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Here we go again. I may have a different address for the third time in a four-year span, but I’d like to think I’ll still be able to provide you with the high level of Indiana athletics coverage that I have in the past as I begin my new venture today with BtownBanners. Frankly, I'm just happy that we're official. I was following the message board thread this week that said a big announcement was coming on Friday and I have to admit the comment inquiring about if the announcement was going to be held at Ruth's Chris brought a smile to my face. To quote Larry the Cable Guy, I don't care who you are ... That's funny. But it's official and it's time to hit the ground running. Jason Eadie made me a business partner with the idea that I could bring solid content to this site. As this is my 18th season covering Indiana football and basketball I’m confident that I’m right man for the job. My first 15 seasons covering IU were with the Indianapolis Star. The last two years I worked alongside Justin Albers as the site publisher covering IU for the Scout.com site, AllHoosiers.com. In those 17 years, I covered the final two seasons with coach Knight, all six with Mike Davis, the two seasons that became known as the Kelvin Sampson mess and now the last seven with Tom Crean. Five times I have been named Indiana’s Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. I’ve written five books and I have two more that will be out this fall, both on IU basketball. Of those seven books, six have been on IU subjects, two on football and four on basketball. I also did the updated version of the Indiana University Basketball Encyclopedia that was originally written by Jason Hiner in 2004. That collective body of work has left me confident in one particular claim: I know Indiana football and basketball. I think what I bring is perspective. I’ve been on the beat longer than anyone is this market and I have a ton of sources. I used to see that bumper sticker with the rather shallow slogan, “He who dies with the most toys wins.’’ As a journalist, I’ve always believed you could tweak that to read “He who dies with the most sources wins.’’ And my point is I've got lots of IU sources. My hope is to be a voice that you’ll want to read on a regular basis. Sure, we’ll give you the nuts and bolts game coverage that everyone else has but I plan to take on more of a columnist role in this position where I give my takes and opinions on the situation at hand. If the story is that Indiana is about to enter a contract where it will play a certain school in an annual rivalry for example, my story will be more focused on why it is or isn’t a good idea. If Indiana signs a hotshot recruit, I’ll do my best to put that pickup in the proper perspective. The point is that I plan to have a take and sometimes you’re going to agree with me and sometimes you’re going to think I’m way off base. But that’s the kind of give and take relationship that writers have with their readers and it’s a relationship that I’ve enjoyed in my previous stops and I’m sure that will be the same here. I do have one request though and when I’ve said this in the past I’ve had colleagues tell me I was crazy to throw this out there. But feedback is crucial and engagement on your part is equally crucial for a site like this to be successful. I know you guys have a strong message board community and I hope that only gets stronger in the years to come. But I also hope that the content we can provide will give you more things that you want to talk about, or debate or agree or disagree with me on. That’s the formula that can take a site like this one to the next level. One other thing. If any of you had sights set on contributing content this year just know that's still a possibility. I'll be assembling a group of contributors that I hope to count on regularly on the site. I'm going to want some people for football and at least one for soccer. Obviously I'll want people to contribute for basketball as well as baseball. If you have another sport that you'd like to contribute for IU athletics let me know that, too. I'll be in charge of content which means I'll edit everything before it goes up on the site. That just guarantees that we have a level of professionalism in what we do. But I'm hoping to get several of you on board on the contribution end. If college kids want to use it as an internship that can work, too. I’m looking forward to the challenge of being a voice for BtownBanners and to provide the level of coverage that I’ve hopefully provided over the past two decades. I look forward to getting to know many of you better. Here we go again. @IndySportsHutch Join BtownBanners today for FREE!

The work is certainly cut out for the Hoosiers to improve on last season’s marks of 12-5-5, runner-up in the Big Ten tournament and a 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament – the 28th consecutive appearance and 39th overall. Nine opponents on the 2015 schedule qualified for the 48-team field in 2014, continuing the eight-time national champion’s tradition of facing one of the nation’s toughest. Only three of those nine matches – Notre Dame on Aug. 30, Ohio State on Oct. 10 and Louisville on Oct. 20 – will be played in Bloomington. The high expectations were confirmed after Indiana won four of five against a high quality stretch of opponents in the spring, defeating Indy Eleven, Notre Dame, Butler and the Mexico U-17 National Team in addition to netting two on professional side Louisville City FC. The NSCAA’s preseason No. 14 team contains an abundant supply of talented upper and underclassmen led by seven returning regular starters, five of which started all 22 games. That depth hopes to mitigate the departures of defenders Patrick Doody and Kerel Bradford, midfielders Jamie Vollmer and Dylan Lax, and forward Andrew Oliver, a group that scored or assisted on 24 of last season’s 35 goals. The attack will frequently run through the two members of the 2014 All-Big Ten First Team: senior Femi Hollinger-Janzen and junior Tanner Thompson, who was named to the 30-man MAC Hermann Trophy Watch list on Wednesday after finishing as a semifinalist for college soccer’s top award in 2014. Thompson was selected as an NSCAA All-American after pacing the Hoosiers in points (15) with six goals and three assists, while Hollinger-Janzen contributed five goals and two assists of his own. Incoming freshman Rees Wedderburn, who last played for English side West Bromwich Albion U-21, is also poised to be a key contributor to an offense that ranked 45th in the country and atop the conference alongside Maryland in goals scored and goals per game (1.59) last season. Expect graduate transfer Ben Maurey from Brown University, senior Kyle Sparks, junior Richard Ballard, sophomores Michael Reidford, Brad Shaw and Michael Gallulo, and freshmen Cory Thomas, Rece Buckmaster and Austin Panchot to see substantial time in the middle and final third. The defensive side of the pitch is commanded by junior goalkeeper Colin Webb and reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year Grant Lillard, the fifth Indiana player to win the award in the past eight seasons. Lillard is currently training with a select group of top college players at the U.S. U-23 College Identification Training Camp that concludes on Saturday. He also trained with Finnish professional side HJK Helsinki for a week in July, so don’t count on the rising sophomore playing in Bloomington beyond 2015. Senior Matt Foldesy and juniors Billy McConnell, Derek Creviston and Phil Fives, who sat out 2014, are also expected to be staples in the Hoosier defense that looks to improve on last season’s goals against average of 0.96, which ranked 60th in the country and sixth in the Big Ten. Look for sophomores Jack Griffith and Trevor Swartz as well as freshmen Tim Mehl, Andrew Gutman and Jeremiah Gutjahr to challenge for starts in the holding midfield and backline positions. Projected starting 11: Indiana will play three exhibitions – two in Bloomington with Valparaiso and Western Michigan on Aug. 17 and 20, respectively, and the third against Marquette in the ShinDigz National Soccer Festival in Fort Wayne on Aug. 22 – before kicking off the regular season in the Adidas/IU Credit Union Classic in Bloomington with St. John’s and Notre Dame beginning on Aug. 28.

