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Don’t sweat Indiana’s football recruiting ratings

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By Pete DiPrimio BLOOMINGTON -- Indiana football recruiting commitments continue to come -- up to 11 now -- but national respect doesn’t follow. Is this a problem? Not exactly. IU’s class currently ranks No. 14 in the Big Ten with its Class of 2018, which is last. Mr. Obvious says, that is not good. It is No. 74 overall, which also isn’t what it needs to be. The good news -- it’s way early, which means there is plenty of time for coach Tom Allen and his staff to pick up the pace. More good news -- it’s not about ratings as much as it is development and performance, which we won’t know for a couple of years. Of course, good ratings often does lead to good performance, which is among the reasons why Ohio State and Alabama do so well. Anyway, IU is getting good players. Ten of its 11 commitments are three-star prospects. You can win with three-star guys if they are competitive and motivated, if they are developed and well coached and positioned for
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What's next for Ex-Hoosier coach Tom Crean?

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By Pete DiPrimio What’s next for Tom Crean? Let’s start with what’s now for him. He’s going out in with class. Crean and his family are putting Bloomington in the rear view mirror this weekend. They’re off to Florida. Sarasota, specifically to be close to son, Riley, who will attend IMG Academy in Bradenton. He’ll get an extra year of school and baseball in a post-grad environment before choosing a college. Riley had been set to attend Indiana and play baseball (he’s a promising pitcher), but that changed after his father was fired as the head basketball coach in March. As they left, the elder Crean posted a message thinking Hoosier fans for their support. It wasn’t all Cream ‘n Crimson support, of course, as Hoosier Nation grew angrier and angrier as IU failed to reach national championship stature during Crean’s nine seasons, although the Hoosiers did win a pair of Big Ten titles and reached the NCAA tourney’s Sweet 16 round three times. No matter. Fan message b
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All things possible for Richard Lagow and Indiana football

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By Pete DiPrimio Richard Lagow is the man. Understand that. He is Indiana’s starting quarterback, a guy determined to lead the Hoosiers to the football Promised Land, in this case a winning record and a bowl victory. Can he do it? Absolutely. Will he? That is the million-dollar question that will determine IU prospects in what is billed as a “break-through season.” Yes, there are intriguing possibilities if Lagow falters -- can you say redshirt freshman Peyton Ramsey or even true freshman Nick Tronti? -- but that’s true of so many backups, who are loved outside the spotlight, criticized within it. First, a few facts. The Hoosiers haven’t had a winning season since 2007, and they barely did it then at 7-6. They haven’t won a bowl game since the 1991 Copper Bowl, when they throttled Baylor 24-0 behind quarterback Trent Green and coach Bill Mallory. No matter. Optimism is high under first-year coach Tom Allen, and a big reason is a defense
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