Hoosier LET DOWN

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Last week, the IU football team forced seven turnovers from a ranked opponent at a stadium that hadn't seen a non-conference visitor win in a decade. Saturday, that same Hoosier defense was unable to capitalize on the opponents' miscues or keep them out of the end zone.\nIn Kentucky's 51-32 win against IU (2-1) Saturday evening, the Wildcats bludgeoned the cream and crimson defense, compiling 355 rushing yards and an additional 205 through the air. In total, the Hoosier defense allowed a Wildcat team, that had been shutout in their only other contest of the season, to gain 560 yards.\nThe game was reminiscent of the Hoosier teams of the Cam Cameron era, where IU would put up lofty offensive numbers but the defense would allow just enough for the team to lose. Following IU's first two games of the season, both resulting in victories, many Hoosier-faithful believed the shootouts that were so prevalent in the Cameron days were a thing of the past. \nIU's offense, led by senior quarterback Matt LoVecchio, put 32 points on the board and racked up 412 yards of total offense, averaging an impressive 6.3 yards per play. However, Kentucky's average of 7.7 yards a play foiled the Hoosiers' attempts to improve their record to 3-0 for the first time since 1994. \n"We missed a lot of tackles. We weren't doing our responsibilities," senior defensive lineman Jodie Clemons said. "We work on it every week in practice and to come out here and just blow it -- we had an opportunity to do something here for the first time in a long time and we didn't seize the moment." \nIn last week's upset victory over then-No. 24 Oregon, the Hoosier defenders were the first to jump on loose balls, falling on all four Oregon fumbles, and were able to wrestle three interceptions from the Ducks as well. Saturday, IU defenders forced the Wildcat ball carriers to put the ball on the turf three times, but were only able to scoop up one of them, that one being senior defensive end Victor Adeyanju's fumble recovery, which he returned four yards for a Hoosier touchdown. \n"We just didn't fly around to the ball today. We weren't in the right spots at the right time," senior safety Herana-Daze Jones said. "We're used to swarming to the ball and when the ball was on the ground, nobody was there to pick it up. When you get to the ball, good things happen, when you don't, they get it right back. Our goal is to get three turnovers a game and we didn't do it."\nTrailing 27-17 at halftime, the Hoosier defense came out with a bang. Junior defensive end Kenny Kendal came around the edge and blind-sided Kentucky quarterback Shane Boyd, causing the Wildcat signal caller to cough up the ball. Adeyanju scooped up the fumble and returned it for the score, closing the gap to three points.\nOn Kentucky's next drive, the Wildcats drove down the field quickly and sat on the IU 19-yard line. Boyd dropped back and threw an out pass to receiver Scott Mitchell. Junior cornerback Buster Larkins read the pass well and jumped the route with nothing but empty green in front of him, only to have the ball arrive a split second earlier, with Mitchell turning up the field for the 19-yard touchdown.\n"Corners have to have short memories. My break was there and I just looked for the ball too late," Larkins said. ".1 second too late -- it was six for them instead of six for us."\nThe Hoosiers have been out-gained in yardage in each of the team's first three games and is giving up an alarming average of 481 yards a game. In IU's previous two games, the Hoosier defense could best be described as a bend but don't break defense, but Saturday the lines broke wide open.\n"The ball didn't bounce our way," senior linebacker Kyle Killion said. "Sometimes that happens. You just gotta keep fighting. Coming off this, its going to leave a bitter taste in your mouth. We just need to work that much harder and prepare for Michigan State."\n-- Contact sports editor Matt Glenesk at mglenesk@indiana.edu.