DIPRIMIO COLUMN: DeBoer Will Finish What He Started
12/24/2019 10:14:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - There was no way Kalen DeBoer was going to leave his guys hanging, the players who had believed in him, bought into his offensive approach, pushed themselves into becoming one of the most consistently potent offenses Indiana has ever had.
So while DeBoer couldn't pass up the Fresno State head coaching opportunity (he officially took over last Tuesday, the day before National Signing Day), he also wouldn't leave the Hoosiers (8-4) in offensive limbo with the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl opportunity against Tennessee (7-5) looming.
So DeBoer will do both jobs -- a grueling two-week challenge.
DeBoer will do all the pre-game preparation, and the play calling and adjustments during the game.
"We'll get it done," DeBoer says. "This is all about these guys, this year. This is about having a special season and finishing it off the right way."
Under DeBoer, IU has averaged 32.6 points per game, 6.2 points more than last season. It is coming off a 44-point double-overtime showing at rival Purdue.
The Hoosiers have done this despite injuries at quarterback and the offensive line that could have ruined the season.
That it did not -- quarterback Peyton Ramsey and offensive lineman Matthew Bedford came up especially big -- reflects strong coaching, depth, player development and overall resiliency.
DeBoer will do some serious juggling to make it work for Indiana and for Fresno State.
"Fortunately you have a staff here that has done a great job in getting us up to speed and carrying it through," he says.
"I've got great people on this end. I've got great people on that end. They are willing to work together. We're going to get through it and be just fine.
"Probably the best thing is that it's a three-hour time difference, so I can do all my work here and work on the Fresno State stuff later in the evenings."
DeBoer made a huge impact in his one season in Bloomington, which is what you'd expect from a guy who has thrived in previous coaching stops at Fresno State (two years before coming to IU), Eastern Michigan, Southern Illinois and Sioux Falls.
Yes, the Hoosiers have scored more points per game than this season's average -- 38.4 in 2013, 36.5 in 2015 -- but no Indiana team had ever had six-straight games of at least 30 points, and nine overall.
DeBoer found the pass-run mix to keep opposing defenses off balance. IU is second in the Big Ten in passing at 308.7 yards, plus averages 134.9 yards on the ground.
Hoosier quarterbacks complete 68.6 percent of their passes and have thrown for 24 touchdowns against eight interceptions. Nine players have caught at least 10 passes for at least 101 yards. Six players have caught at least 22 passes.
IU will face a Tennessee defense that allows 21.7 points, 145.8 rushing yards and 191.3 passing yards a game.
However, during the Volunteers' regular-season-ending five-game winning streak, they've only allowed 14.2 points behind a massive three-man defensive front (6-7, 311-pound Darel Middleton; 6-3, 309-pound Greg Emerson; and 6-5, 299-pound Aubrey Solomon).
"They are very, very big up front," DeBoer says. "They do some different things. They do a lot of different things in the secondary, but whatever it is, we'll find a way to match up and get things in our favor.
"Nothing will be easy. They're an SEC defense that's played really well in the last half of the season. They've done a better job of (playing team defense)."
Then it will be off to Fresno State and a second chance to be a head coach. At Sioux Falls he won three NAIA national titles from 20056 to 2009.
DeBoer says he'll take what he's learned from IU head coach Tom Allen to his new job.
"He just reiterates the passion that you have to have. You have to be convicted in who you are as a person and when you do that, you can be who you are around your team. You can do what you love and have a lot of fun doing it. Getting the whole group to follow in one direction is an amazing feeling.
"I can see the confidence he has in himself. Now that we have players who are playing at a high level, it's starting to come out in our team.
"I see how hard he works as a recruiter. There are a lot of head coaches who do a good job, but I think he's one of the best that's out there for sure."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - There was no way Kalen DeBoer was going to leave his guys hanging, the players who had believed in him, bought into his offensive approach, pushed themselves into becoming one of the most consistently potent offenses Indiana has ever had.
So while DeBoer couldn't pass up the Fresno State head coaching opportunity (he officially took over last Tuesday, the day before National Signing Day), he also wouldn't leave the Hoosiers (8-4) in offensive limbo with the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl opportunity against Tennessee (7-5) looming.
So DeBoer will do both jobs -- a grueling two-week challenge.
DeBoer will do all the pre-game preparation, and the play calling and adjustments during the game.
"We'll get it done," DeBoer says. "This is all about these guys, this year. This is about having a special season and finishing it off the right way."
Under DeBoer, IU has averaged 32.6 points per game, 6.2 points more than last season. It is coming off a 44-point double-overtime showing at rival Purdue.
The Hoosiers have done this despite injuries at quarterback and the offensive line that could have ruined the season.
That it did not -- quarterback Peyton Ramsey and offensive lineman Matthew Bedford came up especially big -- reflects strong coaching, depth, player development and overall resiliency.
DeBoer will do some serious juggling to make it work for Indiana and for Fresno State.
"Fortunately you have a staff here that has done a great job in getting us up to speed and carrying it through," he says.
"I've got great people on this end. I've got great people on that end. They are willing to work together. We're going to get through it and be just fine.
"Probably the best thing is that it's a three-hour time difference, so I can do all my work here and work on the Fresno State stuff later in the evenings."
DeBoer made a huge impact in his one season in Bloomington, which is what you'd expect from a guy who has thrived in previous coaching stops at Fresno State (two years before coming to IU), Eastern Michigan, Southern Illinois and Sioux Falls.
Yes, the Hoosiers have scored more points per game than this season's average -- 38.4 in 2013, 36.5 in 2015 -- but no Indiana team had ever had six-straight games of at least 30 points, and nine overall.
DeBoer found the pass-run mix to keep opposing defenses off balance. IU is second in the Big Ten in passing at 308.7 yards, plus averages 134.9 yards on the ground.
Hoosier quarterbacks complete 68.6 percent of their passes and have thrown for 24 touchdowns against eight interceptions. Nine players have caught at least 10 passes for at least 101 yards. Six players have caught at least 22 passes.
IU will face a Tennessee defense that allows 21.7 points, 145.8 rushing yards and 191.3 passing yards a game.
However, during the Volunteers' regular-season-ending five-game winning streak, they've only allowed 14.2 points behind a massive three-man defensive front (6-7, 311-pound Darel Middleton; 6-3, 309-pound Greg Emerson; and 6-5, 299-pound Aubrey Solomon).
"They are very, very big up front," DeBoer says. "They do some different things. They do a lot of different things in the secondary, but whatever it is, we'll find a way to match up and get things in our favor.
"Nothing will be easy. They're an SEC defense that's played really well in the last half of the season. They've done a better job of (playing team defense)."
Then it will be off to Fresno State and a second chance to be a head coach. At Sioux Falls he won three NAIA national titles from 20056 to 2009.
DeBoer says he'll take what he's learned from IU head coach Tom Allen to his new job.
"He just reiterates the passion that you have to have. You have to be convicted in who you are as a person and when you do that, you can be who you are around your team. You can do what you love and have a lot of fun doing it. Getting the whole group to follow in one direction is an amazing feeling.
"I can see the confidence he has in himself. Now that we have players who are playing at a high level, it's starting to come out in our team.
"I see how hard he works as a recruiter. There are a lot of head coaches who do a good job, but I think he's one of the best that's out there for sure."
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