Cameron compares differently to peers

Football coaches Cam Cameron, Minnesota's Glen Mason, Purdue's Joe Tiller and Illinois' Ron Turner started with their respective schools in 1997.\nMason, Tiller and Turner have coached their teams to bowl games. Minnesota, Purdue and Illinois finished last season ranked in the top 25. And the Golden Gophers and Boilermakers are in position to contend for a Big Ten title this season.\nCameron has yet to coach a game in December or January and the Hoosiers (2-4, 1-2 Big Ten) need four wins in the season's last five games to qualify for a bowl game. After getting defeated 58-0 at Michigan Saturday, the Hoosiers' bowl chances are slim heading into their Homecoming game against No. 22 Minnesota, at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium.\n"Our goals are very similar to everyone else in this league," Cameron said during this week's Big Ten teleconference. "Your goals are to go to bowl games. Your goal is to win football games and ultimately work in the direction of competing for and winning the Big Ten title. Obviously, we're not getting that done."\n Before the season, the talk surrounding the IU football program centered around qualifying for a bowl game and possibly contending for a Big Ten championship. After six weeks, Cameron and the Hoosiers have talked themselves into a hole.\nCameron was questioned about his future with the program in the news conference following the Michigan game. During the Big Ten teleconference, the national media tried to get Cameron to compare IU's progress the last four years compared to the strides Mason, Tiller and Turner have made.\n"For us to compare, I don't have that kind of time," Cameron said "We've got to focus on what we need to get done. Obviously, we're ... not where we want to be."\nWhen the four coaches entered the league in 1997, it can be argued each program was in equally bad shape.\nIU finished 3-8 in 1996 and 2-9, including 0-8 in the Big Ten the previous year. The poor performances prompted athletics director Clarence Doninger to replace coach Bill Mallory with Cameron after the 1996 season. Cameron has compiled a 12-27 record since being named coach.\nCameron is starting to become a target of criticism for the fans and media. But the players feel the heat should be directed toward them, not Cameron.\n"It's a harsh reality that a lot of people are putting it on Cam and the coaching staff, but flatout, we're the ones on the field who are playing," senior defensive tackle Paul Mandina said. "The coaches are doing all they can, but it falls on us, the players."\nThe mood isn't as gloomy at the the other Big Ten schools with fourth-year coaches.\nTurner survived an 0-11 season his first year in Champaign. Two years later, the Fighting Illini shocked the college football world with a victory at Michigan. Illinois finished the 1999 season with an impressive 63-21 victory against Virginia in the Micronpc.com Bowl. After six games this season, the Fighting Illini are 4-2 and in position to qualify for their second consecutive bowl appearance. Despite Illinois' recent success, Turner said he isn't about to compare programs.\n"People have to talk about something," Turner said of the comparisons. "Are they fair? I don't think so. I think every situation is totally different. Every program is left under different circumstances and at different levels. There's so many variables that come into play."\nTiller has guided Purdue to three bowl appearances in his first three seasons and the Boilermakers (5-2-1) are currently ranked No. 17 in The Associated Press Poll. It wouldn't be surprising if IU's biggest rival was traveling to Pasadena in January.\nWhen Mason took over at Minnesota, the Golden Gophers' last bowl appearance was in 1986. Minnesota had a breakthrough season last year as Mason directed the Golden Gophers' to an 8-4 record and an appearance in the Sun Bowl. A 24-23 upset against then-No. 1 Penn State Nov. 6, 1999 put the Golden Gophers on the Big Ten's radar screen.\nThree years after finishing 3-9, people are starting to mention Minnesota and Rose Bowl in the same sentence.\n"We've been able to deal with adversity, but now can we handle success," Mason asked. "I picked up Sunday's paper and it said 'Gophers smell Roses.' If we believe this, then the Gophers will be smelling like road kill." \nThree years after finishing 2-9, the Hoosiers are searching for a breakout win and their own trip to a warm place in December. While Mason, Turner and Tiller are experiencing success, Cameron is focused on one thing -- his own team.\n"We want to win as soon as possible, but there's no shortcuts to the deal," Cameron said. "The basic foundation of what we're doing, we believe in. We just haven't made the plays. We haven't won the close ball games we should win. That's where my focus is. I have control over my staff, my players. My concern is with that"