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(03/18/13 11:50pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With coaches, teammates, media and, most importantly, NFL scouts watching, former IU football players took the field at Mellencamp Pavilion on Monday morning for IU’s pro day. After missing out on NFL Combine invitations, long-time starters center Will Matte and defensive tackles Larry Black Jr. and Adam Replogle got their chance to prove themselves worthy of playing in the NFL. “You always want to see your guys do well,” IU strength and conditioning Coach Mark Hill said. “You always want to see your guys get a shot with those ‘elite’ guys who get invited to the Combine. But they didn’t, and they handled it in stride.” Replogle, IU’s most valuable player for the 2012 season, headlined the day with a bench press performance of 38 repetitions lifting 225 pounds, which would have been tied for the best of any Combine performer. He followed that performance with a vertical jump of 31.5 inches, which would have been good for fourth of any defensive tackle competing in the Combine.In addition, his 40-yard dash time of 5.03 seconds ranked him tied for fourth of all Combine defensive tackles.Since the season ended, Replogle has remained in Bloomington, training with Hill and IU’s strength and conditioning staff for the past 14 weeks. With his weight now more than 300 pounds, Hill said he is confident Replogle is in similar stature to other NFL players and prospects at his position.Though Replogle did not get invited to the Combine, Hill said they both used it as motivation toward a strong pro day performance.“It was out of my control, so I was just getting ready for the pro day,” Replogle said. “I can stand with the guys that got invited to the Combine. I think if you compare my numbers and stats to theirs, it’s pretty comparable. I think I came out there and proved myself.”After their senior seasons ended, Black and Matte left Bloomington to train elsewhere — Black in Naples, Fla., and Matte in Plymouth, Mich. In Matte’s first time back since December, the Wheaton, Ill., native highlighted his performance by bench-pressing 225 pounds on 31 repetitions, which would have been second-best of any center at the Combine. Black meanwhile unofficially ran a 4.9-second 40-yard dash, a time that no other defensive tackle had achieved at the event.Despite no longer being under his watchful eye, Hill said he was pleased with the way both Matte and Black looked and performed on Monday.“I think they both came back in shape, doing what they need to do and showcasing what they needed to showcase,” Hill said. “I think they looked great.”The other performers at IU’s pro day included safety Alexander Webb and former running back Darius Willis. Webb graduated in December after playing in 10 games and recording 14 tackles during the 2012 season.After multiple off-the-field issues, Willis left the program after IU Coach Kevin Wilson took over in 2010. At one point, he had even participated in a professional wrestling match. Now focused on football, Willis ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash on Monday.The five former Hoosiers now must wait until the NFL Draft in late April at the earliest to learn of their fate. Both Matte and Replogle reiterated they do not have high expectations of being picked but hope they can sign with a team as an undrafted free agent. Matte said he plans on watching the Draft from a couch in his basement at home.For IU's prospects, Monday’s results add another piece to the puzzle of determining whether they will be spending their professional careers in the NFL.“I know it’s going to be tough to get drafted, but I really just want to get one opportunity,” Matte said. “I feel like I can turn some heads if I get the foot in the door.”“But I’m having fun with the process. It can be nerve-wracking at times, but overall I am so lucky to be in this position.”
(03/06/13 4:48pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU has officially filled its 2013 coaching staff.The Hoosiers announced Wednesday morning that William Inge has been hired as their new linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator, effective immediately.Though Inge will serve as the co-defensive coordinator, Doug Mallory, safeties coach and IU's co-defensive coordinator last season, will now be the defensive coordinator.Before deciding to come to Bloomington, Inge served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Buffalo for the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Most recently, he was the assistant defensive line coach for the NFL's Buffalo Bills."We are pleased to add someone with William’s coaching pedigree to our staff,” said IU Coach Kevin Wilson in a press release. "He is a Midwest guy with Big Ten ties and there is no doubt he is the right fit for our staff."Before his time in Buffalo, Inge has coached the linebackers position at San Diego State (2006-07) and at Cincinnati (2008-09). Inge graduated from Iowa in 1996 and also spent three years with the Hawkeyes as their recruiting coordinator and graduate assistant.Inge's hire will mark the first time he has coached in the Big Ten since 2000.“I am really looking forward to this opportunity,” Inge said in the release. “I am excited to help build a great defense and continue the upward trend.”IU is currently involved in its spring practices, with 12 currently remaining until the annual Cream & Crimson Spring Game on April 13.The Hoosiers open the 2013 season on Thursday, Aug. 29 in a home game against Indiana State.
