CrimsonCast

Latest Episodes:

Indiana Football Live from Joe's on Weed St: Roster Overview & 2026 Hoosiers Expectations Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

CrimsonCast and The Big Red Carpet go live from Joe’s on Weed Street in Chicago for a full Indiana football season-preview conversation with Galen Clavio and Rhett Lewis.

The show looks back at the Hoosiers’ stunning rise from long-suffering program to Big Ten and national champion, then turns toward what comes next for Curt Cignetti and the 2026 Indiana football roster. Galen and Rhett discuss why this team may be deeper than last year’s title team, what Josh Hoover brings at quarterback, how the offensive line and receiver room stack up, why the defensive front could be special, and what questions remain in the secondary.

The live Q&A also covers Bryant Haines, Mike Shanahan, staff continuity, transfer portal strategy, high school recruiting, five-star talent, quarterback development, Tino Sunseri, and how Indiana can keep building while defending a championship standard.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football, IU athletics, Big Ten football, Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers, and the 2026 college football season.

Day 1 of Big Ten Media Days: PCSA, Playoff Expansion, Polls & Indiana Respect Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

Galen Clavio checks in from Big Ten Football Media Days in Chicago with a CrimsonCast update on the biggest Day 1 storylines.

The episode starts with Tony Petitti’s comments on the future of college football, including the Protect College Sports Act, NIL transparency, revenue sharing, the Big Ten’s working relationship with the SEC, and the legal uncertainty still surrounding the sport. Galen also talks through why a 24-team playoff would likely force major changes to the calendar, including the possible end of conference championship games.

The second half focuses on preseason Big Ten media polls and Indiana’s place in the national conversation. Ohio State and Oregon are getting the most media love, but Galen explains why he voted Indiana football No. 1: the Hoosiers’ offensive line, roster depth, skill talent, defensive front, coaching continuity, Josh Hoover’s upside, and a schedule that may give IU a real path to defending its Big Ten and national titles.

Indiana Football Q&A, World Cup Reflections, Pochettino, FPI Problems, and Early EA CFB 27 Thoughts Jul 26, 2026

Show notes

Galen Clavio goes live on CrimsonCast for a wide-ranging Sunday show as Indiana football gets closer to Big Ten Media Days and the start of the 2026 season.

The show opens with updates on the CrimsonCast live show at Joe’s on Weed Street, new merch, and what’s coming on the Back Home Network. Galen then reflects on the World Cup in the United States, the viral Elsa fan story, the positive international reaction to American host cities, and whether Mauricio Pochettino should remain the USMNT coach for the next cycle.

The second half is built around IU football questions from the audience. Galen discusses what Curt Cignetti, Bryant Haines, and Mike Shanahan do differently, how Indiana keeps finding and developing overlooked talent, whether Josh Hoover can fit as the Hoosiers’ new quarterback, and whether IU has the on-field leadership to defend a Big Ten and national title. There’s also discussion of D’Angelo Ponds, AJ Harris, the offensive line, remaining JMU-era players, stadium renovation questions, and why ESPN’s FPI still struggles to properly evaluate Indiana in the transfer-portal era.

The episode closes with early thoughts on EA Sports College Football 27, including coach mode, Dynasty, NIL logic, transfer-portal issues, roster ratings, Ohio State being overpowered, and what still needs to be patched before the season fully arrives.

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What If Terry Hoeppner Had More Time? The Coach Who Revived Indiana Football Jul 26, 2026

Show notes

Before Indiana football’s current rise, Terry Hoeppner gave Hoosier fans something the program desperately needed: hope.

On this episode of The Crimson Era, Coach Tonsoni and Scott Caulfield look back at Hoeppner’s brief but deeply meaningful tenure at Indiana. They revisit the state of the program when he arrived, the traditions and energy he brought to Bloomington, and the progress IU was beginning to make before his life and coaching career were tragically cut short.

The discussion also explores the biggest unanswered question from that era: What could Indiana football have become if Hoeppner had been able to coach another five, six or seven seasons?

Episode highlights:

• The state of Indiana football when Terry Hoeppner arrived
• Why IU fans immediately connected with his personality and vision
• The origins of The Rock, The Walk and the north end zone project
• Whether the 2006 Hoosiers could have reached a bowl game
• How the 2007 team might have performed under Hoeppner
• The impact of James Hardy, Tracy Porter and a talented IU roster
• Whether Hoeppner could have established Indiana as a consistent Big Ten bowl team
• The university instability that may have limited the program’s ceiling
• How Hoeppner’s foundation connects to Kevin Wilson, Tom Allen and Curt Cignetti
• Why his legacy means far more than his final win-loss record

Was Terry Hoeppner the coach who truly began the modern era of Indiana football? Let us know what you remember about his time in Bloomington and what you believe IU could have accomplished with him leading the program.

Subscribe for more Indiana football history, Hoosier debates and “what if” conversations from The Crimson Era on the Back Home Network.

Josh Hoover, Monshun Sales, Curt Cignetti’s Recruiting Leap, IU Basketball Skepticism, and World Cup Talk Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

Galen Clavio and Scott Caulfield are back for a founders edition of CrimsonCast, with Indiana football recruiting at the center of the conversation.

The main topic is Monshun Sales committing to Indiana football, and why the five-star wide receiver choosing the Hoosiers feels historically different. Galen and Scott discuss how Curt Cignetti has changed IU’s recruiting reality, why Sales fits the staff’s personality and development profile, and how Indiana’s national championship momentum is turning into real traction with high-end talent.

