Monday, May 3, 2010
Big Ten Expansion Finalizing?
It isn't confirmed but a source supposidly close to the situation in St. Louis told News Center 16 that Missouri is accepting the offer to join the Big Ten and will be one of 5 teams making the move.
Link
A source in St. Louis familiar with the situation told NewsCenter 16 Thursday afternoon that Missouri will leave the Big XII and soon join the Big 10. Other schools expected to follow the Tigers are Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers and Nebraska.
Many have speculated that such an expansion would include Notre Dame but ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick told me today that the Irish prefer to stay independent in football and in the Big East for other sports. Swarbrick said maintaining football Independence is such a part of what Notre Dame is.
He went on to say the Big East is a great partner for the University in other sports.
"We do have to monitor what is going on," Swarbrick said. "There will be significant shifts. "Hopefully we can navigate them by keeping our football independent and keeping our Big East affiliation because that is what we care about."
The move of Syracuse, Pitt and Rutgers to the Big Ten from the Big East could categorically change the landscape of the Big East itself. Thus, what Swarbrick is referring to when stating the University must continue to monitor what is going on.
The interview with Swarbrick was done before the late afternoon announcement.
Link
A source in St. Louis familiar with the situation told NewsCenter 16 Thursday afternoon that Missouri will leave the Big XII and soon join the Big 10. Other schools expected to follow the Tigers are Syracuse, Pitt, Rutgers and Nebraska.
Many have speculated that such an expansion would include Notre Dame but ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick told me today that the Irish prefer to stay independent in football and in the Big East for other sports. Swarbrick said maintaining football Independence is such a part of what Notre Dame is.
He went on to say the Big East is a great partner for the University in other sports.
"We do have to monitor what is going on," Swarbrick said. "There will be significant shifts. "Hopefully we can navigate them by keeping our football independent and keeping our Big East affiliation because that is what we care about."
The move of Syracuse, Pitt and Rutgers to the Big Ten from the Big East could categorically change the landscape of the Big East itself. Thus, what Swarbrick is referring to when stating the University must continue to monitor what is going on.
The interview with Swarbrick was done before the late afternoon announcement.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Expansion Speculation
During the recent days there has been some speculation around the Big Ten's expansion efforts. The latest speculation is that the Big Ten will be adding 5 more teams to make a 16 team conference. The teams that would likely be added would be Mizzou, Syracuse, Rutgers, Pitt and Nebraska. By having the Conference Championship Game the season would end the first week of December like most other conferences. The Big Ten probably feels left out towards the end of the season watching other conferences play and get more exposure. There is also a lot of money to be made by the addition of teams to the conference. One of the biggest reasons why has been the success of the Big Ten Network.
I am all for expanding the Big Ten and having a Conference Championship Game however, I do worry that if we added 5 teams it would lessen the current rivalries that the Big Ten already has. You could go years without seeing a Michigan vs Ohio State, Indiana vs Purdue, Michigan vs Michigan State etc...
I am all for expanding the Big Ten and having a Conference Championship Game however, I do worry that if we added 5 teams it would lessen the current rivalries that the Big Ten already has. You could go years without seeing a Michigan vs Ohio State, Indiana vs Purdue, Michigan vs Michigan State etc...
Friday, April 30, 2010
Lynch on Dakich Show
Here is the link to Coach Lynch on the Dan Dakich show earlier. He discusses the three Hoosiers who got drafted in the 2010 NFL Draft. Check it out.
Best Case Scenario
After analyzing the Hoosiers 2010 schedule I have come up with a best case scenario record of 8-4. Ideally, the offense will be pretty explosive assuming we stay healthy. Our receiving core will be very difficult to stop, running game much improved with Willis, and Chappell takes another step in the right direction and is close to the top in the Big Ten for passing yards and he cuts down on the INT's.
