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(10/19/07 4:22am)
Last week was a lesson. A hard lesson. If this were a Hoosier team of past years, losing 52-27 could very well spell the end of the season. Heads would be hanging low, and team spirit would be lost on and off the field.\nBut not this year, said senior cornerback Tracy Porter. Refusing to give into one loss, the Hoosiers (5-2, 2-2) are instead holding their heads high as they ready for their homecoming game against Penn State.\n“I definitely think our confidence level is steadily \nimproving as the days go on, as each practice goes on,” Porter said. “We put that game behind us, and we know what we have to do this week.”\nJoe Paterno’s Nittany Lions have the same conference and regular season record as the Hoosiers. Even though Penn State’s record isn’t as strong as in past years, after coaching for 42 years, Paterno’s team still shows a defensive toughness – one that will go head-to-head with IU’s high-scoring spread offense.\nSecond in the Big Ten in scoring defense, total defense and sacks, the Nittany Lions possess a stingy unit that will make sophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis earn every yard.\n“I would say, take Michigan State’s intensity and maybe double it,” Lewis said. “They just play with a high level of intensity, and they always play like they know that they are better than you up front, they’re better than you at linebacker, they’re better than you at corner.”\nNot exactly a team that will let the Hoosier passing attack march down the field.\nBut gaining yards and controlling the clock are what the Hoosiers will have to do to stay with Penn State, especially after IU only ran 16 offensive plays in the first half at Michigan State last Saturday.\nFor a team that runs the ball as well as Penn State – the team is second in the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns – the Hoosiers know they will have to tackle better than the team that allowed 368 yards rushing at Michigan State last week as well.\n“We know we missed a lot of tackles,” Porter said. “We know we have to tackle, we have to wrap up and get more guys to the ball.”\nIn defending a sporadic quarterback like Penn State’s Anthony Morelli, Porter also said it will be just as important to put pressure on the quarterback as it will be to stop the run. Though the Hoosiers are first in the nation in sacks, he said a balanced defense will be key to stopping the Nittany Lions’ offense.\nWhile the Hoosiers need to make stops on defense, they do not have to score on their first possession to make a statement against Penn State, IU coach Bill Lynch said. Instead, a fiery attitude from the first whistle until the final seconds tick off is what will be vital in playing a Penn State defense that gives up only 12.7 points per game.\n“We have to make it a four-quarter game, and we have to play as hard as we can possibly play,” Lynch said. “Our effort and that energy level that we come with is going to be very important.”\nLynch praised Paterno’s long-term success at Penn State, and said he believes the players are a complete football team.\n“Offense, defense and special teams, they are a football team,” Lynch said. “They may have those basic uniforms, but inside them they play hard and smart and are where they are supposed to be.”
(10/19/07 2:51am)
This week's segment of the "funny but unrelated segment of the blog" goes to senior cornerback, and team captain, Tracy Porter. For the record, we needed a new name for this segment and I'm in the process of thinking up some names. You guys are more than welcome to submit suggestions for the name of this segment as well as send in questions to ask the players - fun questions. Without further ado, here goes the interview.
(10/18/07 4:00am)
Most of the mainstream buzz about In Rainbows concerns the unorthodox selling/leaking method that Radiohead employed for it, leaving the actual music on the band's first album in more than four years to fly under the radar. Though their online direct selling may start a revolution, the songs on Rainbows -- and they surprisingly are distinct songs -- show Radiohead growing out instead of surging forward.\nWithin the atmospheric haze of this album, the rhythmic interest keeps it from drifting to bed. From the drunken 5/4 stumble of the opener "15 Steps" to the most live-sounding percussion I've heard in a while on "Reckoner," the off-kilter, unexpected turns in the beat and meter work well with Thom Yorke's pleading vocals. Even on tracks without heavy percussion, the low rumble in the bass sets the melancholic tone.\nPerhaps the only revolution here is the album's romantic feel: strings soaring, lyrics verging on Motown ("You're all I need"), hidden melodies humming old pop songs at the end of "Reckoner." It seems that, at long last, these paranoid androids have learned to love, but love in the kind of duplicitous frozen way that only Yorke's wail can muster.\nThose hoping for a return to OK Computer and Pablo Honey will be disappointed, but the rock-out rages of the past resurface in places such as the guitar fuzz of "Bodysnatchers" and the raucous high-hat on "Jigsaw Falling Into Place." We don't see a new Radiohead; instead, we get a hybrid mix of all the old Radioheads, from the folksy "Nude" to the electro-rock "15 Steps."\nIn Rainbows, then, rescues otherwise colorless lyrics ("I don't want to be your friend / I just want to be your lover") with its resonance, creating a true wall of sound, hitting at every register to fully envelop the listener in eerie rapture, reminding us after four years why Radiohead was so great in the first place.
