Eying IU

A healthy group

IU coach Bill Lynch expects most of the roster to be in good health when camp opens Aug. 4.

“They're all back,” Lynch said. “Mike Stark had some back problems, who is probably our starting offensive right tackle. He's back. Pete Saxon had shoulder work; he's back in good shape. Terrance Turner we feel like is going to be an outstanding wide receiver, was held out for recovery of his ACL; he's back. Demetrius McCray who's had a foot problem, he seems to be in good shape. James Brewer, another offensive lineman, has a foot problem. All the reports we have this summer, he's in great shape. Starting defensive tackles, one is here, Greg Brown with his shoulder; he's ready to go. Deonte Mack, the other defensive tackle, he's in good shape. Tyler Replogle, linebacker recovering from an ACL. I'm throwing out all these names. We've had all those guys out of practice but we feel like they should be good and ready to go.”

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

No place like home

The Hoosiers have eight home games this season. There hasn’t been much talk of possibly playing one in Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts new home, any time soon. The basketball team will play a December game against Gonzaga at the site.

“Not at this point. We want every game in Bloomington we can possibly have. There's talk about that and they have a tremendous stadium built there, but one of our other -- it's not just a marketing ploy. It's something we talk about all the time is we have to defend the rock, being our home stadium. And being able to get eight home football games is a great opportunity.”

-          By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

A new address

Beginning Monday, Eyeing IU will have a new Web address. Catch up with the Hoosiers at http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=BLOGS08.

-         By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

A quarterback controversy?

Bill Lynch said the Hoosiers will go into the first day of fall camp with Kellen Lewis and Ben Chappell on an “even” level at quarterback.

“It’s going to be a competitive camp because one of the thing that happens, if you miss spring practice, you miss all those opportunities to get better, but it also gives somebody else a chance to prove they can play,” Lynch said. “Ben Chappell is a guy who can play very, very good.”

It’s a nice gesture, but the educated guess here is Lewis will be the starter soon into camp. He has the added ability that teams can’t prepare for. Plus, you can’t sit a second-team All-Big Ten quarterback. His suspension was punishment enough.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Means will return

Whoever is at quarterback will have one of the top targets returning. Wide receiver Andrew Means will be back this fall to play with the Hoosiers.

“I talked to him on the phone last week. We felt all along he would. He wants to play football. He’s enjoyed his summer playing baseball but he knows he has one more opportunity, and I think he feels good that we are going to be a good football team and his buddies are back in Bloomington. He’s looking forward to coming back."

-         By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

Hoosiers reinstate QB Lewis

Quarterback Kellen Lewis has been reinstated to the Indiana football team, coach Bill Lynch announced Monday.

Lewis, a second-team All-Big Ten selection, had been serving an indefinite suspension for violating unspecified team rules since March 6.

“Kellen has worked very hard and reached all the benchmarks we set for him,” Lynch said in a statement. “He is committed to this football program and is excited to rejoin his teammates. We are happy to welcome him back.”

Lewis is one of two quarterbacks in the program’s history to reach 40 passing touchdowns, 5,250 passing yards, 6,000 total yards, 450 completions and 750 attempts in a career. Antwaan Randle El is the other.

Lewis is just the fifth quarterback at IU to reach 5,000 career passing yards and the fourth player to collect 6,000 total yards. Lewis is tied for first on Indiana’s career list with 42 passing touchdowns, fifth with 5,264 passing yards, third with 6,441 total yards, third with 455 completions, third with 788 attempts and second in completion percentage at 57.7.

-- LaMond Pope

Gordon, White ready for draft

Eric Gordon and D.J. White both won Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.

Last year, the pair finished one-two in the conference in scoring (averaging 20.9 and 17.4 points, respectively), guiding Indiana through a tumultuous season.

Today, they both should realize the dream of getting their names called in the NBA draft. Gordon is expected to go in the top 10. White is slated as an early second-round pick.

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas discussed both players’ strengths during a teleconference Monday. He said Gordon could land at No. 7 with the Los Angeles Clippers.

“He’s not a great handler, that’s the one question mark I have about him, is his ability to put the ball on the floor,” Bilas said of Gordon. “And he turns the ball over at too high a rate, but I think it can be improved upon. But that is a significant area of improvement he has to shore up. He had a tough year with all his team went through. I like him as a prospect very much.”

Bilas has White ranked at the top of the second round, 31st among prospects.

“You know exactly what you’re going to get with D.J. White. You are going to get a guy who’s gonna rebound the ball, he can score in the low post,” Bilas said. “I don’t think he’s going to a star in the NBA, but he’s going to be solid. The only question I have about D.J. is his health. Is he going to be able to take that kind of pounding and for how long?”

-- LaMond Pope, The Journal Gazette

Crawford’s departure creates another hole

And then there was one.

Jordan Crawford decided to leave the Indiana basketball team Wednesday. That means Kyle Taber, a former walk-on, is the only scholarship player from last season returning.

Crawford was poised to be the star of a revamped roster. Instead, he’ll be taking his game elsewhere.

“Jordan Crawford and his family informed us today that he will not return to Indiana University,” coach Tom Crean said in the statement.

Crawford averaged 9.7 points per game.

Where will the Hoosiers look for offense? That will be the latest in a series of off-season questions.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette

IU receives NCAA case study

The NCAA has sent its case study to Indiana University for the Committee on Infractions hearing. IU will go before the NCAA June 13-14 in Seattle.

A university release said “neither the university nor its representatives will comment on this matter until the case has been fully adjudicated.”

Indiana made public a bit of good news for the university in regards the fifth allegation. The NCAA enforcement staff agreed with the school that the allegation – impermissible recruiting contact with a student athlete – should be processed as a secondary violation, not a major infraction. The allegation involved former assistant Jeff Meyer providing a potential recruit an impermissible gift.

The university will make the document public after its lawyers review it. 

McGee dismissed from team

Brandon McGee has been dismissed from the IU basketball team for academic and team guideline negligence, coach Tom Crean announced Thursday.

McGee averaged 1.5 points and 1 rebound in 17 games as a freshman.

“Our coaching and support staff tried to make this work out, but we felt that there were some basic standard operating procedures that were not being met,” Crean said in a statement. “I feel badly for his family and (Crane High School) coach (Anthony) Longstreet who were helping us to try and make this work, but in the end it just was not possible to continue in the current direction.”

McGee’s departure continues the overhaul of IU’s roster since Crean became coach.

Freshman forward Eli Holman left on May 1. One day later, Crean dismissed forward DeAndre Thomas from the team. He also announced guards Armon Bassett and Jamarcus Ellis would not be returning that same day.

Jordan Crawford and Kyle Taber are the most experienced players returning. Crawford will be entering his sophomore year. Taber is a former walk-on who started four games this season.

Crean has added junior college transfers Tijan Jobe and Devan Dumes, along with recruits Nick Williams and Verdell Jones III. Tom Pritchard and Matt Roth signed letters of intent November.

- By LaMond Pope of The Journal Gazette