It’s still very early in the 2016 recruiting process for Kevin Wilson and his coaching staff, but the class is already starting to take form. Wilson has managed to earn at least one verbal commitment from each offensive skill position. He’s also grabbed a pair of versatile defensive linemen, added an offensive tackle, and filled three out of four secondary spots. All together, Wilson has 10 commitments from the 2016 class, the majority of which are rated three stars by multiple major recruiting outlets. That’s a good start, and it gives Wilson the ability to build around an early core to bring in even better talent, a task that the fifth year Indiana head coach continues to improve on with each recruiting season. In a three-part overview, I will take a look at the various position groups that make up the first 10 commits in the 2016 class. To start, let’s look at the offensive skill positions: Quarterback Peyton Ramsey – 6-2/190 - Cincinnati, Ohio Style: Pocket Passer IU Comparison: Cameron Coffman (2012-13) Ramsey is the quarterback of the class, and he reminds me a lot of former IU quarterback Cameron Coffman in a lot of ways. The skill set is nearly identical. Ramsey displays simply average arm strength, however he has good touch and accuracy on the ball, even if it doesn’t always look pretty. While he isn’t a dynamic scrambling quarterback, he has solid footwork and pocket mobility to help escape pressure. What makes him a good fit for Wilson’s offense is his decision-making and quick release. He will be the type of quarterback who will have no problem hitting the underneath and short, outside routes that offensive coordinator Kevin Johns loved to run last season. Running Back Tyus Flakes – 5-9/200 - Auburn, Ala. Style: Balanced IU Comparison: D’Angelo Roberts (2011-14) Between skill set and size, the comparison between Flakes and Roberts is spot on. Flakes is the type of back that can do a little bit of it all, but doesn’t have a tool that stands out over the rest. Flakes can run between the tackles like a bulldozer, he can bounce it outside to reach the first down pylon and he can lower his shoulder to gain an extra yard or two. Flakes’ high running style is reminiscent of Roberts, and it gives him that extra strength in order to break through arm tackles. Flakes’ versatility makes him a good fit for Wilson’s air raid offense. Not every running back has the ability to take handoffs in a shotgun heavy scheme, but Flakes’ ability to bounce to the outside then aggressively cut up field will do well with a zone-blocking scheme. I like Flakes to be a potential three down back due to his combination of size and skill. Cole Gest – 5-7/191 - Lakewood, Ohio Style: Speed IU Comparison: watered-down Tevin Coleman (2012-14) Now hold on a second, don’t get TOO excited about the Tevin Coleman comparison. While Gest plays a similar game to Coleman, by no means do I expect Gest to become as good – or even close to as good – as one of the greatest football players in IU history. Gest’s best quality is his quick burst. This gives him the ability to both explode through the line of scrimmage and separate from trailing defenders. He also is good at cutting up field when running to the outside. That’s where most of his yards will be gained at the college level. He also displays good hands and route running ability out of the backfield. Similar to Coleman, Gest won’t wow you with one-on-one juke moves or cut backs, but in Wilson’s zone blocking scheme, Gest will be a big play candidate every time he touches the ball. I could see Gest and Flakes eventually giving Wilson a similar one-two punch that Coleman and Roberts supplied the Hoosiers last season. Wide Receiver Phil Benker – 6-2/195 - Jacksonville, Fla. Style: Possession IU Comparison: Kofi Hughes (2010-13) Remember in 2013 when Hughes made that ridiculous jumping catch over a Michigan defender, then took the ball 67 yards for a touchdown? And the countless other times Hughes made seemingly impossible jump ball catches look easy? Well that’s Benker’s bread and butter. That also happens to be the biggest weakness in IU’s current crop of receivers, so Benker may have an opportunity to step in and make big plays early in his college career. Benker shows weakness in his flat-line speed and burst. There isn’t a cornerback in the Big Ten that Benker can outrun. But if a future IU quarterback puts Benker in a jump ball position, he should be able to out-jump, out-muscle and out-will defenders to make spectacular catches. He will be most dangerous in the red zone. If Benker can bring his ball skills to the next level, Wilson will love calling his number inside the 10-yard line. Look for the second installment of this three part series on the three secondary commitments later in the week. You can follow Ben Faunce on Twitter @ben_faunce.

IUFB is on the rise--haven't you heard? The hype around a promising 2013 IUFB squad is no secret to a true fan ...but if you’re just now finding out that we also have the most inspirational, brutally honest, but most importantly, SUPPORTIVE fake football coach—well you’re late to the party. Our very own, “Not Really Kevin Wilson, the Head Football Coach for the Indiana University Hoosiers” had every ACTUAL Hoosier fan and beyond talking on Wednesday night. (Fake) Coach Wilson earned the respect and following of hundreds of people with his inspirational pre-game twitter speech directed to the student body the night before the 2013 season opener. Thousands of Hoosiers followed along FCW’s pep talk, while I personally camped out on his Twitter page waiting for the words “1 new Tweet” to drop from his timeline. Click. Laugh. RT. Repeat It was as if the mighty Hoosier Hero himself, @ChronicHoosier, was watching over FCW’s timeline. I’m not linking the two accounts together; FCW is anonymous. I’m just saying the only other account on Twitter I have never secretly wanted to unfollow is CH. The series of tweets were an embarrassingly true, yet outrageously funny way to make a strong message clear to many people. It’s truly one of the few ways to effectively communicate with people these days. FCW executed it flawlessly. So what is FCW’s bottom line? I asked Fake Coach over some Twitter DM. “Just tell the folks don’t be afraid to believe in #IUFB.” Simple as that. @FakeCoachWilson may not be a real person. But he made a bunch of real people feel real things, like support for their own football team. And I bet you anything he indirectly encouraged a bunch of real people to attend Thursday’s game. So kudos to fake coach. In the words of @FakeCoachWilson, “Pack the Fing Rock!” See you there, Hoosier Nation. (PS: I’m actually only writing this article for a #helmetsticker from @FakeCoachWilson)

Take a look at some highlights from Indiana Freshman Troy Williams this past season. As you can tell, the rims in Assembly Hall will be rocking! Register and Sign Up for BtownBanners.com for FREE!

Hello all, my name is Justin (Jaybob), and I am one of two new Administrators here for BtownBanners and its forums! We are so excited for this opportunity, and our commitment is to make this the best forum on the web. By doing so, we will work endlessly for you! We know that the keys to a successful and active forum is by taking care of it's members. We promise to do that, and ask that you come and check out what we are doing. You will see some changes soon, and some changes that have already happened. We hope you are as excited as we are. Here is our team as of right now: Administrators - NaturalHoosier and myself Head Moderator - Mdn Head Recruiter - Ccgeneral We may add a few more in the very near future, but that is our team as of right now. My experience with Moderating is this: Moderator on Scout starting during the Kelvin Sampson years. A few of us decided to start a new site dedicated to start our own site, and created the best IU Fan Forum in HoosierSportsNation. After over a year of being there, we merged with 247Sports to try and create the best force in terms of coverage and forums. Unfortunately, a few of us didn't agree with how 247 went about things. After talking with BtownBanners, we knew this would be the best decision. We left 247 to come make this site the premier site for anything IU. So please, come join us in this amazing new transition! We will be on the boards a lot, so let's get to chatting!!! :) Register for BtownBanners at http://BtownBanners.com/register

News this morning spread quickly that Indiana University had tragically lost one of their own. As many of you are aware, Indiana Freshman Rachael Fiege, 19 Zionsville, was taken off life support this morning after falling down a basement staircase at a party early Friday morning. Fiege was rushed to the hospital approximately 6 hours after her fall, but it was unfortunately too late. This tragic situation was made worse by the reluctance to seek medical attention. Nobody knows if the outcome could have been different if the authorities were called immediately, but they certaintly couldn't have turned out worse. This leads to the reason for this article. Indiana has a unique law called the LifeLine Law. The Lifeline Law provides immunity for the crimes of public intoxication, minor possession, minor consumption, and minor transportation of alcohol to persons who reveal themselves to law enforcement while seeking medical assistance for a person suffering from an alcohol-related health emergency. Translation: If you and your friends are out drinking, and somebody gets seriously hurt, call 911 or get them to the hospital. As long as you follow the following conditions, you WILL NOT be in trouble for your underage drinking. In order to receive immunity, the person must demonstrate that they are acting in good faith by completing ALL of the following: - Providing their full name any other relevant information requested by law enforcement officers - Remaining on the scene until law enforcement and emergency medical assistance arrives - Cooperating with authorities on the scene Translation: Be a good friend and do everything you can to help them. The three "conditions" listed above are common sense and a no-brainer for helping your injured friend. This law is there to help you make the RIGHT decision and avoid a potentially tragic situation like this. Please share this message to all Hoosiers and hopefully prevent future tragedies like this one. R.I.P Rachael Fiege.

Question: First off, how much did the Indiana offer mean to you? What made you choose Indiana over the other schools recruiting you? Answer: It meant a lot, it's a great opportunity, and is a very successful school in terms of basketball and education. Q: How meaningful is it to come back to the state of Indiana to play basketball, especially with the history of IU and the basketball-crazy fan base? A: I was only born there, not raised there, but given the history and fan base, it means a lot. I'm a very humble person. Q: What would you consider your strengths, as both a basketball player and a teammate? A: I can score the ball, I'm a team player first, I want to win by all means and will do whatever it takes to win, and my IQ for Basketball is high. I can set good, solid screens, talk on defense, and get my teammates the ball. Q: What part of your game needs the most work before the season starts in November? A: Getting stronger. Once I'm stronger I'll be fine, and I could be more aggressive on rebounding. Q: What parts of your game do you see fitting well in Coach Crean’s system? Are you familiar with it? A: Not very familiar with it but from what I'm hearing it sounds like bigs that can shoot well and are more skilled, but we haven't really talked about that yet. Q: What do you believe you can contribute to the program in your Freshman season? A: I think I can contribute by working hard, having a good winning mentality. I’m definitely a positive player. No minutes have been promised, but I'm going to work as hard as I can to try and earn those minutes. And if I play, I can score, and once I get stronger I'll be able to score, rebound, and play defense. Q: What does it mean to you to be a Hoosier and have the opportunity to wear the Cream and Crimson? A: It means a lot, Indiana is a huge school and seems to have many good people. I'm very excited to be a Hoosier and can't wait. Q: Will you be visiting Bloomington before the summer? If so, when? A: Yes, hopefully sometime in the next week and a half. Q: Have you spoken to any of the other commits for Indiana’s 2014 class? What are your thoughts on the incoming recruits? A: I've texted Max and told him there is a lot of haters out there and let's prove them wrong and let's do big things at Indiana. I think I'll fit in well with the rest of the guys. Q: To finish up with a bit of a fun question, do you have a specific nickname you would like Hoosier Nation to call you by? A: I've never really had a nickname but I've been seeing on Twitter people saying "thrilla prilla" or “thriller priller," but it doesn't really matter to me, if the fans want a nickname for me they can make it! Q: Do you have a number you want to wear, or does that not matter either? A: I'm not a selfish person and not the type to put myself first, any number would be fine with me. It’s not about me or my number. It's about the team and winning games and winning a NCAA championship.

