Indiana University Athletics
PRE-GAME NOTES
Indiana vs. Purdue
11/17/1997 12:00:00 AM | Football
PRE-GAME NOTES
Indiana vs. Purdue Week Twelve
Saturday, November 22, 1997
Indiana Hoosiers (2-8, 1-6) vs. # 25 Purdue Boilermakers (7-3, 5-2)
Memorial Stadium -- 1:00 P.M. EST
GAME ELEVEN
-- The Battle for the Bucket
Saturday' s game will be the 100th meeting between the Hoosiers and the
Boilermakers and the first meeting between head coaches Cam Cameron and
Joe Tiller ... Kickoff from Memorial Stadium (52,354) is scheduled for
1:00 p.m. EST ... Tickets can be ordered throughout the week at the IU
Ticket Office (1-800-447-GOIU) ... Indiana suffered a 24-12 defeat at
Minnesota this past Saturday. Redshirt freshman kicker Andy Payne
notched four field goals on the day as Indiana amassed 443 yards of
total offense ... Purdue lost a hard-fought 42-17 decision to Penn State
in West Lafayette this past weekend ... The Hoosiers defeated Purdue
33-16 last season in a game played in West Lafayette ... Indiana has won
seven of the last 10 games between the two teams. The Hoosiers last
victory over the Boilermakers in Bloomington was a 24-17 victory in 1993
...The matchup will mark the 73rd time that the two teams have battled
for the Old Oaken Bucket.
COACHES
Cam Cameron: Cam Cameron is back home again in Indiana. Appointed head
football coach on Nov. 26, 1996, the 36-year-old Cameron spent the past
three seasons as the Washington Redskins quarterbacks' coach. Prior to
joining the 'Skins, Cameron spent 10 years at Michigan where he coached
the receivers and quarterbacks as an assistant coach and graduate
assistant. He was a part of six Big Ten championship teams.
Joe Tiller:
In his first season as the coach of the Boilers, Tiller
comes to Purdue following an eight-year stint as the head coach at
Wyoming. In his eight years in Laramie, Tiller compiled a 39-30-1
record. In 1993, he led the Cowboys to a share of the WAC title and a
berth in the Copper Bowl. Last season, Tiller led Wyoming to a 10-2
record and a WAC championship.
THE MATCHUP
Saturday's game between Indiana and Purdue will be the 100th meeting
between the two schools in football. Purdue leads the all-time series
against the Hoosiers, 59-34-6, but Indiana has won seven of the last 10
games played between the two schools ... The Hoosiers defeated the
Boilermakers last season in West Lafayette by a score of 33-16 ... The
Hoosiers last victory over the Boilermakers in Bloomington was a 24-17
victory in 1993 ... The matchup will mark the 73rd time that the two
teams have battled for the Old Oaken Bucket, with the Boilermakers
leading the series since the battle for the Oaken Bucket began, 45-24-3.
HOOSIERS INJURY REPORT
The following Indiana players are currently on the injured list: senior
LB Mike Belu (dislocated patella, strained MCL; out), FB David Ballou
(broken toe; out), FB Bryan Bobay (broken right fibula; out), sophomore
LB Jason Czap (broken wrist; probable), junior FB Chris Gall (left knee
sprain; out), sophomore DT Damian Gregory (fractured left forearm; out),
freshman RB De'Wayne Hogan (sore ribs; probable), sophomore RB Glynn
Johnson (left ankle sprain, probable), senior TE Ben Klusmeyer
(abdominal strain; doubtful), senior C Chris Lee (right knee injury;
probable), redshirt freshman LB Ricky Nooft (abdominal strain; out), SS
Curtis Randle El (left foot sprain; doubtful), senior LB Aaron Warnecke
(left ankle sprain; probable) and senior WR Dorian Wilkerson (shoulder,
out).
QUARTERBACKS
Sophomore Jay Rodgers, a product of Westlake HS in Austin, Texas,
earned the first starting nod of his career in Indiana's seventh game of
the '96 campaign when Indiana visited Michigan. A redshirt freshman in
1996, Rodgers held onto the first-team quarterback role in games 8-10
(Penn State, Michigan State, and Ohio State), only to have a concussion
against the Buckeyes force him out of action for the season finale at
Purdue one week later.
First-year head coach Cam Cameron quickly ended any discussion of a quarterback controversy by naming Rodgers the Hoosiers' starting quarterback after the second day of spring practice this past April.
Through 10 games in '97, Rodgers has completed 58.4 percent of his passes, completing 164 of 281 attempts. He has thrown 5 TDs and 12 INTs.
Rodgers earned the starting nod at UNC in game 1 and finished 23-12-53-1INT. His favorite receiver was junior FB Chris Gall who had a total of 8 receptions (7 from Rodgers) for 47 yards.
