Who’s got D.J.’s back this season?

Abe Lemons, the long-time coach of Oklahoma Central University, once told a player who had scored a mere point despite playing most of the game, “You scored one more point than a dead man.”\nFollowing Lemons’ logic, someone should check the pulse of starting forward Lance Stemler after Monday’s season opener. Stemler missed his only two shot attempts and failed to tally a rebound or assist in 16 minutes of court time. Judging by the “boos” directed at Stemler in the second half of IU’s 99-79 win over Tennessee-Chattanooga, the home crowd thought he was a ghost.\nFinding a complement to D.J. White was a point of emphasis for Kelvin Sampson before the season began. Stemler, along with junior transfer DeAndre Thomas and freshman Eli Holman, is expected to solidify a frontline that, beyond White, brings to mind words like “shaky,” “unproven” and “raw.” All three big men bring something unique to the table. All three also possess glaring weaknesses. In this “Very Gordon Season,” all three will play a pivotal role.\nDespite Stemler’s unpopularity, Sampson has expressed support for his embattled senior. The 6-foot-8 forward battled an ankle injury last season and turned in a few gems early in the season before tailing off after re-injuring the ankle in mid-February. He started 19 games for IU and contributed 10 points in the Hoosiers’ second-round loss to UCLA in the NCAA Tournament – including nine points in the last five minutes of a game where the Hoosiers played like they were allergic to offense. Bring this to the attention of Stemler’s detractors, and they will cite his poor inbounds pass that virtually sealed the game for UCLA. The truth is IU wouldn’t even have been in the game if not for Stemler’s earlier heroics.\nThus far, Stemler hasn’t shown any of the shooting ability that IU fans have come to expect, but he also hasn’t been looking to find his shot. Counting the two exhibition games, Stemler has accumulated just as many fouls as points (eight), making newcomer Thomas that much more of a fan favorite.\nSampson thought Thomas might struggle playing heavy minutes, but “Big D” looked solid in his Hoosier debut, packing in 11 points and three rebounds in 22 minutes of action against the Mocs. \nThe question about Thomas is his defense. He’s shown an uncanny ability to poke the ball out of the hands of opponents on the defensive end. As long as he doesn’t have to contest shots on the perimeter, Thomas appears to be able to hold his own. One thing Sampson likes about the 295-pound forward is his passing ability.\n“When you have a big man that can pass, it’s almost like having a player and a half, because they can make other players better,” Sampson said at his weekly press conference. \nWith Thomas’ girth, it’s more like having two players and a half.\nHolman remains a wild card in the rotation. Sampson put the freshman in at the tail end of the opener, but might be forced to deploy Holman during critical stretches against teams that boast height. \nThe thought is that the Richmond, Calif., native is still adjusting to the college game. He’ll have to grow up quickly if IU hopes to compete for the Big Ten championship.\nOf course, the Hoosiers may circumnavigate the “Who will help out D.J.?” question by utilizing a four-guard lineup like they did last Monday, letting Jamarcus Ellis play against the other big man. They would be sacrificing plenty of height, and rebounding is already an area of concern. But as Lemons suggested, getting a box score of goose eggs from your starting forward is a death sentence for a Top 10 team.