Indiana University Athletics
Unofficial Depth Chart for the Cincinnati Game
9/18/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Indiana vs. Cincinnati
Saturday, September 23, 2000
1 p.m. EST/2 p.m. EDT
Memorial Stadium - Bloomington, Ind.
The Game: Indiana will conclude its non-conference portion of the season on Saturday when it hosts Cincinnati (2-1) at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. This past Saturday, the Hoosiers fell before 70,776 at Kentucky, 41-34, and the Bearcats lost in overtime at Wisconsin, 28-25. Indiana and Cincinnati last met in 1998 and the Hoosiers defeated the Bearcats at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, 48-14.
National Television: The IU-UC game will not be televised but the game may be heard on the statewide IU Radio Network or on the web at www.athletics.indiana.edu.
The New Coaches: There will be several new faces on the IU coaching staff this fall. Joining the staff are offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Hal Hunter, defensive coordinator James Bell, outside linebackers coach Dick Flynn and defensive kicking game coordinator Tom Harp.
Hunter comes to IU from LSU where he served as the offensive line coach. As the interim head coach he led the Bayou Bengals to an upset win over Arkansas in last year's season finale.
Bell was most recently the defensive coordinator at Wake Forest where he was responsible for turning around a struggling defense and making it one of the nation's best. In 1999 the Demon Deacons capped a 6-5 regular season with a 23-3 victory over Arizona State in the Aloha Bowl. Wake Forest held its opponent to 20-or-fewer points in eight of 12 games and ranked third-or-better in the ACC in every major defensive category.
Flynn joins the IU staff after spending six seasons as the head coach at Central Michigan. He helped lead the Chippewas to the 1994 MAC championship with a 9-3 overall record. He spent 16 seasons as the school's defensive coordinator.
Harp has served as a head football coach at Cornell (1961-65), Duke (1966-70) and Indiana State.
The Captains: This past spring it was announced that fifth-year senior and Indiana University graduate Versie Gaddis, a wide receiver, along with fifth-year defensive tackle Paul Mandina, senior safety Johnny Anderson, junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El and junior Kemp Rasmussen were selected as captains by their teammates. During training camp, graduated senior running back Glynn Johnson and senior safety Johnny Anderson were added as captains.
Putting Up the Points: Indiana ranks 18th nationally and second in the Big Ten with an average of 36.0 points per contest. The Hoosiers scored 34 points in week two at Kentucky and 38 in the season opener vs. North Carolina State. This past weekend the Wolfpack shut out SMU, 41-0, and last week the Wildcats held South Florida to only nine points.
Explosive Offense: Indiana scored 30-or-more points in six different contests during the 1999 campaign and tallied a staggering 60 plays of 20-or-more yards. It hasn't taken long for the Hoosiers to put up the same type of numbers in 2000 as the Hoosiers recorded 38 points and tallied two touchdowns of over 50 yards in the season opener vs. North Carolina State and scored 34 points and recorded nine plays of 20-or-more yards in game two at Kentucky.
Moving Closer to History: In 24 career games, junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El has rushed for 1,825 career yards and passed for 4,405. To put those numbers in perspective, only five players in the history of college football have gained 2,000 yards rushing and 4,000 yards passing.
• Quarterbacks gaining 2,000 yards rushing and 4,000 yards passing in a career are as follows: Major Harris, West Virginia, 1987-89 (2,030 rushing, 4,834 passing); Brian Mitchell, Southwestern Louisiana, 1986-89 (3,335 rushing, 5,447 passing); Rickey Foggie, Minnesota, 1984-87 (2,038 rushing, 4,903 passing); John Bond, Mississippi State, 1980-83 (2,280 rushing, 4,621 passing); Prince McJunkins, Wichita State, 1979-82 (2,047 rushing, 4,514 passing).
Mr. Touchdown: Having accounted for four touchdowns in game two at Kentucky, Randle El has now accounted for 52 touchdowns (27 passing, 25 rushing) during his 24-game career. Randle El has accounted for 166 points through the air (including two two-point conversions) and 150 points rushing. Michigan's Rick Leach (1975-78) is the only player in the history of college football who scored 200 points and passed for 200 points (scored 204, passed for 270).