I’m truly not one to cry for a coach’s firing whenever things aren’t going well. I promise I’m not. I understand that Indiana’s defense isn’t loaded with elite talent. I understand that the fast paced Indiana offense doesn’t lend itself to defensive success. But, I also understand there are other defenses doing more with much less talent. There are also defenses that rank in the top 10 of the nation despite playing alongside more prolific offenses than that of Indiana's. Enough with the excuses and debates though. Let's just answer the question we are all really asking ourselves: can Doug Mallory successfully lead a defense? Here is your answer. Football Background: (photo credit: Bentley Historical Library) Doug Mallory’s football pedigree is not to be disputed. He is the son of the last truly successful Indiana football coach, was a co-captain for the legendary Bo Schembechler at Michigan, and has been around the game his entire life. However, having football in your blood isn't necessarily an indicator of coaching success. Rise to Defensive Coordinator: (photo credit: Tim Sharp AP) Mallory’s relationship to Les Miles goes way back. The two were at Michigan together in the mid 80’s. When Miles became the head coach at Oklahoma State, he had Mallory alongside him as a defensive backs coach from 2001-2004. When Miles got the job he currently holds at LSU, he brought Mallory along with him as a defensive back coach, and the two (along with other assistants of course) won a national championship in 2007. After the national championship season, he promoted Doug Mallory and another assistant to “co-defensive coordinator”. That’s where our analysis begins. Is Mallory a "Good" Coach? I don't think many would dispute that one sign of "good" coach is that his teams show improvement. Game to game and year to year. If you can agree to that, then what follows should close the door on any debate as to whether or not Doug Mallory is a "good" coach. From 2002-2007, LSU was a defensive powerhouse. Just as all Big Ten fans know Penn State as “Linebacker U”, LSU became known as “Defensive U” for their dominance during that time period. Year-in and year-out, the boys from Baton Rouge were ranked near the top of the country in virtually every defensive category. That all changed, in 2008 when Mallory was promoted to co-defensive coordinator. Under Mallory, the team that had just won the national championship fell apart defensively. The Tigers were ranked an unheard of 81st in the country in passing defense and 66th in points allowed. It was LSU’s worst defensive year of the decade, and it was the first time in the proud history of the program that the defense allowed 50 points or more in multiple games. The conversation around the LSU program then was identical to the one in Bloomington right now: Sound familiar? If you've been following Indiana football this year, it's hauntingly similar to the reasons given for the poor performance of the Hoosier defense (you can read the whole article here). After a season of excuses in Baton Rouge, the condemning fact was that the defense got worse as the season progressed. Despite their 30-year history together, Les Miles was unable to deny the fact that Doug Mallory had to be let go. (photo credit: lubbockonline) He replaced Mallory with a man named John Chavis. After ranking 66th under Mallory, LSU immediately improved 40 spots the next year and finished ranked 26th in the NCAA. The Tigers continued to improve after Mallory's departure as they were ranked 12th in total defense in the second year and then 2nd in the country in year three post-Mallory. This basic trend of defenses becoming worse under Mallory and then improving after his departure is not limited to his time at LSU. The graph below demonstrates that every defense Mallory has taken over as defensive coordinator has experienced a decrease in their total defensive ranking. The vertical axis shows the team's percent defensive rank with 100 representing the best defense in the country and 0 representing the worst. In the two places Mallory has already left (LSU and New Mexico) you can see a clear improvement after his departure. No matter what the reasons or excuses behind the experiences, the statistics clearly say that defenses get worse under Mallory. A good defensive coordinator produces a good defense, or at the very least, an improving defense. A good offensive coach produces a good offense, or at the very least an improving one. Chavis undeniably improved the LSU defense each year after Mallory. Kevin Wilson and Seth Littrell have likewise proved themselves as “good” coaches. The Hoosier offense was ranked 83rd in the country in year one, 34th in year two, and is currently 10th in year three. That is "good" coaching. The Trend Continues: After being replaced at LSU, Doug Mallory took over as defensive coordinator at New Mexico from 2009-2010. The Lobos were ranked a respectable 45th in the country defensively the year before Mallory arrived. In Mallory's first year, the defense plummeted 55 spots down to 100th in the NCAA. In his second year, they fell all the way to 119th meaning there was only one defense in the entire country worse than Mallory's, which is the exact position the 2013 Hoosiers are in right now. There's also evidence from Malloy's coaching past that sheds some light on the Hoosiers helplessness at stopping the run. In the year before Mallory, the Lobos allowed just one opponent to rush for over 200 yards in a game. In Mallory’s first year, they allowed five opponents to rush for over 200 yards in a game. In Mallory’s second and final year, they allowed two opponents to rush for over 200 yards and four opponents to rush for over 300 yards per game. Here's the overall rushing defense data from New Mexico dating back to 2007. You can see the obvious increase in 2009 and the embarrassing increase that occurred in Mallory's second year with the program, 2010. In Mallory's final year, the Lobos gave up an average of 469 yards per game and ranked 119th out of 120 schools in the nation. These are just facts. In reality, these statistics are so concrete and without deviation, that one has to wonder what qualified him for the promotion to a Big Ten school in the first place. Of course, the statistical trend has followed Mallory to Indiana. The chart below shows the seasonal progression of Mallory's defenses. Total yardage given up is organized from left (August) to right (November) by the time of season the yardage was given up. Linear trend lines were then applied to the data. The only year a team showed slight improvement was in 2010 at New Mexico, but that's the same defense that finished ranked 119 out of 120 teams. Other than that slight deviation, no Doug Mallory defense has ever improved throughout the year. Virtually every one has gotten worse. Conclusion: I regret that this comes off as an attack on Coach Mallory, as I’m sure he’s a great person. However, while he continues to place blame on the players and supporters blame the Indiana offense, when emotions are stripped away the data is simple and indisputable: without exception every defense that Mallory has led has gotten progressively worse under his coaching and better after his departure. This year's defense isn't just the usual bad Indiana defense fans are used to. They are currently allowing an average of 582.5 yards per game in B1G play. The 2013 Indiana defense is on pace to finish the year as the statistically worst defense in the history of the Big Ten. Doug Mallory was elevated to defensive coordinator by a friend. Even that friend knew after just one year it was a mistake. Since then, Mallory has shown no statistical evidence of being a capable coordinator. Kevin Wilson and Fred Glass are winners. They know Indiana can be a winning program. If they want that to come to fruition they can’t allow the blame to be placed on the talent of the players or the pace of the offense anymore. They have to make the same emotionally difficult, but statistically obvious decision Les Miles made. Mallory has to go.