One week later, Rodgers had a break-out game in the home opener vs. Ball State. Rodgers finished 39-27-408-1INT-5TDs passing. In doing so, he set a new IU individual record for passing yds. with 408. He surpassed Babe Laufenberg who threw for 390 yds. vs. Iowa in 1982. Rodgers was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week. Rodgers struggled at times vs. Kentucky but still finished 45-28-288-2INT-0TD passing. The 45 atts. and 28 completions were both career-highs ... although not spectacular at Wisc. in game 4, Rodgers moved the club at times. He was 23-13-203-0-0-33LG passing against the Badgers. He followed up his performance at Wisc. with a 24-15-115-2INT effort vs. Michigan. Rodgers completed 16 of 24 passes for 186 yds. vs. MSU, had a steady game vs. Illinois as he finished 16-12-123-27LG passing, and was 40-22-254-2INT at Minnesota in game 10..
Redshirt freshman, and Martinsville, Ind., native Earl Haniford is currently second on the depth chart at quarterback. Haniford, a high school Parade All-America selection and Indiana's "Mr. Football" in 1995 is the Indiana record holder and ranks 3rd all-time nationally with 11,100 career passing yards. He ranks fifth all-time nationally with 111 TD passes.
Haniford has seen late action in games 1, 2, and 5-8. Was 7-4-24 yds. passing vs. the Wolverines in game 5. He completed the first three passes he attempted vs. the U of M, one each to TE Ben Klusmeyer, WR Jean Paul and RB Glynn Johnson. Haniford completed 1 of 5 passes vs. MSU. Two of his passes vs. the Spartans were dropped. Saw his most extensive action of the season at OSU as he finished 7-5-71 passing. However, Haniford did throw an interception on a 1st-n-10 from the OSU-24 early in the 4th qtr. At UNC in the season opener, completed the first pass of his career to Gall for a total of 9 yards. and then threw three straight incompletions, including an INT on a "Hail Mary" pass to end the game.
Junior Jeff Kirn (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) played tight end throughout most of 1996 but was pressed into the backup role at quarterback in the season finale at Purdue. He took his only snap of the season on the game's final play. Kirn DNP in games 1-10.
RUNNING BACKS
This is a young, yet talented group of backs. Alex Smith, the 1994
UPI Freshman of the Year, left IU after his junior season to test the
waters of
the National Football League. In three seasons, Smith rushed for 3,492
yards and 21 TDs. The replacements for Smith have been true freshman
De'Wayne Hogan, sophomore Jason Spear and redshirt freshman Glynn
Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills).
Hogan was a first-team all-state pick in Indiana last season as he rushed for 1,874 yds. and 20 TDs for state runner-up Ben Davis HS in Indianapolis. He saw his first action of the season in the 2nd half of game 3 vs. UK and finished 3-10-1TD rushing, 2-3 receiving. He scored on a 1-yd. TD plunge early in the 4th qtr. Hogan burst onto the scene one week later at Wisconsin. Despite making just his first college start, Hogan was 34-124-2TDs rushing and punished Badger tacklers throughout the day. Scored on a 7-yd. run midway through the 1st qtr. and tallied on a 1-yd. plunge late in the 1st half. Earned the second start of his career vs. Michigan in game 5 and carried 13-32-12LG. Also had a then-career-long 24-yd. reception. Played well one week later vs. MSU. Despite a nagging knee injury, rushed 23-78-9LG and finished 4-50-32LG receiving vs. the Spartans. Hogan earned the fourth start of his career vs. OSU and finished 21-40-8LG rushing. Also started at Iowa in game 8, however, Spear saw most of the action for the Hoosiers. Hogan had the most productive game of his young career in game 9 vs. Illinois, finishing 38-164-1TD-35LG rushing. The 164 rushing yds. were the most by a true freshman running back at Indiana since current running backs coach Anthony Thompson rushed for 208 yds. vs. Wisconsin on 11/1/86. Hogan started game 10 at Minnesota and was 12-49-23 LG rushing. He suffered bruised ribs in the second half that limited his playing time.
The 5-11, 213-pound Spear is no stranger to filling Smith's shoes. In the 1996 season opener at Toledo, the Logansport, Ind., product rushed 13-73-3TDs. Smith also missed the MSU game with a thigh bruise and Spear stepped in and rushed for a career-best 103 yards on 26 carries.
Spear earned the starting nod in the season opener at UNC and rushed 29 times for a career-high 120 yds. His 120 rushing yds. topped the total of any back who faced UNC in '96. Only one back surpassed the 100-yd. mark rushing against UNC last season (Stephens, N.C. State, 15-106). One week later, Spear was 26-65-10LG vs. BSU. In game 3 vs. UK, had career highs in both recepts. and yds. as he finished 8-105-51LG receiving. Left the UK game in the 3rd qtr. with a hip pointer. Played at Wisconsin but was just 1-1 rushing as Hogan earned the starting nod. Did not play vs. Michigan, saw limited action in game vs. MSU and did not play in game 7 at OSU. Returned to action at Iowa and finished 10-28-8LG rushing and saw some action at fullback at Minnesota. With injuries to fullbacks Chris Gall and David Ballou he is likely to see action at fullback in the season finale vs. Purdue.
