone thinks we are um this season I think that's when you can really you know see IU get rolling at that point now two and 0 obviously has never been easy for IU to do uh to start Big 10 play but if I can do that I mean you're really playing like with with house money like you had said uh previously there uh you know I think a one if you go one and one in those two games I think that's you know respectable depending on how you know the the the the game results shake out and and the performance and whatnot I think one in one is is is totally you know I think what a lot of people are expecting two and 0 though uh at that point in the year I think you know you got you got to feel really good about IU going into uh the Northwestern game let's let's go to that Northwestern game Matt and Evon everyone wants to talk about the temporary field uh and all that but you know this Northwestern team is coming off an eight- win season they got a little bit lucky last year with how the you know the the you results broke and how their uh schedule broke down uh but this is Northwestern team that has a transfer quarterback this year uh you know a couple new pieces uh you know at different skill positions uh the defense is always going to be solid David Brawn the head coach is a defensive minded coach so you you have to feel good about northwestern's defense but that's another game I've circled on my on my on you know my schedule as as one that IU really needs to take if it's going to uh you know look back and and say you know this is what got us to bowl eligibility yeah and I and I been through I mean I started in 2008 the year after Bill Lynch LED Indiana to a ball game as an interim coach and I'm not saying it's going to be the but I've seen this before were and they were different circumstances obviously Terry Hepner dying and P show getting fired because of the hazing stuff that was going on it's two different things but it's still similar in that you lose your head coach you know right right before the season and you got to go with somebody else um and you know you play there's a lot of emotion I'm not saying they're not going to be good this year I just you just don't know you know there were special circumstances for that team last year just like there were special circumstances for Indiana 2007 and the interim thing ended up not working out maybe it'll work out great for Northwestern one thing that's interesting you mentioned the temporary Stadium you're from up there I've been to games that the the ryanfield where they you know the stadium they just tore down they're gonna you know build build a new one and um the wind off the lake can be absolutely brutal I mean even when you're sitting in the stands and this is going to be a place that's not really going to have like big concrete stands I'm curious how the weather's going to be because I think this is going to be right on the lake if I'm not mistaken like literally sitting right there by the lake this could be an interesting game as far as weather now it's early October maybe it won't be bad but that's one of the things I'm really interested in seeing is just what what does the weather look like that day because it could be a day where throwing the throwing the football may be really really difficult because you're playing with no nothing to block the wind and you got really strong gust coming off that Lake like I said you live there and you know how know about it but I've sat in that stadium and Frozen my butt off because of that that that Lake Effect wind that you get up there so but it's a game that I like Indiana's chances but you know we'll see northwestern's are really unknown they lost their quarterback I think he went to Iowa um they start Brendan Sullivan you said they got a transfer so it'll be interesting it's just roster turn over it'll be interesting to see how they play coming out of the gate now that it's kind of settled back down and there's not that emotion of we're playing for ourselves we lost our coach and all that kind of thing coming out of Northwestern Indiana gets its first bye of the season and then it's on to Nebraska and Washington I believe the Nebraska game is homecoming weekend we'll lump those two games together Matt because I also think you can kind of put Nebraska and Washington in the same tier now obviously Washington was in uh the cfp national title game last year but once again coaching turnover that they hired jetfish who I think was a you know terrific hire for Washington uh you know all the work he did to turn around Arizona last year uh but Nebraska and Washington both teams that are kind of looking to kind of really establish themselves in the Big 10 Matt rule at Nebraska uh you know they he had him one win away from bull eligibility last year now if Nebraska fans uh that's you know five and seven seat is not is is not even close to where they expect to be uh but when you look at these two games mat you get both of them in Bloomington which uh you you have to you know give give aou a little bit of a boost there and and especially like we said coming out of the first half of the schedule you know if a you can get out of there 5- one six and0 and you're heading into Nebraska Washington you're feeling really good uh with these two games do do do you see them as sort of a a you know maybe a program sorry a season defined you know two game stretch there yeah and I mean