There was a shroud of mystery surrounding this year's Indiana team. With so many new faces populating the roster, no one was quite sure what to expect. Here's what we now know after 10 games: The Good Free throws and rebounding...that's what Indiana does. (photo credit: btn.com) Indiana is fourth in the country in made free throws and seventh in free throw attempts. Not only are they finding ways to get to the line, but they are knocking down shots once they get there. Since seven of the first 10 games have been played at home, it will be interesting to see if the free throw attempts go down away from Assembly Hall. Is IU really that good at drawing fouls, or do officials really give them that many calls at home? The super-athletic Hoosiers rank in the top 10 of the country in virtually every rebounding category. They are third in total rebounds, second in rebounds per game, and second in rebounding percentage (essentially the rate at which a team comes up with a rebound when one is available). The only team with a higher rebounding percentage? The number one overall Arizona Wildcats. The Bad (photo credit: Inside the Hall) Hopefully Evan Gordon's 26 point outburst was a coming out party and not a fluke. Heaven knows Indiana needs a shooter to emerge alongside Yogi Ferrell. They rank 74th in points scored per possession, 114th in field goal percentage, 173rd in effective field goal percentage, and a deplorable 284th in three point field goal percentage. They've also struggled generating turnovers as they rank 183rd in steals per game. That doesn't appear to be from a lack of aggressiveness however as they rank 195th in fouls committed per game. The Ugly Indiana's worst statistical category (other than three point shooting) centers around it's ability to pass the basketball. They rank 278th in assists per game, 319th in assist percentage, and their assist-to-turnover ratio ranks 320th. They are also ranked second to last in the B1G in each of those categories in front of only Nebraska. I will say that I don't think point guard Yogi Ferrell is to be blamed for this. As in last night's game, he has found his teammates for plenty of open shots; teammates just miss the shots. Poor shooting plus excellent rebounding indicates that Indiana relies more on missed shots than passes to generate points. What to make of the 8-2 start Not much. Indiana has dropped two games thus far, and both were played outside of Assembly Hall against top 10 teams with Final Four experience. Nothing for a young team to get down about. However, while it's true that Indiana doesn't have any "bad" losses, they also don't have any good wins. The Washington win initially looked impressive, but the Huskies are now 4-4 and rank 201 in the RPI. In fact, the Hoosiers have yet to beat a team ranking in the top 100 of the RPI rankings, and the biggest chunk of their wins (five) have come against teams ranked 200 or worse. The Hoosiers won't have a chance to "prove it" any time soon either. Indiana won't play a top 50 RPI team until January 4 when Michigan State visits Bloomington. Yes the youthful Hoosiers were one play away from upsetting the ninth ranked team in the country. Yes they played the second ranked team close for a half. And yes, they have blown out the teams that they should be blowing out. Still, they haven't proven their legitimacy with a big win. If they win the games they are supposed to, they should be 12-2 when Michigan State comes to town. Win that game and... (photo credit: inkonindy.com) Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Players and fans may be excited, but Tom Crean knows better. Ten games down. Many more to go. Go Hoosiers.

It's always okay to make fun of Purdue, but it's especially encouraged during Bucket Week. This Saturday, our Indiana Hoosiers take on Purdue for another showdown inside of Memorial Stadium...and I thought we could use a little entertainment to hold us over until we win the game. So we've all seen Purdue's latest attempt at creating a music video called "You Oughta Be Proud" right? To celebrate how much better we are and always will be than Purdue, here's a little video to enjoy and spread around throughout the week. Have fun dishing on PU every day leading up to the game--and GO HOOSIERS!

In the championship game of the 2k Sports Classic, the Indiana Hoosiers will square off against 18th ranked UCONN Huskies, who just came off a two point win over Boston College. Led by the talented backcourt of Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright, UCONN will easily be Indiana’s toughest test to date. Napier, who ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla dubbed the second best point guard in the nation, leads the Huskies in scoring, rebounding, and assists per game. His counterpart Boatright is second in each category. Altogether, the combo averages 26.3 ppg, 13.3 rpg, and 12.1 apg. Napier is shooting a stellar 85.7% from three, while Boatright is shooting 53.8%. Simply put, there aren’t many guard combos better than Napier and Boatright, and the Hoosiers will need their size advantage to hold the two in check. As will likely be the case all year, Indiana should dominate the glass. UCONN, who is 156th in the nation in rebounding, averages 38 per game - a far cry from IU’s 52.3 per game. The Huskies distribute the ball much better than the Hoosiers, however, averaging 16.3 per game to IU’s 9.3. While UCONN has a higher shooting percentage than Indiana, the Huskies average eight points less per game, and have only scored more than 80 just once. The Hoosiers, on the other hand, have scored less than 90 just once. Other than 7-foot freshmen center Amida Brimah, the Huskies don’t feature a real defensive presence down low. Noah Vonleh, who is averaging 14.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, should have a field day on offense and defense against the guard reliant Huskies. For the Hoosiers to come out with a win, however, sophomore Yogi Ferrell needs to slow down Napier, while also leading the young Hoosier offense. UCONN is ranked 9th in the KenPom rankings, 22 spots ahead of Indiana. The Huskies are 8th in adjusted offense, and the Hoosiers are 45th. Coming in just six spots behind UCONN on adjusted defense, the Hoosiers are currently 35th. Bright lights and the big stage may distract these young Hoosiers, but Tom Crean has routinely showcased his knack for getting the best from his underdog squads. If the Huskies make this game a track meet, the Hoosiers can win and assert themselves as a team to be reckoned with. To win this game, Indiana will need to control the glass, push the pace, and knock down their free throws. The Indiana Hoosiers have a great opportunity to grow up in New York. Will they seize it? Score Prediction: Hoosiers 83, Huskies 76 *Stats and rankings accurate as of Thursday night

First, I want to say welcome to the first edition of post game articles I will be a part of. I will be doing about every other game. You will see various stats, graphs, and other numbers to put the game into analytical perspective. Secondly, HOLY HANNER PEREA! That is easily one of the best dunks I've seen during a game in quite some time. The difficulty of that dunk was incredible. Well done Hanner, well done! Now, onto the game. This IU team were the heavy favorites, but I think most Hoosier fans were interested in how IU would respond after their lackluster performance against a veteran LIU-Brooklyn team. The team answered any concerns about this game quickly within the first few minutes. They attacked the basket and glass with a purpose all game. That is what they have to do every game to be successful. Besides attacking the basket and rebounding, IU will also lean on Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell, Will Sheehey, and Noah Vonleh. So far this season, these three have accounted for: 130 of 278 points, for a 46.7% of IU's total scoring. Even though most people will remember some of the highlight dunks in this game, but "Yogi" Ferrell had one heck of a game. He led the way with 26pts, 6asts, and 3rebs. This game exemplified how much Yogi has improved on the court, and as a leader of this team. I also can't take away from Noah Vonleh's third straight double-double with 13pts and 10rebs. He is going to be huge for us this season as a Freshman, and I can't wait to see his growth over the course of the season. One huge improvement from this season to last is blocked shots. Against Samford, IU had a total of 10 blocks, which is impressive, and 25 on the season. To put that in perspective, IU totaled only 130 last season. IU could reach that by the 17th game this season if they average the same amount of blocks in the 1st three games. The defense has been impressive so far this season, and will get a lot better once the Freshman get more adjusted to the college game! The long and athletic IU defense held Samford to just 30% shooting, and 28% from long range. Even though this is not a good Samford team, they love to run and get up shots. I don't remember too many uncontested shots given up by the Hoosiers, and that is a very good sign. One thing I took away from this game from a bench player is Luke Fischer. He has a ton of upside, and for me, it was great to see him be aggressive against Samford. He really missed some quality practice time due to an injury, but I was happy to see his play in this game. With more practice and game time, I think he will be a good around the basket player IU needs in the future. All around, it was a very good and pleasing performance by IU. However, there are still a few issues that concern me, and will for the entire season. The main three I noticed: Three point shooting, Free throw shooting, and zone offense. Three point shooting was at a respectable 40%, but if you take Ferrell's hot shooting out of the equation, IU shot a horrid 12.5% (1/8). That has to improve if IU wants to open up the lanes more often for their attacking game. Free throw shooting continues to be a problem, and IU shot 66%. One positive is Noah seems to be getting better in that area, which has to happen. Zone offense continues to look bad with a bunch of standing and no penetration. IU will be seeing more zone unless they can become efficient at it. The Syracuse game could be a bad one if they can't figure out the zone. On the positive side, the IU bench continues to impress and not be a hindrance. Devin Davis has really been impressive, and a lot further along than what most thought. He will be a very good player for IU this season and on. Hanner Perea is showing a more polished game from what he showed last season. He is a lot more comfortable on both sides of the ball, and this game really showed that. Rebounding, dunking, blocking and altering shots, and even his footwork have really improved. This game was very impressive from our Hoosier team. They used the last game as a good learning experience, and really went at it against Samford. This game has me excited of what they are capable of accomplishing this season. (Picture was found on Google, no copyright intended)

