What can we expect for the 2019 campaign? After a disappointing finish this season.
The Indiana Hoosiers football program got off to a great start this year going 3-0 before falling to the Michigan State Spartans 35-21. After that terrible performance our Indiana Hoosiers went 2-7 and failed to qualify for a bowl game. So what can we expect? What can we look forward to? Are we able to find anything to look forward to in 2019?
As we are all aware the state of Indiana outside of Notre Dame focuses mostly on the game of basketball. Is it fair to judge our football program so harshly when considering that our own state doesn’t make the sport a main priority. Our own university focuses more on the basketball program. We all know this and whether you like it or not it will remain the same for the foreseeable future.
So what can we take away from our football program? Well, what we like to focus on is the positives each and every season. In our minds we have a pretty good coach who is pretty good at recruiting decent players. The 2-7 Big Ten record really stings. Beating newcomers Rutgers and Maryland still doesn’t feel like real Big Ten wins.
We failed to secure the Old Oaken Bucket for a second straight season. We trail Purdue 74-41 all-time in that series. What our football program needs to focus on the most is beating at least two Big Ten blue blood programs each season. Most importantly, regardless of record, beating Purdue for the bucket. Give us something to look back on.
Let’s face it, our football program will probably never win a BCS Championship. Should we be ok with that? We don’t think so. We think we should expect more from our football program. Travel a few hours North and you will find a football powerhouse. Maybe that’s what’s keeping Indiana University from being their own football powerhouse. We know the talent is all around us.
The Big Ten is full of football royalty. We need to make our own case starting in 2019 that we can also give young high school players a great chance at making a name for themselves. Not only in college football, but also in the NFL. Let’s all help change the culture at Indiana. We need a bowl eligible team each and every season if we even want to think about being taken seriously.
DEFEND THE ROCK!