First Look '09: Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana has tried, and come painfully close to, but just can't seem to beat Penn State. Penn State is 12-0 against the Hoosiers, even with some close calls like 2000, 2004 and 2007, all decided by four points or less. Unfortunately for Indiana, 2009 doesn't look like the year its luck changes in this series.

The Hoosiers probably won't make a bowl game this year. Yet, there is no doubt that this year's squad could pull a few surprises along the way. With talent up front to go along with the lingering optimism from the 2007 bowl season, Indiana might be the best worst BCS conference team in 2009.

Lynch Pin - Head Coach Bill Lynch took on a tough situation when Terry Hoeppner lost his battle with brain cancer in 2007. It was Hoeppner's dream for Indiana to reach a bowl game, "Play 13." Indiana did just that under Lynch's guidance that year. Lynch was the head man at Ball State, taking the Cardinals a MAC title and bowl game in 1996, before joining Hoeppner in 2005.

Most of the rest of Indiana's staff is from Hoeppner's group. OC Matt Canada was the QB coach, developing Kellen Lewis into one of the league's best playmakers before his departure this summer. The co-DCs are Brian George and Joe Palcic. The Hoosiers' defense has shown improvement and a talent upgrade under their watch, but injuries masked any progress in 2008.

Tough Trenches - Indiana enters 2008 as the only Big Ten team with two First Team All-Big Ten defensive ends in the starting lineup. Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew return this season, having traded the conference honors in 2007 (Middleton) and 2008 (Kirlew). With the return of linebackers Will Patterson and Matt Mayberry, Indiana boasts one of the best front-sevens in the Big Ten. 2007 All-Big Ten safety Austin Thomas also leads a secondary that welcomes back three starters from 2008. This could be Indiana's best defense in years, if not decades.

On offense, it will be up to QB Ben Chappell to use last year's starting experience (replaced an injured Lewis) to keep the offense functional. The Hoosiers return five of their top seven receivers, and 4/5 of the offensive line.

No Backing Down - Usually, teams that aren't very good, or are in a construction stage, tend to schedule easy opponents to rack up confidence-building wins. Not Indiana. When faced with an open date to fill on Oct. 10, the Hoosiers locked up BCS opponent Virginia for a game in Charlottesville.

Indiana should have a nice warm up opener hosting Eastern Kentucky (FCS), because it doesn't get easier. Western Michigan comes to Bloomington, followed by the Hoosiers traveling to Akron. September ends with a nice trip to Michigan. Then comes the October gauntlet: Ohio State, at Virginia, Illinois (Homecoming), at Northwestern and at Iowa. The Hoosiers are usually good for one mammoth upset each October, but this time the situation looks pretty dire.

If Indiana can't pull one off in October, it could be until the finale against Purdue that the Hoosiers can win again. After the brutal October stretch, Indiana hosts Wisconsin, then travels to Penn State before wrapping it up battling for the Old Oaken Bucket. Indiana might be a better team in 2009, but the record may not show it.

From enemy territory: This week, John from the Crimson Quarry was kind enough to talk a bit about Indiana.

What's one positive about this year's Hoosiers?

CC: Experience on the defensive side. Defensive ends Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew, linebackers Will Patterson and Matt Mayberry, and safeties Nick Polk and Austin Thomas have multi-year starting experience. Last's year's defense was horrid, at least in part because of injuries, but it's now or never for these guys.

What's one negative about this year's Hoosiers?

CC: Loads of question marks on the offensive side of the ball at the skill positions. QB Ben Chappell has been good at times, including in IU's upset of Northwestern last year, but overall he was a 52 percent passer. RBs Bryan Payton and Demetrius McCray have been good backups, but neither has ever been "the man." Redshirt freshman RB Darius Willis was Indiana's 2007 Mr. Football and played very well in the spring game, but has never seen college game action. Receivers Damarlo Belcher, Tandon Doss, and Terrence Turner have shown glimmers, but IU's top two receivers from 2008 are gone. To be any good, IU's offense has to get substantial contributions from guys who have never been in that position.

Tell us something most casual fans might not know about this year's Hoosiers.

CC: While the casual Hoosier fan knows it, Penn State fans might not be aware that IU recently completed a substantial end zone addition to the football stadium. Because of the demolotion of the rickety old end zone bleachers, the addition will increase the capacity only by only a few hundred seats, but the program facilities for players and coaches, including the NCAA's largest weight room, and the general appearance of the stadium will make IU an easier sell to recruits--not an easy sell, certainly, but easier.

