3yardsandacloud
Administrator Emeritus
Additional Information
Coaching Staff
Head Coach:
Official School Bio - Terry Hoeppner
Assistant Coaches:
Official School Bios - Assistant Coaches
Bill Lynch - Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coor./TE
Gerald Brown - Special Teams Co-Coordinator
Matt Canada - Passing Game Coordinator/QB
Brian George - Co-Defensive Coordinator/DL
Bobby Johnson - OL/Running Game Coordinator
Billy Lynch - Wide Receivers
Joe Palcic - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks
George Ricumstrict - Special Teams Co-Coordinator
Mike Yeager - Recruiting Coordinator
Harold Mauro - Director of FB Operations
Official School Bio - Terry Hoeppner
Assistant Coaches:
Official School Bios - Assistant Coaches
Bill Lynch - Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coor./TE
Gerald Brown - Special Teams Co-Coordinator
Matt Canada - Passing Game Coordinator/QB
Brian George - Co-Defensive Coordinator/DL
Bobby Johnson - OL/Running Game Coordinator
Billy Lynch - Wide Receivers
Joe Palcic - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks
George Ricumstrict - Special Teams Co-Coordinator
Mike Yeager - Recruiting Coordinator
Harold Mauro - Director of FB Operations
Recruiting
Starters Returning: 17 (Offense 7, Defense 8, Special Teams 2)
Letterman Returning: 36 (Offense 17, Defense 15, Special Teams 4)
Notable Returners:
QB Blake Powers, WR James Hardy
Starters Lost: 9 (Offense 4, Defense 5, Special Teams 0)
Letterman Lost: 17 (Offense 6, Defense 11, Special Teams 0)
Notable Losses:
DE Victor Adeyanju
Incoming Recruits:
According to Rivals, the Indiana Hoosiers signed the #72 class nationally in 2005; Scout had IU similarly ranked as the 75th best class in the country. Although their "star" rankings are not very impressive, the Hoosiers' class of 2005 has plenty of talented athletes, many of whom might be a bit underrated. For example, many thought that Dennis Underwood, an "athlete" from Louisville (Ohio) St. Thomas Aquinas with freaky measurables, was worthy of an Ohio State offer. However, Underwood had recurring academic issues and was ineligible for his senior season (he was too old to participate in high school football), and that kept the Buckeyes and other major programs away. As things turned out, Dennis enrolled early at Indiana, but then proceeded to become academically ineligible after only five months on campus; to date, Dennis has not rejoined the Hoosiers' squad. Cleveland Heights cornerback Bruce Hampton had quite a different story. Although Bruce originally favored Ohio State, and boasted a 3.9 GPA, at 5' 10", 178 pounds, with a 4.69 forty, he was a bit undersized and a step slow for the Buckeyes; Bruce took a redshirt last season, and has yet to see meaningful playing time for the Hoosiers. The top signee for IU last season was probably Seffner (Florida) Armwood running back Demetrius McCray, whom the Tampa Tribune rated the 46th best player in the state; this season, McCray has 185 yards rushing and a touchdown. The Hoosiers also went to the Sunshine State to secure the services of Jacksonville Mandarin quarterback Kellen Lewis, an unranked recruit who as a redsirt freshman is now leading Indiana's offense; Kellen's rapid rise to stardom is yet another example of how the rankings of the various recruiting services do not always accurately predict a prospect's chance to succeed on the college level.
Fast Fact: Tight end Ty Harangody is the son of former Hoosier Dave Harangody and the older brother of high school basketball star Luke Harangody, a signee with Notre Dame for the class of 2006.
Indiana Hoosiers' Class of 2005
WR Josh Bailey, Indianapolis Warren Central (6' 2", 200 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
WR Chris Banks, Alliance, Ohio (6' 3", 175 lbs, 4.55 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DT Emile Bass, Detroit Sterling Heights (6' 2", 275 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
RB Justin Carrington, Bealeton (Virginia) Liberty (6' 0", 195 lbs, 4.47 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DB Bruce Hampton, Cleveland Heights, Ohio (5' 10", 178 lbs, 4.69 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
TE Ty Harangody, Merrillville (Indiana) Andrean (6' 1", 214 lbs, 4.93 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
LB Geno Johnson, Bartow, Florida (6' 1", 198 lbs, 4.65 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DE Neal Jones, Orlando Dr. Phillips (6' 4", 238 lbs, 4.7 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DB Dan Kinsey, Lisbon (Ohio) Beaver Local (6' 3", 195 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DE Jammie Kirlew, Orlando Cyrpus Creek (6' 2", 217 lbs, 4.7 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
PK Joe Kleinsmith, Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edwards (5' 10", 173 lbs, 4.52 forty); Rivals 3*; Scout 3*
QB Kellen Lewis, Jacksonville Mandarin (6' 1", 175 lbs, 4.6 forty); Rivals NR; Scout NR
[strike]DE Matt Lewis, Daytona Beach Mainland (6' 2", 245 lbs, 4.55 forty); Rivals 3* (#55 in Florida); Scout 2*[/strike]
RB Demetrius McCray, Seffner (Florida) Armwood (6' 0", 180 lbs, 4.4 forty); Rivals 3*; Scout 2*
WR Andrew Means, Avon Lake, Ohio (6' 2", 205 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
TE Todd Newman, Bartlett, Illinois (6' 4", 245 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout NR
RB Bryan Payton, Fork Union Military Academy (5' 9", 185 lbs, 4.45 forty); Rivals 3* (Prep School); Scout 3*
WR Nick Polk, Milwaukee Polk (6' 0", 185 lbs, 4.45 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
ATH Tim Sergi, Indianapolis Roncalli (6' 3", 200 lbs, 4.5 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DB Austin Thomas, Canton (Georgia) Sequoyah (6' 2", 205 lbs, 4.6 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
WR Terrance Turner, West Bloomfield, Michigan (6' 2", 180 lbs, 4.48 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
[strike]ATH Dennis Underwood, Louisville (Ohio) St. Thomas Aquinas (6' 0", 183 lbs, 4.47 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*[/strike]
TE Troy Wagner, O'Fallon, Illinois (6' 6", 215 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout NR
WR Brandon Walker-Roby, Indianapolis North Central (6' 0", 170 lbs, 4.4 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DE Brian Zematis, Bloomfield Hills (Michigan) Andover (6' 4", 230 lbs, 4.8 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
Fast Fact: Freshman WR Terrance Turner was the only player at the 2004 Columbus Nike Combine to post top 20 numbers in the 40-yard dash (4.48), the 20-yard shuttle (4.19), and the vertical jump (37"). While Turner is a tremendous raw athlete, he "grey shirted" in 2005, and enrolled at IU in January of 2006.
Fast Fact: Former Notre Dame class of 2004 signee Chauncey Incarnato, from Dover, Ohio, recently transferred to Indiana; he sat out the 2005 season, and has three years of eligibility remaining (including this season). Chauncey, a former "must get" recruit from the Buckeye state, has yet to crack the two-deep at Indiana.
In most years, Indiana has recruited like a MAC team, and the results usually show on the field. However, under the direction of new head coach Terry Hoeppner, the Hoosiers had a strong close to the 2005 class, and again showed well in 2006. The Hoosiers are rebuilding in the trenches, having signed six offensive linemen, two defensive linemen, and two tight ends last February. The 2006 signees include starting left tackle Rodger Saffold and second-stringers Pete Saxon (left guard) and James Brewer (right tackle), although the best of the bunch may ultimately be guard Cody Faulkner, the top lineman in the state of Indiana, and guard Jarrod Smith from Fairborn, quite possibly the most underrated player in the state of Ohio this past season. In 2006, the Hoosiers jumped on the Glenville band wagon, signing highly-touted Tarblooder wide receiver/defensive back Ray Fisher; Ray appears to be a star in the making, as he has already seen significant action as a true freshman, having collected 16 receptions for 167 yards. Another prized recruit, Matt Mayberry, selected Indiana over several major programs, including Minnesota, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Virginia, and Oklahoma State; as a true freshman, Mayberry has seen action in each of the Hoosiers' seven games as the back-up strongside linebacker, and he has logged four tackles on the season. Another true freshman, Mandela Roberts, has cracked the Hoosiers' two-deep at the "buck" linebacker position; he has five tackles (one for loss) so far this year. Finally, Greg Middleton recently lost his redshirt, and he is now listed as the back-up at right defensive end. Despite all of the foregoing, Rivals neverthless rated Indiana's 2006 recruiting class to be the 84th best in the country (behind in-state MAC powerhouse Ball State, and perennial football factories like Temple and Buffalo), while Scout ranked the class somewhat higher at number 79 in the nation.
