Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers host Hawkeyes in Homecoming Game
10/12/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
Hoosiers host Hawkeyes in Homecoming Game
GAME SIX: Indiana will host the University of Iowa on Saturday,
October 17, at Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised by ESPN Regional
television. Game time is set for 11:10 a.m. EST/12:10 p.m. EDT...Saturday's
game will be Indiana's homecoming. A crowd of 37,000 is expected. Indiana
football tickets can be purchased at the IU Ticket Office in Assembly Hall
or by calling 1-800-447-GOIU...Indiana will enter Saturday's game with a
2-3 overall record, and an 0-2 mark in the Big Ten. Indiana's three losses
have been by a total of 15 points, including a 7-point double-overtime loss
at Michigan State last week...Iowa is 3-3 overall, and 2-1 in the Big Ten,
after defeating Northwestern in Iowa City last week, 26-24. The Hawkeyes
are led by defensive tackle Jared DeVries who has tallied 34 tackles this
season, including 14 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. He
also has 2 passes broken up.
TELEVISION AND RADIO
TELEVISION:
ESPN Regional
Wayne Larrivee - Play-by-Play
Randy Wright - Analyst
Jim Barbar - Sideline
RADIO:
Locally: WBWB-FM (96.7) and 50-station radio network
Play-by-Play: Don Fischer
Color Analyst: Buck Suhr
Pregame/Halftime: Joe Smith
INDIANA INJURIES
The following Indiana players are currently on the injured list:
FB Rob Bouchard (r. knee) - out
TE Bobby Brandt (r. knee) - out
TE Randy Maxwell (concussion) - out
LB Jason McWilliams (r. knee)- out
DL Jason Timberlake (l. knee) - out
CB Maurice Tucker (elbow) - out
G James Broyles (hamstring) - probable
WR Levron Williams (l. ankle) - probable
RB Glynn Johnson (r. knee) - probable
INDIANA-IOWA CONNECTIONS
Hawkeyes with connections to the state of Indiana: Assistant head coach/defensive
coordinator Bob Elliott served as the defensive coordinator at Ball State
from 1978-80...Gene Jones, recruiting coordinator and assistant wide receivers
and tight ends coach, began his coaching career at Indiana State, where
he was an assistant coach on the football team and worked with the track
program. He also earned his master's degree from ISU...offensive line coach
Frank Verducci coached under former IU head coach Lee Corso at Northern
Illinois in 1984...sophomore kicker Jason Baker played high school football
at Wayne High School in Fort Wayne...redshirt freshman fullback Jeremy Allen
prepped at Pike High School in Indianapolis..head athletic trainer Ed Crowley
played football and earned his bachelor's degree from Purdue in 1967.
THE MATCHUP
This will be the 62nd contest between the Hoosiers and the Hawkeyes. Iowa
has a 35-22-4 advantage in the series, including a 16-14-1 advantage in
Bloomington...The Hawkeyes own a three-game winning streak against the Hoosiers,
including last season's 62-0 victory in Iowa City...The last Hoosier victory
was at Kinnick Stadium in 1994, when Indiana defeated the Hawkeyes, 27-20...Hayden
Fry has a personal 11-4 lifetime record against the Hoosiers...The largest
margin of victory for Indiana was 32 points, which has happened twice ­­
32-0 in 1944 and 52-20 in 1945...Iowa's largest victory margin was 62 points,
which occurred last year.
IU IN THE NCAA INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
· Senior linebacker Jabar Robinson is tied for 2nd in the NCAA
in interceptions per game with .80 ipg.
· Redshirt freshman quarterback Antwaan Randle El is 13th with 278.6 yards per game of total offense.
· Andy Payne is 20th in scoring offense with 9.0 ppg. Payne is one of only two kickers (Nathan Villegas, Oregon, 10-10) who is averaging at least 1.6 field goals per game and has not missed a field goal this season.
· Sophomore wide receiver Tyrone Browning is averaging 100.8 receiving
yards per game which places him in a tie for 20th place on the NCAA receiving
yardage charts.
THE COACHING CAPSULES
Indiana's Cam Cameron: Appointed head football coach on Nov. 26, 1996,
the 37-year-old Cameron spent three seasons (1994-96) as the Washington
Redskins quarterbacks' coach prior to taking over the IU helm before last
season. 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 while
in Ann Arbor.
Cameron is not new to Indiana as he was a member of the Indiana's football
team from 1979-83. He served as the squad's backup QB in 1982 and 1983.
He graduated from IU in 1983 with a bachelor's degree in business management
and education. Cameron also lettered in basketball three times (1982-84)
while playing for Bob Knight. In 1984, he competed in basketball while attending
graduate school.
While in Washington, Cameron helped improve the Skins from 3-13 during his
first season in 1994 to a 9-7 mark in 1996. He is widely credited for the
development of quarterback Gus Frerotte who was named to the Pro Bowl following
the 1996 season. Cameron has coached current NFL QBs Jim Harbaugh, Elvis
Grbac, Gus Frerotte, Heath Shuler and Todd Collins.
Born Feb. 6, 1961, Cameron and his wife, Missy, who is from Bloomington,
have three sons, Tommy, Danny, and Christopher.