(03/06/13 4:17pm)
IU has officially filled its 2013 coaching staff.
(03/05/13 12:35am)
Four-star wide receiver Taj Williams, a high school senior from Tallahassee, Fla., has committed to IU, becoming the 23rd member of the Hoosiers' 2013 class.
(02/23/13 2:33am)
Co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Mike Ekeler has taken a job at USC.
(02/07/13 1:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Never before had IU signed a football recruiting class ranked in the top 50 nationally.For a program mired in mediocrity — the Hoosiers have the second most losses out of any Division I program in NCAA history — why would the nation’s best high school players want to come to Bloomington? Why consider IU?In years past, they didn’t. The Hoosiers had only one four-star recruit sign a letter of intent in the past decade. Despite all that, IU Coach Kevin Wilson and his staff struck a chord with some high-caliber prospects this season. Four four-star recruits signed with the Hoosiers on Wednesday, including three ranked among the top 250 players in the country.Yet, IU has won a combined five games in Wilson’s two seasons. The mediocrity on the field has hardly changed. But the Hoosiers wrangled the No. 42 recruiting class in the nation — their most talented class since scouting services such as Rivals started ranking players.Why did recruits with scholarship offers from programs including Florida State, Florida, Auburn and Notre Dame decide to come to a school that prides itself on basketball?They believed in what could be, although it did not yet exist.*** From a coach’s standpoint, recruiting never comes easy, as dozens of other colleges compete for the commitment of one athlete. It can take years of dedication and bonding from a coach before a recruit decides to pledge to a school. Recruiting also requires a good pitch.After a 1-11 record in 2011, the program’s worst season since 1984, Wilson and his coaching staff had to find something to convince this group of prospects that Indiana was on the rise.It took some time. IU was one of the final two Bowl Championship Series level schools not to earn a commitment in the 2013 class. Sharing the honor with Oregon State, the Hoosiers had to wait past early June for the first player to decide to play his collegiate football in Bloomington.On June 11, 2012, Fort Waynes’s Homestead High School’s wide receiver Isaac Griffith became the first athlete to commit to play for IU starting fall 2013.IU started recruiting Griffith when he was a freshman in high school, a time when Bill Lynch was still the Hoosiers’ football coach. When Lynch was fired in 2010 and Wilson took over, the new coach continued to pursue Griffith.Despite other schools recruiting him, such as Illinois, Michigan State and Wisconsin, Griffith, a three-star prospect, said IU was always the most honest with him.As the son of Manchester University Head Football Coach Shannon Griffith, Isaac said his trust in a program would be the deciding factor in his college decision. In Wilson’s staff, he sensed a group that would never lie to him.On June 10, 2012, after attending a summer camp in Bloomington the prior weekend, the Hoosiers offered a scholarship.Only a day later, Griffith committed to play college football in his home state at IU.“I bonded well with the coaches, but I also bonded well with the players,” he said. “That really helped out with my decision. It’s a big family down there, and that was the main thing I was looking for in a team.”***At the time of Griffith’s decision, Wilson was pursuing other in-state prospects committed elsewhere. Ben Davis safety Antonio Allen was an Ole Miss pledge, and Pike defensive end David Kenney was committed to Iowa. North Central High School defensive tackle Darius Latham chose Wisconsin only a month after Griffith picked the Hoosiers. All three were rated as four-star recruits by Rivals.com.During talks with Wilson soon after his commitment, Griffith was told to assist in the recruiting effort by persuading them to stay in Indiana. Getting them to switch to a school that has not made a bowl game since 2007 proved to be a challenge.“I went to the same camp as Antonio, and we started talking,” Griffith said. “I said, ‘We need you guys to stay in-state with us, so that way we can build something that’s never been done before."I didn’t know if it would work, but I believed in Coach Wilson’s message.”***In the month following IU’s first commitment, three other recruits made the choice to join the Hoosiers: tight end Evan Jansen of Cincinnati, defensive end Patrick Dougherty of Aurora, Ohio, and tight end Danny Friend of Morris, Ill.Allen, Latham and Kenney remained committed elsewhere. A decisive domino had yet to fall. That catalyst occurred Aug. 1, 2012, when Allen decommitted from Ole Miss.Ranked as the 231st-best player in the country, Allen had other offers from Michigan State, Louisville, Cincinnati, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota and Purdue. But when he decided where he would be attending college eight days later, one recruiting pitch stood out.He made his commitment to IU on Aug. 9, 2012, and became the highest rated athlete to ever sign with the Hoosiers.