Mental Toughness, progression, and this year's team

I doubted. I didn't think this team had showed enough mental toughness to go into a hostile envioronment at Kinnick Stadium and win. All season, IU had played well in stretches, but hadn't put 4 quarters of good football together for me, and probably 90% of the fanbase to believe that they could win. BUT WIN THEY DID! 70,585 fans eye witnessed a dominate performance from start to finish. In my opinion, this was the best game they played all season, and they played all 4 quarters like their season depended on it.

Last season, IU was up and down. Coach Hep brought high points and the Iowa game was one of them. A very unlikely win in most fans minds because of 3 big losses against Wisconsin and 2 at home that most thought we could win. Then they go on the road and win at Illinois. Last year was very tough mentally, and it was one that most fans judge Coach Lynch's ability to coach this year by. Coach Lynch took over for Coach Hep for a 2 game stretch against Division 1-AA Southern Illinois and UCONN and lost both games. Of course those 2 games were without James Hardy and Kellen Lewis wasn't yet the starting QB.

So back to Saturday. Here is IU having lost to a winnable game at home to Illinois, and they are walking into Kinnick Stadium for Homecoming. Couple that with a very hungry, and embarrassed Iowa team, and well it was a recipe for disaster. However, James Hardy, Kellen Lewis, and the IU defense had other ideas. Just about everyone on the entire roster played their best game of the season. Jaime Kirlew who had been a non-factor much of the season went on a rampage and Greg Middleton was his usual self. IU leads the nation in sacks after 5 games, which is absolutely incredible for IU to be leading the nation in anything.

The coaches have really simplified things this season. They run basic packages, with pretty basic blitzes, but swarm the ball. They mimic the Colts style of defense in that they are aggressive and go all out to the ball. This defense will not be out hustled, and on Saturday it wasn't just about blitzes and pressure, it was all about coverage. Most of the sacks were indeed coverage sacks. Leslie Majors, Nick Polk, Geno Johnson, and Tracy Porter had extremely solid coverage days. Even special teams was off the hook.

This game was about as complete a game as IU has played in a long time. It put this team to 4 wins, 2 more, and IU is bowl eligible. IU has 2 very winnable games left in Minny next week and Ball State. They also can beat Penn State and Purdue at home, and Northwestern at their place. I'm still not sure about Michigan State and Wisconsin, but I haven't seen either of those 2 teams enough to comment. However, if this team plays like it did on Saturday, they can win out, and I'm serious about that.

This team has endured more together than most people deal with in a 10 year period of their lives. They watched their head coach deteriorate and die right before their eyes. They watched him rally from not 1, but 2 major brain surgeries. They saw him fight until the second he took his last breath. While devestating emotionally, it brought these kids together, and it brought the coaches together, and it made them better as a team. What it also did was make them mentally tough. I talked with several of the players after the Illinois game and they were crushed. Most of them brought up Coach Hep and how they felt like they quit fighting. This team drew upon what they saw Coach Hep do, they drew upon his last days, how the doctors marvelled has his endurance and strength to overcome pneumonia, not once, but twice. The team got together and decided that no matter what, they wouldn't give up again, that they would fight until the end, and they would prove again to the IU faithful that this is a team to believe in that Play 13 really does mean something to them and that we as fans will never question their heart or desire again the rest of the season.

After the Illinois loss the seniors and captains drew a line in the sand and said we will not return to mediocrity like the fan base thinks we will again. Instead, we will learn from our mistakes, draw upon the lessons we learned in the offseason, and fight and play together and believe in each other.

Saturday is a big weekend for IU and it will be a big recruiting weekend as well. Several kids coming in, including more junior prospects and committed players. Very winnable game and look for a little bit more option from KL in red zone opportunities. You won't see it much, but IU wants to keep you guessing down there, so they are throwing out all kinds of formations just keep everyone guessing and off balance.

Also, a shout out to Josiah Sears and his Brian Leonard leap impression. Great impression and great play!