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(11/15/10 5:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>MADISON, Wis.— It was a long day for the IU football team.But it was quarterback Ben Chappell’s shortest day of the season in the Hoosiers’ 83-20 loss at No. 6 Wisconsin. The senior signal caller did not return to the game after leaving in the second quarter with a hip injury.“Things just compounded themselves,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “But I think when Ben went down, that certainly impacted what we could do from an offensive standpoint.”After Wisconsin scored to take a 17-10 lead, Chappell took over. On first down, Chappell hung in the pocket and prepared to air it out to redshirt freshman receiver Duwyce Wilson.But Wilson and Chappell were not on the same page.Wilson cut off his route while Chappell threw it deep down the left sideline without an IU receiver in sight. The miscommunication resulted in Chappell taking a clean hit from a Wisconsin defensive lineman that drove his hip into the ground.Chappell got up slowly but stayed in the game, determined to narrow the Hoosiers’ deficit. Facing a fourth-and-six from the Wisconsin 33-yard line, the Hoosiers got to the line of scrimmage prepared to go for it.But Lynch noticed that Chappell did not look like his normal self.“I could tell he couldn’t move,” Lynch said. “He was going to go ahead and run the play. That’s the kind of kid he is. But I knew he couldn’t do it.”Lynch called a timeout and sent out redshirt freshman kicker Mitch Ewald to attempt a 52-yard field goal. After Ewald missed, Chappell’s day was over.For a guy that has come into Monday press conferences wearing a walking boot the last two weeks, Chappell recognized the difference in this ailment.“I’ve played through quite a lot, and it’s pretty bad,” Chappell said. “I might have been able to play a couple more plays, but it just kept getting worse and worse.”Redshirt freshman Edward Wright-Baker took over for Chappell on the Hoosiers’ next possession.The players still had confidence that the game would not get out of hand without the presence of their senior captain.“We’ve got a lot of faith in our backup quarterbacks,” junior linebacker Jeff Thomas said. “But it’s just a toll when Ben goes down.”Wright-Baker did not get time to settle into the IU offense.He fumbled on his first play from scrimmage, and Wisconsin recovered at the IU 29-yard line. Five rushing plays later, the Badgers scored to jump to a 24-10 lead.In a matter of minutes, IU went from threatening to tie the score at 17 to falling to a 31-10 deficit. Just like that, the Badgers’ route was on.After Chappell went out, the Badgers went on a 66-10 run. The Hoosiers had 86 passing yards the rest of the way, with 62 coming on a fourth-quarter touchdown to Wilson. “When a guy gets hurt, the next guy’s got to step in,” Lynch said. “As a football team, we didn’t handle it very well.”Lynch did not comment on the severity of Chappell’s injury, stating that he will be reevaluated when the team gets back to Bloomington.To become bowl-eligible, the Hoosiers would need to win their final two games of the season. For Lynch, the Hoosiers will need to adjust better if Chappell is to miss any significant time.“The game absolutely changed when Ben came out,” Lynch said. “That’s our job not to let that happen, but it certainly changed at that point, really from that play on. It wasn’t a game anymore.”
(11/12/10 5:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The two men were literally worlds apart.One was defending his country in Iraq as a soldier in the United States Armed Forces. The other was defending ‘The Rock’ against high-powered Big Ten offenses. One had to worry about dodging enemy fire. The other had to worry about working his way through the offensive line to get to the ball carrier. One went to bed wondering when he was going to be able to live his dream of playing IU football. The other went to bed wondering what he had to do to become a starter on the IU defense.It was only a matter of time before their two paths would cross.Kevin Bush, an Iraq war veteran turned IU football player, has motivated friend and teammate Darius Johnson on and off the field, and it is paying dividends for the IU defense. If one were to look at Bush and see that he is a redshirt sophomore, they might assume that he is 21 at the oldest. He’s 25. The IU defensive lineman is not one of those guys just hanging on to a couple years of eligibility that comes back to play college football. Bush is far from falling into that category. As a senior at Homestead High School in Fort Wayne, Bush was an all-state selection as a quarterback and wide receiver. Bush said he always wanted to play football at IU, but the offer was not there for him. Still determined to play college football, Bush headed to the University of Toledo.But Bush’s first year at Toledo would be his last.After not playing in a game as a freshman, Bush joined the Army in 2005. Two years later, Bush was deployed to Iraq. Instead of reading a blitzing safety, Bush now had to recognize a blitzing attack. Only this time, it was for his life.Paying His DuesDarius Johnson came to IU boasting all-state honors as a linebacker and running back at Highland Park High School in Detroit. But like most true freshmen, Johnson was redshirted and did not see the field. That year allowed Johnson to learn the speed of the Big Ten from the sideline. Later, Johnson would become all too familiar with watching games from the sidelines.Johnson played the following year as a redshirt freshman in 2008. Johnson played in all 12 games for the Hoosiers either at linebacker or on special teams. With a little experience under his belt, Johnson became more active in the IU defense.It was a year that Johnson recorded his first tackle and his first forced fumble. He was a two-time IU special teams player of the week. The Detroit native started to show promise as a future piece of the IU defense. The only thing that would keep Johnson off the field for his sophomore year was an injury. But Johnson stayed healthy playing on both sides of the ball in high school, and he stayed healthy in his first two years at IU.That trend would not last for long.Running Down a DreamAfter serving a 14-month tour in Iraq, Bush came home in 2008. He had constantly wore an IU camouflage hat that matched his gear from head to toe. Even while he was in the line of fire, IU was literally on Bush’s mind. There was one goal that Bush wanted to accomplish when he came home — play IU football.Bush was accepted into IU for the 2009-10 school year. That was half the battle for a guy who admittedly struggled to keep his grades up in high school. The next step for Bush was proving he could still play after not competing in an organized game since 2003, when he was a senior in high school. He did not disappoint.Bush made the scout team as a 24-year old freshman walk-on. The roundabout route to the IU scout team meant Bush would not see time in a game due to NCAA transfer rules and his minutes would come on the practice field. But that did not bother him.“For me it was just getting here,” Bush said. “I knew I just had to be patient and do my time. It’s like in the Army or here, you’ve got to do your grunt work.”Two Worlds CollideIn preparation for their upcoming showdown at Michigan on Sept. 26, 2009, the special teams unit was reviewing kickoff coverage in practice. Bush was on one side, determined to make every play in practice count. Johnson was on the other side, coming off a win against Akron in which he was named IU special teams player of the week. The two came barreling down the field determined to knock the other into oblivion.Unfortunately for both, they succeeded.Johnson and Bush smashed into each other so hard you could hear gasps from the observers. The hit sent shockwaves through a rattled Bush, but he did not get the worst of it. Johnson tried walking away but he could not help his drooping arm. His shoulder was separated. Johnson’s season was over. But his relationship with Bush was just beginning.As the 2009 season progressed, Bush and Johnson began to develop a friendship. With both of them making the switch to defensive end, the duo spent more time together on and off the field. By the end of the school year, Johnson attempted to get out of his housing lease for 2010 so that he could room with Bush.Although Johnson was not able to get out of his lease, the duo still spent plenty of time together under the same roof. Johnson and Bush lived with each other during the summer and have been roommates for all the road games this season. Even during the week, the two hang out at each other’s houses. Whether it is looking up “stupid” YouTube videos, listening to their contrasting music styles or hitting the gym, the two have developed camaraderie off the field.That bond has translated on the field in many ways this season. Johnson solidified himself as a starting defensive end this season, recording 43 tackles in eight games. On Oct. 30 against Northwestern, Johnson’s 11 tackles were the highest an IU defensive lineman has totaled since Jammie Kirlew racked up 11 at Penn State on Nov. 15, 2008.Bush said he believes Johnson’s success is due to simply being able to stay on the field.“He’s back to being healthy and it shows on the field, obviously,” Bush said. “You look at the plays that he’s made and how he’s always around the ball at the end of the play. The biggest thing is just staying healthy because you can’t do a whole lot when your hurt and banged up.”The duo had a chance to flex their muscles in front of more than 100,000 people at Ohio State on Oct. 9. With Johnson taking a breather on the sideline, Bush got his chance. Bush busted through the offensive line and teamed up with linebacker Leon Beckum to take down Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. Not to be outdone, Johnson had a few words for Bush as he came to the sidelines.“I told him as soon as he came out — all right, I got the next sack,” Johnson said.Johnson was not kidding.On the very next play, Johnson went in and sacked Pryor. It is that same friendly rivalry that has fueled the resurgence of this defense. The bond that these two have built has become obvious to IU coach Bill Lynch.“I think that Darius has great respect for Kevin,” Lynch said. “(Bush) pushes him, but they talk, they communicate and they try to help each other. There’s just a good respect there, and that’s something that grows through the course of time.”It was a short time ago that Johnson was adjusting to the rigors of riding the bench while Bush was cautiously riding around Iraq in a humvee. They have gone from being strangers living in opposite countries to buddies that spend the majority of their time together. Bush’s role as the actual veteran leader has coincided with Johnson’s emergence as a playmaker on the IU defense. They are two guys challenging each other to get every ounce of greatness that they possess. And IU is reaping all the benefits.
