Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Opens Big Ten vs. Wisconsin
9/28/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
Indiana Opens Big Ten vs. Wisconsin
GAME FOUR: Indiana will open Big Ten play on Saturday, October 3, when the Hoosiers host the Wisconsin Badgers at Memorial Stadium. Game time is set for 11:10 a.m. EST/12:10 p.m. EDT. The game will be televised by ESPN2 unless there is a conflict with the Major League Baseball playoffs. If there is a conflict, the game will be on ESPN Regional television. A crowd of 35,000 is expected ... Indiana enters Saturday's game with a 2-1 record after winning at Cincinnati last Saturday, 48-14. Freshman quarterback Antwaan Randle El finished the game with 299 yards of total offense and 164 all-purpose yards. He was 18-113-1TD rushing, 21-9-186-1TD passing, and 1-51-1TD receiving. Indiana finished with 583 yards of total offense, including 346 rushing yards ... The Badgers improved their record to 4-0 with a 38-7 win over visiting Northwestern. Junior running back Ron Dayne rushed for 168 yards and 1 touchdown on 22 carries.
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
WR Levron Williams (l. ankle) - out
DT Paul Mandina (r. knee) - questionable
RB Glynn Johnson (r. knee) - questionable
INDIANA-WISCONSIN CONNECTIONS
Hoosiers with ties to the State of Wisconsin: Junior guard Matt Snyder prepped
at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wis. He played on back-to-back state
championship teams in 1993 and 1994. He attended the same high school as
current Wisconsin players Donny Eickher (Jr., DE), Aaron Habermann (rFr.,
DE), and Mike Solwold (So., TE).
Badgers with ties to the State of Indiana: Head coach Barry Alvarez was an assistant coach at Notre Dame from 1987-89 ... offensive coordinator Brad Childress was an assistant with the Indianapolis Colts in 1985 ... outside linebackers and special teams coach Jay Hayes was an assistant at Notre Dame from 1988-91 ... defensive line coach John Palermo was an assistant at Notre Dame from 1988-89 ... running backs coach Brian White was an assistant at Notre Dame from 1988-89 ... junior fullback Marcus Carpenter and redshirt freshman defensive end Chuck Smith played high school football at Jimtown High School in Elkhart ... sophomore running back Eddie Faulkner attended Muncie Central High School ... senior offensive tackle Aaron Gibson prepped at Decatur Central High School and his family now lives in Bloomington where his younger brother, Adam, plays on the football team at Tri-North Junior High School ... senior defensive back Leonard Taylor played at North Central High School in Indianapolis.
THE MATCHUP
The University of Wisconsin leads the all-time series with Indiana, 28-16-2.
The Badgers have won the last three meetings between the two teams, including
a thrilling 27-26 victory on a last second 43-yard field goal by Matt Davenport
in a game played at Madison last season ... Indiana hasn't lost more than
three straight in the series since taking five in a row between 1949-62
... the two teams did not meet from 1995-97 ... Wisconsin's last visit to
Bloomington was a 1993 matchup that the Badgers won, 27-15 ... Wisconsin
leads the series between the two teams in games played in Bloomington, 11-9-1.
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.
Wisconsin's Barry Alvarez: Ninth-year head coach Barry Alvarez
has more than restored the football fortunes at the University of Wisconsin
since taking over the Badgers' helm in 1990. After a 1-10 season in 1990,
and back-to-back 5-6 campaigns in 1991 and 1992, Alvarez led Wisconsin to
a 10-1-1 record and a Rose Bowl appearance following the 1993 campaign.
Alvarez, 51, who has a 53-41-4 record at Wisconsin, has led the Badgers
to four bowl games, three bowl wins, and four winning seasons in the past
five years.
A former standout linebacker at the University of Nebraska, Alvarez was
an assistant at Iowa where he coached linebackers from 1979-86. The Hawkeyes
went to bowl games the last six years after 17 seasons without a winning
season. After Iowa, Alvarez spent three years as an assistant for Lou Holtz
at ND. He was the Irish's linebackers coach in 1987, was promoted to defensive
coordinator in '88, and to assistant head coach in 1989.
