Indiana University Athletics
2000 Outlook
8/14/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
2000 Outlook
Well, several things are obvious. The 2000 edition of Indiana Football features one of the nation's most potent offenses, a Heisman Trophy candidate in junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El, and improving depth on both sides of the football. And for the first time in several years, it is a squad that includes a sizeable group of upperclassmen yet still lacks a large class of seniors.In 1999, Indiana finished with a 4-7 overall but continued to make strides as the Hoosiers won three Big Ten contests for the first time since 1994. In doing so, IU scored 30-or-more points on six occasions and recorded an incredible 60 plays of 20-or-more yards. The 1999 campaign included exciting wins over Illinois, Northwestern, Iowa and Ball State and close home losses versus North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan and Purdue.
In the 34-17 overtime win vs. Illinois at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, the Hoosiers had trailed 28-7 but 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points sent the game to overtime. After the Fighting Illini took a three-point lead, sophomore quarterback Antwaan Randle El connected with RB Levron Williams on a 25-yard scoring pass to clinch the victory. One week later, in a 34-17 win over Northwestern, preseason All-America defensive end Adewale Ogunleye suffered a season-ending knee injury and a defense that was starting to come together began to struggle. The Hoosiers lost 34-31 to Michigan and 30-24 in the season finale vs. Purdue.
On offense in 2000, Indiana will returns eight starters, including over 99 percent of its offensive production from one year earlier. The headliner is certainly Randle El who, last fall, became the first player in Big Ten Conference history to reach 5,000 career total yards during his sophomore season. He also gained 3,000 yards passing and 1,500 yards rushing faster than any player in college football history (19 games). One of the leading candidates for the 2000 Heisman Trophy, Randle El completed 150 of 279 passes for 2,277 yards and 17 touchdowns (7 INTs; one in final 23 quarters of the season) in 1999 and rushed for 788 yards and 13 scores.
Randle El is not without weapons. Five-foot-11, 285-pound, sophomore FB Jeremi Johnson is one of the finest young players in college football. At tailback, junior Levron Williams is quite possibly the most versatile player in the Big Ten. He earned honorable mention all-conference honors in '99 as he rushed for 817 yards (6.9 ypc) and 4 TDs and caught 33 passes for 360 yards and 3 scores.
At wide receiver, seniors Versie Gaddis (633 receiving yards) and Jerry Dorsey (602 yards) became the first receiving duo at IU to both reach 600 yards receiving in the same season since 1983.
The hiring of new offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Hal Hunter, most recently of LSU, should help in the development of a young offensive line. Junior OG Enoch DeMar (6-foot-4, 320) and sophomore G/T Jamarkus Gorman (6-4, 312) are extremely talented and the move of junior Craig Osika (6-4, 280) from tight end to center and sophomore A.C. Myler (6-4, 327) from defensive tackle to left tackle will only help the size and athleticism of this young group of men up front.
Quite possibly the biggest news of the offseason was Cam Cameron's decision to address the defense. He did so by hiring new defensive coordinator James Bell, most recently the defensive coordinator at Wake Forest. He was added to the IU staff in March. He will be placed in charge of the entire IU defense and, most specifically, its secondary. While at WFU, Bell played a major role in the resurgence of the Demon Deacons football program. This past season, Wake Forest capped a 6-5 regular season with a 23-3 victory over Arizona State in the Aloha Bowl.
"James Bell is a man who has earned great respect throughout the country," said Cameron. "He is an outstanding coach and we are certainly pleased that he made the decision to leave a really good situation at Wake Forest to join us at Indiana. He has every intention to make this a championship caliber defense and certainly has a successful track record."
Bell's defense was among the Atlantic Coast Conference's best throughout the 1999 campaign as Wake Forest held its opponent to 20-or-fewer points in eight-of-12 games and ranked third or better in every major defensive category. The Deacs finished second in the ACC in scoring defense (18.7 points per game), total defense (320.4 yards per game), and rushing defense (121.4 ypg) and third in passing efficiency defense (109.7 rating points).
Bell definitely has some talent to work with as a maturing group of defenders is headlined by seven returning starters, including defensive linemen Paul Mandina and Kemp Rasmussen, linebackers Joslin Goodman, Justin Smith and Devin Schaffer, and defensive backs Sharrod Wallace and Greg Yeldell.