(11/08/10 5:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Finish.The Hoosiers finally appeared to live up to their season motto with junior receiver Damarlo Belcher wide open in the end zone in the fourth quarter.But then Belcher dropped the pass.The Hoosiers (4-5, 0-5) came up one play short of knocking off then-No. 15 Iowa (7-2, 4-1) in Saturday’s 18-13 loss.“Our kids really battled, and I thought they played very well in all phases, and then we got beat by what I think is a great football team in Iowa,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “We just came up a play short there at the end.”The Iowa offense drove 60 yards in six plays on the first offensive series of the game and had yet to face a third down once it entered the red zone.Then, the IU defense came alive.Facing a third-and-four on the IU 6-yard line, Iowa senior quarterback Ricky Stanzi overthrew senior receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, and the IU defense got its first red zone stop of the day.Finished.The first-possession stop gave the Hoosiers confidence after failing to contain the Iowa offense early.“I think it was us bearing down and having the bend-but-don’t-break mentality,” IU senior safety Mitchell Evans said. “We just stepped up when we needed to.”At the start of the second quarter, the IU defense forced another third-down incompletion by Stanzi, and the Hawkeyes again left the red zone with just a field goal.Finished.Both teams traded field goals, and the game was tied at 6-6 with the first half winding down. Again, the Iowa offense drove into the IU red zone thanks to the rushing efforts of freshman running back Marcus Coker. The Hawkeyes faced a first down from the IU 6-yard line.Sensing a trend?Two stuffed rushing attempts brought up third-and-four for Iowa. Stanzi again failed to find an open receiver, and the IU defense stalled the Hawkeyes in the red zone for the third straight time. Only this time, Iowa freshman kicker Michael Meyer missed the 22-yard attempt.Finished.“When you can hold teams to field goals in the red zone, that’s big as a defense,” IU senior linebacker Tyler Replogle said. “If you’re holding them to field goals and then they miss the field goal, that’s just another positive on top of the drive.”The theme carried into the second half.After taking two plays to get to the IU 9-yard line, the Iowa offense committed two pre-snap penalties that forced the Hawkeyes to attempt a 17-yard conversion on third down.The IU defense held Iowa senior fullback Brett Morse to an 8-yard catch, and Iowa again settled for a Meyer field goal. Lynch credited the third-down stops in the red zone to the development of the defense.“That’s the mark of a maturing defense,” Lynch said. “Because when you play a team like Iowa, they’re going to gain yards, but if you can hold them out of the end zone and force field goals, you have a great chance of winning the game.”Following the field goal, IU senior quarterback Ben Chappell led the Hoosiers inside the Iowa red zone and made sure to personally finish the drive. Chappell ran the hurry-up offense and snuck it in from a yard out for the touchdown.Finished.The touchdown gave the Hoosiers a 13-9 lead at the end of the third quarter.But the Hawkeyes would finally reach paydirt.After Meyer’s fourth field goal in the fourth quarter, Iowa junior receiver Marvin McNutt caught a 52-yard touchdown pass to give the Hawkeyes an 18-13 lead. It was the first time the IU defense allowed Iowa more than a field goal.Chappell responded.The IU quarterback completed five passes to set the Hoosiers up on the Iowa 18-yard line with 35 seconds left. Chappell dropped back on fourth down, and Belcher appeared to haul in the pass for the touchdown.Chappell raised his arms. “The Quarry” erupted. The players jumped up and down on the sidelines. It was the storybook ending to a come-from-behind win.But the ball fell out of Belcher’s arms, and with it went the upset.After finishing all day, the Hoosiers were one dropped ball away from earning their first Big Ten win of the year and moving within a game of bowl eligibility.“It’s hard. It’s one of the hardest things I’ve been through,” IU sophomore defensive tackle Larry Black said. “It’s been like this for a couple years where we’re always that one play short.”
(11/05/10 3:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last year, Iowa’s defense led the team to an Orange Bowl victory.Last week, Iowa’s defense led the team to a 37-6 win against then-No. 5 Michigan State.This Saturday, the Iowa defense rolls into Bloomington to take on the Hoosiers (4-4, 0-4) on Senior Day.“When you start talking about Iowa, the first thing you think about is Iowa defense,” IU coach Bill Lynch said.The No. 15 Hawkeyes (6-2, 3-1) have allowed 14.5 points per game this season, good for No. 8 in the nation. Led by a few veterans, Iowa’s defensive momentum from a year ago has carried over into the 2010 campaign.Iowa senior safety Tyler Sash entered this year with preseason All-America honors from several publications. He is leading a secondary that has intercepted 13 passes in 2010, but none were as special as the interception he had against Michigan State last week.Sash picked off Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins and had an open field in front of him. Instead of working his way through tacklers, Sash pitched the ball like a quarterback option. Iowa cornerback Micah Hyde took the lateral 70 yards for the touchdown. It was a play that displayed the athleticism and big-play ability of the Iowa secondary. In addition to scoring unconventional defensive touchdowns, Iowa has also been able to get pressure from its front four. Senior defensive end Adrian Clayborn anchors a unit that is ranked No. 5 nationally against the run.Iowa’s defense reminds Lynch of another Big Ten foe.“I have great respect for them. They are a lot like Ohio State in my mind,” Lynch said. “Their defensive front is similar to Ohio State’s, in that across the board, all four guys are really really good.”That would be an unfortunate trip down memory lane for IU senior quarterback Ben Chappell, who had his lowest passing total of the year against Ohio State’s defense. Chappell threw for 106 yards, about one-third of his season average, and he threw two interceptions in the Hoosiers’ 38-10 loss Oct. 9.However, Chappell will have the benefit of game-planning for Iowa’s 4-3 Cover-2 defense because they have rarely strayed away from their base set.“That’s one of those things that is a little bit different than what we have had the last couple weeks because they are going to line up and do what they do,” Chappell said. “We just have to get prepared and get ready for a very tough challenge.”The front four coupled with Iowa’s secondary has been the reason they are No. 2 in the country in turnover margin. Lynch said he believes that statistic stems from the battle at the line of scrimmage.“You just have to take care of it,” Lynch said. “They get a lot of overthrown balls, they get tipped balls for interceptions and that’s the trademark of a good zone defense team. But what helps them is they get such good pressure with their front four.”
