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(09/25/20 11:49pm)
As tourists wander the streets of modern Rome, imaginations go rampant trying to recreate the rubble that remains from one of the world’s largest empires. The republican Forum Romanum, once adorned with lavish basilicae, massive temples, and decorative monuments, is all but column bases, temple fragments, and acid-washed monuments. However, Dr. Elizabeth Thill, a classics professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, is working with a team to recreate what was once the largest city in the western world.
The application of virtual reality has created new possibilities for scholars and students alike to dive into history books. VR provides an opportunity to interact with history in a way that once was thought possible only by time travel. Fortunately for Thill, an Oculus device can now serve as a virtual playground of endless opportunity, eliminating any need for a magical time machine.
“VR is definitely going to change the way we learn,” Thill said. “If I can show my students the actual buildings in Google Earth, there’s really no justification to make everyone go back to staring at 2D pictures, angle by angle.”
Thill developed her love for archeology through reading books and watching programs on TV, notably on The Learning Channel, now TLC, and the History Channel. Her interest in classics grew during high school due to a three-year Latin requirement. With a strong interest already brewing for archaeology, a family trip to Ireland sealed her passion.
“We visited a lot of archaeological sites,” Thill said. “I was hooked after that. I liked archaeology’s mixture of storytelling and quantitative data.”
Following high school, Thill obtained her bachelor’s and master’s in classical archaeology from the University of Michigan. Five years later, she earned a doctorate from the University of North Carolina. During her time in college and thereafter, Thill gained valuable experience within her field by taking visits abroad to Italy and Cyprus to excavate, study, and perform research.
“I love working abroad,” she said. “It’s always a challenge and you learn so much, about archaeology, about other cultures, about yourself. It requires a lot of flexibility and faith that things will turn out ok in the end, and it always has for me.”
Thill always knew she could follow similar footsteps as her father, who was also a professor. In 2013, Thill landed a job as an Assistant Professor of Classical Studies at IUPUI. One year later she became the Program Director of Classical Studies, a title which she continues to retain.
“I think it is critical that people learn about the past, as well as how we learn about the past, so they can think critically for themselves about how the past informs their current lives.”
The first use of virtual reality can date back to 1957 when American cinematographer Morton Heilig invented the Sensorama. According to G2, the machine stimulated a user’s sense of sight, sound, touch, and smell through a screen, speakers, oscillating fans, and contraptions that emitted smells. Fast forward to 2010 and Palmer Luckey developed what would end up becoming the Oculus Rift.
Ryan Knapp, head of the University Library’s Virtual Reality Lab, had the opportunity to experience VR in its early days.
“My first experience with VR was at an arcade in 1996,” he said. “Back then the tech was very primitive and nausea inducing, but you could see its potential.”
As for Thill, she hadn’t experienced virtual reality until the summer of 2019. Once introduced, there was no going back.
“I had never done VR before Summer 2019, when Ryan Knapp came on to the Great Marble Map of Rome Project (GMMRP) and suggested we put some of the fragment scans in VR. This had always been on my wish list, but frankly I didn’t think it would be possible for years to come. Once they showed me Google Earth, I knew I couldn’t go back to teaching the way that I had.”
The GMMRP is a project that originated through Thill’s co-directors, Dr. Richard Talbert of UNC-Chapel Hill and Dr. Francesca de Caprariis of the Musei Capitolini, who were setting forth new projects on the Marble Map of Rome, an ancient map of Rome that was located in the Temple of Peace, also known as the Forum of Vespasian. Thill brought everyone together and decided to add her own contribution by adding new virtual scans of the map.
Likewise, prior to meeting Thill, Knapp had little experience within classical art and architecture.
“I honestly didn’t anticipate there being a possible case for it [classics] with VR,” Knapp said. “Fast-forward 6 months and I can say that working with Dr. Thill to virtually reconstruct Rome for classroom use has been the highlight of my 19-year career.”
Thill’s overall goal in using virtual reality within education and research is to increase public engagement and advance research within the ancient world.
“In terms of public engagement, VR allows people to experience ancient buildings and sculptures much closer to an experience in person,” she said. “In terms of research, VR allows you to test hypotheses in new ways, not only in terms of ease (moving sculptures of fragments with a wave of your hand) but also experience (seeing objects or elements at their original height).”
According to student Joshua Mefford, Thill’s use of VR in the classroom has been a success.
“My impression of the VR experience in this class [Roman Archaeology] is that it seems to be very beneficial,” he said. “I especially like how it can provide experiences that one might only receive otherwise through an expensive study abroad program.”
The application of virtual reality within education is still fresh. With VR expenses declining, Universities across the world are picking up the technology with a primary focus on science, medicine, and engineering. However, VR has potential beyond those practices.