I think we can all agree on one thing: we did not expect this game to be nearly as close as it was. But in the end, a win is a win, right? It goes on the résumé as a W and we are 2-0 once again. It’s safe to say that with every basket that went in en route to our comeback, Assembly Hall got louder. Will Sheehey and Troy Williams both hit big shots down the stretch when the team needed them most. Noah Vonleh kept the team in the game throughout the first half, banging down low and grabbing rebounds left and right. Vonleh ended with his second straight double-double. The ultimate takeaway from this game and the atmosphere surrounding it is that the fans had something huge to cheer about. A dunk is a dunk, a blocked shot is a blocked shot, and so on. But for the first time this year, there was tension. Whether you like it or not, human beings enjoy tension. Even though it was our Indiana Hoosiers, there was still a sense of tension that just proved, once and for all, that college basketball is back. We love college basketball because of upsets like the one we averted last night. This is a learning experience. We can all get better from this. Fans don’t need to overreact; the team didn’t. Look where they ended up. They all kept their cool and came back from an early deficit. Now it's time for some Player Analysis: Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell – Yogi was able to score last night like we know he is able to this season. He knocked down 3 three-pointers which helped him end with a solid 17 points. He is one of our leaders and many scrutinized his actions after taking out his frustration on the bench. Personally, I like to see the fire within him come out like that. Last year, he knew it would be easy to run a team with four 1,000 point scorers. This season, it will be challenging. He knows that, and I think he’s willing to take the challenge. Will Sheehey – Will stepped up when we needed him the most. He scored a game-high 19 points, with 15 coming in the second half. Will stuffed the stat sheet with a total of 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals. He struggled mightily in the first half, not making a single shot from the field. After last night, I can say that Will is going to be the senior leader that we need. He knew when to “take over” and hit huge shots down the stretch, especially from long range. Jeremy Hollowell – Jeremy, after a career-high 16 points in game one against Chicago State, looked a little lost in this game. He finished with 6 points and 6 boards. He was in foul trouble for most of the night, which didn’t help his performance whatsoever. He will bounce back. It wasn’t just a tough night for him, it was a tough night for everybody. Noah Vonleh – This man is a beast on the boards. I think I can keep opening his analysis with that sentence. He kept us in the game in the first half when everybody else looked as if they had no idea how to play basketball. He was willing to put the team on his shoulders and go down on the block and bang with the big men from LIU-Brooklyn. He tallied another double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. I cannot wait to see where he can take this team and how he grows throughout the rest of the year. Troy Williams – No one expected Troy Williams to hit a three to keep us in the game, but he did it. When he put that shot up, everyone was yelling “NO!” But it went in. Troy’s athleticism becomes a problem at times because he wants to make the highlight play, rather than the simple play. I expect that to be tamed a little from now on, but I still love his upside. He is extremely athletic and long. Although I think he could have a bigger impact on defense, he still played a great game (second half). Stanford Robinson – Once again, I’m not really sure where Stan was last night. He did make two of his three shots and got to the line for two free throws, but other than that he didn’t look great. His one turnover was awful; he just let the defender take the ball. I know Stan can have an enormous impact on this team and I expect it to come soon. Devin Davis – Devin had a huge rebound with 4.8 seconds left to give us a one and one at the free throw line at the other end. Although he missed it, at least he was able to get the ball down to our side of the court with that rebound. He didn’t score this game after having double-digits in the opener, but his defensive prowess made an impact late. He played big minutes in the big parts of the game, which is key for a freshman like him. I’m excited to see where he goes. Hanner Mosquera-Perea – I would love to talk about how much I love his athleticism once again, but he just wasn’t active last night. I don’t know what was up with him. He grabbed a couple rebounds, but it really didn’t matter. I just want him to try to make a difference in the game, but he just doesn’t seem to want to. Evan Gordon – He does a really good job of taking care of the ball when asked to do so. He didn’t score and looked bad in the first half. He still hasn’t hit a three for us, which we really need. But he is a leader, albeit a quiet leader. He looks like he has the poise and confidence that it takes to win games like last night’s. Luke Fischer – We need to work on Luke’s hands. He missed a couple passes that were simple catches. He didn’t play until late in the second half and came in with a protective mask on his face. Although I don’t know why he had the mask, he ended up throwing it off after a few seconds of play anyway. We could use Luke’s big body down low, but he still hasn’t looked like the great player we thought we were getting. Austin Etherington – He played early in the game and never saw the floor again. I don’t think he’s that great and while he was out there, he didn’t make an impact. Here’s to wishing he can make an impact in limited minutes from here on out. Otherwise, he may end up transferring, a la Mo Creek (who had 19 points last night for GW). All in all, this can be used for growth. I love the upside of the team and multiple players, so cut them a little slack. This season is not completely over. Not even close.

In the past decade, Indiana football has only a single season (2007) in which they had a record of over .500 (7-6). As I'm sure you're aware, it is a rare occasion to witness a winning IUFB squad. However, I believe this 2013 season has a winning record in store. Here are my Top 5 reasons why I believe this year will be one for the books: #1- A Great Recruiting Class If you haven't heard already, this year's recruiting class alone is wonderful. Highlighted by 4-star recruits like Darius Latham, David Kenney, Antonio Allen, Taj Williams, and Rashard Fant; the 2013 recruiting class was ranked 38th in the country by Yahoo, as well as 44th by ESPN. A top-50 recruiting class brought in by a team that has gone a combined 17-43 in the past five years is a very respectable feat in itself. #2- A Large Amount of Returning Starters Heading into the 2013 season, IU football will be returning a Big-Ten best of 19 starters. And not just any starters, either- three talented quarterbacks (all of which experienced playing time last year), a very talented group of explosive running backs, and what could possibly be one of the best receiving corps in the Big Ten. In addition to a solid returning group of defensive players, the Hoosiers also return what may be one of the best kickers in the nation in Mitch Ewald. Such a great group of returning starters combined with the skilled youth of this year's incoming class makes for a bright future, folks. #3- Home, Sweet Home By taking a quick glance at this year's football schedule, it would look like any old Big Ten agenda. However, upon closer examination, you may notice something different. This year's IUFB schedule contains 12 games, in which 8 are at home. EIGHT home games, including the first five of the season, all right here in Bloomington. That's a lot of tailgating. As most of you know, a team must have six wins to be eligible for a bowl game. Having eight of the twelve being in your own backyard, in front of tens of thousands of cheering fans, suddenly makes that goal seem much more achievable. #4- Coach Wilson, 'nuff Said You may be reading reason number four and thinking, "what's so good about a coach whose team went a total of 5-19 in his first two years?" Here's why: when Coach Kevin Wilson first arrived as head coach of the Hoosiers, he realized something needed to be done. Coming from a very, very successful job as offensive coordinator of the Oklahoma Sooners, Wilson knew how to win. In order to win, he realized that he needed to clean house and bring in a whole new group of talented players, just as Tom Crean had previously done with IUBB. And he did just that. It may have taken a couple years of tough losses, but Coach Wilson has successfully put together a team filled with both young talent and experience. And it's about time that hard work pays off. #5- A New Era It is quite obvious that Coach Wilson and AD Fred Glass are trying to usher in a new era for Indiana football. Some sleek new helmets, new pre-game traditions, and even a new flag pole that's (almost) bigger than a Purdue fan's ego. The recently added collection of spiffy new helmets feature designs like chrome and crimson stripes and the Indiana state flag design (to be worn in the season opener vs. Indiana State). New traditions, such as the players walking to the stadium with the students, were planned in order to persuade as many Hoosiers as possible to help pack Memorial Stadium. The new 154-foot flag pole that now towers over Memorial Stadium is billed as the largest in all of college football, and will fly the official "victory flag" after every Hoosier win. Also, Bryce Fox and Daniel Weber (the masterminds behind "This Is Indiana") are producing a new song and video over IU football. As I said before, there is no doubt that Wilson and Glass are doing everything possible to make IUFB the next big thing in B-town. To Like, Comment, Post and participate in #IUFBPickem, Join BtownBanners.com for Free! More on BtownBanners.com (Fake) Coach Wilson's Empowering Pep Talk VIDEO: Victor Oladipo vs Kevin Durant #IUFBPickem and Big Ten Pick'em Follow me on Twitter! @IUWonka

