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(09/18/00 5:58am)
LEXINGTON, KY. -- At the end of the fourth quarter, junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El looked very alone in his now-famous No. 11 jersey. \nHe appeared to be pining over the play, as if doing so for long enough might bring the play back. But the sequence was gone. So was the game.\nIn a roller coaster ride for fans and players alike, the IU football team lost its game-long lead against Kentucky and dropped its record to 0-2.\nWith 1:57 left in the game Saturday night at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Ky., junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El dropped back to pass with the intention of making another unbelievable play. He had done so all night, matching the Wildcats play for play.\nInstead, with the score tied at 34, Kentucky defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson knocked the ball from Randle El and into the hands of defensive end Matt Layow at the IU 21-yard line. Layow raced to the end zone for what ultimately was the winning touchdown as the Wildcats rallied to beat the Hoosiers, 41-34.\nBeyond that miscue and one other blunder, Randle El had his typical, outstanding performance. He finished the game with 282 yards of total offense while leading the team in passing and rushing. Still, Randle El didn't see the silver lining at the end of the game.\n"I'm disappointed," Randle El said. "I made some big mistakes that I felt cost us the game. I just have to eliminate those mistakes. It's as simple as that."\nKentucky (2-1) defensive back David Johnson said he was impressed with Randle El and gave the credit to his defensive teammates for causing Randle El's two fumbles, the last of which won the game.\n"The second (fumble) was the biggest play of the game," Johnson said. "It is good for our defense to know that we can step up and change the game."\nEven after the big play, IU (0-2) had a chance to march down the field. They did just that. Junior wide receiver Derin Graham, who returned a kickoff 86 yards in the second quarter to set up an IU touchdown, caught two critical passes on the drive.\nIn the end, senior wide receiver Versie Gaddis let the potential game-tying reception slip through his hands at the goal line on second down. On fourth down from the Kentucky 20-yard line with 48 seconds remaining, Gaddis could not corral a low pass by Randle El that would have given the Hoosiers a fresh set of downs.\nIU coach Cam Cameron left the game with a bad feeling for his team and how much effort they had put into the game. \nEven though IU lost, Cameron credited his team's character.\n"I have never been around a group of guys that can play as hard as our guys play and make as many plays as we make and still come up short," Cameron said. "I feel for these guys in the locker room."\nCameron had some reason to be satisfied. IU got out to an early lead, much like they did in its loss to North Carolina State Sept. 9. This time, the Hoosiers jumped out to a 20-7 lead with 4:58 left in the first half.\n Several times in the first half, Randle El changed the play call on the field based on the defense he saw. The result was successful runs by senior fullback De'Wayne Hogan.\nThe first major error for IU was Randle El's first fumble, which Kentucky recovered at the Hoosier 42-yard line with 51 seconds left before the break. From there, Wildcat freshman quarterback Jared Lorenzen moved his team down the field before hitting tight end Derek Smith for a 21-yard goal, making the halftime score 26-21 in favor of the Hoosiers.\n"We just can't turn the football over," Cameron said. "We turned it over twice, and we just can't put our defense in that position."\nLorenzen, who entered the game as a national leader in several offensive categories, had another great game. Showing a great touch throughout the game, Lorenzen threw for 339 yards on 33-48 passing for two touchdowns and no interceptions. Kentucky coach Hal Mumme was pleased with his young quarterback's play.\n"I think he played pretty well," Mumme said. "We were a little out of sync at the beginning of the game, and we had a rough start. I thought we recovered well in the second quarter and played a great second half." \nDespite the poor numbers the Hoosier defense yielded in its first game, Lorenzen said he had expected a tough game. The IU defense showed flashes of their ability throughout the game, but in the end, Lorenzen figured out how to beat them.