November offense in April

It's hard to glean a lot of insight from the Hoosier football team in one spring game (especially when it's two-hand touch on the quarterbacks and coach Terry Hoeppner called a few penalties himself), but Saturday's Cream and Crimson spring football game gave attending fans one thing to think about after they left Memorial Stadium -- this team can create a lot of offense through the air.\nWe're talking a combined 659 yards of passing from three IU quarterbacks coupled with five touchdowns and only one interception.\nIt helps that the receiving corps is insanely deep. Last season the wide receivers were supposed to be one of the weak spots of this Hoosier team, but James Hardy and crew quickly erased the skepticism held by many who thought they were too young and too inexperienced.\nHardy sat out the Cream and Crimson game with a groin pull, and all that seemed to do was open up the door for other wideouts to showcase their skills.\nSophomore James Bailey led the group, catching four passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Jahkeen Gilmore caught three balls for 94 yards and a score in the second quarter -- scoring style points when he hopped up on the fence behind the end zone and struck a pose after his touchdown.\nRedshirt freshmen Chris Banks and Andrew Means and everyone's favorite rapper/kick returner/wide receiver Lance Bennett combined for 262 yards on nine catches for two touchdowns.\nThe running game is still very much in limbo, with plenty of guys vying for the starting spot. Much has been made about Marcus Thigpen's move from wide receiver to his more natural position at running back, but he simply didn't get enough carries to show what he can do.\nFort Wayne native and redshirt freshman tailback Bryan Payton seems to be the frontrunner for the job, carrying the ball nine times for 51 yards.\nAt the quarterback spot, senior back-up Graeme McFarland (11-16, 216 yards, 2 TD) was as equally impressive and smooth as junior starter Blake Powers (7-11, 289 years, 3 TD). Redshirt freshman Kellen Lewis threw the lone interception of the day, but he played well in streaks and has the ability to run as well as throw.\nSo was the offense simply dominating an undersized and under-skilled defense or are they really that good?\nThey are good, but with all the long completions to wide receivers who were consistently burning the cornerbacks, it would appear as if the defense needs to improve immensely before this fall.\nIf the IU offense can run circles around this defense, think about what Ohio State and Michigan can do to these guys.\nAnd without a solid defense, we could be headed down a familiar road. One that's traffic-less and smooth sailing during the early non-conference schedule, but riddled with potholes, bumps and a foot of snow when the team reaches the Big Ten season.\n"Dr. (IU President Adam) Herbert at halftime wanted to know who was coaching the corners and I told him it wasn't me," Hoeppner joked after the game. "I don't think they played their best today but I think the defense is on track. We made some structural changes and I'm optimistic that the defense will be much improved from where it was last fall."\nLet's hope he's right.\nIt's hard to glean a lot of insight from the Hoosier football squad in one spring game, but one thing was certain.\nOne side of the ball played like it was November, while the other played like it was -- well -- April.