Taking Care of the Football: Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El has done a remarkable job avoiding interceptions. Since a first quarter interception vs. Northwestern in game six of the 1999 season, the junior signal caller has thrown one interception in Indiana's last 31 quarters of play, that a fourth quarter interception at Minnesota. He has thrown one interception in his last 202 attempts and has a string of 86 consecutive passes without an INT. Since the first quarter interception vs. Northwestern, Randle El has completed 102 of 202 passes for 1,656 yards and 13 touchdowns with only one interception. His passing efficiency during this stretch is a staggering 165.8. To put this in perspective, this highest career passing efficiency total is 163.6 by Florida's Danny Wuerffel from 1993-96.
Quick Facts About the Contest:
Indiana (0-2) vs. Cincinnati (2-1)
When: Saturday, September 23, 2000; 1 p.m. EST
Where: Memorial Stadium (52,354)
Television: No telecast
Radio: Indiana University Radio Network - 50 affiliates
Indiana Coach Cam Cameron: 10-25, fourth season
North Carolina State Coach Rick Minter: 29-40, seventh season
Series History: Indiana leads 8-3-2
Last Game: Indiana 48, Cincinnati 14 in 1998
Current Streak: Indiana has won four in a row
First Meeting: 1896, Indiana won 16-0
Last Cincinnati Win: 1957, 21-0 in Bloomington
Big Ten Rankings:
Offense:
Passing Avg./Game - Antwaan Randle El (3rd - 191.5)
Total Offense - Antwaan Randle El (2nd-273.5)
Speciality:
Kick Returns/Avg. - Derin Graham (1st - 32.3)
Field Goals - Andy Payne (3rd - 1.50 per game)
Team Statistics NCAA Ranks
| Indiana | Statistic | Cincinnati |
| 234.0 (12th) | Rushing Offense | 155.3 (47th) |
| 191.5 (61st) | Passing Offense | 221.7 (43rd) |
| 425.5 (26th) | Total Offense | 377.0 (55th) |
| 36.0 (18th) | Scoring Offense | 20.0 (72nd) |
| 76.0 (t-18th) | Rushing Defense | 141.0 (57th) |
| 446.0 (106th) | Passing Efficiency Defense | 105.6 (44th) |
| 474.0 (107th) | Total Defense | 291.3 (30th) |
| 41.0 (108th) | Scoring Defense | 18.3 (40th) |
| 29.1 (103rd) | Net Punting | 36.5 (42nd) |
| 8.3 (t-68th) | Punt Returns | 0.9 (111th) |
Individual Statistics NCAA Ranks
| Indiana | Name | Rank | Actual |
| Rushing | Antwaan Randle El | 47th | 82.0/ypg |
| Passing Efficiiency | Antwaan Randle El | 39th | 132.8 |
| Total Offense | Antwaan Randle El | 14th | 273.5/ypg |
| Kickoff Returns | Derin Graham | 6th | 32.3/ypg |
| Punt Returns | Derin Graham | 9th | 182.5/ypg |
| Scoring | Andy Payne | t-44th | 8.0/ppg |
| Field Goals | Andy Payne | t-19th | 1.5/pg |
The Coaches:
Cincinnati's Rick Minter
Family: Married to the former Tere Myers in 1999. Minter has two sons, Josh (19) and Jesse (17)
Coaching Experience: College - Cincinnati head coach (1994-present), Notre Dame assistant coach (1992-93), Ball State assistant head coach (1985-91), New Mexico State assistant coach (1984), North Carolina State assistant coach (1980-82), Louisiana Tech assistant coach (1979), Arkansas assistant coach (1978), Henderson State graduate assistant (1977).
Education: Graduated from Texas High School (Texarkana, Texas); Earned B.S. in education (cum laude) from Henderson State in 1977 and a master's in education in 1978.
Bowl Participation: As a head coach: 1997 Humanitarian Bowl
Indiana's Cam Cameron:
Born: February 6, 1961 in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Family: Married to Missy and the couple lives in Bloomington with their three children, Tommy, Danny and Christopher.
