A lot of hype, no thrills

So who's excited about IU football?\nYeah, I didn't think so. \nWhile most of the students on campus were either getting drunk, already drunk or passed out from being drunk, Friday afforded die-hard Hoosier football fans with a glimpse of what the 2005 season and new coach Terry Hoeppner may have in store.\nAnd unfortunately for the Hoosier Nation the outlook is not as rosy as, say, a rose in crystal bowl at a press conference (such as coach Hoeppner's introduction as IU's new man earlier this year). While the ad campaign is inescapable, the PR machine that is Terry Hoeppner still has a lot of work to do on the field. He says all the right things, meets with all the potential ticket holders and is accessible to anyone who will listen. However, Hoeppner will find it's a lot harder to win games in the Big Ten than it is to win over fans. \nHoeppner's most notable achievement in the eyes of college football fans is his grooming of former Miami of Ohio quarterback and current Pittsburgh Steeler Ben Roethlisberger. Well, I'm sure this will come as no surprise, but there is no Roethislberger on IU's roster. There is a Blake Powers, a Grant Gregory, a Graeme McFarland and a Mike Vlahogeorge, which is almost as difficult to pronounce and spell as Roethlisberger, but alas no future NFL studs in the bunch. The quarterback position is wide open, and following Friday's Cream and Crimson game, not one stepped up and established himself as the clear cut No. 1. \nWhile that's a problem in itself, another one creeps up. Who are they going to throw to? In this new wide-open offensive scheme Hoeppner brings over from the MAC conference, a heavy reliance on wide receivers is needed. Only one Hoosier wideout on the roster has any type of valuable experience and that is Jahkeen Gilmore. Mix in some former walk-ons, redshirt freshmen and converted safeties, running backs and corners, and you have a motley crew of receivers with not one who calls for a double team or defensive adjustments from the opposition. \nThe news isn't all bad on offense. The offensive line is a veteran bunch with vocal leaders and will be called upon to protect the unnamed quarterback and open holes for a solid stable of running backs. With the departure of BenJarvus Green-Ellis, via transfer to Ole Miss, Chris Taylor and Yamar Washington will be looked upon to carry the load. Friday evening, Taylor showcased a more slender frame and showed a burst of speed along with some vital wiggle. Washington did what he'll be expected to do all season -- average a little more than 3.5 yards a carry. Taylor has established himself in this columnist's eyes as the No. 1 back, but in a spring game which saw Washington get 10 carries for 39 yards and Taylor amass 119 on just four, you wonder why Taylor wasn't given more touches.\nOn the defensive side of the ball, not much has changed. While the Hoosiers will show fight and tenacity and rely on opportune turnovers, the depth chart is littered with players who are still too small and too slow to compete with the big boys of college football. The strength of the defense will lie in the secondary, which boasts a number of experienced corners and safeties. Buster Larkins shined in the spring game with two interceptions and Will Lumpkin and Damien Jones look solid as a safety tandem with former Big Ten Freshman Defender of the Year Will Meyers providing depth. However, in the Big Ten, the larger, faster and better teams will grind the game out on the ground and force the smaller Hoosier defenders to wrap and tackle, something even the largest Hoosier optimist admits needs work. \nWith every season, there is new optimism, especially when a new coach is brought in with such a zest for the program that Hoeppner has shown. However, you can attend all the functions, read all the articles and scan all the quotes, but when push comes to shove, this is still Indiana University, a school that hasn't been to a bowl since 1994. The athletics department can schedule all the Nicholls States and Central Michigans they want, pad the record a bit, but once it's all said and done and the Big Ten season opens up, the real litmus test will take form. \nHoeppner might be the right man for the job and I hope he is. I would like nothing more than to come back as an alumnus, look up in the stands and see a respectable crowd in a game that doesn't feature Ohio State. I want to be forced to buy a satellite to catch the games, wear my IU sweatshirt with pride in the fall and come New Year's Day watch a Hoosier team take the field. \nIt's been a while, so I'm willing to wait at least one more year.