Seniors play at Memorial for last time

It's one last time in front of the home fans. It's one last time for coach Gerry DiNardo to show the Hoosier faithful what the future of IU football holds. It's one last time for the 14 seniors on IU's roster to run onto the field at Memorial Stadium.\nIU (3-7, 1-5 Big Ten) plays its final home game 3:30 p.m. Saturday when No. 16 Penn State comes to Bloomington. \nIt may be their last home game, but some of the seniors haven't let that reality set in. They're too busy getting prepared to go against one of the best all-around teams in the Big Ten.\n"It's my last home football, but it's just really another game," senior A.C. Carter said. "It's Penn State. That's basically all I've been concentrating on, beating Penn State. I'm sure after the fact I'll realize it, but right now it's beat Penn State."\nBut beating Penn State (7-3, 3-3) will be no easy task. PSU has the Big Ten's leading rusher in senior Larry Johnson. Johnson is third in the nation is rushing and is the top runner in all-purpose yards.\nIU's run defense is second to last in the Big Ten, giving up 217.2 yards per game. Senior Kris Dielman said Johnson is helped out by a very good offensive line. Senior Antonio Watson said IU will have to make some adjustments to slow down the Penn State run game.\n"We're probably going to have to stack about eight or nine guys in the box," Watson said. "We'll force them to beat us with the pass. I think having eight or nine in the box will stop (quarterback Zack Mills) and their run game."\nMills runs a Penn State offense ranked 35th in the nation. He is a threat on the ground as much through the air, throwing for 14 touchdowns and rushing for two on the season. Senior Bryant Johnson and junior Tony Johnson make up a good receiving corp, each coming into this weekends game with three touchdowns.\n"They're pretty damn good," Dielman said. "Johnson is an impressive running back. Receivers are pretty good also. We have to do what we've been taught, take control of your gap and make tackles."\nDefensively, Penn State is equally as tough. The defense is led by senior defensive end Michael Haynes who leads the Big Ten in sacks, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles. He is one of four finalists for the Ted Hendricks Defensive End Award. \nThis week senior quarterback Tommy Jones will replace senior Gibran Hamdan as the IU starter. He will have his hands full against a defense that has only given up 20 touchdowns all season. This will be Jones' first start since the Sept. 7 loss to Utah.\nThe last time the Hoosiers finished with home record above .500 was 2000. DiNardo could become the first coach since Phil Dickens in 1958 to win more than half of his home games in his first year.\nThe game figures to have plenty of emotion as it is Senior Day. Carter said some of his teammates have been together so long that they don't want to see the game just happen. Watson said the team needs to come out with emotion and let it all hang out. But the emotion could affect the team in numerous ways.\n"It could help us or hurt us if we are too emotional," Watson said. "If you're too charged up, you're not focusing on your technique. But having a lot of emotion is good. It's better to have too much then no emotion. We just need this big win."\nDielman said he thinks the emotion will come more afterwards. He said guys will be focused on going out, getting the job done, and being leaders. And there is nothing more he would like to see than a win against Penn State in his final home game.\n"It would be awesome," Dielman said. "As a freshman I came in with a win. My first home game was a win so to go out on a high note and a win against Penn State would just be awesome. I know we can do it. We have the tools to do it"