Iowa's Hayden Fry: Hayden Fry is in his 20th season as the head
coach at Iowa. Since taking over as head coach in 1979, he has guided the
Hawkeyes to a 143-84-6 record, including a 96-56-5 conference mark. Before
taking over the Hawkeyes, he was the head coach at SMU and North Texas State
for 16 seasons. His 232 career wins place him fourth on the list of winningest
Div. I active coaches.
Fry took over an Iowa team in 1979 that averaged three wins a season in
the 10 years prior to his arrival. Remarkably, he led them to the Rose Bowl
within three years.
A three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year recipient, Fry has twice been named
National Coach of the Year. He has guided Iowa to three Rose Bowl appearances,
more than any other active Big Ten coach. In 1981, he led Iowa to a share
of the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl bid. He also led the team to the Rose
Bowl in 1985 and to a Big Ten co-championship in 1990.
Fry began his career as an assistant coach at Baylor in 1960. His first
head coaching job came in 1962 at SMU, a team he guided for 10 seasons before
leaving for North Texas State in 1973. At NTSU, where he also served as
athletic director, Fry took over a program that had only seven wins in the
four years prior to his arrival. He led the team to a 33-11 record in his
final four years before leaving for Iowa.
POSITION BY POSITION BREAKDOWN
QUARTERBACK - The battle between junior Jay Rodgers and redshirt freshman
Antwaan Randle El for the starting QB job was waged throughout the spring
and summer and was not decided until late in the week prior to game 1 vs.
Western Michigan. A redshirt freshman, Randle El got the starting nod in
the season opener and answered the call. Making his first collegiate start,
he finished 22-29-385-3TDs passing and ran 23 times for 82 yds. and 3 scores.
His 467 yds. of total offense is the all-time IU record and the 9th-best
total in Big Ten history. He was recognized as co-Big Ten Offensive Player-of-the-Week
for his efforts. In game 2 at Kentucky, Randle El was 12-34-162-1 INT passing.
He had a 3-yd. TD run in the 2nd qtr. that gave the Hoosiers a 10-3 lead.
Randle El proved that his performance vs. WMU was no fluke as he put together another phenomenal effort at Cinci as he ran, caught, and threw for a score. Randle El finished 18-113-1TD rushing, 21-9-186-1TD passing, and was 1-51-1TD receiving. He finished the game with 299 yds. of total offense. On a 1st-n-10 from the IU-49 at Cinci., Randle El caught a 51-yard TD from WR O.J. Conner on a double pass. Randle El was 19-10-145-2INT passing vs. Wisc. His 17-yd. rush at the end of the first half helped set up a 45-yd. FG by K Andy Payne to give IU a 6-3 lead heading into halftime. Randle El continued his stellar play at MSU as he rushed 21 times for 134 yards and 1 TD (the single-best single-game rushing yardage total by a QB in IU history). He was also 10-16-147-0-0 passing. He helped lead the Hoosiers back from a 16-0 deficit and into the lead (24-16) in the fourth qtr. IU would lose in double-OT, 38-31.
Randle El, a partial academic qualifier last season, practiced but did not play in '97. His practice performances have made him one of the most talked about young players in the history of the IU football program. Said WMU coach Gary Darnell, "He was like trying to catch a 180-pound bass." He also plays in the backcourt for the IU basketball team.
Prior to the season opener, Rodgers had started 16 consecutive games after taking over the starting role in a game at Michigan in '96. The Austin, Texas, native completed 58.2 percent of his passes in '97, the third-best single season passing percentage in school history behind former NFL signal caller Babe Laufenberg and current Washington Redskins' quarterback Trent Green. His 2,156 passing yards last season were good for fifth on the IU single season passing yardage list. Rodgers saw action during IU's last drive at Cinci and was forced to play late in the 4th qtr. and in overtime at MSU when Randle El left with a head injury. Rodgers found TE Craig Osika for a 15-yd. scoring pass on a 1st-n-10 play in the first overtime to give IU a 31-24 advantage. Rodgers finished 5-3-24-1TD passing against the Spartans.
Add Earl Haniford and highly regarded freshmen Tommy Jones and Gibran Hamdan to Randle El and Rodgers and Indiana has one of the finest quarterbacking casts in the Big Ten Conference.
Haniford backed up Rodgers last season and has shown improvement. One of the most prolific passers in the history of high school football, Cameron says this former high school All-America selection has some ability. "He can bring a lot of different things to the table. He just continues to do everything he can to get done what we want to get done."
Tommy Jones and Gibran Hamdan are big, mobile, true freshmen who have a lot of ability. Jones, the top-rated quarterback in the state of Ohio last season, earned postseason All-America honors in '97 and was named as one of the top 90 players in the country by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report. Hamdan, one of the nation's top prep baseball players in '97, is a 6-5, 225, strong-armed QB who was the Virginia Independent Schools Player-of-the-Year last season.
