Notebook: The Message is Clear – Beat Purdue
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Beat Purdue.
When it comes to the Old Oaken Bucket and Indiana’s football rivalry with the Boilermakers, Mark Deal is a force of Cream & Crimson nature.
Beat Purdue.
The IU assistant athletic director for alumni relations has Bucket roots that go back almost a century. No one has more knowledge of the game and its history. No one is more passionate about explaining it.
With the Hoosiers (3-8) set to face the Boilers (3-8) Saturday at Ross-Ade Stadium, Deal won’t hold back.
“Coach Deal has an explanation of the Bucket, and the whole rivalry game,” senior linebacker Aaron Casey said. “He has facts from 50 years ago. By the time he’s done, we’ll know all about it.”
What will they know?
“It’s a physical, tough game,” Casey said. “It’s a real rivalry. I’m excited for it.”
Deal’s wisdom comes from experience. He’s played and coached in the game. His father, Russ, was captain of the Hoosiers’ 1945 Big Ten title team. His brother, Mike, played on the 1967 Big Ten co-championship squad that played in the Rose Bowl.
They have been part of eight Bucket victories, by far the most of any family in IU history.
Beyond that, Deal is a member of the state of Indiana Football Hall of Fame, as are his father and brother.
Deal played center for then coach Lee Corso. He was on the 1979 team that didn’t beat No. 12 Purdue, but did beat No. 9 BYU in the Holiday Bowl.
You’d better believe head coach Tom Allen takes full advantage of Deal’s insight. With more than 50 players without Bucket experience on the roster, Allen wants to make sure everyone understands the game’s importance.
“Coach Deal does a phenomenal job,” Allen said. “His one word every year is, ‘Bucket.’ It's been that way ever since I've been here. He is the most passionate person that I know regarding this game and the trophy that we play for.”
Deal explains the Bucket’s history, which began in 1925. An alum from IU and Purdue found the bucket in a family farm in southern Indiana, which legend suggests might have been used during the Civil War.
“He gives our guys an education of that,” Allen said, “and he puts his own flavor on which is very, very emotional and passionate.”
Alumni video and other videos and speakers also will be utilized throughout the week so no one misses the message:
Beat Purdue, which Indiana hasn’t done since 2019.
“We’ll continue to educate our guys and make them understand how big this game is,” Allen said. “That’s what this is all about, getting back the Bucket."
Purdue has won one of its last its last six games -- a 49-30 home victory over Minnesota under first-year head coach Ryan Walters. It has also beaten Illinois 44-19 and Virginia Tech 24-17.
It averages 22.9 points and allows 30.4.
For comparison, Indiana averages 21.4 and allows 29.5.
The Boilers have a pair of solid running backs in Devin Mockobee (769 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns) and Tyrone Tracy Jr. (668, 8). Dylan Downing has 198 yards and a TD. Quarterback Hudson Card has rushed for 118 yards and four touchdowns.
Card completes 58.6 percent of his passes for 2,112 yards, 12 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
Deion Burks is the leading receiver with 40 catches, 542 yards, and seven touchdowns. TJ Sheffield has 32 catches for 381 yards and two TDs.
Freshman defensive back Dillon Thieneman leads with 98 tackles and four interceptions.
“It’s a different offensive system, different defensive system, so schematically it’s quite a bit different,” Allen said.
“They've always thrown the ball well. They're running the ball really well lately. In the last two games, they've been over 300 yards rushing, which is very impressive.
“They've got two talented running backs, and their O-line is being very effective. They have a very talented quarterback, which has been consistent since I've been here. Hudson Card is a very, very talented player. He can beat you with his legs, beat you with his arm. He's an elite football player.
“Defensively they do a good job in lot of areas.”
Offensive coordinator Rod Carey is well versed in Bucket game intensity. He played center for then head coach Bill Mallory in the early 1990s.
“You remember all the emotions,” he said. “I just told the quarterbacks, from my perspective, I played a long time ago. Guys give me a hard time saying that I played with leather helmets.
“There are a lot of things you don’t remember, but you remember the intensity of the game. That has stayed with me.
“I’m excited for our players and the team. They get to feel that intensity. It is a special game. Everyone knows about the Bucket. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Bucket week is always different because of the Thanksgiving holiday. Allen wants the Hoosiers to enjoy the holiday, but still prepare for Saturday’s game.
Since Allen has been the head coach, sometimes they’ve had a big team dinner for all the players and coaches. Other times they’ve let players who live close to Bloomington go home (bringing some teammates with them) or attend dinner at Allen’s house or the homes of assistant coaches.
“We lean on our guys to what they enjoy the most and what they feel is best for them,” Allen said.
“We make sure every one of our players has a home to go to for having Thanksgiving meal.”
IU practices in the morning. Allen said he schedules practices an hour later for Tuesday and Wednesday (there is flexibility because all students are off this week for Thanksgiving break), then after Thursday morning’s practice, players can leave for a Thanksgiving meal. They return Friday morning and will then bus to West Lafayette.
“Thursday is the one day that’s different,” Allen said about the weekly schedule.
IU projects to sign around 20 high school players during December’s signing period. College transfers also will figure into the newcomer group.
Allen said a big focus will be on retaining current players as well as bringing in new ones.
“We've got a lot of good players that have time in front of them to play. We have a lot of guys back, and that excites me.
“Once you go through that, you know where your needs are. We've got a strong high school class that's coming. I still believe you have to have that (high school) foundation.
“We're a developmental program. We've got close to 20 guys that are committed to us. Many of those guys will be able to help us right away. There's a lot of talented guys in that group.”
Some lessons are learned the hard way -- such as lost playing time.
When safety Phillip Dunham elected to try to rip the football free from a Michigan State receiver rather than tackle him near the end of the first half last Saturday, the result was a 29-yard Spartan touchdown in what became a 24-21 Hoosier loss.
The consequence -- Dunnam, who had a tackle and a pass breakup to that point, didn’t play the rest of the game. Veteran Josh Sanguinetti replaced him. Sanguinetti finished with two tackles and an interception.
Accountability and game and situation awareness are crucial at any time, let alone a game the Hoosiers were positioned to win.
“He chose to try to strip the football, which is something you do when you're the second or third defender at the point of attack,” Allen said. “I think it happened about the 15-yard line, so he should have had (Michigan State’s Montorie Fostter Jr.) on the ground, and then you battle to force them to kick a field goal.
“It was a pretty big mistake. It’s not what we teach and coach. It’s inexcusable. Josh has played well, so we played him the rest of the way. I was open and honest with Phillip about that. He needs to respond. We'll see how that goes this week.
“The bottom line is that you've got to do things the right way, and if you don't, somebody is going to be there and take your job.”
Co-defensive coordinator Matt Guerrieri said that he takes responsibility for his players’ mistakes. He said he lets them know when they’ve made good and bad plays.
“I addressed it head on at halftime. You look them in the eyes, correct and motivate, and get it fixed.
“No matter who it is, I own every mistake on game days. I tell them, they own attitude and effort, I own any of the errors. You encourage and be critical and move on to the next play.”