Terry Hutchens in his blog today wrote an interesting article about whether EJ should play this Saturday against UK.
http://blogs.indystar.com/hoosiersinsider/
He personally wants EJ not only to miss this game but the next 4 games to make sure he is healthy for the Big ten season. After the UK game if IU can not win without EJ against the very weak competition at home then we are not a good team. Western Carolina, Coppin State and Chicago State should be easy wins. So it pretty much means should you play EJ against UK this Saturday.
EJ's injury is said to be a soft tissue bruise in his lower back which is nothing too serious but he apparently still feels pain when walking around.
Now lets look at UK and how hard of a game it will be. Right now UK is 4-2 with loses to UNC and Gardner Webb both at home. This will be their first road game of the year and it should be a great crowd prepared for the game with a "white out."
They have some talented players in guards Ramel Bradley and Jordan Crawford's older brother Joe who are averaging 14pts and 18.3 pts a game respectively. Then they have the 5 star freshman PF Patrick Patterson 16 and 8 a game as well. Beyond that they do not have much. Their 4th leading scorer Jodie Meeks is injured and 5th leading scorer Alex Legion just announced that he is transferring.
So I think that with Jordan Crawford back and the crazy IU crowd behind them DJ will step up in the National spotlight with the game on CBS and lead us to victory.
I am not going to complain if EJ plays though.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Please Do Not Be Like Last Year
Okay going undefeated at home like last year would not be so bad. But 5-11 outside of Assembly Hall will be unacceptable for a team that wants to be a final four team.
Last year too many times on the road we looked absolutely clueless. We lived and died by the jump shot and especially the three. It is almost as though our game plan is to play tough D and hope somebody will be hot from beyond the arc.
Good teams go on the road and send a message to the crowd that they came to play. It seems as though we go into road games waiting to see what will work that night rather than quickly asserting our own style of play.
I know it is early in the year and we have a young team and Sampson still wants to see what works on offense but obviously the 25 of 65 shooting yesterday did not work. 1 for 15 from three point land is not very encouraging either.
If we shot like that with a solid offense set up I would not be that disappointed and just blow it off as a fluke but it was in our typical lack of an offense. We have the talent obviously with DJ, EJ and Armon but if we could just wrong some off the ball screens for EJ or some pick and rolls with Armon and DJ. We also need to work on our passing deep into the post for DJ too.
I hope we figure this out before our next road game Saturday at number 18 Southern Illinois. I should not have to worry about our road games at Iowa and Michigan to start the big ten season.
Last year too many times on the road we looked absolutely clueless. We lived and died by the jump shot and especially the three. It is almost as though our game plan is to play tough D and hope somebody will be hot from beyond the arc.
Good teams go on the road and send a message to the crowd that they came to play. It seems as though we go into road games waiting to see what will work that night rather than quickly asserting our own style of play.
I know it is early in the year and we have a young team and Sampson still wants to see what works on offense but obviously the 25 of 65 shooting yesterday did not work. 1 for 15 from three point land is not very encouraging either.
If we shot like that with a solid offense set up I would not be that disappointed and just blow it off as a fluke but it was in our typical lack of an offense. We have the talent obviously with DJ, EJ and Armon but if we could just wrong some off the ball screens for EJ or some pick and rolls with Armon and DJ. We also need to work on our passing deep into the post for DJ too.
I hope we figure this out before our next road game Saturday at number 18 Southern Illinois. I should not have to worry about our road games at Iowa and Michigan to start the big ten season.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Upcoming Games
Today in the Indiana Daily Student or IDS for short they did their big ten preview curious that it is a week late but that is besides the point. They had 6 of their sports staff predict how many big ten games the football team will win this year. The head editor picked us to beat both Penn State and Purdue. I am now wondering if he saw the game on Saturday. I decided I would make my own picks too but I'll go in depth on each game based on how the teams have performed so far.
@ Iowa: If this game was at home I might be compelled to pick the Hoosiers but since it is on the road and it is homecoming for the Hawkeyes I have to pick Iowa. They have a senior running back combo that run for over 500 yards in total this year in Albert Young and Damian Sims. They are using a Sophomore quarterback with very little experience but he was very highly recruited and has only thrown 1 pick so far this year. Their receiving core is terrible with two of their sophomores getting kicked off the team recently and another receiver is out for the rest of the year. But a solid running game is plenty to beat this Hoosier defense as Illinois showed last Saturday. They have a great defense that gave it's first two touchdowns to Wisconsin last week. They are fast enough to keep with Kellen and unless the Hoosiers somehow find a running game or force a lot of turnovers the Hawkeyes will be too much.