FULLBACK - Senior Chris Gall returns this fall as the starting fullback and team co-captain. A former walk-on, Gall was Indiana's most consistent offensive performer throughout the '97 season and was recognized as the team's co-MVP (along with safety Kywin Supernaw) following the '97 campaign. He finished last with 54 catches in 10 games despite suffering a left knee sprain in game 10 at Minn. that sidelined him for the season finale vs. Purdue. Gall was expected to be one of the Big Ten's finest FBs in '98 and has played extremely well this season.
Gall caught 3 passes for 23 yards in the '98 season opener vs. WMU including a 6-yd. TD pass from Randle El in the 4th qtr. Gall also added a 38-yd. kickoff return late in the first qtr. that helped set up IU's third touchdown.
Gall had a stellar contest in game 2 at UK. Early in the second qtr. he took a handoff from Randle El and ran 53 yards to the UK-12. On the very next series, on a 1st-n-10 from the UK-33, Gall rushed off right guard for a 33-yd. TD. The 53-yard rush and the 33-yard touchdown run were both career-longs. Gall finished with a career-high 100 rushing yards.
At Cinc. in game 3, Gall continued to show why he was IU's co-MVP in '97 as he finished 10-47-2TDs rushing. In a 4th qtr. series, Gall strung together carries of 11, 7, and 7 yards­­the last run a 7-yd. score on a 2nd-n-3 from the Bearcat 7-yard line. He did not catch a pass against the Bearcats, breaking a string of at least one reception in 13 consecutive games.
Gall put together another solid effort vs. Wisc. he finished 14-44-1TD rushing and 3-20 receiving. With :33 seconds remaining in the third qtr. he scored on a 4-yd run to give IU a 20-17 lead. In game 5 at MSU he was 13-41-1TD rushing and 7-73 receiving. He scored on a 2-yd. run with 1:17 remaining in the third qtr. that gave the Hoosiers a 17-16 lead.
Moving from TB to FB during spring practice prior to the '98 campaign was junior Jason Spear. He showed flashes of being a steady Big Ten TB during the '97 campaign and has put on additional strength and muscle to handle the various demands of the position. He was 3-10-5LG rushing at Cincinnati.
TAILBACK - While senior co-captain Chris Gall is expected to be one of the finest all-around FBs in the Big Ten in '98, the starting tailback role has been up for grabs throughout the season with sophomores De'Wayne Hogan, Marcus Floyd, and junior college transfer Frankie Franklin all seeing action. Despite not having an established tailback, the Hoosiers currently rank 16th in the country with a 222.6 rushing yards per game average.
Floyd received the most playing time in games 3-4 while Franklin saw the bulk of the action in game 5 at MSU as he rushed 17 times for 75 yards and 1 TD. He scored on an 11-yd. scamper on an option with 7:42 left in the third qtr. that pulled IU to within 16-10. Franklin, a J.C. transfer, saw 4th qtr. action against the Bearcats and finished 5-51-1TD rushing, including a nifty 32-yard TD run on a 3rd-n-2 late in the 4th qtr. He was the state of Florida's "Mr. Football" in 1995.
Sophomore Levron Williams will likely split time between wide receiver and running back throughout the season. He suffered a sprained ankle at practice on Sept. 15 and missed games 2-3. He saw one play of action in game 4 vs. Wisconsin and returned to action in game 5 at MSU but played exclusively at WR.
Williams, one of the nation's most highly recruited running backs two years ago, opened the WMU game as the starting TB and rushed 3 times for 32 yards. He also caught 2 passes for 81 yards and 1 touchdown.
Hogan started six games last season as a true freshman and rushed for 506 yards and 4 TDs. He carried 34 times for 124 yds. and 2 TDs in game 4 at Wisc. in '97 and he rushed 38 times for 164 yds. and 1 TD vs. Illinois. The 164-yd. effort vs. the Illini marked the most rushing yds. by a true freshman at IU since current RBs coach Anthony Thompson rushed for 207 yds. vs. Wisc. in 1986. A physical specimen (bench presses 225 pounds 25 times), Hogan's punishing running style seemed to fuel the Hoosiers' entire offense at times in '97. In the '98 season opener vs. WMU he rushed 17 times for 72 yards. He was 13-70-20LG rushing in game 2 at Kentucky.
Marcus Floyd, who saw limited time as a wide receiver as a true freshman in '97, had the finest game of his young career in game 3 at Cincinnati. Although he had just 1 carry for 16 yards heading into the game, he finished 17-105 rushing. Floyd also played well vs. Wisc. as he rushed 12 times for 68 yards.
WIDE RECEIVERS - Without question, Indiana had the youngest receiving corps in country in 1997. The unit couldn't have been any more inexperienced as true freshmen occupied the top three receiver spots on the IU depth chart. O.J. Conner, Tyrone Browning, and Marcus Floyd (who has since moved to RB) all saw action at wide receiver in '97.