(11/04/10 4:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A middle linebacker has to be able to react to change. Whether it is recognizing play-action, picking up a screen pass or tackling a juking running back, change is a crucial element to a middle linebacker’s responsibilities.Jeff Thomas has been the poster child for adapting to change.The IU junior linebacker went from playing community college football in California last season to leading the Hoosiers in tackles this year.But leaving the Golden State to come to IU was not always part of the plan for the Millbrae, Calif. native.“I didn’t even know where I was going at this time last year,” Thomas said. “I was still working on trying to get scholarships and trying to get my grades right, so I had no clue what would be happening for me this year.”Thomas starred as a fullback all four years at Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, Calif. Although Thomas earned all-county and all-league honors, he did not receive offers from any Division I programs.Thomas was faced with a dilemma. Should he give up his dream of playing Division I football and get the full college experience at a big university? Or should he keep pursuing the dream and follow whatever road might take him there?The latter appealed more to Thomas, and he decided to take his talents to Foothill Community College in Los Altos Hills, Calif. But Foothill coach Doug Boyett wanted Thomas to play linebacker instead of his familiar fullback position.It was Thomas’ first major dose of change as a college athlete.In his freshman year, Thomas elected to greyshirt to better learn the linebacker position.“I definitely could have played my freshman year at Foothill, but I just wanted to take the time to actually get the system down, be in the program and get the speed down,” Thomas said.The move paid off.By the time he finished his second season at Foothill, Thomas was named the NorCal Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was a First Team All-American. Thomas was rated the fourth-best junior college middle linebacker in America by www.scout.com.The accolades Thomas received garnered the attention of multiple Division I programs, including IU.“Everybody you talked to about him told you how great of a football player he was,” said Mike Yeager, IU linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. “Fortunately, he came to Indiana.”Thomas would be going from Foothill’s football stadium — no bigger than a high school field — to IU’s Memorial Stadium, which seats 52,929.That didn’t faze him.The California kid enrolled at IU for spring 2010 to get acclimated to life at a Big Ten school.“Anything I had ever expected, everything I had ever known was California,” Thomas said. “It was a bunch of firsts for me, but I feel like I adapted pretty well.”That he did.Thomas totaled nine tackles as a backup in the Hoosiers’ first two games. The coaching staff realized he had to get more playing time.The coaches moved senior linebacker Leon Beckum to the weak side and inserted Thomas as the starting middle linebacker. Although Thomas was getting starter snaps, he had yet to make that big play as a Hoosier. Until Oct. 9 at Ohio State, that is.With the Hoosiers facing a 38-3 deficit against the Buckeyes, Thomas picked off Ohio State backup quarterback Kenny Guiton’s pass for his first Division I interception. Thomas followed up that performance by recording double-digit tackles in each of the last two weeks. A career-high 13 tackles against Illinois and 10 tackles against Northwestern might have shown that Thomas has found a home away from home as the IU middle linebacker.“He flies around, he plays hard and plays with great leverage,” Yeager said. “It’s been a great addition to our defense.”IU coach Bill Lynch believes Thomas’ development has paralleled with the maturation of a defensive unit that had not played many games together.“There were a lot of pieces that needed to work together,” Lynch said. “So we have gotten better, and Jeff Thomas has been a big part of it.”The guy that was playing in front of a few hundred people in California is now taking down ball carriers in Big Ten stadiums. What a difference a year can make.“Every time I come out here, even when we’re playing at home, I just try to soak it in,” Thomas said. “When I’m on the field, I’m always looking around because it’s so different. I always try to soak in the moment.”
(11/02/10 3:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Before IU coach Bill Lynch mentioned anything about the Hoosiers’ 20-17 loss against Northwestern, he made sure to recognize the awards received by his senior captains.Quarterback Ben Chappell was named a recipient of the National Football Foundation Award last week. The award gives Chappell an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and makes him eligible for the 21st William V. Campbell Trophy, recognizing the best scholar-athlete in the nation.For Lynch, the award stands out on the list of accolades that Chappell has received this year.“Having been at that banquet before, that is an unbelievable honor,” Lynch said. “It really is the elite that get the opportunity to go to that, and I think some of the awards given out are nice but this one really is special, and I don’t know of anyone more deserving.”Linebacker Tyler Replogle was named one of the 10 finalists for the Awards and Recognition Association National Sportsmanship Award, given to Division I college football players. The senior captain is also a 2010 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award recipient. RICHARD COUNCIL’S RETURNThe last time senior cornerback Richard Council defended a pass was when Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson completed the 42-yard pass to Junior Hemingway to set up the Wolverines game-winning touchdown in their 42-35 victory against IU. Council suffered a knee injury on the play and underwent surgery that kept him on the shelf until the Northwestern game. He played an estimated 15 to 20 snaps against Northwestern, returning from an injury that has sidelined many in their final season.“I’ve seen guys in similar situations in their fifth year that have knee surgery with a knee injury, and that’s the end of their career,” Lynch said. “They’ve had enough, and they can kind of fade off into the sunset, so to speak, and it was out of their control.”But that was not the case for Council.“From the day he got done with that surgery he worked as hard as you could to get back in there, because it’s important to him and he wants to be a part of this, and that’s the way he worked,” Lynch said. “That was sheer effort and wanting to be back out there.”USING LAST YEAR’S GAME AS AN EXAMPLEAfter the first three quarters at Iowa last year, the Hoosiers were in position to hand the then-No. 4 Hawkeyes their first loss of the season. A double-digit lead on the road against the first place team in the Big Ten might have shown that the Hoosiers were firing on all cylinders.Then, the fourth quarter happened.Iowa outscored the Hoosiers 28-0 in the final quarter and cruised to a 42-24 win. But what that game did do was provide the Hoosiers with a game plan for Saturday’s contest against Iowa.Preparing for a team that has had a high level of success during the past few years, such as Iowa, is the challenge for the Hoosiers.“There are similarities year in and year out, and I think that’s what a great football program looks like,” Lynch said. “But the system itself hasn’t changed, so you get something out of going back, and we’ll certainly go back and look at last year’s game.”
(11/01/10 4:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU football team had not kept a Big Ten foe below 35 points and scored at least 35 points in each of its wins this season.But in the Hoosiers’ 20-17 loss against Northwestern on Saturday, they had a chance to win a game behind their defense. This is the same defense that came into Saturday allowing 30.7 points per game. This is the same defense that previously tallied eight sacks through seven games. This was the same defense that was last in the Big Ten in tackles for loss.The unit did all it could to change those statistics.For the first time this season, the IU defense forced a three-and-out on the game’s first drive.“I think we were all excited that we were on defense first,” sophomore defensive tackle Mick Mentzer said. “We were just ready to come after them, and we got our shot first, so the momentum took our side.”After a 23-yard field goal by IU redshirt freshman kicker Mitch Ewald, the Wildcats went to work from their own 20-yard line.Three-and-out.The Wildcats were scoreless at the end of the first quarter. Not only was it the first time this season that Northwestern went without any points in the opening period, but it was also the first time since the opener against Towson that the Hoosiers shut out their opponent in the first quarter.But the Wildcats would not waste much time to get on the board in the second quarter.Northwestern junior quarterback Dan Persa took the Wildcats into the Hoosier red zone for the first time of the day to begin the period. On third-and-8 from the IU 11-yard line, junior defensive end Darius Johnson and sophomore defensive tackle Larry Black Jr. appeared to be on the verge of sacking Persa in the backfield. Persa then cut back and ran along the 25-yard line and found junior receiver Jeremy Ebert for a touchdown.Persa’s mobility proved effective all day.“He’s very elusive,” Mentzer said. “All day we were getting after him, but he just slips out of everything.” Persa again showed off his versatility with the clock winding down in the half. On a passing play that the IU defense had covered, Persa was flushed out of the pocket and managed to complete a 23-yard pass to sophomore receiver Demetrius Fields to get to the IU 6-yard line with one second remaining in the half.It was a play during which IU coach Bill Lynch believed the defense did everything it could do to contain Persa.“Really it was kind of a broken play,” Lynch said. “We were in coverage, and then we got out of coverage because he was running around so long.”A 23-yard field goal by Northwestern senior kicker Stefan Demos tied the score at 10 going into the half. The 10 points were the lowest first-half point total by an opponent since Sept. 18 at Western Kentucky. The Wildcats came out of the break living up to their ranking as the second-best pass offense in the Big Ten. Persa went over the top of IU’s secondary and completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Ebert to give the Wildcats a 17-10 lead.But that would be the last time that the IU defense allowed a touchdown.IU redshirt freshman cornerback Greg Heban repeatedly got in front of Northwestern receivers and swatted passes away. Junior linebacker Jeff Thomas harassed the ball carrier. Johnson routinely was getting through the line and stopping plays in the backfield. The Hoosiers got help from every line of defense all over the field.“Coaches and players have been stressing every day that we need to swarm to the ball, and that’s what we’ve been doing,” Johnson said. “If we swarm to the ball, even a missed tackle won’t go for a touchdown.” But they were not getting help from the offense.Similar to Northwestern, the IU offense was also shut out for most of the second half. A 39-yard touchdown pass by senior quarterback Ben Chappell to redshirt freshman receiver Duwyce Wilson in the final moments of the game was all the scoring the offense could muster in the half.In a game where the Hoosiers recorded a season-high nine tackles for loss, seven pass breakups and six quarterback hurries, the defensive efforts still could not prevent a ninth consecutive loss in Big Ten play.“It’s really frustrating,” junior receiver Damarlo Belcher said. “(The defense) is making the changes they need to make, and they’re doing better each week. “We need to come out and put up points because that’s what killed us. The defense does good, and the offense can’t put up any points.”
