Usually a Big Ten doormat, Indiana has made quite the turnaround this year.
The Hoosiers finished last season with just one conference win, a 36-13 victory over fellow bottom-dweller Illinois.
With two games left in its 2006 campaign, Indiana has already tripled its Big Ten win total from a year ago, and sits one victory away from earning its first trip to a bowl game since 1993.
No. 2 Michigan could have its hands full tomorrow when it goes for its 15th straight win over the Hoosiers.
“They’ve proven that they can make some big plays and knock off some big opponents,” said defensive end Jeremy Van Alstyne, who grew up 45 minutes north of Bloomington in Greenwood, Ind. “They’re having a great season.”
Indiana can thank quarterback Kellen Lewis for that.
In his last five contests, including all three of the Hoosiers’ Big Ten wins, Lewis has amassed 1,383 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns. His 255-yard, three-touchdown performance in Indiana’s surprising 31-28 win over then-No. 15 Iowa on Oct. 14 earned him co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Even though the Hoosiers (3-3 Big Ten, 5-5 overall) struggled against Minnesota last weekend (the Golden Gophers pummeled Indiana, 63-26), Lewis set a career high with 396 total yards.
“I think this young quarterback, Kellen Lewis, is destined for stardom,” Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. “He’s got great ability to run the football, but I think he’s even more impressive as a passer. He’s got a great release, a strong arm, and (he’s) a guy that has really brought this team together.”
Not bad for a player who expected to see the field on just a handful of trick plays when the season began.
A redshirt freshman, Lewis started the year as Indiana’s third-string signal caller. Then the Hoosiers lost both of their top quarterbacks (Blake Powers and Graeme McFarland) by halftime of their second game, and Lewis was thrown into the starting lineup.
He’s had college football buzzing ever since.
“We know that he’s a very good quarterback,” said linebacker Chris Graham, who hails from Indianapolis. “Just sit yourself down and watch the games that he played in – he’s a very good leader for their team.”
Even so, Lewis probably wouldn’t have made such a splash without Indiana’s standout receiving corps. The Hoosiers’ top seven receivers are each averaging at least nine yards per catch, and they’ve all grabbed a minimum of 14 passes.
But redshirt sophomore James Hardy is unquestionably the star. Rivals.com named him to its freshman All-America team last year after he caught 61 passes for 893 yards and 10 touchdowns, and a number of season-preview magazines placed him on their preseason All-Big Ten first teams this year.
Even with so many Indiana receivers nabbing balls, Hardy has amassed 534 yards and nine touchdowns on 38 receptions this year.
“He’s definitely going to be one of the biggest, one of the hardest guys I’ve gone against this year, and same with the other corners,” senior cornerback Leon Hall said. “He is definitely a special talent.”
Indiana’s big-play ability might be striking a little extra fear into Michigan’s defense after its sluggish showing against Ball State a week ago. The Wolverines’ second-string defenders were burned on two long pass plays in the second half, and Michigan allowed a season-high 26 points.
Apparently, the Wolverines (7-0, 10-0) heard the wake-up call loud and clear.
“We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing all season, which is running the ball, stopping the run (and) not giving up big plays,” Hall said.
If they do, the new-look Hoosiers should have at least one thing in common with last year’s disappointing squad – a loss to Michigan.