Are we better?

[Scooch]

Flip side, our defense had Cuse ahead at halftime 10-6 vs UNC and outscored our offense on the day 7-3. Filardi was 4-18 on the day and Willis ran for 66 yards on 15 carries.

UNC was absolutely terrible last season and it was a colossal embarrassment to lose to them.

 

[baggerbob]

the kid had 7 catches thru 9 games then suddenly in Nov he had 7 5 1 6.

Ended the year with 34 catches.

Coach even mentioned on the post-game they had no offense but the back shoulder throws in the 2nd half.


Much like we used Meeks last year to just keep moving the sticks. JRS was starting out to be that guy this year and goes down the same game with the QB and I don't know if we made that type of throw 2-3 more times all year.

Ishmael did it for use with Babers at times too.. Not sexy but you need someone who can do it.

You can't always beat coverage; you need to be able to just make plays sometimes.

When I sat in 129 row B, loved watching Ishmael come up the sidelines, and catch the over the outside shoulder throw from Eric.

 

[longtimefan]

Indy won the title last night because a kid who barely played suddenly could catch a back shoulder fade and it saved the season for them.

Apparently, you didn't follow Indiana very closely.

Becker was a key player for them the second half of the season. He caught 34 balls and averaged 20 yards per catch. "Suddenly" and only a back shoulder fade hardly does the player justice.

 

[upperdeck]

Apparently, you didn't follow Indiana very closely.

Becker was a key player for them the second half of the season. He caught 34 balls and averaged 20 yards per catch. "Suddenly" and only a back shoulder fade hardly does the player justice.

I watched almost every game they played.

Since Nov he has been the big play guy.

Every catch in this game was back shoulder fade.

As I said he went crazy the last 4 games.

 

[Chip]

UNC was absolutely terrible last season and it was a colossal embarrassment to lose to them.

I'd like to think/hope/wish that the new DC will help prevent the 2nd half breakdowns that happened against UNC and BC. They were close games at halftime against terrible teams.

Assuming we have a QB who's trusted to throw passes over 5 yards, then even better in games like that.

 

[Archbold44]

UNC was absolutely terrible last season and it was a colossal embarrassment to lose to them.

We should have beaten UNC and BC. As bad as Collins was, why did he not get to play a single down against the only two sub. 500 teams after Angeli got hurt? Might have helped his confidence and given us a better evaluation of some of the younger guys.

Meanwhile, for next year, ND, SMU, and Louisville are already in preseason top 25s. That is 1/2 of our home slate. I think 2026 may end up being tougher schedule than 2025. We are going to need to be better than we were in Games 1-4 in 2025 to get to a bowl.

 

[upperdeck]

The Defense stayed in games for several of the losses. they collapsed in a few of those after the half.

Better offense just 10-14 pts makes those games winnable and thats not a huge leap. Then maybe the D is just a little better as well with the new scheme. Suddenly who knows how those games go.

 

[MikeSU02]

The Defense stayed in games for several of the losses. they collapsed in a few of those after the half.

Better offense just 10-14 pts makes those games winnable and thats not a huge leap. Then maybe the D is just a little better as well with the new scheme. Suddenly who knows how those games go.

I know our D had problems, but you can't expect guys on D to go 100% when we were toast from the coin flip in the last 2/3rds of the year. It's just not going to happen.

I agree that with even a competent offense, the D should give a better effort and be better.

 

[ImperialOrange]

UNC was absolutely terrible last season and it was a colossal embarrassment to lose to them.

The one game I made it to this year and the first for both mine and my cousins girlfriends. If we got one, wish that was it. I was hoarse by halftime and then watched the inevitable with a QB that isn't a football player and safeties that couldn't tackle.

 

[longtimefan]

I watched almost every game they played.

Since Nov he has been the big play guy.

Every catch in this game was back shoulder fade.

As I said he went crazy the last 4 games.

This from today's The Athletic:
6. In some ways, sophomore receiver Charlie Becker is a one-man representation of the Indiana story. He played mostly special teams as a freshman last season and had just seven catches through the first nine games of this season. Becker finally got his shot in November — when starter Elijah Sarratt missed two games — and overnight became a human highlight reel. He was the star of the Big Ten Championship Game, caught a touchdown against both Alabama and Oregon, and, in the fourth quarter on Monday, made two of his patented “stop-short-and-catch-the-ball-in-the-air-while-falling-on-your-back” plays, one to convert a fourth down.

Quite a different take from your original post pooh-poohing the guy.

 

[upperdeck]

Indy won the title last night because a kid who barely played suddenly could catch a back shoulder fade and it saved the season for them.

So how many of his catches were back should fades?

I didnt poo poo him. I stated a fact.

1) he barely played
2) he got his shot and took advantage of it.
3) the other 2 playoff games he had 4 of those same catches

he hit a few home run throws earlier in the run but not because he ran by guys or made moves.

they won last night because he was able to make those tough catches. Thats what he does.