“They never stopped recruiting me, even when I was committed to Ole Miss, and that meant a lot,” Allen said. “Also, with my family, I chose Indiana so they could go to all my games.”Just three days later, Brownsburg High School athlete Chase Dutra committed to IU and became the third in-state prospect to join the Hoosiers’ recruiting class. The trio of Dutra, Allen and Griffith then shifted its collective effort to switch Kenney and Latham to the Hoosiers. Griffith and Dutra took to social media, aiming to create needed buzz for IU football.Both started mentioning Latham and Kenney in their tweets. Fans caught on and did the same, although fans are not allowed to influence recruits per NCAA regulations. Soon after, a movement was started to get the Indiana prospects to play their college football at home. All the while, Dutra and Griffith befriended Kenney, attending games with him and persuading him to change his commitment to the Hoosiers. Kenney, Latham and Allen were all friends prior to their senior year of high school.Even though IU did not have much on-field success, choosing to play for the Hoosiers became an honorable choice.“We said we wanted to be the class that turned IU around,” Dutra said. “We wanted all the top talent to be at the same school and have us be the ones who changed it around.”***On Oct. 14, Kenney announced he would no longer attend Iowa. Less than 24 hours later, Latham decommitted from Wisconsin. One week after he left Iowa’s recruiting class, Kenney committed to IU. He became the second four-star recruit in the Hoosiers’ class, ranked as the No. 244 prospect in the nation.As in-state recruits made the move to IU, out-of-state prospects took notice. On Oct. 24, four-star athlete Rashard Fant from Fairburn, Ga., committed to IU instead of Florida State. His reasoning in choosing IU over a program like FSU, a school that is closer to home and far more successful in football, was simple.“I wanted to go somewhere where I could build a program, get a great education and make a difference,” Fant said. “I wanted to help a school not known for football and put the name on the map.”One month after Fant committed, Latham made the decision to join the Hoosiers’ recruiting class. Since then, nine other players have chosen IU, including Georgia high school teammates Noel Padmore and Kristopher Smith. Other recruits have joined Griffith and Dutra in enhancing the social media presence of IU football. Fant even said he is going to be playing with his “brothers” in Bloomington. On Wednesday, the 22 prospects made their pledge to IU official as each signed a National Letter of Intent, a binding document that notifies the NCAA they have accepted a scholarship offer to play for the Hoosiers. Wilson has said that IU “is too good of a school to not have a good football team.” Now, he and his staff have made the highest ranked recruiting class in program history official.For the players committed to play for IU starting fall 2013, the fact that the Hoosiers are 5-19 in the past two seasons doesn’t matter. They said this class is geared toward changing the tide of Indiana football, from one of failure to one of success.“With them, we want to be a part of something that has never been done before,” Griffith said. “We want to be the ones that put the home team back on the map."We saw that vision that Coach Wilson saw, and are ready to be a part of something special.”
(02/06/13 10:21pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Wednesday afternoon, IU announced a new women’s soccer head coach.Amy Berbary, the associate head coach at Auburn in 2012 and an assistant at the school from 2008-2012, has been hired as the third head coach in the history of the IU program, effective Friday, Feb. 8."We are thrilled to have recruited a coach of Amy's caliber to lead our women's soccer program," said vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics Fred Glass in a press release. "She has been successful on the biggest stage as both a player and a coach, is committed to an exciting and effective style of play, is a proven recruiter with strong Midwest ties and has the drive and passion to move Indiana University Women's Soccer to one of the best programs in the Big Ten." During her tenure with the Tigers as an assistant coach, Berbary served as the team’s recruiting coordinator and helped lead the team to five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. The National Soccer Coaches Association of America also named her the 2012 South Atlantic Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.Berbary spent four years at Dayton before spending five years at Auburn. She also worked with the U.S. Olympic Development Program from 2005-2011 as a staff coach. She will take over an IU program that went 9-9-1 in 2012 and missed an NCAA Tournament appearance for the fifth straight season.“Working as an assistant coach for the past nine seasons has shown me the kind of hard work and commitment that it takes to lead a high-caliber program and help each and every person associated with the program maximize their potential,” Berbary said in the release.Berbary replaces former IU Coach Mick Lyon as the leader of the team, after he retired on Nov. 28, 2012. Lyon, who spent 11 seasons with the Hoosiers, was the longest tenured coach in school history.
