Sports

By Derek Levarse dlevarse@timesleader.com
Sports Reporter
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A loss at Penn State on Saturday will officially sink Indiana’s bowl hopes.

In the Hoosier state, however, the season essentially ends Friday.

Indiana basketball starts its schedule that night back in Bloomington, and in many pockets of the state, college football simply fades away.

Bill Lynch’s team had its opportunities to stay on the radar this season.

The 4-6 Hoosiers have held leads against Michigan, Northwestern and Iowa before falling apart in the second half and losing each game. Last week, they played Wisconsin close for the entire game, losing 31-28.

By digging themselves such a whole, they now must win at Penn State on Saturday and back home against Purdue next week just to become bowl-eligible.

“Honestly, we are not talking about that,” said Lynch, now in his third season since taking over the team after Terry Hoeppner’s death. “Where we are and where we have played hard every game, we have concentrated on the process. Sometimes when you talk about a game being a must-win, everything you work for goes out the window, then you get away from what we have done pretty well.

“I’ve said so many times that we have to play the next play. I think that’s the approach we’re taking. One of the things I think is important with this football team that I concentrated on (Monday), is the effort and the energy we’ve been playing with. That has to be the norm – that you should play with effort and energy every play, snap and half. You only get so many opportunities to play this game, so you better take advantage of each and every one of them.”

That’s the mentality that Indiana has to take at this point. Focusing on the big picture can get a little depressing after so many tough losses.

Though the Hoosiers sit last in the Big Ten with just two weeks of league play left, things aren’t quite as bleak as they have been in the past.

The coaching on offense has been creative, using different formations and misdirection to try and compensate for deficits in talent. Which isn’t to say the Hoosiers are devoid of it.

Ben Chappell has been serviceable at quarterback. Tandon Doss has been one of the better receivers in the conference. On defense, ends Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton should both end up in the NFL.

“You have to execute to beat somebody,” Lynch said. “Sometimes people say you’re playing well and the breaks are going against you, but you make your own breaks. That’s just a game. In a game, you’re playing against someone who is good and well coached. So, it’s a matter of making the plays.

“That’s where our concentration is – not, ‘This is a must-win.’ We would be too worried about the game being a must-win at Penn State. I’m more worried about how we are going to execute on third downs. It may not be the quarterback hitting the receiver or the receiver getting open, but it may be a player up front who could pass block better. Or if it’s third-and-1, we have to block better. … That’s what we’re going to go out and do in practice and stay away from the idea of a must-win. The last few games have been must-wins in the minds of the players, and we’re getting away from the process of what we have to do to be successful on Saturdays.”