\n"They have great linebackers and defensive linemen that are really quick," Lorenzen said. "We were ready for that though. We knew that they were going to be tough, and we were up for the challenge."\nThe 31st meeting between IU and Kentucky was similar to the 30th last September at Memorial Stadium. Another offensive show, the Wildcats won that contest 44-35. Cameron said he sees a pattern that extends even farther than that when these two rivals collide.\n"This game is eerily similar to about 10 games with Kentucky," Cameron said.\nWith an offense averaging 36 points per game, things don't seem too bad for the Hoosiers. Still, when the defense allows 41 points a contest, it is much harder to win games. \nAs IU's Big Ten season gets started next week at home against Iowa, the Hoosiers will need to make adjustments on both sides of the ball, moreso on defense than offense. Whatever things might be changed, Cameron said he wants his players to keep the faith in the system.\n"We have kids on this team that really believe in what we are doing," Cameron said. "We still make too many mistakes, but if we are sitting there with a group that won't give up, then we have great character and the guys are still making the effort"
(09/14/00 6:48am)
To put it in nice terms, the IU defense struggled in the Hoosiers' season-opening 41-38 loss to North Carolina State Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Things won't get much easier for the Hoosiers this Saturday night when they travel to Kentucky to take on the Wildcats and their "Air Raid" offense.\nLast weekend, IU saw Wolfpack freshman quarterback Philip Rivers throw for 401 yards and five touchdowns as he rallied his team back from deficits of 18 and 15 points. This week, Wildcat redshirt-freshman quarterback Jared Lorenzen will have his crack at the Hoosiers.\nAt 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds, Lorenzen is the head of an offense that averages 474 yards per game, good enough for a No. 11 national ranking. Lorenzen is third in the NCAA for points (44).\nWildcat coach and offensive specialist Hal Mumme has been pleased with the way Lorenzen has played to this point. In fact, Mumme sees some similarities between Lorenzen and Cleveland Browns quarterback Tim Couch.\n"He's just going to be a great player; we've just got to give him time to grow," Mumme said. "He's very comparable to Couch at this point in his career. He's miles ahead of where I thought he'd be."\nIU defensive tackle sophomore Kris Dielman is aware of how big Lorenzen is, but doesn't think it will be a factor in the game.\n"We're just going to go at it just like any other game," Dielman said. "You can't really let (size) affect anything. Don't hit him up high, hit him down low."\nTo this point, Lorenzen's favorite target has been senior wide receiver Quentin McCord, who has caught seven balls for 187 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, the Wildcats are just as deadly. Senior fullback Derek Homer and sophomore fullback Artose Pinner bring both size and speed to the backfield. The man the Hoosiers might see the most of is freshman fullback Chad Scott, who, in his first collegiate game, ran for 106 yards on 14 carries.\nIU coach Cam Cameron is concerned how his team will handle the Kentucky (1-1) offense.\n"They create all sorts of matchup problems for you with their offense," Cameron said. \nAt the same time, Cameron knows his defense can handle a talented quarterback since the Hoosiers (0-1) play in the Big Ten.\n"There are a lot of them in this league, so playing against good quarterbacks is nothing new to us," Cameron said. \nDespite the big numbers the Wolfpack was able to post, Mumme still sees the IU defense as a solid unit. In fact, with the new scheme the Hoosiers are using under defensive coordinator James Bell, Mumme might see his freshman quarterback facing new fronts.\n"Indiana's got some good players on defense," Mumme said. "They're young and not experienced as they have been, but they're still good players. They're also learning some new schemes so that can be kind of scary in that they might be able to show us something we haven't seen from them before."\nOn the offensive side of things, there weren't too many problems Saturday for the Hoosiers. Junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El accounted for 321 yards and two touchdowns. Mumme doesn't see a way his defense will be able to handle Randle El.