Starting off on the right foot

When the first quarter ended Friday night and IU still didn't have an offensive first down, Hoosier fans may have been distraught, flashing back to mediocre seasons of years past. But as the rest of the game unfolded, these same fans would see that the game nor the season was over, only just beginning.\nAfter coming out flat, the Hoosiers rebounded and used patches of brilliance and toughness amid sloppiness and nerves to garner them a season-opening win over Central Michigan, 20-13. \nTerry Hoeppner, meanwhile, began his era as IU's head coach with a victory he sees as a good starting point for his new team to build on.\n"It's hard to tell where you are as a team unless you get out there and play people," Hoeppner said. "This game lets us see where we are. We need to make improvements, and we'll do that by playing people every week."\nThe Hoosiers did not start the game with a flash and a bang, but rather came out slowly on offense. The unit failed to achieve a first down the entire first quarter, allowing Central Michigan's 22,212 fans into the game. The Chippewas were able to drive down the field and kick a field goal in the second quarter, leaving the IU side seemingly caught on its heels. \nBut it wouldn't last. Sophomore quarterback Blake Powers quickly drove the Hoosiers down the field, connecting with redshirt freshman wideout James Hardy on a post route for a 21-yard touchdown pass. \nMinutes later, the Hoosiers were back on offense and Powers unleashed a 54-yard bomb to 6'7" Hardy, who simultaneously ran under the overthrown ball, out-jumped the smaller corner, knocked the ball to himself with his left hand, caught the ball with his right and carried it down to the one-yard line. Powers then connected with junior tight end Matt O'Neal for a two-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone. \nHardy, who finished the game with 107 yards and one touchdown on five catches, exuded confidence in his physical advantages. \n"Once that play was called, I knew it was touchdown," he said. "I tried to catch it with one hand, but all I could do was knock it back, and I had to take it from there." \nIU seemed primed to run away with the game, but failed to capitalize on good field position in the third quarter. With the Hoosiers once again stagnant, Central Michigan narrowed the margin to 14-6 with another field goal. \nCentral Michigan's Ontario Sneed finally broke through the Hoosier defense, carrying the ball 80 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter, bringing the Chippewas even closer to IU. \nJust as the game appeared to be headed back to level territory, though, IU freshman wideout Marcus Thigpen answered, catching a pass down the middle from Powers, breaking a pair of tackles and racing 74 yards for the score.\n"The thing we did best tonight is make big plays when we needed to," Hoeppner said. "We gave up that big one to Sneed, but then Blake and Marcus came back out and answered that right away. That was just great for us."\nOn the whole, Hoeppner and his Hoosiers will walk away from their first joint effort with self-reflective optimism, Powers said. \n"It's just a great feeling to get a win," the quarterback said. "Regardless of the circumstances, you'll take it. Now we need to fix some things, and that's what practice is for"