Column: The Unsung Hoosier Heroes

During the last few months as I’ve assumed my armchair quarterback position and flipped on ESPN, I can’t get away from seeing something about the scandals of Reggie Bush, Cam Newton or Enes Kanter in one sitting.

Wouldn’t an ESPN-TMZ be nice? Maybe add yet another channel to the ESPN family of networks especially dealing with things like undercover pay-for-play, temporary Heismans and the bank accounts of foreign athletes taking their talents to the United States?

Maybe then on the hundred-some other ESPN stations we could get more of what fans across the country pay the big bucks to see. You know, the good guys — the former usual suspects.

With fall sports having drawn to a close, the winter sports calendar here in Bloomington at midyear and spring sports knocking on the door, it’s time to focus on a few of the people around IU athletics doing it for guts and glory.

Kevin Bush, football

Nothing, not even a 14-month tour as a U.S. serviceman in Iraq, would stop Fort Wayne native Kevin Bush from running down his dream of playing football for the Hoosiers. Bush, who spent a year on the University of Toledo team in 2004, joined the armed forces in July 2005. After coming back to the United States in 2008, Bush elected to attempt to join the IU football team as a walk-on.

After being limited to the scout team and sitting out the 2009 season due to transfer rules, Bush played in all 12 games this year as a defensive end special teams member. The sophomore blocked a punt in the season-opener against Towson and had four tackles against Penn State.

Taylor Wayer, basketball

Still feeling a personnel burden heading into year three of his rebuilding process, IU men’s basketball coach Tom Crean added true walk-on guard Taylor Wayer at the beginning of the season. Wayer’s role as a show team player has paid huge dividends throughout the year.

Crean alluded to the freshman’s value in his postgame press conference after the team’s 52-49 win against then-No. 20 Illinois last Thursday — the first win against a ranked team in his tenure.

“You finally saw what happens when our team brings their true practice game to the real game,” he said. “We couldn’t guard Taylor Wayer during practice this week,” Crean said referring to Wayer’s role preparing the team for Illinois guard Demetri McCamey.

Matt Serfling, baseball

Stating that walk-on Matt Serfling will have come a long way since his days as a freshman and sophomore is a severe understatement. Serfling, a Bloomington High School North alumnus, has appeared in just eight games throughout his first two years but is slated to start for IU baseball coach Tracy Smith with the Hoosiers this spring.

Serfling has made his limited time count thus far, as he tallied a pinch-hit in his only appearance as a freshman in 2009. Last year, Serfling made seven appearances and recorded a run scored off a pinch-run against Illinois.


E-mail: ftherber@indiana.edu