Unless you’ve been so enthralled with the national debate on the federal deficit that you lost your Cream ‘n Crimson way, you know that football coach Kevin Wilson makes his Indiana debut on Sept. 3 when the Hoosiers take on Ball State at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Yes, that is the home of the Indianapolis Colts and the site of the Big Ten football championship game. It’s an incredible place to watch a football game, a basketball game or just about anything that doesn’t involve the Housewives of New Jersey.
“I think the opportunity to be there in the heart of Indiana University country is very valuable,” athletic director Fred Glass said. “It will be awesome for the kids to play there. I’m very biased, but I think it’s a fabulous stadium. To be in that environment will be an extraordinary opportunity for our student-athletes and our fans.”
Anyway, it’s important to note that this was Ball State’s home game and that school officials moved it from Muncie. We say this because last year Glass took heat for moving a home game against Penn State to Washington D.C. He did that because the department got $3 million to do it, which is WAY more than IU makes in a home game. However, it also cost Bloomington business owners such as restaraunts and hotels, which did not make them happy. And as business owners sometimes do, they expressed those feelings to the person who made them unhappy.
“It’s great that I didn’t move the game out of Bloomington,” Glass said. “It was Ball State.”
Still, Lucas Oil Stadium is an enticing place to play. Would Glass consider moving a home football game there?
“Probably not,” he said. “The Penn State to D.C. game was a great deal. I’d do it all day long, but probably once. Maybe in the far-out future, but I don’t see us moving a Bloomington game to Lucas Oil. I look forward to playing the title game there.”
That would mean winning a Leaders Division highlighted by Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State.
Yes, Wilson is determined to win now, not later. And optimism about the program is everywhere in the wake of stud recruit Gunner Kiel committed to IU. Still, few expect the Hoosiers to make the title game and vie for a Rose Bowl berth this season.
But then, this is August and all things are possible, even Republicans and Democrats agreeing to a budget compromise.
*****
Michigan is making basketball recruiting in-roads into Indiana, the latest being Hamilton Southeastern swingman Zak Irvin –- Class of 2013 -- committing to the Wolverines. Yes, this is the same Zak Irvin IU took a long look at.
Is this a reason for Hoosier fans to worry?
Not really.
The Hoosiers had cooled on Irvin after getting commitments from a bunch of similar athletic forwards. Plus, they’ve already loaded up on the in-state talent they want.
Michigan had been at the top of Irvin’s list for a while. It came down to the Wolverines and Butler.
Michigan also got a commitment from talented point guard Derrick Walton from the Class of 2013. The Hoosiers also had done some intense evaluating of Walton along with fellow point guards Jaylen Brown and Demetrius Jackson last month.
As of right now IU’s future point guard duties are set for Yogi Ferrell in the Class of 2012. If everything works out, he’s the guy coach Tom Crean is counting on to run the show. But you can never have enough true point guards and the Hoosiers could use another talented one. So we’ll see where this leads.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Wilson Determined To Win Today, Not Tomorrow
So here we are, the last day of July and all things seem possible for Indiana football -– again.
The Hoosiers have a new coach, a new approach, and a new commitment. The goal is, as it always is, to have a winning record and go to a bowl game.
For those who have followed the Hoosiers, these goals usually carry false hope. Reality ruins optimism and in recent years IU has had its share of gut-wrenching losses. It’s been competitive, but lost. No matter. It’s had just one winning record since 1994.
Kevin Wilson arrived from Oklahoma determined to change that. He's won big as an assistant coach everywhere he's been, and he didn't take the Cream 'n Crimson job to screw that record up. He uses positive reinforcement to show the Hoosiers that, yes, they have made big plays in the past and with just a little tougher approach, they can make game-winning, season-changing plays in the future, starting with this season.
So the question remains –- can Indiana turn the corner and go from a perennial loser to a consistent winner? And will Wilson need all seven of his contract years to get that done?
Athletic director Fred Glass answers with an emphatic yes to the first question and no to the second. Of course, that’s his job and role. You wouldn’t expect him to say –- “What the heck was I thinking with this coaching change,” and then add, “We have no chance.”
To be clear –- Glass DID NOT say that. What did he say during the Big Ten football media gathering?
Glad you asked.
“When we announced we were making a coaching change, sometimes you make a change and take a step back,” Glass said.
“The seven-year contract was a demonstration of having patience over time. Having said that, Kevin isn’t patient. He says the seniors aren’t interested in a four-year plan. They’re interested in winning now. Winning today. That’s what he plans to do.
“In some ways we’re turning the corner already. There will be an additional $2 million a year just to pay Kevin and his assistants. That’s the price of poker to play in this conference. That’s a corner that has been turned at Indiana.
“My predecessor, Rick Greenspan, along with (former coach) Terry Hoeppner did a fabulous job with the North End Zone project, a $55 million investment in the stadium along with other investments like a new scoreboard. So the financial corner has been turned.
“What follows now is turning the competitive corner. I don’t think it’s a seven-year deal. I think we’ll see significant improvement in the short run.”
Credit IU’s turning the financial corner to the Big Ten Network, which now prefers to be called BTN, perhaps to put it more in line with the ESPNs, CBSs, ABCs and NBCs of the TV world.
All 12 Big Ten teams share in the network’s profit, and there’s a huge pool to share from.
“You cannot overstate the benefit of the Big Ten Network,” Glass said. “It’s the best thing since canned soup for Indiana University. We take an equal share of the proceeds. The $17 million (a year) we take from the network means a lot more to my $60 million budget than it does Ohio State’s $126 million budget.
