Game 2: Indiana v. Western Michigan.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:03:30 -0000

by TONY DING - AP

There was very little of this when it mattered for WMU on Saturday.

Western Michigan Broncos
2009 record: 0-1 (0-0 in MAC)
2008 record: 9-4 (6-2) (lost to Rice in the Texas Bowl)
2008 Sagarin: 79
Conference: Mid-American
Coach: Bill Cubit (5th year, 29-20)
Series: IU leads 4-0
TV: noon, Big Ten Network

IU begins the Division I-A portion of its schedule by hosting Western Michigan on Saturday. Last year, WMU produced one of the most potent offenses in the country, and senior quarterback Tim Hiller threw 36 touchdown passes and only 10 interceptions last season. After losing 31-7 to Michigan last Saturday, the Broncos will be looking to rebound and will try to hand IU its third consecutive loss to a MAC school. The Broncos lost badly to Michigan, but beat Illinois last season and sent IU to Tempe (rather than Detroit) by winning at Iowa on the same day as IU's 2007 win over Purdue.

The series: As noted above, IU is 4-0 against WMU. None of the games have been total blowouts: IU won 24-10 in 1995, 45-30 in 1998, 39-20 in 2006, and 37-27 in 2007. The 2007 game was at Kalamazoo, but all other games have been in Bloomington. The 1995 game is beyond the reach of the Internet, but here are nutshells of the others:

1998: While IU fans may not recall that WMU was the opponent, they will remember the game. Cam Cameron declined to name a quarterback before the opening game, although it was clear that either 1997 starter Jay Rodgers or redshirt freshman Antwaan Randle El would play. Randle El trotted onto the field, and the rest was history: Randle El completed 22 of 29 passes for 385 yards and 3 touchdown passes, and added 82 yards rushing and 3 rushing touchdowns.

2006: Blake Powers passed for 192 yards and Tracy Porter returned a punt for a touchdown in the season opener in Bloomington. IU led 29-6 before WMU scored some garbage time points.

2007: Much like in 2006, IU jumped out to a big lead. The Hoosiers led 34-7 late in the third quarter, but allowed Western Michigan to get back in the game, thanks in no small part to the performance of current Bronco quarterback Tim Hiller, who was 28-51 for 343 yards and 3 touchdowns.

The opener. The 31-7 final score doesn't capture how quickly the Wolverines put away WMU last weekend. When Michigan scored to make it 31-0 with 3:17 left in the second quarter, WMU had gained only 43 yards. Hiller's overall numbers were respectable (22-39, 259 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2 sacks), but again, almost all were accumulated after the game was over.

Western Michigan v. the Big Ten.

Illinois 1-2

Indiana 0-4

Iowa 2-0

Michigan 0-4

Michigan State 2-8

Minnesota 0-3

Purdue 0-2

Wisconsin 1-3

WMU's wins against Michigan State came long before MSU joined the Big Ten, so the Broncos have four wins against Big Ten programs, but again, two have come during the previous two seasons.

More as the week continues.

2009 Indiana football preview: the secondary.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:12:41 -0000

After I preview the secondary and the special teams, I will switch into game week mode. It is an abbreviated game week, of course.

IU's secondary was a major liability last season. IU lost corners Leslie Majors and Tracy Porter after 2007, and the Hoosiers dealt with loads of inexperience and injuries in 2008. Of the eight players listed on the two deep to begin the 2008 season, only one, Chris Adkins, was in the same position for the final game of the season.

THE CORNERS

The starters: Ray Fisher, 5-9 senior. Fisher played well as a receiver for his first three years on campus and led IU in receiving yards last season. Still, the staff decided to gamble, moving Fisher to DB and placing the receiving jobs in the hands of younger players. Writers covering other teams have found it fashionable to ridicule this move, but I found it encouraging: it shows that the staff realizes that incremental improvement isn't good enough. It will be interesting to see how Fisher responds. Donnell Jones, 5-10 sophomore. Jones received an increasing amount of playing time as the season progressed, and he started the final two games. He had an interception, 3 pass breakups, and 20 tackles on the season.

The reserves: Richard Council, 6-1 junior. Council saw his first game action in the 2008 season and recorded 45 tackles and 7 pass breakups. He started 7 games after beginning the season on the second string. Adrian Burks, 6-0 junior. Burks played sparingly in four games last season.

SAFETIES

The starters: Austin Thomas, 6-2 senior. In only 6 games, Thomas recorded 41 tackles and 2 interceptions. He missed 6 games because of various injuries, including a season-ending ACL injury. He was honorable mention all-Big Ten as a sophomore. Nick Polk, 6-0 senior. Polk had 52 tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown, but like Thomas, his season ended early because of an ACL injury. It is either encouraging or frightening that both ACL patients are listed as starters.

The reserves: Jerimy Finch, 6-1 junior. Finch is an enigma. A elite recruit from Indianapolis, he originally committed to Michigan but then changed his mind and committed to IU. On signing day eve, he changed his mind again and signed with Florida. Finch saw substantial game action as a freshman, and intercepted a pass against Tennessee but left that game with a season-ending leg injury. After that season, he transferred to IU, and because of family issues that generated the transfer, he was eligible in 2008. Few expected him to be a reserve as a junior, to say the least. In 2008, Finch saw action in 5 games, mostly on special teams, and blocked two punts. Hopefully he will be on the field quite a bit in 2009. Chris Adkins, 6-1 sophomore. Adkins was pressed into starting duty at cornerback as a redshirt freshman and recorded 54 tackles, 4 pass breakups, and a fumble recovery.

The secondary was one of many liabilities in 2008. The Hoosiers once again have two new starters at corner, but those starters have jumped ahead of the returning starters. The safety position could be a strength for IU if Thomas and Polk are both truly recovered from their knee injuries.

SB Nation - Tracy Porter

Game 2: Indiana v. Western Michigan.

2009 Indiana football preview: the secondary.