Johnson looked impressive in training camp and has seen some playing time. He saw reserve action in games 1-2, but missed games 3 and 4 with an ankle injury. He returned to action in game 5 vs. Michigan and finished 4-9 rushing and 2-7 receiving. Johnson saw limited action in games 7-9 but was healthy at Minnesota and saw his most extensive action of the year. Johnson finished with a career-high 16-99-25LG rushing performance vs. the Gophers before leaving the game in the second half because of the recurring ankle injury ... In addition to Hogan, 5-9, 188-pound Deion Grubbs, also a true freshman, has shown flashes of ability. The MVP of the Michigan All-Star game in 1996, Grubbs has run a 10.5 100 meters in track. A product of Detroit's Cooley HS, he has seen special teams duty in games 1-10 and saw action at tailback in games 3, 5, 6, and 8. His best rushing effort was at Iowa where he finished 3-22-10LG ... The fullback position is in the capable hands of former walk-on, junior captain Chris Gall (River Forest, Ill./River Forest). After a solid spring, Gall has been asked to do a little bit of everything in Cam Cameron's multi-dimensional offense. An all-Big Ten candidate, Gall has 54 receptions in 10 games and has been Indiana's most consistent offensive player in 1997. His 54 catches are the most ever by an Indiana running back in a single season and the 4th most in IU history.
Gall was 8-47 receiving at UNC in the season opener. He also helped pave the way for Spear's 120 rushing yards. Versus BSU one week later, Gall was 5-34-2TDs receiving. He caught a 12-yd. TD pass from Rodgers in the 3rd qtr. and had a 6-yd. score in the 4th qtr. In doing so, Gall became the first Hoosier RB since 1979 to score two receiving TDs in one game (Lonnie Johnson at Iowa, 9/8/79). One week later vs. UK, Gall finished 7-68-18LG receiving. He was 6-50-23LG receiving vs. Michigan in game 5. He left game 6 vs. MSU in the 1st half with an ankle injury but had it taped and returned to the game. Finished 6-39 receiving. Despite nursing the injury, Gall started vs. OSU and had 4 catches. Left the Iowa game for several plays in the first half because of the ankle sprain but returned and had a catch of 30 yds. in the 2nd qtr. and notched a career-long 32-yd. reception early in the 2nd half. Gall finished the game 5-92-32LG receiving. Gall had yet another fine effort at Minnesota when he caught a career-high 9 passes for 55 yards before leaving the game with a left knee sprain that will cause him to miss the season finale vs. Purdue. The nine receptions were the most by an IU running back since Sean Glover caught 9 passes at Michigan on 10/21/95 ... Junior TE/FB Bryan Bobay and redshirt freshman David Ballou (Indianapolis/Avon) have served as Gall's backups. However, Bobay suffered a fracture right fibula in practice on Oct. 1 and will miss the remainder of the season. Ballou was 3-31 receiving, including a career-long 21 yard reception from Earl Haniford in the 4th qtr. at Ohio State. He also saw plenty of action at Iowa and had 2 receptions. Ballou suffered a broken toe in the Illinois game and did not play at Minnesota. It is unlikely he will play vs. Purdue.
WIDE RECEIVERS
The starting wide receiver slots were left wide open throughout
training camp but three true freshmen, O.J. Conner (Gary,
Ind./Westside), Tyrone Browning (Evansville, Ind./Reitz), and Marcus
Floyd (Bartow, Fla./Bartow) have since established themselves as the top
wideouts on the Hoosiers' depth chart.