Postion Breakdown
QUARTERBACK - It's been a long time since the competition for the starting
quarterback job at Indiana had created as much excitement and discussion
as it did heading into the 1998 campaign. The battle between junior Jay
Rodgers and redshirt freshman Antwaan Randle El was waged throughout the
spring and fall and was not decided until late in the week prior to game
1 vs. Western Michigan. Redshirt freshman Antwaan Randle El got the starting
nod in the season opener and answered the call. Making his first collegiate
start, Randle El completed 22 of 29 passes for 385 yards and 3 touchdowns
and ran 23 times for 82 yards and 3 scores. His 467 yards 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 Player-of-the-Week for his efforts. In game
2 at Kentucky, Randle El completed 12 of 34 passes for 162 yards and 1 interception.
He had a 3-yd. touchdown run in the 2nd qtr. that gave the Hoosiers a 10-3
lead.
Randle El proved that his performance in game 1 vs. WMU was no fluke as he put together another phenomenal effort at Cincinnati as he ran, caught, and threw for a touchdown. Randle El finished 18-113-1TD rushing, 21-9-186-1TD passing, and was 1-51-1TD receiving. He finished the game with 299 yards of total offense and 164 all-purpose yards. On a 1st-n-10 from the IU-49, Randle El caught a 51-yard touchdown from wide receiver O.J. Conner on a double pass.
Randle El, a partial academic qualifier last season, practiced but did not play in 1997. His practice performances have made him one of the most talked about young players in the history of the IU football program. Cameron likes the package he brings to the table. "He's more than just an athlete. He's a guy who can throw the football, is smart and is a competitor." Said WMU coach Gary Darnell, "He was like trying to catch a 180-pound bass." The redshirt freshman 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 1996. The Austin, Texas, native completed 58.2 percent of his passes in 1997, 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 yards list. Cameron says of Rodgers, "Over the next couple of years, he has a chance to become an extremely smart quarterback. He does a lot of things well and he will continue to get better and better."
Add Earl Haniford and highly regarded freshmen Tommy Jones and Gibran Hamdan to Randle El and Rodgers and Indiana potentially has one of the finest quarterbacking casts in the Big Ten Conference.
Haniford backed up Rodgers last season and has shown improvement over the last year. One of the most prolific passers in the history of high school football, Cameron says this former high school All-America selection has shown steady improvement. "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 1997 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, is a 6-5, 225, strong-armed quarterback 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 1997 season and was recognized as the team's co-Most Valuable Player (along with safety Kywin Supernaw) following the 1997 campaign. Gall is expected to be one of the Big Ten's finest fullbacks in '98 and has played extremely well this season. He finished the 1997 season with 54 catches in 10 games despite suffering a left knee sprain in game 10 at Minnesota that sidelined him for the season finale vs. Purdue.
Gall caught 3 passes for 23 yards in the 1998 season opener vs. Western Michigan including a 6-yd. TD pass from Antwaan Randle El in the 4th qtr. Gall also added a 38-yard kickoff return late in the first qtr. that helped set up IU's third touchdown.
Gall had a stellar contest in game 2 at Kentucky. 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. touchdown. The 53-yard rush and the 33-yard touchdown run were both career highs. Gall finished the game with a career-high 100 rushing yards.
At Cincinnati in game 3, Gall continued to show why he was IU's co-MVP in 1997, finishing 10-47-2TDs rushing. In a 4th qtr. offensive series at Cinci., Gall strung together carries of 11, 7, and 7 yards, the 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.
Moving from tailback to fullback during spring practice prior to the 1998 campaign was junior Jason Spear. He showed flashes of being a steady Big Ten tailback during the 1997 campaign and has put on additional strength and muscle to handle the various demands of the position. Spear was 3-10-5LG rushing in game 3 at Cincinnati.
Also vying for playing time at fullback are sophomore David Ballou and redshirt freshmen Kyle Enright and Andrew Kaiser.
TAILBACK - While senior co-captain Chris Gall is expected to be one of the finest all-around fullbacks in the Big Ten in 1998, the starting tailback role has yet to be solidified heading into the Big Ten opener vs. Wisconsin with sophomores De'Wayne Hogan, Marcus Floyd, and junior college transfer Frankie Franklin are all expected to challenge for playing time against the Badgers.
Sophomore Levron Williams will likely split time between wide receiver and running back throughout the season but suffered a sprained ankle at practice on Sept. 15 and is expected to miss the next few games.
