Saturday's game was perhaps the most injury-riddled contest of the 2003 season. The Hoosiers played without senior captains Joe Gonzalez and Brian Lewis. Lewis didn't play because of a concussion, and Gonzalez left the game in the first half limping off the field. Gonzalez's X-rays were negative.\nJunior Matt LoVecchio missed the game because of lingering effects of a concussion.\nJunior right guard Chris Jahnke was injured in the first half, as well, but X-rays were also negative on the Louisville, Kent., native. In addition, senior Glenn Johnson bruised his ribs.\nIU coach Gerry DiNardo commented Tuesday on the current status of the injury situation and who would be practicing.\n"What I know today, I believe Joe (Gonzalez) will go, Matt (LoVecchio) will go, I believe (sophomore) John Pannozzo will go," DiNardo said. "I don't believe Chris Jahnke will go. Now that could change, as well, but this is what I know as of noon. Glenn Johnson is fine."
Offense gives McFarland good review\nWhile going 12 for 30 for 152 yards usually isn't exemplary numbers for a quarterback, freshman Graeme McFarland received good reviews from his teammates following Minnesota's 55-7 victory Saturday. McFarland was starting in place of LoVecchio, who was still recovering from lingering effects of a concussion and wasn't cleared to play.\nContributing to the complimentary reviews of the offense's performance was the fact that McFarland was told he would be starting Saturday morning, a few hours from game time. The freshman hadn't gotten the reps that LoVecchio had in practice all week.\nSophomore Chris Taylor, who scored IU's only touchdown of the day, said McFarland did well considering the circumstances.\n"That's kind of tough, when you've worked with the same quarterback all year (LoVecchio)," Taylor said. "But I feel like Graeme came in and did pretty good. For his first game starting, he did real good. (But) it's hard to be so used to one quarterback and have another come in."\nMcFarland said he was nervous before the game, but once the action started, it all went away.\nContrary to his teammates, McFarland said he didn't do well.\n"The first couple of series I was taken aback because it is a lot different than what I'm used to," McFarland said. "The nerves, they went away. I didn't do very well and I'm not too happy with that."\n\nBattle of the goose-eggs\nSaturday's matchup between IU and Illinois at Memorial Stadium will feature the two last-place teams in the Big Ten. Both teams have failed to win a Big Ten game this season. IU is 1-8 overall and 0-5 in the Big Ten. Illinois is 1-9 and 0-6 in the conference. \nBoth schools have beaten their respective ISU's for their only wins on the year. IU upended Indiana State 33-3 Sept. 13. U of I outscored Illinois State 49-22 Sept. 6.\nDiNardo said Tuesday Illinois' and IU's offense are very comparable schematically.\n"I would say we are two of the purest West Coast offenses in college football," DiNardo said. "So their scheme is very similar to ours, which helps us in a preparation standpoint because not only our scout team should as a result of that give our defensive players a good look because they are used to doing it."
Extra points\nSaturday's game will start at 12:10 p.m. and will be televised by ESPN-Plus … Illinois holds 40-17-3 lead in the series and has won the last three meetings with the Illini winning 45-14 last season.\n-- Staff writer Gavin Lesnick contributed to this report. Contact staff writer John Rodgers at jprodger@indiana.edu.