(02/06/13 6:02pm)
Wednesday morning, IU inked its highest-ranked recruiting class in school history, signing 18 of the school’s early commitments, including four four-star prospects. However, there were multiple National Signing Day surprises, as four additional recruits chose IU Wednesday morning, and one former Hoosier commit changed schools mid-day.Though cornerback Nigel Tribune switched his commitment and signed with Iowa State, defensive tackles Christopher Cormier and Maurice Swain and running backs Laray Smith and Daryl Chestnut decided to attend IU. The Hoosiers’ class of 22 players is currently ranked No. 42 in the nation and sixth in the Big Ten, according to Rivals.com.At 9:05 a.m., IU announced that Cormier, a 6-foot-2 inch, 315-pound defensive tackle at Arizona Western College, had signed a National Letter of Intent with the Hoosiers. Originally from New Iberia, La., Cormier had scholarship offers from Missouri and Mississippi State while he was in high school. Only 35 minutes later, Swain, also a defensive tackle, tweeted a photo announcing his commitment to IU. The LaGrange, Ga., native chose the Hoosiers over other scholarship offers from San Diego State, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Cincinnati. The Hoosiers cleared his NLI at 10:33 a.m., officially approving his intent to attend IU this fall.Before that point, however, at 9:55 a.m., the Iowa State football Twitter account released a tweet indicating that Tribune had signed with the Cyclones. The two-star recruit had decommitted from IU, and the Hoosiers never received a letter of intent from the Florida athlete.Soon after, news broke that Brooklyn, N.Y., running back Laray Smith had committed to IU. The high school senior visited Bloomington one weekend ago and picked the Hoosiers over Connecticut and Syracuse. He also has the opportunity to run track at IU, and currently owns the fastest indoor 300-meter run time in the nation. The final signing on the day Wednesday occurred at 11:01 a.m., almost four hours after IU received its first NLI, from Ben Davis safety Antonio Allen. Columbus (Miami, Fla.) High School running back Daryl Chestnut switched his commitment from Western Michigan to the Hoosiers, and signed his NLI soon after. Despite his prior commitment to the Broncos, Chestnut had other scholarship offers from schools including Florida State, West Virginia, Kansas State and Kentucky. IU Coach Kevin Wilson plans to discuss the 2013 signing class at 2 p.m. Wednesday during a press conference.
(02/06/13 12:29pm)
As IU's 2013 recruiting class became finalized Wednesday morning, look back at how the Hoosiers ended with 22 commitments after starting the day with 19:
(01/23/13 10:57pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With two weeks remaining until prospects can sign a National Letter of Intent, the timing is not ideal for IU to lose its recruiting coordinator.Assistant Coach Mark Hagen left the Hoosiers in favor of a job at Texas A&M, IU confirmed Wednesday afternoon. As the recruiting coordinator for the team, Hagen has put together one of the best classes in IU history, currently ranked in the top 50 nationally by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com. Before the 2013 group, the Hoosiers never had a class ranked in the top 50, let alone one with multiple four-star prospects committed. However, as recruits are not bound to schools until they sign a NLI, they are free to decommit from IU if they wish.In light of Hagen’s exit, recruiting analysts said although it is possible, there will likely be no departures from IU’s 2013 class.“Typically, when an assistant coach leaves, it doesn’t have much of an effect on a recruiting class, but what effect it will have on Indiana remains to be seen,” said Steve Wiltfong, 247Sports national recruiting reporter. “Can guys look around? I don’t know, but I think for the most part, the guys in Indiana’s recruiting class are committed to Kevin Wilson and the program and helping to move IU in the right direction.”Two of the prospects Hagen directly recruited are Indianapolis defensive linemen David Kenney and Darius Latham. Both are four-star prospects ranked in the top 250 in the country, according to Rivals.com, and both were once committed to other Big Ten schools. Though it is doubtful they will decommit from IU and choose another school in the next two weeks, Hagen’s departure will likely be felt in future recruiting classes, Rivals Midwest recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt said. “Hagen knows the state of Indiana very well and has a lot of contacts,” Helmholdt said. “Particularly because of how loved he was as a recruiter, I think it does hurt, but I don’t expect it to shake up this 2013 class. I would be surprised if they lost anybody at this stage.”Both analysts noted that at this point in time in the recruiting cycle, much of the class is already filled. With a recruiting coordinator’s departure, they said any remaining slots in the 2013 group will most likely be determined by a group effort utilizing Hagen’s plan. Hagen also served as IU’s defensive tackles and special teams coach. As of Wednesday evening, IU had not announced a new coach or recruiting coordinator and did not have a timeline to do so. With the Hoosiers slated to sign their class Feb. 6, National Signing Day, Helmoldt said it will be interesting to see if the team can maintain recruiting momentum with Hagen absent.“IU has recruited at a level that, in my 10 years of covering college football recruiting, has never recruited at before,” Helmholdt said. “Hagen was a big part of that. Though they will definitely keep this class in tact, you want to build on that momentum every year. It will be tough for them to match that in 2014.”