Indiana's most consistent receiver through the first five games has been sophomore Tyrone Browning. He is averaging 100.8 receiving yards per game which currently ranks him 20th nationally among all Division I receivers. In game 1 vs. Western Michigan, Browning caught 13 passes for 258 yards and 1 TD. The yardage total is the second-best total in Big Ten history behind Indiana's Thomas Lewis who tallied 285 yds. at Penn State in '93. Browning was 5-55-19LG receiving at UK in game 2. Browning also contributed to the offensive attack in '97 by adding 24 catches for 367 yds. He played in the final 10 games of the '97 season and started five contests. Browning and Versie Gaddis started at wide receiver in game 3 at Cincinnati. Browning was 3-83-1TD-36LG receiving, including a 36-yd. TD reception on a 1st-n-10 play in the 2nd qtr. Browning led all IU receivers in receptions and yards vs. Wisconsin as he finished 4-83-32LG receiving. He started at flanker in game 5 at MSU and finished 2-25-18 receiving.
Sophomore Versie Gaddis, who missed the entire '97 season after reconstructive knee surgery, has started games 3-5 after showing signs this past spring why he was considered as one of the Big Ten's ascending young stars in '96. Gaddis did suffer a shoulder injury during training camp that slowed his progress. One of just four true freshmen to win a letter in '96, he caught 7 passes for 146 yards (team-leading 20.9 average) that season but suffered a torn ACL during the first day of spring drills in '97. This season, he saw his first action of the year in game 2 at UK and earned a starting assignment and was 2-38-19LG receiving in game 3 at Cinci. His 19-yd. reception of a batted pass on a 3rd-n-10 play in the first qtr. was his first reception since the '96 season. Gaddis was 1-19 receiving vs. Wisc. He made a difficult catch on a slant in the 4th qtr. He also had 1 reception at MSU.
Although both were unable to practice in '97 and again this past spring, former high school standouts Levron Williams and Derin Graham became eligible this season and have impressed many observers. Williams, who started at tailback in game 1, was 2-81-43LG-1TD receiving in the season opener vs. Western Michigan and Graham had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown vs. Wisconsin. Graham saw the most extensive action of his career at Cinci and was 2-50-40LG receiving. Williams missed games 2 and 3 with an ankle injury. He played one play late in the Wisconsin game and returned to action when he opened at split end at MSU. He caught 2 passes for 54 yards, including a 43-yard scamper in the 2nd qtr. that helped lead to a 31-yd. Andy Payne field goal.
Conner, a tall, wiry, receiver finished his freshman campaign 28-520-2 TDs receiving. He was 3-33 receiving in the '98 opener vs. WMU. He started games 1-2 at the split end spot. He started at split end in the season opener vs. WMU when Williams earned the starting tailback nod and in game 2 when Williams missed the game with an ankle injury. Conner threw a 51-yd. touchdown pass to QB Antwaan Randle El on a double pass in game 3 at Cincinnati. Conner is now 4-4-125-1TD passing in his young career.
TIGHT ENDS - Junior Randy Maxwell, last year's starter at tight end, will miss the remainder of the season because of multiple concussions, the most recent coming in game 1 vs. WMU. After a solid sophomore season, Maxwell had an excellent spring and often drew praise from the IU coaching staff. One of the team's most tenacious players, he has earned a reputation for his work ethic and excellent hands. Maxwell started all 11 games last season and finished the season with 15 receptions. He earned the start vs. WMU in the 1998 season opener.
Redshirt freshman Sterling Mintzer has the ability to be a contributor and has shown signs that he has the potential to become a playmaker. He has played in games 1-5 and earned starts in games 2 and 3. He made the first catch of his career in the Cinci. game. True freshman Craig Osika had an impressive training camp and has seen action in games 2-5. Early in the 3rd qtr. at UK, Osika made a key 34-yd. recept. from Randle El on a 3rd-n-14 from the IU-35 that kept a drive alive. It was the first reception of his young career. He made the biggest play of his young career in OT at MSU when he grabbed a 15-yd. TD pass from Jay Rodgers that gave IU a 31-24 lead.
OFFENSIVE LINE - One of the key developments throughout camp was the competition for several O-line spots. Departed are two NFL draft picks, last year's left tackle Chris Liwienski (Minnesota Vikings' practice squad) and left guard Victor Allotey (Buffalo Bills' 53-man roster). Center Chris Lee (Blue-Gray Game participant following the 1997 season) and right guard Khalfani Banks also graduated.
The young, unproven, offensive line has improved throughout the year and has helped IU average 442.6 yards per game through the season's first five contests. The group of Elisara (LT), Broyles (LG), Miller (C), Snyder (RG), and Robeen (RT) have started every game as a unit. The group had started a total of 11 games (all by Robeen) heading into the '98 campaign.
The only returning starter is junior Craig Robeen has started games 1-5 at right tackle. Robeen missed much of the second half of game 2 at Kentucky with a knee injury. He was replaced by Jeremy Johnson.
Cameron and his staff have been extremely impressed by junior college transfer Pita (pronounced Peeka) Elisara throughout the year. He has started at LT in games 1-5 and has been impressive. The Palomar (Calif.) J.C. product was one of the country's top junior college linemen in 1997.
Juniors Chad Miller (center) and Matt Snyder (right guard) and sophomore James Broyles (left guard) also earned starting nods in game 1 vs. WMU and helped the offensive unit tally 587 yards of total offense.