“VR allows us to simulate a wide range of situations and control all of the variables within an environment,” Knapp said. “This can be useful for demonstrating specific ideas and concepts, and for placing users into a precisely controlled situation.”
A particular example of this potential is not only shown through Thill’s class, but through other IUPUI classes adopting the technology as well.
“This year we’ve licensed software called “Embodied Labs” for a Health and Human Sciences course which allows a student to experience a first person perspective of what it’s like to suffer from a variety of medical conditions including Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Parkinson’s and others,” Knapp said.
However, due to the technology still being novel, users can experience some downsides. Thill understands, like any reconstruction, VR can make things seem final, when in reality they’re debated.
Mefford sees similar issues with the technology.
“The main issue with VR in the classroom is likely that, as one could see in our own class, it can have times where it is either inaccurate, or buggy.”
Regardless of the critiques, virtual reality only continues to expand with time. It might not be long before the technology finds its way into every classroom. Whether it’s a history class, or medically related, VR has practical uses that sometimes cannot be obtained elsewhere.
“It won’t happen overnight, but almost certainly and inevitably will become part of the classroom repertoire of educational tech,” Knapp said. “VR holds the potential to bring about possibilities that were once hard to imagine or thought to be impossible.”
(11/03/19 6:06pm)
For over two decades, the Indiana Hoosiers (6-2) have struggled to accomplish a record that was over .500. In fact, since 1994, the Hoosiers have been able to accomplish the feat once. In 2007, the school went 7-6. However, the 2019 Hoosiers are off to their best start since 1993, a year in which they got off to a 7-1 start only to finish 8-4. A part of what sets this team apart from those of recent memory can be described with one word.
Resilience.
The Hoosiers have taken a handful of punches this season, but always find ways to pick themselves back up. After being torn apart by Ohio State in Week 3, they responded by demolishing Connecticut 38-3. Tough, hard fought loss to Michigan State? The next week they zipped Rutgers 35-0. Lose your starting quarterback, Michael Penix Jr., in weeks three, four, seven and eight? Don’t worry, former starter Peyton Ramsey is there to save the day. This team has consistently responded to getting punched in the mouth, something that has been missing for a long time.
There’s no doubt that getting benched is disappointing, especially for a quarterback. However, Ramsey has taken it as a learning experience. His past as a starter is rocky, but not necessarily inefficient. In his first two seasons, he managed to throw for a combined 4,127 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions on 65% passing. So far this season, he’s well outperformed himself compared to that of last season. He has thrown the ball 147 times and connected on 72% of his passes, totaling 1,194 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. At the time he had attempted 162 passes last year, he had completed 71.6% of them, tossing for 751 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. As the numbers point out, there’s been a gaudy improvement for Ramsey under center. He’s not only improved statistically, but he’s also improved as a leader, something the Hoosiers have needed this season.
While Ramsey has been stellar, he’s still not the starting quarterback. That title belongs to Penix Jr., who has done nothing wrong to lose the starting gig. In fact, he’s been just as, if not more, efficient under center as Ramsey, throwing for more yards and touchdowns on two fewer pass attempts. As it stands now, Penix Jr. has thrown 145 passes, connecting on 69% of them, for 1,232 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions. Certainly to fans, there seems to be a bit of competition, but to head coach Tom Allen, Penix Jr. is and will remain their starter. Besides, when a backup quarterback can play as efficient as the starter, it’s not a bad problem to have.
Perhaps the biggest improvement is their defense, which is allowing opponents to 103 fewer yards per game than last. They’ve also managed to allow seven less points per game. They’ve jumped up to eighth in the Big Ten in team defense, compared to their eleventh ranking in 2018. Through eight, the’ve held opponents to 140.8 rushing yards and 169 passing yards per game. While those numbers aren’t dazzling, it plays a huge roll in what is their current 6-2 record. The Hoosiers usually never have much of a shortage on offense, it has been the defense who has struggled. With signs of improvement on that end, especially with a young squad, the Hoosier’s may be in good hands in the upcoming years.
Indiana has a tough road to finish the season. They play a winnable game against Northwestern on Saturday only to face ranked opponents in back-to-back weeks. If the Hoosiers can shock the world and defeat No.5 Penn State and No.14 Michigan, there’s no doubt they’d finish the year within the top 25. Already bowl eligible, they’d need to finish their season with a win against rival Purdue to solidify their spot in a quality bowl game.
Hopeful? Maybe. Impossible? No.
As long as the Hoosiers retain their resilient nature, there should be no problem in competing with the big dogs. It is true that their game against Ohio State did not go according to plan. The same could be said after their blown lead to Michigan State. However, the past is the past and this squad is confident. If all the stars align, don’t be shocked if the Hoosiers manage to defeat one of the two ranked opponents.