(10/17/07 4:57pm)
For a limited time, Hoosier fans can purchase a ticket package for only $68. The package includes tickets to the Nov. 3 match against Ball State, and the Nov. 17 game against Purdue. The offer is available through Nov. 2, and fans can contact the IU Ticket office at 1-866-IUSPORTS, to take advantage of the one-time offer.
(10/15/07 9:16pm)
After a little more than a week of deliberating whether the IU/Penn State game will be on ESPN or ESPN2, the good folks in Bristol, Conn. decided to give the game some national attention. As of today, the game will be broadcast on ESPN and will be the first IU game Insight and Comcast viewers can watch. The game will start on Saturday at noon.
(10/15/07 4:49am)
EAST LANSING, Mich. – On a cold night in East Lansing, Mich., the Michigan State Spartans handed the IU football team a 52-27 loss and a hard truth – the Hoosiers can’t stop the run.\nInstead of becoming bowl eligible, the Hoosiers saw a win slip away at the hands – and feet – of Spartan running back Javon Ringer, who ran through nearly every seam the Spartans exposed in the IU offensive line. \n“It’s one game,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “Just like I’ve been saying all along, if we win one, it’s one win. That’s all.”\nLike Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall did to the Hoosiers on Sept. 22, Ringer made the IU defensive line look more than inept. Accumulating 203 yards and two touchdowns, Ringer’s rushing ability never allowed IU a chance to get back into the game.\nAs Ringer broke tackles up front, IU sophomore safety Austin Thomas suddenly found himself a part of nearly every play, finishing with 22 tackles by the end of the night.\n“Running the ball on us, that’s basically all they were doing,” Thomas said, “and we were having a tough time stopping. Hats off to them, they schemed us up pretty well.”\nWith the help of Spartan running back Jehuu Caulcrick, the Michigan State rushing attack gave a crowd of 73,449 more than enough to cheer about on homecoming. \n“That’s a pretty good one-two punch,” Lynch said. “I’m sure there were times when we didn’t have enough faces in the gaps. That’s all part of it when you give up that many yards.”\nRegistering 368 yards on the ground allowed the Spartans to control time of possession. Michigan State held the ball for more than 41 minutes, leaving playmakers like junior wide receiver James Hardy on the sideline, unable to do anything.\n“We didn’t have a chance to get going,” Hardy said. “They were running, pounding off of us trying to use up most of the time. We just couldn’t get in sync in the first half.”\nFrustration began to take over the once-confident football team that has been playing by the mantra, “Take one game at a time.” The jovial faces of a week ago turned into expressions of defeat.\nJust about anything that could go wrong for the Hoosiers did. \nThe pocket collapsed all night, the Hoosiers fumbled twice in their own territory and the Spartans converted continuously on third downs. The onslaught continued from start to finish, and sophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis felt much of the wrath.\nLewis felt constant pressure throughout the game and was sacked five times by the Spartan defense. Of his 13 completions, six went to Hardy, for a total of 121 yards.\nThe Hoosiers were unable to make the big plays when it counted and only ran 16 plays in the first half. Once the Spartans got the ball back, they continued to hand the ball off to Ringer and Caulcrick, chewing up plenty of clock in the process.\nHardy said IU is still growing as a team and remains focused on the goal of making a bowl game.\n“You’ve got to understand that this is a program that hasn’t taken this step in (14) years,” Hardy said. “It’s not just going to be handed to us. You have to go through struggles to feel the glory.”
(10/14/07 9:41pm)
- Sophomore safety Austin Thomas finished the day with 22 tackles, just four tackles short of the all-time IU record. IU coach Bill Lynch took Thomas out of the game with a couple minutes left and very well could have broken the record. One reason why a safety nearly broke the record was due to the Hoosiers inability to tackle up front. Spartan running backs Javon Ringer and Jehuu Caulcrick ran all over the IU front seven, and broke tackles at will.
(10/13/07 3:11am)
Take that Purdue.