Coaching Experience: College: Indiana head coach (1997-present), Michigan assistant coach (1986-93), Michigan graduate assistant (1984-85); NFL: Washington Redskins asst. ('94-96).
Education: Graduated from Terre Haute (Ind.) South H.S.; Earned a bachelor's degree in business from Indiana in 1983.
Bowl Participation: As a coach: 1993 Hall of Fame Bowl, 1992 Rose Bowl, 1991 Rose Bowl, 1990 Gator Bowl, 1989 Rose Bowl, 1987 Rose Bowl, 1986 Rose Bowl, 1985 Fiesta Bowl, 1984 Holiday Bowl.
Indiana-Ohio Connections: The following Indiana University football players played high school football in the state of Ohio: Tony Brown (Dayton Dunbar), A.C. Carter (Cincinnati Princeton), Kris Dielman (Troy), Joe Gonzalez (Cleveland St. Ignatius), Glynn Johnson (Cincinnati Walnut Hills), Tommy Jones (Eaton), John Lumpkin (Warren Harding), Sean Nelson (Kettering Fairmont), Brandon Rodgers (Cincinnati Withrow), Kevin Smith (Canton McKinley), and Clay Stuart (Lodi). Interim assistant coach Tom Harp was the head coach at Massillon High School from 1954-55.
Smith Named to Butkus Watch List: Justin Smith (Indianapolis/Warren Central), a 6-foot, 218-pound, junior linebacker, has been named to the Butkus Award Watch List. Sponsored by Cooper Tire and presented by the Downtown Athletic Club of Orlando, Inc., the Butkus Award is presented to the nation's best collegiate linebacker. Smith is one of 70 linebackers nationally to make the initial watch list.
In the season opener vs. N.C. State he recorded 6 tackles, including 1 sack. He recorded 7 tackles, including one for loss, and one pass broken up in game two at Kentucky. He started 11 games at linebacker last fall and led Indiana in tackles with 89, including 4 for loss, one interception, and 3 passes broken up. He played the entire 1999 campaign with a broken wrist. An extremely good student, Smith has earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Position Changes: Since last season, head coach Cam Cameron has made several significant position changes that he believes will greatly benefit the Indiana football team.
a) Honorable mention All-Big Ten tight end Craig Osika from tight end to center. Said Cameron, "He really has handled the transition well and I think, as Hal Hunter and I were talking just the other night, it's not like we are moving an offensive tackle under center. We're moving a guy that's an athlete number one. Secondly, he's a guy that has already played. Craig is doing an excellent job and he is going to be a guy that is just going to get better every snap. Here for a while I'm sure there will be some bumps along the road but he is doing everything we expect and probably a little bit more."
b) Sophomore tight end Kris Dielman has moved from tight end to defensive tackle but will still see action at tight end. Other changes include: Enoch Demar from left guard to right tackle; A.C. Myler from defensive tackle to left tackle; and Colin Christopher from defensive tackle to guard. Christopher will miss the season with a knee injury sustained while playing basketball during the offseason.
In the Classroom: •Indiana's 15 Academic All-Big Ten honorees in 1999 were the most in school history
•Of last year's senior class, 30 of 32 have graduated
•Junior linebacker Justin Smith, junior defensive end Kemp Rasmussen and sophomore tackle Enoch Demar are all legitimate Academic All-America candidates
In with the New: First-year offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Hal Hunter is earning his pay check. Not one player on Indiana's starting offensive line played in his current spot last season. In 1999, sophomore left tackle A.C. Myler was a defensive tackle, redshirt freshman left guard Anthony Oakley was redshirted, junior center Craig Osika played tight end, redshirt freshman Sione Ohuafi was redshirted and sophomore tackle Enoch DeMar played left guard. DeMar is the only one of the five that saw any playing time as a member of the offensive line. Despite the inexperience and youth, Indiana is averaging 36 points per game and 425.5 yards per contest, including 234 rushing yards per game.
