New AD, new coach look to take IU Back to the Rose Bowl

The last time the Hoosiers had a former Miami of Ohio coach roaming the sidelines, they went to their first and only Rose Bowl. \nNow, it could be time for a second.\nIU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan announced former Redhawks coach Terry Hoeppner as the new Hoosiers' head man Dec. 17.\nFlanked by a long stem rose in a crystal bowl, Hoeppner stood in front of an assembled crowd of supporters and media in the Hoosier room beneath Memorial Stadium, telling them they can expect success.\n"I will guarantee you this -- we are going to build a championship football team," Hoeppner said. "I know what it takes to win here."\nHoeppner will receive $600,000 a year for five years and will receive $50,000 in deferred compensation if he remains the coach after 2010 or is released before then. His contact also includes several bonuses, which includes $50,000 for a Big Ten title, $25,000 for a non-Bowl Championship Series bowl game, $50,000 for playing in a BCS bowl game and $100,000 for winning a national championship.\nHe was offered the IU position Dec. 16 by Greenspan after a 16-day search.\nIU President Adam Herbert said in his introduction of Hoeppner that his appointment "reflects our determination to stretch the spirit of loyal fans of the Indiana Hoosiers."\nHerbert said the search spanned college and NFL head coaches, assistant coaches and coordinators.\nHe said IU "can, must and will reestablish a highly successful football tradition." \nThe Woodburn, Ind., native inherits a Hoosier team that has won eight games in the last three seasons under former IU coach Gerry DiNardo, who was fired Dec. 1 by Greenspan after a 3-8 season. Hoeppner and his wife Jane moved to Bloomington shortly after the new year, just in time for the coach to begin recruiting. \nBefore he could take the helm for the Hoosiers, Hoeppner coached Miami of Ohio to a 17-13 loss to Iowa State in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., Dec. 28.\nHoeppner, 48-24 in six seasons as head coach at Miami, led the Redhawks to two consecutive bowl games.\nSince taking the reigns of the dismal IU football program, Hoeppner retained three coaches from DiNardo's tenure -- running backs coach Gerald Brown, quarterbacks coach Matt Canada and secondary coach Troy Douglas, while adding former Senior Associate Athletics Director Harold Mauro as director of football operations. \nJust before the new year, Hoeppner filled out the rest of his staff, all of whom came with him from Miami of Ohio. Switching colors will be co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Brian George, wide receivers coach Billy Lynch, co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Joe Palcic, offensive line coach and running game coordinator Bobby Johnson and linebackers coach George Ricumstrict. \n"The key to this staff is continuity," Hoeppner said. "These guys are already meshing really well, and we're ready to hit the road recruiting (in January)."\nHoeppner stated his goal simply -- a trip to the Rose Bowl. But before that, he said he will start small and just take the Hoosiers to a bowl game.\nHoeppner isn't an outsider to the state. Besides growing up in Woodburn, he has coached at Franklin College and a slew of high schools around the country.\n"I was surprised that when I went through the high school media directory of how many high school coaches I know, I coached with or I coached against as a high school coach in this state," Hoeppner said. \nWith the recruiting season winding down, Hoeppner said he knew how important it was to get on the trail. He planned to start recruiting Jan. 2, a hot week, he said.\nIn regards to the 15 verbal commitments DiNardo had received, Greenspan sent a letter to them and said IU will still honor those commitments. Coming from a Mid-American Conference school, Hoeppner said he will not take any of his Miami recruits.\nThe enthusiastic Hoeppner spelled out not only keys to bringing wins to Bloomington, but said he has visions of changing IU football for the better.\nHe said he has some main goals for the programs. The first one is for 100 percent graduation rate. While at Miami, Hoeppner had only one player not graduate -- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The second goal is for his players to be "champions" on the field and in the classrooms. \nHoeppner also talked about how he will involve the Hoosiers in the community as well. He listed ideas to reinvigorate a program that has been decimated by losing seasons and coaching changes.\nOne of his first orders of business is to add "The Walk," something he implemented at Miami. \n"The Walk," he said, consists of the players walking through the tailgating area two hours before the game starts through a tunnel of IU fans, who "are hungry for a winning team and a championship team" as a way to connect the team and the fans. Hoeppner spoke of getting the "Crimson Crew" more involved with IU football, including having players sing the IU fight song after every game.\n"Today is the first day of the rest of our life at Indiana football," he said.\n-- Contact staff writer Josh Weinfuss at jweinfus@indiana.edu.