(10/30/10 2:10pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers and Wildcats came into Saturday’s game boasting the Big Ten’s top two pass offenses.The defenses, though, were the key factor in the outcome.“Both defenses played a heck of a game. We both came to play and we were able to shut each other’s offenses down,” IU senior receiver Terrance Turner said. “What more can you say, the game was a defensive battle.”Senior quarterback Dan Persa led the Northwestern Wildcats (6-2, 2-2) to a 20-17 victory over the Hoosiers (4-4, 0-4) with 212 passing yards and two touchdown passes.The IU defense was the first to step up, forcing a three-and-out to start off the game. IU senior quarterback Ben Chappell did the opposite on their opening drive. Chappell led the Hoosiers into Northwestern territory, completing his first four passes for 44 yards. What plagued the Hoosiers in their loss at Illinois last week came up to haunt them again—settling for field goals in the red zone.The Northwestern defense made their first defensive stop of the day, holding the Hoosiers on the 5-yard line to force a field goal. A 23-yard field goal by redshirt freshman kicker Mitch Ewald got the Hoosiers out to a 3-0 lead but left points on the board.“It was when we got close to the red zone that we started to have some issues,” IU redshirt freshman tight end Ted Bolser said. “That is a place that we struggled, in penalties and the red zone.”Both teams could not muster up any points in the rest of the first quarter. The Hoosiers 3-0 lead marked the first time since the season opener that they held their opponent to a scoreless first quarter.But the Northwestern offense would not be held for long.Just over a minute into the second quarter, Persa avoided pressure and found junior receiver Jeremy Ebert in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats a 7-3 lead.The IU offense appeared to be on their way to answering the touchdown, driving into Northwestern territory. But on a third-and-nine from the Northwestern 43-yard line, Chappell’s pass was intercepted by junior safety Hunter Bates.Once again, the IU defense was able to hold the Wildcats to a quick punt. Northwestern’s punt pinned the Hoosiers on their own 3-yard line, facing a 7-3 deficit with 6:17 remaining in the first half.Unlike their last drive, Chappell personally made sure that the Hoosiers offense did not leave the field until six more points were on the board. After marching the offense down to the Northwestern 5-yard line, the Bloomington, Ind. native took matters into his own hands.Chappell did not get into the end zone in his typical throwing fashion. Chappell was able to roll out of the pocket and break the plane to give the Hoosiers a 10-7 lead.The touchdown with under a minute left in the first half made it appear that the Hoosiers would be going into halftime with a 3-point lead. But the Wildcats were not content to accept a halftime deficit.Persa moved the Wildcats all the way down to the Hoosiers 6-yard line with a single tick remaining on the clock. Senior kicker Stefan Demos split the uprights from 23 yards out to tie game at 10-10 heading into halftime.“I think they’re a good football team and they put together a nice drive at the end of the half,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “It’s close, it’s a game of seconds. The clock could have run out.”That field goal would come back to be the difference for Northwestern.The Wildcats came out firing on all cylinders on offense to start the second half. With a 3rd-and-15 on the IU 30-yard line, Persa showed off his versatility by eluding the Hoosier pass rush and connected with Ebert for a 30-yard touchdown.Unlike they did in the first half, the Wildcats would not surrender their lead for the rest of the afternoon.Besides a 39-yard touchdown pass to IU redshirt freshman receiver Duwyce Wilson with 44 seconds left in the game, the Hoosiers were held scoreless in the second half.It was an offensive performance that mimicked the Hoosiers 13-point effort at Illinois last weekend. On a day where the IU defense held a potent Northwestern offense to 20 points, it was the offensive struggles that told the story.The loss continues the Hoosiers winless Big Ten season in a game where once again, the Hoosiers came up a few plays short of a win.“I’m not second guessing,” Lynch said. “The plan, the effort and the preparation came up three points short.”
(10/29/10 4:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It went down as the biggest collapse last year for the IU football team.The Hoosiers led 28-3 at Northwestern with 7:32 left in the first half and were seemingly on their way to a blowout victory. Both teams stood at 4-3 and were trying to keep in the hunt for bowl eligibility.Northwestern came back to stun the Hoosiers 29-28 and win three of their next four to earn a trip to the Outback Bowl. The Hoosiers would lose their last four games and miss bowl eligibility.The Hoosiers (4-3, 0-3) will get a chance to get that taste out of their mouth when they take on Northwestern (5-2, 1-2) at noon Saturday at Memorial Stadium.“Obviously we’re expecting a similar game (to last year’s) because I think they’re a similar team to last year’s, and they’re a really good football team, so we’ll be ready for a four-quarter game,” senior quarterback Ben Chappell said.The Wildcats come into Bloomington with the Big Ten’s No. 10 pass defense, a statistic that plays into the hands of IU’s top-ranked pass offense.Chappell will look to bounce back after tying a career-high three interceptions in the Hoosiers’ 43-13 loss on the road against Illinois last week. IU has struggled to score in conference games this year, averaging slightly more than 19 points per game in Big Ten play compared to 40 points per game in non-conference play.While the Wildcats have shown a weakness in defending the pass, they have still been able to keep teams out of the end zone. The Wildcats are allowing 20.7 points per game behind coach Pat Fitzgerald’s defensive mind-set.“They’ve got a great coach who gets them where he wants them. He’s a defensive guy,” Chappell said. “Because they’re so sound, hopefully we can exploit that and know where they’re going to be and find some holes.”Fitzgerald, a former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year has engineered a disciplined Northwestern defense that has impressed the IU coaching staff.“That’s why I respect how they play so much. You have to beat them because they’re not going to beat themselves,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “It’s not like they have this great pass rush. They’re just a really sound defensive team with hard-nosed players that play the game the way it’s supposed to be played.”The IU offense could get some help from senior offensive tackle James Brewer who might return to the lineup for this game. Brewer participated in practice this week for the first time since being sidelined three weeks ago with an ankle injury. Getting Brewer back would add protection and allow Chappell to continue to get the ball to his receivers, who fill out the Big Ten’s top three in receptions per game. But the IU offense is one that the Hoosiers believe the Wildcats will be familiar with.“Their offense is a lot like us,” senior receiver Terrance Turner said. “Their defense goes against that every day in practice so they’re going to know the vulnerabilities of the defense and things like that.”A win for the Hoosiers would put them within a game of bowl eligibility. But a loss would mean that IU would still be two wins away with upcoming games against Iowa and Wisconsin, ranked No. 18 and No. 9, respectively, in the Associated Press poll. Just like last year’s game, Saturday could be a turning point in the Hoosiers’ season.
(10/26/10 3:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU football team entered Saturday’s game against Illinois with seven turnovers on the year. That theme did not carry on to Champaign. The Hoosiers had five turnovers in their 43-13 loss against Illinois. Two of the interceptions were taken back for touchdowns. The other three turnovers were made in IU territory. It is a statistic that IU head coach Bill Lynch believes was indicative of the results.“The turnovers and mistakes — you cannot win Big Ten football games with that,” Lynch said. “Certainly the turnovers that lead directly to scores and field position was dramatically in their favor because of our mistakes.”While senior quarterback Ben Chappell tied a career-high with three interceptions, he still had success with the throwing game. It marked the fifth time this year that Chappell threw for at least 275 yards and a touchdown.Lynch said the turnovers tarnished the numbers that Chappell was able to put up.“We’re talking about a guy that had 26 completions for 278 yards against a really good defense,” Lynch said. “So we did some things decent. But they are totally overshadowed by the turnovers.”Defense finding nicheA look at the statistics shows that the Illini scored 43 points which would usually mean that the defense had a sub-par day. But the Hoosiers only allowed 289 total yards, a yard shy of their season low at Western Kentucky on Sept. 18. The five IU turnovers led to 24 points for the Illini, while the defense stood its ground, given the short field behind it.“We gave up very few big plays, we limited missed tackles and our assignment mistakes have dramatically gone down over the last two or three weeks,” Lynch said. “I think the fact that we’ve solidified who’s playing where over the last couple weeks has certainly helped.”Lynch credits the emergence of several defensive players, including senior defensive end Terrance Thomas, junior linebacker Leon Beckum and junior defensive end Darius Johnson as a reason for the improvement as the year has progressed. Getting guys into the right position is something Lynch knew would be a process. “There’s a lot of mixing and matching that went about, and early on I said that this was going to be a good defense,” Lynch said. “We knew it was going to take a little bit of time.”One banged-up ChapThe last play Chappell made on Saturday was a 28-yard pass to redshirt freshman tight end Ted Bolser. Chappell hung in the pocket and got the last of many hits he took on the day. After that play, Chappell exited the game and went to the sideline to begin treating multiple bumps and bruises.On Sunday morning, Chappell received treatment to deal with his variety of sore muscles.“There wasn’t really much they could do for me besides put some ice on different spots,” Chappell said. “Luckily, nothing is broken, so I’ll be fine.” Seeing Chappell getting treatment on a Sunday morning is something Lynch knows comes with the territory.“He’ll be fine,” Lynch said. “He’s a beat-up guy, but that’s part of it. If you’re going to play that position in a pass offense where you don’t really run the ball a lot, you’re going to take some shots. He’s beat up, but he’s not down, and he’s a competitor.”