Nebraska obviously I would think a little bit ahead of Washington because they their staff's been there now they you know they announced they're starting that freshman Rola that he was a stud quarterback um you know and he's obviously incredibly talented but he is a freshman so there's going to be some Growing Pains um I think I thought Matt Ru was a great higher and I still do I know they have it's been a little bit slower than they thought but I think you know I could see Nebraska taking a pretty significant step forward this year and then Washington I want to say it was like 41 of their top 44 and they two deep or something I mean they lost it was amazing how much they've lost in the turnover I mean Jed fish talked we were sitting there listening to them at the media Big 10 media day so you know these are these are you know I would I would probably put Washington a little bit higher on the on what I would consider that you know winnability I think they're both winnable games just because of where their programs at compared to Nebraska but these are two similar teams talent wise I would think they'll be fairly similar um you know and you get a byee before that nebras so get a couple weeks preparing you're hoping you're coming off a win so you're coming in with a lot of good kind of Mojo and feeling good about yourself so but you know I if if you're if you come this game five- one um let's just say you come in 51 six and0 even if you split you know obviously you're in a great position but yeah I think you can get these two wins um it it is kind of season to find it because you could be at seven possibly eight wins you know worst case may when I say worst case you know you're four- two in the first six you're bow eligibility after these two games so this a big stretch for Indiana the these first two games after that fir after the first bye uh coming out of Nebraska and Washington IU goes to east laning where they've surprisingly had more success uh you know at Spartan Stadium in in recent times than uh you know some people might think uh we remember back to I think it was a 222 season when IU was uh you know really looked to be uh you know had hit kind of the the ground spiraled all the way down and then they went into East laning pulled out a win there Michigan State once again another big 10 team that has a lot of coaching turnover lot of roster turnover I think it was like 24 22 uh new incoming transfers this year they have a new quarterback Aiden Charles uh who comes from Oregon State following Jonathan Smith to Michigan State this is another game Matt I I also have circled on my calendar I have a lot I have a lot of game circle on my calendar but this one especially uh Michigan state is is very much in the same position as IU this year is uh you don't I I wouldn't expect the talent level to be drastically different if you can go into East Lan and get a win uh you know this is where think IU really sets up because you get Michigan and Ohio State the weeks uh the two weeks after that game if you can pull off a win in in East laning IU's feeling really good about itself going into into this back um you know stretch of the Season yeah and I mean obviously I don't want to sit here in pensan losses but Michigan Ohio State are gonna be tough games I mean you could play well and go 0 and2 and Ohio State might be the most talented team in the country this year I mean they're they're loaded like they are most years so you know that Michigan State game is another big one um you know hopefully by then it it you lose it's not a killer for your bow chances but at the same time if you lose that game you could be staring down a three-game losing streak which you know for this program a lot of these players are new but there's still some it's it's the whole everything around the program you know how it is you've been around this Jared you know people a couple losses in Rome people all the same old IU even if it's to really good team so you know I mean there's there's we got to see how the season plays out but yeah that is a game you and in early November it could be similar that game a couple years ago where it was snowing like crazy and crazy I think IU fell way behind and they got a long run from uh a long kick return from Jaylen Lucas and I can't remember the the running backs name the guy from Miami that had the long run in that game as well the transfer from Auburn um but you know it could yeah that's it sorry good thank you um yeah he had that long run so you know it could be one of those kind of games where weather's a factor again um but yeah this is this is you know we talked about the schedule as far as Road games go other Ohio State this is not a daunting schedule it's it's really not I mean you got three teams that you know are kind of in your same boat uh Michigan State especially and UCLA with new coaches um so this is these are these are uh these are games that where you know you have a real legit shot I mean this is you know like I said people think we're drinking the Kool-Aid I'm not I'm not predicting 10 wins but I also wouldn't be shocked by 10 wins you know I I I think I think between six and 10 wins is is is is kind of where I see this where this season going for IU and this is one of those games that can determine whether you're going to be at six to seven or you know eight nine or 10 yeah Michigan State I for me it's this game is really