DEFENSIVE LINE - There is no question that the D-line was expected be a team strength in '98 and the group has lived up to its advanced billing. First-team All-Big Ten DE Adewale Ogunleye leads the group after finishing last season with 21 TFLs and 10 sacks. Although just a soph in '97, his TFL tally was the second highest single-season total in school history behind Van Waiters' 24 during the '86 campaign.
This season, Ogunleye has lived up to the preseason hype that saw him make numerous preseason All-America teams. He has tallied 25 tackles, including 9 for loss and five sacks. He also has a fumble recovery. He has moved into first place on the all-time IU career TFL list with 45. He tallied 3 TFLs and 2 sacks in the season opener vs. WMU. He added 1 sack at UK in game 2. He sacked QB Tim Couch for a 10-yd. loss on a 3-n-11 play from the UK-31 in the 3rd. qtr. Ogunleye is currently second on the IU career sack list (23.5).
Along with Wale', senior Bryan Bobay (DE) and junior Jason Czap (DT) emerged to earn starting spots in the season opener. Bobay did not start game 2 at UK as he spent most of the night prior to the game driving to and from Bloomington to be with his wife, Tracey, who was thought to be in labor with their second child. The Bobay's had a son, Thomas, prior to the Wisc. game.
Sophomore Paul Mandina played with the first unit most of the summer at middle guard but suffered a bursa sac injury during camp. He returned to start at defensive tackle in the season opener vs. WMU and tallied 4 tackles, including 1 for loss. Mandina was unable to play in game 2-3 because of the knee injury but returned to action in game 4 vs. Wisconsin and made 1 tackle. He saw extensive action in game 5 and played well. He tallied the first sack of his career when he threw MSU quarterback Bill Burke for a 8-yd. loss on a 3rd-n-10 from the IU-21.
Junior DT Damian Gregory, who started 10 games in '97 before breaking his wrist at Minn. in the next to last game of the season, was suspended for the '98 season opener for failing to pass a conditioning test. He returned to the starting lineup in game 2 at UK and tallied 5 tackles and 1 PBU. He played very well in game 4 vs. Wisc. as he finished with 7 total tackles. He followed up his effort vs. the Badgers with a 10 tackle, 3 sack, performance at MSU. He is a Lansing native and had 5 TFLs in the 1997 MSU game played in Bloomington.
Williams, who passed on an opportunity to be selected in the CFL draft this offseason, has shown great improvement. He earned the start at DE in place of Bobay at UK in game 2 and recovered a fumble for a TD in the third qtr. that gave IU a 27-10 lead. He started and continued to play well at Cinci. as he tallied 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 PBU. He sacked Cinci. QB Chad Plummer for a 12-yard loss on a 1st-n-10 from the C-34 in the 2nd qtr. He tallied 2 more tackles for loss vs. Wisc. In game 5 at MSU he made a huge play when he sacked Burke for a 17-yd. loss on a 3rd-n-6 from the IU-47 in the 3rd qtr. IU would score on its next drive to take the lead 17-16.
Senior DT Brady Shields tallied the first INT of his career in the 2nd qtr. of game 2 at Kentucky when he stepped in front of a QB Tim Couch pass at the line of scrimmage on a 1st-n-10 from the IU-38.
True freshman A.C. Myler has been impressive and saw action in game 2
at Kentucky at middle guard and extensive action in game 3 at Cinci. He
tallied 1 tackle in the Cinci. game and helped force a fumble at Kent.
LINEBACKERS - The Hoosiers return one of the Big Ten's better defenders
in senior co-captain and Butkus Award-candidate Jabar Robinson. Robinson,
who started all 11 games at MLB in '97, has tallied 275 career tackles.
He finished with a team-leading 101 tackles in 1997, including 12 for loss,
on his way to earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors.
Robinson had 9 stops in season opener vs. WMU. He had a standout performance in game 2 at UK as he twice intercepted QB Tim Couch in the first half. He also tallied 18 tackles, including 2 tackles for loss and 1 sack. His first qtr. interception of Couch helped set up a 41-yard FG by K Andy Payne and his 2nd qtr. INT led to a 33-yd. TD run by fellow co-captain Chris Gall on the ensuing series. Robinson tallied his third interception in two weeks in game 3 at Cinci. Robinson again led the team in tackles in game 4 vs. Wisconsin with 11 and with 10 more at MSU. He also made a big play in the MSU game when he stepped in front of a Bill Burke pass on a 3rd-n-2 from the IU-28 in the 4th qtr. IU would score on the ensuing drive to take a 24-16 lead. Robinson is currently tied for second in the country in INT per game average (0.8.)
After Robinson, junior Brad Gecina has stepped up and moved into the
starting role at SAM linebacker. He started there vs. WMU and tallied 6
tackles and 1 pass broken up and led the team in tackles at Cinci with 8.
He had three stops vs. Wisconsin and played well at MSU. He tallied 4 tackles.
"Brad Gecina was our most improved defensive player this past spring,"
said Cameron.
Sophomore Joslin Goodman has backed up Gecina and junior Pat Kraft should see action at middle linebacker along with Robinson.