“It’s enabled us to hire (basketball coach) Tom Crean. It’s enabled us to hire Kevin Wilson. It’s enabled us to do the North End Zone facility and a lot of other facility development. It’s critically important.”
There’s only one thing more critical –- winning football games.
*****
It took just two hours for the inaugural Big Ten football title game to sell out. The league put 15,000 tickets up for sale Saturday morning and they quickly sold out.
The league will put an extra 15,000 tickets up for sale for each title game team once those teams have been established. The winners of the two new divisions – Leaders and Legends – will meet Saturday, Dec. 3, at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8:17 p.m. The game will be televised by FOX Sports.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Gunner Benefit -– IU Should Go After Other Elite Prospects
Okay, now that Gunner Kiel has committed to Indiana, let the benefits begin.
You get the nation’s No. 1 pro-style quarterback, as Hoosier coach Kevin Wilson has done with the Columbus, Ind., standout, and good things are bound to happen. You get more recruiting buzz. Guys who wouldn’t think of Indiana suddenly wonder what’s going on with the perennial football loser.
Look, Kiel can’t win games by himself. He needs help, and the better that help is, the more likely IU is to start shocking the Big Ten, and beyond.
Maybe the Hoosiers now have a shot at some other top-rated position players. So we at Hoosier Hoopla decided to see what stud players are still available. In other words, who hasn’t verbally committed to a school?
Right now, IU isn’t in the mix with these guys, but that can change fast
A good quarterback needs good receivers and it just so happens that the nation’s two top-rated receivers haven’t committed to a school yet. The nation’s No. 1 receiver in the Class of 2012 is Dorial Green-Beckham. He’s 6-6 and 220 pounds and is from Missouri. Basically the entire civilized world is recruiting him. The No. 2 receiver is Stefon Diggs from Maryland. He’s listed at 6-foot and 188 pounds and is very, very fast.
Wilson is big on tight ends and the nation’s No. 1 tight end is still available. That would be Kent Taylor from Florida. He’s 6-5 and 220 pounds.
Getting Kiel plenty of skill help won’t mean much without an offensive line that can protect him and still and still generate a strong running game. The nation’s No. 1 guard and tackle are still available. The top-rated guard is California’s Jordan Simmons. He’s listed at 6-5 and 333 pounds. The top tackle is D.J. Humphries, who is listed at 6-5 and 265 pounds. The nation’s third-ranked center is still available. He’s Matt Cochran from California and he’s a mammoth 6-4 and 340 pounds.
Sure, the odds don’t favore the Hoosiers in getting any of these guys, but why not take a shot when you’re hot? There might never be a better time to go after guys like this.
It’s kind of like asking out newly single Jennifer Lopez. The worst she can say is no, and the best is, well, we don’t have to tell you that.
*****
Wilson is an offensive coach. If you understand nothing else about him, understand that. He likes points. He likes to coach teams that score gobs of points. He understands that now more than ever the best teams win with offense rather than defense.
Wilson’s offense goes at such a fast pace than it usually runs 20 percent more plays than typical offenses. This can wear down defenses and force mistakes. That assumes, of course, that the offense is moving the ball. If the offense goes three-and-out a lot and does it fast, well, that puts a big strain on the defense.
For the record, IU rarely plays good defense, which is why it traditionally struggles to win. Wilson knows this, but he isn’t going to change his approach. So when he was asked about modifying things to protect the defense –- as in slowing his uptempo style –- he treated that suggestion as favorably as one to cut off his left foot.
“It’s all about turnovers and help defense,” Wilson said. “When is the last time IU won a 10-7 game? When was the last time Indiana won 17-14? We won five games last year, so it’s not like we totally stunk.
“My deal is you have to score points. Look at the teams that won nine to 10 games last year and how many times they scored 30 points.
“We need to protect our defense, but that’s by turnovers and special teams. You have to score.”
Wilson remembers when he was the offensive coordinator at Northwestern. The Wildcats shared the Big Ten title with a 6-2 record in 2000 thanks to a potent offense.
“We went over 50 points three times,” he said. “We had the worst defense I’ve ever been around. We were Big Ten co-champs by scoring points.
“Yes, we have to protect the defense. You do that by not turning it over and being better on special teams.”
So if the Hoosiers limit their turnovers, get a lot of punts inside the 20-yard line, kickoff well and cover the returns better, they have a chance. It sounds good, but implementing that won’t be easy.
But then, landing the nation’s No. 1 pro-style quarterback wasn’t easy, either.
You get the nation’s No. 1 pro-style quarterback, as Hoosier coach Kevin Wilson has done with the Columbus, Ind., standout, and good things are bound to happen. You get more recruiting buzz. Guys who wouldn’t think of Indiana suddenly wonder what’s going on with the perennial football loser.
Look, Kiel can’t win games by himself. He needs help, and the better that help is, the more likely IU is to start shocking the Big Ten, and beyond.
Maybe the Hoosiers now have a shot at some other top-rated position players. So we at Hoosier Hoopla decided to see what stud players are still available. In other words, who hasn’t verbally committed to a school?
Right now, IU isn’t in the mix with these guys, but that can change fast
A good quarterback needs good receivers and it just so happens that the nation’s two top-rated receivers haven’t committed to a school yet. The nation’s No. 1 receiver in the Class of 2012 is Dorial Green-Beckham. He’s 6-6 and 220 pounds and is from Missouri. Basically the entire civilized world is recruiting him. The No. 2 receiver is Stefon Diggs from Maryland. He’s listed at 6-foot and 188 pounds and is very, very fast.
Wilson is big on tight ends and the nation’s No. 1 tight end is still available. That would be Kent Taylor from Florida. He’s 6-5 and 220 pounds.