(10/12/07 4:44am)
The clock is winding down at the end of the game, and the other team is barely ahead. All may seem lost, but junior kicker Austin Starr couldn’t think of a better time to display what he does best and prove he has ice water running through his veins.\n“I want to be in the pressure situations. I want the game to be riding on my leg,” Starr said. “It’s the whole scenario. It’s the opportunity to make the big kick.”\nFor the second straight year, Starr has provided the Hoosiers with an extra lift when they needed it most. With only one missed field goal all year, he is having a coming-out party.\nBeing a kicker is not the most glamorous of jobs, but Starr said he knows the value of a good kicker. \n“We win games,” Starr said, “And when they can’t execute in the red zone, at least we get some points.”\nSo far, Starr has done his best to prove kickers are meaningful to a football team. His 12 field goals this season lead the Big Ten, and he’s third in scoring, averaging 10.3 points per game. The biology major who intends to go to medical school after finishing his undergraduate degree ranks fourth and 13th in those categories nationally, respectively.\n“He feels that every time he takes the field, he’s going to make his kick,” said assistant head coach Gerald Brown. “Confidence just soars in him and he just can’t wait to get out there.” \nLast Saturday against Minnesota, Starr tied a school record with four field goals in a game, and at Western Michigan, he hit a career-long 48-yarder. But it was a game-winning 33-yard field goal at Illinois last year that changed his career.\n“Leading up to that kick, I was in a zone where I was only focused on the task at hand,” Starr said. “It was that focus that, unknowingly, allowed me to mature.”\nThe change in Starr’s ability to bounce back from a missed kick over the last few years has been like night and day, said senior long snapper Tim Bugg.\n“He’s made leaps and bounds, not only physically but mentally,” Bugg said. “Some people might have said that he was a bit of a head case early on in his career. Not anymore though, he’s really got a lot mentally tougher.”\nAll of this coming from a former soccer player who took a stab at playing football.\nPrior to his sophomore year of high school, Starr had no real desire to kick a football. But at his high school, it was tradition for the football coach to get a senior soccer player to come out for football and try kicking.\nFor no reason in particular, Starr said he decided to give it a shot. With one senior injured and the other having quit, Starr found himself as the lone kicker on the team.\nBut because his coach wasn’t allowing him to kick from more than 40 yards away, Starr wasn’t recruited to play for many Football Bowl Subdivision schools. It didn’t matter to him though – he wanted to go to IU to major in biology.\nJust to see if he could, Starr tried out for the Hoosiers and barely made the roster. \nHowever, he knew his mechanics needed some work – mainly because he didn’t have any. Starr attended several kicking camps and then decided to purchase “the best investment I’ve made.” \nHe went online and bought field goal posts, stuck them into the ground, and used a bungee cord to hold them together. \nHalf the size of a normal goal post, Starr practiced no less than three days a week for two hours a day during the summer. The smaller posts forced him to be a more accurate and consistent kicker.\n“He’s one of the hardest working guys I’ve ever seen,” Bugg said. “We used to think he was crazy, with how many balls he would kick during practice. But it seems to be working for him.”
(10/11/07 8:06pm)
This week's segment goes to Mr. Austin Starr, otherwise known as the Hoosiers kicker. I interviewed Starr for a feature about him that will run in the Oct. 12 edition of the Indiana Daily Student. The great thing about the guy is that he will go on forever when you ask him a question. I mean, all the guy does is talk - which is great for me, and since he always gives great quotes. So with that in mind, I decided to include him as the Hoosier for my post.