Redshirt freshman Devin Schaffer and sophomore Tony Brown have competed for the other outside linebacker job. Schaffer started the season opener vs. WMU and tallied 2 tackles, including 1 for loss. Brown saw action in 6 games as a true freshman in 1997 and saw extensive action in games 2-5. He tallied 1 tackle vs. the Wildcats and 4 at Cinci, including 1 for loss. He had the most productive game of his young career vs. Wisconsin as he tallied 3 tackles, including 2 for loss. Made two solid defensive plays in the first half as he tackled Eddie Faulkner for a 5-yd. loss on a 2nd-n-14 on the Badgers' second series and he tackled Ron Dayne for a 2-yd. loss on a 1st-n-10 at the 50-yard line in the 2nd qtr.
DEFENSIVE BACKS - While Indiana's receiving corps was one of America's youngest groups in '97, the IU secondary will be the youngest position grouping on the '98 squad. With the departures of seniors Joey Eloms (Seattle Seahawks practice squad), Kywin Supernaw (Detroit Lions practice squad), and Joe King, the secondary was an area of concern heading into the '98 campaign. However, the young unit has played well at times throughout the year.
At CB, returning starter Curtis Randle El has started games 1-5. He started the season opener vs. WMU and tallied 5 tackles and 1 PBU. He started game 2 at Kentucky and tallied 7 tackles, including 1 for loss. He had 4 tackles vs. Wisconsin. True freshmen Maurice Tucker and Sharrod Wallace, along with sophomore O.J. Spencer, have all seen time. Tucker earned the start at the corner spot opposite Randle El vs. WMU and at Kentucky while Spencer started games 3 and 4. Tucker missed game 5 at MSU with a dislocated elbow suffered on weak earlier vs. Wisc. Spencer, who started two games in '97, played primarily on special teams and in the Hoosiers' nickel package last year. He did not start the season opener vs. WMU but did tally an interception in the 2nd qtr. when he stepped in front of a QB Tim Lester pass at the IU-11. Spencer added to his interception total in week 2 at Kentucky when he intercepted a QB Tim Couch pass on a 2nd-n-15 from the IU-18 late in the fourth qtr.
At safety, Cameron is extremely excited about redshirt freshman Justin Smith, one of the first players to earn a starting spot this fall. Smith tallied 1 takeaway in each of the season's first three games this season. He did not disappoint in game 1 vs. WMU as he tallied 10 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 pass broken up. He recovered a RB Robert Sanford fumble at the IN-30 in the third qtr. Smith also started in game 2 at Kentucky and tallied a fumble recovery. He continued his string of takeaways in game 3 at Cinci as he tallied the first INT of his career. He will be joined at the free safety spot by junior Mike McGrath and redshirt freshman Brandon Rodgers. True freshman Greg Yeldell, the national high school record holder in the triple jump, will also see playing time and started in the IU dime package at Kentucky. He is a special teams standout.
McGrath made one of the game's biggest plays in the season opener vs. Western Michigan when he intercepted a QB Tim Lester pass on a 3-n-14 play from the WMU-48 in the 4th qtr. IU was leading just 38-24 at the time but scored on its very next possession following the turnover to take a 45-24 lead.
KICKING GAME - In the kicking game, the most productive punter in the history of Indiana University has graduated and that left the Hoosiers without an established punter. Junior college transfer Drew Hagan enrolled at mid-semester and punted during spring drills. He is the all-time high school record holder for extra points in a single season (87). Hagan punted 6 times for a 46.8-yd. average in game 2 at Kentucky. One of the punts was a career-long 72-yard boot. Hagan placed a punt inside the 5-yd. line vs. UW that helped set up an Andy Payne FG prior to halftime that gave IU a 6-3 lead.
Sophomore K Andy Payne returns after an impressive freshman campaign.
He went from having to win his job in warmups prior to the '97 season opener
at North Carolina to kicking 15 FGs on the year. Payne had seven combined
field goals in games 9-10 and tied his own school record with four field
goals at Minnesota. So far in 1998, Payne has been perfect (8-8 on FGs,
21-21 XPAs). He connected on a 31-yard field goal attempt vs. WMU. He made
kicks of 41 and 36 yards in game 2 at Kentucky and he hit field goals of
42 and 49 yds. in game 5 at Cinci. The 49-ydr was a career long. Payne was
2-2 on FGAs vs. Wisconsin in poor weather conditions as he connected on
kicks of 30 and 45 yds. in the first half. He made a 32-yard attempt at
MSU.
Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood
Senior co-captain Jabar Robinson, a Butkus Award candidate, had one
of the finest performances by a Big Ten defender in recent memory in game
2 at UK. All the linebacker from Fr. Wayne, Ind., did was tally two interceptions
of Wildcat Heisman hopeful QB Tim Couch and notched 18 tackles, including
2 tackles for loss, and 1 sack. Robinson tallied another interception in
game 3 at Cincinnati when he stepped in front of a QB David Bertucci pass
in the 4th qtr. He tallied his fourth INT of the season in game 5 at Michigan
State when he intercepted QB Bill Burke in the fourth qtr. His 4 INTs ties
him for second nationally in INTs per game.
Wally's World
· Junior defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, a first-team All-Big
Ten selection in 1997, was named to three different preseason All-America
teams prior to the season. He was recognized as a second-team All-America
defensive lineman by Sport Magazine, Lindy's and Football News.
