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(10/28/11 5:45pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Saturday will be the 99th Homecoming in IU’s history, but it will be the first for head football coach Kevin Wilson.He has experienced homecoming games at the other places he has coached, such as Miami (Ohio), Northwestern and Oklahoma, but for the first time, he will oversee an entire team coming onto the field for its homecoming game.In past seasons, teams Wilson has coached haven’t spent much time getting involved in homecoming festivities, and the Hoosiers will likely also stick to a similar schedule they have had in previous weeks. Although his routine and the routine of the team hasn’t changed much from what it is normally like, the game itself will take on a little more magnitude than other games because of who and how many will be in attendance.“As a coach and a team, you know this is one of the weekends that a lot of the alumni target to come back, and you want to play well,” Wilson said. “To me, it’s a little more about making sure that you have a really good game performance.”Performing in games has been tough for the Hoosiers this season, as they enter Saturday’s matchup against Northwestern with a 1-7 record. The past two weeks, IU has played in front of loud, rowdy crowds at Wisconsin and Iowa, which has provided many younger players on the team a great deal of energy, Wilson said.The stands in Memorial Stadium have looked barren at times, even though Wilson commended the energy of the crowd at games like the season-opener against Virginia.“It’s our fault on performance that we’re not getting a more enthusiastic or bigger crowd now,” Wilson said. “We need to change the way we play and our culture, and the fans will follow what we do.”Wilson was the offensive coordinator at Northwestern from 1999 to 2001. He traveled there with coach Randy Walker after they had coached together at Miami (Ohio) and led an offense that was top in the Big Ten in 2000 and went to the Alamo Bowl.Wilson said he knows a couple of the guys on the Wildcat sideline but said the top priority is getting a win Saturday. If IU were to beat Northwestern (2-5) on Saturday, it would be the first Big Ten win of the season and the first of Wilson’s head coaching career. He also said it would mean a great deal for seniors and fans as well.“We need to start winning games. We need to win at home,” Wilson said. “We need to win Homecoming. It would mean a lot for us to start putting the product on the field that we take pride in playing in this house.”
(10/28/11 6:37am)
In today's article about Wilson's days at Northwestern, IU Defensive Tackles Coach Mark Hagen mentioned that Wilson and the late Northwestern Coach Randy Walker brought the idea of the zone-read spread offense to the Midwest.
(10/28/11 3:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It hasn’t been long since a pair of crimson-clad IU coaches wore the royal purple of the Northwestern Wildcats. IU Coach Kevin Wilson was Northwestern’s offensive coordinator from 1999-2001, and Co-offensive Coordinator Kevin Johns coached Wildcats running backs from 2004 to 2005 and wide receivers from 2006 to 2010.When Wilson was the offensive coordinator under head coach Randy Walker at Miami (Ohio), the two ran a conventional offense, which Wilson compared to that of former IU Coach Bill Mallory.They found success at Miami, racking up 59 wins against 36 losses and five ties. When opportunity knocked for Walker to coach at Northwestern, he took the job, and Wilson followed.“I was kind of working for Coach Walker as much as I was working for Northwestern,” Wilson said. “The only reason I was there was because he left Miami, and I was working for him, so I consider myself a little bit more of a Randy Walker guy than a Northwestern guy.”After they went to Northwestern in 1999, posted a 3-8 record, scored just 141 total points for the season and saw numerous players graduate, they knew they had to make a change. The team was without certain position players who were integral to an effective rushing attack, which forced them to look at tweaking its offense.“The only reason we did it was out of necessity,” Wilson said. “We didn’t have tight ends. We didn’t have fullbacks, and Coach Walker wanted to run the ball, and we were one of the first teams that went to the gun spread and the quarterback run.”The two visited, among others, offensive guru Rich Rodriguez, then the offensive coordinator at Clemson, to learn the zone-read spread offense. The offense puts emphasis on the quarterback making split-second decisions on whether to keep the ball, hand it off to a running back or execute a number of other plays.The change worked for the Wildcats, and they garnered an 8-4 (6-2) record in 2000, tying for first in the Big Ten. The offense averaged 36.8 points per game. Defensive Tackles Coach Mark Hagen, who coached at Purdue at the time, got a good look at the Wildcat offense.“All the zone read that you see with the quarterback run game, they were one of the first crews to run it,” Hagen said. “Coach Rodriguez had kind of been doing it, dabbling in it, but I know Coach Wilson brought that to the Midwest.”This style of offense intrigued Walker and Wilson, but they still wanted to stay true to their philosophy of running the ball.“It was a version of the spread, but it was more run the ball than it was to throw it, like Purdue was doing,” Hagen said. “That was their niche back then.”At the time, Johns was a graduate assistant under Wilson at Northwestern. He returned to Evanston in 2004 and became the passing game coordinator in 2008.Though he was highly involved with Northwestern’s offense as recently as last season, he said he doesn’t have much to offer as a scouting report.“Northwestern’s empty. They play fast. They run the option. They have great athletes out in space, and the film says all those things,” Johns said, “I’m not sure that I’m giving them much that they can’t see on the film.”Northwestern runs a formation that puts the quarterback, either Dan Persa or Kain Colter, alone in the backfield, which spreads out the offense. This also spreads the defense out, making it easier for the offense to find gaps.Hagen said the Northwestern offense has undergone some changes since Wilson’s time in Evanston and will present IU’s defense with some challenges.“Number one, they spread out your defense and then (have) the ability to run or throw it, the ability to go empty — the ability to go different tempos,” Hagen said. “There’s just a lot to prepare for defensively.”