They also dig into Josh Hoover’s interception outlook, how Indiana may bring him along inside the offense, and whether Cignetti is likely to pursue five-star quarterbacks or running backs in the same way he pursued Sales. The conversation also gets into NIL money, why those numbers are hard to know with certainty, and how Indiana appears to be spending strategically rather than chasing recruiting trophies.

The final stretch moves to IU basketball, where Galen and Scott talk through cautious optimism around the new roster, the Peru trip, and why fans are still in “show me” mode. They close with World Cup and soccer talk, including Erling Haaland, Manchester City, Jordan Pickford, and what might keep casual fans watching after the tournament ends.

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Lukas Prock Commits to Indiana: What the 2028 QB Means for IU Football Recruiting Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

Galen Clavio and Trent McGee jump on CrimsonCast for an emergency recruiting episode after Lukas Prock, a 2028 four-star quarterback from New Jersey, commits to Indiana football.

The conversation looks at why Prock’s commitment feels like another major marker in the Curt Cignetti era. Galen and Trent discuss Prock’s arm talent, sophomore production, top-five recruitment, and why Indiana beating out programs like Notre Dame, Michigan, Florida, and Ohio State matters even this early in the process. They also connect the commitment to the recent Monshun Sales news and the growing sense that IU’s national championship momentum is finally showing up in high-level recruiting.

The episode also gets into Mike Shanahan, Tino Sunseri, quarterback development, the differences between transfer quarterbacks and long-term high school recruits, and what it would mean if Indiana can start building future recruiting classes around elite quarterbacks. Plus: why all of this still feels strange, exciting, and almost unbelievable for longtime Hoosier football fans.

Monshun Sales to IU, SEC Media Days, Big Ten Chicago Talk, and Post-World Cup Withdrawal Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

Grace Ybarra and Galen Clavio are back on CrimsonCast for a wide-ranging summer conversation that starts with Indiana football and ends somewhere near Erling Haaland, cowboy boots, and barbecue.

They open with the six-month anniversary of Indiana football’s national championship, the new IU football photo book, and how strange it still feels for Hoosier fans to live in this new reality. The biggest topic is Monshun Sales, the five-star Lawrence North wide receiver who committed to Indiana and gave Curt Cignetti another massive recruiting win. Grace and Galen discuss why Sales choosing IU feels different, what it means for Indianapolis-area recruiting, and why the program’s culture and relationship-building continue to matter.

From there, the show moves through ESPN banter, SEC Media Days complaining, Big Ten Media Days in Chicago, the upcoming live show at Joe’s on Weed Street, Hoosiers in baseball, Kyle Schwarber, Jordan Walker, Chip Kelly’s instantly memeable Northwestern construction look, and the beautiful absurdity of Chicago traffic.

The final section turns to the World Cup: the tournament’s massive U.S. impact, the comedown after six weeks of daily soccer, MLS trying to capture the momentum, the halftime show, grass vs. turf in NFL stadiums, future World Cups, and why Erling Haaland may have been the tournament’s biggest personality winner.

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IU Football Media Days Preview with Rhett Lewis and Galen Clavio: Curt Cignetti & Big Ten Storylines Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

Indiana football is heading into Big Ten Media Days as the defending national champion, and CrimsonCast is joined by Rhett Lewis to preview what could be one of the most fascinating weeks of the Hoosiers’ offseason.

Galen Clavio and Rhett discuss the upcoming CrimsonCast/Big Red Carpet live show at Joe’s on Weed Street in Chicago, Rhett’s new Big Ten Network role, and what to expect when Curt Cignetti, Carter Smith, Tyrique Tucker, and Isaiah Jones represent IU at Big Ten Football Media Days. They also dig into the questions surrounding Indiana’s culture transfer, leadership, offensive line, defensive identity, and how the Hoosiers handle being the target after winning the Big Ten and national title.

The conversation also expands to the wider Big Ten and national college football landscape: Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA, Michigan State, Minnesota, Washington, USC, Penn State, SEC Media Days, playoff politics, and how Cignetti’s success at Indiana may already be changing the way programs think about coaching hires and rebuilds.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana, the Hoosiers, IU football, IU basketball, and the 2026 college football season.

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IU Basketball Peru Takeaways: Markus Burton, Aiden Sherrell & Freshman Buzz Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

Indiana basketball is finally back on the floor, and CrimsonCast breaks down what we’ve learned from the Hoosiers’ exhibition game and early action in Peru under Darian DeVries.

Galen Clavio is joined by Andrew Garrison to talk through early impressions of the new-look IU basketball roster, including Markus Burton running the offense, Aiden Sherrell flashing major frontcourt versatility, and how the Hoosiers’ balance could look different from last season. They also get into Samet Yigitoglu’s status, the promise of Prince-Alexander Moody, Vaughn Karvala, and Trevor Manhertz, the importance of freshman retention, and why Trent Sisley’s physical development could matter for Indiana’s ceiling.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana, the Hoosiers, IU basketball, IU football, and the 2026 season.

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IU Football Book: Zach Osterman & Mike Niziolek on Curt Cignetti’s Rise Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

Zach Osterman and Mike Niziolek join Galen Clavio on CrimsonCast to talk about their new Indiana football book, Unthinkable to Unstoppable (pre-order link).

The conversation digs into why the story of Curt Cignetti and IU football demanded a book, how the project came together after the Hoosiers’ historic breakthrough, and what Zach and Mike learned from reporting inside the program. They discuss the meaning of the Ohio State win, the national championship run, the player perspectives that shaped the book, and the way Indiana’s fan base became a central character in the story.

They also get into Cignetti’s process, his roster-building approach, how he manages players, the role of NIL and revenue sharing, the Purdue rivalry, and why this Indiana team may be remembered less as “the next version” of anything and more as the team that proved something everyone thought was impossible.

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