· The 6-foot-5, 260-pound, Ogunleye has notched 45 tackles for loss and 23.5 sacks in his two-plus seasons at Indiana.
· Wale' moved into first place on the IU career tackle for loss list with 1 sack at Michigan State.
Indiana Career Sack Leaders
1. 25.0 Van Waiters, 1983, 85-87
2. 23.5 Adewale Ogunleye, 1996-
3. 22.0 Greg Farrall, 1988-91
4. 17.0 Joe Huff, 1984, 86-88
5. 16.0 Hurvin McCormack, 1990-93
Indiana Career Tackles for Loss
1. 45 Adewale Ogunleye, 1996-
2. 44 Van Waiters, 1985-87
3. 40 Greg Farrall, 1988-91
4. 37 Nathan Davis, 1993-96
5. 35 Joe Huff, 1984, 86-88
Ground Gainers
After tallying just 999 rushing yards all of 1997, IU has rushed for
1,113 yards in the season's first 5 games for an average of 222.6 ypg. IU's
rushing totals in games 1-5 are as follows: Western Michigan (227), Kentucky
(200), Cincinnati (359), Wisconsin (182) and Michigan State (251).
INDIANA GAME-BY-GAME HIGHLIGHTS
Game 1 vs. Western Michigan - Indiana defeated Western Michigan in the
season opener, 45-30. The victory snapped the Broncos' 7-game winning streak,
the nation's fourth-longest...redshirt freshman quarterback Antwaan Randle
El, playing in his first college game, accounted for all six IU touchdowns.
He completed 22 of 29 passes for 385 yards and 3 touchdowns and carried
23 times for 82 yards and 3 additional scores. He wins co-Big Ten Offensive
Player-of-the-Week honors...sophomore wideout Tyrone Browning caught 13
passes for 258 yards and 1 touchdown. His 258 yards is the second highest
total in Big Ten history...Indiana tallies 587 yards of total offense and
garners three takeaways on defense.
Game 2 at Kentucky - Indiana lead 27-10 in the third quarter but fell to the Wildcats, 31-27...Indiana's defense intercepted Heisman Trophy candidate Tim Couch four times...senior linebacker Jabar Robinson tallied 18 tackles, including 2 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and 1 sack...senior defensive end Aaron Williams scored a touchdown on a third quarter fumble recovery to give the Hoosiers a 27-10, third-quarter, lead...senior fullback Chris Gall rushed 5 times for 100 yards and 1 touchdown.
Game 3 at Cincinnati - A large contingent of Indiana fans help set a record attendance for a Cincinnati home game at Nippert Stadium (32,117). Indiana wins, 48-14...freshman quarterback Antwaan Randle El rushed for a touchdown, threw a touchdown pass, and caught a TD pass in the game. Randle El rushed 18 times for 113 yards. He became only the fifth quarterback in IU history to rush for 100 yards in a game...sophomore running back Marcus Floyd posted career rushing highs of 17 carries for 105 yards. It was the first 100-yard rushing game of his career. With Randle El and Floyd both topping the 100-yard mark, it was the first time two Hoosiers topped the century mark in the same game since September 17, 1994, when Alex Smith (221 yards) and Jermaine Chaney (167 yards) turned the trick vs. Kentucky...Jabar Robinson recorded his third interception of the season...sophomore kicker Andy Payne's 49-yard field goal in the second quarter was a career-long effort...Indiana scored its 120th point of the season equalling its season total for the 1997 campaign.
Game 4 vs. Wisconsin - Indiana lead thirteenth-ranked Wisconsin, 20-17, early in the fourth quarter but the Hoosiers are unable to hold on and fall to the Badgers, 24-20...sophomore wide receiver Derin Graham's 100-yard kickoff return to open the second half tied the Indiana record set in 1915 by Freal McIntosh against Washington & Lee. The return also broke the Memorial Stadium record of 97 yards by Arizona's Rick Stevenson in 1968. It was IU's first kickoff return for a touchdown since Duane Gunn's 97-yard return at Syracuse in 1981. Graham wins Big Ten Special Team Player-of-the-Week honors for his effort...Adewale Ogunleye tied the Indiana career record for tackles for loss with 44, tying him with Van Waiters who played for the Hoosiers from 1983-87...Andy Payne connects on both of his field goal attempts. He improves his season mark to 7 for 7 on FGAs.
Game 5 at Michigan St. - Indiana overcomes a 16-0 deficit to take
a 24-16 fourth-quarter lead at MSU. However, the Spartans rally to win 38-31
in 2 OT...Indiana's defense sacks quarterback Bill Burke six times. Junior
defensive tackle Damian Gregory, a Lansing, Mich., tallies three. Adewale
Ogunleye, Aaron Williams, and Paul Mandina also notch sacks. Ogunleye's
sack moved him into first place on IU's all-time tackle for loss list with
45...Antwaan Randle El suffers a concussion late in the fourth quarter that
forces him out of action for the remainder of the game. Before leaving he
rushes 21 times for 134 yards and 1 TD. The 134 yards were the most rushing
yards by an IU quarterback in school history. He also completed 10 of 16
passes for 147 yards...kicker Andy Payne's 32-yard field goal in the 2nd
qtr. extends his consecutive field goal streak to eight.