Getting Kiel plenty of skill help won’t mean much without an offensive line that can protect him and still and still generate a strong running game. The nation’s No. 1 guard and tackle are still available. The top-rated guard is California’s Jordan Simmons. He’s listed at 6-5 and 333 pounds. The top tackle is D.J. Humphries, who is listed at 6-5 and 265 pounds. The nation’s third-ranked center is still available. He’s Matt Cochran from California and he’s a mammoth 6-4 and 340 pounds.
Sure, the odds don’t favore the Hoosiers in getting any of these guys, but why not take a shot when you’re hot? There might never be a better time to go after guys like this.
It’s kind of like asking out newly single Jennifer Lopez. The worst she can say is no, and the best is, well, we don’t have to tell you that.
*****
Wilson is an offensive coach. If you understand nothing else about him, understand that. He likes points. He likes to coach teams that score gobs of points. He understands that now more than ever the best teams win with offense rather than defense.
Wilson’s offense goes at such a fast pace than it usually runs 20 percent more plays than typical offenses. This can wear down defenses and force mistakes. That assumes, of course, that the offense is moving the ball. If the offense goes three-and-out a lot and does it fast, well, that puts a big strain on the defense.
For the record, IU rarely plays good defense, which is why it traditionally struggles to win. Wilson knows this, but he isn’t going to change his approach. So when he was asked about modifying things to protect the defense –- as in slowing his uptempo style –- he treated that suggestion as favorably as one to cut off his left foot.
“It’s all about turnovers and help defense,” Wilson said. “When is the last time IU won a 10-7 game? When was the last time Indiana won 17-14? We won five games last year, so it’s not like we totally stunk.
“My deal is you have to score points. Look at the teams that won nine to 10 games last year and how many times they scored 30 points.
“We need to protect our defense, but that’s by turnovers and special teams. You have to score.”
Wilson remembers when he was the offensive coordinator at Northwestern. The Wildcats shared the Big Ten title with a 6-2 record in 2000 thanks to a potent offense.
“We went over 50 points three times,” he said. “We had the worst defense I’ve ever been around. We were Big Ten co-champs by scoring points.
“Yes, we have to protect the defense. You do that by not turning it over and being better on special teams.”
So if the Hoosiers limit their turnovers, get a lot of punts inside the 20-yard line, kickoff well and cover the returns better, they have a chance. It sounds good, but implementing that won’t be easy.
But then, landing the nation’s No. 1 pro-style quarterback wasn’t easy, either.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Now That Gunner Has Committed, What’s Next For Hoosiers?
Yes, we know that Gunner Kiel has committed to play football at Indiana. Because he’s the No. 1 rated pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2012, because this is perennially struggling IU, because recruiting is such a cutthroat business, bet the house that other schools won’t concede anything. They will continue their efforts until Kiel makes it official by signing next February.
Let’s face it, when the Hoosiers beat out the likes of Alabama, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Southern California, Missouri and the rest of the free passing world, somebody ain’t gonna like it. Somebody will test the firmness of Kiel’s commitment.
Coach Kevin Wilson and the rest of his staff know this, of course. Players changing their minds is common in college football, far more common than any other sport, which is among the reasons why some coaches push for an earlier football signing period.
Kiel seems solid in his commitment. He wants to play for Wilson, an offensive guru and offensive coordinator Rod Smith, who also is an offensive guru. He wants to play with older brother Dusty, who will battle for the starting quarterback position at IU this season. He’s from nearby Columbus, so family and friends can easily drive over and watch all his home games.
Kiel seems likely to graduate in December from Columbus East High School and enroll at IU for the start of January’s second semester. It’s the same early rout Jimmy Clausen took at Notre Dame, when he ended up starting as a true freshman.
Wilson couldn’t talk about any of this. NCAA rules prohibit him from saying anything about any recruit until they officially sign. Still, Wilson knows he has recruiting momentum, much like Tom Crean has in basketball. He knows landing an elite recruit like Kiel could entice other stud players to come to IU.
Nothing is guaranteed, and Wilson knows it. Recruits can go bust faster than you can say Bo Barzilauskas. And when you talk momentum, Wilson said it came before Kiel’s commitment or the 14 other guys (including seven from the state of Indiana) who have pledged to become Hoosiers. It started when athletic director Fred Glass hired Wilson, in part because he had the financial resources to give the Hoosiers a chance to compete with the big boys.
“Our administration gave me a chance, first with me and then the staff and then the strength staff,” Wilson said. “There’s a lot of positive momentum through the whole deal.
“I think that (recruiting momentum) is maybe what it looks like on paper right now, but where it’s really helped is how our players have worked.”
The bigger picture and the true end game is not the commitments Wilson gets or the players he signs, but the games he wins. If victories don’t come, recruiting momentum can shrivel fast.
“What’s going to happen in a couple of weeks is the scoreboard is coming on and that momentum needs to keep going as we keep score,” Wilson said. “The last time we played Ball State, it wasn’t on the right side of the scoreboard. Lot of our guys were on that team. The last time we played Virginia, it wasn’t on the right side of the scoreboard. A lot of these guys were in that game.
“We’ve got a lot of kids who have been playing a few years. We’ve got a challenging schedule, but an exciting schedule. I love the way it sets up. To keep the momentum going, it’s going to come down to executing and getting some Ws.”
*****
IU tried to boost its battered tailback position with the late signing of junior college running back Stephen Houston. The 6-foot, 220-pounder rushed for 1,082 yards and five touchdowns at Independence (Kansas) Community College last season. He averaged 6.6 yards a carry.
“He was being reasonably recruited strong,” Wilson said. “He had a situation that fell through for him. He needed to complete a course to graduate, which he did. Is he in shape or what’s he like? I’m not sure.”
