Hoosier Morning

Indiana defensive end Jammie Kirlew comes in for the sack during the first half against Akron. Rich Janzaruk | Hoosier Times

Welcome to Hoosier Morning, a daily batch of links intended to keep you informed of what is going on at Indiana, in the Big Ten and throughout the college sporting world.

AT HOOSIERSHQ.COM

• Even Bill Lynch, the eternal optimist, could not find anything to like about Saturday’s game against Virginia, Dustin Dopirak writes.
• The key, Chris Korman writes, is to learn from “one of those days.” That means figuring out why it happened, as well.
• Indiana has handed out its first scholarship offer for the class of 2011 — to Bloomington North running back D’Angelo Roberts, I wrote.

IT’S INDIANA

• At 3-3, Indiana’s season is either half-ful or half-empty, the Indianapolis Star’s Terry Hutchens writes.
• Lynch said this is still a good football team, the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette’s LaMond Pope writes.
• Ofori Sarkodie, a defender on the Indiana men’s soccer team, is actually a royalty of sorts in Ghana, the Indiana Daily Student’s Kevin Loughery writes.
• Indiana checks in at No. 53, in The Dagger’s countdown of the most interesting teams in college basketball this season.
• We’re a few short days away from Hoosier Hysteria, and Jeremiah Rivers is the subject of the Super Happy Fun Time Player Profile, from Inside the Hall’s Ryan Corazza.

RON ZOOK’S FAREWELL TOUR (or news on Illinois)

• Illinois named both Juice Williams and Eddie McGee captains for Saturday, giving credence to the idea the Illini will use both at quarterback, the Champaign News-Gazette’s Loren Tate writes.
• There has even been talking of using the No. 3 quarterback, redshirt freshman Jacob Charest, the Chicago Tribune’s Shannon Ryan writes.

BIG TEN FOOTBALL

• Maybe a week off, especially with Delaware State the next opponent, would do Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier good, AnnArbor.com’s Dave Birkett writes.
• There are 107 plays in the Ohio State arsenal right now. That’s far more than in past seasons, the Columbus Dispatch’s Tim May writes.
• It’s not easy wearing Northwestern purple these days, the Chicago Sun-Times’ Jim O’Donnell writes.
• The Hawkeyes are off to their best start in 24 years, but coach Kirk Ferentz is preaching patience as the team prepares for a difficult second half schedule, the Iowa City Press-Citizen’s Andy Hamilton writes.
• Wisconsin’s season hinges on this week’s game against Iowa, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s Jeff Potrykus writes.
• Penn State linebacker Sean Lee is close to returning to action, the Daily Collegian’s Nate Mink writes.
• The senior class is trying to keep the rest of the Purdue football team upbeat, the Lafayette Journal & Courier’s Mike Carmin writes.
• Minnesota’s Blake Haudan waited four years for his chance — to punt, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Kent Youngblood writes.
• Michigan State is ready for Northwestern’s spread offense, the Detroit Free-Press’ Shannon Shelton writes.

BIG TEN BASKETBALL

• John Beilein has proven to be the right man for the job at Michigan, the Detroit Free-Press’ Drew Sharp writes.
• Ohio State will be without its center, Dallas Lauderdale, for 4-6 weeks, the Columbus Dispatch’s Bob Baptist writes.
• Illinois needs guard Demetri McCamey to push himself and the team harder, the Chicago Tribune’s Shannon Ryan writes.
• Jeff Jordan’s return to the Illini is dependent on him being able to give a total commitment, the Daily Illini’s Stuart Lieberman writes.
• Todd Lickliter said he likes where the Iowa basketball team is headed, the Iowa City Press-Citizen’s Ryan Suchomel writes.
• Purdue’s Lewis Jackson will sit out three games because of his April arrest, the Lafayette Journal & Courier’s Jeff Washburn writes.
• A decision on Minnesota’s Trevor Mbawke should come by Nov. 5, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Myron P. Medcalf writes. Mbawke could be forced to sit out until a December trial for felony assault.

TAKE A LOOK

After the events of the last two weeks, it appears it would take quite a bit to right the Indiana football ship. Here is Bruce Springsteen’s “Countin’ on a Miracle.”