While it's too early to talk of Big Ten titles and top-20 finishes, Coach Hoeppner appears to be steering the Hoosiers in the right direction; if he keeps putting together solid recruiting classes, then he may at least leave Bloomington as the first Hoosiers' head coach since 1948 to have an overall winning record, something that his ten most recent predecessors has each failed to accomplish.
Indiana Hoosiers' Class of 2006
OL James Brewer, Indianapolis Arlington (6' 7", 305 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DB Aaron Burks, Phoenix Desert Vista (5' 11", 190 lbs, 4.5 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
WR Adrian Burks, Phoenix Desert Vista (6' 0", 185 lbs, 4.5 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DE Keith Burrus, Coffeyville C.C. (6' 2", 269 lbs); Rivals 2* (JUCO); Scout NR
QB Ben Chappell, Bloomington (Indiana) South (6' 2", 209 lbs, 5.01 forty); Rivals 2* (#10 in Indiana); Scout 2*
DB Richard Council, Carrollton (Texas) Newman Smith (6' 2", 170 lbs, 4.4 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
OL Cody Faulkner, Cicero (Indiana) Hamilton Heights (6' 4", 306 lbs); Rivals 3* (#6 in Indiana); Scout 3*
DB Ray Fisher, Cleveland Glenville (5' 8", 156 lbs, 4.64 forty); Rivals 2* (#50 in Ohio); Scout 2*
DT Deonte Mack, Elkhart (Indiana) Central (6' 3", 275 lbs, 4.87 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
TE Brad Martin, Marion (Ohio) Pleasant (6' 4", 230 lbs, 4.7 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
LB Matt Mayberry, Darien (Illinois) Hinsdale (6' 2", 191 lbs, 4.54 forty, 4.06 shuttle); Rivals 3* (#15 in Illinois); Scout 2*
DE Greg Middleton, Indianapolis Pike (6' 3", 255 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DB William Patterson, Indianapolis Lawrence North (5' 11", 206 lbs, 4.6 forty); Rivals 2* (#9 in Indiana); Scout 2*
OL Alex Perry, Morris, Illinois (6' 6", 245 lbs); Rivals 3* (#20 in Illinois); Scout 2*
LB Mandela Roberts, Lufkin, Texas (6' 0", 220 lbs, 4.58 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
OL Rodger Saffold, Bedford, Ohio (6' 5", 270 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
TE Jeff Sanders, Springfield (Illinois) Sacred Heart Griffin (6' 4", 235 lbs); Rivals 3* (#25 in Illinois); Scout 2*
OL Pete Saxon, Plain City (Ohio) Jonathan Alder (6' 6", 290 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
OL Jarrod Smith, Fairborn, Ohio (6' 4", 269 lbs, 5.09 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 3*
[strike]LB Vernon Smith, Butler County C.C. (5' 11", 230 lbs, 4.5 forty); Rivals 3* (JUCO); Scout 2*[/strike]
OL Mike Stark, Platteville, Wisconsin (6' 7", 285 lbs); Rivals 2* (#10 in Wisconsin); Scout 2*
Fast Fact: 2006 signee William Patterson and walk-on defensive back J.T. Owen were high school classmates (Indianapolis Lawrence North) of highly-rated Buckeye basketball signees Greg Oden and Mike Conley.
Indiana has the beginnings of a nice recruiting class for 2007, led by Ohioans Sidney Glover (safety, Warren Harding) and Tyler Replogle (linebacker, Centerville). It seems that recruits are starting to notice that Terry Hoeppner and staff are leading the Hoosier program in the right direction, and it shouldn't be too long before IU loses the reputation of being the doormat of the Big Ten.
Letterman Returning: 36 (Offense 17, Defense 15, Special Teams 4)
Notable Returners:
QB Blake Powers, WR James Hardy
Starters Lost: 9 (Offense 4, Defense 5, Special Teams 0)
Letterman Lost: 17 (Offense 6, Defense 11, Special Teams 0)
Notable Losses:
DE Victor Adeyanju
Incoming Recruits:
According to Rivals, the Indiana Hoosiers signed the #72 class nationally in 2005; Scout had IU similarly ranked as the 75th best class in the country. Although their "star" rankings are not very impressive, the Hoosiers' class of 2005 has plenty of talented athletes, many of whom might be a bit underrated. For example, many thought that Dennis Underwood, an "athlete" from Louisville (Ohio) St. Thomas Aquinas with freaky measurables, was worthy of an Ohio State offer. However, Underwood had recurring academic issues and was ineligible for his senior season (he was too old to participate in high school football), and that kept the Buckeyes and other major programs away. As things turned out, Dennis enrolled early at Indiana, but then proceeded to become academically ineligible after only five months on campus; to date, Dennis has not rejoined the Hoosiers' squad. Cleveland Heights cornerback Bruce Hampton had quite a different story. Although Bruce originally favored Ohio State, and boasted a 3.9 GPA, at 5' 10", 178 pounds, with a 4.69 forty, he was a bit undersized and a step slow for the Buckeyes; Bruce took a redshirt last season, and has yet to see meaningful playing time for the Hoosiers. The top signee for IU last season was probably Seffner (Florida) Armwood running back Demetrius McCray, whom the Tampa Tribune rated the 46th best player in the state; this season, McCray has 185 yards rushing and a touchdown. The Hoosiers also went to the Sunshine State to secure the services of Jacksonville Mandarin quarterback Kellen Lewis, an unranked recruit who as a redsirt freshman is now leading Indiana's offense; Kellen's rapid rise to stardom is yet another example of how the rankings of the various recruiting services do not always accurately predict a prospect's chance to succeed on the college level.
Fast Fact: Tight end Ty Harangody is the son of former Hoosier Dave Harangody and the older brother of high school basketball star Luke Harangody, a signee with Notre Dame for the class of 2006.
Indiana Hoosiers' Class of 2005
WR Josh Bailey, Indianapolis Warren Central (6' 2", 200 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
WR Chris Banks, Alliance, Ohio (6' 3", 175 lbs, 4.55 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DT Emile Bass, Detroit Sterling Heights (6' 2", 275 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
RB Justin Carrington, Bealeton (Virginia) Liberty (6' 0", 195 lbs, 4.47 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DB Bruce Hampton, Cleveland Heights, Ohio (5' 10", 178 lbs, 4.69 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
TE Ty Harangody, Merrillville (Indiana) Andrean (6' 1", 214 lbs, 4.93 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
LB Geno Johnson, Bartow, Florida (6' 1", 198 lbs, 4.65 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DE Neal Jones, Orlando Dr. Phillips (6' 4", 238 lbs, 4.7 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DB Dan Kinsey, Lisbon (Ohio) Beaver Local (6' 3", 195 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DE Jammie Kirlew, Orlando Cyrpus Creek (6' 2", 217 lbs, 4.7 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
PK Joe Kleinsmith, Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edwards (5' 10", 173 lbs, 4.52 forty); Rivals 3*; Scout 3*
QB Kellen Lewis, Jacksonville Mandarin (6' 1", 175 lbs, 4.6 forty); Rivals NR; Scout NR
[strike]DE Matt Lewis, Daytona Beach Mainland (6' 2", 245 lbs, 4.55 forty); Rivals 3* (#55 in Florida); Scout 2*[/strike]
RB Demetrius McCray, Seffner (Florida) Armwood (6' 0", 180 lbs, 4.4 forty); Rivals 3*; Scout 2*
WR Andrew Means, Avon Lake, Ohio (6' 2", 205 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
TE Todd Newman, Bartlett, Illinois (6' 4", 245 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout NR
RB Bryan Payton, Fork Union Military Academy (5' 9", 185 lbs, 4.45 forty); Rivals 3* (Prep School); Scout 3*
WR Nick Polk, Milwaukee Polk (6' 0", 185 lbs, 4.45 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
ATH Tim Sergi, Indianapolis Roncalli (6' 3", 200 lbs, 4.5 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DB Austin Thomas, Canton (Georgia) Sequoyah (6' 2", 205 lbs, 4.6 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
WR Terrance Turner, West Bloomfield, Michigan (6' 2", 180 lbs, 4.48 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
[strike]ATH Dennis Underwood, Louisville (Ohio) St. Thomas Aquinas (6' 0", 183 lbs, 4.47 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*[/strike]
TE Troy Wagner, O'Fallon, Illinois (6' 6", 215 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout NR
WR Brandon Walker-Roby, Indianapolis North Central (6' 0", 170 lbs, 4.4 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DE Brian Zematis, Bloomfield Hills (Michigan) Andover (6' 4", 230 lbs, 4.8 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
Fast Fact: Freshman WR Terrance Turner was the only player at the 2004 Columbus Nike Combine to post top 20 numbers in the 40-yard dash (4.48), the 20-yard shuttle (4.19), and the vertical jump (37"). While Turner is a tremendous raw athlete, he "grey shirted" in 2005, and enrolled at IU in January of 2006.