Last year’s starting tailback, Darius Willis, missed much of last season with a knee injury and has been injury prone throughout his college career.
“One of the reasons we recruited him was because of my concern for not knowing what I had at running back because so many guys were injured or out in the spring. I know it needs to be a heck of a lot better than what it was in the spring. So throw one more body in the mix.”
Wilson said he’s confident Houston will do the job academically.
“We have a great support system. We’re developing our players whether it’s nutrition or academics. We’ll have the structure for him. His communication skills are good. He should be a good student. If he’s not, he’s not going to play.”
Let’s face it, when the Hoosiers beat out the likes of Alabama, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Southern California, Missouri and the rest of the free passing world, somebody ain’t gonna like it. Somebody will test the firmness of Kiel’s commitment.
Coach Kevin Wilson and the rest of his staff know this, of course. Players changing their minds is common in college football, far more common than any other sport, which is among the reasons why some coaches push for an earlier football signing period.
Kiel seems solid in his commitment. He wants to play for Wilson, an offensive guru and offensive coordinator Rod Smith, who also is an offensive guru. He wants to play with older brother Dusty, who will battle for the starting quarterback position at IU this season. He’s from nearby Columbus, so family and friends can easily drive over and watch all his home games.
Kiel seems likely to graduate in December from Columbus East High School and enroll at IU for the start of January’s second semester. It’s the same early rout Jimmy Clausen took at Notre Dame, when he ended up starting as a true freshman.
Wilson couldn’t talk about any of this. NCAA rules prohibit him from saying anything about any recruit until they officially sign. Still, Wilson knows he has recruiting momentum, much like Tom Crean has in basketball. He knows landing an elite recruit like Kiel could entice other stud players to come to IU.
Nothing is guaranteed, and Wilson knows it. Recruits can go bust faster than you can say Bo Barzilauskas. And when you talk momentum, Wilson said it came before Kiel’s commitment or the 14 other guys (including seven from the state of Indiana) who have pledged to become Hoosiers. It started when athletic director Fred Glass hired Wilson, in part because he had the financial resources to give the Hoosiers a chance to compete with the big boys.
“Our administration gave me a chance, first with me and then the staff and then the strength staff,” Wilson said. “There’s a lot of positive momentum through the whole deal.
“I think that (recruiting momentum) is maybe what it looks like on paper right now, but where it’s really helped is how our players have worked.”
The bigger picture and the true end game is not the commitments Wilson gets or the players he signs, but the games he wins. If victories don’t come, recruiting momentum can shrivel fast.
“What’s going to happen in a couple of weeks is the scoreboard is coming on and that momentum needs to keep going as we keep score,” Wilson said. “The last time we played Ball State, it wasn’t on the right side of the scoreboard. Lot of our guys were on that team. The last time we played Virginia, it wasn’t on the right side of the scoreboard. A lot of these guys were in that game.
“We’ve got a lot of kids who have been playing a few years. We’ve got a challenging schedule, but an exciting schedule. I love the way it sets up. To keep the momentum going, it’s going to come down to executing and getting some Ws.”
*****
IU tried to boost its battered tailback position with the late signing of junior college running back Stephen Houston. The 6-foot, 220-pounder rushed for 1,082 yards and five touchdowns at Independence (Kansas) Community College last season. He averaged 6.6 yards a carry.
“He was being reasonably recruited strong,” Wilson said. “He had a situation that fell through for him. He needed to complete a course to graduate, which he did. Is he in shape or what’s he like? I’m not sure.”
Last year’s starting tailback, Darius Willis, missed much of last season with a knee injury and has been injury prone throughout his college career.
“One of the reasons we recruited him was because of my concern for not knowing what I had at running back because so many guys were injured or out in the spring. I know it needs to be a heck of a lot better than what it was in the spring. So throw one more body in the mix.”
Wilson said he’s confident Houston will do the job academically.
“We have a great support system. We’re developing our players whether it’s nutrition or academics. We’ll have the structure for him. His communication skills are good. He should be a good student. If he’s not, he’s not going to play.”
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
IU Extends Legette-Jack Contract; Chappell heads to D.C.
Felisha Legette-Jack just got a little richer and a whole lot more job security. The Indiana women’s basketball coach got a two-year contract extension, which means she’s set to be around through the 2014-15 season.
According to an IU release, she’ll get an extra $5,000 a year in base salary and an extra $5,000 in marketing income each season. That means the deal will be worth an extra $20,000.
Okay, this is not in John Calipari’s mega-million-dollar category, but it’s significant as Legette-Jack continues her quest to turn the Hoosiers into a consistent Big Ten force.
You come off a 9-20 season, as Legette-Jack did, and any kind of extension has to help peace of mind as well as recruiting. In fact, IU is 23-36 in the last two years and has had a bit of a problem keeping assistant coaches.
No matter. Those struggles didn’t deter athletic director Fred Glass, who has always been a big-picture guy. Legette-Jack is 81-76 in five seasons with the Hoosiers. She’s an energetic force of nature focused on building up what has been a perennially struggling program.
“I have a high degree of confidence in her ability to succeed here,” Glass said in a university release, “and I believe that this will be the first of many (contract) extensions we sign together.”
Legette-Jack won 72 games in his first four seasons at IU, and won at least 18 games in each of her first three seasons. The Hoosiers tied a school record with 21 victories in 2009. Their 2010 upset of then-No. 4 Ohio State was their second-biggest in program history.
IU also ended No. 19 Nebraska’s 37-game regular season winning streak with an upset victory during the 2010 Big Ten/Big 12 Women’s Basketball Challenge.
