Indiana University Athletics
IU Downs CMU in Season Opener
9/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Bloomington, Ind. - First impressions are everything. The 2004 Indiana Hoosiers made quite an impression with a 41-10 victory over Central Michigan at Memorial Stadium. The Hoosiers picked up their most lopsided season opening victory since a 40-6 win to open the 1996 season at Toledo.
Indiana used a solid running game as four Hoosiers found pay dirt on the ground. The three-pronged running back trio of sophomore BenJarvus Green-Ellis and juniors Chris Taylor and Yamar Washington each scored a rushing touchdown. Senior quarterback Matt LoVecchio joined the group with his third career Hoosier TD on the ground. The Hoosiers rolled up 203 yards on the ground against the Chippewas.
The best impression may have been the one Tracy Porter made in his first career game. Not only was he the first Hoosier to intercept a pair of passes in six years, but he totaled 98 inception return yards. The biggest play of the game coming on his 96-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter. It was the fourth longest in school history and the second longest in the history of Memorial Stadium.
The Hoosiers got on the board first in the opening period off Porter's first pick. After Tyson Beattie pinned the Chippewas deep in their own territory at the five-yard line, the Hoosiers defense put some pressure on Chippewa quarterback Grant Arnoldink. On the first play from scrimmage for Central Michigan, running back Jerry Seymour was hit for a two-yard loss. Arnoldink took the snap on second down and stood thee-yards deep in the endzone on his passing attempt. The Hoosier rush hit Arnoldink, and his floater over the middle of the field was picked by Porter.
The Hoosiers wasted little time scoring the go-ahead touchdown. IU used five plays to cover 16 yards and take a 6-0 lead. Green-Ellis scored on a five-yard run. He finished the game with a workman-like performance, carrying the ball 28 times for 97 yards.
Central Michigan responded on the very next series. The Chippewas drove down to the IU five-yard line. The IU defense would not crack holding CMU out of the endzone. On third-and-goal, junior linebacker Kyle Killion registered a big sack, knocking the Chippewas back to the 12-yard line. Mike Gruzwalski's 29-yard field goal attempt bounced off the left upright and through to cut the lead to 6-3.
Killion ended the day with a team-leading 10 tackles. He also had a career-best 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Senior safety Herana-Daze Jones had six tackles, and senior defensive tackle Jodie Clemons had two tackles for loss.
Indiana pushed its lead to 10 with another short scoring drive. Sophomore Lance Bennett set the Hoosiers with great field position at the CMU 40-yard line. The Hoosiers used the rush to cover most of the 40 yards. The big play on the drive came on a nice bootleg by LoVecchio. He faked the hand off up the middle, and ran around the right side down to the two-yard line. Taylor punched it in two plays later from one-yard out. Sixth-year senior kicker Adam Braucher, who returned to the line up after missing the last two years with a knee injury, added the extra point for the 13-3 advantage.
The Hoosiers continued to extend their lead with a long TD pass from LoVecchio to senior wide receiver Travis Haney with 1:41 remaining in the first half of play. The play covered 46 yards and was the first TD of Haney's career. The Hoosiers only used three plays to find the endzone. The IU defense forced CMU to turn the ball over on downs, giving the offense the field position. Clemons sacked Arnoldink on fourth-and-15 to give IU possession.
Haney finished the day with a pair of receptions for 65 yards and the touchdown. LoVecchio was efficient going 9-for-14, with 121 yards and a TD pass in a little over three quarters of play. Senior wide receiver Courtney Roby was the Hoosiers' leading receiver with five catches for 42 yards.
The Hoosiers continued to pour it on in the second half. Porter picked off his second pass of the day and raced 96 yards for a touchdown to push the Hoosier lead to 27-3. For the day, Porter had 98 return yards, the second-most in a single game in Hoosier history. His 96-yard return was the second longest in Memorial Stadium history. The longest since Alfonzo Thurman's 97-yard INT return on Sept. 10, 1994.
LoVecchio and Washington each added a 1-yard plunges as the Hoosiers rolled up 41 points. Washington was making his first appearance in a Hoosier uniform since the 2002 season. He missed the 2003 campaign with a knee injury. Washington finished the game with six carries for 30 yards.
Central Michigan added a touchdown for the final margin with 4:52. Quarterback Kent Smith found fullback Troy Peyerk on a nine-yard pass, making the score 41-10.