Fast Fact: Former Notre Dame class of 2004 signee Chauncey Incarnato, from Dover, Ohio, recently transferred to Indiana; he sat out the 2005 season, and has three years of eligibility remaining (including this season). Chauncey, a former "must get" recruit from the Buckeye state, has yet to crack the two-deep at Indiana.
In most years, Indiana has recruited like a MAC team, and the results usually show on the field. However, under the direction of new head coach Terry Hoeppner, the Hoosiers had a strong close to the 2005 class, and again showed well in 2006. The Hoosiers are rebuilding in the trenches, having signed six offensive linemen, two defensive linemen, and two tight ends last February. The 2006 signees include starting left tackle Rodger Saffold and second-stringers Pete Saxon (left guard) and James Brewer (right tackle), although the best of the bunch may ultimately be guard Cody Faulkner, the top lineman in the state of Indiana, and guard Jarrod Smith from Fairborn, quite possibly the most underrated player in the state of Ohio this past season. In 2006, the Hoosiers jumped on the Glenville band wagon, signing highly-touted Tarblooder wide receiver/defensive back Ray Fisher; Ray appears to be a star in the making, as he has already seen significant action as a true freshman, having collected 16 receptions for 167 yards. Another prized recruit, Matt Mayberry, selected Indiana over several major programs, including Minnesota, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Virginia, and Oklahoma State; as a true freshman, Mayberry has seen action in each of the Hoosiers' seven games as the back-up strongside linebacker, and he has logged four tackles on the season. Another true freshman, Mandela Roberts, has cracked the Hoosiers' two-deep at the "buck" linebacker position; he has five tackles (one for loss) so far this year. Finally, Greg Middleton recently lost his redshirt, and he is now listed as the back-up at right defensive end. Despite all of the foregoing, Rivals neverthless rated Indiana's 2006 recruiting class to be the 84th best in the country (behind in-state MAC powerhouse Ball State, and perennial football factories like Temple and Buffalo), while Scout ranked the class somewhat higher at number 79 in the nation.
While it's too early to talk of Big Ten titles and top-20 finishes, Coach Hoeppner appears to be steering the Hoosiers in the right direction; if he keeps putting together solid recruiting classes, then he may at least leave Bloomington as the first Hoosiers' head coach since 1948 to have an overall winning record, something that his ten most recent predecessors has each failed to accomplish.
Indiana Hoosiers' Class of 2006
OL James Brewer, Indianapolis Arlington (6' 7", 305 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DB Aaron Burks, Phoenix Desert Vista (5' 11", 190 lbs, 4.5 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
WR Adrian Burks, Phoenix Desert Vista (6' 0", 185 lbs, 4.5 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DE Keith Burrus, Coffeyville C.C. (6' 2", 269 lbs); Rivals 2* (JUCO); Scout NR
QB Ben Chappell, Bloomington (Indiana) South (6' 2", 209 lbs, 5.01 forty); Rivals 2* (#10 in Indiana); Scout 2*
DB Richard Council, Carrollton (Texas) Newman Smith (6' 2", 170 lbs, 4.4 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
OL Cody Faulkner, Cicero (Indiana) Hamilton Heights (6' 4", 306 lbs); Rivals 3* (#6 in Indiana); Scout 3*
DB Ray Fisher, Cleveland Glenville (5' 8", 156 lbs, 4.64 forty); Rivals 2* (#50 in Ohio); Scout 2*
DT Deonte Mack, Elkhart (Indiana) Central (6' 3", 275 lbs, 4.87 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
TE Brad Martin, Marion (Ohio) Pleasant (6' 4", 230 lbs, 4.7 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
LB Matt Mayberry, Darien (Illinois) Hinsdale (6' 2", 191 lbs, 4.54 forty, 4.06 shuttle); Rivals 3* (#15 in Illinois); Scout 2*
DE Greg Middleton, Indianapolis Pike (6' 3", 255 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
DB William Patterson, Indianapolis Lawrence North (5' 11", 206 lbs, 4.6 forty); Rivals 2* (#9 in Indiana); Scout 2*
OL Alex Perry, Morris, Illinois (6' 6", 245 lbs); Rivals 3* (#20 in Illinois); Scout 2*
LB Mandela Roberts, Lufkin, Texas (6' 0", 220 lbs, 4.58 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
OL Rodger Saffold, Bedford, Ohio (6' 5", 270 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
TE Jeff Sanders, Springfield (Illinois) Sacred Heart Griffin (6' 4", 235 lbs); Rivals 3* (#25 in Illinois); Scout 2*
OL Pete Saxon, Plain City (Ohio) Jonathan Alder (6' 6", 290 lbs); Rivals 2*; Scout 2*
OL Jarrod Smith, Fairborn, Ohio (6' 4", 269 lbs, 5.09 forty); Rivals 2*; Scout 3*
[strike]LB Vernon Smith, Butler County C.C. (5' 11", 230 lbs, 4.5 forty); Rivals 3* (JUCO); Scout 2*[/strike]
OL Mike Stark, Platteville, Wisconsin (6' 7", 285 lbs); Rivals 2* (#10 in Wisconsin); Scout 2*
Fast Fact: 2006 signee William Patterson and walk-on defensive back J.T. Owen were high school classmates (Indianapolis Lawrence North) of highly-rated Buckeye basketball signees Greg Oden and Mike Conley.
Indiana has the beginnings of a nice recruiting class for 2007, led by Ohioans Sidney Glover (safety, Warren Harding) and Tyler Replogle (linebacker, Centerville). It seems that recruits are starting to notice that Terry Hoeppner and staff are leading the Hoosier program in the right direction, and it shouldn't be too long before IU loses the reputation of being the doormat of the Big Ten.
Behind the Numbers
We usually focus on Differential Statistical Analysis (DSA), and for those who enjoy the insight it provides, we'll certainly include DSA this week. But this week there are two questions that are on every Buckeyes mind that must be answered. DSA doesn't answer either of them.
One question is, "Just how good are these Buckeyes?". We'll tell you why DSA doesn't answer that question, then we'll try to answer it.
The most important question this week is, "Which Indiana team will show up in the Horseshoe on Saturday?". Our normal approach using Differential Statistical Analysis (DSA) won't answer that question either, so let's get DSA out of the way before we focus on what we can really expect this week.
Remember that DSA compares how you did against your opponents vs. how well everyone else does against the same teams. If you play a team that averages 400 yards a game and you hold them to 300, your Differential Total Defense is 75%. i.e. You held that opponent to 75% of their average output. DSA simply uses that approach for every game played.
Note also that for the numbers and rankings below, all games vs. Div. IAA teams have been eliminated from consideration.
Overall - Yards/Points
..........................OHIO STATE..rk..............Indiana..........rk
Total Offense........391.57 ypg....29.............328.33 ypg....66
Diff. Total Offense..119.5%........22.............101.2%.........56
Total Defense........286.00 ypg....21.............389.17 ypg....95
Diff. Total Defense...74.5%.........10.............112.2%.........90
Scoring Offense.......33.57 ppg....15...............25.33 ppg....45
Diff. score Offense..152.8%.........13.............122.2%........32
Scoring Defense........9.00 ppg......3...............28.17 ppg....88
Diff. score Defense...31.4%...........1.............116.4%.........82
Note that, while OSU lost their spot atop the scoring defense table this week; they are now ranked #1 in Differential Scoring Defense. In other words, Ohio State holds opponents farther below their average point production than any defense in the country. This is in marked contrast to the Hoosier defense, which ranks 82nd out of 119 teams by this metric.
While such comparisons can be illuminating, the most interesting thing about DSA is that it allows us to "predict" the outcome of a game. By multiplying Differential offense by average defense and Differential defense by average offense, we can produce a pair of predictions for the points and yards that each team will produce. Here is how that works out for Saturday's contest.
OSU:.........439 - 465 yards
Indiana:.....244 - 289 yards
OSU:.........39 - 43 points
Indiana:.......8 - 11 points
With blowouts in the past two weeks, the season averages are beginning to smooth out and produce more reliable predictions. OSU is certainly capable of churning out more yards and points, but DSA is accounting for the Buckeyes tendency to "take it easy" on over-matched teams.
Real Domination
While DSA accounts for the propensity to run the clock and play the bench, there are other statistics that do a better job of showing dominance. Granted, all stats are affected by running on cruise-control for large portions of each game. But some stats are affected less than others.
One such stat is 3rd down conversion rates. While a few 3rd downs late in the game might not go OSU's way when the back-ups are in, and a few others might not go their way if they are trying to NOT score (last possession vs. Iowa); most 3rd downs still take place with the starters on the field.
The best way to show 3rd down efficiency is to compare each team's offensive performance on 3rd down to their defensive performance. The difference between these two numbers becomes a single metric by which to rank all Div. IA teams. The following table does just that.