(10/16/19 8:32pm)
As the air begins to attenuate and the leaves start to foil, an amazing sport returns to the eyes of viewers: football.
Every year when September rolls around, college football fans are anxious for their school to start the season. Each season brings a bout of optimism, and perhaps feelings of a fresh start, to every fan who had waited through the long course of eight or nine months for their team to reappear on the television screen. Some fans in particular were more anxious than most--those of the Purdue Boilermakers.
Fresh off a 6-7 season that saw the ultimate triumph over Ohio State, as well as the ultimate low of a loss against Eastern Michigan, Purdue followers were hungry for what was to come next. Though they were crushed by Auburn in a bowl game that Auburn had no business participating in, there was enough foreshadowing to unite all Purdue fans alike. It was clear that promising head coach Jeff Brohm was well on his way to restoring a program that had been neglected for over a decade. 2019 was going to be the year Purdue asserted themselves as a true competitor in the Big Ten.
Until it all fell apart.
After what many would consider a successful year, there were reports linking Brohm to the open position at Louisville, his alma mater. Despite the reports, Brohm announced his intentions to stay, and that he did. After the drama, focus switched to the promise of the upcoming season. The Boilermakers lost some key players due to graduation, such as star quarterback David Blough and running backs D.J. Knox and Markell Jones, but there were many terrific players returning, including linebacker Markus Bailey and defensive lineman Lorenzo Neal. Under an improved Elijah Sindelar, not to mention Rondale Moore, the Boilermakers were surely in great hands.
In the blink of an eye, it was already Week 1 and Purdue was set to take on Nevada. After cruising to a solid 24-7 lead at halftime, the Boilermaker defense seamlessly imploded, allowing Nevada to score 27 in the second half en route to a 34-31 victory over the black and gold. Disappointment understandably accumulated--but it was only one game and the Boilermakers had plenty of opportunity to make up for the loss. Sure enough, they answered with a 42-24 victory over Vanderbilt. The win sort of brought a sigh of relief. While the Commodores may not be an SEC powerhouse, they’re usually no pushover. In fact, Vanderbilt managed a pretty solid offense in 2018, averaging 28.5 points per game, complemented by 411.3 yards per matchup. So, holding the Commodores to 24 points was a great performance to build upon.
Unfortunately, injuries happened--and a lot of them. During the game against Vandy, Sindelar suffered a concussion. Before their next game against TCU, the Boilermakers lost defensive stud Markus Bailey. Sindelar remained out until the Week 4 game against Minnesota, where he and Rondale Moore sustained injuries...on the same play. The two most important players on their offense disappeared as if Thanos snapped his fingers. Up to this point, through the course of three games, Sindelar had tossed for 978 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions on 64% of his passes. Eventually, it was reported that Sindelar would remain out for six-to-eight weeks due to a broken clavicle. Moore is listed as having a hyperextended knee and Sindelar is labeled as week-to-week. Another key injury was that of defensive tackle Anthony Watts, who is out indefinitely with a substantial arm injury. These circumstances have led them to their 2-4 start.
Ravaged with injuries, the Boilermakers have been forced to work with what they have. To be quite honest, they look as if they’re in good hands for the future. Not only do they have a formidable recruiting class (#26 nationally), but their young players have showed a lot of promise. Take young quarterback Jack Plummer for example--through four games thus far, the redshirt freshman has accumulated 965 yards, 7 touchdowns and 4 interceptions while completing 59.4% of his passes. In fact, he’s coming off quite the impressive victory over Maryland, where he threw for a whopping 420 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions on an outstanding 80.5%.
It’s essential to mention that much of the reason Purdue has struggled this season. They’re unable to efficiently run the football. The team has relied upon the quarterbacks to do the heavy lifting. Through six games, they’ve only been able to muster up a total of 577 rushing yards, which averages to a meager 63.5 rushing yards per game. Even worse, the backs have only been able to average 2.2 yards per carry. Yes, let's reiterate that: 2.2 yards per carry. Freshman Doerue King leads the backfield in carries with 67, rushing for 250 yards and two touchdowns, carrying for 37.67 a game and a decent 3.4 per carry. Through six games last season, the Boilermakers racked up 1,076 yards rushing, averaging 179.33 a game. Of course, the presence of Knox and Jones helped those numbers, but the Boilermakers need to find a ground game to be successful now and in the future.
As aforementioned, the Boilermakers are doing well in the recruiting world. Over the weekend, they managed to secure a 4-star tight end out of Michigan, Maliq Carr, who is ranked as the fifth best in the country at his position. The team has also been provided a future solution to their problematic rushing offense by adding 4-star running back Tirek Murphy, who is ranked #1 in the state of New York. Strides on the defensive end have also proven successful as the team added 4-star safety Christian Gonzalez to its commitment list. Additionally, 4-star quarterback Michael Alaimo also committed earlier this year.