On defense, the defensive line does a good job stopping the run. Our tackles are solid and our ends find a way to get decent pressure on the QB. Andre Kates is a big help in the secondary and the safeties to a good but not great job at defending the pass. The linebacking core gets solid play from Replogle, Thomas, Sims and any other youngster who steps up.
9/2 Towson W
9/18 @ Western Kentucky W
9/25 Akron W
10/2 Michigan W ( A well fought game but the Hoosiers get their revenge)
10/9 @ Ohio State L
10/16 Arkansas State W
10/23 @ Illinois W (They lose to Juice to Benn combo and continue to struggle in the Big Ten)
10/30 Northwestern W (No more Kafka to run around, I would think they would get either this game or Illinois but maybe not both, however this is a best case scenario look)
11/6 Iowa L
11/13 @ Wisconsin L
11/20 Penn State L
11/27 @ Purdue W (Purdue loses their whole secondary and the Hoosier passing game is just too much)
Again this is a best case scenario I believe for next season. Realistically, I think we finish either 6-6 or 7-5. We should take care of our non conference schedule and I like possible wins over Michigan, Illinois, Northwestern, and Purdue.
On defense, the defensive line does a good job stopping the run. Our tackles are solid and our ends find a way to get decent pressure on the QB. Andre Kates is a big help in the secondary and the safeties to a good but not great job at defending the pass. The linebacking core gets solid play from Replogle, Thomas, Sims and any other youngster who steps up.
9/2 Towson W
9/18 @ Western Kentucky W
9/25 Akron W
10/2 Michigan W ( A well fought game but the Hoosiers get their revenge)
10/9 @ Ohio State L
10/16 Arkansas State W
10/23 @ Illinois W (They lose to Juice to Benn combo and continue to struggle in the Big Ten)
10/30 Northwestern W (No more Kafka to run around, I would think they would get either this game or Illinois but maybe not both, however this is a best case scenario look)
11/6 Iowa L
11/13 @ Wisconsin L
11/20 Penn State L
11/27 @ Purdue W (Purdue loses their whole secondary and the Hoosier passing game is just too much)
Again this is a best case scenario I believe for next season. Realistically, I think we finish either 6-6 or 7-5. We should take care of our non conference schedule and I like possible wins over Michigan, Illinois, Northwestern, and Purdue.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Third Annual Coach Hep Challenge Set for Saturday
Per iuhoosiers.com. Link
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The third annual Coach Hep Indiana Cancer Challenge will be held on Saturday, May 1, in honor of late Indiana University head football coach Terry Hoeppner. Coach Hep faced every obstacle, even brain cancer, with a positive attitude, inspiring thousands of football fans during his career.
Participants in the Challenge can enjoy a 2K family walk, a 5K run, and 25, 50 and 100K cycling events. Cornerback Tracy Porter of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills receiver James Hardy will be honoring Coach Hep by participating in the event. Porter and Hardy played for Hoeppner until 2007 when he lost his battle with cancer.
Registration for adults 16 and older is $35, for children 15 and under is $15 and for children under five is free. To register online or make a donation visit coachhepcancerchallenge.org.
The highest individual donor will receive an overnight stay at French Lick Resort and Casino or a spa package with IU football season tickets. The highest donating team will receive IU football tickets and a tailgate with Hoeppner's wife, Jane, before the game.
Create a team of five or more and receive a $5 discount per team member. E-mail coachhepcancerchallenge@gmail.com to receive a discount code.
Student Discount. All students receive a $10 discount and if they create a team of five or more they will get $15 off.
New this year. Both runners and cyclists that are back in time for the 2K walk can participate.
Ice Cream Social. Enjoy an Ice Cream Social between 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. after your walk, run or ride. Sponsored by Hartzell's Homemade Ice Cream.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The third annual Coach Hep Indiana Cancer Challenge will be held on Saturday, May 1, in honor of late Indiana University head football coach Terry Hoeppner. Coach Hep faced every obstacle, even brain cancer, with a positive attitude, inspiring thousands of football fans during his career.