That’s the good news and, for now, Glass’s focus is on that rather than recent glitches. Legette-Jack is determined to make that pay off.
“I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to be the head women’s basketball coach at Indiana University and I’m excited to be able to continue that journey,” Legette-Jack said in the release. “I can’t wait to keep building this program with student-athletes who represent Indiana with great character, we are excellent academically and bring excitement to the basketball court to create a winning tradition.”
*****
Ben Chappell is going to the Washington Redskins. You remember Chappell, the most accurate quarterback in IU history and the guy who led the Big Ten in passing last season. He’s been cooling his heals along with every other free agent waiting for NFL owners and players to agree and end the lockout that left everybody in limbo.
Well, limbo is over, the agreement is here and Chappell will get a training camp shot with the Washington Redskins. Washington still has Donovan McNabb, but nobody expects that matchup to last much longer. The Redskins also have Rex Grossman, the former Bloomington high school standout who thrived at Florida and then thrilled and chilled Chicago Bears fans, plus John Beck. Washington figures to dump McNabb (reports have the Minnesota Vikings interested in him) and pick up another quarterback, so Chappell has a tough challenge ahead of him.
Tough, but not mission impossible. It’s not like Grossman and Beck can be confused with Manning and Brady. Chappell is healthy, big, strong and smart. He’s also very accurate, which can’t be overstated. He has a chance. That’s all anyone can ask for.
According to an IU release, she’ll get an extra $5,000 a year in base salary and an extra $5,000 in marketing income each season. That means the deal will be worth an extra $20,000.
Okay, this is not in John Calipari’s mega-million-dollar category, but it’s significant as Legette-Jack continues her quest to turn the Hoosiers into a consistent Big Ten force.
You come off a 9-20 season, as Legette-Jack did, and any kind of extension has to help peace of mind as well as recruiting. In fact, IU is 23-36 in the last two years and has had a bit of a problem keeping assistant coaches.
No matter. Those struggles didn’t deter athletic director Fred Glass, who has always been a big-picture guy. Legette-Jack is 81-76 in five seasons with the Hoosiers. She’s an energetic force of nature focused on building up what has been a perennially struggling program.
“I have a high degree of confidence in her ability to succeed here,” Glass said in a university release, “and I believe that this will be the first of many (contract) extensions we sign together.”
Legette-Jack won 72 games in his first four seasons at IU, and won at least 18 games in each of her first three seasons. The Hoosiers tied a school record with 21 victories in 2009. Their 2010 upset of then-No. 4 Ohio State was their second-biggest in program history.
IU also ended No. 19 Nebraska’s 37-game regular season winning streak with an upset victory during the 2010 Big Ten/Big 12 Women’s Basketball Challenge.
That’s the good news and, for now, Glass’s focus is on that rather than recent glitches. Legette-Jack is determined to make that pay off.
“I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to be the head women’s basketball coach at Indiana University and I’m excited to be able to continue that journey,” Legette-Jack said in the release. “I can’t wait to keep building this program with student-athletes who represent Indiana with great character, we are excellent academically and bring excitement to the basketball court to create a winning tradition.”
*****
Ben Chappell is going to the Washington Redskins. You remember Chappell, the most accurate quarterback in IU history and the guy who led the Big Ten in passing last season. He’s been cooling his heals along with every other free agent waiting for NFL owners and players to agree and end the lockout that left everybody in limbo.
Well, limbo is over, the agreement is here and Chappell will get a training camp shot with the Washington Redskins. Washington still has Donovan McNabb, but nobody expects that matchup to last much longer. The Redskins also have Rex Grossman, the former Bloomington high school standout who thrived at Florida and then thrilled and chilled Chicago Bears fans, plus John Beck. Washington figures to dump McNabb (reports have the Minnesota Vikings interested in him) and pick up another quarterback, so Chappell has a tough challenge ahead of him.
Tough, but not mission impossible. It’s not like Grossman and Beck can be confused with Manning and Brady. Chappell is healthy, big, strong and smart. He’s also very accurate, which can’t be overstated. He has a chance. That’s all anyone can ask for.
Monday, July 25, 2011
IU Doesn't Get Much Big Ten Expert Love; Turner To Eagles; Beckum Honored; Bigfoot Found
You know football season is almost here when the Big Ten hosts its annual media kickoff event in Chicago. That runs this Thursday and Friday and, in advance of that, the conference usually comes up with its preseason favorites and players of the year.
For some reason, that’s not happening this year. So a few of the most brilliant football Big Ten media minds (yes, that includes Hoosier Hoopla), spurred by the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Doug Lesmerises, got together to assemble the absolutely accurate, totally most definitive preseason picks.
So what did we come up with? Nebraska was the preseason favorite and picked to win the first Big Ten title game. The Cornhuskers got 12 of the 24 votes. Wisconsin was next with 11. Michigan State got one.
The offensive player of the year went to Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson. He doubled the voting point total of runner up Dan Persa, the Northwestern quarterback.
The defensive player of the year went to Nebraska defensive lineman Jared Crick. He beat out Husker linebacker teammate Lavonte David.
Finally, there was a best coach category. The winner was Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema. Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz was second. Nebraska’s Bo Pelini was third.
This is interesting because Penn State’s Joe Paterno is the winningest major-college coach in history, yet he rated just seventh in the poll with just one vote. Paterno is well past his 80th birthday and shows no inclination of retiring, but the common perception is that he’s past his coaching prime.
As for Indiana football, the media picked the Hoosiers to finish last in the Leaders Division, with Wisconsin chosen to win it and Ohio State to finish second. Nebraska is picked to win the Legends Division.