(10/10/07 4:21am)
They work day in and day out and get beat up over and over again, only to stay in Bloomington on the weekends. Then they get the crap kicked out of them some more.\nIt may not be the most glamorous of jobs, but freshman quarterback Teddy Schell is an advocate of the IU football scout team.\n“Some days, you walk back to the locker room and you’re sore as hell,” Schell said. “And you’re wondering ‘what is this for?’ But we’re ... our own cohesive unit down here. The main reward comes every Saturday when our defense makes a big stop on the plays that we’ve been showing them.”\nThe members of the scout team are, in a sense, the Hoosiers’ own group of “Rudy”s. Each week, the group that fluctuates around 20 players helps the team prepare for its next opponent, hoping to play for a spot to dress on Saturdays.\nThe scout team includes an eclectic group of players – scholarship athletes and walk-ons, freshmen through seniors. Typically, walk-on freshmen will automatically be delegated to the scout team unless exceptional performance dictates otherwise.\nProviding the opportunity for players to rise through the ranks, scout teammates relish the fact that starters and former walk-ons such as senior fullback Josiah Sears and senior linebacker Adam McClurg have made it to the \nbig time.\n“Those guys, they were in our shoes a few years ago,” freshman linebacker Jamie Lukaszewski said. “It just shows that if you put in the hard work and the effort, you can be starting one day or on a scholarship.”\nLukaszewski and his teammates go through a taxing routine. \n“That freshman year is so hard,” said Sears, who spent his first year at IU on the scout team. “You’re just practicing everyday, and you’re in this doldrum state because it feels like you’re working \nfor nothing.\n“You feel like a second-class citizen because the whole team is gone and you have to watch them on TV. But you grow into a role, and you learn from that experience.”\nMost of the preparation throughout the week involves studying the following opponent so the scout team can implement their offenses, defenses and special teams during weekday practices. While the scout players are typically overmatched and undersized in these practices, the benefits for scout and first-team players are abundant and have paid dividends.\n“If we don’t produce in the week, you can definitely tell on Saturday,” sophomore offensive lineman Mike Reiter said. “We’ve got to be there. There’s a role for everybody, and we have ours.”\nThose dividends have not only resulted in lessons learned for players on the scout team and starters alike, but have also helped lead the Hoosiers to a 5-1 (2-1) record – the team’s best start in \n13 years.\nHaving a successful scout team that is adept at picking up opponents’ schemes has helped propel IU to its quick start, coach Bill Lynch said. He said he understands that scout players aren’t able to play at the same speed or skill as the weekend opponent, but appreciates the job the players do.\n“Those scout team kids go out there and try to learn a new offense each week,” Lynch said. “Then they’ve got to be pretty good actors in practice. Like everything else, it takes awhile to get the real feel of how you want it done.”\nThat kind of gratification from a head coach and playing for a Big Ten football team is what keeps players like Lukaszewski coming back for more beatings from the starters.\n“Being a part of Division-I football like this and knowing that it’s going to take hard work and all that effort, you have to look at the big picture,” Lukaszewski said. “It’s not about the day-to-day stuff. It’s about where you could end up in maybe two years.”
(10/08/07 4:11pm)
Starr first Hoosier named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week
After matching the school record for field goals in a game against Minnesota last Saturday, junior kicker Austin Starr was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. Starr is the first Hoosier to earn the award since it was established in 1994.
In the 40-20 win over the Gophers, Starr was a large contributor to the offense and scored 16 points in the contest. Beginning with a 47-yard field goal, the second longest in his career, Starr connected for field goals of 33, 25, and 43-yards out to help give the Hoosiers a convincing win in Bloomington. With his kicks on Saturday, Starr has now made nine field goals in a row and is 12-13 on the season.
Starr is now 13th in the nation in scoring (10.3) and is just five short of the record for field goals in a season.
(10/05/07 7:18pm)
Losing by nearly 40 points in a football game can sting. Avenging that loss the second time around, though, can do nothing but ease the bad memories.\nStanding at 4-1 (1-1), IU will play host to Minnesota this weekend – a team that has been handed three straight losses under first-year coach Tim Brewster. Last year, the Golden Gophers embarrassed IU 63-26 in the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome, a loss that began a three-game losing streak to end the season for the Hoosiers.\n“I think that our kids have a lot of respect for Minnesota because physically the last two years, they really got after us,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “We have different things we need to work on and a good week of preparation to get ready for them.”