Indiana Football: Feel the Excitement!

I've spent the majority of the day talking myself out of writing something about Justin Boren. Apologies for the lack of Hoosier goodness, and the fact that I'm still seething about Justin...that may have gotten in the way of writing this...

One thing the media will harp on that is ridiculously off base: Um...does the new basketball coach count as being off base?

You, good sir, are brave. Staring down death by sheer boredom, you sit, perched in front of the BTN, desperately watching Indiana for any signs of being anything above an inept NAIA team. They aren't. That's what the media will get wrong this year. Indiana's bowl achievement last year was due to a particularly weak non-conference schedule combined with...well...a particularly weak Big Ten schedule. Sprinkle in a first-round capable playmaker at receiver, and you have a team capable of scraping their way into a bowl game. This will not repeat itself. This is not a sign of life. This is the law of averages applying itself to college football. Once every decade (twice in particularly good decades) the Hoosiers make a bowl game. This is not a particularly good decade. The media will try to bamboozle you into thinking that IU has a shot at reaching to that mediocre level they've been striving for, but in reality, they don't.

God damn stupid Boren. What the hell. I don't care if you transfer, but could you not slap us all on the way out? No wait - you already did that with your whining about Rodriguez. Nope - you went straight for the balls with this transfer didn't you?

Um...wow...sorry about that. I'll try not to let it happen again.

One thing the media will ignore that is integral to this team's success: Champ went with kicker here. I can't believe he went with kicker. Here we are - the one thing that will maybe - just MAYBE - elevate the Hoosiers to successive bowl appearances is...the kicker?

Nah. The Hoosiers have one shot, and one shot only at being bowl eligible this year. Their defense MUST be better. They don't have Hardy. Their QB has spent the spring either getting baked, or running stairs (hope, Hoosier fans, that it's the latter). IU will not score points easily this year. The media will focus on Lewis. They will focus on the tight ends. But what they will not focus on is the fact that IU MUST hold opponents to under 1 gazillion points if they want to compete.

Most important contributers on each side of the ball: Lewis will have to be 100% uncut blue magic if the Hoosiers hope to score points. He will face plenty of 3rd and 13's. This offense will not be the 3rd offense in the conference this year, because Lewis doesn't have a safety blanket in the form of a 6'6" receiver with a 40 inch vertical. So much for "just throw it down field and Hardy will catch it." Remember Henne's season after Braylon left? Remember how Lewis isn't a shadow of Henne as a QB? Ouch.

Stupid fucking Boren. Your dad played at UM under Schembechler. You realize that right? Jesus, talk about a fucking punch to the fucking balls. Ohio State? I mean - was Cincinnati full up?

Sorry.

Defensively, I can't think of a single name who will be the leading contributor, so...right...Champ say's it's a guy named Austin Thomas, and I believe him.

Area that scares you as an opponent: Um...the kicker?

Area that makes you salivate as an opponent: Bloomington. Indiana. Bill Lynch. The rock. No James Hardy.

Random Factor that will come into play: In all honesty, can Kellen Lewis stay out of the doghouse long enough to see the field? I mean - he's really pretty good. Rodriguez would love him. If he can't see the field because of discipline, then...uh oh...

Overall Record: I have them tabbed for a 4-8 season this year with wins coming against Western, Murray State, Ball State, and Minnesota. I know they don't play UM or OSU this year, but frankly, I can't see them beating another Big Ten team.

Final Big Ten Standing: 10th in conference - by the skin of their teeth.

You couldn't just transfer to a SEC school could you? I mean - Mallet was ok with that. Ohio Fucking State? Jesus, I'm going to puke.

Bowl Game Destination What Champ said.