99 Percent of 1999 Offensive Production Returns: Over 99 percent of Indiana's offensive production returns in 2000, including leading rusher Levron Williams (817 yards, 6.9 yards per carry), leading passer Antwaan Randle El (2,277 yards and 17 TDs) and leading receiver Versie Gaddis (633 yards). Last season, Indiana was the only Division I college football team to produce a 2,000-yard passer (Randle El), two 750-yard rushers (Randle El and Williams) and two 600-yard receivers (Jerry Dorsey and Versie Gaddis). All four players return this fall.
ESPN-THE MAGAZINE Cites Rasmussen: Junior defensive end Kemp Rasmussen was cited by ESPN-The Magazine as one of 10 emerging defensive ends in the country. Last fall, the 6-foot-3, 265-pounder started 11 games and recorded 42 tackles, including 11.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.Through the first two games of the 2000 campaign, Rasmussen has recorded four tackles, including two tackles for loss and one sack.
Randle El Featured in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Photo: Junior Heisman Trophy candidate Antwaan Randle El was featured in a two-page staged photo in Sports Illustrated that began an article about multi-dimensional quarterbacks. The photo featured the elusive quarterback being chased by monsters.
Cameron Hires Harp: Head coach Cam Cameron has added Tom Harp, his step-father, to the Indiana coaching staff to replace Pete Schmidt who is currently battling cancer. Harp has served as a head football coach at Cornell (1961-65), Duke (1966-70) and Indiana State and will primarily coach the defensive special teams.
Schmidt Meets With Media: Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Pete Schmidt met with the media on Friday, September 1. Schmidt, who is suffering from lymphoma, is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Said Schmidt who is planning to return to the field next fall, "Fourth-and-one is going to be a lot easier to call, and overtime won't be a problem for me. I just want them to go out there and let 'er rip. We're going to go out there and have some fun.''
The Kicker's Shoes: Senior placekicker Andy Payne, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist in 1998, wears a size 9 shoe on his kicking foot and a size 11 on his plant foot while kicking. He likes the compact feel that the smaller shoe affords him. Said Payne, "I have to scrunch my toes up a little bit, but for me it's worth it. You can make better contact with the ball. With a big old football shoe, you have a big tongue over it, big shoelaces, and there's just more padding. This way, you really feel the ball when you're kicking it, and that's something kickers like." In his first three seasons, Payne made 37-of-50 field goal attempts (74 percent). Inside 40 yards, he's missed only four of 29 career attempts (86 percent). He is also handling IU's punting duties this fall.
Thompson Named Interim Assistant Head Coach: In Pete Schmidt's absence because of cancer, running backs coach Anthony Thompson will serve as IU's assistant head coach. Thompson was the runner-up to Houston quarterback Andre Ware in the 1989 Heisman Trophy race. He may have to prove himself in a head coaching capacity as Cam Cameron's wife, Missy, is expecting a baby in late October.
Music School?: In the current US News and World Report rankings, the Indiana University School of Music ranked second nationally. While no player on the current roster is enrolled in the school, several have music ability, including three starters. Senior wide receiver Jerry Dorsey and junior linebacker Justin Smith play the piano and sophomore tackle Enoch DeMar plays African drums. Smith also sings. Said DeMar, "I play African drums, African-Cuban drums, and I've played a djembe, a West African drum, since I was a kid. I like to do that. I love music, and listen to all kinds."
Kung Fu Fighting: Sophomore tackle Enoch DeMar is involved in Kung Fu, a sport in which has dad has been participating for about 20 years. DeMar should find the training useful as he moves from guard to tackle this fall.
True Freshmen Make Appearance: Of the true freshmen who arrived in Bloomington on Friday, August 11, only defensive tackle Steve Williams, running back Rashon Myles and tight end Aaron Halterman.
