Beside the Point

Tom Crean and his coaching staff have amassed a lot of talent at the guard position in their short time in Bloomington. Crean loves to play three guards at a time and use a deep rotation. We don't know how the freshmen will adjust to college play and we don't know how much everyone improved in the offseason. However, I will speculate and preview the guard play we can expect this season.

A Change of Style
IU was last in the conference in both offense and defense this past season. Obviously, there is a need for a lot of improvements in a lot of areas. Tom Crean wants his teams to play an uptempo style. His teams at Marquette routinely played three, even four, guards at a time. They pressured the ball and ran the floor. Crean is attempting to implement this style at Indiana but it might take a little bit more than one season to put things into place. No one else in the Big Ten plays this type of basketball and I think it could be very effective against the grinders we currently see every game. Playing a different style can give you a leg up if you do it well. IU's guards are going to have to be aggressive on defense and force turnovers that will lead to fast break points. They are going to need to run off of missed baskets. This is never going to be a "40 Minutes of Hell" type of program. Crean will use a full court press but it won't be all game long. He prefers his guards to pick up their man at half court and pressure them from that point.

The Starters
Tom Crean has not announced a starting lineup and he probably won't until the first game. I already posted that Jeremiah Rivers will be the starting point guard. I think Devan Dumes and Verdell Jones will be starting at the other two guard positions. However, Maurice Creek will have replaced Dumes by the start of conference play. Creek is more talented than Dumes and once he gets adjusted to the college game he could move into the starting lineup. Devan Dumes was the Hoosiers best player for the first half of last season. He was a decent shooter who attacked the basket. However, he appeared to lose his head during the later stages of the season and his game suffered. Dumes ended up averaging 12.7 points per game to lead the Hoosiers. He was spectacular during a five-game stretch that included IU's only conference win (19 points a game). He needs to lessen his dribbling and stop trying to force things. Having additional offensive weapons is going to help. I like the option of bringing Dumes off the bench for some instant offense but we'll see what Crean has in mind. While Dumes was the best player in the first part of the season, Verdell Jones was the best in the second half. VJIII took over the point guard spot, an unnatural position for him, and struggled with turnovers. However, he showed an offensive spark that has everyone excited about his future. Jones is 6'5" and he has very long arms. He was really skinny last season but still managed to finish around the rim when hit with contact. Tom Crean has been talking about the progress of Jones in the weight room. Apparently, VJIII has added about 20 pounds. I love the versatility he brings and he will have an impact on this team.

Options and Competition
One of the things that often gets overlooked is how much competition in practice can help a team. Last year, IU's starters didn't really have anyone pushing them for playing time. That is going to change this season. Maurice Creek, Matt Roth and Christian Watford are all going to push for playing time. That doesn't count the option of Rivers and Jordan Hulls playing at the same time. Watford is more of a small forward but in a three-guard lineup, he could play the third guard. Maurice Creek is a 6'5" scorer from Hargrave Military Academy. Creek is probably the most gifted offensive player on this team right now. However, we don't know anything about his defense yet. Creek has a deadly jump shot with a quick release. He is also athletic enough to get to the rim and finish. As I said, he will be starting by January. Matt Roth is a big question mark. He was phenomenal against Ohio State but seemed to struggle to get in rhythm almost every night. His problem last season was a one-dimension game. The defense knew he was either going to shoot a three or pass the ball. He has gotten stronger and worked to add a driving aspect to his repertoire. If he is successful, his shot will get him playing time. If he struggles, playing time won't be there and with the talent level around him increasing, Roth might be forced into to transfer to get on the floor.

Congratulations to my second favorite team, the Butler Bulldogs. Butler was ranked tenth in the preseason coaches poll. It doesn't really mean anything but it is a big sign of respect from the coaches. The Bulldogs return everyone from a team that spent most of last season in the top 15. The Dawgs tip off the season November 14 against Davidson. My preview will continue with the big men. Of course, I will recap the weekend in college football as well. Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.

Preview-Contenders and Pretenders

Last weekend's college football action proved one thing to me. I had been thinking it for a couple of weeks but last weekend was the tipping point. There are about ten national title contenders left and all of them are flawed. There are no dominant teams, no great teams, probably no really good teams. Florida struggled to get past Mississippi State, Alabama nearly gave away an unbeaten season against Tennessee, USC gave up 36 points at home to Oregon State, Iowa needed a miracle to beat Michigan State. So, will these giants continue to survive?

3. (5) USC at (10) Oregon- 8:00 on ABC
USC doesn't usually lose in big games. They also don't usually lose more than once in the PAC-10. However, this isn't the same USC we have come to know and hate in the past decade. The Trojans gave up 36 points to Oregon State last Saturday in the Coliseum. The offense looks very good but I am shocked at how porous the defense has been the past couple of weeks. The Oregon Ducks have been smoking hot since their opening loss to Boise State (that doesn't look so bad now does it?). QB Jeremiah Masoli is playing much better and the offense is healthy and revved up. Matt Barkley has been mistake prone and the Ducks have forced 19 turnovers this season. All of this points to a close game. I just think the Trojans find a way to get this game. A loss would knock USC out of the PAC-10 title hunt and until I see it done, I am not picking against the Trojans winning this league. USC by a touchdown.

2. (3) Texas at (14) Oklahoma State- 8:00 on ABC
The Texas Longhorns played their best game of the season last Saturday at Missouri. Colt McCoy got into a rhythm early and torched the Tigers for the second straight season. It was a good sign for an offense that had been struggling. Oklahoma State has recovered from their loss to Houston. However, running back Kendall Hunter is expected to be out again and Dez Bryant is still suspended. That means the Cowboys will be without two of their biggest weapons against a very good Texas defense. I saw the Longhorns shut down Oklahoma and I don't think Oklahoma State's offense will fare much better. McCoy has another big game and the Longhorns win by double digits.

