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(10/26/09 3:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>EVANSTON, Ill. – Evolution was at work on a nippy afternoon at Northwestern. As both the Hoosiers and the Wildcats fought for their seasons’ lives, adapting to changes was the difference between ecstatic victory and heart-wrenching defeat. When senior cornerback Ray Fisher dashed to the end zone for a 93-yard kickoff return to put IU up 28-3 with less than eight minutes to go in the first half, it looked like the Hoosiers were the far superior team. They weren’t. Northwestern, following its most basic survival instincts, acclimated to the conditions. The Wildcats responded to the Fisher return with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that proved to be the beginning of the end for IU. Going into the half, with their initial 25-point lead down to 11, the Hoosiers decided not to adapt. “As a defense, we didn’t need to make many adjustments,” senior linebacker Matt Mayberry said. “We were playing them pretty well in the first half, so we didn’t really need to make any adjustments.” Little did they know that Northwestern, living and dying by quick passes to the sidelines, made some lethal changes. With IU exposing the middle of the field, the Wildcats attacked with slants and draws, slicing the Hoosier defense in its heart. Still, despite the signs of impending doom, the defense managed to force turnovers. But when the offense got the ball, the lack of adjustment was even more evident. After the first of three interceptions from Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka, the Hoosiers offense faced a third and one on their own 27. Rather than giving it to a bruiser or letting junior quarterback Ben Chappell sneak forward, the Hoosiers ran an option with junior wide receiver Mitchell Evans. The result was a loss of three yards and a punt. With a fourth and goal from the one-yard line two possessions later, the Hoosiers went back to Evans under center, this time with the intention to throw. The play broke down, however, and Evans was stopped short by his own lineman. “It’s one of those plays, on the one-yard line on fourth down, we really thought a touchdown was what we needed,” IU coach Bill Lynch said of the play. “I sensed that was a game that was going to take some points.” There’s no doubt going for six was the right move, but with at least three backs completely capable of pounding out a yard, and a quarterback who had already sneaked one in from the same distance, hindsight shows a game-clinching chance blown away by a cutesy play call. As they continued to simultaneously create and destroy chances to clinch the game, the Hoosiers, who once looked at the scoreboard in glee, now watched in horror. However, the clock pasted on that same scoreboard didn’t seem to affect IU too much. With a slim two-point lead early in the fourth quarter, the Hoosiers abandoned the run, throwing six passes and punting the ball back after only 1:38 of possession time.The Wildcats, with time and momentum on their side, continued to out-perform, out-will and out-coach the Hoosiers. As they took over with about seven minutes remaining after yet another turnover on downs, it was officially the Wildcats’ game to lose. And, unlike the Hoosiers just hours before, the home team didn’t let it slip away. With Northwestern’s game-winning field goal through the uprights and a 59-yard attempt from freshman Nick Freeland landing short, the Hoosiers left the field victims of their own decisions. IU played this game to win in the first half, but they played it not to lose in the second. It’s a strategy that has brought football programs to their knees for years, and for the umpteenth time in IU lore, barring a series of groundbreaking upsets, it’s a strategy that has crippled the Hoosiers’ postseason hopes. The Wildcats proved they are the fittest, and because of their ability to adapt, they will survive another week in the always-unforgiving Big Ten season. The Hoosiers meanwhile, are on the verge of extinction.
(10/23/09 2:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When the Hoosiers hit Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill., they’ll be looking in a proverbial mirror. Akin to IU, the Northwestern Wildcats enter the weekend at 4-3 total and 1-2 in the conference, searching for a spot in the postseason picture. Both teams boast their victories against sub-.500 D-1 teams, their statistical standings nearly identical. Each team is searching for a spot in the postseason, and Saturday will determine which of the two is more deserving. “Our kids are aware of the ramifications,” IU coach Bill Lynch said, “but if we keep talking about going to a bowl game and not worrying about today, we are never going to get there.” Lynch and his team might not want to think about it, but there’s no ignoring the bowl implications hovering above their Week 8 contest. IU will need a minimum of six victories to even be considered for a bowl spot, and with its tie with Northwestern for eighth in the Big Ten, this weekend’s game becomes that much more vital to their postseason dreams. The Hoosiers will face Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State and Purdue to close out the season, and a guaranteed victory is nowhere to be found. Three of the four teams are currently in the BCS top 25, and Purdue, the lone opponent on the Hoosiers schedule that might not make a bowl game, did what IU couldn’t and upset Ohio State at home. It’s still unknown how they’ll handle that home stretch because it’s impossible to get a feel for the 2009 Hoosiers. It’s been a double-faced season for IU, as every game seems to end with a “but.” They started 2-0, but they nearly lost to both Eastern Kentucky and Western Michigan. They lost the next two games, but they were games many expected them to drop. Now, they’ve beat up on Illinois, but Virginia embarrassed them just one week prior. The Hoosiers could desperately use a doubt-defying win, but the storybook style of motivation that worked for them on Oct. 17 is against them now. Last season, a faltering IU team brought Northwestern’s surprising top-25 season to a screeching halt with a 21-19 final in Bloomington. Just as IU had used their 2008 matchup with Illinois as inspiration, Northwestern will be looking to atone for last season’s upending in its homecoming game. Still, a thirst for revenge can only go so far, and only execution, talent and desire will decide the game. When the Hoosiers stare into their purple-tinted reflection on Saturday, one question will undoubtedly be answered: Who wants this one most of all? Prediction: The Hoosiers are coming off their most convincing victory of the season against Illinois, as everything was clicking, both offensively and defensively. Now, they’ll face a more difficult opponent in Northwestern. The Wildcats are seventh in the Big Ten in scoring offense and sixth in scoring defense, both several spots better than IU.Two of Northwestern’s wins this year, however, have been against teams that are still winless. If junior quarterback Ben Chappell has half the game he had last week, the Hoosiers should be in prime position for a win. IU 28 – NU 24