\nLynch and the Hoosiers have played the “be humble” card all year long. \nIU sophomore defensive lineman Jammie Kirlew continued to echo such statements and said there is a little extra incentive in playing Minnesota (1-4, 0-2) this year.\n“We went up there expecting to win that game and continue on to our goals, and they stopped us,” Kirlew said. “After that, we were not successful, so we have something in the back of our heads to get them. Regardless, we are going to get after them because we have our goals, and we are not going to let anyone stop us from getting there.”\nSenior fullback Josiah Sears said Minnesota “waxed” the Hoosiers last year because IU was looking too far ahead.\nUnder Brewster, the Golden Gophers have not seen an immediate success in the win column but are more than adept at protecting the quarterback.\nThrough the first five games of the season, Minnesota has only allowed three sacks on the year, and the Gophers have played Ohio State and Purdue. Brewster’s offensive line will go head-to-head with the Hoosiers’ nation-leading sack total.\nAfter recording nine sacks in last week’s 38-20 win at Iowa, IU’s 27 sacks double the number the team recorded all of last season.\n“It’s a reflection of what we’ve been doing over the summer,” Kirlew said. “To see that it’s actually happening, that we’re making a big improvement over last year, it makes us feel really good, but we know we can’t be too comfortable.”\nTo this point, Minnesota has allowed 36.8 points and 526.4 yards per game. The Hoosiers will look to take advantage of the Golden Gophers weaknesses in several areas.\nThrough the first five games of the season, junior wide receiver James Hardy has reeled in 20 receptions – seven for touchdowns – for 400 yards. Minnesota is dead last in pass defense, surrendering 368 yards per game to opposing passing attacks. \nHowever, after gaining only 73 yards on the ground last week at Iowa, Lynch said IU will have to increase productivity in the running game to open up the passing game. Minnesota’s rushing defense ranks 69th in the nation, giving up 158.4 yards per game.\n“As you get into the heart of the Big Ten ... each week,” Lynch said, “it gets tougher and tougher because you’re playing against good physical guys, and I think everybody in the Big Ten is geared to stopping the run.”\nOn the offensive side of the ball, the Golden Gophers have been able to put points on the board – 29.8 of them per game. And though the Hoosiers have outscored opponents soundly, the IU defense has allowed 21 points per game this year.\nFor the third time this season, the Hoosiers will face a mobile quarterback in Adam Weber, who is averaging four yards per carry and 252.6 yards through the air. In addition, Minnesota possesses two capable running backs in Amir Pinnix and Duane Bennett. The two backs have a combined 599 yards on the ground this year.\n“They have given up a lot of points,” Sears said. “But I’ve watched almost every game they’ve played so far this year, and I can see that they are getting used to the new system they have. They’re getting more comfortable in it every week, and they’re going to come to play.”
(10/04/07 4:00am)
"1 2 3 3 tell me that you love me more ..." I am sure you have a vague idea of the song I'm referencing, thanks to Apple's new iPod commercial. You might even be one of the people hopping on the Feist bandwagon and adding those very lyrics to an oh-so-hip away message or Facebook profile. It's not a bad thing; it's just a part of the recent proliferation of unorthodox marketing by musicians and companies attempting to capitalize on what's "hip."\nI don't meander around the neon-and-tile oasis known as College Mall often, but word has it that somewhat obscure bands such as The Little Ones and Tokyo Police Club have been pumping through the P.A. in stores such as the Gap and Old Navy. To go along with an Old Navy campaign from the past: It's indie rock for the whole family!\nRetail outlets and ad agencies aren't the only ones taking advantage of musicians looking for new media to distribute their work. Video-game companies have been licensing music for some time now. "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater" was at the forefront of the trend with a mix of punk and hip-hop tunes. Now it's becoming common for video-game soundtracks to be comprised of both popular and unknown music. The best example in recent memory is "MLB2K7," which featured 311, Bishop Allen, Editors, Nirvana, Tapes 'n Tapes and the Pixies.\nDoes this make the artists sell outs? Not as far as I'm concerned. It's a matter of adaptation. People who produce music want it to be heard. Licensing music to companies doesn't diminish the quality of a song. It's the same song, just used in a different context. However, if artists do choose to allow their songs to be used in other media, it is probably best to make smart decisions and be associated with companies and products they actually support. As with anything, it's also best to remember that moderation is key.
(10/04/07 2:12am)
Segment number two. Yeya, I'm a veteran baby! Let's preview this just a bit. I interviewed senior fullback Josiah Sears - a guy who always gives me great quotes. Little did I know, that I would find out Kirby's "Mr. Excitement" doesn't only dislike, but he despises my favorite football team and he thinks he's freakishly fast. Confused? Just look below.