1. (1) Florida vs. Georgia- 3:30 on CBS
The Florida Gators have not been impressive this season. Their only nice victory came over LSU in Death Valley. The Gators have a very good defense and Tim Tebow. However, the offense is lacking any vertical threats and Tebow is having to do too much in the running game. Georgia has been one of the more disappointing teams in the country. They have looked disinterested and uninspired on the field. For some reason, Mark Richt continues to keep an offensive coordinator that can't get his offense going and a defensive coordinator that can't get his team fired up or make simple adjustments during a game. Tennessee ran a playaction boot leg all day and Georgia made him look like Peyton Manning. However, these two teams despise each other and they have similar talent on paper. If there is one game that might yank the Bulldogs from their slumber, this is it. I think Georgia shows up and makes this a game but the Gators will continue to survive and advance. Florida wins on a late Tim Tebow touchdown.

IU vs. Iowa- Noon on the Big Ten Network
For some reason, I have been hearing some chatter that this will be close. I have even heard some talk radio people calling for the upset. It continues to astonish me how little respect people give the Iowa Hawkeyes. This team is 8-0! They are not the most talented team and they don't have a lot of playmakers. But they are well-coached, disciplined, they have a very good defense and they make plays in the clutch. IU is not disciplined, they don't appear to be particularly well-coached, the defense is mediocre, and they are coming off a game where they blew a 28-3 lead. I know Iowa will be playing without their starting running back (Robinson is done for the season) but I don't see Indiana winning in Iowa City. I think it could be close for a while but Iowa will pull away and win by double digits. An upset would be awesome and college football fans would be thrilled to see Iowa out of the national title hunt but I don't see it happening.

Point Guard: Is the Problem Solved?

This is my second installment of the 2009-2010 Men's Basketball Preview. I am going to focus on IU's biggest problem last year, the play of the point guard. The Indiana Hoosiers were woeful on offense last year. I think a lot of the struggles were due to a ridiculous number of turnovers. IU ranked 342 out of 344 in turnover percentage. They turned the ball over on 26.4% of their possessions. Think about for a second. IU did not get a shot up on over 1/4 of their possessions last season. I think that goes a long way when trying to explain why they only won six games. I am not going to blame this all on the point guard play. Indiana tried Daniel Moore, Brett Finkelmeier, Malik Story, Devan Dumes and eventually settled on Verdell Jones. Jones is a scoring guard, he is not a point guard. None of the guys that played the point last season for IU has any business being the primary ball handler on a Big Ten team. This season should be different because of the arrival of two newcomers. Their success, or failure, will play a large role in Tom Crean's second year.

Starters
I think Jeremiah Rivers is the clear starter at point guard. Coaches and players have both said he was the best player during last season's practices. He played for two seasons at Georgetown before transferring to IU and the Hoyas went to the Final Four during his time there. I love the fact that he is a coach's son (Doc Rivers) and Tom Crean has been raving about the improvement in his offensive game. Rivers is going to provide better decision making and much better defense at the point guard spot. The biggest question is whether or not his reported offensive improvement comes to fruition during the season. If he can consistently knock down a jumper, Rivers might contend for best newcomer in the conference. He is listed at 6'5" and 210 pounds so his size should be asset while on defense.

Other Options
Jeremiah Rivers won't be playing all 40 minutes. Thankfully, Indiana's reigning Mr.Basketball decided to stay in Bloomington. Jordan Hulls, a 5'11" freshmen will be the primary backup for Rivers and I think he will see some quality minutes. Hulls is a winner. He led Bloomington South to an undefeated state title and his AAU teams won several tournaments under his leadership. I think his size might be a little bit of a problem against some bigger guards but he is fairly quick and strong. Hulls doesn't have the most mechanically sound shot but it goes in. His best assets appear to be his passing and mid-range jumper. Crean will probably have both of these guys on the floor at the same time when IU is trying to hold a lead late or playing teams that love to press.

There are a couple of other options at point guard. Verdell Jones is capable of playing of helping out if there is an injury or foul trouble. Jones will see most of his time at shooting guard but he has some experience running the point. He is clearly better suited as a scoring guard that doesn't have to focus on running the offense but he is probably option number three. Devan Dumes falls into the same boat. Daniel Moore and Brett Finkelmeier won't see near as much playing time as they did last year but they are capable of providing an energy boost. I don't expect any actual production out of them but they do provide effort. I like to make fun of them but they are living a dream and it's cool to see them get some minutes. But this year, those minutes better not be in a competitive game.

Point guard was a glaring weakness last season. There were a lot of close games that could have been won by a different result on one or two key possessions. I think Rivers and Hulls will both have a large impact on this team and their play throughout the season will be critical to the Hoosiers success.

That Sucked

This loss hits any Hoosier football fan right in the gut. IU had Northwestern down 28-3 in the first half. They were closing in on their fifth victory of the season and would need only one more to become bowl-eligible. Everything was working. That's when the walls began to shake and everything came tumbling down. Northwestern scored the next 26 points including an 18-yard field goal with 21 seconds left and the Wildcats escaped 29-28. It's games like this that remind you why Indiana has been a struggling football program for so long.

Offensive Struggles
IU's offense did not play near as well as the score might indicate. Darius Willis went 70 yards on a toss sweep right to open the game. Then Ray Fisher returned a punt to the 28-yard line and IU went six plays to score. The third scoring drive was the best of the day as the Hoosiers went 76 yards on ten plays before Darius Willis ran it in from three yards out. The fourth and final score was a Ray Fisher kickoff return. IU was done scoring with 7:32 left in the first half. IU only managed 305 yards of offense on the day and they couldn't convert on two key fourth down plays. Ben Chappell did not play all that well and IU didn't connect on any big pass plays. As I said, the Hoosiers were in position to score twice but opted to go for it on fourth down. I don't blame the coaches for their decision and IU should have been able to convert at least one of them. If they do, there might have been a different outcome.