Rank.....TEAM...................................3rd dn O minus 3rd dn D
1..........LSU.....................................26.98%
2..........Texas A&M...........................26.54%
3..........New Mexico St......................23.30%
4..........Louisville..............................19.89%
5..........Rutgers................................19.66%
6..........The Ohio State University........19.58%
7..........Wisconsin.............................18.80%
8..........Tennessee............................18.67%
9..........California..............................17.74%
10.........Nebraska..............................17.66%
.
.
.
100........Indiana................................-10.22%
LSU's ranking in the above table is legit, but feel free to SCORE MORE POINTS than the team's you play. More first downs is nice, but it won't get you to Glendale. Numbers 2 through 5 in the table are in those positions because of embarrassingly weak schedules and their stay in the top 20 of this metric will soon be over. Wisconsin, Tennessee, California and Nebraska are better than people think; and this table is an indication of how good they are. Indiana ranked 100 in this table despite their schedule is something less than a bad omen for the Buckeyes.
As with LSU, it's nice to show domination with this stat, but don't mistake it for the scoreboard. This stat will take care of itself as the Buckeyes bludgeon the next four opponents.
Hoosier Opponent This Week?
Stat of the Week: Jim Tressel references to IU-Iowa score - 2+
Apart from an opportunity for Jim Tressel to coach up his team, what does Indiana's upset of Iowa tell us? Which Indiana team will we see on Saturday?
The first clue can be found by looking at their passing performance from week to week this year.
Opponent.............comp....att....yards....TD....int....RATING
Western Mich.........20.........35.....252........2.....1........130.77
Ball St..................16.........33.....226........1.....0........116.01
Southern Ill............20.........40.....238........1.....1........103.23
Connecticut...........20.........43.....192........0.....3..........70.07
Wisconsin..............13.........30.....113........0.....0..........74.97
Illinois...................20.........41.....240........0.....0..........97.25
Iowa.....................19.........25.....255........3.....0........201.28
What this shows is that the Hoosier's QB got hot. From having watched the game, it was clear that he got hot as a result of the momentum of the game flowing in Indiana's direction.
While it might be tempting to dismiss this as an aberration that is not likely to be repeated on the road, especially in the Horseshoe, let's look deeper. WHY did Kellen Lewis get hot?
The answer, it turns out, lies not with Kellen Lewis. The answer to the question lies with, or rather IS James Hardy.
After missing two games earlier in the year, James Hardy was finally at full strength. He torched Iowa for 8 catches, 104 yards and all 3 of the TD catches thrown by Kellen Lewis.
So can we expect Hardy to find the creases in OSU's zones too? It doesn't seem likely if history is any guide.
Last year, Hardy was on a tear. Through the Iowa game last year, he had caught a TD pass in every game and had just blazed through the Hawkeye secondary to the tune of 12 receptions, 203 yards and a touchdown. Then he played the Buckeyes... 2 catches, 27 yards...
Indiana played very well against Iowa. That's what they do. This Saturday they'll come to Columbus and do what they do against the Buckeyes.
Miscellaneous Numbers
- Indiana leads the Big 10 in opponent penalties. They gain 19 more yards per game from the zebras than their nearest competitor.
- OSU is dead last in the Big 10 in opponent penalties, garnering less than half of the free yards given to the Hoosiers.
- OSU is 26-31 in the red-zone this year.
- One missed field goal (1st attempt of the season)
- 2 fumbles (also in the NIU game)
- 1 possession ended on downs, a mercy concession to BGSU
- 1 possession was ended by the clock at Iowa
- Of the 26 other possessions; 22 TDs, 4 FGs
- Indiana is ranked last in the Big 10 in Rushing Offense
- Indiana is ranked last in the Big 10 in Rushing Defense
- Indiana is ranked 10th in the Big 10 in Passing Efficiency
- Indiana is ranked 10th in the Big 10 in Pass Defense Efficiency
IU Traditions
Historically IU has viewed football season as a way to pass time until basketball season arrives. The current head coach Terry Hoeppner arrived at IU in 2005 with much enthusiasm, drive and hope. Hopefully the students and faculty will follow his lead, sounding the alarm to wake up the dormant Hoosier football program.
While traditions are severly lacking I think Hoeppner has said it best as he tries to implement new traditions, "Clearly this is a 'new to you' tradition versus a 'new' tradition. There are maybe sixty plus schools that do the exact same walk. Who said that Hoosiers football isn't catching up to the pack?!"
We wish Hoeppner much luck with creating "new" and "new to you" traditions however, a few traditions already in place are:
While traditions are severly lacking I think Hoeppner has said it best as he tries to implement new traditions, "Clearly this is a 'new to you' tradition versus a 'new' tradition. There are maybe sixty plus schools that do the exact same walk. Who said that Hoosiers football isn't catching up to the pack?!"
We wish Hoeppner much luck with creating "new" and "new to you" traditions however, a few traditions already in place are:
- IU began playing football in 1884. Built in 1960, the massive 52,180-seat, open-air Memorial Stadium is home to the IU Hoosiers football team. There have been many renovations since the original construction, including the replacement of wooden seats with aluminum, installation of sound and lighting systems, and laying of astroturf in 1986, which was subsequently replaced with natural grass in 1998. Plans went through on September 22, 2006 to enclose the north endzone of Memorial Stadium.
- Hoeppner renamed the football stadium "The Rock".
- Indiana has a tradition of snagging coaches from Miami University (OH). Hoeppner is the third former MU coach to eventually stroll the Hoosier sidelines. John Pont was a three-time first team All-MAC halfback at Miami from 1947-50 before moving onto an illustrious 28-year head coaching career that included stops at his alma mater (1956-62) and Indiana (1965-72). He directed Miami to three league titles and the 1962 Tangerine Bowl before earning 1967 National Coach of the Year honors for leading the Hoosiers to the Big Ten title and Rose Bowl. Bill Mallory was a two-time all-league end at Miami in 1955-56 before embarking on a 27-year coaching career that included stops at Miami (1969-73) and Indiana (1984-96). He led Miami to the 1973 MAC and Tangerine Bowl titles, and he is the winningest coach in Indiana history. He directed the Hoosiers to six bowl games in eight seasons.
- Two hours before kickoff, players line up and participate in "The Walk" from the west side of Assembly Hall to the east side of Memorial Stadium. Students and IU supporters form a gauntlet along the path and watch the Hoosiers enter the stadium. Hoeppner brought the idea with him from Miami of Ohio. "This is our symbolic march into the stadium," Hoeppner said in a statement released by the media relations department. "It's a tremendous opportunity for the fans, as well as the coaches' and players' families, to see the players and coaches before the game. The players love it. It's very motivating for them." Hoeppner joked two weeks ago he still was working out the route. "We're trying to find a way to make it a downhill walk," he said. "Our linemen would appreciate that."
- A three-ton remnant from the original stadium construction was placed near the north end zone, the IU coaches now challenge the Hoosiers to "defend the rock."
- One of the oldest and most prestigious football trophies in the nation, the Old Oaken Bucket goes annually to the winner of the Purdue-Indiana football battle. While the presentation of the trophy dates back 75 years, the bucket itself is more than 100 years old. The bucket was found, in a bad state of repair and covered with moss and mold, on the old Bruner farm between Kent and Hanover in Southern Indiana, after the Chicago alumni groups of both Purdue and Indiana enthusiastically decided in 1925 that a traditional trophy for the winner of the gridiron clash would be appropriate. Russell Gray of Purdue and Dr. Clarence Jones of Indiana were given the task of finding a suitable trophy. They recommended that "an old oaken bucket would be a most typical trophy from this state and should be taken from a well somewhere in Indiana." Purdue's Fritz Ernst and Whiley J. Huddle of Indiana found the historical bucket and it is said that General Morgan's command used it during a jaunt through Indiana during the Civil War. It has had a no less exciting history since 1935, several times having been kidnapped by partisans from both schools - a couple of times missing so long that it was given up as lost, only to turn up mysteriously just before or after the annual game. The bucket was presented as a prize by the late George Ade, distinguished humorist from Purdue, and the late Harry Kurrie, then president of the Monon Railroad, representing Indiana.
- The Old Brass Spittoon is presented to the winner of the IU-Michigan State football game. First presented in 1950, it was Michigan State's idea to start up the trophy and Indiana quickly accepted. It's believed that the spittoon has been around since both universities were established.
- Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the coaches and players join The Marching Hundred band to sing the school fight song after every home victory.
The Lighter Side
This week, the Lighter Side takes its focus towards the national scene. Ohio State stands at 7 - 0, having demolished the worrisome part of their schedule by an average score of 34 - 9. While an epic battle with Michigan looms, the next four weeks will see Ohio State playing teams with a combined record of 10 - 18 (3 - 10). Surprisingly, the best record in this foursome (Indiana, Minnesota, Northwestern and Illinois) belongs to this week's feast, Indiana, which currently stands at 4 - 3 (2 - 1).
