A Program on the Brink

I’m going to completely switch gears on everyone who have been following my posts and talk about … Football? As Hoosier fans, it is in our blood to follow basketball 12 months out of the year.  When the season is over we know every major recruits name, where they play high school ball (may even try to go to catch a couple of their games), their hobbies etc.  Football on the other hand is a 2 month commitment.  We follow them through the non-conference season where they usually finish above .500 and after our first loss (which is usually by 20+ points) in the first game of the Big 10 season our attendance at Memorial Stadium immediately cuts in half, the tailgating crowd doubles, and all media begin to focus on previewing the upcoming basketball season.

Let me tell you, I am NO ordinary or average fan.  I haven’t missed a home football game since I was probably 16 (shout out to my Dad for making that possible, and Happy early Father’s Day!!).  Additionally, I’ve made a point to see at least one away game each year.  Two years ago it was at the Big House where the most exciting IU / UoM football game in my lifetime took place and this year I’ve already got my tickets to the ‘Shoe at THE Ohio State.  I have also made the trip out to Arizona in 2007 to watch the team in their first bowl game since 1993.  Unfortunately, I was 21 and my college instincts took over and for some reason (do I really need to explain?) I wound up passing out in the backseat of my rental car shortly after half time and missed the eventual 49-33 loss to Oklahoma State.

After padding my ego by proving my fandom to all of the readers who don’t already know me, I can tell you why I used the phrase “Program on the Brink” when discussing Indiana University football.  Two words, Gunner Kiel.  He is the top rated QB prospect in the country and ranked 19th overall for the 2012 class.  Aaaand he’s from Columbus, IN.  Aaaaand did I mention that the Hoosiers are currently legitimately in the mix for him?  Aaaand don’t look now, we’re ahead of Purdue and Notre Dame according to most recruiting sites in landing him.  Coach Wilson hasn’t coached a game, has only been at the helm for a couple of months and only has ONE recruit for 2012 and in my opinion the buzz that this program will get if Kiel chooses IU will rival and more than likely surpass our 2007 bowl run.

What odds do I give IU in landing this blue chip QB prospect?  Only about 20%, max.  Why am I wasting your time on this article?  When was the last time IU could say they out recruited Purdue or Notre Dame for a top in-state prospect, let alone a top ranked national recruit?  Are you getting sick of the questions? I type questions when I’m excited.  Just simply having a recruit of his caliber seriously consider IU at the beginning of a coach’s tenure should say something about Coach Wilson’s ability to recruit and should give all Hoosier fans a glimmer of hope that we have finally found the right man after we had already found the right man (RIP Terry Hoeppner) for the job.

I do have my reasons for believing we won’t land Kiel.  The obvious reason is that it’s Hoosier football and we’re recruiting against Oklahoma and Alabama who appear to be neck in neck at this point in the process.  Also, the Hoosiers already have Kiel’s brother, Dusty Kiel, as a quarterback on our roster.  I just can’t see, unless sibling rivalry just gets the better of him, Gunner coming to Bloomington to take away any possible playing time from his brother.

For the sake of having some optimism in this article, if he does come here … This is the Cody Zeller of football.  He will be coined the football savior, and in all likelihood will bring with him a much more sizable domino effect than Zeller did for basketball.  2012 will go down in the history books as a run away for the best year of recruiting for Indiana Unviersity athletics EVER.  However, I just can’t see him pulling the trigger on the in-state favorite IU and you can’t blame him, there is nothing in place for a top recruit to risk their future on just yet.  Coach Wilson is raising the bar and is showing the Hoosier football faithful that he’s willing to go to war for recruits.  A Season on the Brink was written about the year before a championship run our Hoosier basketball team made … A Program on the Brink is something that IU is on the cusp of if Coach Wilson can prove that attracting this young man from Columbus East High School in Columbus, IN wasn’t just a fluke.