After watching the Hoosiers play for the first time this year, we decided to take a look at who helped themselves (or hurt) with their performances on Saturday. So without further ado, here we go.
Up
1) Kellen Lewis: Lewis easily proved why he should be the starting quarterback. Whether or not you believe he earned his way back appropriately, Lewis certainly put on a show against Western Kentucky. Running for 185 yards on nine carries (including runs of 75 and 62), Lewis made the Hilltoppers looked silly. Though he looked slightly off in the passing game, he still put up respectable numbers (17-27, 144 yards, two touchdowns and an interception). Expect an even better performance against a weak Murray State team next week.
2) Bryan Payton: With Marcus Thigpen struggling out of the backfield, Payton played well whenever his name was called upon. Highlighted by a 34 yard run that nearly went for a touchdown, Payton ran for 57 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry.
3) IU run defense: Last year, stopping the run was the Hoosiers' Achilles heel. On Saturday, they didn't even allow Western Kentucky to get going on the ground. Granted, the Hilltoppers did not run as much as they normally do, the front seven was there every time to stop whoever carried the football. On 31 carries, the Hilltoppers accumulated 63 yards. The Hoosiers also recorded two sacks without sack master Greg Middleton - two coming from Jammie Kirlew.
4) Damarlo Belcher: Though he will inevitably draw comparisons to James Hardy - both played basketball in Fort Wayne and both are incredibly tall - let's face it, he's only suited up once. Still, Belcher carried his strong practice play into the Hoosiers' first game and grabbed his first career touchdown on a fade to the back corner of the endzone, becoming the first true freshman since Brandon Walker Roby did so against Michigan in 2005.
Down
1) Chris Hagerup: We will have more on him later in the week, but his first collegiate game did not go over so well. Called upon to punt three times, Hagerup averaged 34.7 yards per punt - a number inflated by a fortunate 57 yard punt that rolled a long way. His second punt went straight up into the air and 12 yards down the field. On his final punt - a 34 yarder - Hagerup fumbled the snap and nearly cost the Hoosiers a turnover. Later in the game, IU coach Bill Lynch elected to substitute backup safety Joe Kleinsmith as the punter instead of going with Hagerup.
2) Marcus Thigpen: He may have been the best dressed player at Big Ten Media day last month, but Thigpen did not look so good in the IU uniform on Saturday. In his second year as the starting running back, Thigpen showed more of the same runs he had last year - short yardage up the middle. On eight carries, Thigpen only gained 18 yards. We will check to see if this performance does anything with his starting role.
If there's anybody else we missed or you thought played well or didn't play well, let us know.
