Goal-line plunge eludes IU offense

Two minutes left, first down, one yard to go. \nTrailing by a mere six points, the Hoosiers were knocking on Penn State's door with a chance to beat the Nittany Lions for the first time in 10 tries. \nIn a scenario that has become all too familiar for IU this season, the Hoosiers were unable to punch the ball in the end zone in four straight running plays, and gave the Hoosiers their seventh loss of the season.\nIU coach Gerry DiNardo said the four-down failure could be used as a decent stand-in for the program this season, as the Hoosiers have also dropped three hotly contested games against Michigan State, Northwestern and Illinois. While the close losses have been trying on the team, DiNardo said the troubles are indicative of better times in the future for the Hoosier program. \n"It is very frustrating, but it is better than being blown out," DiNardo said. "Us being close in games is a sign of progress for this program, but we are still making mistakes. I definitely do think that we are better than we have been."\nDiNardo's thoughts were echoed throughout the Hoosier locker room after the game. Junior running back Chris Taylor had an especially tough day; he was unable to put the ball in the end zone in the final drive. \n"I just feel sick, it's absolutely sickening," Taylor said. "We fought hard the whole game and with only one yard to go and we didn't get it." \nDisappointment is not a new feeling for the Hoosiers with the program's last winning season now a decade in the past. While there is some familiarity to the situation, junior linebacker Paul Szczesny said the emotion still hurts every time.\n"I'm just very disappointed," Szczesny said. "Everything that could go wrong went wrong for us. We didn't execute and we had our chances to win the game just like other games, but we just didn't come through."\nThe loss was especially bitter for seniors who have now suited up at Memorial Stadium for the last time in their careers. Senior defensive tackle Jodie Clemons said the close loss was tough, but he can find solace in the seemingly positive direction of the program. \n"We know that whatever we do is going to determine the future of this program and the seniors have to think like that," Clemons said. "We have to keep fighting and lead these guys because there's a good group of guys who are coming back."\nThe Penn State game did have its bright spots as junior linebacker Kyle Killion and senior wide receiver Travis Haney had career days. Killion garnered his first career touchdown off of a 46-yard interception return two minutes into the second quarter. Killion said the return not only marked his first touchdown donning the cream and crimson, but it was also the first touchdown since he first put on a set of shoulder pads.\n"I saw this guy that was kind of wide open and the (quarterback) was looking at him. I knew that he had some pressure on him and the ball came right to me," Killion said. \nHaney also made an occasion out of the final home game of his career. Haney finished the game as IU's top receiver with three catches for 74 yards including a 29-yard reception in the fourth quarter that brought the ball to the 1-yard line before the goal-line stand. Haney's day could have been statistically better. He caught an 18-yard pass in the third quarter that was initially ruled complete, but was called incomplete after a five minute play review by the referees.\nSenior safety Herana-Daze Jones said the loss could also be blamed on IU's lack of experience in close game situations. While the team has come up with a variety of reasons for the tough loss, the crestfallen feeling remains as uniform as the colors on their jerseys throughout the locker room. \n"Obviously, we've come close in a bunch of games and it gives you a disgusting feeling when you get so close but you can't pull it out in the end," Jones said. \n-- Contact staff writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.