(10/22/09 3:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As the Hoosiers continue their march through the Big Ten season and toward a possible bowl game, the element of surprise has played a crushing role. In their near victory at Michigan, IU opened the rushing playbook, sending men in motion and confusing the defense on the way to a 197-yard, three-touchdown domination on the ground.And against Illinois on Saturday, the pistol formation – the basis of the team’s offense in the first half of the season – virtually vanished. The Hoosiers revealed new passing formations, and junior quarterback Ben Chappell burst out with 333 yards and three touchdowns. In the wake of his team’s only victory since a 38-21 win at Akron, IU coach Bill Lynch said the success of the passing game last week doesn’t affect the plan of attack. “It really hasn’t changed our offense,” Lynch said. “One of the things we hoped with the pistol offense was to be able to run the ball well enough to force defenses to defend the run. If you get defenses totally committed to defending the run, you have a better chance of getting your receivers one-on-one on the outside where they have a chance to make plays.” Until last weekend, the pistol offense alone hadn’t given the receivers that chance. With the new looks and plays IU installed against Illinois, they were finally able to show their skills. When sophomore wideout Damarlo Belcher made a catch in the open field, he sent an Illinois defensive back looking for his ankles with a juke-move only seen on video games, freeing open space for a touchdown. As Belcher’s athletic ability wowed, other receivers made subtler, yet equally as impressive, plays. Sophomore wide receiver Tandon Doss ruled the passing lanes, grabbing seven catches for 130 yards and a TD, and senior tight end Troy Wagner made a terrific falling catch. IU exploded through the air last Saturday, but it’s more of an exception than the norm. The IU offense is built around the rushing attack, and they have a cabinet of players to implement into the game plan. Running back coach Dennis Springer said the team’s use of different looks was in the spring plans, and despite the production from passing the ball, the running backs will continue to play a vital role. Which running backs will play the part, though, has changed from a dilemma to a one-man race. The emergence of freshman running back Darius Willis has given the Hoosiers a go-to option, and when healthy, he has assumed the role spectacularly. Springer said he knows he’ll need his full stable of backs in conference play, but the variety in the backfield has diminished. Senior running back Demetrius McCray, the starter to begin the year, has had three games with one or no carries since a 134-yard performance against Western Michigan. Last week, McCray never touched the ball. Junior Trea Burgess, who had his best game with 13 carries for 59 yards and a score in Akron, has had just 14 carries for 30 yards in the four games since. The Hoosiers will not get the same numbers from Chappell all year, so they will have to get back to the running-back-by-committee approach to succeed. Going into their battle with Northwestern, it’s unknown just what, or whom, the Hoosiers will use to come away with a win. But that’s when they’ve been at their best.
(10/19/09 3:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Even when Mitchell Evans made a mistake, he did it right. With a 13-7 lead in the third quarter and facing a fourth and 12, the do-it-all junior prepared to pooch a punt in an attempt to pin Illinois against its own end zone. But the ball flew off his foot like a dead duck, falling a mere eight yards past the line of scrimmage. Before Evans could trot off the field in disgust, though, the ball hit an Illinois blocker and was recovered by sophomore tight end Max Dedmond in the red zone. As IU coach Bill Lynch saw the lucky bounce, he couldn’t help but feel the tide turn his way. “When it happened, you kind of start thinking, ‘I think we’ve got a chance to win this game,’ because sometimes breaks just have to go your way,” Lynch said. Lynch’s intuition proved correct, as the Hoosiers controlled the night en route to a 27-14 victory against Illinois, his first victory against the Big Ten rival in his career as a head coach.And thankfully for Evans, his night didn’t start nor end with the shanked kick. IU, looking for a spark to end the team’s three-game slide, based its offense around Evans to gain its first Big Ten win of the year. He assumed the quarterback role 11 times Saturday night, and he said he was grateful for the chance. “I’m happy that the coaches have the confidence in me to revolve that around me,” Evans said. “I just try to make the best of it.”As Evans led the Hoosiers, they unveiled a new wrinkle to their offense, setting up with either Evans or junior quarterback Ben Chappell behind center and a diamond-shaped, four-wide receiver set. Thanks in large part to the Illini’s unfamiliarity with the formation and the various players sent in motion, Evans was able to scramble for a team- and career-high 84 yards and, when Chappell took the helm, hauled in three passes for 17 yards. Just as it had been in their close loss to Michigan in September, Lynch said he feels balance is key to the success of what he deems the “Mitchell Evans offense.” “When the game’s even, then it’s very effective,” Lynch said. “The last two weeks we were behind so far and forced into passing games, and some of those things were taken out of the offense.” Evans said the attack that focuses around him probably works so well because it adds to the list of things for opposing defenses to prepare for Saturday. However, until this past weekend, Evans’ offense couldn’t get rolling the way they would have liked. Before Saturday, Evans had just 14 receptions for 155 yards and 11 carries for 41 yards. But his breakout game against Illinois showed just how much the offense depends on him. The balance he brought to the offense allowed Chappell to be comfortable in the pocket and sling the ball around, as he was sacked just once and threw for career highs in yards (333) and touchdowns (3). Freshman running back Darius Willis countered with a solid 58 yards, and sophomore wide receivers Tandon Doss and Damarlo Belcher exploded for 221 combined yards and two touchdowns. As the numbers show, with Evans, the Hoosiers have a dangerous, versatile weapon that can use his legs to make everyone around him play better. Just as long as he only uses those legs to run.