Before moving on to what's going on nationwide, I suppose a genuflect to Indiana is appropriate. There are a couple of things noteworthy about Indiana football. The first noteworthy thing is this: they actually play football - or a reasonable facsimile of it - in Bloomington. You wouldn't know that if you did a Google search though. In a week where the Hoosiers beat a ranked Iowa team, the Indiana football board (Ryn seems to have found one) is completely silent. The other noteworthy thing, part and parcel to point one is: Indiana football suffers a huge underexposure. And, of course, this week, Indiana is being given the treatment by ESPN (more on these guys below). In a week where the boys in Bristol could show Indiana on a more national level, say ESPN 2, they've decided to put the game on ESPNU, a channel that I'm told reaches 14 homes nation-wide (one of which will be inhabited by me on Saturday, though I'll have to drive for an hour and a half to get there). Yes, leave it to ESPN to kill any momentum Indiana may have gained in beating Illinois and a ranked Iowa squad in successive weeks. No one in Bloomington cares, of course. Most of those people will be trying to get up to speed on Basketball practices. But somewhere in America there may be a kid who - with access to "the deuce" - might fall in love with the Crimson and Cream. That kid's dreams won't become reality this week, however, because "the Network" has decided to try a power-pay with Time Warner, using Buckeye Fans as pawns. Way to go "world wide leader." Quash a young man's dream so you can line your already over-inflated pockets. Typical of the same guys who tried to make a "reality" show out of a High School football team. Ruining sports isn't enough, these guys want to ruin lives too.
I figure that's all you need to know about Indiana. Once again, to recap: they have a football team, and ESPN hates them. Now, lets move on to the national scene. Leading the way, is the re-assertion of Miami of Florida football! Not only did "Da U" win a game for once, they beat-up some of the biggest gangstas known to Division I, the Florida International Golden Panthers.
Like you, when I think of the biggest, baddest thugs in college football, my attention turns immediately on Sun Belt toughs, Florida International. The Golden Panthers have been basically kicking everyone's asses up and down the universe for years. Of course, they don't just beat you down, they jaw about their dominance constantly. They want to hurt you physically and psychologically. Make no mistake, when you play Florida International, you're in for a beating and you're lucky to walk away with less than 17 injuries (including 4 fatalities). First, hats off to Miami for even having the courage to scheduling these guys. Second, hats off for finally giving Florida International the punch in the face it so desperately deserves. I was worried that Miami's awful start would spell doom for the program. But, thankfully, Miami of Florida is nobody's.. I repeat NOBODY'S... whipping boy. After a 5 minute melee, Hurricanes nationwide can now puff their chests with pride. When those Golden Panther ruffians came out swinging, your boys swung their helmets, kicked, punched and said "Step back, this is Da U, and we're not going to take it." And that, my friends, is Miami football. The next step to bringing back the "swagger" is probation. I have no doubt that soon Cane fans will be rewarded with the awesome pride that comes with NCAA sanctions. Once probation comes, and it will, we'll all know Da U has regained their rightful place in the football pantheon. I, for one, can't wait. In fact, I think I'm going to cap two of my teef this week in hopeful anticipation. Indeed, with Miami's glowing example, I might now even work up the courage to slap my 13 year old paperboy around a little bit. Smug little punk. Always gloating about his high grades, his savings account, his cool bike, and all the tail he's in line for once the hair comes in. Just you wait Mr. You'll-Get-The-Sunday-Edition-If-And-Only-If-I-Want-You-To. I'm coming to get you... and hell's coming with me.
Next, ESPN. When will these guys learn? As if dealing with Sparty week wasn't enough for Buckeye faithful to endure, week six marked the beginning of the BCS controversy creation express, brought to you by the "world leader." Gentlemen, college football enjoys a popularity that does not require any hyping or manufactured controversy. I truly don't understand why this isn't obvious. To illustrate. Every year, we get a new unbeatable juggernaut too quickly dubbed, "the greatest team of all time!" And every year, the new "greatest team ever" loses. Miami, Oklahoma, even USC. Guys, let the season play out before you go anointing all time greats. No one is watching these teams because you claim that this is a once in a lifetime chance to see the greatest assembly of talent ever. We all know that there will be another opportunity next year... and the year after that, and the year after that, and so on. Not to mention, most of us just like the game of football anyway. I'd be willing to wager we would all watch it even if there was no commentary from you windbags at all. Of course, we can't watch any games when you go and put them on ESPN "Les Sursature" or whatever the hell channel you're trying to strong-arm people in to watching next. Listen, Bristol... When I can come home at the lunch hour and see competitive juggling on regular ESPN, you don't need any more channels than the 4 you had up until recently. Now, I can even live with you turning ESPN classic in to the "Shows even we agree really, really suck" channel because it frees up regular ESPN for decent programming. And, you know what, the truth is, I actually like the concept of ESPN U. But, you're over doing it. So long as you are broadcasting things like people throwing darts, people playing cards, the Mike and Mike radio show, and fishing, you don't need any more channels. OK? You've got room. And, while I'm at it, just what in the hell is ESPN360?
Back on point, even when football is self-sustaining in popularity, ESPN insists on just plain making things up. Thankfully, the college football Gods very often slap "the Network" square in the face when they do this. Ever notice, as soon as the "experts" start talking about things that haven't happened yet as if they are forgone conclusions, the football Gods ensure that the forgone conclusion never comes to pass. This week's created drama? Florida being ranked number 1 come December. Florida then went over to Auburn and lost. All the hype about Florida being number one after they run the SEC went straight in to the crapper. Hey fellas, want some credibility? Try simply reporting what's going on in sports, and shy away from manufacturing stories months in advance. If you must have a pre-game show, why not just explain Team A's weakness in relation to Team B's strength, or some such. I mean, criminy, the Tuberville saga from only 1 week ago should have served you plenty of notice. It is not worthwhile to worry about things that haven't yet happened. Will Florida be number one in December? No. And, more importantly, who cares. It's friggin October. I'm sure next week, we'll get inundated with sob stories about how "for real" West Virginia is, how unfair it is that Auburn - with one loss - is rated in front of them in the BCS standings, and how they're going to get absolutely jobbed out of their place in Glendale. Which, of course, ensures that West Virginia will drop a game to Rutgers, Pitt, or Louisville.. or any combination therein.
Real quick, considering the goings on this past week, I would now like to draw attention to the ACC's version of Michigan State. Look it up, as soon as VT loses its first game, they too fall apart. Why the unsolicited attack on Virginia Tech? It's simple. I don't like Virginia Tech. I don't like their fans. I don't like the better portion of their players. I don't like their philosophy. I don't like their colors and I sure as hell don't like that awful jersey you've been known to ball in - the one with the one puke-orange sleeve. May 1,000 Marcus Vicks infest your campus.
Finally, a quick look back. I doubt I'm the only one who noticed what was going on. Georgia lost to Vandy. Missouri failed against Aggie. USC struggled with 20 point dog Arizona State. Michigan barely covered against PSU's 3rd string QB. Indiana beat Iowa. You felt it too, right about 3:38pm on Saturday... even though some of those games I noted had not yet occurred , you felt it.... Upset Saturday! And so when Chris Wells came away from his first carry of the ballgame without the football, you - like me - thought, "Oh dear God. No." Making matters worse, of course, was that Sparty's first play they took the ball from the 31 to the one foot line. But, thankfully, Sparty got called for cheating. In a rare move for Big Ten officials, the refs correctly insisted that an Ohio State opponent be made to play by the rules. Spotting the ball first and three at the OSU 24 Sparty tries a run - loss of one. Sparty tries a pass - incomplete. Sparty tries another pass - Stanton gets diagnosed with a case of Laurinaitis at the 42. Punt. All told, Michigan State managed to lose 11 yards in their first drive. Ohio State went on to take it 80 yards for a Pittman score, his 12th straight game with a touchdown. By half, the game was over. Ohio State would not be the victim of any upset Saturday magic, having taken the lessons of 1974 and 1998 seriously. And, you, like me are just glad Sparty Week is finally in the rearview mirror.
Go Bucks. Make Lydell Ross proud. Dominate the Hoosiers like he used to.