2019 four-star freshman David Bell is already making a name for himself, hauling in a team high 438 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, freshman George Karlaftis is doing the same, having recorded 29 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks and 1 interception.
What does all of this information point to? When taking into account the potential of their current young roster, combined with the incoming three to four-star talent, Purdue looks to be shaping into a sneaky solid team. While it’s understandable that this season looks to be a lost one, be mindful of what is to come for the upcoming squads. Those young freshmen and sophomores are gathering valuable experience on the field with each additional snap.
Change doesn’t happen overnight, but there is much for the Boilermakers to work on, especially on the ground and on defense. However, Brohm is boiling up something special in West Lafayette. With patience, it’ll only be a matter of time before Purdue is hammering down on the Big Ten.
(10/10/19 10:53pm)
The IUPUI volleyball team lost 3-2 to Youngstown State at home Wednesday evening, dropping their season record to 6-12 and 2-3 in the Horizon League. After taking the first two sets 25-21 and 28-26, the Jaguars dropped the remaining three 25-19, 25-22, and 15-13.
The first set proved to be quite even. After jumping out to a 2-0 start, the Jaguars and Penguins went tit for tat until the end of the set. In fact, the two were at a tie for a total of nine times throughout the set. Mid-set, the Penguins had a four point lead, but the Jaguars, with all their resilience, stormed back to eventually tie at 18 apiece.
From there, the Jags jumped out in front with a score of 20-18 before the Penguins knotted things back up at 20. However, kills by senior Haley Hoffman and junior Maddie Dean as well as two service aces by sophomore Rachel Hickey sparked the Jags to finish on a 5-1 run and win the set 25-21.
“Offensively we hit really well,” head coach Lindsey Froehlich said. “Once we get more confidence out of them, I think we’re going to see some great changes.”
The second set was the epitome of excitement as it needed extra points to decide its victor. Similar to the first set, neither side could grasp much of a lead, tying 13 times throughout. The early portion of the set found the Penguins up 7-5, only to eventually lose it to a surging Jaguars squad who went on a 5-1 run to put themselves up 13-11. After the teams found themselves tied at 19, the Penguins attacked with a 5-3 run, giving themselves a 24-22 lead. The Jaguars roared back, tying the set at 24, forcing the Penguins to have to score an extra point if they wanted to win. Back-to-back service errors by both teams alike led to a 26-25 lead for the Penguins, but senior McKayla Wright struck on a kill that tied things up once more. After Junior Rebecca Schlechte converted on a beautiful misdirection kill, the Penguins chalked up a service error, securing the Jaguars a 28-26 win and a 2-0 lead in the match.
Though down 2-0, the Penguins never gave up, waddling their way to back-to-back wins in sets three and four. Both sets were characterized by an abundance of errors for the Jags. The Penguins scored on 10 points alone through six attack and four service errors in the third set. That number jumped to 13 in the fourth set as the Penguins capitalized on five attack, one blocking and seven service errors. While errors played an important role in their loss, coach Froehlich remained adamant that she wants her girls to stay aggressive.
“We’re never going to yell at them for making mistakes like hitting the ball out from being aggressive,” Froehlich said. “If they’re being aggressive and fighting for each point, we’re never going to penalize them for doing that.”
The fifth and final set began with the Jaguars prancing to a 6-2 lead early via two kills by freshman Corrissa Remter, single kills from Wright and Dean, and an ace by Schlechte. The teams switched sides with the Jaguars up 8-4 mid set. Unfortunately for the Jaguars, the Penguins caught momentum and proceeded with a huge 9-1 run, taking a 13-9 lead. However, the Jags fired back with a 3-0 run themselves to bring it within one. Two kills gave the Penguins the set, 15-13, and the match 3-2.
Losing in the fashion in which the Jaguars did can sometimes hurt the confidence of the players. Froehlich touched on this aspect and explained the coaching staff’s role in building confidence.
“[By] Giving them opportunities in practice and continuing to mold their mentality,” she said. “Giving them the green light, go fail, go fail big, and try some stuff out.”
With Froehlich being the new head coach of the team, there has been a bit of an adjustment period.
“I don’t know if they’ve always had permission to have that [green light], so we’re giving them that permission and encouraging them to make plays,” said Froehlich.
Wright and Dean led the team in kills with 16 each. Hoffman recorded five blocks while freshman Allie Pogue had four. Schlechte was the assist leader with 32 and Hickey led in digs with a total of 27.
The Jaguars travel next to Green Bay to take on the 10-6 Phoenix.