Indiana's special teams units should also be strong. Senior Andy Payne is one of the nation's most accurate placekickers and kickoff returner Derin Graham is among the Big Ten's best as evidenced by his two career kickoff returns for touchdowns. All-Big Ten punter Drew Hagan will need to be replaced and true freshman Ryan Hamre will be given the first opportunity.
Quarterback
In 2000 Heisman Trophy candidate Antwaan Randle El and sophomores Tommy Jones and Gibran Hamdan, Indiana features one of the finest trios of quarterbacks in the country. As a former quarterbacks coach with the Washington Redskins and at the University of Michigan, Cam Cameron has tutored some of the finest quarterbacks in the game today. Now, entering his fourth season at Indiana, he is fortunate to have quite possibly the most talented group of signal callers in the Big Ten.
Any discussion of Indiana's quarterback situation likely starts with Randle El. A leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy, this 5-foot-10, 194-pound, bundle of energy is widely regarded as one of the truly outstanding players in the college game today. Last fall, he became the first player in Big Ten history to reach 5,000 career total yards during his sophomore season. After winning Big Ten Freshman-of-the Year honors in 1998, the Riverdale, Ill, product was even better as a sophomore as he completed 150 of 279 passes for 2,277 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed 224 times for 788 yards and 13 scores. His skill at running the option is unparalleled. He is as adept at making a pitch 40 yards downfield as he is moving down the line of scrimmage. Yet, he also has the ability to hurl a football over 70 yards in the air. After throwing 11 interceptions as a freshman, Randle El cut the total to seven as a sophomore and threw only one INT in the final 23 quarters of the 1999 campaign.
Despite limited playing time, Jones and Hamdan have received rave reviews from fans, media and coaches, alike. Jones, an Eaton, Ohio, product, has the ability to make any thrown that needs to be made and has the size (6-4, 243 pounds) and the athleticism to be an effective scrambler. He appeared in three games during the 1999 campaign and completed 4 of 9 passes for 77 yards, including a 47-yard completion to WR Derin Graham in a game at Wisconsin. The 6-foot-5, 225 pound, Hamdan plays first base as a member of the IU baseball squad and is the prototypical pocket passer who possesses a rifle for an arm. He split time between baseball and football during the spring.
Fullback
As talented as the Hoosiers are at quarterback, the abilities of senior De'Wayne Hogan and sophomore Jeremi Johnson give Indiana two more viable weapons in its offensive arsenal. The emergence last fall of the 5-foot-11, 285-pound, Johnson and the consistent play of the 6-foot, 232-pound, Hogan, sparked some fierce competition for playing time this past spring. The two are expected to platoon at the position this fall and should provide the Hoosiers with the top fullback tandem in the Big Ten Conference.
Hogan started six games at fullback in 1999 can carried 30 times for 119 yards and 1 touchdown. He helped pave the way for an offense that averaged 405.9 total yards per game, including 191.4 rushing yards per contest.
After starting at tailback as a true freshman in 1997, this Indianapolis Ben Davis product was forced to battle through various nagging injuries throughout the 1998 campaign and managed to see action in only four games.
That season, Hogan carried 34 times for 177 yards, including a 72-yard effort in the season opener vs. Western Michigan and a 70-yard performance one week later at Kentucky. He appeared in eight games (six starts) as a true freshman in 1997 and rushed for a team-leading 506 yards, including a 164-yard effort at Illinois. He also scored four touchdowns. Extremely strong, Hogan has bench pressed 225 pounds more than 30 times.
Johnson, a product of Ballard High School in Louisville, Ky., played extensively as a true freshman in 1999 and earned a Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year nomination. He showed throughout the season that he has the ability to be a punishing blocker, catch the football out of the backfield, and run at the heart of an opponent's defense.
Johnson played in 11 games (four starts) last fall and rushed 69 times for 282 yards (4.1 yard per carry average) and 2 touchdowns. He also caught 10 passes for 90 yards and one score. Johnson had 50-plus yard rushing days at Penn State, vs. Northwestern, and at Iowa and scored on a 22-yard run vs. the Hawkeyes.
Also looking to earn playing time is redshirt freshman Chris Reynolds who had a solid spring.
Tailback
In 1997 and 1998, the Hoosiers lacked the featured tailback that has always been so coveted in the Big Ten. However, the move of the talented Levron Williams from wide receiver to split end prior to the 1999 campaign proved fruitful as the Evansville, Ind., was one of the finest all-purpose backs in the conference last fall.