(10/26/11 4:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With his team down 14-0 to North Central (Ind.) High School and his starting quarterback injured, Lawrence Central (Ind.) Coach Jayson West turned to his backup quarterback.The sophomore wearing number 13 trotted onto the field and proceeded to lead the Bears’ offense to a 28-point second half and a victory.The year was 2008, and the quarterback was Tre Roberson.“He’s just always a quarterback,” West said. “He was kind of a point guard in basketball, too. He’s just that kind of kid. He wants the ball in his hands. He wants to do something with it. We obliged him.”On Saturday, three years after being thrust into the starting role at Lawrence Central, Roberson became the first true freshman to start at quarterback for IU since true freshmen became eligible in 1972.Roberson earned the title of Mr. Football in his senior season in 2010, throwing for 2,611 yards, 24 touchdowns versus four interceptions and rushing for 1,992 yards and 21 touchdowns.“He’s elusive, and he’s got a live arm,” West said. “He’s the best of both worlds, in my opinion.”Prior to his 2010 campaign, Roberson had committed to IU, and when he enrolled, he became the first Mr. Football in Indiana to attend IU since Earl Haniford in 1995. Roberson followed in the footsteps of grandfather Larry Highbaugh, who played defensive back at IU from 1968-71 and eventually became a Canadian Football League Hall of Famer. There was never a doubt that Roberson would end up a Hoosier, West said. Co-Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback Coach Rod Smith had no problems keeping Roberson at IU even after coaching changes.“When I got hired in January, I recruited one kid,” Smith said. “That was him. That’s all I had, so I spent my entire effort making sure he was happy, and I know Coach Wilson liked him as well.”In the first round of the 2010 Indiana High School Athletic Association playoffs, the Bears took on defending champion Warren Central, coached by John Hart, who said he had been impressed with Roberson before.“The thing that’s unique about him (is) not only does he have the incredible athletic skills,” Hart said. “I thought he could make all throws, and he did versus us.”Roberson accounted for 295 total yards and five touchdowns in the game, eventually leading the Bears to the 5A state championship game against Fishers.Hart drew comparisons between Roberson’s skill set and that of current Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson. Smith, who coached Robinson at Michigan, sees a few differences.“They’re on different planes,” Smith said. “They’re different kids. Tre’s not as fast or explosive as Denard is, but Tre might have a little more poise. He might have a little more moxie to him, in terms of the quarterback position.”The true freshman, who changed his number to 5 this season, played sparingly through the team’s first seven games. True freshman wide receiver Cody Latimer, who developed a sense of chemistry with Roberson during the summer, said Roberson’s elusiveness makes life easier for his receivers.“He makes big plays, even when he’s in trouble,” Latimer said. “The play never ends with Tre, because he rolls out and gets out of it, breaks tackles and he can still get you the ball.”Roberson put those talents to use against the 5-2 Hawkeyes last Saturday, completing 16 of 24 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown. It won’t be the yards or the touchdown that he will remember most from his first start, he said.“I’m going to remember just going out there and having fun and just playing the game and letting the game play me,” Roberson said.