(09/30/19 2:48pm)
The IUPUI volleyball team swept Oakland on Saturday, voyaging to a 2-0 start in conference play. After two close sets to start, the Jaguars pounced on the Golden Grizzlies to take the match by scores of 26-24, 25-21, and 25-13. After facing a barrage of tough teams during tournament play, it was vital for the Jaguars to get off to a tremendous start in conference play.
“It feels great,” senior McKayla Wright said. “Especially starting out conference so strong, it’s the best feeling. It’s not easy to do, we prepared all week super hard.”
Wright boasted a terrific all-around effort with 11 kills, 2 aces, and 5 blocks, contributing 15.5 points. With a presence on both sides, the senior understands what it is to be a leader of the team.
“Being a senior and being a leader on this team, vocally at least, it’s the best feeling, I love it,” Wright said. “We have such a great group of girls and we all get along so well.”
The first set proved to be the most difficult for the Jaguars, coming down to the wire. Midway through the set, down 22-16, the Golden Grizzlies ripped off a 7-0 run to take the lead. Facing adversity, the Jaguars’ defense prevailed, coming up with a key block to finish off the set 26-24. Wright shined in the first set, coming up with 4 kills, an ace, and combined with freshman Corrissa Remter on the final block to seal the set. Remter, who recorded three kills and an ace in the set, was also remarkable.
After being down 3-2 early in the second set, the Jaguars took ahold of the lead and never looked back. The Golden Grizzlies were often within reaching distance of putting themselves ahead, only for the Jags to spark a 3-0 run, which happened six times throughout the set. Leading 18-14, the Golden Grizzlies fought their way back to tie it up at 18 apiece. The Jaguars answered by going on a 7-3 run led by Wright, who racked up three kills and a shared block. During the run, a slew of errors proved fatal for the Golden Grizzlies, who gave away three points in that time.
The Jaguars were explosive in the final set, starting off on a boisterous 11-1 run. The Golden Grizzlies showed some fight by bringing the set to within seven points, but the Jaguars stepped on the gas thereafter. Countless errors by the Golden Grizzlies, as well as some stellar defense (and offense) by the Jags, propelled the Jaguars to a monstrous 25-13 win and a 3-0 sweep.
Lindsey Froehlich, first year head coach of the Jaguars, was impressed by the way her team handled the weekend.
“We’ve been through a lot of challenges this preseason with injuries and with figuring each other out,” Froehlich said. “But this group has been really close, they support each other, and that level of maturity really showed up this weekend.”
Remter, who had a mighty presence, finished with 9 kills, 1 ace, and an outstanding 7 blocks.
“She [Remter] has been really impressing me with her blocking movement,” Froehlich said. “At first, the game was really fast for her and now she’s starting to see it in a different way. She’s being a lot more efficient in her work and closing on a lot more blocks.”
Wright (11), Remter (9), and senior Haley Hoffman (5) led the way in kills. The trio also led in blocks with Hoffman and Remter totaling 7, and Wright with 5. Freshman Regan Trueblood led in assists with 21. Sophomore Rachel Hickey had 11 digs with Trueblood not far behind, totaling 10.
The Jaguars next travel to face Wright State on October 5.
(09/30/19 2:47pm)
When it comes to collegiate football in Indiana, four colleges are primarily mentioned: Indiana, Notre Dame, Purdue, and Ball State. That is because these colleges are the NCAA Division I (football) representatives of Indiana. However, behind this curtain are a variety of small universities that present deep rivalries, passionate fans and utter dominance.
One of these small schools is Marian University in Indianapolis. Since 2010, the Knights have gone an outstanding 93-20, collecting two NAIA championships along the way in 2012 and 2015. A season ago, the Knights marched their way to a 10-1 record and a division title before being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. Thus far in the 2019 season, the Knights have rolled off to a 2-0 start and are ranked No.6 in the NAIA.
Led by senior running back Charles Salary, who rushed for 1,337 yards (7.5 yards per carry) and 10 touchdowns in 2018, the Knights boast an explosive offense. However, the team isn’t a one trick pony. Quarterback Ethan Darter, through six games, tossed for 1,176 yards, 16 touchdowns and two interceptions on a 65% clip. Other quarterback Luke Johnston, also through six games, threw for 1,488 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions on 67% of his passes. With great quarterbacking comes great receiving; leading receiver Johnny William caught 60 passes for 1,050 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Perhaps the more impressive feat is Marian’s stifling defense. In 2018, the Knights held their competition to just 11.5 points per game. Opponents averaged a meager 249.6 yards a game, 150.9 yards passing and 98.7 yards rushing, compared to the Knights volatile 490.2, 257.4 through the air and 232.8 on the ground. The Knights defense forced 26 total turnovers, scoring 115 points off of them. As a unit, they also produced 41 sacks.