a Prov it game because you know a lot can happen in the UCLA game Big 10 opener go go have to go out to the West Coast so there's a lot of different circumstances there but once you get to this November November second game at Michigan State uh you know you should have a a very good idea of what your roster is what your two deep is uh what you know the scheme The Playbook all that uh you know you go to Michigan State and you can prove yourself okay we are not you know the the same old IOU that you know in the past has has struggled on the road even against teams our caliber if IU can go in and improve that you know you not even for this season but you're really setting yourself for the future you know this is definitely you know this is a different you know kind of vibe around IU at that point in the year uh all right following Michigan State you get Michigan and Ohio State two games that you know IU is probably going to be huge underdogs in like they are each season but just coming out of these two games Matt even if aou does you know lose both of them it's tough that they get him back toback weeks but even if aou does lose both of them uh there there's still something I think you can take out of it in that you know IU looks more competitive in these games IU doesn't you know just lay down for Michigan and Ohio State because they're Michigan and Ohio State uh I think you'll learn a lot from about IU and and about this new coaching staff uh even if they come in losses yeah and I mean I I for me I I would rather have Michigan at home andio state on the road because I don't think it quite honestly wher you play you they doesn't matter because they're so they're going to be so talented and they're a vet and Michigan's got a lot of guys back they're they're they are going to be a really interesting team for me to watch this year we don't know I know Shon Moore went three and 0 but I mean let's be honest I don't want to say anybody could have coached him to three and0 but that was a team that was absolutely focused on win a National Title they had a ton of guys who came back for that sole purpose and they were bound and determined to do it and I think that was almost more a coach or player-led team than even a coach L team um not taking anything from those coaches but now you everything's on you for Shon Moore all the stuff off the field you have to run the entire program it's not just showing up and coaching the game or showing up the practicing and coaching the game on Saturday everything's on him I mean I think it'll be tough to win either game but obviously I think if you were gonna pick one team they could upset it would be Michigan um you know but I saw I mean both are gonna be tough Michigan's defense is going to be stacked they got a bunch of guys on that are gonna be NFL draft picks it's going to be a really really daunting game in Ohio State you know the same so you know hopefully you coming out that relatively healthy good showing you know and then you know obviously you got like the Bucky game which we'll talk about here in a sec yeah you you made a good point with Michigan too yeah they're one of the teams I'm really intrigued by this year because at that point in the season when IU gets them I think what is it week uh week 10 I think it is um yeah third third to last game of the regular season you know at that point in the season Michigan could have gone e you know one of two ways at that point in the season you know with everything shrouding them you know there reports that sh more could be um you know suspended at some point this season you know obviously they have the show or the um the the notification of uh what is it notification of penalties or whatever it was from the NCAA so a lot of that is clouding them so at this point in the season you could really see a Michigan team that's either you know kind of struggling to stay above water or a Michigan team that's really proved everybody wrong and has really gone on a run there um so uh you know even in two losses even if IOU does not take the Michigan and Ohio State game like you know I'm I'm guessing the odds are going to have them at uh you could I think you'll still learn a lot about IU in in kind of in terms of you know their competitive level and uh you know obviously the talent level will not be on par with Michigan Ohio State but a lot of it will will be telling about how you kind of you know fights in that game and you know uh competes for all four quarters uh so we'll see how those two go moving on to the last week of the Season as always the bucket game IU hosts Purdue this season in Bloomington IU hoping to get back the bucket Matt Purdue was ranked last in the Big 10 which was kind of shocking to me uh but considering everything they lost uh this off season um you know that's a game that you know I you should depending on how the season shakes out uh you know you like your chance of going in that game as favorites uh you know and obviously winning the bucket just means a little bit more in this rivalry uh in terms of you know instate recruiting you know recruiting the Midwest uh just how important is this game for a first year coaching staff to to Really establish themselves and show you know we we are the the power of the state yeah it's always it's always a big game um for for instate recruiting um you know I mean it's Indiana's the new staff that came in has come in