\n"I don't know if anyone ever really contains him," Mumme said. "He's one of those guys who can take a bad play and make it into a touchdown. He scares you every time he touches the football. I don't know if we've ever contained him as much as we've just been able to somehow outscore him the last couple of years."\nEven though the offense seemed to slow down in the second half, Cameron said he remains pleased with his quarterback's play.\n"As I graded 75 plays, he probably graded out high on 70," Cameron said. "But I think he knows that five plays is the difference in the ballgame."\nSenior fullback De'Wayne Hogan said he thinks the offense hurt itself instead of the Wolfpack defense stopping them in the second half.\n"They stopped us a couple of times, but really we stopped ourselves," Hogan said. "We could've driven up and down the field, but we made the mistakes to stop ourselves. They didn't really stop us."\nThe Wildcat defense does have some holes. In a season-opening loss at Louisville, Ky., they surrendered 40 points. Mumme said his team has worked on making tackles to counter the poor performance.\n"We've got to work hard on tackling and that's something we have to get better," Mumme said. "It's something that we will work on in terms of not over-committing to one side or another, because as soon as you do, (Randle El) is quick enough to go the opposite direction on you. It's basically just fundamentals, but you have to be very aware of it when you pass rush."\nIn the end, beyond offensive or defensive numbers, the rivalry between the neighboring states might be a big factor in the outcome of the game. Cameron said his team needs to put the recent loss behind them.\n"It's a great rivalry and I know our fans look forward to it," Cameron said. "We've played extremely well against each other the past two years. The one thing we have to do to be ready to play this game is to put the N.C. State game behind us"
(09/11/00 5:09am)
Everything was going according to plan. \nAll the hype surrounding the football team before its season opener Saturday against North Carolina State seemed to be true. In two possessions, the Hoosiers' offense had easily posted two touchdowns ' the second of which was a 57-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El to senior receiver Jerry Dorsey.\nMore importantly, the IU defense looked solid as it applied pressure to freshman Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers. And once the Hoosiers stuffed NC State's offense for the second straight time to open the game, senior defensive tackle Paul Mandina waved his arms in the air, encouraging the crowd to get up. The fans rose to the occasion, awarding the defense for its efforts.\nIndeed, in coach Cam Cameron's fourth year at IU, everything seemed to be falling into place just like he said it would. Then, a funny thing happened to the Hoosiers as they were on their way to victory and the start of a promising season. It all fell apart.\nRivers and the Wolfpack shredded the IU defense for 401 yards passing and five touchdowns as NC State rebounded from deficits of 21-3 and 28-13 to shock the Hoosiers with a 41-38 victory. The defense that was supposed to be improved actually had an encore of the last season's standard performance when they allowed 40 or more points five times.\nFirst-year defensive coordinator James Bell and his new system were embarrassed by the 18-year old Rivers. After the game, Mandina, wearing a look of complete disbelief, didn't have too many answers for what had just happened on the field.\n"We made some mistakes," Mandina said. "You can't say it any other way. Obviously, we have some things to work out."\nAfter building a 21-3 lead with 13:22 left in the first half, IU began to lose the steam that seemed to push it early in the game. With IU working mostly out of a base 4-3 defense with the secondary in zone coverage, Rivers hooked up with sophomore tight end Willie Wright and sophomore receiver Koren Robinson on a consistent basis.\nWith the secondary playing more zone than man-to-man and Bell sending junior linebacker Justin Smith on a number of blitzes, the short passes were open for Rivers and he took advantage, connecting on 31 of 52 pass attempts. Smith was effective in getting to Rivers and applying pressure while recording a sack, but Rivers and NC State coach Chuck Amato figured things out.