Defensive Struggles
The defense had a very inconsistent day. They gave up a lot of yards but made some really nice plays as well. Northwestern's offense is tough to stop, especially when they get into a rhythm. IU had them on their heels for most of the first half. However, they put together two nice drives in the final five minutes of the half and I think that really got them on track. They eventually racked up 474 yards of offense. However, Indiana forced Mike Kafka into three interceptions. I was amazed the Hoosiers could score a special teams touchdown, win the turnover battle 3-0 and still find a way to lose the game.

Special Teams Star
I have thought Ray Fisher needed to be more assertive on special teams returns. He has let the ball bounce on punts a lot this year and he hasn't made that many big returns in the kicking game. Fisher is one of IU's best athletes and he needs to try and make a play whenever he gets his hands on the ball. On Saturday, he decided to capitalize on his chances. Fisher took a punt back the 28-yard line to set up a score and he returned a kick to make it 28-3. His efforts were not enough to bring in a win but IU will need for him to play like this if they want to have a chance of winning any more games.

Final Thoughts
This was a crushing blow for a team that has surprised me this season. I didn't think they would get to four wins but that doesn't make it any easier to accept this loss. IU had Northwestern beat and then let them off the hook. I predicted a 31-28 IU victory because the Hoosiers have been making plays in close games. On this Saturday, the Hoosiers were unable to come up with a stop when they needed and it was Northwestern that made the plays late. IU heads to undefeated Iowa on Saturday and then hosts Wisconsin and goes to Penn State. They finish it up against Purdue. I don't see two wins on that schedule. This loss will stay with the players and coaches for a long time.

Indiana at Northwestern

Northwestern and IU tend to have close games and I don't see any reason why this year's battle in Evanston will be any different. The Hoosiers managed to knock off Northwestern (then #22) 21-19 in last season's Homecoming contest. That turned out to be IU's lone Big Ten win. Indiana accomplished that last week but they need a win on Saturday to keep their bowl hopes alive.

3. Consistency for Chappell
Last week was the best game of Ben Chappell's career. He torched Illinois for 333 yards and three touchdowns in the Hoosiers victory. The performance earned Chappell his first Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award. I liked Ben Chappell in the preseason and his decision making has continued to impress. Chappell has a very talented group of receivers and the Wild Mitch formation appears to be opening up some holes for the passing game to exploit. Northwestern's star defensive end Corey Wootton continues to be hampered by an ankle injury and the Wildcats defense has suffered. Northwestern is allowing their opponents to complete 62% of their passes. Chappell needs to exploit this defense for over 250 yards and couple of touchdowns.

2. The Running Game
This is a constant theme and I will continue to put it down as a key because of the results I have seen. When IU is able to run the ball, they have won or nearly won (at Michigan). When they struggle to run the ball, they get blown out (OSU, Virginia). IU is currently averaging 126 yards a game and 3.9 yards a carry. They have had to use the Wild Mitch to get some of those yards but that is okay. Mitchell Evans running can still set up the passing game. Darius Willis is now listed as probable. Willis should be able to have a good game against a defense that has given up over 125 rushing yards in four games this season. We should continue to see the Wild Mitch and I think it will continue to be a good weapon. The goal is going to be 140 rushing yards and a yards per carry average of four.

1. Banged Up Defense vs. Mike Kafka
Mike Kafka leads the Big Ten in pass efficiency. He is completing almost 70% of his passes and has thrown for 1,755 yards this season. Northwestern's offense is based on short, quick passes. The key to stopping this offense is making the first tackle. Missed tackles turn short passes into big plays. IU is going to be without Will Patterson and Donnell Jones. This will probably hurt a little bit and the Hoosiers will need their replacements (Council and Carrington) to step up. Northwestern is tough for defensive ends to play against because of the short dropbacks and quick passes. However, Middleton and Kirlew will have a lot of pass plays to make an impact. The Wildcats don't have any big play receivers but they catch the ball well. I think Kafka will throw for over 300 yards and his completion percentage will probably stay near 70%.

Prediction
This contest seems to always come down to the last minute. Both passing offenses feel pretty good about themselves and I think both quarterbacks will have solid days. IU has been making plays in close games all season long. For some reason, I think that will continue on Saturday. Indiana wins by a field goal, 31-28.

The Next Generation

Tom Crean had a formidable task in front of him. IU had just fired Kelvin Sampson, players were transferring and the Hoosiers were under investigation by the NCAA for rules violations. Tom Crean needed a strong recruiting class to help jump start Indiana's basketball program. Crean not only succeeded, he landed a Top 10 class. IU has seven newcomers who are the foundation of the "Next Generation" that will lead Indiana back to contention in the Big Ten. I am going to go through each newcomer in order of the impact they will have on this year's IU team.

7. Bobby Capobianco- 6'8" Forward from Loveland, OH
Bobby Capobianco has a Big Ten ready body. Tom Crean says he is built like a tight end and he brings a toughness to the Hoosiers. He is more ready to play than the player I have at sixth but his ceiling is not incredibly high. Capobianco is going to be a solid four-year player that will provide size and strength of the bench. I don't know if he will ever start but he should always have a place on the squad because of his 6'8" physical frame and his desire to rebound. This year, he should be able to spell Tom Pritchard and Derek Elston when foul trouble or fatigue creep up. The best case scenario for Capobianco is that he develops into Joe Krabbenhoft (former Wisconsin Badger). A bruiser that you love to have on your team and hate to play against.

6. Bawa Muniru- 7'0" Center from Ghana
Bawa Muniru was the last player from this class to commit to the Hoosiers. He has not been officially cleared to play but he is practicing with his teammates. Muniru comes to the Hoosiers as a raw but extremely well-built and athletic big man. He spent three years at Madison Academy in Alabama and one year at Mt. Zion Academy. I have heard some comparisons to current Hoosier Tijan Jobe. In my opinion, Muniru is way more talented and polished than Jobe but the build is very similar. Bawa has a 7'3" wingspan and he is very strong so his potential value on defense is obvious. Don't expect much from him this season. We might see a couple of very nice performances but there won't be any consistency. The hope is that he can develop into a defensive and offensive presence that very few teams have.