The Cam Cameron Show: One of the nation's finest coaches shows, The
Cam Cameron Show allows viewers throughout Indiana and the Midwest to go
behind the scenes of Indiana University football.
The Cam Cameron Show, hosted by former IU basketball standout John Laskowski, is a fast-paced, informative, television program that allows fans to see Indiana football at its finest.
The list of affiliates is as follows (check your local listings; all times are local)
Indianapolis - WTTV - 11:30 a.m.
Fort Wayne - WKJG - 11:00 a.m.
South Bend - WHME - 7:30 p.m.
Evansville - WEVV - 10:30 a.m.
Louisville - WFTE - Noon
Terre Haute - WTHI - 9:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m.
Merrillville - WYIN - 11:30 a.m.
Cincinnati - WBQC - 11:30 a.m.
Dayton - MVC - 5:30 p.m.
Chicago - TCI of Northeast Illinois - 7:00 p.m.
Cleveland, Ohio - WAX 35 - 11:30 a.m.
Big Red Football: IU play-by-play announcer Don Fischer will be hosting
the Big Red Football Show on WTIU this fall. The first show will air on
Monday, September 7 at 6:00 p.m. EST.
Cam Cameron Weekly Radio Show: One of the country's finest sports
broadcasters, Don Fischer is the host of the Cam Cameron weekly call-in
show. The show will air on over 50 affiliates throughout the state of Indiana
on Thursday nights at 7:05 p.m. EST.
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1998 UNOFFICIAL DEPTH CHART AS OF OCTOBER 12
OFFENSE
SE 5 LEVRON WILLIAMS (So./So.)
2 Versie Gaddis (Jr./So.)/4 O.J. Conner (So./So.)
LT 74 PITA ELISARA (Jr./Jr.)
77 Jeremy Johnson (Sr./Jr.)
LG 66 JAMES BROYLES (Jr./So.)
70 Enoch DeMar (Fr./Fr.)
C 77 CHAD MILLER (Sr./Jr.)
61 Jason Stealy (Sr./Jr.)
RG 65 MATT SNYDER (Sr./Jr.)
76 Nate DeArmond (So./Fr.)
RT 78 CRAIG ROBEEN (Sr./Jr.)
64 Nick Abruzzo (Jr./So.)
TE 88 STERLING MINTZER (So./Fr.)
89 Craig Osika (Fr./Fr.)
FL 23 TYRONE BROWNING (So./So.)
19 Derin Graham (So./So.)
QB 11 ANTWAAN RANDLE EL (So./Fr.)
12 Jay Rodgers (Sr./Jr.)
RB 31 FRANKIE FRANKLIN (Jr./Jr.)
24 Marcus Floyd (So./So.)/26 De'Wayne Hogan (So./So.)
FB 40 CHRIS GALL (Sr./Sr.)
28 Jason Spear (Jr./Jr.)
DEFENSE
DE 93 ADEWALE OGUNLEYE (Sr./Jr.)
92 Kemp Rasmussen (So./Fr.)
DT DAMIAN GREGORY (Sr./Jr.)
73 Paul Mandina (Jr./So.)/62 A.C. Myler (Fr./Fr.)
DT 68 JASON CZAP (Sr./Jr.)
56 Brady Shields (Sr./Sr.)
DE 99 AARON WILLIAMS (Sr./Sr.)
46 Bryan Bobay (Sr./Sr.)
LB 94 TONY BROWN (So./So.)
8 Devin Schaffer (So./Fr.)
LB 55 JABAR ROBINSON (Sr./Sr.)
47 Pat Kraft (Jr./Jr.)
LB 58 BRAD GECINA (Sr./Jr.)
51 Joslin Goodman (So./So.)
CB 9 O.J. SPENCER (Jr./So.)
21 Maurice Tucker (Fr./Fr.)
CB 10 CURTIS RANDLE EL (Jr./Jr.)
22 Sharrod Wallace (Fr./Fr.)
SS 27 JUSTIN SMITH (So./Fr.)
20 Greg Yeldell (Fr./Fr.)
FS 38 MIKE McGRATH (Sr./Jr.)
34 Brandon Rodgers (So./Fr.)
SPECIAL TEAMS
P 48 Drew Hagan (Jr./Jr.)
24 J.R. Drummond (So./Fr.)
K 30 Andy Payne (Jr./So.)
49 Matt Rials (Fr./Fr.)
KO 30 Andy Payne (Jr./So.)
48 Drew Hagan (Jr./Jr.)
H 12 Jay Rodgers (Sr./Jr.)
11 Antwaan Randle El (So./Fr.)
PR 5 Levron Williams (So./So.)
23 Tyrone Browning (So./So.)
KR 19 Derin Graham (So./So.)
31 Frankie Franklin (Jr./Jr.)
PC 53 Colin Frost (Fr./Fr.)
66 James Broyles (Jr./So.)
KC 66 James Broyles (Jr./So.)
53 Colin Frost (Fr./Fr.)
Italics indicated an injured player who will not play vs. Iowa
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