Williams, one of the nation's most highly recruited running backs two years ago, opened the Western Michigan game as the starting tailback and rushed 3 times for 32 yards. He also caught 2 passes for 81 yards and 1 touchdown. He missed games 2 and 3 with the ankle injury.
Despite the absence of Williams who missed his second consecutive game with an ankle injury, the Hoosiers rushed for 359 yards in game 3 at Cincinnati.
Hogan started six games last season as a true freshman and rushed for 506 yards and 4 touchdowns. He carried 34 times for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns in game 4 at Wisconsin and he rushed 38 times for 164 yards and 1 touchdown vs. Illinois. The 164-yard effort vs. the Illini marked the most rushing yards by a true freshman at IU since current running backs coach Anthony Thompson rushed for 207 yards versus Wisconsin 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 season opener vs. Western Michigan 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 1997, 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, Floyd finished 17-105 rushing. Junior college transfer Frankie Franklin saw fourth quarter action against the Bearcats and finished 5-51-1TD rushing, including a nifty 32-yard touchdown run on a 3rd-n-2 late in the 4th qtr. Franklin was the state of Florida's "Mr. Football" in 1995.
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.
Sophomore Versie Gaddis, who missed the entire 1997 season after reconstructive knee surgery, will look to compete for playing time after showing signs this past spring why he was considered as one of the
Big Ten's ascending young stars in 1996. Gaddis did suffer a shoulder injury during summer training camp that has slowed his progress but he did see action at Kentucky and earned the starting nod at split end in game 3 at Cincinnati.
Although both were unable to practice in '97 and again this past spring, former high school standouts Levron Williams and Derin Graham are eligible for the '98 season and have impressed many observers early this season. Williams was 2-81-43LG-1TD receiving in the season opener vs. Western Michigan.
In game 1 vs. Western Michigan, Browning caught 13 passes for 258 yards and 1 touchdown. The yardage total is the second-best total in Big Ten history behind Indiana's Thomas Lewis who tallied 285 yards at Penn State in 1993. Browning was 5-55-19LG receiving at Kentucky in game 2. Browning also contributed to the offensive attack in 1997 by adding 24 catches for 367 yards. He played in the final 10 games of the 1997 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. Derin Graham, who saw the most extensive action of his career vs. the Bearcats, was 2-50-40LG receiving.
Conner, a tall, wiry, receiver finished his freshman campaign with 28 catches for 520 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was 3-33 receiving in the 1998 opener vs. Western Michigan. 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.
Gaddis, who was one of just four true freshmen to win a letter in 1996, caught 7 passes for 146 yards (team-leading 20.9 average per catch) that season but suffered a torn ACL during the first day of spring drills in 1997. He was lost for the season after reconstructive knee surgery but has since returned and has the speed and ability to be an important contributor at wideout. He 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 1996 season.
Junior Terry Kramer, who was awarded a scholarship on September 1, will also compete for playing time. He will also see action on special teams. True freshman Ron Bethel will likely be redshirted.
TIGHT ENDS - Junior Randy Maxwell, last year's starter at tight end, returns in 1998 but missed games 2 and 3 because of a concussion he suffered vs. Western Michigan in the season opener. He will miss the remainder of the season. 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 at tight end in 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 1-3 and earned starts in game 2 at Kentucky and game 3 at Cincinnati in place of Maxwell. He made the first catch of his career in the Cinci. game. True freshman tight end Craig Osika had an impressive training camp and has seen action in games 2 and 3. Early in the 3rd qtr. at Kentucky, Osika made a key 34-yd. reception 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.
OFFENSIVE LINE - One of the key developments throughout training camp was the competition for several offensive line spots. Departed are two NFL draft picks, last year's left tackle Chris Liwienski (Minnesota Vikings' practice squad) and left guard Victor Allotey (currently on 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 continued its maturation process in game 3 at Cinci as it helped the IU offense tally 583 yards of total offense, including 346 rushing yards. The group of Elisara (LT), Broyles (LG), Miller (C), Snyder (RG), and Robeen (RT) have started games 1-3 as a unit. The group had started a total of 11 games (all by Robeen) heading into the 1998 campaign.