(10/25/10 3:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Ben Chappell heard about how improved the Illinois defense was all week.The Fighting Illini lived up to their reputation.A season-high five turnovers crippled the Hoosiers (4-3, 0-3) on Saturday in their 43-13 loss at Illinois (4-3, 2-2). The five Hoosier turnovers led to 24 Illinois points.“We didn’t get it done, and that’s on the offense 100 percent,” Chappell said. The Illini secondary made sure that Chappell would not settle in from the get-go. Faced with a third-and-10 from the IU 8-yard line, the senior quarterback completed his first pass of the day. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, it was to the guys in navy.Chappell threw into double-coverage on the left sideline, and Illinois cornerback Davon Wilson intercepted the pass at the IU 21-yard line. “On that pick, they played a little different coverage,” Chappell said. “I just tried to squeeze it in there, but I forced it.”Before a lot of fans were even in their seats, the Illini defense was already showing why it ranks No. 3 in the Big Ten. “They are a good pass rushing team because they can put pressure on you with four guys without having to blitz a lot, and they are a very talented defensive football team,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. After the IU defense forced a couple of three-and-outs, it appeared Chappell was settling in. Chappell led the Hoosiers on a 10-play, 85-yard drive that ended with him connecting with redshirt freshman tight end Ted Bolser for a 22-yard touchdown.The fifth touchdown of the year for Bolser set the single-season record for touchdowns by an IU tight end and gave the Hoosiers their first lead of the day. The drive seemed to put an end to the offensive miscues as Chappell completed all four of his pass attempts for 67 yards.But it would be the only touchdown drive that the IU offense would engineer.With the Illini ahead 10-7 in the second quarter, the Hoosiers sent in redshirt freshman quarterback Dusty Kiel to run the Wildcat formation. On the first play of the drive, Illinois linebacker Ian Thomas forced Kiel to fumble, and the Illini recovered.For the second time, IU turned the ball back to the Illini. And for the second time, it gave the Illini starting field position inside the IU 23-yard line.The Illini capitalized on the short field, scoring on a 17-yard touchdown reception by wideout Jarred Fayson. With 9:47 still remaining in the first half, the Hoosiers had time to recover from the 17-7 deficit. On the next possession, Chappell led the offense back into Illinois territory. The Hoosiers elected to go for it on a fourth-and-10 at the Illinois 36-yard line. A fourth-down conversion would have had the Hoosiers in position to make it a one-score game. Chappell hung in the pocket going through his progressions and tried hitting a crossing Tandon Doss.But Illinois cornerback Patrick Nixon-Youman had the junior receiver covered. Nixon-Youman intercepted Chappell’s pass and took it 68 yards the other way for the Illini touchdown. “You don’t think it’s going to go back for six,” Chappell said. “I held it, held it, held it and got hit, and I couldn’t get enough on it. I was trying to make a play, and I forced it.”The rout was on.A 27-10 halftime deficit was too much for the Hoosiers to overcome. Another Chappell interception and a pick-six of Kiel in the second half marked the most turnovers the Illinois defense forced in more than nine years. It is a statistic that Lynch knows his team must correct to get its first Big Ten win.“We just can’t turn the ball over like we did and expect to win a Big Ten football game,” Lynch said. “We just weren’t efficient enough to expect to score.”Each of the Hoosiers’ turnovers either were returned for a touchdown or set the Illinois offense up in IU territory. Chappell’s three interceptions tied a career-high, but Lynch said he has no doubt that his senior signal-caller will battle back.“I played his position too, and sometimes it happens,” Lynch said. “You have days like today, but nobody will bounce back better than he will, and I’ll take Ben Chappell any day of the week.”
(10/23/10 4:12pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>CHAMPAIGN, Ill.---A slew of forced turnovers by Illinois (4-3, 2-2) led the Fighting Illini to a 43-13 victory over IU (4-3, 0-3) on Saturday afternoon in front of a crowd of 53,550 at Memorial Stadium.The turnover theme started early for the Hoosiers.On the first drive of the game, the Illini defense gave IU quarterback Ben Chappell all he could handle. After two straight incompletions, Chappell was faced with a third-and-10 from the IU 8-yard line.The good news was that Chappell completed his first pass of the day. The bad news was that it was to the wrong team.Illinois junior cornerback Davon Wilson stepped in front of Chappell’s pass and intercepted it at the IU 21-yard line. A five-yard return by Wilson set the Illini up in the IU red zone for their first offensive possession of the day.“On that pick, they played a little different coverage there,” Chappell said. “I just tried to squeeze it in there, but I forced it.”But a stand by the IU defense prevented the Illini from capitalizing on their starting field position and they were held to a 28-yard field goal by junior kicker Derek Dimke.The Hoosiers would respond with a 22-yard touchdown pass to IU tight end Ted Bolser. The catch for the redshirt freshman set the school's single season record for touchdowns by a tight end.But the record-breaking touchdown would not generate any sustained offensive momentum for the Hoosiers.The Illini made quick work of the IU defense, answering with a 29-yard touchdown pass to freshman tight end Evan Wilson. The touchdown capped off a five-play, 90-yard drive to give the Illini a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.It was a lead that the Illini would not look back on for the rest of the afternoon.The turnover bug stung the IU offense again in the second quarter. This time it came at the hands of IU redshirt freshman quarterback Dusty Kiel. On a keeper play out of the Wildcat formation, Kiel coughed up the rock at the IU 23-yard line.This time, the Illini would capitalize on the short field position. It took Illinois three plays to reach paydirt, connecting on a 17-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Jarred Fayson. The touchdown from Illinois redshirt freshman quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase gave the Illini a 17-7 lead. On the next IU drive, Chappell led the Hoosiers to the Illinois 36-yard line and faced a third-and-10. Once again, the Illini secondary would end another Hoosier drive.Illinois sophomore cornerback Patrick Nixon-Youman picked off Chappell’s pass and returned it for a touchdown. The 68-yard return gave the Illini a 24-7 lead with the first half winding down.“We can’t turn the ball over for touchdowns like that,” Chappell said. “There’s no excuse for that.”A couple of traded field goals at the end of the second quarter made the score 27-10 going into the half.In the second IU possession of the second half, the Illini special teams forced their first turnover of the day. Illinois senior Nate Bussey blocked an IU punt and forced a safety. The Hoosiers would fail to cut into the 29-10 deficit, scoring recording a single field goal in the second half.Chappell's day ended with 279 yards passing and three interceptions in a game that he said his unit cannot duplicate.“We didn’t get it done, and that’s on the offense 100 percent,” Chappell said. The defeat extends the Hoosiers' streak of 13 straight Big Ten road losses, and IU coach Bill Lynch said the team must improve heading into next week’s game against Northwestern.“Well, this was a game where we made way too many mistakes to win the football game,” Lynch said. “Yet, we just can’t turn the ball over like we did and expect to win a Big Ten football game.”