Minnesota: This is out most winnable big ten game this year. The gophers are in a rebuilding year with new coach Tim Brewster in his first year and right before the season started their best defensive player and a couple of members of the team were kicked off the team. They also are starting a freshman in Adam Weber at quarterback who already has 1000 passing yards and 11 tds but he also has 8 ints. I think Tracy Porter will have one of his big games and come up with a couple of interceptions. Last week against Purdue, Painter tore up the gophers pass defense and I think Hardy and Lewis should be able to do the same because the gophers do not have the size and speed to keep with our guys. This game will be high scoring but the Hoosiers should win by double digits.
@ MSU: This is another game where if we played them here I might choose the Hoosiers. MSU has a new coach in Mark Dantonio this year too and have come out hot starting the year 4-0. I do think that we do not have enough of a running game though to win on the road in East Lansing. The Spartans also are leading the nation in sacks with 5.25 a game and that is the stat that scares me the most because of how little time Kellen had to throw the ball against Illinois last week. So Michigan State should win a fairly high scoring game at night in East Lansing.
Homecoming PSU: I'm sorry guys but I just can not pick this upset. Joe Pa knows how pumped up our guys will be for this game and he will have them prepared. His WR Deon Butler and Derrick Williams are just to fast for our defense to defend. Also, their QB Tony Morelli continues to improve with 8 TDs and only one INT this year and 200 passing yards a game. Also with Dan Connor one of the favorites for the Nagurski award for the best defensive player at linebacker they should be able to handle Kellen and the boys.
@ Wisconsin: Ok, it's at Camp Randle, it's Halloween weekend at Mad Town and on top of all that it is there homecoming. Need I say more? Yet, I am paying way too much money to go to this game just because of the slightest chance that Hardy will step it up and have one of those ridiculous 4 TD games. I do think the Hoosiers could stop stud WR Beckum if Porter steps it up and if we get a good pass rush on Donovan could struggle at QB if DT Greg Brown and DE Greg Middleton can get a pass rush. So if we do all that we still probably would lose by 20 because of RB P.J. Hill. PJ is the sophomore stud of the Badgers they list him at 5'11 and 227 pounds (generous if you ask me) and so far through three games he has 512 yards and 7 tds. Last year at home against the Badgers, Hill had 129 yards and 3 tds in essentially one half. The guy is a beast and for us to have the slightest chance everyone on the defense will have to play out of the their mind because we will have to put 8 in the box every play and pray that the D Backs make the plays. We will all have to swarm to the ball and get low and make the tackles. But after saying all this I think we will lose 42-21, maybe next year?
Ball State: Last September I went up to Muncie and watched the emergence of Kellen Lewis in his first game as a Hoosier where he led us to second half comeback against the Cardinals. I know that the Cardinals are better this year with a 41-40 lose at (Ne)Braska last week. They have a mobile quarter back in Nate Davis who has been very solid this year but I really think the speed of Lewis and the size of Hardy will be too much in the end. 35-27 Hoosiers
@ Northwestern: This is a huge game. 5 games one more to be considered for our first bowl since 1993. Going up to NW where they will just be playing to be a spoiler. The wildcats have a solid pass offense with 959 yards in the first 4 games and an average running game. The problem with the Cats is that their D is terrible and Hardy will step up and have another big game to show the NFL scouts his value. All the Hoosier fans will go home happy as the boys win a close one 34-28 at Northwestern.
Purdue: The Hoosiers will becoming in on a two game winning streak full of confidence looking for the Old Oaken Bucket that they could of had last year. The Boilers will be bowl eligible but out of the running for a Big time bowl so all they will be playing for is the rivalry. The Boilers have a great QB in Painter and a great WR in Bryant but not much of a running game. I think if TP steps up during his last home game and holds Bryant to around 75 yards I think we will win this game. Hardy will put on a show for the home crowd and tear apart the questionable Boiler pass D and the Hoosiers will end the regular season with the bucket and three big ten wins. All for Coach Hep.
7-5 and hopefully 8-5 after the bowl game
Who knows the opposite could happen and that is the beauty of college football. Go Hoosiers
@ Iowa: If this game was at home I might be compelled to pick the Hoosiers but since it is on the road and it is homecoming for the Hawkeyes I have to pick Iowa. They have a senior running back combo that run for over 500 yards in total this year in Albert Young and Damian Sims. They are using a Sophomore quarterback with very little experience but he was very highly recruited and has only thrown 1 pick so far this year. Their receiving core is terrible with two of their sophomores getting kicked off the team recently and another receiver is out for the rest of the year. But a solid running game is plenty to beat this Hoosier defense as Illinois showed last Saturday. They have a great defense that gave it's first two touchdowns to Wisconsin last week. They are fast enough to keep with Kellen and unless the Hoosiers somehow find a running game or force a lot of turnovers the Hawkeyes will be too much.