Senior Dorian Wilkerson (Lauderdale Lakes, Fla./Ely) (40 40-490-1TD in '96) occupied one starting receiver spot in games 1-3 after recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. However, he separated the same shoulder in practice prior to the Wisconsin game (Wed., 9/24) and will miss the remainder of the season. He was 11-194 receiving in games 1-3. Wilkerson's half-brother, Ernest Bynes, 22, died of bone cancer on 9/1. Wilkerson flew home for the funeral and met the team in Chapel Hill on the evening prior to the UNC game. He was 1-9 receiving at UNC. One week later vs. BSU, Wilkerson was 5-130-1TD receiving, including a 53-yd. reception from QB Jay Rodgers (a career-long for both players). Wilkerson's roommate, junior Jean Paul (Naples, Fla./Lely) was 3-29 receiving in '96, but had a solid fall and has played in a backup role after recovering from a stress fracture of the pubis that caused him to miss games 1-4. Early indications were that he would be lost for the season, however, he has seen limited action in games 5-10, finishing 1-13 and 1-12 receiving vs. the Wolverines and Spartans, respectively. Paul was 2-40 receiving at OSU in game 7. He is also a member of the IU basketball squad ... Sophomore Versie Gaddis (Decatur, Georgia/Frederick Douglass) had offseason knee surgery and will miss the entire '97 campaign, although he has begun to participate in limited contact drills ... In Gaddis' absence, senior CB Joey Eloms (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia) was utilized as a wideout during the latter portion of spring practice. Eloms played at flanker throughout the early fall and was asked to play on both sides of the ball in games 1-3. However, Eloms' roll on offense has ended because of the continuing emergence of three freshmen wide receivers -- the 6-2, 167-pound Conner, 6-0, 166-lb.Browning and 5-9, 176-lb. Marcus Floyd. Floyd opened fall practice at DB but has since converted to wideout. All three saw limited action at wideout in high school (three saw most of their action at other positions.) In the season opener at UNC, Eloms played 7 snaps on offense as Conner saw most of the action at the wideout opposite Wilkerson. Conner did not make a catch, however, films later showed that he made a TD reception that was ruled out of bounds during the first quarter. Conner was 6-140-43LG-1TD receiving vs. BSU and 1-9 receiving vs. UK. He scored on a 15-yd. hookup with Rodgers in the 3rd qtr. vs. BSU to give the Hoosiers a 19-6 lead. Conner was 6-84-21LG receiving at Wisc., including two catches (both of 21 yds.) that helped set up an Andy Payne FG that gave the Hoosiers a 26-24 lead with :53 seconds remaining. A former high school QB, Conner completed a 33-yd. throwback pass to QB Jay Rodgers vs. BSU and also had a 2-yd. completion to Rodgers vs. MSU. Played another solid contest in game 6 vs. the Spartans as he finished 3-84-42LG receiving. Had a 37-yd. reception from QB Jay Rodgers in the 1st qtr. that moved the ball from the MSU-49 to the MSU-12. The catch helped set up a 31-yd. FG by K Andy Payne. Also had a 42-yd. catch from Rodgers in the 3rd. qtr. Conner was 4-61 receiving at Minnesota. He also had a 39-yd. completion to QB Jay Rodgers on a double pass in the 1st qtr. ... Floyd and Browning did not play at UNC. However, Browning saw his first action as a collegian one week later vs. BSU. He was 2-21 receiving vs. the Cardinals and 2-16-12LG receiving in game 3 vs. UK. Had the finest day of his young career at Wisconsin, finishing 4-93-33LG receiving. Made catches of 33 and 8 yards. on a 3rd. qtr. drive. Browning started the second game of his career at OSU and finished 2-39-24LG receiving. He had a fine game vs. Illinois as he caught 4 passes for 67 yards, including an 8-yd. reception on a 1st-n-10 from the UI-10 that moved the ball to the UI-2 and set up a 1-yd. TD run by De'Wayne Hogan that gave Indiana a 7-3 lead. Browning had a career-long 40-yd. reception during IU's first offensive series of the Minnesota game ... Floyd has seen limited action in games 4-10.
TIGHT ENDS
At tight end, spring practice saw sophomore Randy Maxwell
(Lawrenceburg, Ind./East Central) move past returning starter senior Ben
Klusmeyer (Anderson, Ind./Anderson) and into the starting tight end
role. Former DE Bryan Bobay (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Bishop Dwenger) converted
to TE during spring ball and emerged as the second-team TE prior to
suffering broken right fibula that ended his season at practice on 10/1
... Although not overly big, Maxwell has impressed coaches with his
ability to catch the football. He was 2-9 receiving at UNC, 1-8 vs. Ball
St., and 2-25-16 LG vs. UK. Maxwell did not catch a pass at Wisconsin
but came back vs. the U of M and was 3-22 receiving. Maxwell had career
highs in both recepts. and yds. at Minn. as he finished 4-54 receiving,
including a 26-ydr. on a key 3rd-n-1 play in the 2nd qtr. ... Bobay is a
bruising 6-1, 265-pounds, but has the ability to get down field. He
played DE in both '95 and '96 and tallied 2 tackles for loss last
season, including 1 QB sack. Bobay made the first catch of his career
vs. BSU, a 3-yd. 1st-qtr. TD from Jay Rodgers ... Klusmeyer started 10
games in '96 and was 6-62 receiving. He started vs. BSU as Indiana
opened in a 3-TE set. DNP at Wisc. but replaced Bobay in games 5-9,
earning starting assignments in games 5 and 6 as IU opened in a 2-TE
alignment vs. Michigan and MSU. He was 1-7 receiving vs. the Wolverines.