5. Derek Elston- 6'8" Forward from Tipton, IN
I really like Derek Elston. He slipped in the recruiting rankings due to a knee injury that kept him out of AAU ball for the summer between his junior and senior rankings. However, his senior season showed that he was fully recovered from the knee injury and he led Tipton to a very solid season. Elston dominated Purdue recruit Patrick Bade in a matchup at a tournament in New Castle and outplayed Ohio State recruit, and this season's favorite for Mr.Basketball, Deshaun Thomas in their matchup. Elston is a very hard worker who could be a real matchup problem for the opposition. He committed to the Kelvin Sampson and stuck with his commitment because it was his dream to play for IU. I can't tell you how great it is to have guys who understand what IU basketball means. He is either a power forward or a small forward who moves well, rebounds well and finishes around the basket. If Elston can consistently knock down shots from 15-20 feet, he will be extremely tough to defend. One of the things I noticed while he was in high school was how good of a free throw shooter he was. If he got fouled, he made sure he made it count. Some optimistic fans have been comparing him to Robbie Hummel. I think it's a little ridiculous to compare him to one of the best players in the country but I see some similarities in their game. Until we see more, I will call him a poor man's Robbie Hummel, maybe a hard-working Jeff Newton (remember him?). Elston will be in a rotation with Watford, Pritchard, Capobianco and Muniru and I think he will wind up starting for the Hoosiers this season.

4. Christian Watford- 6'8" from Alabama
It has been a longtime since IU has had a player with Watford's size and versatility. Watford was a consensus top 50 recruit who I saw ranked in top twenty by some websites. He handles the ball very well for his size, moves with surprising quickness and gets to the rim at will against smaller competition. On film, I noticed that he finishes around the rim even when there's contact. Watford needs to bulk up to have an effective post game in the Big Ten and to be able to defend some of the bigger forwards he might have to face. His shot looks mechanically sound and he has a surprisingly effective outside jumper. Tom Crean has been working Watford with both the guards and the big men which tells me that he thinks Christian can be a versatile guy capable of playing multiple positions. I think we could see a lineup of Watford, Elston, Pritchard and two guards or see Pritchard, Watford and three smaller guards. Crean loves versatility and Watford fits the bill. My prediction, he will make the All Freshman team in the Big Ten and make an All Conference team at least once in his IU career.

3. Jordan Hulls- 5'11" guard from Bloomington South, IN
The reigning Mr.Basketball decided to stay home and play for the Hoosiers. Jordan Hulls was considered a mid-major prospect until the summer before his senior season when he began to shock the AAU circuit. He supposedly went toe-to-toe with superstar prospect John Wall and outplayed a few other highly-touted players as Indiana Elite excelled. Coaches and analysts were extremely impressed and they put him in the Top 100. Jordan Hulls then led Bloomington South to an undefeated season and a state title and captured Mr.Basketball. I'll be honest, I don't care about the rankings here. I saw Hulls play several times and I know what he can bring to the Hoosiers as soon as he steps foot in the gymnasium. Hulls has a passion for IU basketball, he is a leader on and off the court and he knows how to win. IU was ranked 342 out of 344 in turnover percentage last season and point guard was the biggest area of concern every game. Verdell Jones showed great improvement as a player but he is not a point guard. Jordan Hulls is deadly in pick and roll situations, a great passer, good ball handler and decent outside shot. Hulls may have problems with really quick guards but defense is about effort and Hulls will bring it. This is the kind of four-year player that can restore this program and he will be a valuable asset to IU from day one.

2. Maurice Creek- 6'5" guard from Hargrave Military (originally from Maryland)
Maurice Creek is another Top 50 recruit the Hoosiers coaching staff was able to land. He is an explosive scorer that I think will make the All Freshman team and be IU's leading scorer. Creek has a lethal jump shot with a quick release. He can attack the rim and is capable of finishing in traffic. Analysts say his on ball defense is one of his strongest attributes and that he takes pride in shutting down his opposing guard. I think Creek will average about 15 points a game this season and he has the potential to win Big Ten Freshman of the Year (Royce White from Minnesota is the favorite). Creek might start over Devan Dumes right now. If not, he will by Big Ten season.

1. Jeremiah Rivers- 6'5" guard (redshirt junior) from Georgetown University
If Rivers were factored into the class rankings, IU would have had a top three class. He has two years of eligibility left after sitting out last season's debacle. Rivers played on a Georgetown team that went to a Final Four before transferring to IU. His stats weren't strong with the Hoyas but he was asked to be a defensive stopper and he was the best perimeter defender they had. The players and coaches say he was the best player in practice last season and he has improved his offensive game a lot. The job for him is very straightforward: Minimize the turnovers and direct the offense. That is not nearly as simple as it sounds but it is crucial to the Hoosiers success. If Rivers and Hulls can be steady at point guard, everyone else will see the benefit. The scoring guards (Verdell Jones, Devan Dumes, Maurice Creek, Matt Roth) can focus on scoring and the big men will get quality looks in the post. We know Rivers will be an upgrade on defense, if he can be a big improvement on offense, IU will surprise a lot of people this season.

This is a down week in college football but watch for these three games.
3. Iowa at Michigan State
The Hawkeyes always have a difficult time in East Lansing and Michigan State is playing well. A win for Iowa keeps their title hopes alive.

2. Penn State at Michigan
Penn State has not impressed so far this season. I think this game will be fairly high scoring and the Nittany Lions need a win to keep any hopes of a Rose Bowl alive.

1. TCU at BYU
The battle for the Mountain West title heats up. TCU is always good on defense under Gary Patterson. The surprise has been their very effective offense. I think they win in Provo to stay unbeaten.

I will preview the IU at Northwestern game tomorrow. Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.

Recap and Look Ahead

The three main dogs in the fight for the national title are still alive after week seven of the NCAA football season. All three of them had to fight to survive and they did not look pretty doing it. However, as I have said before, all you have to do is be the best team in the stadium every Saturday. So far, Florida, Alabama and Texas have done what is required. If they don't start playing a little better, that might not be the case.