(10/16/09 3:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Whoever penciled in Illinois as this year’s homecoming opponent must have had revenge on the mind. The last time the Hoosiers faced off with the Fighting Illini in a homecoming battle under the lights in Champaign, IU took a 55-13 uppercut to the chin. This season, the parades will be marching through Bloomington and IU’s Memorial Stadium will be illuminated. With the memory of last year’s beatdown – and one they received just last Saturday – fresh in their minds, the Hoosiers have all hands on the table, ready to rotate. “In all honesty, Illinois got after us like Virginia did,” IU coach Bill Lynch, who is 0-2 in his career against Illinois, said. “I don’t think anybody that made the trip to Virginia last week will forget that, and the same goes with those who made the trip to Champaign last year. If that is the source of motivation, then fine.” The members of the defensive backfield are among those looking to dish out some bitter medicine. After allowing Illinois quarterback Juice Williams to throw for 271 yards and three touchdowns in last season’s contest, coveragemen like junior cornerback Richard Council are hoping to prove last year was a fluke. “Once you get beat real bad, you always want to come back with revenge,” Council said. “So we’re just using that highly as motivation.” If revenge is best served chilled, Council and his fellow members of the secondary may be in for a treat Saturday. Early forecasts have the temperatures bottoming out at around freezing for Saturday night, which will easily be the coldest game of IU’s season so far. The bitter weather will also serve as a retardant to an already fledging Illinois passing offense. This season, Illinois quarterbacks Williams and Eddie McGee have combined for only 174 yards passing per game for 870 total yards, the fewest in the Big Ten. The struggle to move the ball through the air against top-flight pass defenses this season has hindered Illinois’ ability to score. Entering Saturday, the Illini are the only team in the conference with fewer points scored per game than IU, putting up only 17 per contest. Meanwhile, the Illinois defense is allowing more than 400 yards per game, thanks in large part to a front seven that has chipped 185 yards rushing into the pot. The stable of Hoosier running backs will be counted on to halt their first losing streak of the season, but retribution may not be on their minds. Senior running back Bryan Payton, who had 68 yards and the only touchdown against the Illini last year, remembers the rout, but his focus is simply on Saturday being his last homecoming game, not revenge. “I guess they did whup us pretty bad last year, and we want to win this year,” Payton said. “But I can honestly tell you that word has not crept into my head.” If the backs can’t get it done, the game will be on junior quarterback Ben Chappell, and his memory of Illinois isn’t a good one, either. Last season’s matchup with Illinois marked Chappell’s first career start, and he was greeted with a relentless pressure that sacked him four times and allowed only 41 percent of his passes to be completed. His chances for payback also appear bright, as Chappell has thrown for more than 220 yards per game in his first full year under center, and Illinois has only five sacks total thus far. While Illinois has had an arduous schedule this season, the stat sheets imply the Hoosiers can prepare for a homecoming party similar to what their opponents had last season. The schedule makers wouldn’t ask for anything different. Prediction:The stage is set for the Hoosiers to get back at Illinois for the embarrassment they suffered last year, but there remain question marks. Freshman running back Darius Willis is dinged up, and it’s unknown how much he’ll contribute, and the defense is still recovering from the flu. There’s an unwritten rule that you don’t pick a team to win after they lose by 40 points to a team on the bottom of the ACC standings. IU 21 – Illinois 27
(10/15/09 3:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the midst of a three-game slide, fans calling for his dismissal and a rash of the flu and injuries to his team, IU coach Bill Lynch is looking for answers. One burning question raging since summer camp has been if promising freshmen – Lynch’s best recruiting class since taking over – can be the caulk to fill any cracks in the team’s foundation. However, Lynch has been cautious with his group of freshmen. He has given playing time to only defensive tackle Adam Replogle, and the only redshirt decision he has made up to this point is on linebacker Damon Sims. Two other prospects, quarterback Edward Wright-Baker and kicker Mitch Ewald, remain in limbo. Lynch said both have the ability to play this year, but he is not sure whether he should use them or not. If he chose to do so, both players would lose any eligibility to be redshirted and have a fifth year at IU. “At some point, we do have to make that decision,” Lynch said. “But I don’t think we’re at that point right now.” The pressure to make a redshirt decision on two of his best prospects may not be high now, but it will only ratchet up with each passing week. Backup QB controversy Lynch has repeatedly said junior Ben Chappell is the team’s starting quarterback, and an injury to him gives way to an inexperienced quarterback, be it Wright-Baker or Adam Follett. Follett redshirted last year.It would appear Wright-Baker is being groomed as the Hoosiers’ future starter, as he has taken the majority of the snaps with the second team during practice. If there was ever a time Wright-Baker would be subbed in to give the team a spark, it would have been during a 47-7 shellacking last Saturday against Virginia. But it was Follett, not Wright-Baker, who came in for the team’s final drive Saturday, which begs the question: What are the plans for IU’s star quarterback prospect? If the focus is to prepare Wright-Baker for the future and use Follett as the backup this season, redshirting Wright-Baker would allow Follett to work with the second team and earn Wright-Baker a fifth year at IU. With a half season left on the schedule, Lynch remains on the fence. “There’s too much football left,” Lynch said. “It’s a balancing act between what’s best for the young man and what’s best for the football team. With six football games left and where we’re sitting, there’s so much out there in front of us, and it’s too early because that position is so important.” Just for kicks At a lower profile spot, Mitch Ewald has watched redshirted freshman Nick Freeland own the starting kicker spot all season. Lynch said he is not too worried about an injury to Freeland, as kickers generally don’t get hurt too often, and he feels Freeland’s production has been solid enough to keep the starting spot. With that in mind, Ewald remains without a redshirt as a precaution, so last year’s No. 3-ranked kicker in the nation might not learn his fate for a while.Still, Freeland is only 69 percent on his field goals, with a long of just 38 yards, and has had two kicks blocked. Any future struggles, and Ewald’s name may rise on the depth chart. The decisions Lynch will have to make in the coming weeks won’t be easy. But as is the way with IU football, nothing ever is.
(10/12/09 3:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Imagine being in desperate need of a thirst quencher, reaching into the fridge for a soda you’re sure will do the trick and scrunching your face as it goes down flat. On a brisk Saturday night in Virginia, the Hoosiers lacked that sensation needed to satisfy. After dropping the last two games to tough opponents, a reasonable person would have expected an IU team ready to pounce and claw the life away from a sub-.500 non-conference team. Instead, the team countered with an uninspired output and left with a hazy view of its future. Throughout their 47-7 trouncing, the Hoosiers had no visible signs of desire, tenacity or focus – zero signs of life. IU coach Bill Lynch wrapped up the game in the same way anybody who witnessed this weekend’s atrocity could. “We got beat in every way you can get beat,” Lynch said. And that’s a borderline understatement. Offensively, junior quarterback Ben Chappell never had a chance to lead his team to a win, as he threw an interception, absorbed two sacks and was hit plenty more times. Once again, the Hoosiers started the game promising, marching to the Virginia 32-yard line, but the drive was halted by a fumble from junior wide receiver Terrance Turner. The turnover led to seven Cavalier points, and the Hoosiers went three-and-out the next time out. Virginia quickly responded with another score, and the offense, without a threatening running game, was done. The Hoosiers went 6-of-16 on third down, were stuffed for 2.8 yards per carry and didn’t enter the red zone until the 8:24 mark in the fourth quarter. As Chappell and Lynch both stressed, there were no surprises from the Virginia defense that sent the Hoosier offense crawling back to the sideline, but rather a complete breakdown in moving the ball. “Just a total lack of execution,” Chappell said. “We had guys running the wrong way, not getting the signals ... Stuff we haven’t done all year.” Once the offense left the field, however, the nightmare only worsened. Virginia’s offensive line, easily the weakest link on the Cavalier chain heading into Saturday, kept quarterback Jameel Sewell’s jersey cleaner than an Oxiclean prop and opened running lanes large enough to drive the team bus through. Cavalier receivers were left open like they had an infectious disease and, when IU defensive backs were spotted in the area, they forgot their tackling 101 lessons and big plays turned deadly.