OFFENSIVE LINE
One of the most interesting developments of the 1997 campaign has
been the play of the offensive line. WIth young skill position players
throughout the lineup, the O-line has been tested from day one. Left
tackle Chris Liwienski (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson) (6-6, 304)
has begun his third year as a starter and has been invited to play in
the Hula Bowl following the 1997 campaign. Liwienski has played his best
football in games 8-10. Guard Khalfani Banks (Naperville, Ill./Central)
(6-5, 324) started the first eight games of the 1996 campaign at tackle
and guard Victor Allotey (Brooklyn, N.Y./Lincoln) (6-4, 316) showed
enormous potential in the spring after converting from DT. Center Chris
Lee (Anniston, Ala./Anniston) (6-3, 293) has been solid in a reserve
role at guard during the past three seasons and is the starter at
center, while sophomore Craig Robeen (Hardin, Ill./Calhoun) (6-5, 311)
is the starter at RT. Liwienski, Allotey, Lee, Banks, and Robeen have
all started games 1-10. The Hoosiers tallied 496 total yds. of offense
vs. BSU in game 2 and may have played their finest game as a unit at
Wisc., enabling RB De'Wayne Hogan to rush for 124 yards and 2 TDs. The
unit also played well vs. Illinois as Hogan rushed for 164 yds. and at
Minn. as the Hoosiers tallied 443 yds. of offense ... Junior tackle Greg
Jenkins (Goshen, Ohio/Goshen), sophomores Jeremy Johnson (Newburgh,
Ind./Castle), Jason Stealy (Marshall, Mich./Marshall), and Matt Snyder
(Hartland, WI/Arrowhead), and redshirt freshman James Broyles
(Rennselaer, Ind./Kankakee Valley) will all look to add depth to the
O-line. Both Snyder and Jenkins saw extensive action vs. BSU and played
well, according to Cameron. Snyder has seen action in games 3-10.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Former Michigan standout, and six-year NFL veteran Mike Teeter
inherited a young, yet talented group of defensive linemen that has a
chance to be a special unit in the future. Headlining the group is
sophomore DE Adewale Ogunleye (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville).
Ogunleye, who was named IU's Most Valuable Defensive Lineman in '96,
leads a group of returnees that started 29 of a possible 33 combined
games at LDE and both DT positions last season. Nathan Davis, a
2nd-round pick of the Falcons, filled the RDE position in 1996.
After moving into the starting lineup after the second game of the '96 season, Ogunleye tallied 15 TFLs and 8.5 QB sacks, while emerging as one of the Big Ten's up-and-coming defenders.
At UNC in the season opener, Ogunleye picked up where he left off in 1996. He tallied 2 sacks (-8 yds.) and put constant pressure on UNC quarterbacks. Ogunleye tallied 1 sack (-9 yds.) and 2 tackles for loss vs. UK and had 4 stops, including 2 (-4 yds.) at Wisc. Had 1 TFL vs. MSU and had a monster game at OSU. "Wally" notched 7 tackles, including 4 sacks (-28 yards), forced 2 fumbles, and had 2 PBUs vs. the Buckeyes. In the 4th qtr. at OSU, sacked QB Joe Jermaine twice on the same series, forcing fumbles on both plays. The second FF was recovered by LB Vince Lidy. Forced another fumble one week later, this time by Iowa RB Tavian Banks in the 3rd qtr. One play later, Wally tallied a sack of QB Randy Reiners. Ogunleye teamed with OLB Aaron Warnecke to tackle Illinois RB Robert Holcombe for a 3-yd. loss on a 4th-n-1 from the IU-8 with Indiana leading 13-6 early in the 3rd qtr. Also had two tipped passes vs. Illinois, both that led to INTs. Didn't slow down at Minnesota as he notched three more TFLs, including a sack of QB Cory Sauter ... Senior DT Benyard Jones (Kankakee, Ill./Kankakee), who started 11 games in '96, returns and has been impressive throughout the fall. Jones had 7 stops vs. BSU and earned the defensive game ball for his efforts. Also led all D-linemen at Wisconsin with 7 tackles and vs. Michigan with 8 ... Talent laden Damian Gregory (Lansing, Mich./Sexton), a part-time starter in '96, has started games 1-10 at DT. He will miss the season finale at Purdue with a fractured left forearm that he suffered in game 10 at Minn. With IU trailing UNC 7-3, late in the 2nd qtr., Gregory intercepted a Chris Keldorf pass on a 2nd-n-8 from the IU-35. It was Gregory's first career INT. Gregory had 2 sacks (20 yds. in losses) vs. BSU. Made a big play on a 3rd-n-8 from the WI-44, when he sacked Badger QB Mike Samuel for a 6-yd. loss. May have had his finest game of the season vs. MSU. The Lansing native notched 5 tackles for loss (-14 yards) vs. the Spartans. He tallied 4 more tackles for loss (-13 yards) at OSU and also blocked a K Dan Stultz 29-yd. FGA on OSU's first offensive possession of the game. Gregory sacked Ohio St. QB Stanley Jackson on a 3rd-n-5 from the OSU-38 early in the 2nd qtr. ... Junior Aaron Williams (Brampton, Ontario/Bramalea) started at the DE slot opposite Ogunleye in the season opener at UNC as Jason Czap moved to linebacker. Williams tallied 1 sack vs. BSU in a reserve role. He returned to the starting lineup at Wisc. and notched 3 stops, including 1 for loss. Sacked MSU QB Todd Schultz on a 3rd-n-11 from the MSU-30 in the 1st qtr. that forced a fumble. In game 7 at OSU, Williams intercepted QB Joe Germaine at the IU-45 and returned it 31 yds. to the OSU-24. Helped blow up a 4th-n-1 play by Illinois early in the 4th qtr. when LB Aaron Warnecke and DE Adewale Ogunleye tackled RB Robert Holcombe for a 3-yd. loss ... Returning letterman, senior Al Haywood (Chicago, Ill./Corliss), has been looked upon to back up Jones at defensive tackle. He has played in games 1-8. Had a pass deflection at UNC and saw his most extensive action to date vs. Michigan in game 5, tallying 1 stop ... Redshirt freshmen Paul Mandina (Rochester, NY/Webster) and Nick Abruzzo (Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates) are running with the second unit behind Gregory and Williams, respectively. Mandina has seen action in games 1-3, and 5-8. He recovered a fumble by the U of M's Anthony Thomas in the 4th qtr. of game 5. Abruzzo tallied the first sack of his career when he sacked Michigan QB Tom Brady for a 9-yd. loss in the 4th qtr. of game 5.