Fast forward to 2019 and the Knights have already gotten off to a fabulous start. With a 2-0 record, the team has outscored their opponents by a 45 point margin. Salary has already racked up 219 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Darter has thrown for 385 yards and four touchdowns on 64.6% passing. William has hauled in 15 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. The defense has immured their opposers to 150 total yards per game and have wreaked havoc causing 10 turnovers.
With an upcoming schedule consisting of back-to-back top 10 opponents in No.3 St.Francis and No.5 Concordia, the Knights are licking their chops to assert their dominance in the NAIA. Perhaps the most sought after opponent will be St. Xavier (Ill.), who knocked them out of contention in the first round of the NAIA playoffs with a 34-21 victory. Oddly enough, the Knights defeated St. Xavier earlier that season, 52-7. Unfortunately, the Knights aren’t scheduled to face the Cougars during the regular season, leaving the game for a possible rematch in the playoffs given that both teams earn the birth.
While all the attention sways on Notre Dame and Purdue, it’s important to shed light on schools like Marian who rarely get a gleam. Whether it be the Knights dominance, the famous Monon Bell rivalry, the NCAA Division II excellence of the University of Indianapolis, or FCS pride of Indiana State, football is prominent among all regions in the state of Indiana. All it takes is a little peek behind that massive curtain to entail a world of passion, pride, excellence and downright ascendancy.
(09/20/19 4:18pm)
From 1991 to 2019, the Indiana Hoosiers have lost 24 consecutive games to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Yes, that was read correct, the Buckeyes have reigned over the series for 29 years. However, as Hoosier fans painfully know, there have been plenty of instances where the Hoosiers have kept the game close, only to crumple in the end. While this stands true for a handful of games, it’s important to note the Buckeyes’ average margin of victory over the Hoosiers has been a whopping 21 points since November 16, 1991. Although in recent memory, the barn burning heartbreaker of 2012 (52-49) or the crushing loss in 2015 (34-27) have given Hoosier fans hope that the monstrous task of downing a giant will one day come to fruition.
Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, 2019 was not the year. Before the game started, it was reported that starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. would be missing the game due to an undisclosed injury. Therefore, former starting quarterback Peyton Ramsey took the role for the weekend. With Ramsey under center, the Hoosier offense struggled. Ramsey only managed to throw for 162 yards and an interception, ending with an 11.1 QBR. As a unit, the Hoosier offense converted on only 3 of their 17 third-down attempts. The running game was virtually nonexistent with a total of 42 yards. On the other side of the ball, defense was a nightmare. Not only did they allow 51 points, but they let Buckeye running back J.K. Dobbins rush for 193 yards off 22 carries. In fact, the reserve running back, Master Teague III, was able to run for 106 off 10 carries. Quarterback Justin Fields also got in on the action, throwing for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns in the 51-10 victory.
For a team that often competes fairly well against Ohio State, this game was a disaster from start to finish, albeit without Pennix. Through two weeks, Pennix was able to put up fairly respectable numbers. Thus far, he’s thrown for 523 yards, 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. He's completed 63% of his passes and maintains a quarterback rating of 146.4. He’s also had a mild impact running the ball with 79 yards off 9 attempts. More importantly, he (mostly) led the Hoosiers to a 2-0 start with a 34-24 win over Ball State and a 52-0 win over Eastern Illinois, a game he was removed from due to injury.
The Hoosiers’ victories may not have been of fantastic value, but they’re important nonetheless. It’s clear after the blowout why Tom Allen decided to choose Penix Jr. as the starter; he gives the Hoosiers the best opportunity to win.
With a winnable game upcoming against Connecticut, the Hoosiers get a mild break before conference play resumes. However, with Penix Jr. still questionable to play, the game will be a testament to who the Hoosiers really are.
(09/13/19 1:49pm)
The world of sports can often be unpredictable.
Some could say that unpredictability is what drives the passion of fanhood, others may say unpredictability is what keeps sports trucking. Underdogs win, competitors rise from the depths of the unknown, and new champions are crowned on a yearly basis. Unfortunately, there’s another set of unpredictable circumstances that surround sports: injury.
At 3:14 p.m. Wednesday, that abrupt, menacing, unpredictable nature of injury nipped Purdue, a potential contender in the Big Ten West Division. It was reported that linebacker Markus Bailey, a fifth-year All-Big Ten senior and leader of the Boilermakers' defense, will be out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury.
Bailey’s injury is a critical blow to a defense that was already struggling to begin the season. Though it is early, Purdue’s defense ranks 91st in yards allowed, allowing opponents to gain 447 (90 rush, 357.5 pass) yards per game. Furthermore, opponents have averaged 5.7 yards per play and converted 34.38% of third down attempts.
While the Boilermaker defense was far from stellar in 2018, Bailey was astounding. Bailey recorded 115 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and an incredibly famous interception against Ohio State. He ranked third in the Big Ten in total tackles and led in solo tackles (82) by 9. It’s also notable that he was tied for 12th in the Big Ten for sacks.
