Football looks to start strong

The IU football team will look to extend its streak of six straight opening game wins when it takes on Towson at 7:30 today at Memorial Stadium.

IU coach Bill Lynch enters his fourth season having won three previous opening games. In those openers, the Hoosiers have outscored their opponents 105-33.

In fact, IU is one of five Football Bowl Subdivsion teams that have started 2-0 every season since 2004, joining USC, Alabama, Wisconsin and Kansas.

While the trend favors the Hoosiers, Lynch knows how close his team was to letting the opener get away in 2009. A late fumble recovery helped seal IU’s 19-13 victory against Eastern Kentucky.

This year, the Hoosiers will look to set a more convincing statement in the opener. Limiting mental errors is an area that Lynch has repeatedly stressed.

“In an opener, you’ve got to make sure you have the right people playing, that you’re prepared, that you don’t beat yourself with turnovers with mistakes in substitutions, or penalties or kicking game mistakes,” Lynch said. “That’s something that we’ve worked very hard on.”

The Hoosiers represent the only BCS conference team that Towson will face this season. A victory against a Big Ten school would be a considerable lift for a team that won two games last season. The big stage has potential to spark a Football Championship Subdivision team such as Towson.

“Obviously we’re expecting a very good football team and a very hungry football team to come in here on Thursday,” co-defensive coordinator Brian George said.

It will be critical for the underdog Towson to stop IU’s offense. Senior quarterback Ben Chappell and the Hoosier offense will look to exploit a Towson defense that allowed 36.5 points per game in 2009. Although the numbers are not in Towson’s favor, Lynch is not about to underestimate an opposing defense.

“We’re going to see a very athletic defensive team with some good guys inside,” Lynch said.

Chappell will not have the luxury of throwing to junior receiver Tandon Doss, who will be out Thursday with a groin injury. Senior Terrance Turner, junior Damarlo Belcher and freshman Duwyce Wilson make up a receiving corps that will have a significant size advantage over the Towson secondary. Reeling in big down field catches could result in a big opening win for the Hoosiers.

The motto for this team throughout the offseason has been “Finish.” Finishing blocks, finishing runs and finishing games has driven the IU players since the beginning of spring practice. Against Towson, the Hoosiers will look to do something similar to their season motto — start.

“I don’t care if you open with a non-conference team, a traditional rival or if you open in the Big Ten,” Lynch said. “It’s always about your own team in that opener.”