*****
In case you’re wondering why Hoosier Hoopla blogs have slowed down lately, it’s because we were on vacation in Colorado hiking, biking and, yes, searching for Bigfoot.
We climbed 14,003-foot Huron Peak, as spectacular a hike as there is in the U.S.; took bike rides to Vail Pass and Golden (where Coors beer is made); journeyed into Rocky Mountain backcountry that has become mountain lion territory (important safety tip -– if a mountain lion attacks you, don’t play dead, fight with everything you’ve got and never, ever, quit) and found Bigfoot just outside of Leadville, Colorado.
Yes, not everybody believes in Bigfoot, which is why we got an absolutely true and undoctored photo of the legendary beast. We will post it soon.
Oh, as a reader has asked, we do have a message to Hoosier Deepthroat about football recruiting. We hope to hear back soon.
*****
Okay, here’s the deal if you’re Ohio State. You can have five ineligible players, guys who EVERYBODY knows are ineligible because of tattoos-for-cash-and-memorabillia violations, and get to play them in a bowl game. Then, after you’ve won that bowl game, in big part because of those ineligible guys, you get to have a big celebration.
Then, months later, when it’s determined your coach broke NCAA rules and lied to the NCAA and basically everybody except quarterback Terrell Pryor’s Pennsylvania mentor, you don’t suffer any real consequences.
Sure, your coach resigns, but that was a no-brainer. Yes, you forfeit all your games from last year, but does that really matter. You might as well have forfeited all the games from the 1910 season. It’s history, over with, done. The NCAA has basically said there won’t be any postseason bans or scholarship reductions or other sanctions.
From here on out, there likely won't be any consequences.
So while, say, USC football takes a hit for its Reggie Bush transgressions; while IU basketball is only now recovering from Kelvin Sampson’s phone calling excesses, the Buckeyes are set to roll on, sanction free.
It doesn’t seem fair, but when you have the kind of national clout Ohio State has, fairness isn’t part of the equation.
*****
IU linebacker Leon Beckum is up for a major good-guy award. It’s the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and it’s for the nation’s top 11 players whose willingness to volunteer and participate in community service make them really special student-athletes.
Beckum is the fourth straight Hoosier nominated, joining Ben Chappell (2010), Jammie Kirlew (2009) and Austin Starr (2008). Chappell and Kirlew wound up making the team.
Beckum puts the “student” in the student-athlete designation. He has a 3.288 grade point average as a fitness specialist major and has earned three academic All-Big Ten awards. Figure he’ll make it four by the end of the year.
He’s developed into a solild Big Ten player. Last season he had 69 tackles, three sacks and nine tackles for loss, which led the team. He’s played all three linebacker positions in his career.
*****
Former IU receiver Terrance Turner will get his NFL shot after signing as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles. Turner was in limbo until the 136-lockout between owners and players ended on Monday. Turner quickly signed with the Eagles. He’ll get training camp to prove he belongs on the roster.
For some reason, that’s not happening this year. So a few of the most brilliant football Big Ten media minds (yes, that includes Hoosier Hoopla), spurred by the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Doug Lesmerises, got together to assemble the absolutely accurate, totally most definitive preseason picks.
So what did we come up with? Nebraska was the preseason favorite and picked to win the first Big Ten title game. The Cornhuskers got 12 of the 24 votes. Wisconsin was next with 11. Michigan State got one.
The offensive player of the year went to Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson. He doubled the voting point total of runner up Dan Persa, the Northwestern quarterback.
The defensive player of the year went to Nebraska defensive lineman Jared Crick. He beat out Husker linebacker teammate Lavonte David.
Finally, there was a best coach category. The winner was Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema. Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz was second. Nebraska’s Bo Pelini was third.
This is interesting because Penn State’s Joe Paterno is the winningest major-college coach in history, yet he rated just seventh in the poll with just one vote. Paterno is well past his 80th birthday and shows no inclination of retiring, but the common perception is that he’s past his coaching prime.
As for Indiana football, the media picked the Hoosiers to finish last in the Leaders Division, with Wisconsin chosen to win it and Ohio State to finish second. Nebraska is picked to win the Legends Division.
*****
In case you’re wondering why Hoosier Hoopla blogs have slowed down lately, it’s because we were on vacation in Colorado hiking, biking and, yes, searching for Bigfoot.
We climbed 14,003-foot Huron Peak, as spectacular a hike as there is in the U.S.; took bike rides to Vail Pass and Golden (where Coors beer is made); journeyed into Rocky Mountain backcountry that has become mountain lion territory (important safety tip -– if a mountain lion attacks you, don’t play dead, fight with everything you’ve got and never, ever, quit) and found Bigfoot just outside of Leadville, Colorado.
Yes, not everybody believes in Bigfoot, which is why we got an absolutely true and undoctored photo of the legendary beast. We will post it soon.
Oh, as a reader has asked, we do have a message to Hoosier Deepthroat about football recruiting. We hope to hear back soon.
*****
Okay, here’s the deal if you’re Ohio State. You can have five ineligible players, guys who EVERYBODY knows are ineligible because of tattoos-for-cash-and-memorabillia violations, and get to play them in a bowl game. Then, after you’ve won that bowl game, in big part because of those ineligible guys, you get to have a big celebration.
Then, months later, when it’s determined your coach broke NCAA rules and lied to the NCAA and basically everybody except quarterback Terrell Pryor’s Pennsylvania mentor, you don’t suffer any real consequences.
Sure, your coach resigns, but that was a no-brainer. Yes, you forfeit all your games from last year, but does that really matter. You might as well have forfeited all the games from the 1910 season. It’s history, over with, done. The NCAA has basically said there won’t be any postseason bans or scholarship reductions or other sanctions.
