Letter from head football coach Bill Lynch

I want to start off by welcoming all of you to Indiana University. You are about to embark on the four greatest years of your life, and I hope you take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities awaiting you.

One of those great opportunities is coming to Memorial Stadium to watch your Indiana Hoosiers. Coming off our trip to the Insight Bowl last season, we are hungry for more, and we need you there as we continue our quest for a Big Ten championship.

Before you head to your first game, let me tell you about a few of our great game-day traditions.

Number 1: We refer to Memorial Stadium as The Rock. When you hear me talking to you during the season, I will always refer to our home field as The Rock.

Number 2: Prior to each home game, we greet our fans and supporters by taking The Walk to The Rock. The team is dropped off across the street from The Rock and we walk into the stadium with our fans lined up along both sides of us. It is really an electric feeling for our players and the fans, and I know you will feel the same way next year.

Number 3: As we make our way onto the field, every member of the team touches the actual rock, a three-ton limestone rock sitting on a two-ton base.

Number 4: After all of our home victories, we come to you. Stay in the stands and we will make our way over to the student section and sing the fight song.

I invite you to partake in all of these traditions, starting with our season opener against Western Kentucky on Aug. 30. We play eight home games this season, including matchups against Big Ten rivals Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan State and Northwestern.

Your support is the backbone of our program. We could feel the energy last season as more than 50,000 Hoosiers packed The Rock as we knocked off our rival Purdue and clinched our berth in the Insight Bowl.

Attending football games is just a part of what this great campus has to offer. Bloomington is the best college town in the country and provides something for everyone. Take the time to enjoy it, and welcome to Indiana University.

Go Hoosiers!

Bill Lynch
Head football coach