Hep, former players look back on homecoming experiences

For former and current IU football players, homecoming means something more than just another football game. It's about returning home, having family visit and enjoying the festivities throughout the weekend. \nCurrent IU football players use homecoming as a time to reflect on where they've been in their careers and soak up the atmosphere one last time. For them, it's an annual event that carries special meaning. \n"Everybody looks forward to homecoming, whether it's football or whatever else," senior wide receiver Jahkeen Gilmore said. \nAt the same time, former football players and IU alums come back for homecoming with their families. They show them the places they used to hang out, live and, most importantly, play football. \nFormer IU quarterback and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green said that while his NFL career hasn't allowed him to come back for IU football games that often, he relished the chance to come back for homecoming last year. \n"Last year, our bye week just happened to be when homecoming was," Green said in an e-mail. "I was able to take my boys -- they are 9 and 7 years old now -- so that was their first real experience with Indiana football."\nGreen, who was a three-year starting quarterback for the Hoosiers from 1990-92, went to two bowl games while he was a starter and was a captain during his senior season. \nThe San Diego Chargers picked Green in the eighth round of the NFL draft. He has played for four teams during his career, most recently for the Chiefs, where he has started for the last five years.\nGreen said his best homecoming memory came during his senior season, when he was a captain and took part in the homecoming parade. \nHe went on to say that once he retires from football and has time to visit Bloomington during homecoming, he expects the event to be more meaningful to him.\n"I think that once my NFL career is over, that will be an event that I try and get back to every year," Green said. \nIU coach Terry Hoeppner, the face of the IU football team, said he wants to make this year's homecoming game a memorable one.\nHoeppner is calling on IU fans to fill Memorial Stadium and make this homecoming memorable not only for the players, but for the fans as well. Hoeppner wants 50,000 fans at the game to watch his team play Michigan State.\nThe second-year IU coach said he has a lot of memories of his homecomings as a player at nearby Franklin College in Franklin, Ind. For Hoeppner, one moment stood out: "It was sophomore year. We won 42-0, and I returned a punt for a touchdown," Hoeppner said. "And I married the homecoming queen, so that was a pretty good day, don't you think?"\nThe Hoosiers' homecoming game against Michigan State is set for noon Saturday at Memorial Stadium.