(10/24/11 3:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Friday, the day Harold Camping predicted as the end of the world, Columbus (Ind.) East quarterback Gunner Kiel decommitted to IU.Steve Wilfong of 247sports.com first reported Friday that Gunner Kiel, the top-rated quarterback recruit in the country according to Rivals.com, is not only opening his commitment, but made an unofficial visit to Notre Dame Saturday, when the team lost 31-17 to USC. At Notre Dame on Saturday, Gunner Kiel heard a pro-IU chant and told fans leading the chant that he was no longer considering IU, said Kevin Bowen, an IDS reporter who was in attendance. Gunner Kiel informed IU Coach Kevin Wilson of his decision Thursday night, according to the Indianapolis Star.The 6-foot-4-inch pro-style quarterback committed to IU on July 27 after months of speculation. He had also considered Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma and Notre Dame, among others.Gunner Kiel was IU’s class of 2012’s 13th commit. He is the state’s top prospect and was said to be the highest profiled prospect for IU since Dave Schnell, Elkhart (Ind.) Central quarterback, committed to the program in 1985.Without Gunner Kiel in the 2012 recruiting class, the highest-rated players committed to IU are wide receiver Kevin Davis from Warren Central High School in Indianapolis and defensive end Nick Mangieri from Dunlap High School in Dunlap, Ill. They are both three-star recruits.Gunner Kiel’s brother Dusty has started two games for IU this season, completing 39 of 82 passes for 427 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Dusty Kiel suffered an ankle injury against Illinois, sat out last week and sat out this Saturday against Iowa.Even though the Hoosiers have out-passed their opponents 1,761 yards to 1,714 this season, IU has struggled to find consistency from the quarterback position. Quarterbacks have thrown six interceptions and just eight touchdown passes, and IU has been outscored 267 to 171, an average loss of 33-21.Sophomores Dusty Kiel and Edward Wright-Baker have seen time under center, as has true freshman Tre Roberson, who completed 16 of 24 passes in Saturday’s 45-24 loss at Iowa. Roberson started the game, becoming the first true freshman to ever do so for IU. Many might have thought Gunner Kiel would become the second, but for now, he is considering other options.Gunner Kiel and his Columbus (Ind.) East (9-1) teammates advanced to the second round of the playoffs Friday by defeating Shelbyville 49-21. The Olympians will play East Central (9-1) at home Friday.
(10/24/11 3:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Coming into Saturday’s matchup with Iowa, the Hoosier defense struggled with giving up big plays, allowing five touchdowns of 67 yards or more during the season.Near the end of the first quarter, Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg added another touchdown to that list, finding wide receiver Marvin McNutt for an 80-yard score.“That’s just not having some awareness,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said. “I don’t know if we had some significant busts or just some very, very poor tackling.”The 80-yard strike was McNutt’s 22nd career touchdown reception, hich set the school record. The play was a play-action pass that IU’s defense has worked on during practice, but in a game, it didn’t turn out perfectly. Three IU defenders collided on the play, leaving McNutt with room to run.En route to a 45-24 loss to fall to 1-7 (0-4), the 80-yard touchdown wasn’t the only time IU’s defense struggled to contain the Iowa offense that ranked fourth in the Big Ten in scoring. Running back Marcus Coker ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns.“I don’t think we made a defensive stop until the fourth quarter, so they worked us well, run and pass,” Wilson said. The Vandenburg-McNutt tandem was lethal for the 5-2 (2-1) Hawkeyes, doing the majority of its damage before halftime. After the second quarter, McNutt had five receptions for 174 yards and three touchdowns.Senior linebacker Leon Beckum returned to his first game since suffering an injury against Ball State and finished with eight tackles. He said it took a couple of series for him to get back into the flow of the game, and he said at times, he thought he was at fault for defensive mishaps.“I wish it was just different out there today,” Beckum said. “I felt 100 percent out there. It was just getting into the game flow. Trying to get back into the game speed, I kind of broke down on some coverages.”Not all was dreary for the Hoosiers on Saturday, as the defense came up with a season-high four sacks. The IU offense also showed signs of life that gave Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz some problems, especially on the ground and with the new “diamond” formation.“They unveiled that formation, went to it last week,” Ferentz said. “I guess they’re calling it ‘the diamond.’ That’s kind of going around college football right now . They were playing well, executing well. The quarterback did a good job.”True freshman Tre Roberson, who became the third quarterback to start for IU this season and the first true freshman to ever start for IU, showed control of the offense from the first drive onward. The Hoosiers’ first drive, which went 88 yards in 6:16, was the longest drive of the season in terms of both yardage and time.Roberson finished the drive with a three-yard touchdown to true freshman wide receiver Cody Latimer and finished the game with 16 of 24 passing with 197 yards and a touchdown.Roberson led the team with 82 yards rushing, and the Hoosiers totaled 217 yards on the ground. It was the second Big Ten game in a row in which IU rushed for more 200 yards, a feat that IU hasn’t accomplished since 2001. Sophomore running back Stephen Houston compiled 72 rushing yards and two touchdowns, solidifying his role as the starting running back.After two weeks of improvement on the offensive side of the ball, Wilson said the defense needs to seek balance to be more successful.“Schematically, we can play soft coverage,” Wilson said. “If we do, it looks like ... we die a slow death. If we want to be aggressive (and) take some shots, we’ve just got to have some mix and balance.”