(10/09/09 2:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Only in Bloomington can victories come from a loss. There was a four-game run where IU followers relished in the team’s performances and nothing less was to be accepted. The Hoosiers had an aura of a team destined for greatness. Then Ohio State came to town. The Hoosiers had more rushes (26) than yards (18) for an average of 0.7 yards per attempt. The run defense, permeable at its best, allowed 4.7 yards per carry for a total of 219 yards. Those numbers come from a team that, in previous weeks, had proved their dominance in the trenches. What people thought they knew about this IU football team from the previous four weeks was thrown out the window within a mere three hours. Still, with the Buckeyes being the No. 9 team in the nation last Saturday, some outsiders did their best pee-wee parent impression and were simply happy that IU tried hard. To those people, IU was not supposed to beat Ohio State, and therefore, a hard effort from the historically lowly Hoosiers was acceptable. Thankfully, for the sake of the team’s season, IU coach Bill Lynch isn’t one of those people. “You want to get to the point where losing is not acceptable,” Lynch said. “You get chances and you are going to do everything you can to win a football game. You do not want to be in a situation where you just want to keep the game close or be respectful.” In essence, Lynch feels this team has the ability to be great, and he knows that potential won’t be reached by making excuses. Great teams hate losing, and when they do, they take out their frustration by paddling their next opponent. So if the Ohio State game was the exception and not the rule, Virginia has a reason to be frightened.The 1-3 Cavaliers are the final non-conference challenger for the Hoosiers, and the stage is set for a statement game. The stat sheets seem to suggest IU is primed to turn their disappointment into a blowout victory, and it’s reasonable to expect it. IU running backs should be licking their chops when they see the Cavaliers’ 145.2 rushing yards allowed per game. The defensive line should have trouble containing their excitement when they see Virginia’s 17 sacks allowed and 93 rushing yards per game. While Ohio State exposed the Hoosiers as a team that won’t be contending for a conference championship any time soon, Virginia could be the school to prove IU as a bowl team. And the stars for a program-changing season seem to be aligning for IU, as their next three opponents have a 5-8 combined record. Victories in each of these three contests would already make the Hoosiers bowl eligible, but the inconsistency in their first five games continues to beg the question: Is this a team capable of postseason play?No matter what happens this weekend, the Hoosiers will answer that question.The Hoosiers aren’t used to being postseason contenders, but starting Saturday, the time has come for Lynch and his squad to transform the football mind-set at IU.“It’s really good our guys were hurting after the game and thought, ‘we can play better than that,’” Lynch said. “I think you really have to get your program where all you care about is yourself.”The Hoosiers want winds of change to blow through Bloomington, and their chance starts now. Prediction: IU 31 – UVA 14
(10/05/09 2:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The lights were on, the stage was set and the curtain was drawn. Fred Glass’ vision had come to fruition, as Memorial Stadium’s east side was packed with 11,000 students ready for a party. With a 3-1 record and dreams of a bowl game fresh in IU students’ minds, at least a spirited effort was expected. Instead, the students left before the final gun with their tails between their legs. The conversations in the bleachers, concourses and parking lots all ended the same way: “That was so embarrassing.” It wasn’t the 33-14 end result that embarrassed IU fans – a double-digit loss to a top-10 team happens to the best of teams in college football. The humiliation came when a third-quarter punt snap looked more like Ski-Ball practice, resulting in a safety. It came when thousands of Ohio State fans shrieked “O-H-I-O” as the Hoosier faithful desperately and depressingly tried to replace the final letters with “I-U.” And it was capped off when the Hoosiers scrambled in the final seconds as they charged for the OSU goal line, calling a time-out to conserve one last play and stick it in the end zone. The band belted out the fight song, and the few remaining fans let out sarcastic cheers in between covering their faces with frosted hands. Now, it’s back to square one for those trying to draw students to the stadium. IU football is notorious for the most fickle fan base in the Big Ten, and Saturday’s output will only further the inconsistency in loyalty. The question that entered most IU student’s minds had to be “I came out here for this?” Students gave up their Saturday night to watch the Buckeyes gain 219 rushing yards to IU’s 18. They bought tickets, cheap as they might have been, to see the Hoosiers commit nine penalties for 87 yards. The students weren’t happy in the end, but the players were grateful for the support before kickoff. “Obviously the game didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to, but they were great as a whole,” senior linebacker Matt Mayberry said. “They really got us fired up before the game.” Senior cornerback Ray Fisher felt the fire, too, and he said he hopes to feel it the rest of his final collegiate season.“Anytime we get a student section like that, it should pump us up, because we don’t have it a lot,” Fisher said. “It really shouldn't take Ohio State coming here for it to happen. It happened today, and I was grateful for it, but I think it should happen more.” A rabid student section is something Hoosier players will always want, but 125 years of mediocrity has put football second to everything in Bloomington. Then, when the student body collectively decides to attend, the product on the field proves its most cynical prejudices with a sub-par effort.As it has been for decades in Bloomington, no one will buy the tickets if the show isn’t worth attending. It doesn’t help that no one likes to be shamed like the IU faithful were last weekend, either. The show must go on, but the next screening might be in front of another half-empty theater.
