Sophomore receiver Hardy returns for Big Ten opener

No matter who starts at quarterback when the IU football team takes the field Saturday, he will benefit from the return of sophomore wide receiver James Hardy.\n"I think sitting out for awhile has got James motivated," junior quarterback Blake Powers said after practice Tuesday evening. "He's ready to go, and I think you'll see him at his best on Saturday." \nHardy returned to practice with the team this week following two weeks away due to undisclosed personal issues. Hardy rejoined the Hoosiers after watching them lose both the games he sat out.\nIU lost to Southern Illinois University 35-28 the first week Hardy did not play. In the second week, the offense managed no points in a 14-7 loss to the University of Connecticut. \n"I had it in my mind that I couldn't be there," Hardy said at a press conference Tuesday. "So after watching the games, I'm just trying to help my fellow receivers so we can come out for the Big Ten."\nHardy's return to the field, along with IU coach Terry Hoeppner's return to the sideline, is just in time for the conference opener. The Hoosiers open Big Ten play Saturday when they take on the Wisconsin Badgers. \nWisconsin (3-1) won its first three games before losing 27-13 at Michigan last weekend. The Badgers are led by freshman running back P.J. Hill, 10th in the country in rushing, averaging 117 yards per game. Hill is also tied for the team lead in receptions with 11. \nThe Badgers have the second-best defense in the Big Ten, allowing only 246 total yards per game. The pass defense has been particularly stingy, giving up only 140 passing yards per game. \nThe IU offense will look to recover after struggling badly a week ago. Against Connecticut, the Hoosiers managed 198 yards of total offense -- all of which were through the air.\nWith Hardy back, both Powers and freshman quarterback Kellen Lewis anticipate the offense to be more effective.\n"It's not even if he makes any catches or not," Lewis said after practice Tuesday. "Just his presence on the field; defenses respect his presence on the field."\nHardy exploded against Wisconsin last season, making seven catches for 157 yards and two touchdowns. \nLewis and Powers rotated at quarterback in last week's game against Connecticut with little success. The offense did not manage a single scoring drive in the game. Powers -- who began the season as IU's No. 1 quarterback before being injured -- has recovered fully from an early-season leg injury, the coaching staff said.\nDespite Powers' recovery, Hoeppner hesitated to name a starting quarterback throughout the week. In his press conference earlier this week, he indicated that both would play.\n"What you would like is for your quarterback, who's kind of an extension of the head coach and the leader symbolically on the field, (to) be the guy who's playing well and running the offense and being productive," Hoeppner said. "But I also don't think you want to box yourself in and say 'we're going to play this quarterback forever."