RANDLE EL ON CNN/SI'S HEISMAN SURVIVOR LIST: Like the hit television show Survivor, CNN/Sports Illustrated has placed junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El on an island of sorts as he is one of 16 players on the web site's Heisman list. Voters may vote one player off of the list every week and players are given immunity for stellar weekly performances. The list started with 16 players and is now down to 14 after Florida defensive end Alex Brown was voted off the island following week one and Georgia quarterback Quincy Carter got the boot following games last week. As of Sunday, wide receiver Freddie Milons of Alabama looked as if he would be the next player to exit the island.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:
Junior quarterback: Antwaan Randle El
Personal
Hometown: Riverdale, Illinois
Date of Birth: August 17, 1979
Academic
Major: Sports Communication (Broadcasting)
Favorite academic class: T317
Future aspirations: Play in the NFL, become a sports broadcaster
Favorites
Favorite food: Grandma's mac & cheese
Favorite Bloomington restaurant: Janko's
Favorite campus spot: IMU (Indiana Memorial Union)
Favorite movie: Five Heartbeats
Favorite musical artist: Lauryn Hill
Favorite TV show: Sanford and Son
IU Football
Strongest player: Shane Moat
Hardest hitter: Devin Schaffer
Favorite memory of the 1999 season: Overtime victory against Illinois
Which player that people have not heard of will make the biggest impact this year?: Brian Lewis
Dielman A True Thowback: Although he played tight end as a true freshman last fall, sophomore Kris Dielman moved to defensive tackle this past spring, added almost 40 pounds, and played extremely well at hiw new position. However, his physical toughness also lends itself to the tight end position. He saw 16 snaps on offense and 27 snaps on defense vs. N.C. State snaps on defense vs. N.C. State. In game two vs. Kentucky, Dielman caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Randle El on one of his 16 offensive snaps. He also saw 17 snaps at defensive tackle.
Like Father, Like Son?: True freshman walk-on linebacker/long snapper Chris Bayh is the son of former United States Senator Birch Bayh and the half-brother of Evan Bayh, the current U.S. Senator from Indiana.
Indiana University Graduates: Three players on this year's roster have already earned their undergraduate degrees. The list includes wide receiver Versie Gaddis (general studies with minor in communications), running back Glynn Johnson (School of Public and Environmental Affairs) and Orlando Spencer (English education). All three are enrolled in some type of post-undergraduate education.
Spreading the Ball Around: Featuring one of the nation's most exciting and explosive offenses, Indiana was the only Division I college football team in 1999 to produce a 2,000-yard passer (Antwaan Randle El ), two 750-yard rushers (Randle El and Levron Williams) and two 600-yard receivers (Jerry Dorsey and Versie Gaddis ). All four players return this fall. Williams averaged 6.9 yards per carry in 1999 while Dorsey and Gaddis became the first receiving duo at IU to both reach 600 receiving yards in the same season since 1983. The group accounted for 390 total yards in the season opener vs. North Carolina State.
Taking it the Distance: Junior wide receiver Derin Graham has proven himself to be one of the finest return men in the Big Ten Conference. He currently leads the Big Ten in kickoff returns and ranks sixth nationally with a 32.3 average. In game two at Kentucky, he turned in a highlight film return as he jumped over a pile of would-be tacklers, balanced himself with his free hand, and raced 86 yards to the UK-one-yard line. During his career he has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, one in each of the past two seasons. He returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown vs. Kentucky in 1999 and recorded a 100-yard return vs. Wisconsin in 1988. In 1999 he also recorded 19 receptions for 405 yards and one touchdown.
Two is Better than One: Indiana is widely regarded as having the best pair of fullbacks in the Big Ten Conference in senior De'Wayne Hogan and sophomore Jeremi Johnson. The emergence of the 5-foot-11, 275-pound, Johnson and the consistent play of the 6-foot, 232-pound Hogan sparked a fierce competition for playing time this spring. The two are expected to platoon at the position this fall.
In the season opener vs. North Carolina State both fullbacks scored touchdowns. Hogan rushed 11 times for 54 yards and one score and Johnson rushed 3 times for 21 yards and a touchdown and caught 2 passes for 21 yards. One week later at Kentucky, Hogan rushed for 62 yards on four carries and caught one pass for 6 yards while Johnson rushed 2 times for 4 yards and caught a 26-yard pass from quarterback Antwaan Randle El .
Hogan started six times at fullback in 1999 and carried 30 times for 119 yards and one touchdown. He was hampered by injuries as a sophomore but started at tailback as a freshman in 1997. He appeared in eighth games (six starts) and rushed for a team-leading 506 yards, including a 164-yard effort vs. Illinois. He has bench pressed 225 pounds over 30 times.