and done and done a pretty good job within State recruiting even though they were pretty well behind I mean you know it's not like Kurt tetti was recruiting a ton of Indiana kids at JMU so these 24 kids were already you know they were kind of behind but they were able they were able to to get on and then in the 25 class um uh I should have said 25 said 24 but it started to get on some of these 25 kids and then it'll really be to me it helped it'll be beneficial uh for the 26 and then obviously Purdue won that game last year game that you know Indiana could have EAS have won um can make the argument they probably should have won um but you know it it it just to kind of you know establish that you know and especially I mean let's be honest he what he said at the basketball game when he was first hired this is a game where you definitely want to try to uh try to go get that win you got at home and try to get the bucket back I mean you got two trophy games back on the schedule with the um the brass platoon and then obviously the bucket against Purdue brass platoon against Michigan State so um but the bucket's the one everybody talks about and and wants to get so yeah it's a big game and especially if you're coming off you know if we if our our predictions are kind of on par and they're coming off two losses you really want to you know even if you're bull eligible by this game you you don't want to finish on you know where you're losing your last three or whatever it may be and kind of going into the into the off not offseason but into the bull prep hopefully on kind of a Down note so you know You' like to get this win and Purdue is interesting I mean they got their quarterback back but they lost their top receiver lost to DN who was a stud that SC Nick scorton I'm not sure if I'm saying that right went to A&M um who was fantastic and is being projected as a high draft pick next year after the season so you know they they they've recruited the portal their portal strategy is a little bit different they seem to go for the guys that are kind of maybe higher profile out of high school but maybe haven't played as much um kind of the Tom Allen way of doing it I'm not saying it's wrong or right but you know cetti has been more on I'll go for the guy from the smaller School Old Dominion JMU wherever it may be but he's really got two or three years of production so it'll be interesting I mean those guys with Talent can pan out but there's also a reason why maybe they haven't gotten on the field in two or three years at the school they were at so it'll be interesting but you know Purdue is gonna come in and and play hard and play well because it's a rivalry game it doesn't matter that's one of those games you throw the records out I've been around this program since I was very young and I've seen some good Indiana teams look bad against Purdue and I've seen some bad Indiana teams beat Purdue so you just never know it's it's a bucket game and then obviously we can also play a part that late in the year yeah and for Purdue for a team that's projected to be last in the Big 10 and you know obviously trying looking to make a statement this could be a game for them you know most seasons we've seen it where it's you know both teams are going into that game five and six or sorry yeah five looking to get to Bowa eligibility um you know for Purdue you know at this point in the season you hope IU has bow eligibility locked up for but for Purdue it could be a game where you know they could be sitting at five wins looking to really get a you know get to bowl eligibility there uh and really prove a lot of people wrong um so you know a lot of people don't have Purdue you know projected to do too well this season um but like you said the bucket game everything that it means to uh you know both programs uh it's it's always going to mean a little bit more and and I think you'll see that on the field so we'll see how it goes uh real quick on Purdue just looking at their schedule I mean they got Notre Dame uh Oregon adoh House State and Penn State I mean you're staring at four losses before you even start your season so they got to go six and two in the other eight games so yeah it could be tough and they also gota go to Wisconsin they gotta go to Oregon State um so there's their schedules it you know it's kind of flipped they they can live the uh life Indiana has been living for the last several years so it's the way it goes yeah yeah that is brutal that they had you know schedule Notre D in Oregon State uh this season uh which for for for a program that's looking to get um you know in their second year under Ryan Walters trying to get their legs under them uh that that is certainly a choice to schedule uh two tough non-con games uh this season all right Matt uh We've made it through the regular season let's get into predictions here uh maybe maybe we'll go about it two ways what is what do you think iou's win floor is this season what do you think their their their ceiling is and then what do you think they ultimately end up at I honestly think their floor is six and six I I really do I think this the way the schedule sets up I think anything I think quite honestly anything less than six wins is going to be it's going to be a disappointment and um you know uh and I think and I think they're cealing I honestly think their ceiling is is 10 wins I think there's only two games on this