(10/22/10 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>President George W. Bush was still in office, the movie “Superbad” had just been released and the song “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” by Soulja Boy was atop the Billboard Hot 100.That was the last time the IU football team won a Big Ten road game.Since IU’s 38-20 victory at Iowa on Sept. 29, 2007, the Hoosiers have lost 12 straight Big Ten road games. It is a trend that IU (4-2, 0-2) hopes to end this Saturday when it takes on Illinois (3-3, 1-2) in Champaign, Ill.During that streak, the Hoosiers have been outscored 459-210. The defensive fault on the road is something that the Hoosier coaching staff knows it needs to correct if it hopes to end the streak.“Our plan, obviously, is to change that this Saturday,” defensive ends coach George Ricumstrict said. “It’s up to us as a defensive team to meet those expectations.”Similar to recent years, IU currently ranks 10th in the Big Ten in points allowed. The Illini are 10th in the Big Ten in scoring this season, a statistic that might play into the Hoosiers’ favor. In addition to being in the basement of the Big Ten in scoring, the Illini are also coming off a six-point performance in a loss to Michigan State.Unlike the Illini, the Hoosiers have seen an improved offensive output.At the halfway point of last season, IU quarterback Ben Chappell had thrown five touchdowns and seven interceptions. This year, the senior has thrown for a Big Ten-leading 16 touchdown passes along with three interceptions. The numbers from Chappell are why the Hoosiers are currently ranked first in the Big Ten in passing offense. The only game this season in which Chappell did not throw at least two touchdown passes was in the team’s only Big Ten road game at then-No. 2 Ohio State.With the third-ranked pass defense in the Big Ten, the Illini will present a similar challenge for Chappell and the IU offense. This Illinois defense withheld Ohio State to 77 yards passing in its 24-13 loss to the Buckeyes. Besides limiting the Buckeyes passing game, points have been at a premium all year in Champaign. The Illini are allowing fewer than 13 points per game in three home games this season. “The way they played Ohio State, their defense is outstanding,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “And after so many games, the statistics start meaning something, and they are up there not only in the Big Ten-wise but also nationally on defense.”On this weekend last season, the Hoosiers coughed up a 25-point lead and lost 29-28 at Northwestern. It was the closest that IU has come to a Big Ten road win since the drought began. “I don’t think in that locker room they’re worried because they have to go play on the road,” Lynch said. “But the numbers speak for themselves. We’ve got to go on the road and win.”
(10/21/10 4:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It is a kicker’s worst nightmare. A return man races up the field with a full head of steam, and the only thing stopping him from a touchdown is the kicker. The kicker is merely a pebble on the road. The returner has all the momentum, and all the kicker has is a prayer. Redshirt freshman kicker Mitch Ewald lived that reality on Oct. 16 against Arkansas State. Besides his normal kicking duties, Ewald prevented three potential kickoff touchdown returns with a tackle or a redirected stop.“He was huge,” co-special teams coordinator George Ricumstrict said. “He did what you’d hope he’d do. He didn’t shy away, he stood in there and took his shots and really saved touchdowns.”Unlike many kickers, Ewald has experience tackling ball carriers. When Ewald was at Waubonsie Valley High School in Naperville, Ill., he kicked and played safety. In his senior year, he injured his shoulder playing defense in the season opener.But an injured shoulder didn’t slow Ewald down.Instead, he earned all-state honors and was named a captain of the High School All-American Bowl. Ewald was the No. 3-ranked high school kicker in America according to Rivals.com and was IU’s highest-rated recruit in the 2009 class.When former kicker Austin Starr graduated, Ewald was pinned in to start as a true freshman. But before Ewald could start in his first game, he suffered an oblique injury that sidelined him for close to a month.To prevent risking further injury, Ewald elected to redshirt his freshman year.“That was a huge setback for me,” Ewald said. “Once I finally got healthy, I had to do whatever I could to get my confidence back.”Ewald worked his way back into the mix this offseason, competing with redshirt sophomore Nick Freeland for the starting job. Freeland earned the start for the Hoosiers’ season opener against Towson.But Ewald caught a break when Freeland went down with a hip injury after the Towson game. Freeland’s injury meant Ewald would get his first career collegiate start at Western Kentucky. After going almost a year and a half since his last start, Ewald was determined to get started on the right foot. That did not happen. On his first kick, Ewald missed wide on a 38-yard field goal.“That was the worst thing ever,” Ewald said. “I remember coming back to the sidelines and saying ‘I wish I could just take that back.’”With the IU offense averaging 34.2 points per game with 25 touchdowns this season, IU coach Bill Lynch has not needed to call on Ewald much this season for field goals. Prior to Saturday’s game, Ewald had attempted two field goals since his first-kick miss at Western Kentucky. He converted on both of those attempts, as well as converting 16-of-16 on extra points.While Ewald has not been needed much to kick field goals, Lynch noticed the improvement of his young kicker.“Each week he has gotten better,” Lynch said. “As we’ve gone on, we’ve certainly developed a lot of confidence in him.”His confidence in Ewald delivered on Oct. 16.A struggling IU offense meant Ewald would get his opportunity. Ewald chipped in a 20-yard field goal to give IU its first score after the offense stalled on the field.Another IU drive started with good field position in the second quarter but did not end in the end zone. Instead, Ewald converted again with a 34-yard field goal, narrowing Arkansas State’s lead to 7-6.With the Hoosiers clinging to a 19-14 lead, Lynch called on Ewald one more time. Ewald faced a 46-yard field goal, his career-long as a Hoosier. If Ewald did not make it, Arkansas State would take possession with a chance to take a fourth-quarter lead. Ewald said it was the most pressure he had experienced in his young career.“It was my first long attempt of my career here, so I was a little nervous going into it, so I chunked the turf a little bit, and I couldn’t get all of the ball,” Ewald said. “I didn’t know for sure if it was going to make it, but I had a good feeling that it would.”By the slimmest of margins, Ewald’s kick had enough leg to get over the crossbar. The late field goal gave IU a 22-14 lead.But the Hoosiers needed one more big play from the kicker. IU had just scored on a 65-yard touchdown pass to take a 36-27 lead with 7:46 to play. On the kickoff, Arkansas State returner Roderick Hall broke loose. The only thing between him and a one-possession game was Ewald. Just like he did as a high school safety, Ewald tackled Hall at IU’s 36-yard line. “To be honest, in a moment like that it just comes down to my instincts,” Ewald said. “It’s actually really fun for me because we don’t get to do that kind of stuff in practice.”It was the end to a career day for Ewald. Without Ewald’s three field goals and efforts in the return game, the Hoosiers 36-34 win might have been a different outcome. Having performances such as that is what the IU coaching staff has been looking forward to since Ewald committed to IU.“This is what we hoped and expected when we recruited him,” Ricumstrict said. “I think he just needed a year to get stronger and mature, and he’s proven that he’s capable.”
(10/18/10 4:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Damarlo Belcher showed IU fans Saturday why he is the Hoosiers’ leading receiver this season.After catching only one pass for nine yards in the first half, the junior wideout had the most productive second half of his college career.Belcher’s five receptions for 112 yards in the second half helped the Hoosiers (4-2, 0-2) overcome a halftime deficit to defeat Arkansas State (2-5), 36-34, at Memorial Stadium during Homecoming weekend.It was the second time in Belcher’s career that he had surpassed 100 yards receiving in a day. But never had Belcher accomplished the feat in one half.The IU offense was struggling to muster up points throughout the first half. Each of the first two Hoosier drives ended with punts by junior punter Chris Hagerup.Belcher’s deep routes were not being targeted in the beginning of the game.“I think I missed some guys deep early,” senior quarterback Ben Chappell said. “We might have had a couple shots deep early, but some of the underneath stuff was there too.”The IU offense got its first break of the day toward the end of the first quarter.Senior safety Mitchell Evans picked off Arkansas State quarterback Ryan Aplin and took it to the Red Wolves’ 5-yard line.But even with their shortest starting field position of the day, the Hoosiers could not get into the end zone and settled for a 20-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Mitch Ewald.The second quarter did not end the IU offensive woes.The Hoosiers were still held without a touchdown until the final minute of the first half.Chappell capped off IU’s first touchdown drive of the day with a 7-yard pass to junior receiver Tandon Doss. After a failed two-point conversion attempt, the Hoosiers went into the locker room down 12-14.“They challenged us, and it took us a little longer than we would have liked to get adjusted to it,” Chappell said. “But we did get a couple good shorts towards the end of the second quarter.”But IU’s leading receiver was still not part of the mix. Belcher’s one catch for nine yards marked the first time this season that he had been held without multiple receptions in the first half.The quiet first half did not faze the junior wideout.“I knew that it was going to come because of the game plan,” Belcher said. “We were going to take all of the quick stuff, and when we take out shots downfield, we were going to have to hit them.”Chappell hit those shots in the second half.On IU’s first passing play in the third quarter, Chappell connected with Belcher for 23 yards, but another IU drive stalled before they could get into Arkansas State territory.A three-and-out by the Red Wolves’ offense set the Hoosiers up at their own 42-yard line.On second-and-13, Chappell completed a pass to Belcher on a quick 4-yard pass. Belcher did not have any of his momentum going downfield and was surrounded by several white jerseys.It was Belcher’s turn to flex his muscles.He bounced off two Arkansas State defenders, and a third one brought him down by the facemask, forcing a 15-yard penalty and an automatic Hoosier first down.IU capitalized on the Red Wolves’ inability to take down the 210-pound Belcher with a 27-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Terrance Turner.However, the Red Wolves repeatedly cut into IU’s lead.With just more than eight minutes to play, Aplin completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to receiver Dwayne Frampton to trim the IU lead to 29-27.Chappell did not waste any time responding.On the first play of the drive, Chappell found Belcher wide open up the right sideline for a 65-yard touchdown. The play was one that Belcher had been setting up all day.“They started to sit on (quick passes) later in the game, so we figured we would surprise them with a double move,” Belcher said. “That worked, and we got the touchdown out of it.”Belcher’s adjustment to Arkansas State’s single coverage marked the longest touchdown of his career. The touchdown cemented Belcher’s 112-yard second half and secured an IU win that was about sticking to the offensive game plan after a slow start.“As a receiver, you like a challenge,” Belcher said. “We figured if we beat them off of the line, they wouldn’t be able to catch up and we could make big plays.”