(10/02/09 4:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ignorance is bliss for the Hoosiers. While Thomas Gray certainly didn’t have the IU football team on his mind when he wrote his much-referenced poem in 1742, his words ring true in the Hoosiers’ 2009 Big Ten season. Like last week’s matchup with Michigan, a lack of familiarity will be in play when the Hoosiers take on the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday night – but that might be a good thing.The Hoosiers have not met with the Buckeyes since 2006. The team was in the same situation last weekend when they faced Michigan for the first in three years.Against the Wolverines, IU refused to accept its jilted history and was one score away from pulling off a victory in a place it hasn’t won more than 40 years. This time, the Hoosiers return home to face an even tougher opponent, but Bloomington hasn’t been a safe haven for the Hoosiers when Ohio State is on the schedule. IU has won just three times in 26 matchups at home, and the last victory at Memorial Stadium came in 1988. IU coach Bill Lynch was an assistant, quarterback Ben Chappell was a redshirted player and running back Darius Willis was still in high school the last time the Hoosiers squared off with Ohio State – the same situation the team faced before they entered Michigan Stadium last Saturday.History barely repeated itself last week, and Lynch is confident in the chances to turn it around against the Buckeyes. “I have been saying it since last spring,” Lynch said. “This is going to be a good football team. We have to prove it on the field on Saturday.” Proof of their improvement has been where the Hoosiers have fallen flat this year. When they had a chance to prove it against weaker opponents, they nearly slipped and won by a combined score of 80-53 – not exactly enough to ensure fans of progress. Then, with Big Ten season started and the world against them, the Hoosiers had Michigan up against the ropes but couldn’t land one last punch. While the lone blemish on IU’s record would usually be proof that the Hoosiers will be cellar dwellers again, it’s had the opposite effect around Bloomington. The Hoosiers showed supreme heart in Ann Arbor, Mich., and it was cause to throw the history books out the window. Instead of pessimism about Ohio State rolling into town, student section tickets, all 11,000 of them, have sold out, and a Facebook group of more than 1,000 people was formed calling for all fans to wear white to the game. When the North End Zone facility is officially unveiled Saturday night, the Hoosiers should expect a strong, energetic backing. There is a bowl-team buzz humming around Bloomington, and an upset against the No. 9 team in the nation would begin a postseason-themed celebration. It’s unlikely, but a victory would prove the Hoosiers not only as a bowl team this year, but also for years to come. If the Hoosiers suffer a blowout, as expected, it would point toward the Michigan game being a one-hit wonder. The Hoosiers will look to dispel any of those thoughts Saturday, and they have the same internal factors working for them as they did last time. Their backs are firmly pressed against the wall, they don’t have a single player with in-game experience against their opponent, and they have nothing to lose but the game. They know nothing of what to expect, but maybe these Hoosiers like it that way. Prediction: IU 20 – OSU 38
(09/30/09 3:20pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Stop me if you’ve heard this before. The IU football team is entering the heart of the Big Ten season not knowing exactly what kind of team they have. Before the season started, no one believed the 2009 Hoosiers could win over three games. Now, some prognosticators have IU as a bowl-caliber team. But IU fans have been down this road before. So, the begged question is, what makes this season different? Unfortunately for those fans, the crystal ball yields bad news. Even if they are an improved team from years past, their schedule draws comparisons to a guillotine. With three ranked teams, including Big Ten powerhouses Ohio State and Penn State on the Hoosiers’ schedule and a loss to No. 23 Michigan, wins will come at a premium this season. Still, after a 3-1 start, it’s expected that wins will come. Future opponents such as Iowa and Wisconsin nearly slipped against non-conference competition. Illinois is not the Rose Bowl team they were a few years ago, and IU defeated a ranked Northwestern team last year. Given the circumstances alone, it wouldn’t be astonishing to see the Hoosiers steal three to four games in Big Ten play and watch them play a 13th. The inevitable matter that usually holds IU back from playing in the postseason, though, is a lack of talent on par with the rest of their conference. And with the ground-and-pound style play traditionalized in the Big Ten, IU usually gets worn down by bigger, better players in the trenches every fall. Last year, it was seen after a rash of injuries knocked out players on the offensive line and the defensive line lacked experience and fortitude to keep up with their rivals. This year, both lines have been fantastic, ranking near the top of the Big Ten in sacks allowed and rushing yards allowed per game. Plenty of questions need to be answered as IU runs through their annual Big Ten tour, but this year has the potential to be a successful one for the Hoosiers. Now there’s something you don’t hear often.
(09/28/09 3:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ann Arbor, Mich. — The history between IU and Michigan has given Hoosier followers a sixth sense.In the midst of an exciting Week 4 contest, there was simply a feeling IU would let a victory against the Wolverines slip away. Hearts sunk, stomachs tightened and pure joy after a big touchdown was quickly overtaken by sheer panic when Michigan got the ball back. Then, the prophecy of every IU fan with the slightest bit of pessimism came true: The Hoosiers lost 36-33 to the Wolverines. But it wasn’t the way they’ve grown accustomed to doing so. Rather than being the recipient of a thumping, the Hoosiers’ first win in Michigan Stadium since 1967 and their first 4-0 start since 1990 slipped from their hands on Saturday like a weathered bar of soap. This time, the Hoosiers didn’t let Michigan fans resume tailgating before the game ended, but just like every time since 1987, the Michigan faithful hit the parking lots after a victory. If stat sheets could talk, however, they would tell you IU had won. The Hoosiers played their best game against Michigan in history, scoring more points and racking up more yards than they ever have against the Wolverines. Freshman running back Darius Willis, with 16 rushes for 154 yards and two touchdowns, had a game that will be tough to top in his remaining years at IU. And the defense, much maligned last year for allowing too many yards on the ground, held the nation’s seventh-best rushing offense to 149 yards. However, none of it was good enough to beat Michigan. During their historic game, IU coach Bill Lynch pulled out all the stops to take down their Goliath. The Hoosiers, lined up in a “Little Giants”-esque formation, furthered the implementation of junior wide receiver Mitchell Evans running the pistol, and sent some exotic blitzes at freshman quarterback Tate Forcier.The Hoosiers may have shocked the world with how well they played, but they only shocked themselves as they left the field with a loss. Every IU player knew they were good enough to beat Michigan, but the odds-makers didn’t agree. The Wolverines entered the “Big House” as 21-point favorites Saturday, and the Hoosiers were on a mission to prove them wrong.It was nearly accomplished, but aborted in their most desperate hour. In the final quarter, IU had the ball for only 3:24, and not much good came from the finite amount of time. Aside from an 85-yard gallop to the end zone by Willis, the longest by an IU player since 1977, Michigan owned the fourth quarter. In the Hoosiers’ three-and-a-half minutes of ball possession, they gave up their only sack and had their only turnover. The turnover, an interception with 2:14 remaining in the game, was questionable at best, as it appeared to everyone but the officials that there was dual possession – a ruling that would have allowed IU to keep the ball. However, as anyone involved with the team will tell you, it’s a moot point. With one touchdown in the red zone instead of a field goal, the headlines would read much differently. Still, Saturday’s ending gave IU fans the same sunken feeling they have had to endure for 60 weekends, but it also gives hope to a doomed-from-the-start season. By nearly beating Michigan, the Hoosiers show they are one play away from beating teams no one thinks they should, and next week’s matchup with Ohio State screams underdog for IU. It’s still a long shot for IU to knock off the Buckeyes on Saturday, but IU proved to everyone what it had been preaching all summer. These are not the same old Hoosiers.
