Indiana University Athletics
Inside The UConn Game
9/22/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 22, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Before the Indiana football team closes out its non-conference schedule, it's time to take a look inside the numbers. The Hoosiers host Connecticut in the second of three straight contests at Memorial Stadium. IU (2-1) and UConn (1-1) meet at 3:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Sept. 16. ESPN Plus Local will televise the game.
Inside The Series
The Hoosiers and Huskies will face off for just the second time. Connecticut owns a 1-0 advantage in the all-time series, dropping Indiana in Storrs on Aug. 30, 2003.
Interim head coach Bill Lynch holds a 3-0 record against UConn. As the head coach at Ball State (1995-02), Lynch's Cardinals knocked off the Huskies three straight years from 2000-02.
The last time a BIG EAST squad traveled to Bloomington came back in the 1982 season. Indiana downed Syracuse, 17-10, on Sept. 25. Against BIG EAST foes, Indiana owns a 15-10-1 all-time mark, good for a .596 winning percentage.
Young Guns
Three sophomores and two redshirt freshmen have worked their way into the starting lineup and helped the Hoosier defense force five turnovers and record 23 tackles for loss, which ranks tied for 20th nationally through three games.
The redshirt freshmen - safety Austin Thomas and buck Josh Bailey - lead the team in tackles. Thomas owns team highs with 26 tackles and 19 solos following a career-high 11 tackles (10 solos) against Southern Illinois. He is tied for seventh in the league in tackles and tied for 23rd nationally with 6.33 solos per game. Meanwhile, Bailey is second on the club with 21 stops and 16 solos while sitting atop the club with three tackles for loss. Bailey is tied for 15th in the Big Ten with his 21 tackles.
Right behind the redshirts is linebacker Geno Johnson. After securing nine tackles vs. SIU, Johnson shot into third on the Hoosiers with 19 tackles and 15 solos. Meanwhile, defensive tackle Greg Brown corralled a career-high six stops and one tackle for loss against Southern Illinois, while cornerback Chris Phillips has accounted for one of the team's three interceptions, which he returned 66 yards for a score.
Three's Company
After redshirt freshman Kellen Lewis started the Southern Illinois contest, he became the third different Hoosier to start under center this season. The last time IU had three different starting QBs came in 1986 when Dave Kramme, Brian Dewitz and Dave Schnell did so for the Hoosiers. Junior Blake Powers started the opener against Western Michigan, and senior Graeme McFarland made his second career start at Ball State.
Each of the gunslingers have recorded at least one touchdown pass this campaign. The last season three Hoosiers threw at least one score came in 1974. Terry Jones (13), Bob Kramer (1) and Mike Flanagan (1) each recorded a touchdown that season.
Spreading The Wealth
Nine Hoosiers have caught passes and five have recorded carries in Indiana's first two ballgames. Quarterbacks Blake Powers and Graeme McFarland hit seven different receivers, each of who caught at least two passes, in the season-opening win against Western Michigan. Meanwhile, McFarland and redshirt freshman Kellen Lewis combined to find nine receivers at Ball State. Seven Hoosiers have recorded receptions over 30 yards.
In the backfield, junior Josiah Sears, sophomore Marcus Thigpen and redshirt freshmen Bryan Payton and Demetrius McCray have recorded carries in multiple games. True freshman Ray Fisher added one carry in the opener.
New Faces
As the Hoosiers take the field in 2006, keep your roster close by. Seventy-two players on the 105-man roster (69 percent) are underclassmen and 49 (47 percent) are freshmen or redshirt freshmen.
In the first three games, 19 players have seen their first collegiate action, including redshirt freshmen Josh Bailey (buck) and Austin Thomas (safety), who have appeared in the starting lineup in all three contests. Twelve redshirt freshmen and true freshmen Ray Fisher, Mandela Roberts, J.T. Owens, Will Patterson and Matt Mayberry, have seen action.
Here is a breakdown by class of the 2006 Hoosiers:
• Seniors - 15
• Juniors - 18
• Sophomores - 23
• Redshirt Freshmen - 25
• True Freshmen - 24
The Start Chart
Senior Justin Frye has been an anchor on the offensive line since his insertion into the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman in 2003. He has started all 36 games he has appeared in, missing only the season finale at Purdue his redshirt season. One of the most versatile Hoosier linemen - he played right tackle and right guard in 2005 - Frye will try his hand at left tackle this season.
By The Numbers
In his eighth season as a head coach, Terry Hoeppner teams:
• have never been shut out.
• are 40-12 when they score first.
• are 32-9 when they lead at the end of the first quarter.
• are 47-3 when they lead at the start of the fourth quarter.
• are 22-4 since 2003 when they score first.
Comeback Kids
Indiana trailed Ball State 17-0 in the second quarter and 23-7 at the half before storming back with 17 unanswered points in the second stanza. The 17-point deficit marked the largest deficit offset by a Hoosier team since Oct. 12, 2002. On that day, IU trailed then-No. 23 Wisconsin, 29-10, with 1:19 remaining in the third quarter before posting a 32-29 victory.
Ball State held a commanding advantage in total yardage (220-77) and passing yards (205-42) heading into the locker room. However, the Hoosiers regained control and completely dominated the second 30 minutes. IU limited BSU to 110 second-half yards while racking up 296 of its own. Indiana rushed for 112 yards on the ground and threw for 184 in the air.
The Hoosier defense, which kept an opponent scoreless in a half for the first time since the second stanza against Michigan last season (Nov. 12), received a helping hand from the offense's ability to control the clock. IU held the ball for 19 minutes in the second half, including 11:11 in the fourth quarter.
Home Sweet Home
For just the fifth time in the 46-year history of Memorial Stadium, the Hoosiers will play seven home games in 2006. IU also hosted seven ballgames in 1978, 1993, 1995 and 1999.
Poinrs Aplenty
In the Hoosiers' season-opening win over Western Michigan, Indiana put 39 points on the scoreboard - the most in head coach Terry Hoeppner's two seasons in Bloomington. IU has tallied 30-plus points four times under Hoeppner's watch - all at Memorial Stadium - en route to a 4-0 record in those ballgames.
Contributing to the scoring outburst, the Hoosiers went a perfect 4-for-4 in the red zone. Indiana punched the ball in the end zone twice and settled for a pair of field goals.