(10/16/10 2:39pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After IU squeezed out a Homecoming victory tightened by two late Hoosier fumbles, IU senior quarterback Ben Chappell summed up the day in a short, witty fashion.“I’m too old for this,” Chappell said afterwards.The Hoosiers (4-2, 0-2) held on for a 36-34 win over the Arkansas State (2-5) on Saturday after 37 points were scored by both teams in the fourth quarter. Chappell threw for 382 yards and four touchdown passes to lead the Hoosiers to their fourth non-conference win of the season.The ASU defense entered the game allowing 31.8 points per game but they set a different tone early. A scoreless first drive of the game for the Hoosiers allowed ASU quarterback Ryan Aplin to get out to an early lead.A 12-play, 85-yard drive ended with Aplin taking it into the end zone from one yard out to make it 7-0. The drive marked the third straight game that the Hoosiers gave up a rushing touchdown on the opening drive.After another IU punt, ASU was set to take over at its’ own 13-yard line. But the Red Wolves would not get much of a chance to make it a two possession game. For the first time since the opener against Towson, the IU defense intercepted a pass. Just like the opener, the pass was picked off by IU senior safety Mitchell Evans. The change in momentum gave the Hoosiers a short field at the ASU 5-yard line. But the IU offense still could not get their first touchdown of the day. The ASU defense held the Hoosiers at the 2-yard line and limited them to a field goal. The 20-yard field goal by IU redshirt freshman Mitch Ewald got the Hoosiers on the board, but still trailing, 7-3. With the Hoosiers facing a deficit to start the second quarter, Evans stepped up again. This time the senior safety jumped the route of ASU receiver Anthony Robinson and intercepted his second pass of the day. Once again, it was Evans getting the IU offense a short field to work with.“I just got a good jump on it,” Evans said. “That’s one of my favorite routes to defend.” Another defensive stop by the Red Wolves forced the Hoosiers to settle with a 34-yard field goal by Ewald to make it 7-6. ASU return man Roderick Hall started a trend of big returns against the IU special teams unit. A 71-yard return by Hall gave the Red Wolves offense a starting field position at the IU 26-yardline. This time, the Red Wolves capitalized.Aplin rushed for his second touchdown of the day to give the Red Wolves a 14-6 lead with 2:43 remaining in the half. For the first time of the day, the Hoosiers answered with a touchdown of their own. Chappell led the IU offense down the field with completion after completion. The senior completed all six of his passes for 81 yards, ending with Chappell hanging in the pocket and throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to IU junior receiver Tandon Doss. After a failed two-point conversion attempt, the Hoosiers went into halftime still trailing 14-12. Unlike the first half, the Hoosiers struck first in the second. Chappell connected with senior wideout Terrance Turner on a 27-yard pass down the right sideline to give the Hoosiers their first lead of the day. “It took us a little bit longer to get adjusted to them than it should’ve,” Chappell said. “But eventually we did and we started to make some plays downfield on them.” The IU defense held onto the lead for the rest of the afternoon -- though it would get uncomfortably close for the Hoosiers at times. A scoreless third quarter for the Red Wolves gave the Hoosiers a 19-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter. A career long 46-yard field goal by Ewald widened the Hoosier lead to 22-14 early in the fourth quarter. Again, missed tackles would hurt IU on special teams. ASU true freshman took Ewald’s kickoff back 60 yards to set up their offense just outside the IU red zone. A 6-yard touchdown run by true freshman Sirgregory Thornton gave the Red Wolves a chance to tie the game but a failed two-point conversion attempt left the score at 22-20. The two offenses finally opened up and went bout-for-bout in the fourth quarter. Every time the Hoosiers would score, Arkansas State would respond. All five scoring drives in the fourth quarter were less than two minutes. With 47 seconds remaining, the Red Wolves had one last chance to recover an onside kick and get a score. But IU receiver Damarlo Belcher capped off his 125-yard receiving day by batting the attempt out of bounds, preserving the Hoosier victory. “We didn’t panic or lose our poise because we felt like eventually we could get something and we did,” Lynch said. “I wish we would have finished it off better in the fourth quarter, but when it’s said and done it’s still a win.”The Hoosiers play at Illinois next Saturday, their third Big Ten game of the year.
(10/15/10 2:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU football team repeatedly shot themselves in the foot last season.Whether it was penalties, a red zone interception or fumbling the football, the Hoosiers made many mistakes en route to a 4-8 record in 2009.Going into the Homecoming game against Arkansas State at noon Saturday, that is not the case. The Hoosiers are currently ranked third in the country in fewest penalties per game (3.4) and fifth-fewest in turnovers lost (5).The numbers suggest that while IU has started out Big Ten play at 0-2, this might be a more mature team than last year. “We’ve been very disciplined,” junior linebacker Leon Beckum said. “I think we’ve prepared a lot more this year than we did last year.”Last year, the Hoosiers averaged 43.4 penalty yards per Big Ten game. In their two Big Ten contests this year, the Hoosiers have averaged three penalties per game for 18 yards.Improving on penalties was a key point of emphasis this offseason.“I think we just emphasized that going back to last spring,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “As a result, I think we’re much better at that this year.” While the IU defense has been hurt by several big plays this season, the team believes that committing costly third-down penalties after a stop would be even more demoralizing. “There are times where offenses make plays, and you have to give them credit for that,” co-defensive coordinator Brian George said. “If you have a penalty and give up a first down, that’s your own mistake and you can’t blame anybody for that.”Besides not committing penalties, the Hoosiers have also benefitted from their opponents committing a fair share of penalties. IU ranks first in the Big Ten on opponent penalties at 65.4 yards a game. While the Hoosiers won the penalty battle by an average of 69.5 yards in the first two Big Ten games, that has not translated into a Big Ten win this season.Despite limiting penalties, the Hoosiers are only halfway to where they want to be defensively. “The progression of improvement shows up in the discipline of being where you’re supposed to be, being in position and gain on things as you go from there,” George said. In addition to keeping the yellow flags off the field, the Hoosiers have not given the ball up like they did last year. The Hoosiers turned the ball over 1.83 times per game last season compared to one per game this season.A reason for the improvement could be the maturation of IU senior quarterback Ben Chappell.Chappell’s 15 interceptions in 2009 is a statistic that he has turned around this season.Chappell has thrown just three picks as the midway point of the season approaches. The senior has demonstrated more patience in the pocket and has not been afraid to throw the ball away if he cannot find an open receiver.This improved decision-making has helped sustain Hoosier drives. Hoosier ball carriers have also followed suit.The only fumble that IU has lost this season came from sophomore tailback Darius Willis on the first play from the scrimmage at Western Kentucky. The one fumble lost is the fewest in the Big Ten.