\n"There were holes on the outside and the middle, and we knew going into the game that's where we got to attack," Rivers said. "Early, they did a good job of covering the middle, but late they were so worried about the drive."\nOn the ground, the Hoosiers held the Wolfpack to 73 yards rushing on 23 attempts. Still, Cameron said he wants improvement.\n"We didn't play as well as we wanted to, especially defensively," Cameron said. "We all know at times you have to outscore people."\nEven though things began to fall apart for the defense in the second and third quarters, the Hoosiers had a 35-26 lead when the defense made one last attempt to save the day. On a second-down play from the Wolfpack 30-yard line, IU senior linebacker Joslin Goodman intercepted Rivers at the 40-yard line and returned it to the NC State 12-yard line with 6:06 remaining in the game. \nThe Hoosier offense moved the ball to the one-yard line before settling for a 25-yard field goal by senior Andy Payne. Randle El said the offense needed to help the defense by getting a touchdown in that situation.\n"We have to make some plays," Randle El said. "It's a team thing. We lost that one together."\nTrailing 38-26, NC State quickly scored to close the gap to five before Rivers threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to Robinson with 54 seconds left in the game. On the play, Robinson split junior cornerback Sharrod Wallace and sophomore safety Ron Bethel.\nAfterwards, Bell said the defense just didn't do the things it needed to do in order to stop the Wolfpack in the end.\n"Players got to make plays," Bell said. "We didn't make plays."\nWith his fists clenched Mandina made a guarantee to IU fans everywhere that things would not continue in this pattern. He committed to leading a defensive improvement.\n"We're going to make this thing happen," Mandina said. "Don't back out on us yet. I guarantee you I will be a liar if you come up here and we are still a losing team. We'll take care of it."\nDespite the fact the offense scored 38 points and still lost, Randle El foresees no resentment towards the defense.\n"That unity will always be there," Randle El said of the bond between the defense and the offense. "We don't give up on one another"
(09/06/00 5:49am)
Before the season began and Purdue disposed of Central Michigan last Saturday by a 48-0 count, Boilermaker coach Joe Tiller outlined the central key to any success Purdue will have this year. Not surprisingly, it involves quarterback Drew Brees.\n"As Drew Brees goes, so will Purdue," Tiller said.\nThe senior quarterback, a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, has embraced Tiller's offensive scheme from the time he began his sophomore season as the starting quarterback. To this day, Tiller has never seen a quarterback catch on to his system the way Brees has.\n"This year is the 14th that I\'ve been involved running this one-back spread offense, and I think it\'s pretty safe to say that (Brees) is the most effective guy that we\'ve had the pleasure of being around," Tiller said. \nLast Saturday saw Brees throw for 317 yards and three touchdowns in the rout against the Chippewas. Brees continues to improve, even after he threw for 3,909 yards and 25 touchdowns a season ago.\nWith his numbers continuing to go up, Brees has seen his stock as the nation\'s best player rise. After finishing fourth in the Heisman voting last year, Brees admits that winning the honor is something he thinks about, along with getting a trip to the Rose Bowl.\n"It\'s something I definitely think about," Brees said of the Heisman. "It\'s hard not to, but it isn\'t the only reason I came back. My goal for this season is to win the Big Ten."\nWhat could help Brees get more national respect is an improved defense from a 7-5 team a year ago. Junior Akin Ayodele led the team with 11 sacks last season in his first year in West Lafayette from the defensive end position. Tiller will be looking for more of the same from Ayodele as a linebacker this year.\n"I think the biggest news at Purdue is the switch of Ayodele from defensive end to strong side linebacker," Tiller said. "That was a tough decision for us because Akin last year was a sophomore and was a first-team All-Big Ten player as a defensive end."\nStill, opponents will continue to focus on containing Brees. One thing Tillersaid he thinks Brees needs to work on is his game management as games draw to a close. Last year, Purdue lost four games by seven points or fewer.