Glass talks bowl game, Homecoming, confidence in coaching staff

In this week’s conversation with IU Athletic Director Fred Glass, we talk about how he responds to negativity he receives about the IU defense and the importance of making a bowl.

IDS: How much work goes in from the Athletic Department during the bye week to help prepare for a home game the next week?

GLASS: There’s tons of planning that goes in just generally for every home game. When we had that stretch of five in a row broken up by one bye there, it’s very, very significant planning — all of the staff, the ushers, the elevator operators, hiring the police officers to help direct traffic, making sure the suites are all set, food service is in good shape, the concourses are clean. The list sort of goes on and on.

It’s a little extra work, too, because it’s Homecoming. We want it to look nice for all of our returning alums and we’ll have a few extra tents and so forth for hospitality. It’s a busy week. It’s almost as busy as a regular game week.

IDS: Are you concerned about enthusiasm dropping among the fan base after back-to-back losses?

GLASS: No, I’m really not. There’s no shame in losing at Michigan State or Michigan. I think our fans understand those are going to be tough games. We went up there expecting to win each one. I know our team went up there expecting to win each one.

But I certainly don’t think either one of those is devastating losses given the opponent and frankly given the way we played overall and progress of the program. They’ve had a few weeks off of home football games and I think they’ll turn out ready to support this team that is certainly deserving of their support.

IDS: There’s been a lot of negativity on Twitter directed toward the defense. Have you received any emails or letters from fans about the defensive performance, and if so, how do you respond to that?

GLASS: I’ve received a little, not much, less than a handful of emails and letters. I think most knowledgeable fans understand that it’s a team game — offense, defense, special teams. That we’re in a rebuilding mode. That frankly the rebuilding is hardest on the defensive side of the ball.

That there’s reasons to be optimistic as we play a lot of young players in general, and our very talented freshmen in particular. You heard a lot of freshmen names being called for making plays up in Ann Arbor.

I have confidence in this coaching staff. I have confidence in these student athletes. They’ll be the first ones to say that they understand that we need to hold the opponents down a little more so that we can get some W’s.

IDS: How important is it for this team to make a bowl game this year?

GLASS: I’ve never judged success or failure on any kind of objective metric, either number of wins or whether you’re in the postseason or not in the postseason. I don’t
have that as some sort of litmus test or anything like that.

Having said that, being rewarded with a bowl game for the hard work this program has put in would be terrific. It’d be great to see the kids rewarded for the hard work they’ve done.

It’d be great to have all the extra practices that sometimes go unrecognized, and that’s a really important part of making a bowl game is so the team can just practice more.

It’d be a significant step forward, and that opportunity is still alive, and in and of itself ought to generate some excitement and support starting next Saturday against Minnesota.


Follow columnist Robby Howard on Twitter @robbyhoward1.