The Hoosiers will return to action next weekend when they travel to Oregon. The game is set for 5:30 p.m. EST.
Indiana used a solid running game as four Hoosiers found pay dirt on the ground. The three-pronged running back trio of sophomore BenJarvus Green-Ellis and juniors Chris Taylor and Yamar Washington each scored a rushing touchdown. Senior quarterback Matt LoVecchio joined the group with his third career Hoosier TD on the ground. The Hoosiers rolled up 203 yards on the ground against the Chippewas.
The best impression may have been the one Tracy Porter made in his first career game. Not only was he the first Hoosier to intercept a pair of passes in six years, but he totaled 98 inception return yards. The biggest play of the game coming on his 96-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter. It was the fourth longest in school history and the second longest in the history of Memorial Stadium.
The Hoosiers got on the board first in the opening period off Porter's first pick. After Tyson Beattie pinned the Chippewas deep in their own territory at the five-yard line, the Hoosiers defense put some pressure on Chippewa quarterback Grant Arnoldink. On the first play from scrimmage for Central Michigan, running back Jerry Seymour was hit for a two-yard loss. Arnoldink took the snap on second down and stood thee-yards deep in the endzone on his passing attempt. The Hoosier rush hit Arnoldink, and his floater over the middle of the field was picked by Porter.
The Hoosiers wasted little time scoring the go-ahead touchdown. IU used five plays to cover 16 yards and take a 6-0 lead. Green-Ellis scored on a five-yard run. He finished the game with a workman-like performance, carrying the ball 28 times for 97 yards.
Central Michigan responded on the very next series. The Chippewas drove down to the IU five-yard line. The IU defense would not crack holding CMU out of the endzone. On third-and-goal, junior linebacker Kyle Killion registered a big sack, knocking the Chippewas back to the 12-yard line. Mike Gruzwalski's 29-yard field goal attempt bounced off the left upright and through to cut the lead to 6-3.
Killion ended the day with a team-leading 10 tackles. He also had a career-best 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Senior safety Herana-Daze Jones had six tackles, and senior defensive tackle Jodie Clemons had two tackles for loss.
Indiana pushed its lead to 10 with another short scoring drive. Sophomore Lance Bennett set the Hoosiers with great field position at the CMU 40-yard line. The Hoosiers used the rush to cover most of the 40 yards. The big play on the drive came on a nice bootleg by LoVecchio. He faked the hand off up the middle, and ran around the right side down to the two-yard line. Taylor punched it in two plays later from one-yard out. Sixth-year senior kicker Adam Braucher, who returned to the line up after missing the last two years with a knee injury, added the extra point for the 13-3 advantage.
The Hoosiers continued to extend their lead with a long TD pass from LoVecchio to senior wide receiver Travis Haney with 1:41 remaining in the first half of play. The play covered 46 yards and was the first TD of Haney's career. The Hoosiers only used three plays to find the endzone. The IU defense forced CMU to turn the ball over on downs, giving the offense the field position. Clemons sacked Arnoldink on fourth-and-15 to give IU possession.
Haney finished the day with a pair of receptions for 65 yards and the touchdown. LoVecchio was efficient going 9-for-14, with 121 yards and a TD pass in a little over three quarters of play. Senior wide receiver Courtney Roby was the Hoosiers' leading receiver with five catches for 42 yards.
The Hoosiers continued to pour it on in the second half. Porter picked off his second pass of the day and raced 96 yards for a touchdown to push the Hoosier lead to 27-3. For the day, Porter had 98 return yards, the second-most in a single game in Hoosier history. His 96-yard return was the second longest in Memorial Stadium history. The longest since Alfonzo Thurman's 97-yard INT return on Sept. 10, 1994.
LoVecchio and Washington each added a 1-yard plunges as the Hoosiers rolled up 41 points. Washington was making his first appearance in a Hoosier uniform since the 2002 season. He missed the 2003 campaign with a knee injury. Washington finished the game with six carries for 30 yards.
Central Michigan added a touchdown for the final margin with 4:52. Quarterback Kent Smith found fullback Troy Peyerk on a nine-yard pass, making the score 41-10.
The Hoosiers will return to action next weekend when they travel to Oregon. The game is set for 5:30 p.m. EST.
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