The 6-foot-4, 221-pound, Williams paced a running attack that averaged 191.4 yards per contest in 1999. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry as he rushed 118 times for 817 yards and 4 touchdowns, including a long run of 56 yards. He also caught 33 passes for 360 yards and 3 scores. Williams finished seventh in the Big Ten Conference in rushing yards in Big Ten games only (73.0 ypg) and eighth in all games (74.3 ypg). He also tallied 107 all-purpose yards per contest. In a 34-17 win vs. Northwestern, he rushed for a career-high 241 yards on 22 carries, the fourth-best rushing performance in school history. He recorded runs of 56 and 50 yards vs. the Wildcats.
An honorable mention All-Big Ten selection, Williams caught a game-winning 25-yard touchdown pass from QB Antwaan Randle El to give the Hoosiers a 34-31 overtime win over Illinois. His 2-yard run with 6:44 remaining in the fourth quarter had closed the Illini's lead to 28-24. Williams came off the bench vs. North Carolina and rushed 15 times for 168 yards and one score. He ran extremely hard and was highly effective running down the sideline following option pitches from the Hoosier signal caller. Williams closed the season extremely well as he caught eight passes for 111 yards in the season finale vs. Purdue and rushed 16 times for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns in game 10 at Minnesota.
Also expected to see extensive playing time in 2000 is redshirt freshman Brian Lewis. One of the nation's most highly recruited tailbacks in 1999, Lewis wowed many observers during practice throughout last fall and will be expected to make significant contributions.
Wide Receivers
A position that was manned primarily by underclassmen in 1997 and 1998 began to show some maturity last fall. Seniors Jerry Dorsey, Versie Gaddis and O.J. Conner, along with juniors Derin Graham and Henry Frazier, a transfer from Chabot Junior College in California, highlight a highly talented group.
While quarterback Antwaan Randle El and Indiana's highly productive running game received most of the attention in 1999, Graham, Gaddis and Dorsey produced highly productive seasons. The duo of Gaddis and Dorsey became the first pair IU receivers to both reach 600 yards receiving since 1983 when Duane Gunn (815 yards) and Len Kenebrew (687) reached the 600-yard plateau. Gaddis and Dorsey, along with Graham, all averaged at least 18.1 yards per reception, led by Graham's 21.3 yards per catch average.
Gaddis led all IU receivers with 35 receptions for 633 yards and 3 touchdowns while Dorsey caught 31 passes for 602 yards and 6 scores. Graham, an Indianapolis Ben Davis product, secured 19 passes for 405 yards and one score.
A junior college transfer who arrived at IU prior to the 1999 season, Dorsey started 10 games at split end last fall. The Hopkinsville, Ky., native turned in two 100-yard receiving efforts, at Iowa and vs. Michigan. In a 34-31 home loss to the Wolverines, he put together the most productive game of his young career as he caught 5 passes for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 70-yard touchdown reception. Gaddis, who missed the entire 1997 season with a torn ACL, has the speed to stretch defenses and did just that in 1999 as he started 11 games at flanker and recorded six games where he tallied more than 50 receiving yards, including a 117-yard, 2 touchdown, performance vs. Ball State in the season opener and a 95-yard effort in a 34-17 win vs. Northwestern.
Graham started one game last fall and spent most of the season as IU's third wide receiver. He scored on a 36-yard touchdown reception from QB Antwaan Randle El in the opening quarter of the season finale vs. Purdue.
Senior O.J. Conner, along with junior college transfer Henry Frazier will also look to contribute. During an intrasquad scrimmage on April 1, Frazier caught 5 passes for 121 yards and 3 touchdowns. Conner has recorded 34 career receptions for a total of 590 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Tight Ends
Two position moves have dramatically changed this position. Craig Osika, who started 11 games at tight end as a sophomore in 1999, has moved to center and Kris Dielman, who played extremely well as a true freshman in 1999, moved to defensive tackle during spring practice. The two moves leave a vacancy at the position that will likely be filled by 6-foot-7, 280-pound, sophomore Bobby Brandt and 6-foot-7, 270-pound, redshirt freshman Ken Gipson. Sophomore walk-on Casey Sellers, a transfer from Indiana State prior to the 1998 season, will look to add depth.
Brandt saw limited action in 1999 because of nagging injuries. He had a very solid spring prior to the 2000 campaign and caught a touchdown from QB Tommy Jones in the 2000 Spring Game.