\n"We still have a lot of things that we can get better at," Tiller said. "Learning how to finish a game is really one of the big keys for us, particularly given the way we played at the Outback Bowl last year, when we had a real opportunity there and let it get away from us."\nDespite the Boilermakers bitter loss to Georgia, Jan. 1, opponents continue to be impressed and afraid of Brees and his physical and mental abilities.\n"He\'s not only gifted athletically, he\'s gifted intellectually," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "He knows where the pressure is coming from. He knows where the coverage is going to be rolled. He makes such great decisions. There\'s nothing he can\'t do."\nWhat might be even scarier for the Big Ten is Tiller has yet to install his entire offensive scheme. When he does, Brees will assume control.\n"We have never gotten to our complete offensive package, but we hope this year that we can get closer to that," Tiller said. "(Brees) is really the kind of guy that you\'ve really just got to give the ballgame to"
(09/01/00 5:31am)
For Colts fans everywhere, it is the day they have been waiting for since Jan. 16. \nOn that winter day, Indianapolis dropped a 19-16 decision to Tennessee at the RCA Dome in a Divisional playoff game. In a three-hour span, everything the Colts had worked for during the 1999 season was gone.\nThis weekend marks the beginning of the road to redemption. The 2000 edition of the Indianapolis Colts begins at noon Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.\nThis week, the Colts have been solely focused on the Chiefs, a team that went 9-7 last year and just missed the playoffs. \n"You don't even hear anybody talking about last year," defensive back Jason Belser said. "The only expectations we have is to win our next game and that's Kansas City. That's how it's going to be for 16 weeks."\nSimilar to the Colts disappointing season-ending loss, the Chiefs ended last year with a heart-breaking 41-38 loss at home to Oakland, preventing Kansas City from advancing to the playoffs. \nFrom that loss is a lingering bad taste in the Chiefs' mouths. Tight end Tony Gonzalez says the Chiefs are ready to move on.\n"It was the way we lost that last game," Gonzalez said. "That left a bad taste all off-season. I can't wait for the season to begin to get rid of the (taste)."\nThe Colts come into the game receiving a whirlwind of media attention.\nQuarterback Peyton Manning, receiver Marvin Harrison and running back Edgerrin James form the deadliest trio of offensive players in the league.\n "It's a great time to be a Colt," Manning said. "We have a lot of starters back. Everybody's really optimistic."\nAt the center of the national glare is Manning, who, in his third year, has asserted himself as one of the league's top quarterbacks. Kansas City coach Gunther Cunningham and his defense has the difficult task of containing Manning and his numerous offensive weapons.\nThe problem is, Cunningham hasn't figured out how to do that just yet.\n"He really amazes me," Cunningham said. "He has a real sense for the game and a real instinct for the game to go along with a great arm. I'm really impressed with him."\nThe Chiefs will try to pound the ball down the throat of the Colts' defense with running back Mike Cloud. Quarterback Elvis Grbac doesn't have many receiving options other than Gonzalez.\nThe Colts will be ready for the challenge.\n"They pride themselves on being a physical team," Belser said. "If they can establish the run, that opens up their passing game. They're dangerous in both ways."\nOn top of the problems created by the Chiefs on the field, Arrowhead Stadium is one of the toughest places to play in the NFL. Even though it might be a hostile environment, Belser relishes the opportunity.\n"It's a great place to play," Belser said. "It's really something special playing K.C. with their fans. In that environment, you really have to pull together as a team."\nThe Colts are ready to get their season underway. With basically the same players back and the same system intact, Indianapolis is confident they will only be better Sunday and throughout the year. Still, Belser realizes how hard it is to sustain success in the league.\n"Getting ready for the season, no matter what you're doing, it's going to be difficult," Belser said. \nIn the end, Colt linebacker Cornelius Bennett is ready for Sunday and the start of the 2000 season for his own reasons.\n"I'm ready for the big paychecks," Bennett said.
