Don't spill the beans

It's official. \nIt's been two weeks since IU last played, its offense looked pathetic and it got pummeled. Still, Antwaan Randle El is listed as a starter three positions -- not one of which is quarterback. \nBut fear not Hoosier fans, coach Cam Cameron spilled a bean or two at his press conference this week. Trouble is, he spilled the same bean he has dumped over, over and over again since August. \n"I do know this; we are going to need both quarterbacks throughout the course of the season," Cameron said. \nBoth, as in Tommy Jones and Randle El. \nCameron also said IU's punting mistakes rendered its offense helpless and IU wouldn't have won with Joe Montana at quarterback. Joe, are you out there? I'll scrape up some scholarship money, make a quick bet with Cameron and put my money on the Hoosiers if you are IU's quarterback. \nBut Hoosier fans have to settle for the Jones-and-Randle El soap opera.\nCameron maintains he's the only one who "knows the whole story" concerning the two-headed quarterback.\nIsn't the whole story that IU gained less yards (276) against North Carolina State than Randle El averaged by himself (277) last season?\nCameron said IU was this and that close from this controversy being resolved. Again, the same old bean: we're almost winning. If IU's offense is again inches and tipped passes from igniting against Utah Saturday, a change must be made. \nUntil then, we'll settle for guessing about the "whole story" while we watch Randle El play 21 plays at receiver, seven at quarterback, four at punter and three at punt returner. \nBut don't expect Utah -- most people are still wondering if Rick Majerus also coaches football in Salt Lake City -- to crumble at the sight of Randle El and his four-position-merry-go-round. \nBefore last month, I wasn't sure Utah had a football team, but the Utes will be far from a cakewalk. In their opener, the Utes edged rival Utah State 23-19, but led 23-6 until the two-minute mark.\nA week later, Utah hung with Oregon, the seventh-ranked team in the country, before the Ducks quacked up eight points in the fourth quarter. Utah lost 24-10, but nearly matched Oregon in total yards and showed resolve by putting up with 45,712 Duck-billed fans.\nUtah surely won't meet the same atmosphere Saturday in Bloomington, and IU will have its hands full of a program that mirrors IU's in the Bill Mallory era. \nCoach Ron McBride has guided the Utes to five bowl games in their last nine seasons; Mallory steered the Hoosiers to six bowl berths in an eight-year span from 1986 to 1993. McBride has won 52 games and is currently in his 12th season; Mallory won 69 games in 13 seasons. Mallory's program got respect in those days, and McBride's deserves some now.\nBut, that's about where the similarities -- other than that both schools have quirky nicknames and use a two-quarterback system -- end. \nWhile IU hasn't had a winning season since 1994, McBride has suffered through only two losing seasons at Utah: the first in his first season and the second last season. In both campaigns, the Utes went 4-7. IU has won four games only twice in the last six seasons.\nSee, Utah is legit. Sure, its level of competition in the Mountain West Conference doesn't parallel that of the Big Ten, but there's a reason Utah is in its league and IU is in its.\nNo matter where Randle El lines up -- hopefully at quarterback or hopefully Jones proves us all wrong -- Utah won't collapse. \nAll the while, fans will try to crack the "whole story" while Utah and IU play musical quarterbacks.