Gordon Bramel (Lebanon, KY/Marion County) has seen increased action, playing in games 2, 3, and 5-8.
LINEBACKERS
Former Cowboy, Cardinal and Raider, Ron Burton is in charge of the
linebackers in 1997, the position on defense with the fewest returning
starters. However, Burton does have several players who should make his
job a little bit easier. The leader of that group is, without question,
junior Jabar Robinson (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Snider). Robinson, a two-year
starter had 63 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 INTs, 5 passes broken up
and 1 fumble recovery in 1996. An All-Big Ten candidate, Robinson's
versatility allows him to play either inside or outside LB, although he
will play ILB in coordinator Jon Heacock's scheme. Robinson tallied 7
tackles at UNC in the 1997 season opener and led the Hoosiers in tackles
with 11 stops, including 2 for loss vs. Ball St. He tallied 7 stops vs.
UK and 6 more at Wisconsin. Robinson also recovered a fumble early in
the 1st qtr. vs. the Badgers. He had a strong effort in game 5 at
Michigan as he notched 16 tackles, including 2 for loss. Had a big stop
on a 3rd-n-1 with 12:20 remaining in the 1st qtr. that forced a
Wolverine punt. Led all Indiana tacklers with 9 stops vs. MSU. Also had
a pass deflection. Continued his fine play at OSU when he had 14
tackles, including 3 for loss. He also had 1 PBU Again led the team in
tackles vs. Illinois as he tallied 10 stops, including 2 for loss.
Played well at Minnesota as he tallied 10 tackles, and .5 sacks ...
There has been a battle for the linebacker spots surrounding Robinson
and sophomore Jason Czap (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central), sophomore
Vince Lidy (Newburgh, Ind./Castle), sophomore James Lamar (Ypsilanti,
Mich./Ypsilanti), senior Aaron Warnecke and true freshman Joslin
Goodman (Osceola, Ind./Penn) have stepped to the fore. Czap and Goodman
earned the starting nods at UNC in the season opener. Goodman tallied 5
tackles while Czap hit QB Chris Keldorf on a blitz that enabled Gregory
to intercept a pass late in the first half. Czap also had a sack at Iowa
and 1 at Minn. Lidy recovered a QB Joe Jermaine fumble at OSU that was
caused by Ogunleye.
Toward the latter part of training camp, Czap was moved from DE to OLB and played well enough to earn himself a starting role. However, he moved back to DE vs. BSU. Since then he has played almost exclusively at linebacker. Lidy held that role through the early portion of camp and earned the starting nod at BSU as Czap started at DE. Freshman Tony Brown (Dayton, Ohio/Patterson) saw the first action of his career at Wisconsin in game 4. He is now listed as the backup behind Czap. He has played in games 4-8 and recovered a fumble at Iowa ... The other OLB position has been hotly contested between Lamar, Goodman, and most recently, Warnecke. Goodman started the season opener at UNC, while Lamar started vs. BSU and tallied 5 stops. Lamar also opened vs. Kentucky only to give way to Goodman in games 4-5. However, Lamar saw extensive action vs. the Badgers and had 11 tackles and 1 PBU. Lamar had 6 tackles vs. Michigan and Goodman forced a 4th qtr. fumble by the Wolverines' Anthony Thomas in the 4th qtr. Senior Aaron Warnecke opened at SAM linebacker vs. the Spartans and had 4 tackles. One week later at OSU, Warnecke had 7 tackles, including 2 for loss. He tackled RB Matt Keller for a 4-yd. loss on a blitz early in the 1st qtr. In game 9, Warnecke teamed with DE Adewale Ogunleye to tackle Illinois RB Robert Holcombe for a 3-yd. loss on a 4th-n-1 from the IU-8 with the Hoosiers leading 13-6 early in the 4th qtr.