Minnesota: This is out most winnable big ten game this year. The gophers are in a rebuilding year with new coach Tim Brewster in his first year and right before the season started their best defensive player and a couple of members of the team were kicked off the team. They also are starting a freshman in Adam Weber at quarterback who already has 1000 passing yards and 11 tds but he also has 8 ints. I think Tracy Porter will have one of his big games and come up with a couple of interceptions. Last week against Purdue, Painter tore up the gophers pass defense and I think Hardy and Lewis should be able to do the same because the gophers do not have the size and speed to keep with our guys. This game will be high scoring but the Hoosiers should win by double digits.
@ MSU: This is another game where if we played them here I might choose the Hoosiers. MSU has a new coach in Mark Dantonio this year too and have come out hot starting the year 4-0. I do think that we do not have enough of a running game though to win on the road in East Lansing. The Spartans also are leading the nation in sacks with 5.25 a game and that is the stat that scares me the most because of how little time Kellen had to throw the ball against Illinois last week. So Michigan State should win a fairly high scoring game at night in East Lansing.
Homecoming PSU: I'm sorry guys but I just can not pick this upset. Joe Pa knows how pumped up our guys will be for this game and he will have them prepared. His WR Deon Butler and Derrick Williams are just to fast for our defense to defend. Also, their QB Tony Morelli continues to improve with 8 TDs and only one INT this year and 200 passing yards a game. Also with Dan Connor one of the favorites for the Nagurski award for the best defensive player at linebacker they should be able to handle Kellen and the boys.
@ Wisconsin: Ok, it's at Camp Randle, it's Halloween weekend at Mad Town and on top of all that it is there homecoming. Need I say more? Yet, I am paying way too much money to go to this game just because of the slightest chance that Hardy will step it up and have one of those ridiculous 4 TD games. I do think the Hoosiers could stop stud WR Beckum if Porter steps it up and if we get a good pass rush on Donovan could struggle at QB if DT Greg Brown and DE Greg Middleton can get a pass rush. So if we do all that we still probably would lose by 20 because of RB P.J. Hill. PJ is the sophomore stud of the Badgers they list him at 5'11 and 227 pounds (generous if you ask me) and so far through three games he has 512 yards and 7 tds. Last year at home against the Badgers, Hill had 129 yards and 3 tds in essentially one half. The guy is a beast and for us to have the slightest chance everyone on the defense will have to play out of the their mind because we will have to put 8 in the box every play and pray that the D Backs make the plays. We will all have to swarm to the ball and get low and make the tackles. But after saying all this I think we will lose 42-21, maybe next year?
Ball State: Last September I went up to Muncie and watched the emergence of Kellen Lewis in his first game as a Hoosier where he led us to second half comeback against the Cardinals. I know that the Cardinals are better this year with a 41-40 lose at (Ne)Braska last week. They have a mobile quarter back in Nate Davis who has been very solid this year but I really think the speed of Lewis and the size of Hardy will be too much in the end. 35-27 Hoosiers
@ Northwestern: This is a huge game. 5 games one more to be considered for our first bowl since 1993. Going up to NW where they will just be playing to be a spoiler. The wildcats have a solid pass offense with 959 yards in the first 4 games and an average running game. The problem with the Cats is that their D is terrible and Hardy will step up and have another big game to show the NFL scouts his value. All the Hoosier fans will go home happy as the boys win a close one 34-28 at Northwestern.
Purdue: The Hoosiers will becoming in on a two game winning streak full of confidence looking for the Old Oaken Bucket that they could of had last year. The Boilers will be bowl eligible but out of the running for a Big time bowl so all they will be playing for is the rivalry. The Boilers have a great QB in Painter and a great WR in Bryant but not much of a running game. I think if TP steps up during his last home game and holds Bryant to around 75 yards I think we will win this game. Hardy will put on a show for the home crowd and tear apart the questionable Boiler pass D and the Hoosiers will end the regular season with the bucket and three big ten wins. All for Coach Hep.
7-5 and hopefully 8-5 after the bowl game
Who knows the opposite could happen and that is the beauty of college football. Go Hoosiers
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Rough Day
Being that this is my first post I am going to start out with a little background info. My name is Steve Bennewitz and I am from Edina, Minnesota but now I am a sophomore at IU. I decided to write this blog because I really enjoy reading blogs e.g. http://aarongleeman.com/, http://sethspeaks.net/, http://www.nba.com/blog/gilbert_arenas.html and many more but I have yet to find a really good IU blog. I am going to attempt to write about mainly IU football and basketball every single day but I may write about any other sports. Please do comment on my posts and let me know if you want me to write about anything in specific. If you have your own blog I would be happy to link to it too. Ok now to the good stuff.