(09/25/09 3:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Do you remember the popular, rich and physically superior bully that pushed you around through your grade school days? If you do, then you understand how the IU football team feels when they play the University of Michigan. Only in this case, it’s a gang of 22 tormentors and 59 game days’ worth of embarrassment. It was a one-sided relationship from the start. During their first 10 meetings starting in 1900, the Hoosiers were outscored 258-20 for a 2-8 record. In all eight of those losses, the Hoosiers didn’t score a point. The modern times haven’t been exactly kind to IU, either. In 1992, Michigan turned Memorial Stadium into a boys’ room toilet and treated the Hoosiers to 31-3 swirly. The Wolverines returned in 1997 to grab the IU waistbands and hoist up a 37-0 wedgie.The new millennium saw IU suffer a 58-0 purple-nurple at Michigan Stadium, and they were last shoved into their lockers in 2006 after a 34-3 defeat. According to the history books, the Hoosiers are the Wolverines’ patsies, and it’s been a while since they’ve seen a different result. IU hasn’t beaten Michigan since the Reagan administration, and the last time they won in Michigan Stadium was also the time of their last Big Ten championship – the same year The Beatles released “Sgt. Pepper’s.” As if history wasn’t bad enough, the future doesn’t look bright, either. Michigan is, as IU coach Bill Lynch put it, Michigan again. The Wolverines lead the league in points scored per game, rushing yards per game and are tied for first in rushing touchdowns with nine. They have four players with more than 100 yards rushing on the year and are averaging two takeaways per game. It would appear, on paper, that the Hoosiers might as well grab their pocket protectors and prepare to be strung by the flagpole again. However, Saturday may provide the blue moon IU needs to take down their bullies. Despite the negative projections for their 2009 season, the Hoosiers are entering Big Ten play without a blemish in their loss column. The last time they did that was in 2007, when they went on to play in their first bowl game in 14 years. Still, Hoosier fans have seen 3-0 starts melt to losing seasons before their very eyes. With tough in-conference games against Michigan, Ohio State and Illinois coming in the next month, it’s conceivable to see ’09 as one of those years. On the flip side, you could see this team in a favorable light. They showed how they could run the ball when their full starting offensive line was healthy against Western Michigan. Then they showed how good they could be when penalties aren’t a factor in their domination of Akron last weekend. Perhaps entering Michigan to start the Big Ten season is just another stage for them to prove everyone wrong and show the world they are Big Ten contenders. Despite the fairy-tale tones a victory would have, it’s highly unlikely. If the 21-point underdog Hoosiers pull off a victory, though, feel free to hearken back to the days of the Hoosiers’ last victories. Cue chants of “tear down that wall” while doing the moonwalk, or belt out a rendition of “With a Little Help From My Friends” in your bell-bottoms. An IU victory over Michigan is a story that has only been written nine times in 59 chapters. But even the harshest of bullies have to back down eventually. Prediction: IU 17 – UM 28
(09/23/09 4:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This autumn, only leaves are falling in Bloomington. But it wasn’t too long ago when the crunch of foliage and the smacks of an IU quarterback hitting the ground were synonymous. Throughout the Hoosiers’ 2008 season, injuries to the big boys up front forced young, inexperienced linemen into the trenches, and standing behind the offensive line wasn’t fun for IU quarterbacks. Junior quarterback Ben Chappell and former IU football player Kellen Lewis were sacked 28 times in 2008 – the fourth-most sacks in the Big Ten. Even when the passers weren’t eating turf, intense pressure from opposing defenses forced bad passes and turnovers. After three games this year, Chappell has been sacked once, the least in the conference. The extra time has also allowed the IU quarterback to find open targets, and his completion percentage has risen to 68.5 percent. “I need those five guys up there or I’m not going to be very effective,” Chappell said. “If they continue to do a good job protecting me, we’ll be successful.” Although the line has visibly improved, senior tackle Rodger Saffold won’t be happy until the line is perfect. “We don’t want to give up sacks, but that’s still not our goal,” Saffold said. “We don’t want the quarterback touched the entire game.” Last season, thanks to an unending rotation of hurt linemen, that goal was an impossible one to reach. With misfortune, however, came experience. The injuries last year opened the door to young linemen looking for a chance at playing time, and their in-game practice has paved the way for a successful 2009 campaign. One of such players is sophomore guard Justin Pagan. After being thrown into the fire as a freshman in ’08, he has developed into one of IU’s best offensive lineman, and the numbers show it. Pagan missed the season opener because of an injury sustained in camp, and the team rushed for only 73 yards. Chappell absorbed his only sack, and the team scored only 19 points against Eastern Kentucky. Since Pagan’s return to the field, the team is averaging 30.5 points per game and 183.5 yards on the ground. Despite the numbers, Pagan sees only one difference between himself and his backup, Marc Damisch. “My hair,” Pagan said as his frizzled afro blew in the wind, sending thousands of hair strands dancing. Usually, it would be worrisome to think about a drop-off in production when the line goes from facing the Mid American Conference to those from the Big Ten, but the Hoosiers have reason to remain optimistic. Everyday in practice, the offensive line faces All-Big Ten caliber defensive ends in Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton.To Pagan, however, which conference a defensive lineman hails from is meaningless. “Everybody comes out and they try their hardest to beat us,” Pagan said. “So there’s not a big difference. Just the name of the school.” Thanks to the limited turnover, IU coach Bill Lynch said he is impressed with the week-to-week improvement that has come with the line playing together. Going into the Big Ten season, starting against No. 23 Michigan, the line will only need to continue to get better. This year, the Wolverines have been world-beaters, offensively, averaging a conference-high 38 points per game. When an offense is that explosive, the best way to beat them is to keep them off the field. That’s where the offensive line comes in. Protecting the quarterback and opening holes for the running game means an increase in time of possession. This year, the Hoosiers are averaging almost 32 minutes of possession time per game, but to beat Michigan, they will need to exceed their average. And they have shown the ability to do just that so far this year. However, even though the weather is cooling, the competition is only heating up. To win in the Big Ten, they’ll need to pick up fallen leaves in their backyard, not quarterbacks.