The only returning starter is junior Craig Robeen has started games 1-3 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 training camp. He started at left tackle in games 1-3 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. Western Michigan and helped the offensive unit tally 587 yards of total offense. All three also earned starting spots in game 2 at Kentucky and game 3 at Cinci and helped the Hoosiers tally 330 and 583 yards of total offense in those two games, respectively.
Looking to provide depth are juniors Jeremy Johnson (tackle), Doug Baumgarten (tackle), and Jason Stealy (center/guard), sophomore Patrick Mallory (guard), and redshirt freshman Nate DeArmond (guard). True freshman guard Enoch DeMar has been very impressive during training camp and could see action. Sophomore Nick Abruzzo moved from defensive end to tackle midway through training camp and could provide additional depth.
DEFENSIVE LINE - There is no question that the defensive line
was expected be a team strength in 1998 and the group has lived up to its
advanced billing. First-team All-Big Ten DE Adewale Ogunleye leads the group
after finishing the 1997 campaign with 21 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.
Although just a sophomore in '97, Ogunleye's tackle for loss tally was the
second highest single-season total in school history behind Van Waiters'
24 during the 1986 campaign. Ogunleye tallied 3 tackles for loss and 2 sacks
in the season opener vs. WMU. He added 1 sack and 2 tackles for loss (-12
yards) at Kentucky in game 2. He sacked QB Tim Couch for a 10-yard loss
on a 3-n-11 play from the UK-31 in the third qtr.
Ogunleye is currently second on the IU career sack list (22.5) and moved
into that spot by tallying yet another sack in game 3 at Cinci. He has now
tallied at least one sack in five consecutive games and 7 of the last 8
contests. He is also in second place on the IU career tackle for loss ledger
with 42.
Along with Ogunleye, 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 Kentucky as he spent most of the evening 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.
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. Western Michigan and tallied 4 tackles, including 1 for loss. Mandina was unable to play in game 2 at Kentucky because of the knee injury. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Damian Gregory. Along with Ogunleye, Bobay, Czap, and Mandina, senior defensive end Aaron Williams, redshirt freshman DE/DT Kemp Rasmussen, sophomore defensive end Gordon Bramel and senior Brady Shields all saw action in games 1-3.
Junior defensive tackle Damian Gregory, who started 10 games in 1997 before breaking his wrist at Minnesota in the next to last game of the season, was suspended for the 1998 season opener for failing to pass a conditioning test. He returned to the starting lineup in game 2 at Kentucky and tallied 5 tackles and 1 pass broken up. Gregory finished the 1997 season with 14 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. In just two seasons, the combination of Ogunleye and Gregory has accounted for 57 tackles for loss and 27 sacks.
Williams, who passed on an opportunity to be selected in the Canadian Football League draft this offseason, showed great improvement in 1997 and finished the year with 6 TFL, 2 sacks, and 1 INT. He earned the start at defensive end in place of Bobay at Kentucky in game 2 and recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the third qtr. that gave the Hoosiers a 27-10 lead. He started and continued to play well at Cinci. as he tallied 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 pass broken up. He sacked Cinci. QB Chad Plummer for a 12-yard loss on a 1st-n-10 from the C-34 in the 2nd qtr.
Shields tallied the first interception 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 Jabar Robinson. Robinson, who started all 11 games at middle linebacker in 1997, has tallied 254 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 Kentucky 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 field goal by K Andy Payne and his 2nd qtr. interception 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. It was the seventh pilfer of his career.
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.
"Brad Gecina was our most improved defensive player this past spring,"
said Cameron.
Sophomore Joslin Goodman will look to back 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 and 3. He tallied 1 tackle vs. the Wildcats and 4 at Cinci, including 1 for loss.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: While Indiana's receiving corps was one of America's youngest groups in 1997, the IU secondary will be the youngest position grouping on the 1998 squad. With the departures of seniors Joey Eloms (Seattle Seahawks practice squad), Kywin Supernaw (Detroit Lions practice squad), and Joe King, the IU secondary is an area of concern heading into the 1998 campaign.
At cornerback, returning starter Curtis Randle El has started games 1-3 at cornerback. Randle El moved from cornerback to strong safety midway through the 1997 season. He has started games 1-3. 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. True freshmen Maurice Tucker and Sharrod Wallace, along with sophomore O.J. Spencer, will all see time at corner. Tucker earned the start at the corner spot opposite Randle El vs. WMU and at Kentucky while Spencer started game 3 at Cinci. Spencer, who started two games in 1997, 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.