The news of Bailey broke shortly after the media learned that starting quarterback Elijah Sindelar is dealing with a concussion that may leave him sidelined this weekend against TCU. While the injury is likely to be short lived, the Boilermakers are now faced with some major adversity. How teams respond to such adversity is what makes or breaks a season in college football. For example, fellow Big Ten school Maryland has been playing phenomenal since the tragic preseason death of offensive linemen Jordan McNair. While Bailey’s injury isn’t nearly as serious as a death, it’s important to note that how the team chooses to respond to the loss of one of their leaders.
Fortunately for Purdue, star defensive tackle Lorenzo Neal’s return is visible on the horizon. While it’s unclear when the senior will return, he will be an immediate plus on defense once when it happens. Neal, whose statistics show little about his impact, is a constant disturbance to opposing offensive lines.
All of these factors will present a true testament to everything head coach Jeff Brohm has been working towards. Not a stranger to adversity, trust Brohm to keep Purdue afloat in the Big Ten this season. The loss of Bailey hurts, but it doesn’t have to be season-breaking.
The Boilermakers welcome TCU to West Lafayette in their next matchup on September 14.
(12/03/18 12:32am)
The IUPUI women’s basketball team lost to Northern Iowa Friday night 53-40 to drop to 5-2 on the season. The Lady Jags struggled to find the hoop, shooting 32 percent from the field and 20 percent from deep.
Both teams struggled shooting throughout the game as each played stellar defense. The Jaguars were able to hold the Panthers to 39 percent shooting and 31 percent from three. Though the game resulted in a loss, it was a defensive performance to build off.
“We have got to forget about this one and move on,” head coach Austin Parkinson said. “I thought we defended pretty well but you can’t pitch a no hitter on defense and play as poorly as we did on offense.”
Points in the first quarter came at a premium. The Jaguars shot a rough 33 percent from the floor while the Panthers shot 41 percent. Sophomore sensation Macee Williams started the game hot as she scored the first nine points for the Jags, leading them to a 9-5 lead near the end of the first. The Panthers stormed back and went on a 7-2 run to end the quarter on top 13-11.
Things changed quickly in the second quarter as the Panthers started to pull away with the lead. The Jaguars were unable to stop the offensive attack presented by the Panthers, who shot 57 percent and 66 percent from three. The Jaguars also led the quarter in turnovers with five compared to NIU’s four. A long four-minute scoring drought hurt the Jaguars as they gave up a 6-0 run toward the end of the quarter. A Panther buzzer beating shot ended the second with the Jaguars down 32-21.
“Tonight we didn’t get as many good looks,” Parkinson said. “We didn’t have as much tempo on offense and made it really difficult on ourselves.”
The Jaguars struggled to begin the third by missing their first five shots from the field. It took nearly three minutes until junior Holly Hoopingarner nailed a three to kick things off for the offense. She started what would be a 9-0 run, led by senior Sydney Hall who racked up two points, one assist, and one rebound. The tide appeared to be turning until the Jaguars shooting hoes returned once again. IUPUI missed its final two shots and turned the ball over four times within three and a half minutes as the deficit stretched to 43-30 to finish the quarter.
The fourth quarter proved to be even more of a struggle offensively. Senior Allex Brown scored early before the Jags went scoreless for six minutes. During the span, the Jaguars committed four turnovers and missed four shots.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well tonight,” Williams said. "I think we need to give more time to making our shots in practice.”
To finish the game, the Jaguars limited the Panthers to three points within the final six minutes for a final score of 53-40. They were able to hold the Panthers to a meager 27.5 percent shooting in the second half, but couldn't muster up enough offense to capitalize
Williams led the team in scoring and rebounding with 13 points and 10 boards. She also tied the team high with two assists. Senior Tamya Sims notched eight points, two rebounds, one block, and one steal.
The Jaguars start a two-game road trip Monday in Terre Haute to face the Indiana State Sycamores followed by a trip to Iowa City to play Iowa on Dec. 8.
(11/11/18 1:25am)
The IUPUI volleyball team swept Youngstown State Friday night to extend its winning streak to three with one regular season game remaining. The Jaguars dominated the Penguins, winning in three sets by scores of 25-20, 25-23, and 25-13. Entering the match with a 7-21 record and an interim head coach, the Jaguars were looking to prove themselves by finishing the season strong.
In the first set, the Jaguars controlled the game from start to finish. The beginning of the match was close as the teams held a tie of 6. After a slew of errors by the Penguins, including two hits out of bounds, a failed serve, and a net violation, the Jaguars led 10-6. A 3-0 swing put the Jaguars up 18-12 mid-match before the Penguins came waddling back with an 8-3 run of their own to make the score 22-20. Freshman Hannah Oehlberg killed the ball to put the Jaguars up 23-20. The Penguins then committed two errors to give the Jaguars the win 25-20. Oehlberg lead the set in kills with five, junior Haley Hoffman recorded two blocks, and senior Maggie Gibson had eight assists.