(10/23/11 2:37pm)
IDS football beat reporter and Alex McCarthy and columnist Justin Albers are joined by Connor O'Gara as they discuss Indiana's 45-24 loss to Iowa, what it means for the Hoosiers and where they are going from here.
(10/22/11 5:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As news of Gunner Kiel swirled around Bloomington, the Hoosiers fell to Iowa 45-24 in Iowa City Saturday.The Hoosiers fall to 1-7 (0-4), mathematically eliminating them from bowl eligibility. Iowa is now 5-2 (2-1).After an explosion of offense in the first two quarters, the second half was much quieter, with just 20 of 69 total points coming after halftime.True freshman Tre Roberson started, becoming the third person to start under center for IU this season. He completed 16 of his 24 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown pass. He also showed off his athleticism at times, avoiding defenders and running for 84 yards. He led the Hoosiers in rushing for the game.Sophomore Stephen Houston started at running back and ran for 74 yards and a touchdown. Iowa's offense was efficient. Junior quarterback James Vandenberg has completed 12 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns.Junior wide receiver Marvin McNutt caught six of those passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns. McNutt's first touchdown, which went for 80 yards, made him the Iowa record holder for touchdown receptions.Sophomore running back Marcus Coker rushed for two more touchdowns for Iowa. Coker rushed for 140 yards.
(10/22/11 5:55pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As news of Gunner Kiel still swirls around Bloomington, the Hoosiers trail Iowa 35-14 at the close of the first half in Iowa City.True freshman Tre Roberson started, becoming the third person to start under center for IU this season and the first true freshman to ever start at quarterback in IU history.Roberson is 7-7 passing for 62 yards and a touchdown pass. He has also shown off his athleticism at times, avoiding defenders and running for 30 yards.Sophomore Stephen Houston started at running back and has run for 47 yards and a touchdown.Iowa's offense has been efficient, scoring a touchdown on its first five possessions. Junior quarterback James Vandenberg has completed eight passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns.Junior wide receiver Marvin McNutt has caught five of those passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns. McNutt's first touchdown, which went for 80 yards, made him the Iowa record holder for touchdown receptions.Sophomore running back Marcus Coker has rushed for the other two touchdowns for Iowa. Coker has 109 yards rushing at halftime.
(10/22/11 5:54pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As news of Gunner Kiel still swirls around Bloomington, the Hoosiers trail Iowa 35-14 at the close of the first half in Iowa City.True freshman Tre Roberson started, becoming the third person to start under center for IU this season and the first true freshman to ever start at quarterback in IU history.Roberson is 7-7 passing for 62 yards and a touchdown pass. He has also shown off his athleticism at times, avoiding defenders and running for 30 yards.Sophomore Stephen Houston started at running back and has run for 47 yards and a touchdown.Iowa's offense has been efficient, scoring a touchdown on its first five possessions. Junior quarterback James Vandenberg has completed eight passes for 211 yards and three touchdowns.Junior wide receiver Marvin McNutt has caught five of those passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns. McNutt's first touchdown, which went for 80 yards, made him the Iowa record holder for touchdown receptions.Sophomore running back Marcus Coker has rushed for the other two touchdowns for Iowa. Coker has 109 yards rushing at halftime.
