2008 Indiana Hoosiers Football Preview

2008 Indiana Hoosiers season preview from Maddux Sports. Below you can find our official Indiana Hoosiers football preview as well as the 2008 Indiana Hoosiers Football Schedule. Dont miss Maddux's free college football picks on the weekly college football odds from the #1 sports handicapping team.

Coach: Bill Lynch (2nd year at Indiana)
Team Name: Hoosiers
2007 Overall Record: 7-6
Returning Starters: 13

The Indiana Hoosiers (7-6 overall, 3-5 Big Ten) finished tied for seventh place in the conference last season. They earned a trip to the Insight Bowl, losing to Oklahoma State 49-33. The Hoosiers put an average of 31.7 PPG on the scoreboard last season, but the defense allowed 28.5 PPG. If the “D” can step up, Indiana will win a few more games in 2008.

Junior QB Kellen Lewis (442 ATT, 265 COMP, 3,043 YDS, 28 TDs, 10 INT) can put points on the board but only if he is on the field. Lewis was suspended from the team this spring for violating team rules. A fine athlete, he returns as the team’s leading rusher, having carried the ball 147 time for 736 yards and nine touchdowns. RB Marcus Thigpen (138 CAR. 568 YDS), now a senior, is speedy and elusive. The running unit is deep on this team. Junior wideouts Andrew Means and Ray Fisher are both go-to guys. The left side of the line is experienced and solid.

On defense, right end Greg Middleton is a monster sack machine, pulling QBs down a total of 16 times in 2007 and 42 times overall. Last season, he led the nation in that category. If he wants to, he can stick around two more years. The linebacking squad is sound, but the secondary has possible holes at the corners.

The Hoosiers have four swing games with the first occurring on October 4 at Minnesota. At home, in two straight weeks, they meet Northwestern (October 25) and Central Michigan (November 1). Both contests are key to Indiana’s success. The team’s final game and last major tossup is against Purdue. The Hoosiers play that game away.

Bill Lynch has been a NCAA head coach for 15 years. In 2007, he became the main man at the helm of Indiana. In his first season, he sped up the offense by using the no huddle. Lynch and company drew a 2008 schedule that is not overly challenging. Ohio State and Michigan are not on the docket and Indiana is at home for eight games. They certainly have a chance to move up in the Big Ten and once again are definitely contenders for a bowl contest.

Indiana Hoosiers Football Schedule

Date	Opponent	Home/Away
Aug 30	Western Kentucky	Home
Sep 6	Murray State	Home
Sep 20	Ball State	Home
Sep 27	Michigan State	Home
Oct 4	Minnesota	Away
Oct 11	Iowa	Home
Oct 18	Illinois	Away
Oct 25	Northwestern	Home
Nov 1	Central Michigan	Home
Nov 8	Wisconsin	Home
Nov 15	Penn State	Away
Nov 22	Purdue	Away

 

For more info on the 2008 Indiana Hoosiers football program, view their official website or read up on the rest of the Big Ten foes below.