Before moving on to what's going on nationwide, I suppose a genuflect to Indiana is appropriate. There are a couple of things noteworthy about Indiana football. The first noteworthy thing is this: they actually play football - or a reasonable facsimile of it - in Bloomington. You wouldn't know that if you did a Google search though. In a week where the Hoosiers beat a ranked Iowa team, the Indiana football board (Ryn seems to have found one) is completely silent. The other noteworthy thing, part and parcel to point one is: Indiana football suffers a huge underexposure. And, of course, this week, Indiana is being given the treatment by ESPN (more on these guys below). In a week where the boys in Bristol could show Indiana on a more national level, say ESPN 2, they've decided to put the game on ESPNU, a channel that I'm told reaches 14 homes nation-wide (one of which will be inhabited by me on Saturday, though I'll have to drive for an hour and a half to get there). Yes, leave it to ESPN to kill any momentum Indiana may have gained in beating Illinois and a ranked Iowa squad in successive weeks. No one in Bloomington cares, of course. Most of those people will be trying to get up to speed on Basketball practices. But somewhere in America there may be a kid who - with access to "the deuce" - might fall in love with the Crimson and Cream. That kid's dreams won't become reality this week, however, because "the Network" has decided to try a power-pay with Time Warner, using Buckeye Fans as pawns. Way to go "world wide leader." Quash a young man's dream so you can line your already over-inflated pockets. Typical of the same guys who tried to make a "reality" show out of a High School football team. Ruining sports isn't enough, these guys want to ruin lives too.
I figure that's all you need to know about Indiana. Once again, to recap: they have a football team, and ESPN hates them. Now, lets move on to the national scene. Leading the way, is the re-assertion of Miami of Florida football! Not only did "Da U" win a game for once, they beat-up some of the biggest gangstas known to Division I, the Florida International Golden Panthers.
Like you, when I think of the biggest, baddest thugs in college football, my attention turns immediately on Sun Belt toughs, Florida International. The Golden Panthers have been basically kicking everyone's asses up and down the universe for years. Of course, they don't just beat you down, they jaw about their dominance constantly. They want to hurt you physically and psychologically. Make no mistake, when you play Florida International, you're in for a beating and you're lucky to walk away with less than 17 injuries (including 4 fatalities). First, hats off to Miami for even having the courage to scheduling these guys. Second, hats off for finally giving Florida International the punch in the face it so desperately deserves. I was worried that Miami's awful start would spell doom for the program. But, thankfully, Miami of Florida is nobody's.. I repeat NOBODY'S... whipping boy. After a 5 minute melee, Hurricanes nationwide can now puff their chests with pride. When those Golden Panther ruffians came out swinging, your boys swung their helmets, kicked, punched and said "Step back, this is Da U, and we're not going to take it." And that, my friends, is Miami football. The next step to bringing back the "swagger" is probation. I have no doubt that soon Cane fans will be rewarded with the awesome pride that comes with NCAA sanctions. Once probation comes, and it will, we'll all know Da U has regained their rightful place in the football pantheon. I, for one, can't wait. In fact, I think I'm going to cap two of my teef this week in hopeful anticipation. Indeed, with Miami's glowing example, I might now even work up the courage to slap my 13 year old paperboy around a little bit. Smug little punk. Always gloating about his high grades, his savings account, his cool bike, and all the tail he's in line for once the hair comes in. Just you wait Mr. You'll-Get-The-Sunday-Edition-If-And-Only-If-I-Want-You-To. I'm coming to get you... and hell's coming with me.
Next, ESPN. When will these guys learn? As if dealing with Sparty week wasn't enough for Buckeye faithful to endure, week six marked the beginning of the BCS controversy creation express, brought to you by the "world leader." Gentlemen, college football enjoys a popularity that does not require any hyping or manufactured controversy. I truly don't understand why this isn't obvious. To illustrate. Every year, we get a new unbeatable juggernaut too quickly dubbed, "the greatest team of all time!" And every year, the new "greatest team ever" loses. Miami, Oklahoma, even USC. Guys, let the season play out before you go anointing all time greats. No one is watching these teams because you claim that this is a once in a lifetime chance to see the greatest assembly of talent ever. We all know that there will be another opportunity next year... and the year after that, and the year after that, and so on. Not to mention, most of us just like the game of football anyway. I'd be willing to wager we would all watch it even if there was no commentary from you windbags at all. Of course, we can't watch any games when you go and put them on ESPN "Les Sursature" or whatever the hell channel you're trying to strong-arm people in to watching next. Listen, Bristol... When I can come home at the lunch hour and see competitive juggling on regular ESPN, you don't need any more channels than the 4 you had up until recently. Now, I can even live with you turning ESPN classic in to the "Shows even we agree really, really suck" channel because it frees up regular ESPN for decent programming. And, you know what, the truth is, I actually like the concept of ESPN U. But, you're over doing it. So long as you are broadcasting things like people throwing darts, people playing cards, the Mike and Mike radio show, and fishing, you don't need any more channels. OK? You've got room. And, while I'm at it, just what in the hell is ESPN360?
Back on point, even when football is self-sustaining in popularity, ESPN insists on just plain making things up. Thankfully, the college football Gods very often slap "the Network" square in the face when they do this. Ever notice, as soon as the "experts" start talking about things that haven't happened yet as if they are forgone conclusions, the football Gods ensure that the forgone conclusion never comes to pass. This week's created drama? Florida being ranked number 1 come December. Florida then went over to Auburn and lost. All the hype about Florida being number one after they run the SEC went straight in to the crapper. Hey fellas, want some credibility? Try simply reporting what's going on in sports, and shy away from manufacturing stories months in advance. If you must have a pre-game show, why not just explain Team A's weakness in relation to Team B's strength, or some such. I mean, criminy, the Tuberville saga from only 1 week ago should have served you plenty of notice. It is not worthwhile to worry about things that haven't yet happened. Will Florida be number one in December? No. And, more importantly, who cares. It's friggin October. I'm sure next week, we'll get inundated with sob stories about how "for real" West Virginia is, how unfair it is that Auburn - with one loss - is rated in front of them in the BCS standings, and how they're going to get absolutely jobbed out of their place in Glendale. Which, of course, ensures that West Virginia will drop a game to Rutgers, Pitt, or Louisville.. or any combination therein.
Real quick, considering the goings on this past week, I would now like to draw attention to the ACC's version of Michigan State. Look it up, as soon as VT loses its first game, they too fall apart. Why the unsolicited attack on Virginia Tech? It's simple. I don't like Virginia Tech. I don't like their fans. I don't like the better portion of their players. I don't like their philosophy. I don't like their colors and I sure as hell don't like that awful jersey you've been known to ball in - the one with the one puke-orange sleeve. May 1,000 Marcus Vicks infest your campus.
Finally, a quick look back. I doubt I'm the only one who noticed what was going on. Georgia lost to Vandy. Missouri failed against Aggie. USC struggled with 20 point dog Arizona State. Michigan barely covered against PSU's 3rd string QB. Indiana beat Iowa. You felt it too, right about 3:38pm on Saturday... even though some of those games I noted had not yet occurred , you felt it.... Upset Saturday! And so when Chris Wells came away from his first carry of the ballgame without the football, you - like me - thought, "Oh dear God. No." Making matters worse, of course, was that Sparty's first play they took the ball from the 31 to the one foot line. But, thankfully, Sparty got called for cheating. In a rare move for Big Ten officials, the refs correctly insisted that an Ohio State opponent be made to play by the rules. Spotting the ball first and three at the OSU 24 Sparty tries a run - loss of one. Sparty tries a pass - incomplete. Sparty tries another pass - Stanton gets diagnosed with a case of Laurinaitis at the 42. Punt. All told, Michigan State managed to lose 11 yards in their first drive. Ohio State went on to take it 80 yards for a Pittman score, his 12th straight game with a touchdown. By half, the game was over. Ohio State would not be the victim of any upset Saturday magic, having taken the lessons of 1974 and 1998 seriously. And, you, like me are just glad Sparty Week is finally in the rearview mirror.
Go Bucks. Make Lydell Ross proud. Dominate the Hoosiers like he used to.