schedule where I say you know even if they play well it's going to be really hard to get wins I think if they play well in um in the other 10 games it doesn't mean you're gonna win all to football things can happen but you have a legit shot to win every game and let's be honest this is a team that last year had five was it four five one score losses and I'm including Penn State Penn State was a nine-point game but it wasn't a nine-point game Indiana got they got the safety late but Indiana had a chance to tie that game up or win it after the turn after the pick you know in the four quarter and they had other games I mean there's a bunch of close games that if if you have some just a little bit better game management a little bit better in-game coaching a little bit better prepared team you can win some of these games and if you just win let's be honest if Indiana just wins half of those games you know or three of those games we're not talking about Kirk cetti as the coach at Indiana Tom Allen's still the coach if they go six and six last year so they were close um you know it's weird they were close but yet they were so far away at the same time time so you know I think six and six I'm going to go eight and four I think they're going to split the difference and I think I'm going to go eight and four um you know for the season and maybe I'm maybe I'm being overly optimistic but I I really do think um the mentality and the culture and the attitude that cetti and his staff have brought in are going to make the difference in a couple of these closer games and they're GNA able to get some of these wins that they haven't been able to get the last three years yeah and you you had mentioned previously you know a lot a lot a lot of at least The Outsiders the national guys you know kind of look at IU and say oh they're drinking the Kool-Aid this year first year coaching staff roster turnover all that you know there's no way they could go go out and win eight games but I think a lot of people have not really took a chance or you know taken a deep dive into IU schedule this year and how it sets up uh you know the more I've looked at the schedule the the harder I see the more difficult it is for me to wrap my head around them not making a bowl game like I think a lot would have to go wrong now I'm not saying you know say they finished season five and seven you know which is kind of on par with with where I who's traditionally been a first year coaching staff if they go five- seven you know I don't think that's going to be a huge shock to uh you know it'll be a huge shock to Indiana fans but maybe not the national guys uh and those like from you know looking at the program from the from the you know 30,000 foot view uh but yeah the more I look at the schedule it really is hard for me not to find six wins here uh I think a lot would have to kind of go wrong injuries what have you U you know maybe Curtis roor doesn't you know perform to the level that people think but you know a lot of circumstances would have to go against IU to not at least get to six wins here um and you know a lot of these games like you had like like we' mentioned a lot of these games are very winnable there going to be a lot of tossup games in here um and I I think I'm right with you I I think I had IU uh the last time I did the predictions uh on my own I think I had him at seven and five and if you're seven and five under a first year staff with with as many new guys as you have I think that's you know overwhelmingly a success considering where A's been the last uh three years under Tom Allen and that staff uh Matt I I did want to ask you know with all these tossup games uh what is there one in your mind that Indiana you know could you know has the best chance of upsetting here if you're going to pick an upset um well I mean the two games where you feel pretty comfortable they're gonna be a pretty big Underdog against Michigan that Ohio State like I said if I had a pick between those two I would pick Michigan the the toss-up games I mean I don't know the the UCLA line it'll be interesting they're going to play they're going to play Hawaii um this week and then they're off before they play Indiana um I would assume you know you give three points was it usually about three points to the home team no matter what I would assume that they'll probably be a little bit of a favorite um you know um Nebraska or Washington those are two now that'll be lat later in the season so it depends on how their seasons are going but if Nebraska's playing pretty well I could see them coming into Indiana and being a touchdown favorite you know I would probably maybe pick that as a game I would call a mild upset I guess that's mild if you if you if you're about a touchdown Underdog or right around there one score Underdog um but you know the the the the the really tough games I mean like I said I'm not saying they're gonna upset Michigan but you know I think there's their chances are better in that one than going into the Horseshoe you know the one thing you have going that week is Ohio State's got Michigan the following week and so they could be a little bit looking past Indiana um I you know still saying that though their talent is just so Superior not just Indiana but to basically every everybody I mean they're they're arguably the most talented team in the country so that's going to be a really difficult