Indiana University Athletics
IU Football Names Captains
8/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 8, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana senior offensive guard Adam Hines, senior running back Chris Taylor, senior middle linebacker John Pannozzo and senior safety Will Lumpkin are the 2005 Hoosier football team captains, IU head coach Terry Hoeppner announced today. In addition, one player will be designated as a game captain each week and will accompany three of the team captains to midfield for the pregame coin toss.
According to Hoeppner, Hines, Taylor, Pannozzo and Lumpkin exemplify the solid leadership and character that the entire 2005 Hoosier football senior class has shown throughout offseason workouts.
"At my opening press conference (Dec. 17), I talked about this program's solid foundation, and these 16 seniors are the core of that foundation," Hoeppner said. "All offseason long, I have emphasized to the team that they need to walk, talk, act and think like champions in everything they do, and the seniors have set the tone for this. My hope is that we are successful and can get them `bowling" (going to a bowl game) in their final season."
Hines brings a 33-game consecutive start streak into his senior season. The 6-2, 315-pound senior played both left guard and left tackle last fall, and he was on the field for at least 70 snaps in nine of Indiana's 11 contests. Hines, a native of Vandalia, Ohio, keys a veteran offensive line that boasts 98 career starts among them.
Taylor is Indiana's leading returning rusher, posting 329 yards and four touchdowns last season. The 5-11, 220-pounder has been timed at 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash, and he has averaged 4.0 yards per carry each of the last two seasons.
Pannozzo was the Hoosiers' starting fullback each of the last three seasons before moving to middle linebacker this past spring. The 5-11, 235-pound Pannozzo's transition to middle linebacker allowed all-league pick Kyle Killion to move to his more natural outside linebacker spot. Pannozzo quickly established himself as the quarterback of the Hoosier defense and will lead a unit that starts seven seniors.
As he approaches his fifth and final season, Lumpkin has made his mark on the field and in the classroom. Lumpkin, a business major, is an Academic All-Big Ten selection, and Lumpkin and running back Yamar Washington were both named Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholars by the journal Black Issues in Higher Education. In order to qualify for the honor, a student-athlete must be a significant contributor in their sport and carry a 3.2 cumulative grade point average. Lumpkin also recently completed a 10-week financial analyst internship with Merrill Lynch in Indianapolis.
On the field, Lumpkin intercepted a pass and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown in IU's 30-21 victory over then-No. 23 Minnesota last fall, and he added a 72-yard fumble return for a touchdown at Purdue. Lumpkin had two of Indiana's school record four defensive touchdowns last year.
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