For his third stop on his "Preseason Practice Tour," ESPN's Jeff Goodman took a visit to Bloomington. Later that night, he tweeted his thoughts on the young Hoosier squad, beginning with injuries. As we all know, the freshmen class has suffered from injuries recently. Troy Williams injured his shooting hand, Luke Fischer sprained his shoulder in practice shortly thereafter, Noah Vonleh suffered a minor ankle injury, and Stanford Robinson went down with a knee injury during Hoosier Hysteria. Goodman tweeted that Crean told him hat Vonleh should be a "full-go" next practice and that Williams would return "in a few days." Crean also told Goodman that Fischer is "a couple weeks away," while Robinson should be back in "7-10 days." All fell in line to what Crean tweeted this morning. Goodman went on to describe a concern many in Hoosier Nation share: inside scoring. He tweeted that Hanner Perea "has made improvement," but is "still raw" on the offensive end. Later, Goodman tweeted about another concern: guard depth, specifically point guard depth. "Yogi Ferrell will have a ton on his plate," Goodman tweeted. "He'll have to become team's go-to scorer, also distribute -- as well as also try to be a leader." He went on to point out that Stan Robinson and senior transfer Evan Gordon may be back-up options, but said neither are "ideal." He also said sophomore Jeremy Hollowell "got a look" at point guard and made quality decisions. Goodman thinks Gordon may start at the two because of his experience, but doesn't like a Yogi/Gordon back court combo because of the lack of height. Goodman says to "pencil in" Yogi, Sheehey, and Vonleh for the starting line-up, leaving the other two spots "up in the air." He also indicated that Vonleh may see time at the five spot this year. As stated earlier, Goodman is not a fan of the "small, small guards" combo of Yogi and Gordon. He thinks Gordon should come off the bench for scoring, giving the Hoosiers a bigger starting five. His thoughts on the line-up: "Yogi, Sheehey, Vonleh, Williams/Hollowell and Perea/Fischer." Goodman mentioned that an NBA scout at practice was "blown away" by freshmen Noah Vonleh's "NBA-ready body," a big plus for the Hoosiers' season outlook. Goodman later responded to two big questions during his Indiana tweets. One asked if Goodman thought Sheehey would be the go-to guy. Goodman replied, "Nope. Can't create the same way Yogi is able able to." The other question asked if Goodman thinks the Hoosiers will make the NCAA Tournament. He responded, "I think so, but probably should not be ranked to start the season." There's a lot of positives, and some concerns for Indiana basketball this year, but it's shaping up to be a good year. Follow Goodman: @GoodmanESPN Follow Jeff Ranger: @All_Hoosiers (Photo: AP/Al Behrman)

There are still a couple lose ends to tie up, but expect our official announcement at halftime of the Penn State game tomorrow afternoon! If you haven't already, this is a GREAT time to sign up for BtownBanners. SIGN UP TODAY, IT'S QUICK AND FREE! You won't want to be left on the outside looking in... Go HOOSIERS!

Indiana got their season off to a good start last week against Indiana State, but shouldn’t expect the same cakewalk this week against Navy. The Midshipmen have been to a bowl game in nine out of the last ten years, and they defeated IU last season on their way to an 8-5 record. Here’s a look at what Indiana will have to do in order to take down Navy on Saturday. #1 Play Disciplined Defense Greg Heban and the defensive coaches talked throughout camp about playing disciplined defense. Last year, rather than each player focusing on their own assignment on a given play, defenders were worried about covering for their teammates mistakes and put themselves out of position. This year, they have adopted a “do your job” mentality, which requires the players to trust each other and the system. Nowhere will this be more important than against Navy’s triple option attack. Successfully defending the option requires defensive football players to follow strict assignments and, in some ways, ignore basic instincts like flying to the football. This will be a particularly difficult task for true freshman like T.J. Simmons and Darius Latham who will be playing in just their second college football game. #2 Capitalize on Offensive Opportunities Navy’s run-heavy offense and ability to put together long drives will lead to fewer possessions for the Hoosiers, which in turn will leave the offense with fewer chances to score. The offense knows opportunities will not be as plentiful against the Midshipmen as they were against the Sycamores. They will need to put points on the board every chance they get in order to provide some cushion for the defense. Failing to capitalize on offensive opportunities cost the Hoosiers the game last year in Annapolis. On three drives, the offense got the ball inside the Navy 20 yard line but had to settle for field goals. Two other possessions ended with interceptions thrown by Cam Coffman, including one that was returned for a touchdown. Finally, with the game on the line and trailing by a single point, the offense was unable to move the ball on their last two possessions of the game. Here are the highlights if you want to relive the pain: If the Hoosier offense is again unable to capitalize on opportunities, expect the same result in the win-loss column. #3 Make Adjustments All of the reports coming out of the Navy camp indicate their offense will be more diverse this year than in the past. It’s great if you’re one of the most effective option teams in the country, but that effectiveness diminishes when opposing defenses know it’s coming every time. Last year, Navy was held to 144 yards and 0 points against San Jose State. Archrival Army then had the audacity to place 10 defensive players near the line of scrimmage, effectively daring Navy to pass. The result for Navy was a poor rushing game and an embarrassed head coach: The bad news for Indiana is that Navy didn’t play in week one. Therefore, the defensive coaches don’t know exactly what to expect from the newly diversified Navy offense. Coaches will have to quickly identify and dissect the different looks being shown by the Midshipmen and then adjust their defense accordingly as the game progresses. #4 Improve Play along the Offensive Line If there was a weakness on the offensive side of the ball during the 73-point effort against Indiana State, it was along the line. Although the Sycamores never came up with a sack, there were plenty of times when the quarterback was rushed out of the pocket and forced to throw the ball away. If the offensive line can’t keep FCS level players away from the quarterback, they may have serious problems against Navy. The Hoosiers were the Big Ten’s leading passing offense last year, and it was no coincidence that their offensive line was the second best in the conference at protecting the quarterback. If the quarterbacks aren’t able to play pitch and catch with their receivers and put points on the board, the Hoosiers could be in trouble. #5 Get Help from the Crowd (Yes You!) It’s no secret that Indiana ranks near the bottom of the Big Ten in attendance every year, but Athletic Director Fred Glass has done a tremendous job trying to change that. If you haven’t already, check out some of the newly implemented game day enhancements. Although an effort to fill the stands is being made, students still have a particularly bad reputation for not making it into games. It's time to change that and make the actual game atmosphere as rowdy as the tailgates, as it is at other schools. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9CVx_fQAqY As Coach Wilson pointed out earlier this week, the crowd's noise level will play a particularly crucial role against Navy: So if you’re in Bloomington this weekend, run the marathon. Tailgate like a champ, carry the energy into Memorial Stadium, and then head to Kirkwood to celebrate the victory.

During this off-season, I've seen worries about Indiana Basketball’s height from numerous places. IUSportsReport summed it up best, “The Hoosiers are small this year and height will be the Achilles heel.” Why, suddenly, are people acting like height will be an issue for Indiana this season? The only real height issue I could see is if Hanner Mosquera-Perea, who is 6-feet 8-inch tall, starts at center, and maybe 6-8 Jeremy Hollowell playing power forward. Other than that, where is the height issue? Last season, Indiana’s starting line-up was comprised of two 6-foot, one 6-5, one 6-9, and a 7-foot tall player. Yogi and Jordy were short. Oladipo was short, but long and athletic. Let’s not forget that Watford was no giant at the four, either. While he was seven-feet tall, Cody Zeller had short arms. It’s not like IU rolled out the Monstars last year. The average height of the starting five was 77 inches, or 6-feet 5-inch. The average height of the players on scholarship was 79 inches, or 6-feet 7-inch. This season, depending on who you foresee as starting, Indiana’s starters may be comprised of a 6-foot, a 6-2, a 6-7, a 6-10 (really 6-9.75), and a 7-foot player. That’s a starting five of Yogi Ferrell, Evan Gordon, Will Sheehey, Noah Vonleh, and Luke Fischer. Basically, the Hoosiers should increase height at nearly every position. Compared to last year’s starters, the average height of that hypothetical five is a whole inch taller: 78 inches. Let’s say Evan Gordon doesn’t start, however, and Tom Crean decides to go with a combination I prefer of Yogi, Sheehey, Hollowell, Vonleh, and Fischer. The average height of those five: 79.4 (so close to rounding up to 80) inches, or 6-feet 7-inch. Even if Perea started in place of Fischer, the average height of the two hypothetical starting line-ups would be 78 inches (6-6) and 79 inches (6-7), respectively. That’s a sizable height increase as a unit. The four main guys off the bench minutes-per-game-wise for Indiana last year were Will Sheehey, Remy Abell, Jeremy Hollowell, and Maurice Creek. The average height of those four was 78 inches (6-6). Looking at this season, the main guys off the bench this year will likely be Troy Williams, Perea/Fischer, Gordon/Hollowell, and Stan Robinson. The average height with Perea and Hollowell: 79 inches (6-7). The average height with Gordon and Fischer: 78 inches (6-6). Each either the same or larger than last year. Also, Austin Etherington, Devin Davis, and Collin Hartman could see minutes off the bench. All are 6-6 or taller. The average height of players on scholarship this season will be the exact same as last season: 79. Yet, height is an issue. If the Hoosiers receive a height boost at three of five starting positions, where is the height issue? If the Hoosiers starting five will definitely be taller than last year’s, where is the height issue? If the main bench guys are taller than last year’s main bench guys, then where in the world is the height issue? Are we really that worried about Perea starting at center that we panic over the team’s height? Even if Perea started at center, he’s long and athletic enough to defend most other competitors. So, next time you see someone say “the Hoosiers are small this year,” remember this: If anything, Indiana got taller, longer, and more athletic. The starting five will be taller compared to last year’s, as will the main guys off the bench. Indiana’s height is a non-issue, and the Hoosiers will be fine. (Photo: Joe Robbins/Getty Images North America)