Johnson played extensively as a true freshman in 1999 and earned a Big Ten Freshman-of-the-Year nomination. He played in 11 games (four starts) and rushed 69 times for 282 yards 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. He showed throughout the season that he has the ability to be a punishing blocker, catch the ball out of the backfield and run at the heart of an opponent's defense.
Randle El Climbing Career Charts: Junior Antwaan Randle El is rapidly approaching many Indiana University records. Of the major statistical categories, Randle El needs...
...714 total yards to move into first place on IU's career total offensive yards list (6,943, Steve Bradley, 1983-85).
...nine touchdown passes to move into first place on IU's career touchdown passes list (35, Steve Bradley, 1983-85).
Experience Could be a Factor: Finally, after playing with freshman and sophomore dominated rosters for the past two seasons, Indiana will put a strong group of upperclassmen on the field this fall. This despite the fact that the IU roster maintains only several players in their final year of eligibility.
For example, the Hoosiers have four players (O.J. Conner, Jerry Dorsey, Versie Gaddis, and Levron Williams) who have recorded 100-yard receiving games and four players (Marcus Floyd who now plays cornerback, De'Wayne Hogan, Antwaan Randle El , and Levron Williams) who have tallied 100-yard rushing games during their careers. Fifth-year senior Glynn Johnson recorded a 99-yard rushing game at Minnesota in 1997.
How Experienced are the Tenative Starters?:
Seniors: Indiana (6), Cincinnati (9)
Juniors: Indiana (8), Cincinnati (5)
Sophomores: Indiana (5), Cincinnati (8)
Redshirt Freshman: Indiana (3), Cincinnati (0)
Freshman: Indiana (0), Cincinnai (0)
Can You Say Big?:
The five offensive line starters on the Indiana two-deep, along with tight end Bobby Brandt, averages 6-foot-4 in height and 299 pounds.
The Quote Book:
Cameron on the Kentucky game: "It's really pretty simple. We made a critical mistake right before the half and a critical mistake at the end of the game.' I feel so bad for the guys in there. That's why I took so long to get out here. Good things are going to happen to this football team. The next nine weeks, we're going to have to prove it to you. But good things are going to happen. I told our team we're going to watch the film and see about 90 percent of what we're looking for in terms of effort and making plays. The other 10 percent is killing us. But that's the difference.''
Cameron on the North Carolina State game: "We played well enough to win the football game on the scoreboard, period. You can slice it any way you want. That football game was flat taken from Indiana University. Not from Cam Cameron, not from just our football team, it was taken from every single one of us. And you saw it with your own two eyes. I have never seen anything like that in my life."
Quarterback Antwaan Randle El when asked if he fumbled the first 15 snaps from new center Craig Osika who was converted from tight end: "If it wasn't the first fifteen snaps, it was the first thirteen (laughs)."
Said Sports Illustrated's Ivan Maisel on Antwaan Randle El: "I think if you were to question the defensive coordinators in the Big Ten about who they would least like to face on Saturday, I'd venture to guess that if Randle El wasn't first, he'd be in the top two."
Head coach Cam Cameron on the difficulty of the 2000 schedule: "Every team in the league is going to go through the same thing. Wisconsin was, I believe, the only team in the league to go without a bye, and all they did was win (seven) in a row. As it relates to the championship, which is what everybody is shooting for, that's really all you need to know. Obviously, it can be done. Our focus, obviously, becomes North Carolina State. And then a lot of things are going to happen by the time you get into the Big Ten schedule. We'll see if all those teams are still as highly ranked, but they're going to be good, I know that. Every team in our league has to go through, basically, the same sort of schedule.
www.collegefootballnews.com on Randle El: "Who's the most exciting player in the country? Who's the player the Big Ten coaches fear the most? Look to Hoosierland for junior Antwaan Randle El for the player, along with Vick, who's most worth the price of admission. When football is over, this guy is going to be a superstar broadcaster."
