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Indiana - Penn State Preview

BY JIMMY CAVANAUGH

After a disheartening loss last weekend to the North Texas Mean Green, the Indiana Hoosiers (1-3) return to Bloomington this weekend to begin conference play at home. Their first opponent will be a formidable one.

The Opponent: Penn State Nittany Lions (3-1)

When one thinks Penn State, the mind immediately jumps to two things – physicality and Joe Paterno. Paterno is the program patriarch and, as today’s longest tenured (by far) college coach, is always worth mentioning. The other Nittany Lion hallmark will likely be on display as well, as Penn State boasts an imposing offensive line and a solid ground game led by sophomore back Silas Redd. Paterno has made clear early in the season that he’s unhappy with how the Lions are performing on the ground so far, so it’s fair to assume that Penn State will make a point of running the ball.

The Nittany Lion passing attack has been less than spectacular this season, as sophomore Rob Bolden and junior Matt McGloin have split time to somewhat mixed results. Penn State averages just below 210 yards passing through the air and has thrown only one more touchdown than interception on the year. Both Bolden and McGloin are likely to see time on Saturday, and to this point McGloin has been the more effective of the two.

While PSU’s offense has struggled at times this year, their defense has had no such troubles. They rank top-10 nationally in scoring defense, and have allowed double-digit points only once this season. They boast a stout defensive line and their usual solid crop of linebackers. They seldom need to send extra pressure, as their defensive line gets consistent pressure, and their secondary does a great job of preventing big plays.

Game Day with Coach Rief Gilg

1.  Coach Gilg, what are your impressions from you 38-14 loss to Marion?

One of the more frustrating losses we have had, because I just don't think we performed well.  Marion played a very good game, and combine that with our turnovers, it was just too much to overcome.

2.  Give us quick scouting report on this week's opponent, Muncie Central?

Muncie Central is a team that is much improved; they play very good defense and have become much more efficient on the offensive side of the ball.  This is a good team who we play on the road, and we have a lot of improvements to make.

3.  Can you give us a quick injury report on the Vikings heading into this week's game?

Injury situation not much better; we learned this week that we have probably lost Tyler Blocker for the season, when initially it had been hoped that he would be back by mid year.

4.  Keys to getting a win against the Bearcats?

We need to get off the bus ready to go; a slow start would be very detrimental to our chances.  And like every week, we need to take care of the ball!

Former Boiler Kerrigan named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month

ASHBURN, VA – The National Football League announced today that Washington Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan has been named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September. He is the first Redskins player to win the award since Chris Horton in September 2008 and the fourth overall to receive the honor (Horton, Fred Smoot in September 2001 and Champ Bailey in October 1999).

Kerrigan was a nominee for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week following his Week 1 performance against the New York Giants. In a game played on the 10^th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Kerrigan totaled five tackles in his regular season debut and returned an interception nine yards for a Redskins’ go-ahead touchdown in the third quarter. He was the first rookie linebacker since 2002 (James Allen, Sept. 8) to score a touchdown on Kickoff Weekend.

For the month, the 16^th overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft registered 13 tackles (five solo), five quarterback pressures, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two passes defensed and one interception returned for a touchdown. He has started all three games this season at the left outside linebacker position for the Redskins.

Komets capture sniper Bennefield

Fort Wayne, IN -- The Komets announced Wednesday that they have traded defenseman Craig Cescon to the Wichita Thunder in exchange for right wing Jesse Bennefield.

Bennefield, 30, will be entering his seventh pro year.  The Calgary, Alberta native has totaled 94 goals, 111 assists and 205 points in 180 CHL games after completing his third season in the CHL last year.  Bennefield posted a career high 35 goals and 40 assists to rank 12th in the CHL for 2010-11 with 75 points in 66 games with Wichita .  

The right winger began his career in 2005-06 scoring 30 goals and 60 points in 63 games as a rookie with San Diego to earn a spot on the 2006 ECHL All-Star team.  The following year Bennefield jumped to the United Hockey League and helped Rockford to a 2007 Colonial Cup championship, assisting the IceHogs in eliminating the Komets in the second round of the playoffs.  Bennefield also split time with Milwaukee and Iowa appearing in six AHL games during 2006-07.