Senior Kevin Glaser (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) is the backup at MLB. He had a huge hit on special teams at Wisconsin when he decked Badger KOR Ahmad Merritt. He also had an 11-yd. KOR in game 5 vs. Michigan.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
While inexperience may be the buzzword at linebacker, the secondary is
a position of experience in 1997. At the end of the spring, three
starting positions were solidified, with seniors Joey Eloms (Ft. Wayne,
Ind./Concordia) and Joe King (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Coconut Creek) slated
to start at cornerback and senior Kywin Supernaw (Skiatook,
Okla./Skiatook) penciled in at free safety. Sophomore Patrick Shaw (Ft.
Lauderdale, Fla./Dillard) had an impressive training camp and took the
starting strong safety job from incumbent Aaron Warnecke (Fairland,
Ind./Triton Central) in games 1-3. However, Shaw is now backing up
Supernaw at free safety as Curtis Randle El (Riverdale, Ill./Thornton)
is currently the starter at SS after opening the Wisconsin game at that
spot. Randle El has also started games 5-7 and 9. However, he is listed
as doubtful for the Purdue game because of a left foot sprain.
The secondary INTd two passes (in addition to one by DT Damian Gregory) at UNC in the season opener and added two more vs. BSU, 1 at Wisc., 2 more at OSU, 2 vs. Illinois and 1 at Minn..
Joey Eloms returns following a '96 campaign that saw him miss the final seven games of the year with a broken leg. He also saw a significant amount of time at WR in games 1-3 of the '97 campaign but has since returned to defense on a full-time basis. On a 1st-n-10 from the IU-16 late in the 3rd. qtr. of game 1, Eloms intercepted a Chris Keldorf pass on the 1-yd. line to thwart a UNC drive. Eloms had a fumble recovery that he returned for 20 yards. vs. UK. He also made two big plays at Wisc., recovering a WR Chris Chambers fumble in the 3rd qtr. that helped set up a 30-yd. FG by Andy Payne. He also set up a TD run in the 2nd qtr. when he intercepted a QB Mike Samuel pass at the IU-30 and returned it 42 yards. Missed practice on 10/9 and 10/10 prior to the MSU game to attend memorial services for his father. Played in a reserve role vs. MSU. Played his finest game of the season at Minn. Made a big play when he INTd QB Cory Sauter on a 1st-n-10 from the IU-42 in the 2nd qtr. that helped set up a Payne FG ... Supernaw is a 6-1, 209-pound, free safety who has earned a reputation for his physical style of play. He also intercepted a Keldorf pass in the season opener at UNC, this one on the opening drive of the game. The pilfer helped set up a 35-yd. FG by Payne. Supernaw led the club with 10 stops vs. UK. Early in the 1st qtr. at Wisc., forced a fumble with a vicious hit on TE Ryan Sondrup. The fumble was recovered by CB Joe King. Had 7 stops, including 2 TFLs vs. Michigan. Also had a vicious tackle that was highlighted on ESPN's Sportscenter. Tallied his second INT of the season at Iowa when he picked off a QB Randy Reiners pass late in the first half. Turned in one of the biggest plays of his career vs. Illinois when, on a 1st-n-10 from the IU-11 late in the 4th qtr., he intercepted a QB Tim Lavery pass and returned it 90 yards. for a score. It was the 5th longest INT return for a TD in IU history ... King started all 11 games in '96 and tallied 40 tackles and 2 INTs. He had a fumble recovery at Wisc. and forced a fumble vs. OSU on punt coverage. With IU leading Illinois 13-6 early in the 4th qtr. of game 9, intercepted QB Tim Lavery on a 1st-n-10 from the UI-34 ... With 36 career starts, Warnecke is IU's most experienced player. However, he did miss spring drills when he reported to camp with a stress fracture in his foot. He began to see some time at OLB in practice prior to game 5 vs. Michigan and has played at SAM linebacker in games 6-10. Had an INT in the 1st qtr. vs. Illinois when he stepped in front of a QB Tim Lavery pass. Early in the 4th qtr., with IU leading 13-6, teamed with Ogunleye to tackle RB Robert Holcombe for a 3-yd. loss on a 1st-n-10 from the IU-8 ... Other DBs who have contributed are Randle El and redshirt freshman O.J. Spencer (Jacksonville, Fla./University Christian). Spencer has seen action in the nickel package and started vs. MSU, while Randle El has moved into the starting lineup at strong safety ... Randle El blitzed several times off the corner vs. BSU and tallied 2 sacks for 18 yds. He also notched an INT. He started vs. UK, but missed much of the contest after suffering a hip pointer midway through the first half. Also started at Wisc. at SS in place of Shaw and notched 7 stops and 1 tackle for loss. Had 7 tackles, 1 TFL and 1 PBU vs. Michigan. Randle El intercepted a QB Joe Jermaine pass at OSU late in the 1st half ... Sophomore Michael McGrath (Downers Grove, Ill/South), has emerged as the Hoosiers' nickel back. He had a touchdown saving tackle vs. Michigan and had 9 tackles, including 2 for loss at OSU. Earned a start at Iowa and had 11 tackles, including 8 solo stops.