(08/31/00 5:39am)
Bobby Williams knows certain things will be expected of him in his first full-season as head coach of Michigan State. \nEven though the Spartans lost several key players from a season ago, Williams will not enjoy much of a honeymoon following Michigan State's scintillating Citrus Bowl win in January against Florida. He is expected to win now, not later.\n"It's the nature of the business that we are all expected to win," Williams said. "And that's what we expect. We expect to win."\nAfter the losses he saw from last year's team and the strength of the Big Ten, Williams may find his number one priority hard to meet. Receivers Gari Scott and Plaxico Burress are gone, along with quarterback Bill Burke from last year. \n"There's no question that we lost quite a few seniors from last year's team," Williams said. "I think we've recruited well over the years, and I'm very excited about the new leaders that we have this year."\nThe main talent Williams will focus his team on is sophomore tailback T.J. Duckett. In his freshman season, Duckett, who is an All-American candidate, ran for 606 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. \nOne of Duckett's main blockers will be guard Shaun Mason, also an All-American candidate. Along with his teammates, Mason was confident in Duckett and his abilities from the time Duckett set foot on campus.\n"We knew he was a great back and he had the potential, we were just waiting for his first chance in a game," Mason said. "We're totally confident in T.J., and we know he is going to be a player. I think he's going to be the next premiere back in the Big Ten."\nSenior cornerback Renaldo Hill, who will lead a solid defensive unit, has had the displeasure of trying to bring down the 6-foot-1, 252 pound Duckett in practice.\n"Once he gets around that corner and he gets his shoulders squared, you have to go low on him," Hill said. "If you go high, you are going to be on your back and he's going to still be running down the field."\nThe big hole to fill for the Spartans on offense will be at quarterback. Burke, a two-year starter, is gone and junior Ryan Van Dyke takes center stage as the signal caller. Van Dyke has only seen action in 11 collegiate games, never starting. Last year he was 21-36 passing for 393 yards and four touchdowns in four games.\nEven though Van Dyke doesn't have much in the way of experience in the conference, Mason is sure he will be able to handle his new responsibilities.\n"He really matured as a leader and that's important in a quarterback," Mason said. "I think he knows what it takes to be a Big Ten quarterback. He's going to be ready to play. He is out to prove something."\nHill has been equally impressed.\n"He's really taking charge on the offensive side of the ball," Hill said. "He really seems comfortable back there and he isn't timid at all."\nIn the end, whether the players are new or old, Williams is anxious to get on the field and win some games.\n"I don't think I've ever had a total comfort level going into a new season," Williams said. "There's always a sense of anxiety that comes with a new season and there's a tremendous sense of anxiety that I have going into this season as head coach"
(08/29/00 6:05am)
INDIANAPOLIS ' Last season, quarterback Peyton Manning and a number of other key players helped Colts coach Jim Mora accomplish things he had never dreamed of. \nMora won his first AFC East division crown. He coached the Colts to a 13-3 mark, tying the franchise mark for most wins in a season. Finally, he led Indianapolis to a 10-game improvement from his first 1998-1999 season.\nHaving done all that, Mora, who has been coaching in the NFL for 13 years, still hasn't accomplished one feat most coaches with his amount of experience did years ago. Despite all of his regular season wins, Mora still has never won a playoff game.\nAfter compiling the second-best record in the AFC last year, the Colts dropped a divisional playoff game to the Tennessee Titans, 19-16, at the RCA Dome in January. Despite the successes and disappointments of last season, Mora is not concerned about what people will expect of his team.\n"My approach will not be any different, nor will the team's approach be different," Mora said. "Whether we come off a 3-13 season or a 13-3 season we coach the same. We expect a lot and are demanding. The players know what to expect of us and what we expect of them."\nPerhaps the biggest surprise for the Colts last year was the play of second-year running back Edgerrin James. As a rookie, James ran for 1,553 yards and 17 total touchdowns. Even though he had so much success on a personal level, James also felt the sting of a short post season and is ready for redemption.\n"We had a great season last year, but it is over now," James said. "We just have to accept it as a learning experience because it is over."