Offensive Line
If there is a question mark on offense it would be IU's men up front. However, the addition of offensive line coach Hal Hunter, and the position moves of junior Craig Osika from tight end to center and sophomore A.C. Myler from the defensive line to offensive tackle, should provide an infusion of energy, toughness and talent to the trenches.
Right tackle Craig Robeen (Indianapolis Colts), who started 33 games at tackle from 1997-99, and left tackle Pita Elisara (New York Giants), an All-Big Ten honoree in each of the past two seasons, have graduated and leave a void at both tackle spots. Center Matt Snyder has also graduated.
However, two highly talented young linemen, sophomore Enoch DeMar and junior Jamarkus Gorman, should make the losses of the graduated seniors much less painful. Two redshirt freshmen from Texas, guard Anthony Oakley and center Sione Ohuafi, will be expected to make an immediate impact after solid campaigns as redshirt freshmen.
Another junior college transfer, tackle Matt Genasci, practiced with the team during spring ball and will look to contribute at tackle.
DeMar, a 6-foot-4, 320-pound, sophomore started 11 games at left guard in 1999 and played well. He has the size and athleticism to be a special player. He will likely play either left guard or right tackle. Right guard Jamarkus Gorman played extensively last fall and started six games.
The 6-foot-4, 312-pound, Gorman was one of the Midwest's most highly regarded high school players in 1998 and has begun to live up to his advanced billing. He suffered ligament damage in his knee during winter conditioning but dressed for the 2000 Red-White Spring Game and should be fully recovered by fall.
Defensive Line
The emergence of senior defensive tackle Paul Mandina and junior defensive end Kemp Rasmussen should provide the Hoosiers with a solid 1-2 punch along the defensive line in 2000. Add to that group senior Tony Brown and junior Dominique Smith, along with sophomores Derek Barnett, Jamil Frink, Shane Moat and converted TE Kris Dielman and you have the makings of very athletic group. Projected starter Sean Nelson will miss the season with a shoulder injury. Sophomore defensive tackle A.C. Myler has moved to left tackle as has redshirt freshman Colin Christopher who moved to guard.
Defensive line coach Ted Daisher will need to replace All-Big Ten defensive end Adewale Ogunleye (Miami Dolphins), Indiana's career leader in both sacks and tackles for loss, and defensive tackle Jason Czap.
The 6-foot-3, 265-pound, Rasmussen started 11 games at defensive end last fall and was highly productive as he tallied 42 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. The Lapeer, Mich., product tallied at least one sack in six different games.
Mandina, a fifth-year senior from Rochester, N.Y., played very well last fall as he started 11 games at nose guard and recorded 40 tackles, including 3 sacks.
Indiana's sophomore class of defensive linemen has a chance to become a special group as Nelson, Barnett, and Frink bring different qualities to the table. All saw action last fall.
The 6-foot-4, 256-pound, Barnett was highly recruited as a high school senior and has a large upside to his potential. He made an immediate impact at defensive end last fall as he recorded an interception vs. Ball State in his first collegiate game. His lone start came in game 10 at Minnesota.
Smith, a junior college transfer who enrolled at IU prior to the 1999 campaign, is physically impressive at six-foot-three, 290-pounds, and started one game at defensive end last fall. He recorded 13 tackles on the year, including 3 for loss and one sack. He tallied 6 tackles, including one for loss, at Wisconsin.
One of the biggest disappointments of this past offseason has been the season-ending shoulder injury sustained by Sean Nelson. As a redshirt freshman in 1999, the Dayton, Ohio, product started three contests at defensive end in place of the injured Adewale Ogunleye and made strides throughout the season. The 6-foot-3, 274-pounder, finished the year with 19 tackles, including 2 for loss and one sack. He recorded 5 tackles, including one for loss, in three-point loss vs. Michigan.
Frink, who prepped at Bloomington (Ind.) South High School, and Stephen Anthony also have the ability to contribute. True freshman John Lumpkin was one of the country's most highly recruited defensive linemen last year.
Linebacker
The Hoosiers will return a solid corps of linebackers in 2000. Included in this group are three starters from last year. Senior Joslin Goodman, along with juniors Justin Smith and Devin Schaffer, combined to start 28 games in 1999. The impressive play of Kokomo, Ind., product Herman Fowler toward the latter portion of last season should only add to this potentially solid group. Also looking to challenge for playing time will be sophomore Jason McWilliams and redshirt freshmen Robert Brown and Scott Genord.