Bennefield made his CHL debut with Rio Grande in 2008-09 and skated two seasons with the Killer Bees before joining Wichta last year.

Cescon, 25, appeared in 60 games with Fort Wayne last season registering five assists and six points while accumulating a team-high 174 penalty minutes in his fourth pro year.

Notre Dame's Tyler Eifert Named John Mackey Tight End of the Week

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame junior Tyler Eifert was named the John Mackey Tight End of the Week by the Nassau County Sports Commission Wednesday. Other candidates considered for this week's award included Orson Charles of Georgia and Evan Rodriguez of Temple.

Eifert registered a career-high eight receptions, including four on the 11-play, 85-yard, go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter at Pittsburgh that gave the Irish a 15-12 lead. His four grabs on the TD drive totaled 34yards. Eifert also added a critical two-point conversion reception.

The eight catches by Eifert tied him with Kyle Rudolph (twice in 2010), John Carlson (2006), Anthony Fasano (2004) and Ken MacAfee (1977) for second most ever in a game by a Notre Dame tight end. The Irish single-game record is nine by MacAfee for 114 yards in a 31-24 victory at Purdue in 1977.

Eifert now leads all Football Subdivision tight ends in receptions (20), receptions per game (5.0), receiving yards (244) and receiving yards per game (61.0).

Indiana comeback falls short, loses to North Texas 24-21

DENTON, Texas (AP)—This was not the way Indiana wanted to finish its non-conference schedule.

Not with a rugged Big Ten schedule on the horizon, including its conference opener against Penn State next weekend.

Indiana was held scoreless through three quarters before backup quarterback Dusty Kiel led a frantic rally that fell short in a 24-21 loss to North Texas on Saturday night.

Lance Dunbar, who had 279 all-purpose yards, caught an 83-yard touchdown pass and North Texas scored on all three of its second-quarter drives to jump out to a 21-0 halftime lead.

Continue reading Indiana comeback falls short, loses to North Texas 24-21 - (AP) Rivals.com

Notre Dame rallies past Pitt, 15-12

PITTSBURGH (AP)—Pittsburgh spent 45 minutes knocking Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Reesaround.

The sophomore needed less than five minutes to knock the Panthers out.

Rees shrugged off a miserable start to hit tight end Tyler Eifert on a 6-yard touchdown pass with less than 7 minutes to go and lift Notre Dame to a 15-12 win on Saturday. The score and subsequent two-point conversion—also to Eifert—capped 4:40 of perfection from Rees as the Irish (2-2) won their second straight.

Rees went 8-for-8 on the game-winning drive, remaining patient even as the Panthers (2-2) bottled up Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd.

Continue reading Notre Dame rallies past Pitt, 15-12 - Will Graves (AP) | Rivals.com

 

Marion beats Huntington North, 38-14

Marion used six Huntington North turnovers to run away with a lopsided 38-14 on the Vikings home turf Friday Night.  Marion Head Coach Randy Sehy talks to The Gary Snyder Show on 1400 WBAT about the win:

Indiana - North Texas Game Preview

BY JIMMY CAVANAUGH

Despite a relatively easy slate to begin the season, the Indiana Hoosiers boast a sub-.500 record after three home games. This week won’t provide an easy win either, as Indiana heads to Denton, Texas for its first true road test.

The Opponent: North Texas Mean Green

Despite their name, North Texas isn’t a program with a tradition of being particularly intimidating. As a matter of fact, they’ve been historically inept in recent years under the stewardship of Todd Dodge and Mike Canales, accruing a record of 7-37 since the beginning of 2007. As a result of an absolutely dismal record, Dan McCarney was hired as the new Mean Green head football coach to attempt to lift the program back to relevance.

McCarney enters with a reputation for building successful defenses. One need only look at North Texas’ defensive numbers to see why his presence was desired this offseason. The Mean Green have allowed an obscene 43.3 points per game, good for 116^th in the nation. While much of that can be attributed to a rugged early schedule (Florida International, Houston and #2 Alabama) it’s obvious that this is a team that has plenty of room for growth on that side of the ball.