Thoughts From the Couch
-Since when is it okay for Notre Dame to just compete? I have heard a lot of Notre Dame fans saying, "At least we didn't get blown out." Notre Dame's starting center was quoted as saying, "At least it wasn't 38-0." Charlie Weis was happy with his team's fight and that they played hard for 60 minutes. Did he hand out juice boxes and rice krispy treats after game too? This is supposed to be one of the best programs in the country and this is Charlie Weis' fifth season. It was okay for IU basketball to just compete last season because it was Tom Crean's first season. Charlie Weis has not beaten anybody in his tenure at Notre Dame. He does not have a signature victory. If I were a Notre Dame fan, the "close loss" on Saturday was a disaster because it wasn't a win but it probably wasn't enough to convince the ND administration a change is needed. Matt Barkley torched the Irish secondary and USC's personal foul penalties made this game close. Happy to compete, oh how the Irish have fallen.

-Good win for Clemson and Dabo Swinney. He needed a victory to call of the hounds and they pounded Wake Forest 38-3.

-Don't pay attention to the BCS yet. Everything always works itself out and if a team is not worthy of being in the top two, they will be proven fraudulent. We don't need to look at the BCS standings until mid-November.

-Great win for Cincinnati on Thursday night. Tony Pike left in the third quarter but the Bearcats rolled over South Florida for a surprisingly convincing win. They are climbing towards the top five and could fulfill my prediction of an unbeaten season.

Kudos
-Mark Ingram was a beast as the Alabama Crimson Tide wore down South Carolina. Ingram ran for 246 yards and a touchdown in the 20-6 victory. Greg McElroy struggled and Julio Jones has yet to get on track. The defense is nasty but Ingram is looking like the best running back in the country. The sophomore has vaulted up the Heisman rankings and if the Crimson Tide stay unbeaten (they will), he might steal the spotlight from the quarterbacks.

-Kudos to Danny Hope and the Purdue Boilermakers. Purdue had lost five in a row and appeared headed for a dismal season. However, they were able to temporarily turn things around and shock the Ohio State Buckeyes in West Lafayette. I am amazed at how little progression Terrelle Pryor is making. He is making horrible decisions and the offense needs some major adjustments. Buckeye fans are calling for Jim Tressel to fire the offensive coordinator and the quarterbacks coach. They also want him to give up his play-calling duties. Don't count on their to be many changes made. However, their last three games are at Penn State, Iowa and at Michigan. I could easily see them losing two of those games. If they do, changes are in the works. Good win for Purdue though. Can they keep it up? Wait and see.

Shame On You
-The Nebraska Cornhuskers were supposed to be back. The fan base felt great about themselves after winning at Missouri. They were back at home taking on Texas Tech. That's when things fell apart. Texas Tech destroyed the Cornhuskers 31-10 in Lincoln. Nebraska had 12 penalties for 95 yards and trailed 24-3 at the half. Bo Pelini might bring the Huskers back, things aren't there yet.

-I really liked Kansas. They have been a very good so far this season. On Saturday, they lost 34-30 to Colorado. The loss throws the Big 12 North wide open and a division that was supposed to be making really good progress looks like garbage again. Who in this division is any good? Missouri is average, Kansas is decent, Nebraska is decent. Texas Tech is the fourth best team in the Big 12 South, they would win the Big 12 North.

Hoosier Hysteria
I am going to start my college basketball preview with a very light analysis of last season. IU basketball is my passion. Last season was painful for me and every other member of the Hoosier Nation. However, we saw the first building blocks of the future. The right leader is in place and I am confident the Hoosiers will return to national prominence in the near future. Is it going to be this year? No. Is it going to be next year? Probably not. I think Tom Crean's fourth season will be the first one where Hoosier fans can have realistic hopes for a Big Ten title. That is a ways off, let's focus on this squad.

The Hoosiers welcome seven newcomers to a team that won only six games last season. Georgetown transfer Jeremiah Rivers (two years left) joins six freshmen to form one of the country's top recruiting classes. Kyle Taber was the only loss from last year's team and his size and production is very replaceable. Devan Dumes was IU's best player during the first half of last season. However, Dumes struggled with injuries and his frustration negatively affected his play. Freshman guard Verdell Jones (VJIII) stepped up and emerged as a true talent. Jones played like an All-Big Ten player for significant stretches of the Big Ten season.

Turnovers were a huge issue and IU had way too many empty possessions to consistently win games. However, they played hard and I think Indiana fans were able to rally around the squad. The improvement from game one to the end of the season was very noticeable and IU fans are looking for a step up this season.

That is the only review I will do of last year. It is too painful to rehash what happened. Tomorrow, I will examine each incoming player and look at the impact they will have. Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.

Hoosiers Drop Illini

I was thoroughly impressed with the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday night. They outplayed Illinois in every facet of the game and improved to 4-3 with a 27-14 Homecoming victory. Illinois looked awful and Ron Zook looked lost but IU handled a more talented football team in a game crucial to their bowl hopes. At 4-3, the Hoosiers need two more wins to reach bowl-eligibility. I think they have two winnable games left on the schedule. The first is this Saturday at Northwestern. The second is the season finale at Purdue. I really don't see IU beating Penn State, Iowa or Wisconsin so those two games become must-wins. The three keys I laid out in the pregame post are analyzed below.

3. Don't Let the Illini Get On Track
This was very important. When a team is struggling, you don't want to let them make any big plays and jump out to a lead. You want them to struggle and get behind like they have all season. Don't give them any chance to feel good about themselves. Indiana dominated the first quarter of play. However, they missed two field goals and the game was scoreless after one. Still, I felt good about the way the offense was moving the ball. The Illini took their only lead of the game on a nice 30-yard TD strike but the Hoosiers were able to score ten straight points before the half to go up 13-7. Illinois needed a good start and the Hoosiers didn't give it to them. I think that played a large part in IU's ability to close out this game in the fourth quarter.

