X's and Joe's

Bob and Mike examine how Indiana and other college basketball programs balance transfer talent, player development, and roster continuity.

Their central argument: the strongest teams combine high-level talent with players who already know how to play together—and keeping the right players matters more than simply returning minutes.

• IU’s exhibitions offer reasons for optimism. Better ball handling, athleticism, rebounding, and interior physicality appear to address last season’s weaknesses. A deeper collection of contributors also gives Indiana more ways to survive poor shooting nights.
• Western Kentucky illustrates the value of continuity. With roughly half its minutes returning, WKU showed the coordination needed to execute traps and move the ball effectively. The hosts see that familiarity as useful context for Indiana’s uneven exhibition results.
• Indiana appears to be building toward greater stability. Recruiting freshmen alongside transfers with multiple years available could help Darian DeVries establish a returning core and reduce the need for annual roster overhauls.
• Florida and Duke show why talent plus continuity is dangerous. Both are discussed as teams combining valuable returning players with strong additions. Purdue faces a different challenge: replacing the players who created opportunities for its returning supporting cast.
• The transfer market rewards careful selection. In the hosts’ sample of 75 starters across 15 leading teams, 32 were returnees, 36 were transfers, and seven were freshmen. High-major transfers outnumbered transfers from smaller programs three to one, though the hosts acknowledge major success stories from lower levels.
• Recruiting patterns may be shifting. More highly ranked freshmen choosing smaller programs could reshape development paths, while eligibility changes make roster planning harder.

The opening football discussion considers IU’s rising expectations and offensive-line concerns. And after approximately the 1:06:00 mark, the basketball analysis gives way to baseball, holiday traditions, and other conversation.

What happens when the recruit who could change everything goes somewhere else—or the prized commitment doesn’t deliver the turnaround fans expected?

Bob Moats and Mike Wiemuth welcome Scott Caulfield, host of CrimsonCast and The Crimson Era, for a spirited trip through Indiana basketball’s recruiting history.

This first crossover installment leans into the misses, revisiting Greg Oden and Mike Conley, Sean May, Gary Harris, and other painful what-ifs while examining how recruiting setbacks shaped the trajectories of IU’s coaches.

The conversation goes beyond the players Indiana didn’t land. The guys discuss why recruiting successes such as Bracey Wright and Romeo Langford could still produce disappointing team results, how roster balance and player fit matter alongside star rankings, and why Tom Crean’s rebuilding approach proved difficult to sustain. They also examine Mike Woodson’s reliance on transfers and the importance of relationships in high school recruiting.

After opening with 2029 guard Micah Mohler’s commitment, they close by considering Darian DeVries’ approach, the balance between talent and continuity, and why each new Indiana coach inherits the pressure of previous disappointments.

The recruiting hits will get their turn in a future installment. This episode is for the ones that still sting.

Editor's Note: This episode was originally recorded before Indiana's 96-68 exhibition win over Butler, so the discussion reflects our preseason perspective heading into that game.

With the 2026-27 college basketball season approaching, Bob Moats and Mike Wiemuth take a national look at the contenders, pretenders, and familiar rivals to see where Indiana fits into the picture. We also break down the significance of IU's latest five-star commitment and why Darian DeVries may be building something very different in Bloomington.

We start with Indiana's big recruiting win and what it tells us about DeVries' vision for the program.

• Why Wabbington's unusual skill set makes him such an intriguing modern big man.

• How his versatility could unlock new offensive possibilities.

• What IU's recruiting success says about its ability to compete with programs like Arizona and Illinois.

We go roster by roster through some of college basketball's most interesting programs, looking at personnel, offensive systems, and potential weaknesses.

• Purdue: How do the Boilers replace Braden Smith's playmaking, and could this finally be a regression year for Matt Painter?

• Duke and Florida: Two potential national title favorites with very different approaches to building a championship roster.

• Illinois: An enormous, skilled roster that raises some fascinating questions about athleticism and shot creation.

• Kansas and Kentucky: Plenty of individual talent, but will the pieces actually fit together?

• Iowa: Can Ben McCollum's system remain as effective without Bennett Stirtz?

Throughout, we compare these teams to Indiana and examine where the Hoosiers might have advantages that weren't there a year ago.

We wrap up by stepping back and evaluating the bigger picture for DeVries and the Hoosiers.

• Why IU's improved size, athleticism, and roster flexibility could make a significant difference.

• The importance of DeVries addressing last season's weaknesses, particularly rebounding.

• What a successful 2026-27 season might look like—and how it could set the stage for an even bigger leap in 2027-28.

Plus, some Halloween costume talk, a little IU football appreciation, and our usual assortment of detours as we get ready for basketball season.

In Episode 67 of Xs and Joes, Bob and Mike preview Indiana’s 2026–27 roster and explore why its new construction could give Darren DeVries far more options this season.