\nBesides James, all of the key players return for the Colts. The spark plug that starts and stops Indianapolis' success will be Manning. About to begin his third season, Manning has become one of the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL. Last year Manning was named to his first Pro-Bowl after throwing for 4,135 yards and 26 touchdowns.\nStill, Manning knows there is always room for improvement.\n"I'm a little older," Manning said. "I'm an old man now at 24. I know I'm going to see different defenses this year, and that's going to make it tougher, but I think I'm better prepared to handle that."\nMora agreed.\n"In order to be the kind of player that he is at this level, you have to be good both (physically and mentally)," Mora said. "You have to have the physical assets, which he does. There is no question about it. He is also very strong mentally. He has the preparation, the attitude and the leadership."\nThe other key weapon for the Colts is wide receiver Marvin Harrison. A Syracuse graduate, Harrison had his best year yet in 1999, with 1,663 receiving yards on 115 reception, including 12 touchdowns. \nWith his rise to one of the best receivers in the NFL last year, Harrison knows he is going to be opposing defenses' number one target.\n"That comes with the territory," Harrison said of the extra attention. "There have been receivers who have been marked men for 10 years or more, guys like Michael Irvin, and they kept doing the job. We have an offensive scheme to put me into different situations that will get me the ball."\nOn the defensive side of the ball, there is one unquestioned leader in the form of linebacker Cornelius Bennett. With 13 years of NFL experience and four trips to the Super Bowl under his belt, Bennett relishes his role as the emotional leader of the Colts.\n"That is part of my being here," Bennett said of helping younger players. "I still play pretty good, but I am more of a teacher."\nBennett showed he can still play last season. After coming over from the Buffalo Bills, Bennett led the Colts with 114 tackles and also pitched in five sacks. Bennett finished the decade by being named to the 1990's All-Decade second-team.\n"It's a great honor," Bennett said. "I don't know if it means I'm an old man or what. If I don't ever play another down, I guess I've made a mark."\nThe other key ingredient team president Bill Polian brought in last year through free agency was defensive end Chad Bratzke. Bratzke led the team with 12 sacks and accumulated 81 tackles.\nThe Colts defense rose to the top half of the AFC in a number of statistical categories. Bratzke figures the defense to be even stronger in 2000 after having had a season to get acquainted with one another.\n"Last year, we came cold," Bratzke said. "We had a new coordinator, a new defense, and, really, none of us knew it. Now, the rookies don't know it, but all the veterans do."\nFor the Colts, 1999 was a good season and they hope 2000 will be a great season. A good regular season won't suffice.\n"There is only one team in the NFL that should be satisfied with their season, and that is the St. Louis Rams," James said. "Every team's goal is to win the Super Bowl. If you don't reach that goal you can't be satisfied"
(08/25/00 5:11am)
No other team captured the hearts of football fans everywhere last season more than Minnesota. \nThe Golden Gophers went to a bowl game for the first time in 14 years en route to an 8-4 record that included a stunning 24-23 triumph at Penn State.\nAfter last season's successes, with the Gophers climbing to No. 12 in the polls, it is back to square one for coach Glen Mason and Minnesota.\nWith key players gone from last year's squad, there are questions whether the Gophers can sustain their success. Mason said he is confident he has recruited enough talent to fill the holes.\n"Last year, if you remember, I said that we would be very much improved, and that in 1999 the Minnesota Golden Gophers would go from a losing program to a winning program," Mason said. "I say that because I think this year, once again, we should be improved."\nA place where Minnesota doesn't need help is at defensive end. All-America candidate Karon Riley returns for his senior season after leading the Big Ten in sacks a year ago with 16.\nRiley, who spent his first two years of college at Southern Methodist University, has explosive speed coming off of the corner. At 6-4 and 248 pounds, he is a tremendous all-around athlete who can alter an offense's game plan.\nRiley said the success he and the Gophers had last season is driving them to improve themselves.\n"It's a good feeling to be able to go around town saying you are a Minnesota Golden Gopher," Riley. "We don't want that feeling to go away any time soon. We'll continue to work hard to put ourselves in a position to repeat that feeling."\nSenior linebacker Sean Hoffman will anchor the rest of the defensive unit. Last season, Hoffman was third on the team with 80 tackles. He was awarded All-Big Ten honorable mention.