Wide receiver Versie Gaddis on addition of weight and Coach Cameron's comment saying ' We're so much faster, it's scary': "Most definitely (this addition of weight has not affected our mobility or speed). When you're talking ten or fifteen pounds, we're not talking about fat. That's not bacon, it's muscle (laughs)."
foxsports.com on Randle El: "If the question is: "Which quarterback would you rather have?" the answer might surprise you. For the vast majority of programs, except Purdue's and a few other high-powered passing games, the answer would be: "Randle El, without question. If Randle El has the kind of season he can and the Hoosiers win seven or more games, don't be surprised if two Big Ten quarterbacks are seated at the Downtown Athletic Club when this year's Heisman winner is selected."
Cameron on the possibility of playing sophomore Tommy Jones at quarterback and moving Antwaan Randle El to receiver: "Antwaan could help us at about five different positions, but you're not going to move him out from underneath center unless there is another quarterback we feel we can win with. It's all about getting our 11 best players on the field. If we feel Tommy Jones is one of our 11 best players, we wouldn't hesitate to get him out there."
Randle El on the versatility of running back Levron Williams: "We don't have to bring new receivers into the game. We just have to go to a different formation. A lot of backs can't do that. With him being as tall as he is and having the hands that he has, and him being able to run and play receiver, that's going to help us out a lot. It's a blessing he can do all those things."
Bill Jauss of the Chicago Tribune: "For wide-open, razzle-dazzle, big-play, high-octane offensive football, it's hard to exceed the fireworks Indiana and its irrepressible junior quarterback can provide."
Senior Paul Mandina on the team's 11-day training camp at the FCA National Headquarters near Marshall, Ind.: "You tell the freshmen that it's this place off in the woods. The air conditioning's not that good, (neither is) the water pressure. We change in a gym. It's sticky. There's no wind current with all the trees. You hear these stories and wonder what's good about this. But obviously when you get here, nothing could bring the team closer together. It forces you to concentrate on your teammates, offense and defense."
Randle El on free time at training camp: "You can lift weights or swim, that's pretty much it. And you don't want to swim. It's not a pool, it's a pond, and let's just say it's not exactly my idea of swimming."
Cameron on Butkus Award candidate Justin Smith: "Justin is a heckuva story from the standpoint that he was a cornerback in high school. He came to Indiana and we moved him to safety. He's continued to grow and develop physically and now he's over 225 pounds and we've moved him from safety now into linebacker. He's an extremely bright young man who is going to wind up being a four-year starter who has played two or three different positions. We're expecting a great year out of him and he's one of the leaders of our defense. He has some extremely high goals from the standpoint that he would like to be a Rhodes Scholar and an orthopedic surgeon some day. You're talking about a really bright young man who is really having a heckuva career for us."
Wide receiver Versie Gaddis on the wideouts inability to consistently catch the football in 1999: "At times last year, we were worried about catching the ball and getting going. It's not real difficult (to see) what our problem was. We just weren't watching the ball in much. We didn't just start working on that this summer; we started at the end of last year. . . ."We have speed, and we're going to get the yards. That will come, but we have to catch it first. We've just been working on catching the ball, over-exaggerating our technique, really concentrating on that because that really caused some problems last year, and we have to get that corrected."
Cameron on his goals for the IU football program: "Last year, we had a goal to go to a bowl game. If you finish in the top seven of our league, you're going to a bowl game, whether it be the Rose Bowl or a BCS bowl or someplace else. First, we've got to get into the upper half of this league. Once you do that, then you can start to see the championship. And that is the ultimate goal -- for us to win the Big Ten championship.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT INDIANA QUARTERBACK ANTWAAN RANDLE EL...