game but you know you never know it's college football crazy things happen and and but you know I would I would say of the kind of toss-up games maybe Nebraska because I'm saying they might be after Michigan Ohio State I don't know is it fair to say they might be the third best team on the schedule I maybe just based on the preseason prognostications I don't know at least talent wise yeah yeah um so yeah that will that that'll definitely interesting those two games especially because you get both of those games at home Nebraska and Washington you do uh all right Matt to if we're going to look at this from maybe de the the devil's uh you know the the negative side of things maybe a little bit you know guys you know think you know five and seven maybe is is is you know for a first year coaching staff wouldn't be the worst thing even if you go five- seven but you look respectable in those games for you say Indiana goes five- seven right for uh is is that a disappointing season for you well I guess it kind of depends on how plays out I mean if you if you have some injuries you know I think if this team stays relatively healthy and you go five and seven I to me I'll be a little bit disappointed um because I like I said I think I think six wins is is very doable and kind of the floor but you know if you if you if there's some things happen along the way that you can't control and injuries is obviously one of them um and maybe some of these teams are just better than we think you know maybe some of them you know have have have made more of a jump than we expected you know like in today's portal age with rosters turning over at 35 40% clip uh which is just insane it's hard it's just hard to say but um you know I think I will be a little bit disappointed you know but if quarter Curtis for Hope knock on would it doesn't happen if he goes down in week one or week two or something and nothing against Tav Jackson but you know now you're playing with a guy who doesn't have quite the experience and obviously um wasn't the first choice to play quarterback you know that could change things but I I think it'll be a little bit of disappointment but if you have seven wins where it's right there to the end you play well and and you just you know something quirky happens and you lose those games you know I know that the staff CET is not going to be okay with that but as long as you're showing progress you're getting better what I'm looking for is you get better from the start of the season to the end of the season um and that you're showing progress and and it's tangible and you can see it and I think if they do that I I I I really think they'll get more than five wins but that's the biggest thing show progress and that this program head in the right direction because in 21 um it was obvious this program was back was going back down the hill um and it just it it the slide never stopped and and until you got rid of Tom Allen that's what they did so that's what I'm looking for there's a foundation to build on for the next three or four years you're going to be a really competitive team that is going to be going to bowl games all let's get into uh I did want to talk about breakout picks a little bit now I will give the caveat no Curtis roor on offense no D'Angelo ponds on defense because those two guys are probably the ones that everyone's thinking about uh breakout picks on offense and defense for you um offense I'm gonna go Omar Cooper I talked about him earlier I think he's going to be I think he's going to be a guy that um is maybe has a bigger role and not the only reason why I think people been exp just because they have so many older guys they brought in all those transfers and then you have mcoi back you mentioned EJ Williams you know even Anderson Kobe who has not done a ton but he is an older guy who's you know been around college football was at Tennessee you know guys like that so but I think Omar Cooper is the guy he's my breakout defensively I'm gonna go Omari I think Amari Ferell I think he's gonna play that Rover spot I think I mean he's a guy that he's athletic he's got size to him and I think he's going to be a guy that's going to be an impact player for him on defense uh for me I think I'm gonna go a little bit different route here on offense I think one of the three the three interior guards that are kind of uh you know competing I think one of those three breaks out this year you know and especially for the long-term future when you're looking at IU and how they're building this offensive line you really do need a guy like Bray Lynch or Drew Evans who has multiple years of wellage really left you really do need one of those guys to take a jump um so I I'll go with Bray Lynch there because I think uh I think a lot of us have him maybe a little bit higher up in the in the pecking order than Drew Evans now obviously we'll see what happens on game day when they take the field I'll go with Bray Lynch there he's he's maybe an unconventional pick on offense um but but for aou you'd really like to have a guy like that really step up and show that he can kind of take the starting Reigns over the next few years and then on defense you know this is a guy that I don't think a lot of people are talking about but I think the additions on the defensive line will help a lot I'm going Marcus burus I think you know we we've seen his potential and and you know you've said