Receivers dedicated to improve from last season

IU's wide receiving corps and coach Cam Cameron admit the Hoosiers had some difficulties catching the football last season.\nIt seemed like for every play the receivers made, there were one or two more they could've made. With this in mind, the receivers spent the summer in Bloomington working with the quarterbacks.\nAfter two games, the receivers' dedication is evident, and the Hoosiers are dropping fewer passes. IU ranks fifth in the Big Ten, averaging 191.5 receiving yards per game. \nOne of the big differences this season is the ability of the receivers to make big plays. When junior quarterback Antwaan Randle El found an open target in IU's first two games against North Carolina State and Kentucky, his receiver managed to hold onto the ball. In the Sept. 9 opener against North Carolina State, seniors Versie Gaddis and Jerry Dorsey caught touchdown passes of 70 and 57 yards, respectively. \n"We are off to a pretty good start," Gaddis said. "We haven't come across too many dropped balls, and that's great because we worked hard all summer trying to improve."\nCatching pass after pass from the same rotation of quarterbacks isn't many college kids idea of summer fun. But IU's receivers realized it was going to take this kind of dedication to improve this year.\n"Past summers we didn't do as much as we did this summer," junior wide receiver Derin Graham said. "Going into the season we knew we were going to have a great season as a receiver group. We worked with the quarterbacks a lot and did seven-on-sevens and things like that."\nCameron said the receivers should be more of a factor Saturday against Cincinnati. Randle El attempted 26 passes last Saturday against Kentucky and 27 against North Carolina State. IU's opponents have attempted almost twice as many passes (100) as the Hoosiers in the first two games.\n"I thought our receivers played extremely well against Kentucky," Cameron said. "It's just that we weren't able to get them the football. We will get that corrected this week." \nRandle El has connected with just three wide receivers in the early stages of the season: Gaddis, Graham and Dorsey. But every day in practice a battle wages between IU's three established receivers and less established players such as junior college transfer Henry Frazier, redshirt freshman L.J. Parker and sophomore Glenn Johnson. \nGaddis leads the team in receiving yards with 108 and is second in receptions with four. But Gaddis realizes if he makes a few mistakes he might be replaced by a just as talented receiver.\n"Of course there is always going to be competition," Gaddis said. "All of us appreciate the competition because it makes you better."\nIf Gaddis, Dorsey or Graham falter, Cameron said he isn't reluctant to throw a younger player into the mix.\n"We have great competition at receiver," Cameron said. "Guys who get to play know if they don't play well they know there are guys right behind them who can play"