From here on out, there likely won't be any consequences.
So while, say, USC football takes a hit for its Reggie Bush transgressions; while IU basketball is only now recovering from Kelvin Sampson’s phone calling excesses, the Buckeyes are set to roll on, sanction free.
It doesn’t seem fair, but when you have the kind of national clout Ohio State has, fairness isn’t part of the equation.
*****
IU linebacker Leon Beckum is up for a major good-guy award. It’s the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and it’s for the nation’s top 11 players whose willingness to volunteer and participate in community service make them really special student-athletes.
Beckum is the fourth straight Hoosier nominated, joining Ben Chappell (2010), Jammie Kirlew (2009) and Austin Starr (2008). Chappell and Kirlew wound up making the team.
Beckum puts the “student” in the student-athlete designation. He has a 3.288 grade point average as a fitness specialist major and has earned three academic All-Big Ten awards. Figure he’ll make it four by the end of the year.
He’s developed into a solild Big Ten player. Last season he had 69 tackles, three sacks and nine tackles for loss, which led the team. He’s played all three linebacker positions in his career.
*****
Former IU receiver Terrance Turner will get his NFL shot after signing as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles. Turner was in limbo until the 136-lockout between owners and players ended on Monday. Turner quickly signed with the Eagles. He’ll get training camp to prove he belongs on the roster.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Kiel-To-IU Drama Continues; Is LSU Forward a Hoosier Answer?
Do you realize what it would mean if Columbus superstar prep quarterback Gunner Kiel picks Indiana to play his college football?
It would be huge for the program, short term and long term. It would show coach Kevin Wilson has the recruiting clout to land what may be the nation’s No. 1 quarterback prospect and could generate the kind of recruiting momentum basketball coach Tom Crean has now.
Oh, yes. It might mean some SERIOUS winning down the road.
Granted, IU would still need an offensive line to protect Kiel and skill players to maximize his potential, but you have to start somewhere.
Consider, for instance, the impact Anthony Thompson had on the Hoosiers back in the 1980s.
But all this remains speculation. Kiel’s decision has all the drama of the opening of the Indiana Jones movie, and rumors are everywhere. He’s going to be a Hoosier. No. He’s heading to Alabama. Wait. He’ll call Oklahoma his home. Or is it Tennessee or Missouri?
He was supposed to decide last month, or was it last week?
Hey, making a decision that will affect the rest of your life is tough, especially when you have so many prospects.
For now, Kiel is in Malibu, California, which is a GORGEOUS place to be. He is participating in the Elite 11 quarterback competition at Pepperdine University. Twenty-three of the nation’s other top high school quarterbacks are there, and most of them already have committed.
Kiel has not and the suspense could kill a Hoosier fan craving for football success.
Kiel has NFL quarterback size right now at 6-4 and 215 pounds. He makes all the throws and does so accurately. That is huge. Accuracy is among the many reasons why Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are so good. When they throw, the ball never hits the ground.
Rivals.com listed Kiel as having the third-best first day at the Elite 11 camp, behind Alabama's Jameis Winston and Idaho's Tanner Mangum.
IU has a possible edge by having Dusty Kiel, Gunner’s brother, on track to be the Hoosier starting quarterback this season. Nothing is etched in stone. Wilson will make the older Kiel earn the position, and that won’t be determined until next month in training camp. Still, Gunner will attend a lot of Hoosier games, which will give Wilson plenty of chances to make a big impression.
If Gunner waits that long. Signing day isn’t until February, so there really isn’t any rush except in the minds of those dying to know. Coaches will wait on Gunner’s decision, however long that takes. He’s indicated that will come before school.
Quarterbacking is a family tradition given that another older brother, Drew, is at Illinois State. What they’ve gone through, both in the recruiting process and what’s expected at the college level, has helped prepare Gunner.
He has all the makings of an elite quarterback. Can he turn down the big-time draw of an Alabama or Oklahoma or, to a lesser extent, a Missouri to become a Hoosier?
IU still has a chance. For now, that has to be enough.
*****
Could IU use a 6-11, 230-pound inside basketball force?
Are you nuts? Of course the Hoosiers could use somebody like that given their inside vulnerability in recent years.
Is Garrett Green that guy?
Who knows?
Green played three years at LSU and is poised to graduate this summer. NCAA allows graduated players to enroll in graduate school at another college and play right away if they have one remaining year of eligibility. Green does (he redshirted one year because of back problems). He wants to start a Master’s sports management program. Guess what? IU has one.
However, Green only averaged 6.3 points and 5.1 minutes last season. He only started 17 games in three years. He is not the second coming of Shaq. Still, he once scored 18 points against Auburn and grabbed 13 rebounds against Wichita State. Those aren’t insignificant numbers. A stiff wouldn’t do that.
Green is set to visit Indiana this week. He’ll likely make other visits as well.
This would be a one-and-done deal, which would work for Indiana considering the next season is when all the Class of 2012 prospects arrive. For this season Green would boost an inside game featuring freshman Cody Zeller and senior Tom Pritchard. If nothing else, he’ll provide depth. And if he can defend and rebound and score off others’ misses, well, it would really, really help.
*****
IU has a new head football coach and now new uniforms and helmets. Will that make an impact in the record?
We’ll have to see.
The Hoosiers are returning to a more traditional look. Gone are the stripes on the helmets and jersey sleeves. Forget about the red face masks. Now they’ll be classic white. The new jerseys will be traditional red and white. They’ll have adidas’ TECFIT compression technology.
What does TECFIT mean? Adidas says they jerseys will be 30 percent lighter, although it’s uncertain if it will make IU players 30 percent faster. The compression fit means it’s nice and snug, so there’s nothing for opponents to grab.
