First Game Prep
Thousands of IU students moved into their places Tuesday afternoon, settling in for a relaxing week before class begins. But relaxation was the last thing on the minds of the members of the IU football team Tuesday as they prepared for their first big test of the season: Western Michigan.\n"We've watched some tape on Western Michigan, and they look good," said senior safety Will Meyers . "They were 7-4 last year and had some quarterback injuries. Their starting quarterback is back. ... We've got to be ready to play them."\n"Their defense is a little bit lighter than ours, but they are good," said junior fullback Josiah Sears. "They've got some good speed on defense." \nIU coach Terry Hoeppner and the Hoosiers kick off against Western Michigan on Sept. 2.
backfield battle\n"Running back by committee" strikes dread in fantasy football owners. But the Hoosiers might use that strategy this season. Sophomore running back Marcus Thigpen and freshman Demetrius McCray competed all summer for the starting position.\nThigpen made the transition from wide receiver to running back for this season. Last year, he tallied 32 receptions for 432 yards and two touchdowns, displaying his playmaking ability. \nMcCray redshirted last season and said he was eager to prove himself this summer. McCray was forced to miss several practices last week because of an "academic issue." Since then, McCray said the issue has been resolved: "I got through it."\nThe position battle between Thigpen and McCray is close to even, and McCray said performance will decide the battle.\n"I'm expecting the best player to play. Whoever the coach feels is the best player, that's who I expect to play," McCray said. "If you ask me, 'Do I expect to play?' Yeah, I expect to play."\nWide REceiver depth\nThe Hoosiers' most talented position this season is at wide receiver, or at least that's what the guy throwing them the passes said.\n"We've got a lot of explosive players," said junior quarterback Blake Powers. "We have unlimited potential at the wide receiver position."\nThe Hoosiers go-to wide receiver is sophomore James Hardy, who caught 61 passes for 893 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. Hardy is surrounded by a slew of talent, including fifth-year senior Jahkeen Gilmore and sophomore James Bailey. \nAlthough there are a lot of options at wide receiver, Powers isn't worried about feeding all of the hungry receivers.\n"If they had ego problems, there might be a problem, but they all get along really well," Powers said. "They are all rooting for each other. They just want us to win. that's their number one goal."
Switching sides\nJunior Charlie Emerson and sophomore Kyle Thomas have gone from playing defensive end to playing against defensive ends.\nThat's because both players have switched positions and have been inserted into the Hoosier's starting offensive line. \nThe changes have been made in an effort to make the offensive line more athletic. Thomas stands at 6-foot-4, weighs 290 pounds and will play guard, while Emerson is 6-foot-5, listed at 266 pounds and will play tackle. \n"Charlie is extremely talented," Powers said. "He has been working hard. The improvements he's made in a week are more than most make in three to four years."
"Dispatch" Drills\nThis summer, the efficiency and discipline of the Hoosiers' practices was evident.\n"That's the way practice goes," Sears said. "The word of the year is 'dispatch.' We're all supposed to do something with haste."\nThat much was clear Tuesday as the Hoosiers sprinted across the field in between drills and position coaches barked orders.\n"That's how we run practice and run games," Sears said. "That includes in and out of drills."\nSears credited part of the Hoosiers' camp success to improved competition at every position.\n"Anytime there is competition, the position is going to be better. If one guy has a spot, they aren't going to work very hard," he said. \nSears's teammate on the other side of the ball, Meyers, concurred.\n"Better depth improves competition," he said. "People can't really stay lackadaisical. We are going real hard out there"