2. Can Darius Willis Play?
Sort of. Willis played but I don't think he looked 100%. However, he was pretty effective and he was the only running back to get more than one carry. I was pleasantly surprised to see Willis get the touches at running back. If he is healthy, no one else should get more than a few carries a game. Willis ran the ball 18 times for 58 yards and had one catch for 15 yards. It wasn't a great game but I thought it was a definite improvement over the past two weeks. Indiana needed to run the ball to win this game. They managed an impressive 149 yards on the ground through Willis and the "Wild Mitch". I love this package for IU and Mitchell Evans gained 88 yards on 9 carries. They tried a couple of passes with Evans but they didn't work too well. Expect to see more of this package as the season progresses. It is certainly not a traditional way to grind out yards but it is an effective way to use one of your better football players and keep possession of the ball.

1. Which "D" Will Show Up?
I predicted the Hoosiers needed to hold Illinois under 400 yards to win this ball game. I was wrong. Indiana gave up 443 yards of offense but held Illinois to 14 points. The Illini had a crucial turnover inside the ten yard line and lost three fumbles that cost them dearly. You cannot turn the ball over and expect to win many games. Illinois simply made too many mistakes and the Hoosiers defense was able to come up with the ball when the Illini put it on the turf. The Juice Williams fumble took away a scoring chance that could have put Illinois ahead 14-13 and it reminded me a lot of the turnovers by Eastern Kentucky and Western Michigan earlier in the season. I give the Hoosiers some credit here because they are making plays to prevent points. IU's defense suffered a couple of injuries that appear to carryover to this week. Will Patterson is out with a hand injury and Donnell Jones is out with an elbow injury. Justin Carrington will start for Patterson and Collin Taylor or Jerimy Finch should start for Jones.

This was a very good win for the Hoosiers. Illinois looks like a dumpster fire but they torched IU 55-13 last season. To beat them 27-14 one year later is a good accomplishment. Ben Chappell looked great and Demarlo Belcher had his best game as a Hoosier. He and Tandon Doss are a very good one-two punch at wideout. I would be surprised if the Hoosiers were able to get to six wins but they have already exceeded my expectations and they have put themselves in a position to go their second bowl game in three seasons.

I will recap the previous weekend and begin my basketball preview tomorrow. Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.

Hoosier Hysteria!!! Oh yeah, there's a football game too.

55-13. That was the embarrassing score from last season's butt-kicking in Champaign. The IU players were pointing to that game as a source of motivation during the offseason. They talked about the feelings they had while getting blasted by an opponent. It must not have hurt that bad, they let it happen again last week. I really have no idea of what to expect this Saturday. The game comes one day after Hoosier Hysteria and it is the Homecoming game. The Big Ten Network decided to make it their primetime game. IU is 3-3, they have three winnable games left on the schedule (Illinois, NW, PU). That makes this game a must-win if the Hoosiers are going to make a run at a bowl game.

3. Don't let Illinois get on track
The Illini have been horrible this season. They are 1-4 (0-3) with losses to Missouri, Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State. Their only win is against Illinois State and the losses have all been by double-digits. QB Juice Williams was benched prior to last week's game against the Spartans. Eddie McGee got the start but was putrid and Williams replaced him in the second half. The Juice is expected to get the call on Saturday night. He torched IU's secondary last season and will be looking at this game as a chance to turn his senior season around. The key for IU is to not let the Illini feel good about themselves. IU needs to get off to a good start. If Illinois jumps out to a lead, they might forget about how much they have struggled this season. Illinois has more talent than IU and if they get their confidence back, it could be another long night in Bloomington.

2. Can Darius Willis Play?
This has become a weekly issue. Darius Willis has a nagging ankle injury that is in desperate need of a bye week. Unfortunately, this is not the NFL and the Hoosiers don't have any bye weeks. IU needs the talented redshirt freshman in the worst year but he is questionable. If Willis can go, I am confident in the Hoosiers ability to run the ball effectively. I think Willis can average 4 to 4.5 yards a carry in this game. However, if he cannot go, Demetrius McCray, Trea Burgess, Bryan Payton and even Zach Davis-Walker are going to have to find a way to run the ball effectively. I am setting the target at 130 yards rushing. I think the Hoosiers get to that mark if Willis plays. If he is unable to go, they will struggle to break 100.

1. Which "D" Will Show Up?
The Indiana Hoosiers defense was impressive during the first four weeks of the season. They contained Western Michigan and Akron and played well enough to win at Michigan. Ohio State carved them up, but that was to be expected. Last week, the Hoosiers were absolutely defenseless against a previously struggling Virginia offense. I think IU needs to hold Illinois under 400 yards of offense and keep them under 24 points. Illinois' star receiver, Arrelious Benn is going to play but he is not 100%. Juice Williams has digressed from where the player he was a year ago. Jason Ford and Daniel Dufrene have not been able to hit the big play this season. The Illini offense is struggling and there is no reason IU can't keep it that way. The big question is whether or not they will show up. If they play like they did at UVA, Illinois will put up 55 again.

Prediction

I decided after the Virginia game that I would not predict another Hoosier victory until I saw them battle back. I would not be surprised if Indiana won this game. However, I don't think Darius Willis will play. When he doesn't play, IU can't run the ball. When they can't run the play, the offense seems to fall apart. Illinois will get on track early and march away with a victory on IU's homecoming, 31-20 Illinois. My prediction does not stand if Darius Willis plays.

This is another very important game for the Hoosiers. They absolutely failed last week's test but they can grab their fourth win this week and give themselves a shot a bowl game. Northwestern is next week and the Purdue game looks winnable. Ron Zook is under fire and the Illini are in the middle of an extraordinary collapse. Two seasons ago, Illinois was in the Rose Bowl and they were recruiting very well. This season, they look like a train wreck and the heat is being turned up on the Zooker. The loser of this game will feel his seat get a little hotter and can kiss hopes of a bowl game goodbye. This is IU's last chance to stay in the spotlight in Bloomington. Hoosier Hysteria is Friday night, a loss on Saturday would turn the IU sports calendar to basketball season.

