Offense hopes to fix slip-ups

In the 1970s, the Minnesota Vikings defense returned a fumble 70 yards. Except it was in the wrong direction.\nIn 1986, Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner could have made a routine play during game six of the World Series. Instead, the ball went between his legs, and the New York Mets won the title.\nIn the mid-1990's, then-Texas left fielder Jose Conseco got a brilliant idea that he was going to pitch. He threw out his arm instead and was out for a season. \nIn 2001, the Hoosier offense scored the most points to date in the Big Ten with 63 points against Wisconsin and had 631 total yards. The offense followed that performance by scoring 14 points and gaining 359 total yards in last week's 35-14 loss against Illinois. \nBig, big slip-ups. \nBut the Hoosier offense is preparing to correct the mistakes it made against Illinois in time for Saturday's game at Iowa.\n"We know what (the offense) can do," junior tight end Kris Dielman said. "We did it last year and the year before that, and I don't know what's happening this year. Against Wisconsin, we went out there and let loose. It just depends. If we go out and get fired up, then nothing can stop us."\nAgainst Wisconsin, nothing stopped IU. But against Illinois and the other four teams that defeated the Hoosiers, the offense showed its uncharacteristic ability to be stopped. \nSo what's the difference between the two offenses?\nA combination of penalties, missed assignments and ineffective plays against the opposing defense have plagued a usually productive offense. Against Illinois, the Hoosiers had seven penalties which cost them 52 yards. The week before, IU was penalized twice for 13 yards.\n"We had a lot of great effort against Illinois, but it was just the mental mistakes that lost the game," junior fullback Jeremi Johnson said. "Take the penalties away and we would have won the game. But it was the offsides and the holding that killed us. We knew we didn't physically lose the game, and it hurt a lot, because we knew it was all mental."\nBefore the Illinois game, the offense knew what to expect. Several of the players said that prior to the game they knew Illinois liked to switch things up, and that the defense was going to be throwing several different plays their way. Watching the film didn't stop the mistakes, but going into Iowa, focus is crucial.\nIowa, a team IU beat 45-33 last year, has one of the strongest defenses in the Big Ten this year. The defense is first in the Big Ten for pass defense and second in rush defense.\nNot good news for the Hoosiers, who could only rush for 194 yards rushing against Illinois, the No. 5 rush defense in the Big Ten. \n"Against Wisconsin we were way more explosive," senior wide receiver Henry Frazier said. "We were more explosive passing and running, because the defense Wisconsin ran at us gave us more opportunity to do that stuff. But against the defense Illinois gave us, it wouldn't have been that smart to come out and run the same type of plays. \n"It was definitely frustrating, but every now and then you're going to get a team that won't allow you to run or pass. That's the name of game, and you try to come in prepared to the best of your ability Sometimes things don't go as you plan."\nBut if the Hoosier offense has their way, Camp Randall Stadium won't be the last place to see IU make their mark in the Big Ten. \n"We can play better than we did," Dielman said. "We just made a lot of mistakes. But we saw what we could do against Wisconsin. We just need to go out there and get everything done. We are a powerful offense when we are on the top of our game"