(10/02/07 4:41am)
Two years ago, Kellen Lewis didn’t even know where Bloomington was.\nHailing from Jacksonville, Fla., the sophomore quarterback thought that Indiana was farther west than it actually is, and only knew of one major city in the state – Indianapolis.\n“I thought it was a little bit closer to Nebraska,” Lewis said. “I knew of the Big Ten and Michigan and Ohio State, but I hadn’t heard of too many marquee players from Indiana.”\nBut following the recruiting process, the now four-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honoree – he shares this week’s honor with Wisconsin’s P.J. Hill – erased what he called his ignorance of the program.\nWith 14 career starts, 37 total career touchdowns and a current ranking as the sixth-best rushing quarterback in the nation with 74.4 yards per game, Lewis has become a fan favorite and the leader of a potent IU offense.\nLewis’ path from high school to college is an unusual one – for both himself and IU football. \nSince the seventh grade, the IU standout dreamed of playing football on a higher level, but only on the condition that he play quarterback. The high regard Lewis has for the quarterback position comes straight from his father.\n“My dad always had those NFL films with the commentator that has the voice that makes the guys sound heroic,” Lewis said. “So I was watching the Cowboys – (Roger) Staubach and all those guys – and I realized that those guys are so much more glorious than the safety coming down to make the tackle.”\nOddly enough, Lewis was getting the letters to play for Football Bowl Subdivision – formerly called Division I – teams. However, those letters were not asking him to play the position he had dreamed of. They asked of him to play wide receiver and cornerback – speed positions.\nAs the Hoosiers have learned during the past year, it’s Lewis’ ability to use his speed and make throws downfield that have made him a threat to opponents.\nAfter the signing period came and went during his senior year of high school, Lewis made the decision that he was going to play quarterback for an FBS school or attend a prep school. He ended up choosing the latter, taking a scholarship offer at Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia.\nAnd then Terry Hoeppner took the reigns at IU. \nWith only two scholarship quarterbacks heading into the summer – then-sophomore Blake Powers and then-junior Graeme McFarland – the coaching staff found tape on every available quarterback that had not signed with a school.\nLo and behold, there \nwas Lewis’.\nCurrent IU coach Bill Lynch was then the Hoosiers’ offensive coordinator and was not involved heavily in the recruiting process, but Lynch said getting Lewis was a great find.\n“He certainly ... had confidence he was a quarterback, and given the opportunity, he could do it,” Lynch said. “So we were fortunate enough to get him up here for a visit and convince him to come up here and play quarterback.”\nThough seen simply as insurance at the time, the move paid off for the Hoosiers.\nAs a freshman, Lewis found himself redshirted – something he wasn’t too happy about. To his knowledge, none of the returning quarterbacks had much game experience, and he believed he could do better.\nHowever, Powers and junior wide receiver James Hardy became mentors to Lewis, who admired their work ethic and desire to improve through watching hours of game film.\nAnd after Powers had a career year, passing for an IU record 22 touchdowns, Lewis knew it would be a long time before he took the reigns of the team.\n“First season came by, and he broke the school passing record,” Lewis said. “So, I’m figuring he’s a redshirt sophomore, I’ll be sitting for the next two years.”\nLewis didn’t have to wait nearly that long.\nDuring what turned out to be a 24-23 win at Ball State last year, McFarland – who started in place of an injured Powers – was hurt during the second offensive series of the game. \nWith two injured quarterbacks, an unprepared Lewis took the field for the first time as a Hoosier.\n“I still stood there without my helmet and my headphones were still on,” Lewis said. “I’m looking around thinking someone’s behind me. Everyone was trying to encourage me, but the more they talked to me the more nervous I got.”\nHe would play in every game the rest of the year.\nAdjusting to life as a quarterback in the Big Ten can be a difficult process, especially for a freshman. But with the 6-foot-7 Hardy to throw to, Lewis began to develop a comfortable role under center, using his arm to make great throws and using his legs to scramble when protection broke down.\nThough he took the starting job from Powers, his good friend, Lewis said the two have remained close and continue to help each other improve on the field. \n“It feels like he needs some advice a lot of the time,” Powers said. “It’s a lot harder to see things when you’re in the game with people in your face than it is on the sideline. So I’m always there for him during the games to try and help him out and help the team.”\nBut for now, Lewis isn’t losing any ground. He’s led IU to a 7-7 record as a starter and has proven to be a dynamic force on the field, adding several different weapons to the IU playbook. The Hoosiers have jumped out to a 4-1 record this year, with Lewis’ success helping lead the way.\nDuring the first two years of his career, Lewis has won several accolades as well. In addition to his Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week awards, Lewis was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last year. But those awards go only so far toward satisfying his aspirations for the future.\n“A lot of guys make goals stat-wise – this amount of numbers, that amount of numbers,” Lewis said. “My goal is just to be in California (or) Florida in December, instead of staying at home in Jacksonville watching other people play bowl games. I want to be in one.”
(10/01/07 8:45pm)
I come from a state that loves its football. No, not Texas - though I do love America. In the western suburbs of Chicago, football is everything. Basketball is mainly relegated to the city, and when I was in high school, I always looked forward to those Fridays to watch my buddies pummel people for no reason.