For more on Indiana:

Indiana 2009 Schedule
Complete Spring Game Coverage
Memorial Stadium Renovations
First Look '08: Indiana

More from First Look '09:
Ohio State Buckeyes
Northwestern Wildcats
Michigan Wolverines
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Eastern Illinois Panthers
Illinois Fighting Illini
Iowa Hawkeyes
Temple Owls
Syracuse Orange
Akron Zips

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Preview: Indiana at No. 8 Penn State

Kickoff: Sat., Nov. 15. 12 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network
Weather Forecast: Cold, rain.

Host: Penn State Nittany Lions
Record: 9-1 (5-1, Big Ten)
Last Game: Lost at Iowa, 24-23
Injuries: S Drew Astorino (hand - probable), QB Daryll Clark (concussion - probable), DE Josh Gaines (ankle - probable), DE Devon Still (ankle - out), S Nick Sukay (foot - out), LB Sean Lee (knee - out), C Doug Klopacz (knee - out), DE Jerome Hayes (knee - out)
Key Players: (offense) QB Daryll Clark, RB Evan Royster;(defense) DT Jared Odrick, S Anthony Scirrotto
Head Coach: Joe Paterno, 43rd season, 381-126-3
Season Statistics:
Offense - 221.7 rush/221 pass/39.9 points per game
Defense - 99.3 rush/167.2 pass/12.4 points per game
TO Margin - (+9)

Why PSU will win -- Let's be realistic. If half the Indiana squad wasn't injured, I'd say this could be a real game. But with both starting quarterbacks hurt, the running back hurt, and most of the secondary in shambles, Indiana hopes it can hold Penn State to half-a-hundred in this one. On top of that, as if Penn State wasn't good enough, the Nittany Lions will come out really, really pissed off after choking away the Iowa game. The offense has been out of synch for three weeks, and the Jay/Galen duo want to regain the confidence of the team and the fan-base/media (no matter how much they tell you the fans/media don't run the team). I think we are going to see the run game, earlier, more than last week. Penn State made a bad decision to keep things buttoned up with Daryll Clark–injured or not–not getting any QB-draws. If Clark is full strength this week, he'll run. On defense I'm expecting either an all-out attempt to rattle the Indiana quarterback, with blitz after blitz, or the typical four-man rush while dropping seven into coverage. I'd place my bets on the latter.

Visitor: Indiana Hoosiers
Record: 3-7 (1-5 Big Ten)
Last Game: Lost vs Wisconsin, 55-20
Injuries: RB Marcus Thigpen (N/A - questionable), QB Ben Chappell (concussion - questionable), QB Kellen Lewis (ankle - questionable), RB Bryan Payton (N/A - questionable), OL Rodger Saffold (knee - questionable), OL Andrew McDonald (N/A - auestionable), OL James Brewer (N/A - questionable), LB Will Patterson (knee - out), S Austin Thomas (knee - out), CB Chris Phillips (knee - out), TE Brian Zematis (ankle - out)
Key Players: (offense) RB/KR Demetrius McCray, Any IU QB; (defense) DE Jammie Kerliew, LB Matt Mayberry
Head Coach: Bill Lynch, 2nd season at Indiana, 10-13; 16th year overall, 91-78
Season Statistics:
Offense - 175.8 rush/202.6 pass/22.9 points per game
Defense - 175.9 rush/238.9 pass/32.7 points per game
TO Margin - (+2)

Why Indiana will win (ok, not really) -- Again, be realistic. Indiana is a shell of what it once was, never mind what it was last year. And it all starts with the injuries to Chappell and Lewis. If either one of those players could go this week, things would be different. Indiana will probably give backup Mitchell Evans some easy throws–dropoffs over the middle, in the flats, screens–to keep Penn State honest. But that will only work for so long. The Hoosiers are praying that Marcus Thigpen can go this week, as he's been the lone spark in the run game, especially with Lewis on the sidelines. Thigpen's averaged a healthy 6.7 yards per carry, with several huge runs. He's a legit track star, and can also catch the ball, tallying 228 receiving yards this year. Indiana could very well design a game plan directly around him. But again, that's if he's at full speed. On defense, the Hoosiers are wondering what this year could have been like without all the injuries. But it's not just that. Last year, Indiana had a bona-fide star in DE Greg Middleton (led nation in sacks). But he's been nearly MIA this year (8 tkl, 1 sack). DE Kerliew has stepped in nicely with 14 sacks, but imagine what the IU defense could have done if both were playing on that level? Basically, Indiana has no shot this week.