As the season nears, the quarterback competition remains very tight. Tre Roberson, Cam Coffman, and Nate Sudfeld are neck-and-neck, as head coach Kevin Wilson awaits for a dynamic QB to separate from the group. Let's take a look at each QB. Tre Roberson: About halfway through his freshman season, former Indiana Mr. Football Tre Roberson claimed the starting role. In his first year, he passed for 937 yards, three touchdowns, and six interceptions, along with a 57.0 completion percentage. The dangerous dual-threat quarterback also ran for 426 yards and two touchdowns. In 2012, Roberson won the starting job and seemed poised for a big year. His passing looked much better, as his completion percentage raised to 66.0% compared to 57.0% in his freshman year. He seemed much more comfortable with the offense. Unfortunately, as Roberson was rushing in the redzone, he broke his leg in the second game of the year against UMASS. This derailed his season, forcing Cam Coffman and Nate Sudfeld had to fill-in during his absence. In less than two complete games played in 2012, Roberson compiled 501 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. Roberson may have the most upside and athleticism of the three vying for the starting role. Some even argue he's the most talented of the bunch. He's also won a starting job before, and thrives off the pressure and competition. If he's improved since last year, Roberson could be the dynamic quarterback Wilson wants. Kevin Wilson has noticed Roberson's dual-threat ability: "The best athlete of the crowd is probably Tre Roberson." Cam Coffman: After Roberson went down last year, Cam Coffman stepped in and played relatively well. He had his struggles, forcing Nate Sudfeld to play some QB in relief at times, but ultimately was the best quarterback for Indiana. In 11 games last year, Coffman passed for 2,743 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, along with a 60.7 completion percentage. He also rushed for one touchdown. He passed for over 300 yards in three of the last four games and threw for under 230 yards just three times. Coffman may have the most experience of Indiana quarterbacks. He may also be the most polished passer. Coffman can sling the ball all over the field and post huge numbers any given game. Wilson says Coffman has great anticipation, vision, and is a little daredevil in him. One would assume that the QB competition will likely come down between him and Roberson. Nate Sudfeld: Sudfeld was originally redshirted last year, but Roberson's injury forced him to play. The highly-touted quarterback appeared in seven games as a freshman last season, mostly playing a relief-type role for Cam Coffman. His best performance came against Illinois when he went 10-15, threw for 107 yards, and two touchdowns, ultimately leading the Hoosiers to victory. Overall for the season, Sudfeld passed for 632 yards, seven touchdowns, and one interception, along with a 62.2 completion percentage. While he had a numerous chances, he never took the starting job from Coffman. Wilson says Sudfeld has the strongest arm of the three and is a "very smart, young player, very good." Sudfeld, the youngest of the group, is a true sophomore this year, and can still be redshirted, but Wilson has said that won't happen. Indiana had the top passing attack in the Big Ten last year, and Wilson is looking to improve even more. Knowing that, all seem capable of starting, but who do you think will be the starter when the season kicks-off? Comment and tell us why. Follow Jeff on Twitter: @All_Hoosiers Follow BtownBanners on Twitter: @BtownBanners

At the National Soccer Festival this past weekend, the Hoosiers battled two top-fifteen squads in Marquette and North Carolina. Ranked 12th and 4th respectively, the two opponents were able to test what most people saw as the chief cause for concern for the Cream and Crimson: how would the defense hold up after losing goalkeeper Luis Soffner and central defender Caleb Konstanski? Turns out, the team is proving many of the doubters wrong. Even with the results not coming in the form of W's, the needs that the team needed to address were met, and the players will be holding onto the edge of having to work for another title. In Thursday's matchup against Marquette, the effective attack of the Hoosiers showed when they took a 3-1 lead into the half behind goals from A.J. Corrado, Jacob Bushue, and freshman forward Tommy Thompson. They also held a 17-3 shot advantage over the Golden Eagles in that half. Coming back into the second half, they switched out Michael Soderlund for Colin Webb, along with a completely new set of field players, and ended up conceding 2 more goals before the full 90, and the match ended in a 3-3 draw. Saturday's game was a much different story than the goal-fest a few days prior. The shot tally at the end of the first 45 was 8-5 with the Hoosiers leading the Tar Heels, and Indiana not allowing a shot on goal until 8 minutes left to play in the first half. While UNC ended up with the game winner just moments after the clock began running for the second time, it is very telling that Soderlund, who played the entirety of the match, only had one save. What did these two matches teach? They showed that even without goal-scoring machine Eriq Zavaleta, this Hoosier side can still net enough goals to win matches. It showed that a defense that lost its vocal leader can still wrap up a skilled offensive attack. It even showcased how Soderlund can be effective moving forward as the starter in front of goal. All of these things, combined with the continued progression of the chemistry in the midfield, will ultimately be the deciding factor as to how far this team can go. With a such a small sample size, it is hard to tell where the team will go from here. But as far as addressing the questions brought before them, it is clear this team has what it takes to have a successful season. Photo Credit goes to Chad Ryan/The Journal Gazette

The Hoosiers are about to show the world if it can be done. While the candidates may be young and not the most experienced in the college game, that will not deter them from strapping up the gloves and doing all they can to prevent the ball from kissing the twine. So without further ado, let's meet the men who will be the last line of defense for Indiana. Michael Soderlund: The redshirt sophomore from Boise, Idaho, is the only Hoosier who has experience in goal at the collegiate level, with 108:03 minutes total in his time with Indiana, all coming his freshman season in 2011. After securing his first and only win against Evansville that year, he stayed off the pitch this past year to reserve a year of eligibility. One takeaway from his only stint of action was his five saves in a full 90 minutes against the Purple Aces, and finished his freshman year with a Goals Against Average of 0.83. Soderlund is the favorite to start between the posts for the Hoosiers, having played the most in the preseason matches. The results may not have been W's, but his 11 saves against the U-20 Mexican National team are a tribute to how poised the up-and-comer is. Colin Webb: The second choice behind Soderlund has to be freshman Colin Webb. Even with no recorded time on the pitch for the Hoosiers, his credentials tell all you need to know about his ability to play the game. A member of the U-15 and U-17 National Team pools, Webb is no stranger to a high level of competition. In addition to his national achievements, he has also had the opportunity to train internationally, most notably at the Tottenham Hotspurs Academy in London as well as the Sporting Lisbon Academy in Portugal. These experiences will prove to be very valuable as his training progresses at IU. Sean Weidman: This redshirt sophomore sat out his freshman year and didn't receive any playing time behind Soffner last year, but did gain Academic All-Big Ten honors. In high school, he started 54 games with 31 of them being shutouts, and posted a GAA of 0.53 as a senior when he led his team to an undefeated regular season. He is very familiar with senior Nikita Kotlov as they played together on their high school team and in club play. Kyle Wieschhaus: He didn't play soccer last year as a freshman, as instead he was on the practice squad IU's women's basketball team. Up in South Bend he was named a team captain and MVP while leading St. Joseph's to a sectional title and regional runner-up. Just because he spent last year on the hardwood doesn't mean he can't make an impact on the pitch. Curt Miller, the women's basketball team coach, stresses the importance of leadership from his players, so you can be sure that message wasn't lost on Kyle. Though the roster shows four keepers, coach Todd Yeagley will certainly be looking to only have to use one throughout the season, while having the others gain experience when they can. While the assumption is Soderlund will start day one, Webb certainly has the skill set to challenge for the job. It will certainly be interesting to see who can step up and provide rock solid performances week in and week out.

Here is a quick peek at super Freshman Noah Vonleh. The Five Star forward is sure to bring some intensity and fire to this young Hoosier squad. Coach Crean and Indiana Assistant coach Kenny Johnson have both been singing praise for Vonleh's early hard work in Cook Hall. Coach Crean tweeted Noah is likely to be Indiana's newest 365 day worker. That kind of work ethic is what us Hoosier fans like to see! Highlights: What do you like best about Noah's game?