(10/14/10 3:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senior quarterback Ben Chappell left Saturday’s game at Ohio State frustrated.IU’s starting quarterback failed to lead the Hoosiers to a scoring drive while in the game and was replaced in the fourth quarter after the Buckeyes’ took a 38-3 lead.Chappell’s departure meant that redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Dusty Kiel and Edward Wright-Baker would get a chance to play on the biggest stage of their young careers.Previously, Kiel’s only action of the 2010 season came in the third quarter of a 51-17 win against Towson in the season opener. He completed one of five passes for 21 yards.Playing in front of a scattered home crowd against Towson was different than playing the then-No. 2 team in the country in front of 105,000 fans. With IU down 38-3 in the fourth quarter, Kiel understood that playing in a place such as Ohio Stadium was a moment he made sure to appreciate.“I was just trying to have fun,” Kiel said. “We were already trying to battle back from a big lead, so in my mind-set we just had to keep getting first downs.”With the first-game jitters out of the way, Kiel went to work.He got his first third-down conversion as a Hoosier on a 7-yard pass to true freshman Kofi Hughes.With the Hoosiers close to the Buckeyes’ red zone, Kiel connected with freshman tight end Ted Bolser on a 21-yard pass across the middle.It appeared Bolser would have room to get into the end zone — giving Kiel his first career touchdown pass — but Bolser was tackled at the two-yard line.Being able to come up with such a big-time throw was something that Kiel had not done since his days at Columbus East High School in Columbus, Ind.“It felt really good,” Kiel said. “That pass gave me a lot of confidence going forward.”Still eager for his first touchdown as a Hoosier, Kiel ran a read play on second down to true freshman tailback Antonio Banks. Kiel tried pulling the ball for the quarterback keeper on the goal line, but Banks kept it for the score as both went into the end zone still holding onto the ball.“(Banks) had different ideas of who was going to take it, so he wasn’t giving it up,” Kiel said. “We scored, so that’s all that matters.”While Kiel only played one drive, he said he believes it was a different performance than the Towson game.“I felt like I learned from the first time I went out there, and I just relaxed,” Kiel said.Getting in sync with the IU offense will be crucial for Kiel in future seasons. With Chappell in his last year as the signal caller, Kiel will be a leading candidate to fill his shoes. Someone who could prevent Kiel from stepping into that role is Wright-Baker. The redshirt freshman also got his second appearance of the year last Saturday but did not have as much success as Kiel.Wright-Baker completed one of five pass attempts for seven yards and threw an interception on a heave to the end zone with two seconds remaining. He received a rude awakening on a hit from an Ohio State linebacker when he was tackled on a play. Getting popped like that is just Big Ten initiation, according to Wright-Baker.“It was something I really needed to get use to the Big Ten,” Wright-Baker said. “I was seeing stars out there, but it felt pretty good.”But Wright-Baker also showed improvement, looking more natural in the pocket against the Ohio State pass rush while showing off some of his mobility.Neither quarterback has been crowned the favorite to take over in the post-Chappell era.For now, all the IU coaching staff can do is evaluate Kiel and Wright-Baker on a game-to-game basis.“I thought they both showed good poise in a tough place to play,” offensive coordinator Matt Canada said. “They are both going to be very good when their time comes.”
(10/11/10 2:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Questions arose about how healthy Terrelle Pryor would be after suffering a quadricep strain against Illinois last week.If Pryor was hurting, his performance did not show it. Pryor threw for a career-high in yards against IU in the first half.The Ohio State quarterback led the Buckeyes (6-0, 2-0) to a 38-10 win against the Hoosiers (3-2, 0-2) on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.What caught the Hoosiers off guard was how much the Buckeyes went to the passing game.“We expected them to run, and they passed a lot more than anyone could have expected,” IU sophomore defensive tackle Larry Black Jr. said. “We’ve got to adjust, and we’ve got to be quicker on our feet.”Similar to the game against Michigan, the Hoosier defense was scored on quickly to start the game. Four plays were all the Buckeyes needed to march down the field for six. A 39-yard touchdown run by Ohio State tailback Dan Herron got the Buckeyes out to an early 7-0 lead.A miscommunication between IU senior quarterback Ben Chappell and junior receiver Damarlo Belcher resulted in an interception by Ohio State’s Devon Torrence. The interception gave the Buckeyes a short field at the IU 33-yard line.Pryor then connected with receiver Dane Sanzenbacher on a post for a 22-yard touchdown pass, which gave the Buckeyes a 14-0 lead.Sanzenbacher’s touchdown marked the first of many occasions that Buckeye receivers were able to get open behind the IU secondary.After a series of scoreless drives by the IU offense, the Buckeyes gashed the Hoosiers for another big passing play early in the second quarter. Ohio State running back Brandon Saine beat IU senior safety Mitchell Evans deep on single coverage and scored on a 60-yard bomb from Pryor.“I was right with him, and Pryor just made a great throw,” Evans said. “He made a great play, so I got to hand it to him.” The score reintroduced the Hoosiers’ kryptonite of letting up big plays.“We’ve got to stop the big plays,” Black said. “We have to stop them because that’s what’s killing us.”A scoreless Hoosier offense could not get anything going against the Buckeyes, allowing them to widen their lead before the half. Another Chappell interception gave Pryor a short field to work with at the IU 31.Four straight running plays set up the Buckeyes to pass in the red zone. Pryor completed his third touchdown pass of the day with a 17-yard back shoulder pass to receiver DeVier Posey.IU senior cornerback Adrian Burks, who had coverage on Posey on the play, admitted that there is not much defense for a perfect throw.“It was good coverage,” Burks said. “Any time you throw back shoulder, especially when you’re on the man with good coverage, it’s hard to turn around and use your body, which makes it hard to cover. But it seemed to work well for them.”A field goal at the end of the second quarter capped off a 31-0 first half for the Buckeyes. The first-half defensive woes for the Hoosiers quickly put a halt to any thoughts of pulling off an upset.While the Heisman Trophy candidate did not put up his usual rushing statistics, he still showed his mobility in the pocket. The IU defense had difficulties bringing the 6-foot-6-inch Pryor to the ground when they were able to get through the Buckeyes’ offensive line. Pryor’s ability to stay on his feet resulted in a career-high 334 passing yards before he was pulled in the third quarter. In a game where Pryor did not have any designed running plays, he showed the IU defense what he could do with his arm.“They totally dominated us in the first half in every way that you can,” IU coach Bill Lynch said. “We can’t play a first half like that.”
(10/08/10 4:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU football team played in front of almost 53,000 fans last Saturday in a sellout at Memorial Stadium, and some IU players called it the best home atmosphere they had ever seen.This Saturday, the Hoosiers will take on No. 2 Ohio State in front of a crowd twice that size.The game will kick off at noon at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. For the Hoosiers (3-1, 0-1), a key to slowing the Buckeyes may be in IU’s offensive line.That line, which has allowed only four sacks this season, will have what may be its toughest test of the year Saturday. The Buckeyes (5-0, 1-0) feature a 4-3 defense that has been touted as one of the best in college football. The unit’s ability to disrupt the quarterback is one reason why the team is ranked No. 2 in the country.“They’re so fundamentally sound,” said IU tackles and tight ends coach Kyle Conner. “They’re always where they’re supposed to be in their scheme. They’re never out of their gap, and they play hard every single play to the whistle.”Senior defensive tackle Cameron Heyward anchors the Buckeyes’ defensive line. Heyward, who had the option to enter the NFL Draft last season with high chances of being a first-round pick, instead chose to stay at school and haunt opposing offensive lineman with his quick pursuit to the ball carrier.IU true freshman Harrison Scott simulated the role of Heyward in practice this week, even wearing Heyward’s No. 97. Matching up against Heyward will be IU left tackle Andrew McDonald who has been fairly successful protecting IU senior quarterback Ben Chappell’s blind side all year.“I’ve watched him on film, and he’s got some fast first moves, but I feel like I can get after him,” McDonald said. “He comes off the ball and gets his hands to your chest, but I feel like I’m prepared.”Heyward is the leader of a unit that has stopped its first five opponents. The Buckeye defense allows 14.2 points per game, which ranks 12th nationally and second in the Big Ten behind Iowa. This defense is allowing 242 yards per game, which ranks them fifth nationally.For the IU offense, the Hoosiers will enter the Horseshoe with an offense averaging 39.8 points per game, which is 13th-best in the country. Chappell ranks first in the Big Ten with 342.5 passing yards per game. IU sophomore running back Darius Willis has aided the passing attack by improving his blitz pickup out of the backfield. While Willis may not get as many touches as most feature backs do, he said he has embraced his blocking role in the offense. Willis said he is well aware of the challenge the Hoosiers’ pass protection will face against Ohio State.“Their defensive line is probably one of the best I’ve ever seen,” Willis said. “They come hard every snap. That’s a great front seven that they have.” One of the adjustments the Hoosiers made in practice this week was to switch to a silent snap count. The commonly used NFL technique will allow the Hoosiers offensive line and Chappell to communicate without dealing with the noise of 102,000 screaming Buckeye fans.Another adjustment the Hoosiers will have to accommodate is filling the hole left by the absence of senior offensive tackle James Brewer, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Junior Justin Pagan will replace Brewer in the starting lineup.Although the loss of Brewer takes away one of the offensive leaders, Chappell said he is looking forward to testing the Buckeye defense.“I am sure they will be ready to stop our passing game and anxious to stop our offense,” Chappell said. “The offense goes as the offensive line goes, there is no question about that.”