Athletic director Fred Glass is happy with the new uniforms, which shouldn’t come as a surprise given he gave the green light.
“I think fans are really going to like our return to a more traditional design and color scheme,” he said in a university release.
The fact adidas is providing all this isn’t a coincidence. IU has an all-sports agreement with the company. Adidas provides uniforms, shoes and equipment for every Hoosier sport, plus licensing gear and clothing. This is the fourth year of an eight-year deal.
IU will debut the new look with its Sept. 3 season opener against Ball State at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.
“The uniforms are really sharp,” Wilson said in a university release. “Our guys will be excited and the fans will love them. We wanted a look that builds on tradition yet has a cutting edge style that our players with wear with IU pride.”
It would be huge for the program, short term and long term. It would show coach Kevin Wilson has the recruiting clout to land what may be the nation’s No. 1 quarterback prospect and could generate the kind of recruiting momentum basketball coach Tom Crean has now.
Oh, yes. It might mean some SERIOUS winning down the road.
Granted, IU would still need an offensive line to protect Kiel and skill players to maximize his potential, but you have to start somewhere.
Consider, for instance, the impact Anthony Thompson had on the Hoosiers back in the 1980s.
But all this remains speculation. Kiel’s decision has all the drama of the opening of the Indiana Jones movie, and rumors are everywhere. He’s going to be a Hoosier. No. He’s heading to Alabama. Wait. He’ll call Oklahoma his home. Or is it Tennessee or Missouri?
He was supposed to decide last month, or was it last week?
Hey, making a decision that will affect the rest of your life is tough, especially when you have so many prospects.
For now, Kiel is in Malibu, California, which is a GORGEOUS place to be. He is participating in the Elite 11 quarterback competition at Pepperdine University. Twenty-three of the nation’s other top high school quarterbacks are there, and most of them already have committed.
Kiel has not and the suspense could kill a Hoosier fan craving for football success.
Kiel has NFL quarterback size right now at 6-4 and 215 pounds. He makes all the throws and does so accurately. That is huge. Accuracy is among the many reasons why Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are so good. When they throw, the ball never hits the ground.
Rivals.com listed Kiel as having the third-best first day at the Elite 11 camp, behind Alabama's Jameis Winston and Idaho's Tanner Mangum.
IU has a possible edge by having Dusty Kiel, Gunner’s brother, on track to be the Hoosier starting quarterback this season. Nothing is etched in stone. Wilson will make the older Kiel earn the position, and that won’t be determined until next month in training camp. Still, Gunner will attend a lot of Hoosier games, which will give Wilson plenty of chances to make a big impression.
If Gunner waits that long. Signing day isn’t until February, so there really isn’t any rush except in the minds of those dying to know. Coaches will wait on Gunner’s decision, however long that takes. He’s indicated that will come before school.
Quarterbacking is a family tradition given that another older brother, Drew, is at Illinois State. What they’ve gone through, both in the recruiting process and what’s expected at the college level, has helped prepare Gunner.
He has all the makings of an elite quarterback. Can he turn down the big-time draw of an Alabama or Oklahoma or, to a lesser extent, a Missouri to become a Hoosier?
IU still has a chance. For now, that has to be enough.
*****
Could IU use a 6-11, 230-pound inside basketball force?
Are you nuts? Of course the Hoosiers could use somebody like that given their inside vulnerability in recent years.
Is Garrett Green that guy?
Who knows?
Green played three years at LSU and is poised to graduate this summer. NCAA allows graduated players to enroll in graduate school at another college and play right away if they have one remaining year of eligibility. Green does (he redshirted one year because of back problems). He wants to start a Master’s sports management program. Guess what? IU has one.
However, Green only averaged 6.3 points and 5.1 minutes last season. He only started 17 games in three years. He is not the second coming of Shaq. Still, he once scored 18 points against Auburn and grabbed 13 rebounds against Wichita State. Those aren’t insignificant numbers. A stiff wouldn’t do that.
Green is set to visit Indiana this week. He’ll likely make other visits as well.
This would be a one-and-done deal, which would work for Indiana considering the next season is when all the Class of 2012 prospects arrive. For this season Green would boost an inside game featuring freshman Cody Zeller and senior Tom Pritchard. If nothing else, he’ll provide depth. And if he can defend and rebound and score off others’ misses, well, it would really, really help.
*****
IU has a new head football coach and now new uniforms and helmets. Will that make an impact in the record?
We’ll have to see.
The Hoosiers are returning to a more traditional look. Gone are the stripes on the helmets and jersey sleeves. Forget about the red face masks. Now they’ll be classic white. The new jerseys will be traditional red and white. They’ll have adidas’ TECFIT compression technology.
What does TECFIT mean? Adidas says they jerseys will be 30 percent lighter, although it’s uncertain if it will make IU players 30 percent faster. The compression fit means it’s nice and snug, so there’s nothing for opponents to grab.
Athletic director Fred Glass is happy with the new uniforms, which shouldn’t come as a surprise given he gave the green light.
“I think fans are really going to like our return to a more traditional design and color scheme,” he said in a university release.
The fact adidas is providing all this isn’t a coincidence. IU has an all-sports agreement with the company. Adidas provides uniforms, shoes and equipment for every Hoosier sport, plus licensing gear and clothing. This is the fourth year of an eight-year deal.
IU will debut the new look with its Sept. 3 season opener against Ball State at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.
“The uniforms are really sharp,” Wilson said in a university release. “Our guys will be excited and the fans will love them. We wanted a look that builds on tradition yet has a cutting edge style that our players with wear with IU pride.”
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