Wallace enrolled this past spring and has been impressive. He transferred from Hargrave Military Academy.
At safety, Cameron is extremely excited about redshirt freshman Justin Smith, one of the first players to earn a starting spot this fall. Smith has started all three games at strong safety and has tallied 1 takeaway in every game this season. He did not disappoint in the season opener 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 tallied 5 tackles.
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.
Sophomore kicker Andy Payne returns after an impressive freshman campaign.
He went from having to win his job in warmups prior to the 1997 season opener
at North Carolina to kicking 15 field goals on the year. He established
himself as one of the fine young kickers in the Big Ten. Payne had seven
combined field goals in games 9-10 and tied his own school record with four
field goals at Minnesota.
Payne connected on a 31-yard field goal attempt vs. WMU. He connected on
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. He is a
perfect 5-5 on the season.
INDIANA SUPERLATIVES
· Indiana is currently averaging 500 yards per game of total offense
and 40 points per contest. The 120 points scored by the Hoosiers in games
1-3 equals the 120 points the club scored in 1997.
· Redshirt freshman QB Antwaan Randle El rushed 18 times for 113
yards at Cincinnati, both career highs. He became only the fifth quarterback
in IU history to rush for 100 yards in a game. Randle El rushed for a touchdown,
threw a touchdown pass, and caught a TD pass in the game.
-- Randle El currently ranks 8th in the country in total offense (311 ypg)
-- He is also eighth in scoring offense (12 ppg)
· Sophomore WR Tyrone Browning is currently 14th among Div. I
players in receptions per game (7.0 rpg) and sixth in receiving yards per
game (132.0 ypg).
· Senior LB Jabar Robinson is 2nd in the country in interceptions
with a 1 INT per game average.
· Sophomore WR O.J. Conner has completed 4 of 4 passes during his
career for 125 yards a 1 touchdown. He had a 51-yd. scoring pass to QB Antwaan
Randle El at Cincinnati.
· Indiana DE Adewale Ogunleye moved into second place on the IU career sack list (22.5) after tallying 1 sack at Cinci. He has tallied sacks in five consecutive games and 7 of the last 8 contests.
· Indiana ranks 13th in the country in rushing offense (238.7 ypg), 17th in passing offense (261.3), 8th in total offense (500.0 ypg), and 4th in turnover margin (2.33 margin/game).
· Indiana has outscored its opponents, 34-7, in the first period this season.
· K Andy Payne's 49-yd. field goal at Cinci was a career-long field goal.
· Redshirt freshman SS Justin Smith has tallied a takeaway (1 fumble recoveries in both week 1 and 2, 1 INT in week 3) in every game this season.
· Indiana has surpassed the 40-point plateau twice this season, only the second time this decade that IU has turned that trick in two of the season's first three games.
· Sophomore RB Marcus Floyd posted career rushing highs of 17
carries for 105 yards at Cincinnati. With both Randle El and Floyd topping
the 100-yard rushing mark, it marked 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) rushed for over 100 yards at Kentucky.
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.
1998 UNOFFICIAL DEPTH CHART AS OF SEPTEMBER 28
OFFENSE
SE 5 LEVRON WILLIAMS (So./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 26 DE'WAYNE HOGAN (So./So.)
or 24 Marcus Floyd (So./So.)/31 Frankie Franklin (Jr./Jr.)
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.)
or 56 Brady Shields (Sr./Sr.)
DE 46 BRYAN BOBAY (Sr./Sr.)
or 99 Aaron Williams (Sr./Sr.)
LB 8 DEVIN SCHAFFER (So./Fr.)
94 Tony Brown (So./So.)
LB 55 JABAR ROBINSON (Sr./Sr.)
47 Pat Kraft (Jr./Jr.)
LB 58 BRAD GECINA (Sr./Jr.)
51 Joslin Goodman (So./So.)
CB 21 MAURICE TUCKER (Fr./Fr.)
or 9 O.J. Spencer (Jr./So.)
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.)
19 Derin Graham (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 53 Colin Frost (Fr./Fr.)
66 James Broyles (Jr./So.)
Italics indicated an injured player who will not play vs. Wisconsin
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