Indiana University Athletics
DiPrimio: College Cup, ‘Mr. December’ Title at Stake for Hoosiers
11/30/2023 11:53:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON – What's in a name?
Shakespeare focused on roses in Romeo and Juliet, but then, he never was driven to win a national soccer championship, let alone a ninth.
As far as we know.
What's in a name?
A lot if it's the right name, if it reflects the effort, toughness and purpose crucial for elite success at an elite program.
Here is unseeded Indiana (15-4-4), poised for a 23rd College Cup appearance if it wins at No. 2 seed Notre Dame (12-2-5) on Saturday, and this much we know:
The Cream and Crimson's quest for Mr. December is in full force.
Who will it be?
Will it be?
It depends on IU individual performance driving, ultimately, team victory.
The Hoosiers have a history of players rising to the postseason challenge. In the coach Todd Yeagley era, they honor them with a nickname. It's one of many traditions in this tradition-rich program.
This season, the last couple of seasons, it's gone to senior forward Maouloune Goumballe. He's earned the latest Mr. November designation by virtue of his five goals and three assists in his last eight matches, all Hoosier victories.
Saturday's Elite Eight battle with Notre Dame in what could be a three-match, 10-day December blitz to that ninth title, means the Mr. December title is there for the taking.
Yes, Yeagley, forever pushing motivational buttons, mentioned it during Wednesday's practice.
Yes, Goumballe, forever the competitor, embraced the challenge, with the understanding that teammates such as Collins Oduro, Jansen Miller, Samuel Sarver and JT Harms are just as embracing.
"I told him he's eligible (for Mr. December)," Yeagley says. "He can be it for two months."
And then he addressed all the Hoosiers.
"I asked who would be Mr. December. We have to wait to see who it is. Then we'll call it out.
"Someone needs to step up. Maouloune is the epitome of a guy who stepped up. He took November and swallowed it up.
"He said, 'I'd like to be Mr. December.' We had a fun time with that in practice."
Fun follows winning, and IU has done its share of that since the beginning of October. It's won 12 of its last 13 matches to extend its Elite Eight appearance record to 29.
At stake is a College Cup berth in Louisville, with all of its IU close-proximity advantages. The only time it's been closer for the Hoosiers was in 1988 was when they hosted the Final Four, and won it all.
Yes, Yeagley has mentioned that, as well.
"It's whatever extra piece you need," he says. "It's a unique opportunity. How often do you have it? One, to play in the College Cup and Two, to have it two hours from campus.
"The students would be over the top. We have so many fans in the area. Our players know that. I don't shy away from that as an external motivator for what's on the line.
"If you're two to three games away, it's too premature to talk about. We're 90 minutes away from that opportunity. We have talked about it."
Talk, of course, only gets you so far.
"We have to earn it," Yeagley says. "I would love for this team to have that unique College Cup experience."
That means getting past a Notre Dame team that has only allowed 12 goals all season behind goalkeeper Bryan Dowd. One of those was by the Hoosiers when the teams battled to a 1-1 tie in extreme August heat.
The Irish have a pair of formidable offensive threats in Matthew Roou (10 goals, 23 points) and Eno Nto (10 goals, 21 points). Bryce Boneau has four goals and 14 points. KK Baffour has two and 11.
Notre Dame edged Western Michigan in last Sunday's Sweet Sixteen 4-2 PK shootout after 110 minutes in cold, snowy conditions failed to produce a goal for either team.
The Irish played most of the game with 10 players to Western Michigan's 11 after Baffour was ejected with a red card, which means he can't play on Saturday.
"This is probably the deepest Notre Dame team I've seen," Yeagley says. "I don't think (not having Baffour) will have as big an effect as you might think.
"He's very talented. He's a guy who can create and open things up. Lot of their movement is based on his unbalancing. But they have capable guys who can come in and do well."
What will this game have in common with the season opener?
Not much.
Beyond the temperature difference, both teams have made changes in lineups and approaches. That's why Yeagley says the main scouting focus will be on Notre Dame's last five games.
"We're different teams. There's not a lot of looking back. Their midfield is different. They had some guys who weren't available who are now. We've moved some pieces around.
"We played them in unbearable heat, and now we'll play them in the cold with a chance to go to the College Cup."
And if it produces a Mr. December, all the better.