They discuss:

• The roster changes that could address several of last season’s biggest weaknesses

• Why Marcus Burton may unlock a different version of Indiana’s offense

• The intriguing possibilities—and questions—surrounding IU’s revamped frontcourt

• How the Hoosiers might replace Lamar Wilkerson’s production

• Which wings and freshmen could play their way into larger roles

• Why the statistical projections may not tell the complete story

• What Indiana must show before this roster can be considered a legitimate threat

There are reasons for optimism, but also several important variables that won’t be resolved until the games begin. Bob and Mike sort through Indiana’s potential ceiling, its remaining concerns and the players who could determine where this season goes.

Indiana football has reached heights few thought possible—but sustaining that success presents an entirely different challenge.

Bob and Mike welcome Mac and Jordan from The Victory Cig Podcast to explore Curt Cignetti’s program-building formula, what Josh Hoover brings to the offense, and whether the Hoosiers are equipped for another championship run.

The conversation also examines IU’s evolving place in the national landscape, the expectations that accompany winning and how football’s rise could reshape the identity of the entire fan base.

With the sports calendar finally about to wake back up, Bob and Mike use one last stretch of the offseason to talk about some of the things they spend plenty of time discussing when the microphones aren’t usually rolling: movies, music, books, and culture.

Using their personal top-10 lists as jumping-off points, they wander through favorites, disagreements, old memories, and plenty of the tangents you’d expect when these two get going.

Along the way:

• The pre-football temperature check: Why IU’s newfound place in the college football hierarchy has changed the way other fan bases—and particularly Notre Dame fans—seem to view the Hoosiers.
• Movies: Bob and Mike compare their favorite films, with everything from Lawrence of Arabia and Casablanca to Dr. Strangelove, The Godfather, Goodfellas, Airplane! and Monty Python opening the door to a much broader conversation about great filmmaking.
• The directors behind them: Stanley Kubrick and David Lean lead into a discussion of what separates truly great directors—and why certain movies keep revealing something new decades later.
• Music: The guys turn their attention to favorite songs and performers, which naturally means revisiting some longstanding Bob-and-Mike debates about musical eras and what actually holds up.
• Books: Their reading lists provide another excuse to bounce between history, fiction, politics, culture, and the works that have stuck with them over the years.
• The lists behind the lists: Neither Bob nor Mike pretends these rankings are permanent. The fun is less about settling a definitive top 10 than figuring out why certain things have stayed with them—and what their choices say about their tastes.
• And because it’s Xs and Joes, even an episode devoted to culture can veer from classic cinema to 1990s politics to Willie Nelson before somehow finding its way back toward basketball.

It’s a different kind of episode: less decoding the winning formula in college basketball and more getting the conversations Bob and Mike would probably be having anyway.

Indiana’s summer trip to Peru is in the books, which means Bob Moats and Mike Wiemuth finally have some actual basketball to dissect. But how much can you really learn from summer exhibitions against overmatched competition? As usual, the answer is somewhere between “nothing” and “everything.”

Bob and Mike dig beneath the scores and individual stat lines to focus on the things that might actually carry over once the games start counting:

• What IU’s trip revealed about Darren DeVries’ preferred style of play and the versatility of this rebuilt roster.
• The offensive concepts that stood out—and why having more players who can both shoot and attack could change the equation.
• Encouraging early signs from Prince Alexander-Moody, Vaughn Karvala, and Indiana’s young players.
• How Sam Alexis’ return changes the rotation math and gives DeVries significantly more flexibility up front.
• The intriguing possibilities created by Aiden Sherrell, Trent Sisley, and IU’s collection of very different frontcourt pieces.
• Why roster depth could become especially valuable on nights when Indiana’s perimeter shooters aren’t connecting.
• What Indiana’s October exhibitions against Butler, North Carolina, and Western Kentucky might tell us that Peru couldn’t.

Plus, Bob and Mike detour into the latest IU-vs.-SEC football discourse before closing with a tribute to beloved Indiana television personality Janie Hodge.

Xs and Joes is presented by Homefield Apparel.

As the offseason rolls on, Bob and Mike are joined by Hoosier Morning After host Chad Schwartzkopf for a wide-ranging conversation that starts with soccer and the World Cup before diving into the ever-present question surrounding Indiana basketball: what should fans realistically expect from Darren DeVries and this new era of IU hoops?

The discussion explores the balance between optimism and caution, how football's success has changed the atmosphere around Bloomington, and which signs fans should be watching for as another highly anticipated season approaches.

