Ish Thomas (@hoosierish) 's Twitter Profile
Ish Thomas

@hoosierish

Former IU player & student assistant. Breaking down Indiana football. HOW it works, WHY it works & what it means for Saturdays.

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calendar_today25-09-2025 02:54:07

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Most fans think scoring offense is about yards. It’s really about what happens inside the 20. Indiana last season: 🔘77 red zone trips 🔘92.2% scoring rate 🔘72.7% ended in TDs Once they crossed the 20, the scoreboard operator got to earn his paycheck. That’s how you become a

Most fans think scoring offense is about yards. It’s really about what happens inside the 20.

Indiana last season:
🔘77 red zone trips
🔘92.2% scoring rate
🔘72.7% ended in TDs

Once they crossed the 20, the scoreboard operator got to earn his paycheck. 

That’s how you become a
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What makes a “tough” team in college football? Most people say run the ball and stop the run. That’s the physical side, but real toughness is mental. Does the last play affect the next one? Does losing momentum mean losing the game? Do you play your best when the pressure is

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How do you measure whether a run game is truly physical? RB coach Matt Merritt (Cardinals) says the benchmark is simple: 50% of rushing yards should come after contact. Last season, Indiana had 3,557 rushing yards and 2,212 yards after contact That’s 62%. When most of your

How do you measure whether a run game is truly physical?

RB coach Matt Merritt (Cardinals) says the benchmark is simple:

50% of rushing yards should come after contact.

Last season, Indiana had 3,557 rushing yards and 2,212 yards after contact

That’s 62%.

When most of your
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Who needs to throw it with Khobie Martin in the backfield? 15 of his 78 carries (19.2%) went for 10+ yards. Explosiveness like that doesn’t stay quiet for long.

Who needs to throw it with Khobie Martin in the backfield?

15 of his 78 carries (19.2%) went for 10+ yards. Explosiveness like that doesn’t stay quiet for long.
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Lee Beebe Jr turns checkdowns into first downs. With 8.4 YAC per reception and 33% of catches going for first downs over his career, Beebe Jr isn’t just a safety valve to avoid sacks. He’s an outlet that moves the chains.

Lee Beebe Jr turns checkdowns into first downs. 

With 8.4 YAC per reception and 33% of catches going for first downs over his career, Beebe Jr isn’t just a safety valve to avoid sacks. 

He’s an outlet that moves the chains.
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Turbo Richard’s contact balance doesn’t just show up on tape. It’s in the numbers. 12 missed tackles forced on 30 receptions out of the backfield. That’s a missed tackle forced 40% of the time he caught the ball. One defender isn’t enough.

Turbo Richard’s contact balance doesn’t just show up on tape. 

It’s in the numbers. 

12 missed tackles forced on 30 receptions out of the backfield. 

That’s a missed tackle forced 40% of the time he caught the ball.

One defender isn’t enough.
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A running back can rush for 1,000 yards and still not earn a coach’s full trust. Why? Because running the ball is only part of the job. Running backs are also responsible for protecting the quarterback. One missed blitz pickup can end a drive, or get your QB hit. Running the

A running back can rush for 1,000 yards and still not earn a coach’s full trust.

Why?

Because running the ball is only part of the job.

Running backs are also responsible for protecting the quarterback. One missed blitz pickup can end a drive, or get your QB hit.

Running the
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One running back isn’t a strategy anymore. It’s a liability. If you don’t have at least a 1–2 punch, you don’t have a run game that lasts.

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One injury changed the rest of my college football career. Before my redshirt sophomore season, I tore my pec bench pressing during winter conditioning. The injury kept me out of winter workouts and spring ball. While I was rehabbing, the staff brought in a JUCO linebacker to

One injury changed the rest of my college football career.

Before my redshirt sophomore season, I tore my pec bench pressing during winter conditioning. The injury kept me out of winter workouts and spring ball.

While I was rehabbing, the staff brought in a JUCO linebacker to
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I love the number of young athletes that get the opportunity to change their lives and the lives of their family through college sports. I don’t love the number of athletes that end up in the same situation they were in before the opportunity came after their careers are over.

