IU looks forward to spring game

For more than a month, IU’s football team has participated in spring practice as its players adjust to new coaches and newfound leadership opportunities.

On Saturday, the work put in during its 15-practice schedule since March 2 will be put on display at the Hoosiers’ annual Cream and Crimson Spring Game.

Teams were selected in a draft by Cream team captains senior safety Greg Heban and senior wide receiver Kofi Hughes and Crimson team captains senior running back Stephen Houston and senior tight end Ted Bolser.

Kickoff from Memorial Stadium will be at 4 p.m., and will be the highlight of multiple events held throughout the day.

“We have come to work consistently and have gotten after it,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said. “There hasn’t been one day that’s been bad.

“We’ve got a good vibe that’s coming from the locker room. We’ll have a bit of fun heading into the Cream and Crimson game.”

For IU’s players, Saturday’s spring game is the final NCAA-sanctioned event until the summer begins. After six weeks of build-up practices, the game is the final opportunity to show coaches their abilities until fall practice starts in August.

Senior wide receiver Isaiah Roundtree knows how much a spring game can have an impact on one’s playing career. In last year’s game, Roundtree, then a running back,  ran for two touchdowns, one of which was nearly a 60-yard rush. He had previously never played a game in the cream and crimson.

After his performance in last year’s spring game, Roundtree appeared in 11 regular-season games, starting in the Hoosiers’ Big Ten opener at Northwestern.

Heading into the 2013 Cream and Crimson Game, Roundtree said he is aiming for consistency himself, but is instead more focused on the offense’s overall production.

“We want to put up points,” Roundtree said. “We want to see multiple receivers and running backs scoring. Our objective is to get into the endzone and have multiple guys score points.”

Though players will be focused on the game, coaches and much of the IU athletic department has its sights on the lead-up events to the game.

IU decided it will open the tailgate lots for the game at noon Saturday and will open the gates to Memorial Stadium at 1:30 p.m. At 2 p.m., IU will begin its spring game tailgate party, Memorial Stadium tours and its Hoosier Kids Zone in Knot Hole Park.

In addition, IU football alumni and NFL players Tandon Doss, Courtney Roby, Andrew McDonald and James Brewer will be back and leading a Youth Football Clinic at 2 p.m. IU’s current players and coaches will also be signing autographs after the game.

A zipline at Knot Hole Park will open at 3 p.m. and last through 5:30 p.m.

“I’ve been really pleased with the way our administrative staff has been working with the football staff to put together what I think will be a really fun event,” IU vice president and director of athletics Fred Glass said. “The football will be great and the experience surrounding it will be great.”

With past and current IU football generations joining forces on Saturday, Glass said he hopes this will provide the program with more momentum as it prepares for its 2013 season.

“I’m really excited about some of the players that are coming back,” Glass said. “Not only because I think it will be fun for the spring game, but because I think it is a real endorsement for what Coach Wilson is doing.”