(09/21/09 4:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>AKRON, Ohio – It took three weeks, two injuries and one virtue for freshman running back Darius Willis to jumpstart his Hoosiers career. After a fumble on his first career carry and a banged-up shin and ankle to follow, it would be easy for any player to lose his patience and become frustrated. Willis didn’t let himself become one of those players. “I was really anxious to get on the field last week,” Willis said. “This week, I had to make up for the first game and that fumble, so I just came out ready to play.” In his team’s 38-21 victory at Akron, Willis grabbed team-highs with 66 yards and 15 carries and crossed the plane for his first collegiate score – something he said should be commonplace. “I plan on scoring a lot more, so I just wanted to get that one out of the way,” Willis said. Despite it being his first trip to the end zone, Willis acted like he had been there before, handing the ball to the official and surviving a barrage of hugs and handshakes. No matter how many times he goes through that routine, don’t expect to see Willis bust a move. “I’ve never celebrated in my life,” Willis said. “I’ll just give it back to the ref.” His addition to the scoreboard helped, but his play between the goal lines gave the team the boost they needed to win. IU coach Bill Lynch said the team needed a power-running attack to take down the Zips, and he found a thunder-and-boom tandem in Willis and Trea Burgess, who together pounded their way to a combined 128 yards and two touchdowns. The emergence of Willis, the highest-rated recruit of the 2007 class, was a long time coming for Hoosier nation. In the post-Anthony Thompson era, IU has been searching for a running back with the balance of power and speed he possesses. However, in his first two weeks, Willis ran into more bad luck than good. On opening night, Willis had his notorious fumble and was ultimately sidelined by a shin injury. Last week, Willis was determined to shed his football debut from memory against Western Michigan, but he tweaked his ankle in practice and was ruled out on the Friday injury report. Against Akron, Willis was finally able to showcase the skill set everyone knew he had. “Anytime he gets it going, you can’t take him out,” Burgess said. “He did a pretty good job and helped out our run game by banging it out.” Despite his encouraging performance, it’s back to the drawing board before he and his team travel to Michigan Stadium to begin the Big Ten season. “There were a few times I cut it back a little earlier than I should,” Willis said. “I have to get better at reading it and staying on the right course a little bit longer.” Although they have already surpassed Sports Illustrated’s expectations by winning more than two games, if the Hoosiers get the same production from their youngest running back, they could do what was considered the impossible and leave Ann Arbor, Mich., undefeated. That alone would give Willis a reason to dance.
(09/18/09 3:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Whether it’s barks of frustration with the officials or shouts of joy when his opponent’s last-ditch efforts fall short, IU coach Bill Lynch’s voice has taken a beating through two games. With two victories in as many games by a combined total of 10 points, he has had plenty on his plate to figure out before Big Ten season starts. Heading into his team’s Week 3 matchup with the Akron Zips, he feels confident in the talent of his team. However, that doesn’t mean he’s happy with where his players’ heads are. In the wake of the Hoosiers’ 21-penalty performance in their short season, Lynch opened practices Tuesday and Wednesday to local officials to call penalties as they see them. Having officials at practice would be beneficial for reducing most penalties, but given the team’s play recently, it’s unnecessary. Lynch said he is bringing them in to help him coach his team on the consequences of their actions on the field, but the majority of the problems are correctable with simple focus.Of their infamous 21 penalties, 13 of them have come before the play starts. If it weren’t for false starts, offsides or substitution infractions, the Hoosiers’ penalty numbers would be far less woeful. This search for help also comes in the final few practices before the team hits its first road trip, traveling to face Akron and Michigan on unfamiliar turf. While Akron’s new InfoCision Stadium and its maximum capacity of 30,000 may not daunt IU, the venue they’ll enter a week later in Ann Arbor, Mich., is a much more difficult place to leave with a victory. When the team struggles with pre-snap penalties at a quiet home, it’s worrisome to think how they will perform when more than 100,000 maize-clad crazies are shredding their vocal chords. To prepare his players for the deafening noise the team is sure to experience, Lynch said he will play loud music while the offense practices to keep the players’ senses keen and avoid jumping too early. Lynch continues to take all the blame for the team’s recent abundance of mistakes, but by bringing officials to practice, he is showing that he might not be able to figure this problem out by himself. He wouldn’t be the first coach to admit that, though. This past summer, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick invited referees to his team’s training camp, saying he brought them in to look at illegal plays he may have missed previously. Belichick also used the same crowd noise situation before, only he piped in Bon Jovi music and played it as loud as possible. Whether or not the scheme will result in fewer penalties and more victories is yet to be known, but it’s hard to argue the philosophy of a three-time Super Bowl champion. Regardless, Saturday’s game will be a fork in the road for the 2009 Hoosiers. They need to correct the mistakes in a calmer environment before they enter what IU coaches and players previously called the “hornets’ nest” in Michigan Stadium. If they don’t, they’ll only continue to sting themselves.
(09/14/09 3:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When the dust settled and the pads came off, the Hoosiers walked away beating the Western Michigan Broncos, but they nearly gave the victory away.Again. In last week’s victory against Eastern Kentucky, pundits saw a big problem in the abundance of penalties called against the Hoosiers. The thought was, however, that the first game caused the team to make dumb mistakes, and it would be corrected by the next week. It only got worse, though. At the end of the game, IU was flagged for 13 total infractions, seven of which came before the snap of the ball. It didn’t take long for the Hoosiers to get on the wrong track. On the second play of the game, junior tackle James Brewer, who really struggled against EKU, got flagged for holding. On the next drive, IU was flagged for two consecutive false starts, and later in the game, senior tight end Troy Wagner committed the same crime by himself.Junior quarterback Ben Chappell knows that penalties before the play must come to an end. “It’s something we have to get fixed, no question,” Chappell said. “We can’t have pre-snap penalties. It just kills you.” While every penalty hurts, the Hoosiers showed an inexcusable lack of discipline late in the fourth quarter after Nick Freeland’s kick was blocked, giving the Broncos a chance to cut into their 23-17 lead. On the drive, the Hoosiers committed four penalties, and three of them were 15-yard personal fouls. Linebacker Tyler Replogle’s face mask with two men already making the tackle was the worst of those mistakes.The Hoosiers gave away 47 free yards before the drive was halted by a forced fumble courtesy of senior defensive end Greg Middleton.To add insult to victory, the Hoosiers were flagged one more time after they regained possession for too many men on the field – perhaps the easiest of all penalties to avoid.Combined with last week’s performance, IU has been flagged 21 times, something head coach Bill Lynch takes the blame for. “Penalties are on me,” Lynch said. “I’ll hold my hand up on that one.” The silver lining in the Hoosiers’ gray cloud is that Saturday’s game showed their close finishes against lesser opponents have nothing to do with lack of talent. After all, Demetrius McCray ran for a career-best 134 yards, Ben Chappell completed 64 percent of his passes, and the defense added two more sacks and one more takeaway to their totals. The Hoosiers were also sparkling in ball possession, holding the ball for over half the game and not turning it over once. The only things that kept IU from breaking the game open were red-zone efficiency and discipline. The former is a mystery, as all five of Chappell’s career touchdown passes have been from 10 yards or more outside the red zone. Until he completes one for a score from less than 30 yards away, it’s hard to have confidence in the unit. The latter would seem to be correctable, but a five-penalty increase from last week makes it seem less likely it is. Only time will tell if the Hoosiers can beat a team without making it unnecessarily difficult in the process. Next time, they may only beat themselves.
