Indiana football without a 'd'

Stop me if you have heard this one before.\nWhat do you get when you take the "d" out of Indiana?\nAnswer: The Iniana football team.\nFrom now on, IU's defense has lost all privileges to the "d" in Indiana until the Hoosiers can hold opponents to back-to-back under "30-something" games. The "d" does not show up on Saturdays, so why should it be included the rest of the week?\nDon't get me wrong, Northwestern's offense can make almost any defense buckle like a baby's knees when learning to walk. The Wildcats put defenses in a difficult situation when they spread opponents out with four-man wide receiver sets as if a predominant passing team, but then handed the ball off 60 percent of the time.\n There's no simple way to stop the Wildcats' offense, except to execute consistently on defense.\n Poor tackling, missed coverage and lack of concentration by "Iniana's" defense Saturday made things that much easier for Northwestern.\n Damien Anderson mowed Ryan Field's grass for 292 yards and four touchdowns against IU as if he was driving one of those John Deere lawnmowers that are rigged to race in events. Anderson has punished other defenses, but none like IU's.\n That's my point -- offenses, such as North Carolina State's, Kentucky's and Northwestern's, drowned IU defense in points whereas other teams are at least able to bob for air. \nIowa (33 points), Northwestern (52 points), North Carolina State (41 points) and Kentucky (41 points) all have scored its season high in points against "Iniana's" defense. Plain and simple, IU's defense is second rate.\nWithout the measly six-point performance by Cincinnati, which ranks 74th in the nation in scoring, the Hoosiers would be the worst defense in the nation. Now, they are only 103th out of 114 with a 34.6 average per game. \nAt first, it only seemed as if the Hoosiers could not stop the pass (114th in nation, 295.6 yards per game), but they have now proved they're equally as bad at stopping the run (81th in nation, 167 yards per game). IU allows 462.6 yards a game, which ranks 111th in the nation.\nLast year, former defensive coordinator Jon Heacock, who now is an assistant at Youngstown State, unrightfully took the blame for the defense's inabilities when he was fired and replaced by James Bell. The new coordinator has implemented an aggressive defense that has worked at other places, but because Bell is not a miracle worker and does not have near the talent of other Big Ten teams, his defense will continue to fail.\nNothing against the individual defensive players because I know they work their tails off for this school and sacrifice a lot, but IU's players just are not as athletically gifted as Michigan's or Ohio State's.\nWhat it all comes down to is recruiting. \nMichigan, Penn State, Ohio State and Wisconsin can sell its football traditions easily and show recruits how someday they can be in the NFL. IU has nothing but La Bamba's to sell to prospective students.\nIU also has a disadvantage because the state of Indiana just does not produce the greatest football players. The Buckeyes and Nittany Lions are able to pick the cream of the crop right from their back door while Purdue and IU have to go out of the state to stay competitive. \nPurdue at the beginning of the season had listed only two players from Indiana that were expected to start offensively or defensively. On the other hand, IU had nine players set to start from the state.\nTo crack the upper echelon of the Big Ten, the Hoosiers have to gain more talent from the rest of the country. Picking up Illinois' Steve Williams and Texas' Brandon Baker both of the 2000 class was a plus, but it will take a lot more to get the Hoosiers near the top.\nSome people believe it takes about four or five years to turn a program around. Cam Cameron is now in his fourth year at IU, and although he has made some minor progress, nothing has changed. \nIllinois' Ron Turner, Minnesota's Glen Mason, Purdue's Joe Tiller and Cameron all began coaching in 1997, and everyone but Cameron has been to a Bowl game. Northwestern coach Randy Walker has been able to turn his team's program around in only his second year.\nMy best bet would be Cameron will not removed at the end of this season even if IU doesn't win another game. Cameron will be given one last chance with his star quarterback, Antwaan Randle El. If he can't win next year after four years with IU's greatest offensive weapon, Cameron will be fired.\nBut that's another joke altogether.