Participants in the Challenge can enjoy a 2K family walk, a 5K run, and 25, 50 and 100K cycling events. Cornerback Tracy Porter of the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills receiver James Hardy will be honoring Coach Hep by participating in the event. Porter and Hardy played for Hoeppner until 2007 when he lost his battle with cancer.
Registration for adults 16 and older is $35, for children 15 and under is $15 and for children under five is free. To register online or make a donation visit coachhepcancerchallenge.org.
The highest individual donor will receive an overnight stay at French Lick Resort and Casino or a spa package with IU football season tickets. The highest donating team will receive IU football tickets and a tailgate with Hoeppner's wife, Jane, before the game.
Create a team of five or more and receive a $5 discount per team member. E-mail coachhepcancerchallenge@gmail.com to receive a discount code.
Student Discount. All students receive a $10 discount and if they create a team of five or more they will get $15 off.
New this year. Both runners and cyclists that are back in time for the 2K walk can participate.
Ice Cream Social. Enjoy an Ice Cream Social between 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. after your walk, run or ride. Sponsored by Hartzell's Homemade Ice Cream.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Indiana focused on finishing better in 2010
Per ESPN Big Ten Blog, Adam Rittenberg
Indiana went 1-7 in Big Ten play last season, a mark that seems all too familiar for the Cream and Crimson. But a closer look shows that it wasn't your standard 1-7, if there is such a thing. Indiana held fourth-quarter leads against Michigan, Iowa and Northwestern, only to see each slip away. It jumped out to a 10-0 lead at Penn State before allowing 24 unanswered points in a 31-20 loss. It twice closed to within three points of Wisconsin in the fourth quarter of a Nov. 7 game, only to fall 31-28. Hoosiers players and coaches know they were close in 2009. They don't need to be reminded of it. And if you choose to rehash the past, they'll likely drop an F-bomb or two. "As a whole team, the offseason theme was finish," said co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach Joe Palcic. "We have to learn to finish games."
Chappell led Indiana to plenty of leads last season, but the Hoosiers had a hard time finishing with wins.The message especially resonates with Palcic's defenders, who were on the field for all those lost leads last season. The Hoosiers led Michigan 33-29 with five minutes left before the Wolverines marched downfield and scored on a 26-yard touchdown strike. Indiana dominated Iowa for three quarters, picking off quarterback Ricky Stanzi five times, but Stanzi caught fire in the fourth quarter, tossing touchdown passes of 92 and 66 yards on consecutive plays against a shorthanded Hoosiers secondary. A week later, IU surged out to a 28-3 lead against Northwestern, but the Wildcats fought back and ultimately marched downfield for the game-winning field goal. "That’s three games right there that the defense could be more consistent and learn how to finish," Palcic said. "And not only not giving up the big play, but let's make a play to win it in those situations." Indiana's offense has the same mind-set after a season with some adequate yardage production, especially through the air, but not the points to go along with it.
The Hoosiers had the Big Ten's No. 3 passer in quarterback Ben Chappell and two of the league's top six receivers in Tandon Doss (2nd, 80.2 ypg) and Damarlo Belcher (6th, 64.2 ypg). They also had a running back in Darius Willis with breakaway ability. But Indiana still finished 10th in the league in red zone offense, scoring on just 34 of 44 chances and reaching the end zone on only 22 of those opportunities. Not surprisingly, the red zone was a major focal point for the unit this spring. "Just minor mistakes here and there," offensive coordinator Matt Canada explained. "We have to correct those issues and make plays when we’re given an opportunity. Just finish. Finish every drive. It’s a bottom-line business, and we have to score more points."