(01/18/13 5:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS — With the 36th pick in the 2013 Major League Soccer SuperDraft Thursday afternoon, the New England Revolution selected former IU goalkeeper Luis Soffner for its team.As the routine went, the draftee walked up to a lectern and gave an acceptance speech to the crowd. Soffner’s case was different. He was not even at the draft. Instead, he chose to watch with his girlfriend from a computer at her home in Bloomington. He waited about three hours after the draft started for his name to be called.“A lot of people were telling me that goalkeepers very rarely go in the first two rounds of the SuperDraft,” Soffner said. “I didn’t need to go all the way up there and be disappointed, so I just decided to stay home and watch it.”In the past three MLS SuperDrafts, only four goalkeepers were picked in the first two rounds.On Thursday, it took 32 picks before Montreal Impact chose Cleveland State goalkeeper Brad Stuver, the first goalkeeper selected.When that occurred, Soffner said he received a text message from his agent expressing optimism that he would soon be picked. If it did not happen Thursday, he would have to wait until Tuesday for his name to be called in a supplemental draft. Soon after Seattle Sounders F.C. selected Brown defender Dylan Remick as pick No. 35, Soffner’s cell phone started to ring.It was Revolution Coach Jay Heaps.“It was surreal, an unbelievable feeling,” Soffner said.The computer screen switched to Heaps, and Soffner watched his new coach speak to him through an international broadcast moments before the actual announcement. “It was really exciting and fun to see him talking to me,” Soffner said. “It was something I’ll never forget.”When he got off the phone, Soffner said he immediately hugged and kissed his girlfriend. He proceeded to call his family, which was surprised yet pleased that he had been chosen in the MLS SuperDraft.He was the second and only other goalie chosen in the draft.“I was absolutely excited and thrilled,” Soffner said. “I was up jumping around and definitely having a good time with it.”Soffner became the 41st Hoosier to ever be drafted to the MLS and will join fellow IU alumni Lee Nguyen and Kevin Alston to New England’s roster. Goalkeeper and captain Matt Reis is also on the team. The 37-year-old has appeared in 242 caps for the Revolution and has been a member of the club since 2003. He is also the team’s all-time saves and wins leader. Now the third goalkeeper on the roster, Soffner said he is looking forward to learning from the veteran while maintaining a competitive edge.“I’m going to do my best to work my way up and get some playing time,” Soffner said. “I don’t want to be a training player. I want to be someone who works my way into the starting lineup.”Soffner said he plans to return to his hometown St. Louis on Friday to spend time with his family and begin training for the upcoming season. The Revolution play their first match on March 9 against the Chicago Fire.Though playing time will not be guaranteed, Soffner said he is grateful for the opportunity New England has given him. After all, he did watch his own selection on a computer from a couch. “To be picked in the SuperDraft as a goalkeeper is unbelievable,” Soffner said. “It’s honestly an absolute dream come true for me.”
(01/17/13 8:15pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>INDIANAPOLIS -- Former IU men's soccer player Eriq Zavaleta was selected by Seattle Sounders F.C. Thursday afternoon at the 2013 Major League Soccer SuperDraft.A sophomore from Westfield, Ind., Zavaleta was chosen with the 10th overall pick in the draft. He is the first Hoosier to be drafted in the top 10 since Kevin Alston was selected by the New England Revolution in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft.In the 2012 season, the forward led IU to its eighth national championship with a team-leading 18 goals, 40 points and seven game-winning shots.Zavaleta now joins his father, Carlos, and uncle Greg Vanney as professional soccer players. Carlos played for the El Salvadorian national team, as well as in the American Soccer League. Vanney meanwhile was a defender for the Los Angeles Galaxy for seven seasons in his career, and made 36 appearances for the United States Men's National Team from 1996-2006.Seattle Sounders F.C. is one of the newest MLS franchises, founded in 2007. Zavaleta is the first Hoosier to be drafted by the team in its history.