Illinois 27, IU 14
MVP: Junior Illlini RB Rashard Mendenhall, 27 rushes, 214 yards, 7.9 ypc, 1 rush TD 3 receptions, 18 yards, 1 rec TD
IU MVP: Senior Captain CB Tracy Porter, 7 tackles, 2 INTs, 28 punt return yards
Recap: There were a lot of players who did not play well at all in this game but instead of focusing on that I am going to look at the few bright spots. First of all my IU MVP TP, Tracy Porter had himself a game. Coming into the year many previews were listing Tracy as the best player on our team ahead Lewis and Hardy. My friends and I all disagreed and felt he did not deserve his 2nd all big ten honors. He would have huge games like the Connecticut game last year where he had 2 picks and a blocked kick but then against good teams like Michigan he would be no where to be found. Then this year he is named defensive captain coming into this year and in the first three games he played pretty average with only one pick and 15 tackles. Then today the first play of the game was a Mendenhall rush for 18 yards which was just the beginning of his huge day. The very next play after that U of I qb Juice Williams goes long to their highly recruited freshman receiver Arrelious Benn and the ball is a little underthrown and Porter reaches in with one hand and picks off the ball. Hands down best defensive play of the year.
Overall I thought the defensive played pretty well today. I know they gave up 288 yards rushing but they also only gave up 98 yards passing. Then listen to the drive charts for Illinois in the second half. INT, punt, punt, punt, rushing td, punt, fumble, punt, end of game. Only one of those drives was over 27 yards and that ended in a fumble. We struggled with the option in the first half but at halftime we made our adjustments and played much better. We also only allowed 111 yards in total in the second half.
Lastly, the offense for sure struggled the whole game but there were a couple of bright spots. First of all James Bailey had a solid game for Bailey. My friends always give me a hard time because I always have high hopes for him and he always lets me down by dropping a TD pass or a 3rd down pass every game. Today was different he had 2 catches for 39 yards and a TD and it was quite a TD at that with multiple broken tackles. He also got open for what would of been his second TD but Kellen floated it over his head. It just was not Kellen's day. Another player who had a solid day was JR WR Brandon Walker-Roby who had his first two catches of the year for 29 yards. Also, Bryan Payton led the team in rushing with 5 rushes for 40 yards and a 8 yards per rush average.
Hopefully next week these guys can continue on this good play and everyone else can turn it around so we can get on a two game winning streak against the Hawkeyes
Illinois 27, IU 14
MVP: Junior Illlini RB Rashard Mendenhall, 27 rushes, 214 yards, 7.9 ypc, 1 rush TD 3 receptions, 18 yards, 1 rec TD
IU MVP: Senior Captain CB Tracy Porter, 7 tackles, 2 INTs, 28 punt return yards
Recap: There were a lot of players who did not play well at all in this game but instead of focusing on that I am going to look at the few bright spots. First of all my IU MVP TP, Tracy Porter had himself a game. Coming into the year many previews were listing Tracy as the best player on our team ahead Lewis and Hardy. My friends and I all disagreed and felt he did not deserve his 2nd all big ten honors. He would have huge games like the Connecticut game last year where he had 2 picks and a blocked kick but then against good teams like Michigan he would be no where to be found. Then this year he is named defensive captain coming into this year and in the first three games he played pretty average with only one pick and 15 tackles. Then today the first play of the game was a Mendenhall rush for 18 yards which was just the beginning of his huge day. The very next play after that U of I qb Juice Williams goes long to their highly recruited freshman receiver Arrelious Benn and the ball is a little underthrown and Porter reaches in with one hand and picks off the ball. Hands down best defensive play of the year.
Overall I thought the defensive played pretty well today. I know they gave up 288 yards rushing but they also only gave up 98 yards passing. Then listen to the drive charts for Illinois in the second half. INT, punt, punt, punt, rushing td, punt, fumble, punt, end of game. Only one of those drives was over 27 yards and that ended in a fumble. We struggled with the option in the first half but at halftime we made our adjustments and played much better. We also only allowed 111 yards in total in the second half.
Lastly, the offense for sure struggled the whole game but there were a couple of bright spots. First of all James Bailey had a solid game for Bailey. My friends always give me a hard time because I always have high hopes for him and he always lets me down by dropping a TD pass or a 3rd down pass every game. Today was different he had 2 catches for 39 yards and a TD and it was quite a TD at that with multiple broken tackles. He also got open for what would of been his second TD but Kellen floated it over his head. It just was not Kellen's day. Another player who had a solid day was JR WR Brandon Walker-Roby who had his first two catches of the year for 29 yards. Also, Bryan Payton led the team in rushing with 5 rushes for 40 yards and a 8 yards per rush average.
Hopefully next week these guys can continue on this good play and everyone else can turn it around so we can get on a two game winning streak against the Hawkeyes
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