Indiana 2006 Team Preview

Twelve seasons and counting. That’s how long it has been since the Hoosiers last played in a bowl game. The streak includes a span of 134 games, 11 consecutive losing seasons, four head football coaches and four athletic directors.

And there’s not a lot of reason to believe that the number 13 is going to be that lucky for Indiana football.

The biggest positives for IU are a schedule that includes seven home games and a wide receiving corps that features sophomore James Hardy, who was considered one of the nation’s top receivers a year ago. He caught 61 passes for 893 yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman.

The Hoosiers have depth at wide receiver and a capable quarterback in Blake Powers, who should be able to deliver the ball on target. But that’s where the certainty ends and the uncertainty begins. Running back is a major question mark, with not a single tailback who played that position a year ago. The offensive line is young and inexperienced. The defensive line lost its two best players, as did the linebacking corps.

All of that is returning from a team that finished 4–7 a year ago, including losing its final six games of the season.

“We have a lot of holes to fill, but we feel like we’ve got some capable people that can get the job done,” says Indiana second year head coach Terry Hoeppner. “We feel like we’re a lot farther along than we were going into our first season, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”

LOWDOWN

Coach: Terry Hoeppner (2nd season, 4-7)
2005 record: 3-8
Big Ten finish: 1-7 (10th)
2005 I-A offensive rankings:
Rushing: 78th (131.2 ypg)
Passing: 65th (219.6 ypg)
2005 I-A defensive rankings:
Rushing: 110th (215.2 ypg)
Passing: 35th (202.6 ypg)

DEPTH CHART

Offense (4)

WR  1  *Jahkeen Gilmore  Sr.  80  Chris Banks  Fr.
WR  8  Nick Polk  Fr.  13  Andrew Means  Fr.
WR  82  James Hardy  So.  29  Ryan Skelton  Sr.
WR  6  James Bailey  So.  19  Brandon Walker-Roby  So.
LT  60  *Justin Frye  Sr.  58  Matt Moses  So.
LG  67  Kyle Thomas  So.  70  Paul Hearn  Jr.
C  74  Chris Mangiero  Sr.  61  Ben Wyss  Jr.
RG  50  Jonathan Sandberg  Jr.  77  Kenny Love  So.
RT  79  Scott Anderson  Sr.  75  Chauncey Incarnato  So.
QB  14  *Blake Powers  Jr.  12  Graeme McFarland  Jr.
RB  2  *Marcus Thigpen  So.  22  Demetrius McCray  Fr.

Defense (4)

DE  93  Charlie Emerson  Jr.  52  Tyler Altman  Jr.
NG  95  Joe Kremer  Jr.  90  Todd Newman  Fr.
DT  62  Greg Brown  So.  53  Emile Bass  Fr.
DE  92  Kenny Kendal  Jr.  53  Jammie Kirlew  Fr.
SLB  24  Aaron Mitchell  Jr.  36  Dan Kinsey  Fr.
MLB  -  Vernon Smith  Jr.  51  Adam McClurg  Jr.
WLB  56  Geno Johnson  So.  40  Josh Bailey  Fr.
CB  28  *Leslie Majors  Jr.  16  Chris Phillips  So.
CB  9  *Tracy Porter  Jr.  33  Joe Kleinsmith  So.
SS  5  *Troy Grosfield  Sr.  25  Eric McClurg  Sr.
FS  39  *Will Meyers  Sr.  20  Austin Thomas  Fr.

Special Teams

K  1  Kevin Trulock  So.
P  44  Tyson Beattie  Sr.
KR  3  Lance Bennett  Sr.
PR  3  Lance Bennett  Sr.

(#) Indicates number of returning starters
* Indicates returning starters

2006 SCHEDULE

Sept. 2  Western Michigan
Sept. 9  at Ball State
Sept. 16  Southern Illinois
Sept. 23  Connecticut
Sept. 30  Wisconsin
Oct. 7  at Illinois
Oct. 14  Iowa
Oct. 21  at Ohio State
Oct. 28  Michigan State
Nov. 4  at Minnesota
Nov. 11  Michigan
Nov. 18  at Purdue

OFFENSE

The throw-and-catch tandem of junior quarterback Blake Powers to sophomore wide receiver James Hardy has the potential to be one of the best in the nation in 2006.

Powers is coming off a big sophomore season in which he set the Indiana single-season record with 22 touchdown passes. But the majority of those came in the first half of the season — against weak competition — and Powers will need to put a full season together in order for the Hoosiers to make some progress in the conference standings.

As a freshman, Hardy caught 61 passes for 893 yards and 10 touchdowns, including several acrobatic, highlight film grabs. Hardy headlines IU’s stable of receivers, which goes seven or eight deep.

The question mark for the Hoosiers is whether a young, inexperienced offensive line will be able to give Powers enough time to find his receivers down field. Left tackle Justin Frye and center Chris Mangiero, who are both seniors, return up front. Beyond that, however, there are lots of new faces.

The running game will be a work in progress, as the top candidates for the tailback position include three redshirt freshmen and a former wide receiver, Marcus Thigpen, who changed positions in the spring. The Hoosiers are hoping Demetrius McCray, one of the redshirt freshmen, can emerge as viable option.

DEFENSE

The biggest reason Indiana hasn’t played in a bowl game since 1993 is that the Hoosiers have consistently struggled on the defensive side of the ball. Last year, IU gave up 38 points or more in seven of the last eight games of the season. And this year’s defense may not even be as good.

The Hoosiers have major question marks at linebacker and will need junior college transfer Vernon Smith to step up quickly.

IU has its interior defensive linemen back, but that’s a Catch-22 — the Hoosiers gave up more than 200 yards per game on the ground last season. IU will be relying on former backups at the two defensive end spots, though Charlie Emerson, a five-game starter at tackle in 2005, will get a look on the outside.

The strength of the defense is in the secondary, where the Hoosiers return all four starters — junior cornerbacks Tracy Porter and Leslie Majors, and senior safeties Will Meyers and Troy Grosfield.

SPECIALISTS

Joe Kleinsmith handled the placekicking duties at IU as a true freshman last season, but he is expected to move to the defensive backfield. Sophomore Kevin Trulock is his likely successor.

Senior punter Tyson Beattie returns, after averaging 41.7 yards per punt as a junior.
IU’s best weapon on special teams is Lance Bennett, who ranked fourth in the nation in kick returns as a sophomore in 2004.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Could this be the year IU ends its streak of 11 consecutive losing seasons? Seven home games will help, but the Hoosiers need to find a way to go 4–0 in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Indiana plays Western Michigan, Ball State, Southern Illinois and UConn. In league action, the Hoosiers do not play Northwestern or Penn State.

Hardy will need to avoid a sophomore slump and the young line will have to grow up in a hurry for the passing game to be effective. A tailback will also have to emerge to make the offense multi-dimensional.

The key for the Hoosiers will be on the defensive side of the ball. Indiana’s front seven lacks experience. The secondary, however, is loaded with experience, but without a pass rush this group will struggle, too.

A winning season is a longshot at best.

This Indiana team preview was pulled from our 2006 National College Football preview magazine. To order this or the 2006 Big Ten Regional preview magazine - with expanded team page coverage and conference features - click here