July 22, 2013 Zeller Sits Final Two Games, Dominates VSL Cody Zeller played four of six possible games in the Vegas Summer League, sitting the final two. All Bobcat starters sat the final two games. After a mediocre Summer League debut, Zeller finished strong, ultimately leaving a great impression. In four games, Zeller averaged 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.80 blocks per game. In his final three games, however, he averaged a double-double, 19 points and 10.7 rebounds. He shot 26-50 (52%) from the field during the VSL, and 13-18 (72.2%). He went 0-2 from three. Zeller led the Bobcats in rebounding, was second in scoring, and second in blocks per game. In the VSL, Cody Zeller was 14th in scoring and 6th in rebounding. He was named to the All NBA Summer League team, the only rookie to earn that honor. Criticism was thrown at Bobcats owner Michael Jordon for passing on guys like Nerlens Noel and Ben McClemore and selecting Cody Zeller at number four in the 2013 draft. After Zeller's rather dominant Summer, however, the critics have quieted down, and excitement has swept over Charlotte. Many criticized Zeller's decision to leave Indiana citing, "He's not ready." While there was reason to express that specific concern, he sure looked ready for the NBA this past week. Victor Oladipo's Strong Orlando Summer League From July 7-12, former Indiana Guard Victor Oladipo played in the Orlando Summer League for the Orlando Magic. The number two overall draft pick played some experimental minutes at point guard, and had an outstanding Summer League. He was arguably the best player in the OSL. In four games, Oladipo averaged 19.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 3.0 steals per game. He shot 37.5% from the field, but a feathery 53.8% from three. As a result of his point guard experiment, he averaged a not-so-feathery 4.8 turnovers per game. He led the Magic in scoring, assists, and steals per game, and was fourth in rebounds per game. Oladipo was clearly the go-to guy, as the second-leading scorer for Orlando, Moe Harkless, averaged six less points than him (13.0). A rather surprising stat: Oladipo led the Magic in three-point shooting percentage (min: 10 attempts). Across the entire Orlando Summer League, Victor was second in scoring. Among players who played a minimum of three games, however, Oladipo was the leading scorer. (OKC Guard Reggie Jackson averaged 19.5 points in only two games.) He was sixth in assists per game, and was T-1 in steals per game. Oladipo was T-31 in rebounds, which is impressive for a guard. Vic was named to the All NBA Summer League first team. While it's only Summer League, Oladipo appeares to be the pre-season favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year next season. It's unlikely he'll play many minutes at point guard next year, but he should start for Orlando. One word to describe Vic's Summer League: feathery. July 19, 2013 Watford Ends Summer League on a High Note On July 19, Christian Watford and the Dallas Mavericks played their Consolation Round game against the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls won 94-87. Watford had one of his best performances, however, ending his Summer on a high note. For the third time in five games with Dallas, Watford was in the starting line-up. He got things going, draining a three and grabbing rebounds. He also drew a foul and made both free throw shots. At the half, Watford had five points, four rebounds, one assist, and one block. He wouldn't do as much in the second half, however. In the second half, Watford was scoreless, and grabbed just one more rebound. Early in the fourth, he passed up an open three, took our dribbles in the lane, missed a floater, and missed the subsequent tip-in attempt. Obviously, that's not how Watford played in his four years at Indiana. With this being his last Summer League game, Watford was clearly pressing, presumably trying to prove that he's not just a three-point shooter. He would end the game with five points, five rebounds, one assist, and one block in 16 minutes of play. He shot 1-6 from the field, including 1-2 from three. He was 2-2 from the free throw line. Final Summer League Analysis: Christian Watford's Summer League had ups-and-downs. He had bright moments like last night and bleak moments, including scoreless games. Now, Watford will either get an invite to a team's training camp, or he'll presumably have to play overseas. His best option for a training camp invite is probably with the Pacers, who raved about him after Rookie Camp. As an Indiana Pacer in the Orlando Summer League (three games), Watford averaged three points, 1.7 rebounds, and 12 minutes per game. In those three games, he shot 30% from the field and 25% from three. As a Dallas Maverick in the Vegas Summer League (five games), Watford averaged 2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 9.8 minutes per game. He shot 25% from the field and 33% from three. Overall, in eight Summer League games, Watford averaged 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. He shot 7-26 (26.9%) and a dismal 5-17 (29.4%) from three. He did, however, shoot 2-4 (50%) from three in his final two games. July 18, 2013 Zeller Continues Summer League Dominance After a mediocre Summer League debut for Cody Zeller, Bobcat fans continued their harsh criticism of picking the big man at number four. Lately, however, excitement has replaced the criticism. On July 18, Zeller had another fantastic performance, as he led Charlotte to a 92-84 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Zeller just missed a third consecutive double-double. In 32 minutes of play, The Big Handsome scored 18 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished two assists, and blocked one shot. Ed Isaacson of NBA Draft Blog raved about Zeller's awareness, tweeting, "Most impressive part of watching Zeller is his awareness on both ends. Sees everything that's going on." Zeller had trouble taking care of the ball, turning it over four times. He's averaging 3.5 turnovers per game. Overall, Zeller is having a tremendous summer. In his last three games, he's averaging a double-double, 19 points and 10.7 rebounds. Zeller is shooting 22-41 (53.7%) in those three games, as well. At the moment, he leads the Bobcats in rebounding and is second in scoring. Cody Zeller will take on the D-League Select in the quarterfinals of the Vegas Summer League Tournament on Saturday, July 20. Watford Produces in Limited Minutes On Thursday night, Christian Watford and the Dallas Mavericks played the number one seed Golden State Warriors in the Vegas Summer League Tournament. The Warriors came back from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win and advance. After the loss, the Mavs were bounced to the Consolation Bracket. Once again, Watford faced limited minutes. After playing zero minutes against the Clippers on July 17, Watford actually saw some time on the court against Golden State. His minutes were limited, however. He played three minutes. Unlike previous games, however, Watford produced in his limited time on the court. Going 1-2 from three, Watford scored three points and grabbed one rebound, a noticeable step up from previous performances. Watford and the Mavs will play the Chicago Bulls on Friday, July 19. July 16, 2013 Limited Minutes Leads to Another Scoreless Game for Watford Former Indiana forward Christian Watford and the Dallas Mavericks took on the D-League Select on July 16. It was each team's final game before the Vegas Summer League Tournament. The D-League Select won the contest 82-75. For the first time in a Mavericks uniform, Watford was not in the starting line-up. He quickly checked into the game mid-first quarter, however, and played until the beginning of the second. Only playing six minutes, Watford saw very limited action. He did not play after the first. Thanks in part to limited minutes, Watford went scoreless. His final stat line: zero points, zero rebounds, zero assists, and one turnover. Watford has gone scoreless in three of his last four games. All Summer, whether it's been in Orlando or Las Vegas, Watford has seen limited opportunities. His highest minute total is 18, and that came back on July 8 with the Pacers. His second-highest is 12, which came on his debut with the Mavs. The lack of minutes has caused Watford to press, which has affected his shot. Through six games, Watford is shooting a mere 27% (5-18) from the field, including 23% (3-13) from three. Both numbers are shockingly low. For comparison, Watford shot 43% from the field and 48% from three during his senior season at Indiana. Watford is averaging 2.3 points per game, but has gone scoreless in three of six. As the Vegas Summer League Tournament begins, Watford will look to find his shot and turn some heads. All he's looking for is an invite to training camp. He'll take on the Los Angeles Clippers tonight at 10:30 PM ET. Follow @All_Hoosiers and @BtownBanners for updates on former Hoosiers in the Vegas Summer League. July 15, 2013 Cody Zeller Has Another Big Day in Bobcats Victory After a slow start in his Summer League debut, Cody Zeller has played sensational basketball lately. The nerves seem to be gone, and his confidence continues to grow. In his third Summer League game, Zeller faced the New York Knicks, looking to build off his double-double against the Mavericks in his previous game. Zeller started the day with ten first half points, which lead all Bobcat scorers going into the break. He kept things rolling early in the third, scoring six in the opening minutes. Zeller even attempted a three today, going 0-1. Ultimately, Zeller would score 18 off 7-11 shooting from the field and 4-7 from the free throw line. He was the overall second-leading scorer in the game. The Big Handsome grabbed ten boards, as well, giving him back-to-back double-doubles. With his double-double, Zeller helped lead the Bobcats to consecutive wins, improving their record to 2-1 in Summer League action. When asked about "finding his groove" in Summer League, Zeller responded, "Yeah, just a little bit. I just try to improve each game; try to learn from each game, win or lose; try to get better." After consecutive double-doubles, Zeller definitely seems to be finding his groove. He said one thing he can work on is "becoming more comfortable," which is understandable after just three Summer League games. Through three games, Cody is second on the team in points and rebounds, averaging 15.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He's also shooting a crisp 53% from the field. One thing is clear: Zeller has been very impressive over his last two games, and people are beginning to take notice. While it's too early to tell, Michael Jordan may have made the right pick at number four in the 2013 draft.

Join us in a look back over some of Victor's top plays during his final season in Bloomington. Special talent, he will definitely be missed in the Candy Stripes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k22hK2P-g94