PUNTING
The Hoosiers have one of the Big Ten's best punters in senior Alan
Sutkowski (Griffith, Ind./Griffith), a second-team All-Big Ten selection
in '96. Sutkowski averaged 43.3 yds. per punt last season and is
currently IU's career punting leader with a 42.6 avg. Through 10 games,
he is averaging 42.3 yds. per punt. He was 6-43.5-53LG punting at UNC
and 4-43.3-53LG vs. BSU. He punted 4-47.3-56LG vs. UK, including punts
of 56 and 50 yds. At Wisc., Sutkowski was 6-42.7-56LG punting, including
3-IN-20. Had his finest game of the season vs. Michigan as he finished
6-50.7-72LG punting, including punts of 44, 33 (downed at MI-13), 36, 61
(PR tackled on MI-12), 58, and 72 yds. He was 8-47.8-58LG vs. MSU and
9-44.3-67LG at OSU, including three 50+-yard punts. Struggled at Iowa in
adverse weather conditions. Had a 0-yd. punt after dropping a snap and
had a 44-yd. punt returned for a TD by PR Tim Dwight. Earned a game ball
for his performance vs. Illinois as he punted 4-42.5 and had a 53-yd.
punt (-2 yd. return) out of his end zone in the 4th qtr.
KICKING
The
place-kicking duties were a question mark in the spring and had yet to
clear themselves up just hours prior to the season opener at UNC. Junior
Michael Irving (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) and redshirt
freshman Andy Payne (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) had battled
for the job but the competition stiffened as Cameron brought in three
walk-ons from IU's #1-ranked soccer team to vie for the job. Cameron had
the kickers wage a "kick-off" during the week prior to the UNC game and
waited until pregame to make a decision on his kicker.
In addition to Payne and Irving, Cameron took freshman soccer player Brad Griggs (Indianapolis/Warren Central) to Chapel Hill.
Payne made the most kicks in pregame warmups at UNC and went on to make both of his FGAs (35 and 32 yards.) during the game. He missed his only FGA vs. BSU. Irving handled the kickoff duties in games 1-3, and for the first half of game 4, before giving way to Payne. Griggs earned the first playing time of his career vs. UK in game 3 when he connected on the Hoosiers' only extra point attempt. He has since returned to the soccer team on a full-time basis.
Payne may have won the place-kicking job in game 4 at Wisc. He connected on all 4 FGAs, including kicks of 35, 32, 30, and 43 yds. The 43-ydr. gave IU a 26-24 lead with just :53 seconds remaining. Was 1-2 on FGAs vs. MSU and kicked FGs of 42, 45, and 32 yds. vs. Illinois. Payne kicked a school-record 4 FGs at Minn. (48, 22, 21, 40 yds.) and had a 41 yd. attempt hit the left upright. Payne has 15 FGs in '97 and needs two in the season's final game to tie Pete Stoyanovich for first place on Indiana's single-season field goal list.
MILESTONES
- K Andy Payne, who has 15 field goals in 1997, needs two FGs to tie Pete Stoyanovich for first place on Indiana's single-season field goal list.
- FS Kywin Supernaw's 120 interception return yards this season ties him for sixth place on the IU interception return list with Eric Allen (1996).
- P Alan Sutkowski's 50.7-yd. punting average vs. Michigan was the 5th best effort in IU history.
DID YOU KNOW?
- ... that K Andy Payne's 48-yd. field goal at Minnesota was the longest of his career?
- ... that Payne's 15 field goals this season place him third on Indiana's single-season list behind Pete Stoyanovich (17 in 1988) and Bill Manolopoulos (16 in 1993)?
- ... that Payne's four field goals at Minnesota tied his own school record for field goals in a game? Payne kicked four in a game vs. Wisconsin earlier this season and K Chris Gartner had four on two occasions, one in 1971 and once in 1972.
- ... that fullback Chris Gall is now tied with Thomas Lewis (1992) and Eddie Thomas (1991) for fourth on IU's single-season reception list with 54 catches? Only Ernie Jones (66 in 1987), Kenny Allen (55 in 1985) and Thomas Lewis (55 in 1993) rank ahead of him.
- ... that DE Adewale Ogunleye's three tackles for loss moved him into second place on the single-season tackle for loss list? He has 20 tackles for loss this season. Only Van Waiters (24 in '86) and Nathan Davis (20 in '95) have tallied at least that many tackles for loss in a single season.
- ... that Jay Rodgers' 58.4 completion percentage would be the third best in IU history if the season ended today? Babe Laufenberg (.596) and Trent Green (.590) are the top two.
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