Spring forward

To close out the 2005 season, the IU football team lost six straight Big Ten games by an average of 25 points. In doing so, the Hoosiers struggled on both sides of the ball.\nIU coach Terry Hoeppner knew he had to upgrade his team if his program was going to improve.\n"The Big Ten is the deep, deep water with the big, big fish who can swim really fast, so we had to get faster, more athletic, and we had to do it right now," Hoeppner said. "We couldn't wait. We had a very good winter, and it shows."\nSaturday's spring game will be the first chance for Hoosier fans to see Hoeppner's revamped offense. Maybe the biggest difference for this year's squad compared to last year's is familiarity.\nLast spring, Hoeppner was feeling out his team while the Hoosiers got to know their new coach. This spring, the offense knows the system better and has a year of experience. Junior quarterback Blake Powers has noticed the difference.\n"It's been a lot easier (this spring)," Powers said. "When you have everyone clicking and everyone's on the same page, the offense will really start to excel. We're head over heels better than we were last spring."\nPowers, who broke IU's single-season touchdown record by throwing 22 last season and completing 56.4 percent of his passes, said he sees room for improvement. He threw 19 interceptions while playing in all 11 games for the Hoosiers.\n"I just have to get better with my mistakes," Powers said. "I've got to cut down on my interceptions and raise my completion percentage and just be a better quarterback, and that's going to help us win games."\nOne of the key developments over the course of the season was the chemistry between Powers and sophomore wide receiver James Hardy. As one of the conference's best receivers, Hardy caught 61 passes for 893 yards with 10 touchdowns.\nHardy says the development of that on-field chemistry between quarterback and receiver is a work in progress.\n"We just have to get our timing down right and get the chemistry going," Hardy said. "It carried over from the fall, that if we run our routes exactly the way he thinks we're going to run them, then he'll put the ball right there."\nHardy is part of a receiving corps that may be the team's deepest position. The Hoosiers are returning six players who each had at least 10 catches last year, while also welcoming a talented group of incoming freshmen and players who redshirted last season.\nOpposing teams may try to shut down the receiving corps since the Hoosiers are losing their two top rushers, but Hoeppner has several players he is counting on in the backfield. Sophomore Marcus Thigpen is moving back to his natural position at runningback after playing as a receiver last year. Redshirt freshman Demetrius McCray is moving from the scout team up to the game squad.\n"This is (McCray's) opportunity to go out and play football as opposed to being one of the scout guys," Hoeppner said. "He has a chance to be a very special player. (Thigpen) is 190 pounds, and he's real fast. If he breaks out, look out."\nFor Hoeppner, the 2006 squad is like a whole new team.\n"The team is so different than it was last year. We're further along. From day one, we were light-years ahead"