(09/11/09 4:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Just about every college football season, a story emerges about an athlete whose first play just so happens to be a touchdown. The start to Darius Willis’ career is not one of those stories. Instead, during the IU redshirt freshman’s first play in cream and crimson, he took a carry to the outside, got flipped at the legs by a defender, and lost control of the ball. Not exactly the start to a fairy tale career for the talented running back. “I was mad at first – frustrated,” Willis said of his first play, “but you’ve got to get on to the next play and don’t let it stay in your head.” Despite the positive vibes he tried to give off throughout the rest of the game, Willis only had a chance to get on the stat sheet two more times, resulting in a paltry three yards. So how much did Willis, the highest-rated in-state prospect to come to IU since 1997, hurt his chances at getting more carries with his fumble? “It might have had a little bit to do with it,” IU coach Bill Lynch said while smiling and holding back laughter. “But we still love him and think he’s going to be a great player.” Lynch shares his opinion with the majority of Hoosier fans, but the much-hyped running back had to cause some concern with his lack of production. He was expected to be the answer for the Hoosiers’ running back problems in the post-Anthony Thompson world, and fans wrapped their proverbial arms around Willis as the first savior of the infamously dire program. His one-yard-per-carry average last Thursday no doubt deflated the excitement Hoosier fans in the seemingly endless months before they saw the team’s top prospect take the field. It’s hard to blame the fans for being excited. The last time Willis was seen in action, he dominated opponents en route to 1,728 yards and 28 touchdowns, earning him runner-up honors for Indiana Mr. Football and the No. 48 spot in the nation among running back recruits in his class. To be fair, his mistake was not the only thing that kept him off the field on opening night. He suffered a shin injury, prompting Lynch to put his prized horse in the stable until healthy. Willis left no doubt about his status going into his next game, however. “I’ll be ready for week two,” Willis said defiantly, with a determined tone. “We’ll all be ready.” The team will need all he can offer in week two, as the Hoosiers managed only 2.4 yards per carry against Eastern Kentucky – even with the new emphasis on the running game. It would seem Willis has a chance to really gallop against Western Michigan.The Broncos gave up big holes to Michigan running backs last week, allowing 4.8 yards per carry and 242 yards on the ground. Heading into his second game, one would think his No. 1 goal would be to spit the bad taste that has lingered for over a week out of his mouth.But he’ll never tell you that. After being asked what his main objective was going into the next game, Willis took a second, seemingly to think about what he should say, and then towed football’s company line. “My goal is just to go out and win,” Willis said, smiling. “Win each and every play against the opponent.” Willis may never be able to rewrite the history books, but this week, he has a chance to start the second chapter on a much better note.Prediction: IU 24 – Western Michigan 21
(09/09/09 3:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Few times does a victory cause mass panic and hysteria, but after Hoosier fans saw the way the IU football team played last Thursday, they were nearly sent into apocalyptic mode. However, there might be a simpler solution to the team’s opening night plight, and it’s called the “first-game jitters.” Before an important event, like a season opener against a good team everyone expects you to win handily, even the best of men can get so nervous they lose momentary control of their thoughts and actions. This past weekend, the Big Ten served as a model for such a diagnosis. Counting the Hoosiers’ white-knuckler Thursday, four teams in the Big Ten survived a last-minute scare from their far-less superior opponents in Week One:
(09/04/09 5:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There were plenty of red flags being raised in “The Rock” on Thursday night, but very few were being waved by a burly cheerleader in the end zone. The unveiling of a new stadium and experience created quite a buzz around Bloomington for the summer months, and the IU football team treated their fans to a much-expected victory over Eastern Kentucky. However, the first question that will come from the mouths of the IU faithful is “So?” Who can blame them? All summer, we have had three points stressed to us out of IU camp: The offensive line is experienced, Ben Chappell is the unquestioned leader of the team and the heralded defensive line is poised for redemption. Coming out of their week-one victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision school in EKU, the validity of all three points are brought under scrutiny.All night long, the offensive line was flagged for false starts and holding penalties, killing momentum and putting the team in an unnecessary hole. All night long, Chappell missed plays he should have made and converted on ones he shouldn’t have, leaving Hoosier nation scratching its head. T.J. Pryor and Cody Watts had all day in the EKU pocket to find receivers, forcing fans to send out a missing persons report on senior defensive ends Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton. Yes, throughout the game, the previously mentioned sore spots showed signs of brilliance. The offensive line gave Chappell plenty of time to throw for 326 yards, and Kirlew recovered a game-altering fumble near his own goal line. However, it’s important to consider the source. While everyone wearing cream and crimson will tell you that "a win is a win,” fans are not going to be impressed with a six-point win over Eastern Kentucky. The sign hung between sections 22 and 23 asking “EK-Who?” is all the evidence you need. Now, IU has a week and change to prepare for an even tougher opponent in Western Michigan, and they have an awful lot on their plate to chew.Chappell’s 300-plus yards passing pale in comparison to the numbers he could have had if he had hit his open receivers consistently, including one bomb intercepted in the end zone. The offensive line needs to find a way to keep the penalties down to a minimum – or at least wait until the ball is snapped to commit their infraction. Kirlew and Middleton need to get their names in the sack column, rather than watch the ball whizz past their ears. On a night when Hoosier fans could have been out celebrating the start to a new year, they are instead left up all night shaking their heads. Next time, they need to find a way to make them jump around and sleep like babies. Don’t forget about wearing out the cheerleaders, either.