(10/22/11 4:53pm)
First Quarter, 7:50
(10/22/11 4:50pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As news of Gunner Kiel still swirls around Bloomington, the Hoosiers trail Iowa 14-7 at the close of the first quarter in Iowa City.True freshman Tre Roberson started, becoming the third person to start under center for IU this season and the first true freshman to ever start at quarterback in IU history.The opening quarter consisted of two long drives and a very quick one.The Hawkeyes received the opening kickoff and maintained possession for the first 7:10 of the game, scoring on a short run from sophomore running back Marcus Coker to go up 7-0.Roberson and the rest of the Hoosier offense then took the field and put together a drive for the next 6:16. With 1:34 remaining in the quarter, Roberson completed a three-yard touchdown pass to fellow true freshman Cody Latimer to tie the score at seven.The Hawkeyes responded with a quick, two-play drive that ended with an 80-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Marvin McNutt to put Iowa up 14-7. McNutt now has more touchdown receptions than any player in Iowa football history (22).
(10/22/11 3:55pm)
Indiana at Iowa
(10/21/11 3:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Prior to last week’s 59-7 loss to Wisconsin, Hoosier football coaches and players stressed they needed to play without being scared of the Badgers. From the effort he saw on the field, Co-Defensive Coordinator Mike Ekeler said it looked like fear still found a way to creep into his players’ heads.“Last week, we just laid an egg,” Ekeler said. “Guys played uninspired. They played undisciplined. It was like we were a little bit scared out there, and that’s disappointing as a coach. Believe me, we addressed it.”While amassing a lackluster 64 yards through the air, players like sophomore quarterback Edward Wright-Baker said they weren’t satisfied with their performance.“We’ve got to get better as a whole team, as a whole offense,” Wright-Baker said. “That was unacceptable, what we showed out there. We’ve got to get better.”IU (1-6, 0-3) converted just two of its 14 third-down chances, which players said they look to change when they take on the Iowa team that beat IU in a closely contested 18-13 game last year.IU Coach Kevin Wilson stressed one of the problems that led to a lack of success on third downs was ineffectiveness on first and second downs that left the team in third-and-long situations. Both he and sophomore tight end Ted Bolser said the play from the receiving corps needs to be much better, regardless of down.“We’re not playing with any sense of speed and urgency out there,” Wilson said. “If you watch our receivers play, we play very fast on routes and then, when it’s a run play, we jog off the ball.”Even though Iowa lost some talent on both sides of the ball during the off-season, they have a 4-2 (1-1) start, defeating Northwestern 41-31 last week. First team all-Big Ten defensive end Adrian Clayborn and efficient quarterback Ricky Stanzi are now in the NFL, but players like junior quarterback James Vandenberg have started well.Vandenberg, who ranks second in the Big Ten in passing yardage (248 yards per game), is at the helm of an Iowa offense that has scored at least 31 points in five of its first six games for the first time since 2002. If he completes a touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Marvin McNutt on Saturday, McNutt will break the Iowa record for most touchdown receptions.IU’s senior wide receiver Damarlo Belcher is also on the cusp of breaking a school record, but he will most likely not dress for Saturday’s game because of a knee injury. He is just three receptions short of James Hardy’s receptions record at IU.On the defensive side for Iowa, the sophomore linebackers James Morris and Christian Kirksey rank first and second, respectively, in the Big Ten in tackles. IU senior linebacker Jeff Thomas ranks seventh.“They’re a different team than last year,” Wright-Baker said. “Some of those players aren’t the same. They don’t have Clayborn out there. Clayborn was a difference maker when we played. Some of that is the difference. They still have a good defense ... but any defense can be beaten.”IU will face the Hawkeye defense at noon Saturday, participating in Iowa’s 100th homecoming game. To do so, Bolser said receivers need to make some changes to help Wright-Baker and possibly true freshman quarterback Tre Roberson.“We just need to run faster and get open,” Bolser said. “If we’re jogging, any team in the Big Ten is going to jog with us. It’s easy. We need to sprint, we need to break off routes, we need to break away from defenders and we need to catch the ball.”