The second set ended up being closer with a final score of 25-23. The Jaguars pounced to an early 4-1 lead to begin the match by way of four kills, a pair from junior Kaitlyn Johnson and one apiece from Oehlberg and Hoffman. The Penguins fought back in what was a close battle until the end. Half way through the match, the Penguins found themselves up 15-12 and later 17-15 until the teams tied at 19. The Jaguars then went on a four-point run to put themselves up 23-19. The Penguins surged back and brought the game to a score of 24-23. Hoffman finished the set off with a massive kill to give the jaguars a 25-23 win and a 2-0 lead.
“They really love each other and they really came together tonight,” interim head coach Lindsey Buteyn said. “Everyone knows their role and what their job is so really it’s just been them coming together and loving each other.”
In the final set the Jaguars were implacable. After being up 5-2 early, the Jaguars darted for the Penguins with a relentless assault. They tallied 14 kills in an effort that won them the match 25-13. Senior Abby Boatman had a huge set, recording two blocks and three kills.
Oehlberg led the team in kills with 10, Boatman had a team high 3 blocks, and Gibson totaled 33 assists and 16 digs.
The Jaguars hope to finish the season on a high note in a conference matchup against the Oakland Grizzlies.
“The key to winning the game tomorrow night and ending the season on a high note is coming together as a team and remembering why we’re here,” Boatman said. “We’re out here for each other and to play the game we love.”
Johnson, who finished the game with 7 kills, also felt it was important for the team to come together one last time.
“I feel like the key to winning is making sure we come together as a team to get a kill and just listen to coach’s advice.”
The season finale against Oakland also serves as senior night for the Jaguars.
“It’s surreal because I’ve been playing volleyball for so long and this is my last match,” Boatman said. “I’m so excited to spend one last time out there with my teammates who I love so much. It means the world.”
The Jaguars won their only matchup against Oakland 3-1 on September 28.. They hope to win the final game of the season.
(10/15/18 10:07pm)
The IUPUI volleyball team lost a close battle Saturday in an inter-conference match up against Northern Kentucky. The Jaguars entered the match with a conference record of 2-5 and were hoping to end a four game losing skid. Instead, after winning the first set 25-22, the Jaguars lost the next 3 sets 25-22, 25-22, and 25-14, to lose the match 3-1.
In the first set, the Jaguars roared to a tight victory. After being down 15-14 mid-match, the tide shifted with a 9-3 Jaguar run, which put them up 23-18 before the Norse called a timeout. During the run, senior Maggie Gibson recorded one kill and an ace, junior Haley Hoffman tallied two kills, and senior Abby Boatman added an ace and a block. After the Norse scored a few to narrow the margin, the Jaguars closed out the set with a kill from Gibson.
It was more of the same in the second set between the two teams. The beginning was neck and neck, then the Norse took an early lead 14-11. That’s when Abby Boatman sparked 4-0 run with 2 kills and one block to give the Jaguars the lead 16-15. As the set came to a close, the Norse went on a 4-0 run to put themselves on top 25-22 after the Jaguars suffered a bout of errors that proved fatal.
“I think It just comes down to people showing up, myself included,” Boatman said. “We have to make a conscious decision to show up at the same time. We’ll have some games where people are hot and doing well while other times other people aren't.”
In set three the Jaguars came out strong with an early 7-3 lead after Maggie Gibson and freshman Hannah Oehlberg managed two kills each. The girls continued their work with a five point run by themselves to put the Jaguars up 17-14 in the middle of the set. The momentum went downhill once the Jaguars committed a multitude of errors. The Norse capitalized on those errors and finished the set with a 25-22 win.
“The key is to have a game plan and execute it,” head coach Steve Payne said. “We need to limit our errors toward the last five points of each set.”
The final set wasn’t as close as the Jaguars hoped after falling behind 25-14. Gibson had a team high in kills with 13 while Oehlberg wasn’t far behind with 11. Boatman led in blocks with five and sophomore Rebecca Schlechte recorded 20 assists.
Throughout the match, the Norse played excellent defense with seven blocks and 78 digs.
Though the Norse defense was great, the amount of errors in critical moments were what played a difference between sets. Within the final five points of the first three sets the Jaguars committed a total of eight errors, three of which were aces.
“We just need to execute the game plan a little better than what we did in the end,” Gibson said. “We just got a little flustered, got down, and couldn’t get back up.”
The Jaguars head off to play at Green Bay in their next match up on October 19.