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Indiana Hoosiers (2000: 3-8) The following team preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the nation's most comprehensive look at this and all Division I-A teams, be sure to order the 2001 Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518.
Coach and programIn 1997, Cam Cameron returned to his alma mater promising to infuse some excitement into Indiana football. During his four-year tenure, the Hoosiers have indeed become more entertaining, but they have not been successful.Cameron's record at IU is worse than his predecessor's in a similar time span. Bill Mallory won 18 games and reached a bowl game by his third season. Cameron was hand picked to replace Mallory, who was fired. He may suffer a similar fate if he doesn't turn IU around. "There's an urgency,'' he said. "We're four plays away [last year] from what everybody wants us to be -- a team that's going to a bowl game. And we should have gone to a bowl game. We should have won those games, but we didn't. But it's not like we're very far away. I like our approach. Every thing is in place. If we were just struggling in every area and weren't competitive, I'd be disappointed. We're not far away. It doesn't matter how it's perceived. "That's the truth of it all.'' The pressure mounting on Cameron cannot be described as unfair. He was hired the same year as Purdue's Joe Tiller, Illinois' Ron Turner, and Minnesota's Glen Mason. All three delivered winning records and bowl trips in their first three years. Cameron is still playing catch up. To make matters worse, he is winless against IU's biggest rivals: Purdue (0-4) and Kentucky (0-4). There was speculation toward the end of last season that Cameron might return to the NFL, where he was a successful assistant. But after his team was blasted at Purdue, 41-13, in the season finale, he denied that he would opt out of his seven-year deal. If he doesn't turn things around this year, the school administration might make that decision easy for him.
OffenseIf everything works according to plan, Antwaan Randle El will play wide receiver this fall after starting 33 games at quarterback for the Hoosiers. Randle El rewrote the school's record books with his feet as well as his arm, but the team hasn't prospered. The Hoosiers are 11-22 in the Randle El era.Cameron has always maintained that he would put the best 11 players on offense. For the last two seasons, backup quarterback Tommy Jones (6-3, 241), a junior, was not included in that group. But now the coaching staff apparently thinks Jones is ready and Randle El is best equipped to help IU in another role. Jones and Randle El have played pitch-and-catch throughout winter conditioning, sometimes during seven-on-seven drills, sometimes on their own. Randle El is embracing his new role because this is the best way for him to have a professional career. He still figures to see some action at quarterback in special situations for IU. The team, however, will move from an option game to more of a traditional offense. Senior Levron Williams (6-4, 222) is a speedy tailback who operates best in space. The option game was a perfect fit for him because he could catch the ball off the pitch from Randle El and turn the corner with plenty of room. He rushed 116 times for 821 yards with 10 scores. For his career, he has averaged 7.1 yards a carry. Now that IU is going to a more traditional offense, it will be interesting to see how effective Williams will be. The departure of IU's top three wideouts leaves the Hoosiers in a possible bind. "We are concerned from a standpoint of experience but we put Antwaan out there,'' Cameron said. "At receiver, I think we have tremendous talent with senior Henry Frazier, sophomore L.J. Parker, junior Glenn Johnson, freshman Travis Haney, freshman David Lewis and obviously Antwaan.'' IU has high hopes for freshman tight end Aaron Halterman, which is saying a lot. In one spring scrimmage he caught four passes for 55 yards.
Defense and special teamsName a category and the IU defense ranked either at the bottom or near the bottom in the Big Ten last year. The Hoosiers gave up more yards (457.3 per game), more points (38.8), and more completions (21.8) for a higher percentage (64.7) than any other school in the 11-team league.The Hoosiers will return three starting linemen, including both starting ends. This unit needs to generate more of a pass rush. IU had only 18 sacks -- down five from 1999. Senior Kemp Rasmussen (6-3, 250) is being moved to tackle. The fifth-year senior seemed to be on his way to promising career after collecting seven sacks as a sophomore. But last fall his production dropped off. Linebacker is another area in need of improvement. The IU linebackers were inconsistent and seemed to struggle the most in adjusting to the new defensive scheme that called for multiple looks. The most dependable of the trio is second team All-Big Ten selection Justin Smith (6-0, 213). The secondary is easily the most glaring weakness on the team. A year ago, opposing quarterbacks torched the Hoosiers for 240-for-371 passing (64 percent), good for 2,980 yards and 25 touchdown passes. The team also should get a boost from junior college defensive back Antonio Watson (6-1, 198). Departed kicker Andy Payne was arguably the team's most dependable special teams player. He converted 9-of-12 field-goal kicks last season and 43-of-58 for his career. Now the Hoosiers need to find someone just like him. Sophomore Adam Braucher is the early favorite.
Bottom lineThe chances of IU having a breakthrough season appear to be slim. While the Hoosiers have proven they can be competitive, they have yet to show they are ready to take the next step to bowl eligibility.The key might be getting off to a good pre-conference start. IU opens up at N.C. State and plays Kentucky and Utah at home. A three-game sweep won't be easy, but it is possible. But during the Cameron era, the program has never opened up 3-0. This is Cameron's make-or-break year. He's fighting long odds. |
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