(01/15/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Former IU defensive tackle Larry Black Jr. is taking a risk. He does not know if it will pay dividends. It might not work out in the end. But for him, training for the 2013 NFL Draft is the biggest priority in his life right now.Black is enrolled at the Ignition World Class Facility in Naples, Fla., working for the opportunity to become a professional athlete by April, when the draft takes place. In a sport where thousands of men in similar situations to Black are fighting for only about 220 spots as NFL draftees, competition is fierce. There is no guarantee he will make it to the professional ranks. Scouts told Black that he is a fringe draft pick. However, he said it’s a risk worth taking, one that could secure him a future in the sport.“I just want to see where I stand with other competition,” Black said. “I’m at a point in my life now where I want to try it, and I’m ready to just go all in for it.”Less than two months ago, Black completed his senior season at IU, a 4-8 year under Coach Kevin Wilson. He started all 12 games for the Hoosiers’ defense, and though he did not lead the team in any single statistical category, he ranked second in both tackles for loss (12.0) and sacks (4.0). After the season concluded, Black said he received interest from a variety of professional sports agents hoping to pursue him. After scouts told him that he “has a chance and a lot of talent,” Black decided he was going to give the NFL a try. Black signed with KMG Sports Management, an agency headquartered near his hometown of Cincinnati.“Anything I need, they’ll give me the connections and take care of me,” he said. “It’s great to have a nice agent that I’m close with to be my right-hand guy.”After signing with KMG, Black was sent to the Ignition facility to begin his training regimen. If scouts observe Black, the goal would be for them to come away impressed and eventually invite him to additional events.To prepare for that opportunity, he now works out two times per day, five days a week, excluding Wednesdays and Sundays. Black said most of the exercises consist of running on the field and drills on the beach. He also said that he is now on a strict diet, attempting to slim down from his 294-pound frame and gain speed before his chance at the NFL Combine in February or a potential “pro day” event at IU in March, though there is no guarantee scouts will show up to the pro day.“I need to be explosive and bring it every day,” Black said. “I’m here until at least pro day so hopefully I’ll get to where I need to be by then.” His first public attempt for recognition came this past Friday at the Casino Del Sol All-Star Game. Only a week prior, the organizers of the event approached him and asked him to play in the game.Black accepted the offer, flew out to Tucson, Ariz., the site of the game, and worked out in front of 110 scouts for the entire week. During the actual game, Black recorded three tackles, including one that was recorded as half a sack and tackle for loss.He said it was a great opportunity for what it was, even with the short notice.“It was an honor to play in that game,” Black said. “We took a loss, but it was a great experience all around, getting to meet new people and go up against some great competition.”Black recently returned to Florida to resume workouts at Ignition. Should he receive an invite to the NFL Combine, it will be in early February.There is also a chance that Black could go undrafted and sign with an NFL team at a later date, much like former IU offensive tackle Andrew McDonald did with the Miami Dolphins in May 2012.But what if Black goes undrafted and unsigned? That is something he has not even thought about yet, he said. Black said he is enjoying the present, working towards a life-long dream and not stressing yet about the future.“I just want to work hard and show teams I have what it takes,” Black said. “I love being around football and love being around teammates. I’m not ready to give that up yet.”
(12/11/12 4:46am)
Following his official visit to IU this past weekend, Flowery Branch (Ga.) outside linebacker Kristopher Smith has announced his decision to join the Hoosiers' football program.
(12/10/12 6:11pm)
Former IU Coach Cam Cameron has been fired by the Baltimore Ravens, marking the end of a nearly five-season stint with the team, the organization announced Monday afternoon.
(12/07/12 1:53am)
Thursday afternoon, IU announced 22 of its football players have been recognized as Academic All-Big Ten.
(12/06/12 11:45pm)
The IU football program received word of its 16th commitment Thursday evening, as Hamilton (Ohio) High School linebacker Marcus Oliver pledged to the Hoosiers.