"(Randle El's) The best option quarterback I've ever seen. He's as good as everybody said. I give him the utmost respect. I'll probably never face a quarterback like that again. ... I knew he was good. I didn't know he was that good." - former Penn State and current Cleveland Browns linebacker LaVar Arrington
"Randle El's high-step makes the country's best linebacker, LaVar Arrington, look as mismatched as a guy trying to swat a fly with his hand. Randle El is so hard to track down that his pager needs a pager. He zigs. He zags. If he were a chemical, he would be mercury. If he were a signature, it would be illegible." - South Bend Tribune's David Haugh (10/7/99)
"I think if you were to question the defensive coordinators in the Big Ten about who they would least like to face on Saturday, I'd venture to guess that if Randle El wasn't first, he'd be in the top two." - Ivan Maisel of Sports Illustrated
"Randle El is just a phenomenal athlete. He's such a good athlete, he makes up for any lack of size with his physical attributes and his speed and his great, strong arm." - Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning
"I don't know if I've ever been around a young man who did as much for their offensive football team as Randle El did. I tried to find him as quick as I could after the game and let him know I'm glad we don't play them again. He's really an outstanding football player. He loves to play and made so many plays when there was not a play to be made, and he kept that up the entire game." - North Carolina head coach Carl Torbush (9/11/99)
"He's a great quarterback. This is the first time I've ever seen him play and I thought I had some nifty moves and nifty feet but I think he's got an edge on me. I can go and look at film and analyze him as one to look up to." - North Carolina quarterback/point guard Ronald Curry (9/11/99)
"You know Drew is going to sit back there and throw 50 or 60 times and if he gets away, you probably could catch him from behind, but Randle El...there's no way you know what he's going to do. He's the hardest of all the quarterback we play. Of the quarterback in that state who are the toughest for a defense, I'd rate Randle El first, Brees second, and then (Notre Dame's Jarious) Jackson." - Michigan State strong safety Aric Morris (8/3/99)
"As for Randle El, he was as slippery as ever. They must soap him up before the games. He's like a water bug on the loose, and you can't help but imagine what it would be like to have him in the backfield with Barry Sanders. The defense would have to throw nets over them to catch them." - Joe Falls of the Detroit News (10/25/98)
"But they have some hope just because of the amazing talent of their 5-foot-7 (actually 5-10), 177-pound freshman quarterback. If he doesn't get squashed in the next couple of seasons, he could be another Fran Tarkenton in the making: Where is he? Here he is. Where? Over here. No, he's over there. He's gone! I'd pay to see him play every week. He is a one-man Harlem Globetrotters." - Joe Falls of the Detroit News (10/25/88)
"I don't think I'd be sane enough to play football anymore if I had to go against a quarterback like (him) every Saturday." - Wisconsin defensive end Tom Burke (10/4/98)
"Combined with his natural athleticism, Randle El is the Roadrunner of college football and everybody else is the Wile E. Coyote. You might be able to catch up with him, but you'll never catch him." - Rich Thomaselli of the Ann Arbor (Mich.) News (10/25/98)
"It was like 'Tom and Jerry' and I was the big cat chasing the little mouse." - Michigan State defensive tackle Robert Newkirk (10/11/98)
"He has great personality, great leadership skills and really wants to win. He's got everything a coach wants beyond just sheer talent, and he's got plenty of that." - Indiana head basketball coach Bob Knight (12/23/98)
"He's a great player. I wouldn't be surprised if he's All-Big Ten this year. Big players show up in big games. For a red-shirt to bring his team back in the fourth quarter, he's gonna be scary down the road. He already is." - Iowa defensive back Matt Bowen following Indiana's 14-7 win over Iowa on 10/17/98
"I'm telling you now, those people over there are crazy if they don't get out and watch that young man. He's truly special. He's one of the most exciting quarterbacks I've seen in this conference in years and years and years." - former Iowa head coach Hayden Fry (10/17/98)
"Who's the most exciting player in the country? Who's the player the Big Ten coaches fear the most? Look to Hoosierland for junior Antwaan Randle El for the player, along with Vick, who's most worth the price of admission. When football is over, this guy is going to be a superstar broadcaster." - www.collegefootballnews.com
"If the question is: "Which quarterback would you rather have?" the answer might surprise you. For the vast majority of programs, except Purdue's and a few other high-powered passing games, the answer would be: "Randle El, without question. If Randle El has the kind of season he can and the Hoosiers win seven or more games, don't be surprised if two Big Ten quarterbacks are seated at the Downtown Athletic Club when this year's Heisman winner is selected." - www.foxsports.com