Historical Data
Indiana University (Bloomington, IN) Founded in 1820
Football 1st Season: 1887
Stadium: Memorial Stadium
Constructed: 1960 (Renovated 2003)
Seating Capacity: 52,180
Playing Surface: AstroPlay
Conference: Big Ten Conference since 1900
Colors: Cream and Crimson
Mascot: None
College Classification: D-IA (or equivalent) since 1937 (first year of NCAA classification)
Conference Championships: 2 Big Ten Titles: 1945, 1967* (*=Co-Champions)
Consensus All-Americans: 6 (5 different players as of 2004)
College Hall-of-Famers: 5
Pro Hall-of-Famers: 1 (Pete Pihos)
Award Winners: 1 Maxwell Trophy, 1 Walter Camp POY, 2 AFCA COY, 1 Eddie Robinson COY, 1 Paul Bear Bryant COY, 1 Walter Camp COY
National Championships: None
Number of AP/Coaches final rankings: AP-5 years, Coaches-4 years
Hoosier Legends:Stadium: Memorial Stadium
Constructed: 1960 (Renovated 2003)
Seating Capacity: 52,180
Playing Surface: AstroPlay
Conference: Big Ten Conference since 1900
Colors: Cream and Crimson
Mascot: None
College Classification: D-IA (or equivalent) since 1937 (first year of NCAA classification)
Conference Championships: 2 Big Ten Titles: 1945, 1967* (*=Co-Champions)
Consensus All-Americans: 6 (5 different players as of 2004)
College Hall-of-Famers: 5
Pro Hall-of-Famers: 1 (Pete Pihos)
Award Winners: 1 Maxwell Trophy, 1 Walter Camp POY, 2 AFCA COY, 1 Eddie Robinson COY, 1 Paul Bear Bryant COY, 1 Walter Camp COY
National Championships: None
Number of AP/Coaches final rankings: AP-5 years, Coaches-4 years
Well, as you might imagine from a team whose all-time winning percentage in conference play is only .314 and which has won only two Big Ten crowns in 105 years, the Indiana Hoosiers have produced very few legends of the gridiron. It would be hard to argue against dubbing running back Anthony Thompson the best Hoosier football player of all time. Thompson is Indiana's career leading rusher, having amassed 5,299 yards (including 377 in one game, against Wisconsin in 1989) and 65 touchdowns from 1986 to 1989; his touchdown total was an NCAA record for a decade until it was broken in 1998 by Texas's Ricky Williams. Thompson was a consensus All-American selection in both 1988 and 1989, and he was also named the Big Ten MVP after both seasons. In addition, Thompson was the runner-up in the 1989 Heisman Trophy balloting (losing out to Houston's Andre Ware), but won the following awards for his stellar senior season: the Maxwell Award for the nation's most outstanding player; the Walter Camp Player of the Year; and the AFCA "Coaches' Choice" Player of the Year.
The most recent Hoosier superstar was quarterback Antwaan Randle El, who was an consensus All-American and the Big Ten MVP in 2001. During his career, Randle El compiled 11,364 total yards (3,895 rushing, a record for Division I quarterbacks; and 7,469 passing), which places him fifth all-time amongst Division I players; in addition, Antwaan is the only player in Division I history to gain at least 2,500 total yards in four straight seasons; to score 40 or more touchdowns both rushing (44) and passing (42); and to pass for more than 6,000 yards and to rush for more than 3,000 yards in a career. Currently, Randle El is having much success as a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steeler of the National Football League.
Other Hoosier gridiron stars include wide receiver Ernie Jones, Indiana's all-time leading receiver with 2,361 yards, and an All-American and Big Ten MVP in 1987; running back Vaughn Dunbar, an All-American in 1991 when he set IU's single-season rushing record (1,805 yards); and Pete Pihos, who earned All-American honors as both a fullback and end, and led Indiana to its only undisputed Big Ten Championship in 1945; Pihos was later inducted into both the college and professional football halls of fame.
Fast Fact: Indiana is the only football team in the Big Ten which cannot claim any form of national championship in any year, ever. Even lowly Northwestern was recognized as national champs in 1936 by some guy named Bill Libby (for what it's worth, most people thought that either Pitt or Minnesota won the crown that season).
The most recent Hoosier superstar was quarterback Antwaan Randle El, who was an consensus All-American and the Big Ten MVP in 2001. During his career, Randle El compiled 11,364 total yards (3,895 rushing, a record for Division I quarterbacks; and 7,469 passing), which places him fifth all-time amongst Division I players; in addition, Antwaan is the only player in Division I history to gain at least 2,500 total yards in four straight seasons; to score 40 or more touchdowns both rushing (44) and passing (42); and to pass for more than 6,000 yards and to rush for more than 3,000 yards in a career. Currently, Randle El is having much success as a wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steeler of the National Football League.
Other Hoosier gridiron stars include wide receiver Ernie Jones, Indiana's all-time leading receiver with 2,361 yards, and an All-American and Big Ten MVP in 1987; running back Vaughn Dunbar, an All-American in 1991 when he set IU's single-season rushing record (1,805 yards); and Pete Pihos, who earned All-American honors as both a fullback and end, and led Indiana to its only undisputed Big Ten Championship in 1945; Pihos was later inducted into both the college and professional football halls of fame.
Fast Fact: Indiana is the only football team in the Big Ten which cannot claim any form of national championship in any year, ever. Even lowly Northwestern was recognized as national champs in 1936 by some guy named Bill Libby (for what it's worth, most people thought that either Pitt or Minnesota won the crown that season).
Records
All Time: 424-580-44 (.426)
Bowl Games: 3-5-0 (.375) most recently a loss to Virginia Tech in the 1993 Independence Bowl
All Time vs the BigTen: 187-428-24 (.311) versus teams with conference membership at time of game.
All Time vs the Ohio State Buckeyes: 12-64-5 (.179) most recently a 41 to 10 loss to OSU in Bloomington (2005)
Coach?s Reord: Terry Hoeppner, 2005, 4-7-0 (.364), 7 year career mark of 52-32-0 (.619)
Last Season: 4-7-0 (.364)
W - Central Michigan (20-13)
W - Nicholls St. (35-31)
W - Kentucky (38-14)
L - Wisconsin (24-41)
W - Illinois (36-13)
L - Iowa (21-38)
L - Ohio St. (10-41)
L - Michigan St. (15-46)
L - Minnesota (21-42)
L - Michigan (14-41)
L - Purdue (14-41)
Last 5 Years: 17-40-0 (.298)
Last 10 Years: 33-79-0 (.295)
Bowl Games: 3-5-0 (.375) most recently a loss to Virginia Tech in the 1993 Independence Bowl
All Time vs the BigTen: 187-428-24 (.311) versus teams with conference membership at time of game.
All Time vs the Ohio State Buckeyes: 12-64-5 (.179) most recently a 41 to 10 loss to OSU in Bloomington (2005)
Coach?s Reord: Terry Hoeppner, 2005, 4-7-0 (.364), 7 year career mark of 52-32-0 (.619)
Last Season: 4-7-0 (.364)
W - Central Michigan (20-13)
W - Nicholls St. (35-31)
W - Kentucky (38-14)
L - Wisconsin (24-41)
W - Illinois (36-13)
L - Iowa (21-38)
L - Ohio St. (10-41)
L - Michigan St. (15-46)
L - Minnesota (21-42)
L - Michigan (14-41)
L - Purdue (14-41)
Last 5 Years: 17-40-0 (.298)
Last 10 Years: 33-79-0 (.295)
Links
Official Sites:
Official School Site - Indiana University
Student Newspaper - Indiana Daily Student (IDS)
Official Athletic Site - IU Hoosiers
Official Conference Site - Big Ten Conference
Message Boards & Team Pages:
Message Boards - Hoosier Nation (Insiders)
Message Boards - Inside Indiana (Rivals)
Message Boards - Name (Independent)
Message Boards - Name (Independent)
Team Page - ESPN
Team Page - USA Today
Team Page - Fox Sports
Team Page - CNN/SI
Team Page - CFN
Team Page - CBS Sportsline
Team Page - Yahoo Sports
Local News Sources:
Indianapolis Star - Local News
Herald Times - Local News
Team Previews and Breakdowns:
INDIANA Team Report (01/05/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (02/03/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (03/24/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (04/11/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (04/25/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (05/02/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (05/05/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (05/17/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (05/30/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (06/13/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (06/27/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (06/30/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (07/13/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (07/25/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (08/08/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (08/10/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (08/22/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (08/30/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/04/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/06/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/08/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/10/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/11/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/13/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/14/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/17/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/19/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/22/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/26/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/01/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/04/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/05/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/08/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/10/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/15/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
Prospectus, Rosters & Other Info.:
2006 Roster - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Introduction (1-2) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Spring Notes (3-10) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Rosters (11-16) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Players (17-42) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Coaches (43-58) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Statistics (59-64) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Signees (65-72) - IU Hoosiers