The 6-foot, 218-pound, Smith moved from strong safety to SAM linebacker prior to the 1999 campaign and struggled at times adjusting to the physical demands of his new position but his natural athleticism and intelligence allowed him to lead the team in tackles with 89, including 4 for loss, one interception and 3 passes broken up. He has started 20 games during his college career.
Schaffer, who played inside linebacker last fall but has since moved outside, finished third on the club in tackles with 63, including 6 for loss and one sack. He also tallied an interception and recovered a fumble. At 6-foot, 247-pounds, he has the size and athleticism that one is looking for in a linebacker. He was recognized as Indiana's most improved defensive player following spring practice.
Goodman saw most of his action in IU's base defensive package and started eight contests in 1999. He recorded 30 tackles, including 2 for loss.
The emergence of the talented Herman Fowler should really help this group of defenders. Fowler started the final two games of the season at middle linebacker and finished the year with 17 tackles. At 6-foot-2, 258-pounds, he has the ability to stop the run and rush the passer. Many feel he has the ability to be a truly special college player.
Both Brown and Genord were impressive as redshirts last fall and will be looked upon to compete for playing time. True freshman Stephen Williams was one of the most highly regarded high school football players in the country last fall.
Secondary
Indiana's secondary struggled at times in 1999 but finished the year by holding Purdue to only 197 net yards passing. The position returns a solid group of defenders who showed great improvement toward the end of last season. The secondary is led by senior Orlando Spencer and juniors Sharrod Wallace and Greg Yeldell. Senior Johnny Anderson, along with junior Marcus Floyd and sophomores Ron Bethel, Joe Gonzalez, and Michael Hanley have all seen playing time and have the ability to contribute. Redshirt freshmen Duane Stone and Clarence Young may also see action.
Wallace started 11 games at cornerback last fall and was one of the nicest surprises on the IU squad as he played extremely well during the second half of the season. The 5-foot-9, 188-pound, cornerback has the ability to cover man-to-man and is one of the team's better run supporters. He finished last season with 51 tackles, 2 interceptions and 7 passes broken up.
One of the few seniors on the IU defense, Spencer started two games at cornerback in 1999 after starting eight games as a sophomore. At Iowa this past fall, the Jacksonville, Fla., product made two key plays down the stretch. With Indiana leading 38-31 in the fourth quarter, Spencer intercepted a QB Scott Mullen pass. Later in the game he tackled Mullen at the four-yard line on a third-down play as time expired to preserve the victory.
Yeldell, one of the nation's top track and field athletes, is the 2000 Indoor and Outdoor Big Ten Champion in the triple jump. He is a three-time All-America in the triple jump and finished fifth in the event at the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Championships with a mark of 16.29m (53-5.5) and, while winning the 2000 outdoor title, set the Big Ten outdoor meet record in the triple jump (55'-2") that was set by former New York Jets great Al Toon in 1983 (54'-7 3/4"). Yeldell started 11 games at strong safety last fall and finished fourth on the team in tackles with 61, including 5 for loss. He also forced and recovered a fumble.
Anderson, who transferred from the City College of San Francisco prior to the 1999 campaign, played primarily as the Hoosiers' nickel back last fall. He did not participate in contact drills during spring practice because of a broken jaw. He earned a reputation for his hard hitting and his ability to blitz throughout the 1999 campaign and tallied 22 tackles, including five for loss. Floyd has seen limited playing time having converted from running back to cornerback midway through the 1999 campaign.
Bethel, Gonzalez, and Hanley all have physical gifts that should allow them to challenge for extensive playing time this fall. Stone, who participates on the IU track team, and Young also have the ability to contribute.
Kicking Game
Indiana returns one of the finest placekickers in the Big Ten Conference in senior Andy Payne but must replace departed first-team All-Big Ten punter Drew Hagan (Seattle Seahawks). True freshman Ryan Hamre will be given the first opportunity.
The 5-foot-10, 195-pound, Payne connected on 9-of-12 field goal attempts and 36-of-36 extra points last fall and was 8-of-9 on field goal attempts inside 40 yards. As a sophomore, Payne was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. He has connected on 34-of-46 career field goal attempts, including 24-of-27 inside of 40 yards.
Hamre is a true freshman from Orlando, Fla., and will be looked upon to replace Hagan who set the IU punting average record in 1999, having averaged 44.8 yards per punt. Freshman Tyson Picken will also compete for punting duties. He handled the job during spring drills.
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