What will happen -- I'm going out on a lib here. I think Penn State will win this game. The fans and media think they were hurt by the loss last week, but really we have no freaking clue how badly it hurt for the players. Assuming they turn that hurt into all-out rage against Indiana, Penn State could return to its explosive offense and just-enough defense. Remember, the defense wasn't supposed to be the savior this year. The fans–mainly students–will show up late (not me, I never miss pregame) to this gloomy noon kickoff, which will be compounded by the rainy forecast. But Penn State will get the job done with a convincing home win, sort of a tune-up before the "Big Ten Championship Game" next week.

Prediction: No. 8 Penn State, 41 - Indiana, 14

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First Look: Indiana Hoosiers

How crazy has college football gotten the last few seasons? Indiana went to a bowl game last year. Not since 1993 have the Hoosiers gone to the post season. And it couldn’t have come at a better time for the program. Head coach Terry Hoeppner--following a long battle with a brain tumor--passed away last summer, but he still left a strong footprint with the Indiana players, coaches and fans. Lost in other, more mainstream story-lines, Indiana’s bowl appearance was probably the biggest feel-good story of 2007. When Bill Lynch took over, he made it a priority to fulfill Hoeppner’s team motto to “Play 13.” He did just that. A 7-6 record doesn’t mean much for most other schools, but when a program endures 12 losing seasons, 17-41 record the previous five years, and the loss of its beloved leader, 7-6 seems about as good as 13-0. Now the question remains going into 2008: what’s next for the Indiana Hoosiers?

1. Lynch’s encore -- It was hard not to get caught up in what Indiana did in 2007, but I challenge anyone to name a tougher coaching job than in Bloomington last season. Lynch was rewarded with a head coaching contract, but the university must be patient with its new coach. This team is loaded with juniors and sophomores, which sets up nicely for a major run in 2009. Lynch is no stranger to being the head man, after leading Ball State to the MAC championship in 1996, and the MAC West title in 2001. He was also the offensive coordinator at Indiana for the last two seasons, and was the key architect of the Hoosiers’ potent spread-style attack. Now, if only Lynch can sure up the defense...

2. Speaking of defense -- Junior end Greg Middleton, Jr. emerged as the NCAA’s sack leader in 2007 with 16, on his way to 1st-Team Big Ten honors. The scary thing about this front four for IU is that three return on a line that logged more sacks than any other in Indiana’s history (42). This team will need every one of those sacks in 2008. With the loss of two very good corners in Leslie Majors (6 pbu, 2 int) and Tracy Porter (4 pbu, 6 int, drafted by Saints), quarterback pressure will make or break the entire defense this year. But all is not lost if the defense doesn’t shut out opponents, which is what used to be necessary (but never happened) for the Hoosiers to win. 2007 was the first year since 2001 in which Indiana actually outscored its opponents (305-298 in ’01, 412-370 in ‘07). Since the offense looks to remain a strength, the defense has to merely prevent the other team from lighting up the scoreboard.

3. Missing the Buckeyes -- Like Iowa last week, Indiana manages to miss out on playing Ohio State and Michigan in 2008. Ok, so not playing Ohio State is a very good thing for IU, but missing Michigan could be missing the chance to finally beat the Wolverines. Beyond that, nothing really jumps out about Indiana’s schedule for this season. There’s no reason the Hoosiers shouldn’t romp through their first three against 1A newcomer Western Kentucky, Murray State (AA) and Ball State. While the Cardinals look to be a good team in 2008, Indiana should get by just fine. Playing Michigan State at home in the Big Ten opener, followed by a trip to Minnesota, then home vs Iowa and at Illinois, IU’s realistic goal is to come out 1-3. That would set up IU for homecoming against Northwestern, then home against Central Michigan and Wisconsin before finishing the season at Penn State and at Purdue. The final stretch doesn’t look as promising as the beginning of the season, but pulling out a win or two (Northwestern and/or CMU?) and getting to 5-7 would keep IU respectable going into a promising 2009 campaign.

Next Week's First Look: Michigan State Spartans

-First Look: Iowa Hawkeyes
-First Look: Ohio State Buckeyes
-First Look: Michigan Wolverines
-First Look: Wisconsin Badgers
-First Look: Purdue Boilermakers
-First Look: Illinois Fighting Illini
-First Look: Temple Owls
-First Look: Syracuse Orange(men)
-First Look: Oregon State Beavers
-First Look: Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

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