Week 7 Preview

Two games stand out as the most interesting and important of the weekend. The Red River Shootout will take place at the Texas State Fair and USC travels to Notre Dame to try and knock off the Irish for the eighth time in a row. These two are clearly the big ones but there are plenty of other games that we need to pay attention to. Conference races have taken shape and there are still a lot of teams with legitimate BCS bowl hopes.

5. (20) Oklahoma at (3) Texas (Noon on ABC)
The Texas Longhorns shocked the top-ranked Sooners last season in the Red River Shootout. Of course, OU recovered to make it to the BCS title game and Sam Bradford recovered to win the Heisman Trophy. Bradford, Gerald McCoy and Jermaine Gresham returned to capture a national championship only to see their title dreams go up in smoke against BYU. The Sooners can still win the Big 12 title but they will need to beat Texas to make it happen. The Longhorns have not played their best football yet. They struggled against Texas Tech before pulling away late, got off to a slow start against Wyoming and trailed at the half to a bad Colorado team. Colt McCoy has had a solid season but the Texas offense needs someone besides Jordan Shipley to step up. I don't think UT will be able to run the ball on Oklahoma. However, I think they will find a couple of receivers to help Shipley carry the load. Dan Buckner and true freshmen Marquise Goodwin will have an impact on this game and the Longhorns will stay unbeaten. Hook 'em, 31-20.

4. (6) USC at (25) Notre Dame (3:30 on NBC)
This has not been a rivalry for the past decade. The Southern California Trojans have beaten on Notre Dame like a red-headed stepchild, outscoring the Irish by an average of 27 points a game. The Fighting Irish can finally claim an edge at QB. Jimmy Clausen is playing very well. However, I think the Irish advantages stop there. USC has a very good offensive line and they welcome their best receiver, Ronald Johnson, into the lineup for the first time. The defense has been stingy and Taylor Mays appears healthy. Notre Dame managed just 91 yards of offense in the Coliseum last season. I expect ND to score some points but I don't expect them to keep up with the Trojans. USC will win number eight in a row and keep their title hopes alive. The bigger question is what happens to Weis. I think he will be fine if this game is close. However, if ND gets drilled by USC again, Weis might be out of a job. This is not a must-win but it is an absolute must-compete game for the Irish.

3. (4) Virginia Tech at (19) Georgia Tech (6 on ESPN2)
The Virginia Tech Hokies look better than they have since the days of Mike Vick. They are playing great defense, have a very strong running game and are getting solid play from Tyrod Taylor. The Hokies appear to be on their way to another ACC title and a berth in the Sugar Bowl. The biggest test remaining on their schedule appears to be the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech racked up 401 rushing yards against Florida State last week but their defense continued to look awful. I called for Georgia Tech to go unbeaten before the season began but I gave them way too much credit. The triple option is fantastic but they can't stop a good offense. Virginia Tech has a good offense and I think defensive coordinator Bud Foster will find a way to at least slow down the Yellow Jackets rushing attack. The Hokies will force GT into enough passing situations to win a close one.

2. (22) South Carolina at (2) Alabama (7:45 on ESPN)
I was very impressed with South Carolina a few weeks ago when they dominated Ole Miss to pull out an upset. The Gamecocks have continued to win and have climbed into the Top 25. The Alabama Crimson Tide have now established themselves as a Top 5 program. They are physical, athletic, fast and disciplined on defense. Ole Miss looked absolutely bewildered on offense last week in Oxford as Alabama shut them down. The opening night win over Virginia Tech looks more impressive each week and I think the Crimson Tide are the best team in college football right now. This game intrigues me because I love watching Alabama play. They have added some explosive plays to their offense because of Greg McElroy's surprising arm strength but the bread and butter is the running game of Ingram and Richardson. Look for the Crimson Tide to keep rolling and blow out the Gamecocks in Tuscaloosa.

1. (11) Iowa at Wisconsin (Noon on ESPN)
This game is sliding under the radar because of the other matchups but I think their is a potential upset waiting to happen in Madison. The Badgers outgained the Ohio State Buckeyes 2-to-1 in yardage last week in Columbus. However, two defensive TDs and one special teams TD doomed the Badgers. Scott Tolzien has been a pleasant surprise at QB and John Clay is a beast at running back. The Wisconsin defense held up nicely against the Buckeyes and they should be able to do the same against Iowa. The Hawkeyes are unbeaten and have a chance to win the Big Ten if they can get past two more tough road tests. They play this one at Madison and have to go to Columbus to take on OSU. Iowa has started slow in almost every game this season. They will struggle early again and it will be too much to overcome in Camp Randall. Badgers win a close one.

Tomorrow, I will preview the Illinois at Indiana game (7 on BTN). Pay attention next week as I begin my preview of the 2009-2010 Indiana Hoosiers basketball season. Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.

Gator Bait!

Tim Tebow returned and the Florida Gators passed what appears to be their stiffest regular season test. This past Saturday saw national title contenders flex their muscles. There were a few very good finishes and I think we learned a lot about teams. We are deep enough into the season to understand most teams. There are some teams that have not been tested yet but for the most part, we know enough about teams to draw some conclusions.

Thoughts from the Couch
-Virginia Tech is the best one-loss team in the country right now. The Hokies pounded the Boston College Eagles to put a stranglehold on the ACC. The Hokies only loss came on opening night against Alabama. I think they have gotten their offense sufficiently revved up behind an improved Tyrod Taylor and a dominating running game. Ryan Williams might be one of the five best running backs in the country. The defense is always stiff in Blacksburg and this group is no exception. If they can run the table for the rest of the season, they might find themselves in the title game.

