Seniors center Will Matte and defensive tackle Adam Replogle will serve as team captains for tonight's season opener against Indiana State.
The duo has combined to fill the game captain role a combined 21 times previously in their careers, 12 games for Replogle and nine for Matte.
Matte, a fifth-year center from Wheaton, Ill., has been a mainstay in the Hoosier offensive line since his arrival in Bloomington; starting the first 32 games of his career before suffering an injury in week eight last season at Wisconsin. His efforts have not gone unnoticed by the national awards pundits, earning a spot on the Rimington Trophy Watch List this preseason. Matte played a large role in IU's 1,374-yard rushing yards in Big Ten play a year ago, the program's highest total since 2001. IU posted five games with over 200 rushing yards, including a 319-yard effort against Northwestern - the most for the Hoosiers in a conference game since 2003.Replogle, a defensive tackle, has appeared in all 36 games in his career and has started the last 35. He enters 2012 leading all Hoosier defenders with 113 tackles, 10 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss (tied with defensive tackle Larry Black, Jr.) in his career. In addition to making his 13th appearance as a game captain, Replogle was elected as a 2011 season captainMatte, a fifth-year center from Wheaton, Ill., has been a mainstay in the Hoosier offensive line since his arrival in Bloomington; starting the first 32 games of his career before suffering an injury in week eight last season at Wisconsin. His efforts have not gone unnoticed by the national awards pundits, earning a spot on the Rimington Trophy Watch List this preseason. Matte played a large role in IU's 1,374-yard rushing yards in Big Ten play a year ago, the program's highest total since 2001. IU posted five games with over 200 rushing yards, including a 319-yard effort against Northwestern - the most for the Hoosiers in a conference game since 2003.