(10/01/07 5:00am)
In the past 32 games at Kinnick Stadium, the Iowa Hawkeyes had only lost four times. Apparently, that didn’t matter to the IU football team, which handed Iowa its fifth loss in 33 home games with a 38-20 win Saturday. Though Hawkeye fans were disappointed at losing their homecoming game, IU senior fullback Josiah Sears couldn’t have been happier.\n“This is great because this is one of the top possible environments there is in the Big Ten,” said Sears, who caught seven passes and ran for two touchdowns. “Seventy-one thousand people screaming their heads off when we came out there, and we didn’t let it affect us. We came out and played hard from the get-go. It’s an excellent win.”\nComing off a disappointing loss to Illinois last week, the Hoosiers won just their fourth Big Ten road game since the start of 2001, but have now beaten Iowa for the second year in a row.\nSophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis led IU on the offensive end, completing 19 of 26 passing attempts for a career-high 322 yards and three touchdowns. But it was the Hoosier defense that played larger than life, recording a season-high nine sacks, 3.5 from sophomore defensive lineman Jammie Kirlew – a career high.\n“You sure noticed him out there, but I didn’t know the number until I got in,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “He’s just one of those hardworking guys that just kept going.”\nOut of the starting gates, the Hoosiers dictated the pace On third and 11 from the Iowa 39-yard line, Lewis threw a strike to junior wide receiver James Hardy over the middle. Hardy, who had inside position on the defensive back, sprinted down the middle of the field for a touchdown.\n“If we just tackle him there, at least we live to fight another day,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “But we didn’t do that. So he made the play, got the first, then he finished it. And that’s what good players do. And he’s an excellent football player.”\nStunning a crowd of 70,000-plus to open the game, the Hoosiers continued an impressive first-half performance on their following drive.\nStarting from the 16-yard line, IU began an 84-yard drive that included a 48-yard bomb to Hardy, who finished with four catches, 113 yards and a touchdown. Four plays later, Lewis rolled to his right and hit sophomore Ray Fisher for a 4-yard touchdown pass.\nHaving been unsuccessful using conventional plays, Ferentz then decided to mix up the Hawkeye playbook and give the Hoosiers a different look. On numerous running plays, Iowa ran fake reverses and also attempted a flea flicker that resulted in a sack by Tracy Porter.\n“Once I saw him toss the ball back, there’s no point in trying to find a receiver to cover, so I just ran in and tried to record a sack,” Porter said.\nThough Ferentz tried to mix it up, the IU defense still found ways to abuse Iowa quarterback Jake Christensen. The sophomore was sacked five times in the first half and was unable to get into any consistent rhythm.\nAfter the Hawkeyes were forced to punt again, the Hoosiers looked to capitalize. On the third play of the drive, Lewis hit Sears for a gain of eight yards, only to see Sears fumble. \nFortunately for Lewis, the ball bounced right to him. After picking up the ball, Lewis ran 71 yards and flipped over the goal line into the end zone, giving the Hoosiers a 21-0 lead. The play was the longest offensive fumble return in IU history.\n“My first instinct was to just grab it,” Lewis said. “I was thinking about diving on it, but it took kind of a funny bounce and popped up into the air about knee high, so I just scooped it and ran.”\nAt the end of the first half, Iowa added a touchdown on a Hail Mary pass that was deflected by several IU defenders but was still caught.\nThe start of the second half looked bright for the Hoosiers. On its second possession, IU started in Iowa territory, only to fumble twice – the second of which resulted in a turnover that led to an Iowa touchdown.\nEven though the crowd was back in it, the Hoosiers came right back.\nLewis led the Hoosiers 75 yards down the field, converting on a fourth-and-4 from the 27-yard line. Lewis found a streaking Brandon Walker-Roby for a 24-yard completion that set up a 1-yard running touchdown from Sears. \nThree plays later, senior cornerback Leslie Majors intercepted Christensen on Iowa’s following possession to set up a 46-yard field goal by junior kicker Austin Starr, which gave IU a commanding 31-13 lead that put the game out of the Hawkeyes’ reach for good.\nThe win improves the Hoosiers’ record to 4-1 on the season and 1-1 in the Big Ten. IU is now two wins shy of qualifying for its first bowl game since the 1993 season.\n“Each game is important and there’s not one bigger than the other,” Lynch said. “When it’s all said and done, they all count the same. But if you’re going to have a good year, you’ve got to be able to win on the road.”