\nWhile Riley and Hoffman will lead the defense, the offense will be led by All-American center Ben Hamilton. Beyond Hamilton, there are a number of holes at the skill positions. Namely, the quarterback and running back positions will be filled with inexperienced players.\nRedshirt freshman quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq is expected to be Minnesota's signal-caller this season. Abdul-Khaliq was impressive in the Spring Game on April 19, completing 13 of 20 passes for 184 yards.\nFor the Gophers, the main goal in 2000 will be much different from last season's. Now that they have proven they can be a winning team, they will try to prove they are consistent winners.\n"It's one thing to go from a loser to a winner in a season," Mason said. "We've got to be consistent. I think a considerable goal is to have some consistency of being able to win in this conference"
(08/24/00 4:27am)
For four years Versie Gaddis has heard the critics. \nThey said he wouldn't rebound from an injury and that he had hands of stone. During the same time span, he has been there when the Hoosiers couldn't get the win at the end of the game. \nWith all of those negative experiences fueling Gaddis, the fifth-year senior is ready to lead IU football back to a bowl game for the first time since 1993.\nLast season saw Gaddis, a 5-10, 190-pound wide receiver, breakout for the best year of his career. Gaddis finished last fall with 35 receptions for 633 yards and three touchdowns. From the outset of the campaign, Gaddis was determined to make an impact, hauling in an 81-yard touchdown pass in the season opener against Ball State.\nGaddis's success last season surprised many. After showing some promise as a freshman under Bill Mallory, Gaddis had to sit out 1997 with a knee injury. In many ways, 1999 was the kind of season he desperately needed to prove to himself and to others that he could play.\n"It felt good to me to just finally get out there and let loose," Gaddis said. "I haven't felt like that since my freshman year. The year after I came back from my injury, it was still kind of in the back of my mind. (Last year) I felt so free. I just wanted to go out and help my team and that's what I did."\nDespite producing solid numbers, coach Cam Cameron criticized Gaddis and his fellow receivers for dropping some passes they needed to catch in critical situations. Gaddis takes the comments as constructive criticism.\n"There have been times where we have struggled," Gaddis said. "We appreciate (criticism). That tells us what we have to work on."\nGaddis was an integral part of the offense last year that averaged 405.9 yards and 26.5 points per game. Even though the Hoosiers offense was very prolific, Gaddis still sees room for improvement.\n"We're not satisfied with what we did last year, even though we put up big numbers at times," Gaddis said. "Hopefully we can improve on that."\nWhile the offense had a good year in 1999, the defense struggled mightily. Despite the fact the pressure seemed to consistently be on the offense to score large amounts of points, Gaddis said the offense holds no grudges.\n"We understand things like that happen, but we'll get it together," Gaddis said. "They want to get better and they want to improve and I think they will. We know the defense will take care of business."\nThe defense is aware of the pressure it put on the offense last season and is looking to improve upon that. \n"When your offense puts 30 points or more on the board a game and you're not winning, something's wrong," defensive end Paul Mandina said. "We're not going to let that happen again."\nThis season will see Gaddis serve as a co-captain on the team. From his leadership position, he wants to make sure his teammates expect to win games in the Big Ten, even though the skeptics might not think so.\n"I just want the underclassmen to understand that, even though in the past our records haven't shown that we are one of the toughest teams in the Big Ten, we can play ball," Gaddis said.\nAfter a second-consecutive 4-7 season, Gaddis represents a prevalent attitude of all Hoosier fans. Gaddis has had his fill of playing good teams well into the latter stages of the game only to see things fall apart.\n"It was very disappointing because my whole career it seems like we have been real close every year in those big games," Gaddis said.\nFrom his point of view, Gaddis thinks IU was lacking a killer instinct last season that prevented them from doing the things they wanted to do. Gaddis won't let that happen again.\n"We were more expecting it to happen and not really going out and forcing it to happen," Gaddis said. "This year we are going to go out and try to take what we want. We want to win games this year."\nBeyond just winning games, Gaddis expects the Hoosiers to win a lot of big games.\n"We can get some things done," Gaddis said. "But its not going to get handed to us. You have to go out and earn it. We have some great teams in the Big Ten and we can compete with them. We can win a championship"