in in the past you know the previous coaching staff thought he he had you know the best if not you know one of the best you know NFL potentials uh on the team in terms of you know Roth laicism uh size and and you know he last year he had to do a lot you know what expected of him because of you know what IU did not have at defensive tackle but now that you have CJ West now you have James Carpenter uh you know I don't think a lot of expectations will be on his shoulders and you know he's going into his junior year I believe it is uh you know this is this is a provate year for him to really take that next step and show you know the the recruit I was in high school I can still become that I can still grow into that and uh you know I'm really high on Pat Coons and his his ability to develop uh a talent on that side of the ball um and and you know one shot I will give to I do think one of the quarterbacks will take a step up uh you know Jamari sharp last year struggled a little bit um you know we saw that but that was his first full season as a retro freshman in a starting role I's going to need one of those quarterbacks to step up for the future and if you're looking at one of them you know it's going to be either JoJo Johnson Jamari sharp we don't expect the Freshman to play a lot I I like Jamari sharp a lot too um you know he probably won't get a ton of snaps this year just because of pwns and Jamir Johnson and those guys um but but I'm looking at him too to to to Really take the next step in his development all right Matt uh to wrap things up here uh going into week one against FIU um just a whole lot of you know turnover over just you know so much chaos happened this this this off season um for you just when you go through the season as a whole when you're looking when we look back on this 2024 season uh just what what is going to constitute success for you aside from obviously the wins in the bowl games on the field well like I said I mean you know just a sound football team you know I was on I was on um the fan this morning and they asked what would what I thought would be different about Indiana this year compared to last year and I went back and looked at it Indiana last year was um 10th in both penalties committed and turnover margin JMU was second I think in penalties so you know what I'm saying is the amount of penalties you commit so they were they didn't commit a lot of penalties they were second I can't remember if they were in turnover Marg but they were top I'm talking the Sun Belt Second Sun Belt and they were high up that to me that's a big deal when you don't have the talent not that they doesn't have good talent but when you don't have Elite Talent across the board you can't make self and we we've sat the Press Box and said you can't have self-inflicted wounds in the games you're gonna make mistakes there's going to be penalties um there's going to be you're gonna have some turnovers nobody's perfect but it's those critical turnovers that lead you know that they're they become pick sixes or they they're turnovers that lead directly to points you know what I mean those kind or you have a penalty where you get a big plate it gets called all the way back because somebody made a mistake or pre- snap penalties that put you at first and 15 or whatever it may be those kind of things so that's what I'm looking for I'm looking for a sound disciplined football team that even though even you know they don't they don't make a ton of mistakes but when they do they bounce back and they don't make the same ones over and over again because that's what we were seeing the last few years a lot of the same mistakes over and over again that weren't getting corrected and I think that's something we will see I don't think Kirk ced's teams I he's just not going to stand for the staff's not going to stand for and if you can't if you can't play the way he wants you to play You're Gonna Get and Coach the players have been saying that we heard that a bunch on Big 10 media day if you don't play the way they want you to play you're not going to play and that's what I'm looking for I'm looking for accountability to I I felt like accountability was not there the last couple years under Tom Allen guys were allowed too much rope that were making critical mistakes because they were older players I don't think that's going to be the case anymore going forward so that's what I'm looking for I'm looking for a football program that looks like a big 10 football program yeah and and everything we've heard this off season from Kurt cetti is that is fully what he intends to do win this season and and really build this thing uh you know from from you know the ground up right away all right Matt uh that'll do it for our week one podcast uh we're going to do a lot more of these during the season we want to do at least one of these a week uh so you guys can be on the lookout for that we'll you'll be able to hear from us much more um throughout the week uh if you want to check out all our offseason content you can go on peaks.com we have it all there uh we're always on the boards interacting with everybody but we've made it game week the Kurt Signet era is finally here FIU versus Indiana at Memorial Stadium 3:30 pm. this Saturday uh we'll have much more to say after that game obviously and leading into it um but for now Matt Weaver Jared Kelly we'll see you guys over on pigs.com