Defending the Rock

IU coach Terry Hoeppner knows that when he addresses his team, there are times his old-school words of wisdom don't hit the mark with his players.\n"We talked a lot about old adages this summer," Hoeppner said after a 39-20 Hoosier victory Saturday against Western Michigan to open the season. "Sometimes the players look at us when we give them an old adage and say 'never heard of that one.' That's why it's an old adage."\nOne old football adage that held true for the Hoosiers on Saturday was "The best offense is a good \ndefense." \nBehind a big-play defense and special teams, IU was able to turn Western Michigan's mistakes into quick touchdowns and good field position, leading to a necessary early-season win. \nThe IU defense forced three Bronco turnovers in a three-minute span in the second quarter, blowing open the game before halftime. \nWith 10:47 remaining in the second quarter, sophomore cornerback Chris Phillips picked off Western Michigan quarterback Ryan Cubit's pass and returned it up the Broncos' sideline 66 yards for a touchdown. \n"I was playing deep. I knew it wasn't going to be a deep route, so I was looking for a short route and that's what came," Phillips said. "I broke on the ball and from there, I just ran as fast as I could."\nPhillips' touchdown pushed the IU lead to 14-3, and the defense wasn't done forcing Bronco turnovers. \nLess than one minute later, IU sophomore linebacker Geno Johnson forced a Cubit fumble, then fell on the ball at the Western Michigan 34-yard line. \nIU failed to take advantage of the field position. Junior quarterback Blake Powers threw an interception on the very next play, leaving the Bronco offense on its own 4-yard line. \nWestern Michigan sustained the drive briefly before Cubit was intercepted again, this time by senior safety Will Meyers. Meyers returned the ball 37 yards to the Western Michigan 14-yard line. Two running plays later, junior fullback Josiah Sears dove over the goal line and made it a 20-3 IU lead.\nThe Broncos tacked on a field goal before the end of the first half, cutting the lead to 20-6, but the IU special teams unit contributed a scoring play of its own early in the second half to push the lead out further. \nIU senior return specialist Lance Bennett dropped back deep to return a punt after Western Michigan's drive to open the second half stalled. Bennett fielded the punt, then handed the ball off to junior Tracy Porter, who returned it 86 yards for a touchdown on his first punt return as a Hoosier. \n"It was my first punt return so I was anxious," Porter said. "They kicked it to Lance, and all the attention went to him. The whole punt team did a good job of setting up blocks, being in good position and not getting any penalties."\nThe referees threw a flag on the return, causing a brief pause in the post-touchdown celebrations. They called holding on Western Michigan, which was declined, and the touchdown was good for a 26-6 IU lead. \n"My heart dropped (when I saw the flag)," Porter said. "I thought it was a block in the back, but once they said it was on the defense, I just started celebrating with my teammates"