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How has Indiana only had 1 starter transfer out over the last 2 seasons? Indiana’s roster is built to reduce transfer risk ⬇️ 🔘30 players from Indiana 🔘31 from the Midwest (not including Indiana) That’s 61% of roster. Cignetti has said it clearly: Win your state ➡️ Build

How has Indiana only had 1 starter transfer out over the last 2 seasons?

Indiana’s roster is built to reduce transfer risk ⬇️
🔘30 players from Indiana
🔘31 from the Midwest (not including Indiana)

That’s 61% of roster.

Cignetti has said it clearly:
Win your state ➡️ Build
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Most experienced IU players: South 🟰 Josh Hoover & Bray Lynch Midwest 🟰 Carter Smith Not one pipeline, but a system that pulls from all of them.

Most experienced IU players:

South 🟰 Josh Hoover & Bray Lynch
Midwest 🟰 Carter Smith

Not one pipeline, but a system that pulls from all of them.
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I looked at how Indiana’s roster actually functions: Indiana players 🟰 Early development • 30 total with 83% underclassmen • 874 total snaps on OFF/DEF Midwest players 🟰 Foundation • 31 total with 61% underclassmen • 12,024 total snaps on OFF/DEF Southern

I looked at how Indiana’s roster actually functions:

Indiana players 🟰 Early development
   • 30 total with 83% underclassmen
   • 874 total snaps on OFF/DEF

Midwest players 🟰 Foundation
   • 31 total with 61% underclassmen 
   • 12,024 total snaps on OFF/DEF

Southern
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The future of Indiana football is shifting. But not all at once… Indiana☑️ Parker Elmore ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Midwest☑️ Gabe Hill ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Southeast☑️ D’Montae Tims ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mid-Atlantic☑️ Lavar Keys ⭐️⭐️⭐️ The highest-rated talent? Already leaning closer to home. ⭐️ Ratings per Rivals

The future of Indiana football is shifting. But not all at once…

Indiana☑️
Parker Elmore ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Midwest☑️
Gabe Hill ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Southeast☑️
D’Montae Tims ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mid-Atlantic☑️
Lavar Keys ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The highest-rated talent?
Already leaning closer to home.

⭐️ Ratings per Rivals
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Indiana’s roster construction by region isn’t a one year trend. The 2026 high school class proves it: Indiana • 36% of incoming freshmen • Trench-player heavy Midwest • 36% of incoming freshmen • Trench + skill foundation South/Southeast • 18% of incoming freshmen •

Indiana’s roster construction by region isn’t a one year trend. The 2026 high school class proves it:

Indiana
• 36% of incoming freshmen
• Trench-player heavy

Midwest
• 36% of incoming freshmen
• Trench + skill foundation

South/Southeast
• 18% of incoming freshmen 
•
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There’s a region most people aren’t talking about in Indiana’s roster build: The Mid-Atlantic. Mario Landino, Tyrique Tucker, Rodney White, Amari Kamara Preston Zachman, LeBron Bond Jaylen Bell, Grant Wilson Byron Baldwin Jr, Lavar Keys That’s a pipeline starting to form.

There’s a region most people aren’t talking about in Indiana’s roster build:

The Mid-Atlantic.

Mario Landino, Tyrique Tucker,
Rodney White, Amari Kamara
Preston Zachman, LeBron Bond
Jaylen Bell, Grant Wilson
Byron Baldwin Jr, Lavar Keys

That’s a pipeline starting to form.
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How do you become a great cornerback in college football? “Be a technician.” When you’re on an island, you need all the advantages you can get. Talent alone isn’t enough to get it done.

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A 5’8” All-American Corner??? D’Angelo Ponds is proof that TECHNIQUE, plus athleticism, is more important than measurables as a CB.

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You can throw towards Jamari Sharpe all you want. You’re not scoring. ZERO touchdowns allowed last season on 54 targets. This is what being a technician looks like.

You can throw towards Jamari Sharpe all you want.

You’re not scoring. 

ZERO touchdowns allowed last season on 54 targets. This is what being a technician looks like.