(10/20/11 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When former quarterback Ben Chappell took the opening snap of the 2009 season against Eastern Kentucky, then-freshman Will Matte played center.When sophomore quarterbacks Edward Wright-Baker and Dusty Kiel made their first career starts this season, they received the opening snap from Matte.For the first time in the last 30 games, since the opening of the 2009 season, Matte will not start Saturday against Iowa.A knee injury he suffered during Saturday’s 59-7 loss to Wisconsin will relegate Matte to the sidelines. Redshirt freshman Collin Rahrig will start in Matte’s place, IU Coach Kevin Wilson said.“We’ve been kind of erratic as a line, so I don’t know if it’s that big a deal,” Wilson said. “(Matte) has always been reasonably steady with the snap, and you trust that Collin would come in. He’s done a great job in practice.“We’ve really worked (senior Justin) Pagan and (true freshman) Peyton Eckert as much, so if there’s an issue with Collin, the next guy would be Steady Eddie.”Wilson said he expects Pagan to play right guard and Eckert at right tackle Saturday.Redshirt freshman Cody Evers will back Eckert at tackle, and junior Marc Damisch can fill in at guard if necessary.Wilson said he isn’t worried about the position change for Rahrig, as playing the center position is very similar to playing guard.“I would not anticipate having a center issue unless there’s a problem with Collin physically,” Wilson said.Matte won’t be the only regular starter on the sideline at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday.Senior wide receiver Damarlo Belcher will likely not dress for the game. Like Matte, his knee is keeping him out.Belcher has participated in practice this week but hasn’t been able to run hard or get up to game speed yet.Wilson said sophomore wide receivers Kofi Hughes and Duwyce Wilson have been practicing much better this week after recovering from nagging injuries of their own that have limited them in several games this season.“When a guy hasn’t timed up reps and we’ve got enough other guys, I’d probably say he’s out of the mix,” Wilson said.
(10/17/11 5:02am)
You might have noticed something a little different about IU's run game Saturday. Besides rushing for over 230 yards against one of the best teams in the Big Ten (and the country), Coach Kevin Wilson and his Co-Offensive Coordinators Rod Smith and Kevin Johns unveiled the "diamond" formation that Wilson used occasionally at Oklahoma.
(10/17/11 3:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The potent Wisconsin offense came out strong against IU, jumping to a 28-0 lead halfway through the second quarter. But when sophomore running back Stephen Houston received the ball on his 10th carry of the day, he saw a hole and ran through it.“I just run,” Houston said. “After I got past the safety, I just had tunnel vision. It was like a dog chasing me. I wasn’t planning on getting caught.”The Badgers couldn’t catch Houston, and he rumbled 67 yards to what would be IU’s lone score in its 59-7 loss in Madison, Wis. Houston finished the game with 135 rushing yards, the most of any IU running back this season.Houston said he had been frequently missing holes prior to that run, but it was clear to teammates, such as Kofi Hughes, Houston was running hard all game. Hughes said Houston has made strides in the last two weeks of practice.“I was kind of the same way,” Hughes said. “We couldn’t really get Stephen to really practice hard, and I wasn’t really practicing hard. In the past two weeks, we’ve been practicing hard, and I think you see in the game that Stephen is obviously taking over.”Houston was the standout on the offensive side of the ball, but the running game as a whole showed progress in front of 80,732 fans on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.Helped by Houston’s big run, the Hoosiers ran for 163 yards in the first half, more yards than they had amassed in the first two games of Big Ten season combined.The final total was 223 yards on the ground, the most IU has had against a Division I-A opponent this season. The Hoosiers ran for 257 against South Carolina State.They played against a Wisconsin defense that allowed just 103.2 rushing yards per game this season prior to the IU game.“By far, this was the offensive line’s best week,” Houston said. “I give the offensive line all the credit, because if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have even gotten to the linebackers.”Along with the play of the offensive line, the offensive coaching staff threw a bit of everything at Wisconsin. IU Coach Kevin Wilson has had the offense practicing a diamond formation in which there are four players in the backfield.“We probably caught them a little off guard as far as lining up,” Wilson said. “Houston ran really well and followed his pads. I thought the line came off the ball a little bit better.”Even though using the formation again might not catch future opponents by surprise, Houston said to look for it in coming weeks.“Coach Wilson put it in, and we just ran with it,” Houston said. “It works, for the most part. We’ve just got to trust it more and critique it more. After that, it will become part of our regular run game.”Another new aspect of the run game was Hughes coming onto the field as a quarterback in a Wildcat-type formation. Hughes, who played quarterback for Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, ran the ball seven times for 31 yards Saturday.Improvement might have occurred in terms of the rushing attack, but players and coaches said they aren’t satisfied, especially after a 52-point loss.“My standards are very high as an individual, and I have standards high as a teammate,” Houston said. “I’m nowhere near where I want to be, and I know the team is nowhere near where we want to be.”
(10/16/11 6:49am)
IDS football beat reporters Max McCombs and Alex McCarthy and columnist Justin Albers discuss Indiana's 59-7 loss to Wisconsin, what it means for the Hoosiers and where they are going from here.
(10/15/11 4:22pm)
First Quarter, 5:07
(10/15/11 4:04pm)
Indiana at Wisconsin