2006 News Releases - IU HoosiersSports
2006 Media Guide Links (sections are in PDF format) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Big Ten Spring Looks - CFN
2006 Big Ten Spring Storylines - CFN
2006 Preview - CFN
2006 Preview - Offense - CFN
2006 Preview - Defense - CFN
2006 Preview - Further Analysis - CFN
2006 Preview - Depth Chart - CFN
2006 Preview - Football.com
2006 Preview - Athlon
2006 Preview - CNN/SI
2006 Preview - The Ozone
Travel: Home Game
2006 OSU Visiting Team Guide - Ohio State Buckeyes
2006 OSU Visitor?s Travel Guide - Ohio State Buckeyes
2006 OSU Visitor?s Weather Guide - Ohio State Buckeyes
Big Ten:
2006 Big Ten Spring Prospectus (PDF) - Big Ten
2006 Big Ten Composite Schedule (PDF) - Big Ten
Big Ten Preview - Yahoo / Rivals
Big Ten Preview - Yahoo / Terry Bowden
Big Ten Preview - CFN
Big Ten Preview - CFN All-Big Ten Team
Big Ten Preview - CFN Big Ten Unit Rankings
Big Ten Preview - CFN Big Ten Five Best
Big Ten Preview - CSTV
Big Ten Preview - College Football Poll
Big Ten Preview - Football.com
Big Ten Preview - The Sports Network
Big Ten Preview - Just College Football
Big Ten Preview - The Sporting News
Big Ten Preview - The Ozone
Official School Site - Indiana University
Student Newspaper - Indiana Daily Student (IDS)
Official Athletic Site - IU Hoosiers
Official Conference Site - Big Ten Conference
Message Boards & Team Pages:
Message Boards - Hoosier Nation (Insiders)
Message Boards - Inside Indiana (Rivals)
Message Boards - Name (Independent)
Message Boards - Name (Independent)
Team Page - ESPN
Team Page - USA Today
Team Page - Fox Sports
Team Page - CNN/SI
Team Page - CFN
Team Page - CBS Sportsline
Team Page - Yahoo Sports
Local News Sources:
Indianapolis Star - Local News
Herald Times - Local News
Team Previews and Breakdowns:
INDIANA Team Report (01/05/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (02/03/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (03/24/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (04/11/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (04/25/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (05/02/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (05/05/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (05/17/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (05/30/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (06/13/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (06/27/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (06/30/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (07/13/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (07/25/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (08/08/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (08/10/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (08/22/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (08/30/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/04/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/06/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/08/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/10/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/11/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/13/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/14/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/17/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/19/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/22/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (09/26/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/01/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/04/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/05/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/08/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/10/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
INDIANA Team Report (10/15/06) - CSTV (The Sports Xchange)
Prospectus, Rosters & Other Info.:
2006 Roster - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Introduction (1-2) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Spring Notes (3-10) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Rosters (11-16) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Players (17-42) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Coaches (43-58) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Statistics (59-64) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Prospectus (PDF) Signees (65-72) - IU Hoosiers
2006 News Releases - IU HoosiersSports
2006 Media Guide Links (sections are in PDF format) - IU Hoosiers
2006 Big Ten Spring Looks - CFN
2006 Big Ten Spring Storylines - CFN
2006 Preview - CFN
2006 Preview - Offense - CFN
2006 Preview - Defense - CFN
2006 Preview - Further Analysis - CFN
2006 Preview - Depth Chart - CFN
2006 Preview - Football.com
2006 Preview - Athlon
2006 Preview - CNN/SI
2006 Preview - The Ozone
Travel: Home Game
2006 OSU Visiting Team Guide - Ohio State Buckeyes
2006 OSU Visitor?s Travel Guide - Ohio State Buckeyes
2006 OSU Visitor?s Weather Guide - Ohio State Buckeyes
Big Ten:
2006 Big Ten Spring Prospectus (PDF) - Big Ten
2006 Big Ten Composite Schedule (PDF) - Big Ten
Big Ten Preview - Yahoo / Rivals
Big Ten Preview - Yahoo / Terry Bowden
Big Ten Preview - CFN
Big Ten Preview - CFN All-Big Ten Team
Big Ten Preview - CFN Big Ten Unit Rankings
Big Ten Preview - CFN Big Ten Five Best
Big Ten Preview - CSTV
Big Ten Preview - College Football Poll
Big Ten Preview - Football.com
Big Ten Preview - The Sports Network
Big Ten Preview - Just College Football
Big Ten Preview - The Sporting News
Big Ten Preview - The Ozone
Preseason Rankings
None
Preseason Watch Lists
2006 Biletnikoff Award - Watch List (Tallahassee Quarterback Club)
James Hardy
James Hardy
Preseason Conference Accolades
2006 BigTen Football Media Day
2006 BigTen Preseason Media Poll - only the top 3 were listed
1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Iowa
2006 BigTen Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Troy Smith - Ohio State
2006 BigTen Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Paul Posluszny - Penn State
2006 BigTen Preseason Media Poll - only the top 3 were listed
1. Ohio State
2. Michigan
3. Iowa
2006 BigTen Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Troy Smith - Ohio State
2006 BigTen Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Paul Posluszny - Penn State
Big Ten Conference Players of the Week
Sept. 2, 2006 (Week 1)
CO-OFFENSE: RB - Alex Daniels, Minnesota, and QB Troy Smith, Ohio State
DEFENSE: LB - Dan Connor, Penn State
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: TE/FB - Erryn Cobb, Northwestern, and LB - Jonathan Casillas, Wisconsin
Sept. 9, 2006 (Week 2)
OFFENSE: WR - Matt Trannon, Michigan State
DEFENSE: LB - James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
SPECIAL TEAMS: P - A.J. Trapasso, Ohio State
Sept. 16, 2006 (Week 3)
OFFENSE: WR - Mario Manningham, Michigan
DEFENSE: LB - Prescott Burgess, Michigan
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Aaron Pettrey, Ohio State
Sept. 23, 2006 (Week 4)
OFFENSE: WR - Mario Manningham, Michigan
DEFENSE: DE - Anthony Spencer, Purdue
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: P - Jeremy Kapinos, Penn State & P - Ken DeBauche, Wisconsin
Sept. 30, 2006 (Week 5)
OFFENSE: QB - John Stocco, Wisconsin
DEFENSE: DE - Anthony Spencer, Purdue
SPECIAL TEAMS: PK - Jason Reda, Illinois
Oct. 7, 2006 (Week 6)
OFFENSE: QB - Troy Smith, Ohio State and RB - P.J. Hill, Wisconsin
DEFENSE: LB - Mike Sherels, Minnesota
SPECIAL TEAMS: RB - Marcus Thigpen, Indiana
Oct. 14, 2006 (Week 7)
CO-OFFENSE: QB - Kellen Lewis, Indiana & QB - Curtis Painter, Purdue
DEFENSE: DE - LaMarr Woodley, Michigan
SPECIAL TEAMS: PR - Ted Ginn Jr., Ohio State
Oct. 21, 2006 (Week 8)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Oct. 28, 2006 (Week 9)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Nov. 4, 2006 (Week 10)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Nov. 11, 2006 (Week 11)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Nov. 18, 2006 (Week 12)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Nov. 25, 2006 (Week 13)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
CO-OFFENSE: RB - Alex Daniels, Minnesota, and QB Troy Smith, Ohio State
DEFENSE: LB - Dan Connor, Penn State
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: TE/FB - Erryn Cobb, Northwestern, and LB - Jonathan Casillas, Wisconsin
Sept. 9, 2006 (Week 2)
OFFENSE: WR - Matt Trannon, Michigan State
DEFENSE: LB - James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
SPECIAL TEAMS: P - A.J. Trapasso, Ohio State
Sept. 16, 2006 (Week 3)
OFFENSE: WR - Mario Manningham, Michigan
DEFENSE: LB - Prescott Burgess, Michigan
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: K - Aaron Pettrey, Ohio State
Sept. 23, 2006 (Week 4)
OFFENSE: WR - Mario Manningham, Michigan
DEFENSE: DE - Anthony Spencer, Purdue
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS: P - Jeremy Kapinos, Penn State & P - Ken DeBauche, Wisconsin
Sept. 30, 2006 (Week 5)
OFFENSE: QB - John Stocco, Wisconsin
DEFENSE: DE - Anthony Spencer, Purdue
SPECIAL TEAMS: PK - Jason Reda, Illinois
Oct. 7, 2006 (Week 6)
OFFENSE: QB - Troy Smith, Ohio State and RB - P.J. Hill, Wisconsin
DEFENSE: LB - Mike Sherels, Minnesota
SPECIAL TEAMS: RB - Marcus Thigpen, Indiana
Oct. 14, 2006 (Week 7)
CO-OFFENSE: QB - Kellen Lewis, Indiana & QB - Curtis Painter, Purdue
DEFENSE: DE - LaMarr Woodley, Michigan
SPECIAL TEAMS: PR - Ted Ginn Jr., Ohio State
Oct. 21, 2006 (Week 8)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Oct. 28, 2006 (Week 9)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Nov. 4, 2006 (Week 10)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Nov. 11, 2006 (Week 11)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Nov. 18, 2006 (Week 12)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Nov. 25, 2006 (Week 13)
OFFENSE:
DEFENSE:
SPECIAL TEAMS:
Note: Statistical data was complied using a variety of sources, including:
Stassen (Chris Stassen) - Data
College Football Data Warehouse - Data
Two Cousins College Football Emporium - Data
American College Football-RSFC (Dave Wilson) - Data
D1A Football (Formerly WALJ 10 College Football) - Data
National Champs.net - Data
Hickok Sports - Data