-Oregon is USC's biggest test in the PAC-10. The Ducks have rescued their season from the fire after a loss at Boise State and a near home loss to Purdue. They have been rolling since with wins over Utah, Cal and UCLA. Oregon beat the Bruins 24-10 without quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. I don't think they can beat USC but they get them in Eugene and Chip Kelly has restored their confidence after what could have been a disastrous start.

-Auburn isn't quite ready for the spotlight. The Tigers were off to a great 5-0 start. However, they got absolutely drilled by the Arkansas Razorbacks. A late rally made things a little bit interesting but Arkansas completely dominated in the 44-23 win. I called for Ryan Mallett to have the best stats in the SEC at season's end. He continued his stellar season with 274 yards and two touchdowns. Both of these fan bases should be happy with the direction their programs are heading.

Kudos
-The Florida Gators were not spectacular or explosive. They didn't put up huge numbers or blow out LSU. But I thought, they made a very loud statement on Saturday night in front of a sold out Tiger Stadium crowd. The Gators were more physical and more intense than LSU. The offensive line blew LSU off the ball and Florida ran the ball straight up the middle of the Tigers defense. Florida's defense controlled the Tigers offense all night and didn't give them a single big play to gain momentum. Tim Tebow had a very good game considering not taking any hits for two weeks. I loved the hard-nosed performance from Florida and they will need more of it if they want to beat Alabama.

-Kudos to Army. They always deserve our congratulations for even fielding a competitive team under the restrictions they recruit against. The Army Golden Knights knocked off the Vanderbilt Commodores 16-13 in overtime on Saturday. Beating an SEC team is an extraordinary accomplishment, nice job.

-Kudos to Bowling Green wide receiver Freddie Barnes. Barnes caught 22 passes for 278 yards and three scores as the Falcons squeaked by Kent State 36-35. This was an extraordinary performance. Barnes was an NFL prospect before this game and I imagine his highlight got some nice additions after Saturday.

Shame On You
-The Florida State defense continues to be atrocious. The Seminoles are undersized. That works if you have a lot of speed. Problem is, FSU's defense is not very fast. They were shredded by the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets triple option offense. I always enjoy watching Georgia Tech play. The triple option is fascinating, especially when it is run with good athletes. The Yellow Jackets racked up 532 yards including 401 on the ground. I wish IU would hire a coach who would implement the triple option at Indiana. They would be more exciting, attract more fans and win more games.

-I wrote a couple of weeks ago that the natives were getting restless in Athens, Georgia. Well, after Saturday's performance at Tennessee, they want some answers. Mark Richt has always been reluctant to make personnel changes but he needs to get rid of his two coordinators if he wants keep his job. The defense was shredded for 45 points by a woeful offense. The offense managed three points. Mike Bobo and Willie Martinez better have their bags packed, they might not last another week. It was painfully obvious that Tennessee was going to run playaction and roll Crompton out to the right. Georgia never did anything about it and they were embarrassed 45-17. This team was supposed to be a challenge for Florida. Not happening!

-The Purdue Boilermakers had another good start on Saturday at Minnesota. However, midway through the second quarter, things began to unravel. They again struggled in the second half and fell 35-20 to the Gophers. That isn't bad, Minnesota is a decent team. The problem for the Boilermakers is they are now -9 in turnover margin (nation average is -1.5). The Boilers continue to fumble the football and if they don't figure it out soon, they might finish with one or two wins.

Okay, I will preview the Hoosiers and Illini plus the upcoming week in college football in the next couple of days. Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.

Hoosier Hysteria is only two days away!

You Cannot Be Serious!

I was absolutely stunned by this performance. The Indiana Hoosiers went to the University of Virginia and got absolutely waxed by a team that lost to William and Mary. I am sure the Cavaliers played a good game and have improved a lot since their opening week loss but there is absolutely no reason IU should get beat 47-7. The Hoosiers got off to a pretty good start. They had driven into UVA territory and I thought they were going in for the first score of the day. However, Terrance Turner fumbled and the Hoosiers never recovered. Virginia dominated every aspect of the game and completely embarrassed Indiana.
After the game, Bill Lynch was quoted as saying that "Virginia is a very good football team." No they are not, very good football teams don't lose at home to an FCS school. Very good football teams don't get beaten by Southern Mississippi. Virginia is a mediocre football team with similar talent to Indiana. I still don't think Bill Lynch will be fired but I am going to stop defending him. The only positive from this game was that Darius Willis did not play. His injuries are beginning to be an issue and I hope this is not a trend that continues throughout his career. He is probable for the Illinois game. He needs to play because the rest of the Hoosier running backs are not getting it done.

Running Game
Indiana did not really have a chance to get the running game going because they fell behind so quickly. The stats are not pretty and there is no way to make this look positive. UVA was giving up 145 yards per game on the ground. IU only managed 82 yards and a 2.8 yards per carry average. I don't know why Zach Davis-Walker and Trea Burgess were getting a lot of reps. Demetrius McCray has been the better option so far. I guess it didn't really matter, nothing was working.

The Defense Disappears
Virginia came into this game ranked 100 or worse in most offensive categories. IU's defense had played pretty well up to this point. They were able to make things difficult for everyone except Ohio State. That changed on Saturday as IU turned the Cavaliers into an offensive juggernaut. UVA gained 536 yards (231 rushing, 305 passing) and scored at will. They had five rushing touchdowns and averaged better than five yards a carry. Absolutely horrific.

There were so many other negatives in the game but I don't really think any amount of analysis will help make sense of this debacle. The Hoosiers had a critical contest on the road. They could go to 4-2 with games against Illinois, Northwestern and Purdue left on the schedule. Win two of those three and you would be bowl-eligible. UVA was a 50-50 game and I thought very winnable. IU did not show up and their complete lack of execution was really surprising.

On a positive note, Indiana hosts Illinois this Saturday. The Illini have fallen from their Rose Bowl berth of two seasons ago with shocking speed. They are a team in disarray. Unfortunately, it looks like the Hoosiers are as well.

I will review the weekend in college football tomorrow. Until then, stay vigilant and God Bless America.