• Meet Chad Schwartzkopf: The Hoosier Morning After host shares his IU roots, the story behind his daily podcast, and why staying connected to Bloomington still matters from North Carolina.
• From the Pitch to the Hardwood: A lively detour into the World Cup, soccer culture, and how the global game continues to grow among IU fans and families.
• Defining Success in Year Two: What should fans be looking for beyond wins and losses? The crew discusses the measurable signs that Indiana may finally be building something sustainable.
• Roster Construction Under the Microscope: How much better does this team fit Darren DeVries' vision, and which additions have quietly changed the outlook heading into the season?
• Summer Takeaways (Without Overreacting): The guys debate what can—and can't—be learned from offseason games, player development, and early glimpses of IU's newcomers.
• The Football Effect: Has Curt Cignetti's success changed expectations for Indiana basketball, or has it simply bought the program some breathing room?
• Patience vs. Pressure: The conversation closes with an examination of IU's unique fan base, the desire for continuity, and whether the path back to national relevance looks different in 2026 than it did a decade ago. 

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In this episode of Xs and Joes, Bob Moats and Mike Wiemuth welcome Galen Clavio for a wide-ranging discussion about the NCAA's uncertain future. From tournament expansion to NIL, governance, and amateurism, the conversation explores some of the biggest questions facing college athletics—and why there may not be easy answers.

Catching Up on the Summer

Before diving into the main topic, the guys touch on a few offseason storylines.

• Updates on IU football and basketball as summer rolls along
• What to watch for in the coming weeks
• A few thoughts on where the Back Home Network is headed this fall

Is the NCAA Still Built for Today's Game?

The heart of the episode centers on a simple but fascinating question: what exactly is the NCAA supposed to be in 2026?

• Why the organization's original mission looks very different today
• A look back at how college athletics arrived at this moment
• Whether the NCAA can still govern the modern landscape
• An entertaining historical comparison you probably won't see coming

Tournament Expansion and the Bigger Picture

The recent talk of expanding the NCAA Tournament sparks one of the episode's most interesting conversations.

• Is expansion solving the right problem?
• What questions should be asked before adding more teams?
• How expansion fits into the NCAA's larger challenges
• A spirited debate that goes beyond simple "for" or "against" arguments

Where Does College Sports Go From Here?

The discussion closes by looking ahead.

• How NIL and the transfer portal continue changing the coaching profession
• Whether college sports needs an entirely new governance model
• What today's environment means for coaches, schools, and fans
• A few predictions about where things could be headed next 

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Bob Moats and Mike Wiemuth are joined by Scott Caulfield for a fun and thought-provoking discussion about the evolution of college basketball coaching. Looking back at some of the sport's most memorable personalities, the guys explore why coaching icons once loomed so large over the game—and why today's coaches often feel very different.

The Golden Age of Coaching Personalities

The conversation begins with a trip down memory lane as Bob, Mike, and Scott revisit some of the unforgettable characters who once dominated college basketball.

• Why coaches like Bob Knight, Jim Valvano, John Thompson, Jerry Tarkanian, Lou Carnesecca, and Rollie Massimino became household names
• The quirks, stories, and larger-than-life personalities that made coaches stars in their own right
• How many of these coaches became synonymous with their programs and even their conferences
• Which legendary coaches would make the best dinner companions

Along the way, the guys share plenty of stories, laughs, and memories from college basketball's colorful past.

Why Today's Coaches Feel Different

The discussion then turns to the modern game and why today's coaches often seem more corporate, measured, and interchangeable.

Topics include:

• The "nerdification" and professionalization of coaching
• How media scrutiny, social media, and 24/7 coverage have changed coaching behavior
• Why modern coaches often look more like executives than old-school basketball lifers
• The impact of shorter coaching tenures and increased job movement

The group also debates whether the sport has simply changed—or whether we've lost something valuable along the way.

NIL, Realignment, and the New Coaching Reality

As the conversation evolves, Bob, Mike, and Scott examine how NIL, the transfer portal, and the changing economics of college sports have fundamentally altered the coaching profession.

• Why college coaching may now be more difficult than NBA coaching
• How roster management and fundraising have reshaped the head coach's job
• Whether today's coaches are being hired primarily to win games rather than build programs and young men
• Why the modern environment may discourage the kind of eccentric personalities that once thrived in the sport

The guys also discuss Dusty May's departure for the NBA and what it says about the future of college basketball coaching.

Is There Room for Characters to Return?

The episode closes with a fascinating discussion about whether coaching personalities could eventually make a comeback.

Could larger support staffs and general managers eventually free coaches to simply coach again? Or has college basketball permanently moved into a more corporate era?

It's a thoughtful conversation about leadership, culture, nostalgia, and where the sport may be headed next.

Bottom line: This episode is equal parts basketball history, cultural analysis, and old-school storytelling as Bob, Mike, and Scott explore why college basketball once felt full of unforgettable characters—and whether those days are truly gone for good.

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