Canada also identifies third-down efficiency as an area that must be upgraded in 2010. Indiana tied for seventh in the league in third-down conversions last fall (39.1 percent), and the biggest problems, according to Canada, came on third-and-short situations. The Hoosiers hope Willis and others can produce a consistent rushing attack, which was a chief goal of the pistol formation but hasn't truly come to fruition. While the run game remains a question mark, Indiana has more than enough weapons to be better in the red zone. Belcher is a big target at 6-foot-5, and Doss (6-3), Terrance Turner (6-3) and Duwyce Wilson all boast good size. "We feel like there's plenty of weapons and plenty of things we can do in the red zone and anywhere out there, with all the kids we have at the skill positions, " Canada said. "It’s a matter of our guys understanding that it’s hard to score, it’s hard to move the football against anybody. And when you get it down there, you get an opportunity, you have to score touchdowns. "We're bringing a real awareness to our team that it's what we have to do."
Indiana went 1-7 in Big Ten play last season, a mark that seems all too familiar for the Cream and Crimson. But a closer look shows that it wasn't your standard 1-7, if there is such a thing. Indiana held fourth-quarter leads against Michigan, Iowa and Northwestern, only to see each slip away. It jumped out to a 10-0 lead at Penn State before allowing 24 unanswered points in a 31-20 loss. It twice closed to within three points of Wisconsin in the fourth quarter of a Nov. 7 game, only to fall 31-28. Hoosiers players and coaches know they were close in 2009. They don't need to be reminded of it. And if you choose to rehash the past, they'll likely drop an F-bomb or two. "As a whole team, the offseason theme was finish," said co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach Joe Palcic. "We have to learn to finish games."
Chappell led Indiana to plenty of leads last season, but the Hoosiers had a hard time finishing with wins.The message especially resonates with Palcic's defenders, who were on the field for all those lost leads last season. The Hoosiers led Michigan 33-29 with five minutes left before the Wolverines marched downfield and scored on a 26-yard touchdown strike. Indiana dominated Iowa for three quarters, picking off quarterback Ricky Stanzi five times, but Stanzi caught fire in the fourth quarter, tossing touchdown passes of 92 and 66 yards on consecutive plays against a shorthanded Hoosiers secondary. A week later, IU surged out to a 28-3 lead against Northwestern, but the Wildcats fought back and ultimately marched downfield for the game-winning field goal. "That’s three games right there that the defense could be more consistent and learn how to finish," Palcic said. "And not only not giving up the big play, but let's make a play to win it in those situations." Indiana's offense has the same mind-set after a season with some adequate yardage production, especially through the air, but not the points to go along with it.
The Hoosiers had the Big Ten's No. 3 passer in quarterback Ben Chappell and two of the league's top six receivers in Tandon Doss (2nd, 80.2 ypg) and Damarlo Belcher (6th, 64.2 ypg). They also had a running back in Darius Willis with breakaway ability. But Indiana still finished 10th in the league in red zone offense, scoring on just 34 of 44 chances and reaching the end zone on only 22 of those opportunities. Not surprisingly, the red zone was a major focal point for the unit this spring. "Just minor mistakes here and there," offensive coordinator Matt Canada explained. "We have to correct those issues and make plays when we’re given an opportunity. Just finish. Finish every drive. It’s a bottom-line business, and we have to score more points."
Canada also identifies third-down efficiency as an area that must be upgraded in 2010. Indiana tied for seventh in the league in third-down conversions last fall (39.1 percent), and the biggest problems, according to Canada, came on third-and-short situations. The Hoosiers hope Willis and others can produce a consistent rushing attack, which was a chief goal of the pistol formation but hasn't truly come to fruition. While the run game remains a question mark, Indiana has more than enough weapons to be better in the red zone. Belcher is a big target at 6-foot-5, and Doss (6-3), Terrance Turner (6-3) and Duwyce Wilson all boast good size. "We feel like there's plenty of weapons and plenty of things we can do in the red zone and anywhere out there, with all the kids we have at the skill positions, " Canada said. "It’s a matter of our guys understanding that it’s hard to score, it’s hard to move the football against anybody. And when you get it down there, you get an opportunity, you have to score touchdowns. "We're bringing a real awareness to our team that it's what we have to do."
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