(09/30/07 8:14pm)
Iowa’s fans were befuddled beyond belief.\nIn the past 32 games at Kinnick Stadium, the Iowa Hawkeyes had only lost four times. Apparently that didn’t matter to the IU football team, who chalked up Iowa's fifth loss in 33 home games, a 38-20 win on Saturday. Though the Hawkeye fans were morose on their homecoming, senior fullback Josiah Sears couldn’t have been happier.\n“This is great because this is one of the top possible environments there is in the Big Ten,” said Sears, who caught seven balls and ran for two touchdowns. “Seventy-one thousand people screaming their heads off when we came out there, and we didn’t let it affect us. We came out and played hard from the get go. It’s an excellent win.”\nComing off a disappointing loss to Illinois last week, the Hoosiers won just their fourth Big Ten road game since the start of 2001, but have now beat Iowa for the second year in a row.\nSophomore quarterback Kellen Lewis led IU on the offensive end with 322 yards passing, 19-26 completions, and three touchdowns. But it was the Hoosier defense that played larger than life, recording a season-high of nine sacks, with 3.5 coming from sophomore defensive lineman Jammie Kirlew – a career-high.\n“You sure noticed him out there, but I didn’t know the number until I got in,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “He’s just one of those hardworking guys that just kept going.”\nOut of the starting gates, the Hoosiers dictated the pace of the game. \nOn 3rd and 11 from the Iowa 39-yard line, Lewis threw a strike to junior wide receiver James Hardy over the middle. Hardy, who had inside position on the defensive back, sprinted down the middle of the field for a touchdown.\n“If we just tackle him there, at least we live to fight another day,” Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said. “But we didn’t do that. So he made the play. Got the first, then he finished it. And that’s what good players do. And he’s an excellent football player.”\nStunning a crowd of 70,000 plus to open the game, the Hoosiers continued an impressive first half performance on their following drive.\nStarting from the 16-yard line, IU began an 84-yard drive that included a 48-yard bomb to Hardy – who finished with four catches, 113 yards, and a touchdown. Four plays later, Lewis rolled to his right and hit sophomore Ray Fisher for a four-yard touchdown pass.\nHaving been unsuccessful through playing conventionally, Ferentz then decided to mix up the Hawkeye playbook and give the Hoosiers a different look. On numerous running plays, Iowa ran fake reverses and also attempted a flea flicker that resulted in a sack by Porter.\n“Once I saw him toss the ball back, there’s no point in trying to find a receiver to cover so I just ran in and tried to record a sack,” Porter said.\nThough Ferentz tried to mix it up, the IU defense still found ways to abuse Iowa quarterback Jake Christensen. The sophomore was sacked five times in the first half, and was unable to get into any consistent rhythm.\nAnd after the Hawkeyes were forced to punt again, the Hoosiers looked to capitalize. On the third play of the drive, Lewis hit Sears for a gain of 8 yards, only to see Sears fumble. \nFortunately for Lewis, the ball bounced right to him. After picking up the ball, Lewis ran 71 yards and somersaulted from the goal line into the end zone, giving the Hoosiers a 21-0 lead. The play was the longest offensive fumble return in IU history.\n“My first instinct was to just grab it,” Lewis said. “I was thinking about diving on it, but it took kind of a funny bounce and popped up into the air about knee high so I just scooped it and ran.”\nAt the end of the first half, Iowa added a touchdown on a Hail Mary that was deflected by several IU defenders but was still caught.\nThe start of the second half looked bright for the Hoosiers. On its second possession, IU started in Iowa territory, only to fumble twice – the second of which resulted in a turnover that led to an Iowa touchdown.\nEven though the crowd was back in it, the Hoosiers came right back.\nLewis led the Hoosiers 75 yards down the field, converting on a 4th and 4 from the 27-yard line. Lewis found a streaking Brandon Walker-Roby for a 24-yard completion that set up a one-yard running touchdown from Sears. \nThree plays later, senior cornerback Leslie Majors intercepted Christensen on Iowa’s following possession to set up a 46-yard field goal by junior kicker Austin Starr and give the Hoosiers a comfortable 31-13 lead that put the game out of reach for good.\n“Each game is important and there’s not one bigger than the other,” Lynch said. “When it’s all said and done, they all count the same. But if you’re going to have a good year, you’ve got to be able to win on the road.”
(09/30/07 3:57pm)
Game Summary
I've been at IU for three years now, and only one other time have I seen a dominating performance by this team comparable to the showing they displayed Saturday afternoon. That was last year against then No. 15 Iowa. For that game, I was sitting in the third row of the 40-yard line of the student section. That was one of the best environments I've ever been in. So as a reporter do I miss sitting down with the fans? Just a bit. But I think the great thing about my job is that you're able to see everything unfold so well from the box. And let me tell you, when Bill Lynch said this team played a sound football game, they played a sound football game.