Big 10 Players of the Week

Offensive Player of the Week

James Vandenberg, Iowa

Jr., QB, Keokuk, Iowa/Keokuk

·  Led Iowa on three touchdown drives in the final 10 minutes to rally for a 31-27 win over Pittsburgh

·  Threw for 399 yards and three touchdowns, with each score coming in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning strike with 2:51 to play

·  Scored Iowa’s fist touchdown late in the third quarter on a one-yard run, cutting the score to 24-10

·  Earns his first Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor

·  Last Iowa Offensive Player of the Week: Ricky Stanzi (Oct. 18, 2010)

Dixon says sayonara to the field

MOTEGI, Japan -- The Indy Japan was Scott Dixon's from the start, which is just what the Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver needed to make a championship push as the IZOD IndyCar Series season winds down.

Dixon held off Will Power -- the new championship front-runner and repeat Mario Andretti Road Trophy titlist -- to win the final race at the mountaintop motorsports retreat and remain a factor in the title chase.

That race within a race turned on a Lap 26 restart when Dario Franchitti, who carried a five-point leader over Power into the 63-lap race, swung to the right and made contact with the right-rear of the No. 6 Guidepoint Systems Team Penske car driven by Ryan Briscoe entering Turn 1. Franchitti engaged reverse gear and continued, while Briscoe and Graham Rahal continued after being restarted.

Continue reading Dixon says sayonara to the field - David Lewenski | Indycar.com

 

Colts' struggles continue in 27-19 loss to Browns in home opener

The Colts are 0-2 for the first time in 13 years after losing to Cleveland 27-19 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Colts moved the ball, scoring on four of their first six possessions, but they couldn't score touchdowns. Adam Vinatieri made all four of his field goal attempts --- 39, 27, 52 and 36 yards.

The Browns took a 14-9 lead with 19 seconds left before halftime when Peyton Hillis ran 1 yard for a touchdown. Hillis finished with two touchdowns.

Continue reading Colts' struggles continue in 27-19 loss to Browns in home opener - Indystar.com

 

Hoosiers get first victory for Kevin Wilson, 38-31, over S. Carolina St.

BY JIMMY CAVANAUGH

It wasn’t pretty by any means but – after three tries – Kevin Wilson will certainly take the victory.

D’Angelo Roberts was happy to help.

Roberts, a true freshman, was the featured back as Wilson’s Indiana Hoosiers (1-2) overcame sloppy play (a team record 19 penalties and 156 yards) and poor defense (377 yards allowed, 203 above their opponent’s average) to defeat the South Carolina State Bulldogs (1-2, 1-0) by a final score of 38-21.

“As hard as we’ve been working and the kids have been working, getting a Saturday reward was something that we needed,” Wilson said after the game. “And hopefully it will continue.”

The Saturday reward Wilson referred to wasn’t a foregone conclusion until late in the fourth quarter, when sophomore quarterback Ed Wright-Baker hooked up with sophomore wideout Kofi Hughes on a bubble screen for a 40-yard touchdown that provided the final margin. Before that point, the Bulldogs definitely gave Indiana more than they wanted to handle.

Purdue breezes past Southeast Missouri

With the first two games of Purdue's season decided by blocked field goals as time expired, Saturday's 59-0 romp over Southeast Missouri proved to be the best remedy.

"We needed that," said running back Akeem Shavers, who rushed for two touchdowns and had a team-high 75 yards on the ground. "We had it in our mind that we were going to control this game from the first play to the last. We had the mindset that we were going to win and it wasn't going to be close."

No drama. No emotional ending. No second guessing.

Continue reading Purdue breezes past Southeast Missouri - Mike CAtmin | Jconline.com

Irish get first win, beat No. 15 Spartans 31-13

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP)—No surprises this time for Notre Dame. Just a victory that kept them out of an 0-3 hole and showed they can finish a game when they have a lead.

The Irish used two touchdown runs from Cierre Wood, an electrifying 89-yard kickoff return from freshman George Atkinson III and a key late interception from Robert Blanton to beat No. 15 Michigan State 31-13 Saturday for their first win.

“We wake up every morning and prepare to win,” said Blanton, part of an Irish defense that limited the Spartans to 29 rushing yards and only a field goal in the second half. “We just had to show we could go out and get the job done.”

Continue reading Irish get first win, beat No. 15 Spartans 31-13 - Rick Gano | Rivals.com