(12/06/12 6:11pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Thursday afternoon, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced its annual Academic All-America teams as IU defensive tackle Adam Replogle earned first team honors.A senior double-majoring in criminal justice and psychology, Replogle had already been a named to the Academic All-Big Ten and Capital One Academic All-District V teams on three occasions in his career.In 2012, Replogle started all 12 games for the Hoosiers, leading all Big Ten defensive tackles in total tackles with 71. He also led the Hoosiers in sacks (5.0) and tackles for loss (13.0) as he set the school's career record with 47 games played.Replogle is the first player to be named an Academic All-American since Austin Starr in 2007, and the eighth ever honored for the football team. He is also a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, annually given to the nation's top senior for his actions on and off the field.
(12/05/12 4:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Following Northern Illinois Coach Dave Doeren leaving the school for the head coach position at North Carolina State, former IU football player Rod Carey has been named head coach at NIU.An assistant coach at NIU for the last two seasons, including the 2012 campaign as the Huskies’ offensive coordinator, Carey will coach the Mid-American Conference champions in their BCS bowl game. That game will be a historic one as NIU will play Florida State in the 2013 Discover Orange Bowl, the first time a MAC team will play in a Bowl Championship Series game.“Every opportunity Rod has had to step up and make a difference in our program, he has done it,” NIU Director of Athletics Jeff Compher said in a press release sent by the school. “What we need in our program is consistency and stability, and I believe that Rod brings that. This will allow us to stay on our current trajectory as a nationally-prominent program.”Carey played his college football at IU under Coach Bill Mallory from 1989-93, starting three seasons at the center position.His senior year, Carey was named a team captain for the Hoosiers and won IU’s Corby Davis Outstanding Offensive Player Award. He graduated from IU in 1994.“I had the greatest respect for him,” Mallory said in the release. “He had everything you want to see in a person and in a coach. When he decided he wanted to go into coaching, I told him he would be a perfect fit.”Carey started his collegiate coaching career in 1998, serving as a graduate assistant at Minnesota for two years. From there, he spent the following seven seasons at Wisconsin-Stout, a Division III university, as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.From there he advanced to the Football Championship Subdivision ranks in 2007, spending four years as an offensive line coach with one season at Illinois State and three at North Dakota.On Jan. 13, 2011, Carey made it back to the FBS ranks when he was hired as NIU’s offensive line coach. For the 2012 season, he was promoted to the offensive coordinator position after the team’s first game, which they lost. The Huskies went on to win 12 straight games and outscore their opponents by a 513-229 margin with Carey’s direction.“Obviously, I am really excited about the opportunity and thankful to [NIU President] Dr. [John] Peters, Jeff Compher and Dave Doeren,” Carey said in the release. “When you have a program like this, it’s not about what you can change; it’s about what you can keep. We’ve got great players, and we want to keep this ball rolling.”Only one day after Doeren’s Huskies defeated Kent State in the MAC Championship Game on Nov. 30 by a 44-37 margin in double overtime, the coach left the school for a head coaching position at NC State. The day after that, the day the Huskies’ bid to the Orange Bowl was announced, Carey was named the head coach at NIU.As of Tuesday, for the first game of his head coaching career, Carey’s Huskies will be 14-point underdogs for their Jan. 1 game against the Seminoles.“I have full confidence that this is the right choice to keep this program moving forward and take it to the next level,” Peters said in the release. “I believe we are in very good hands with Rod Carey.”
(12/03/12 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While on an official visit to IU, Lakeland (Fla.) High School linebacker T.J. Simmons committed to the Hoosiers on Sunday.Simmons is the 15th member of IU’s 2013 recruiting class and the 10th projected to play defense. He said he is excited to be joining a class that is already ranked as the best in the Hoosiers’ recent history, according to rivals.com, one that includes four four-star prospects.“I really would like to play with these guys,” Simmons said. “There’s some really special guys coming up to play, and I just want to be a part of it.”He also said part of the reason he committed to the Hoosiers was the atmosphere around the program. With 104 tackles, two sacks and an interception in his senior season at Lakeland, he said he wants to be able to contribute as much as he can to IU next season as a physical inside presence.“I feel like if I come I could help them win,” Simmons said. “I just love everything about IU, especially all the people around it.”Simmons is a two-star recruit, according to Rivals.com, and had previous offers from Iowa State and Western Kentucky. He is also the third player from Florida in the Hoosiers’ 2013 class, joining running back Myles Graham and linebacker Clyde Newton.