TERRE HAUTE —
Once the disappointment of missing the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs wore off, Indiana State football coach Trent Miles could look back on the 2012 season with a sense of accomplishment.
He has thoroughly researched just how much the Sycamores’ program has accomplished in the last three years, all winning seasons, including the 7-4 campaign just completed. It’s the first time since 1967-69 that ISU have had as many winning seasons as it currently has.
ISU also finished the season ranked 23rd and 24th in the FCS coaches’ and media polls.
“I thought it was a great season, it just didn’t end the way we wanted. They did a lot of things. They were in every game; there was never a game we didn’t have a chance to win. I’m proud of them, they’ve established this program as a firm top 25 team,” Miles said.
But wait … there’s more.
“ISU began football in 1896, but they started playing eight games a season regularly in 1920. Since then, [ISU] has only had 29 winning seasons and these kids accounted for three of them, almost 11 percent of winning [since 1920] comes from these seniors,” Miles said.
“The only thing that stacks up happened in the 1960s [when ISU had seven winning seasons], and no disrespect to those teams, but their schedule back then had teams like DePauw, Evansville and St. Joe’s on it. This senior class has done a great job and we’ve played tough competition,” Miles added.
ISU’s departing seniors are the foundation of ISU’s recent success and set a high bar for their replacements to live up to. ISU’s defense, whose scoring defense was ranked third in the nation and second in the MVFC behind champion North Dakota State, was chock full of those seniors.
Defensive end Ben Obaseki, linebackers Aaron Archie and Jacolby Washington and cornerback Johnny Towalid have been mainstays through ISU’s three winning seasons.
“The defense played phenomenal. Archie, Washington and Obaseki were outstanding, but it wasn’t just them. Jordan Bright played solid all year, replacing Garrison McElroy who never played a down. We had a lot of men we didn’t know about who stepped up and we were actually better,” Miles said.
Among those men was linebacker Connor Underwood, who led the team with six sacks. Defensive tackle Tyler Boyd and safety Donovan Layne also became quality starters. Junior cornerback Calvin Burnett and safety Larry King will provide senior leadership next season.
Miles was also satisfied with ISU’s offense, even though the Sycamores ranked 100th in the nation in total offense and seventh in the 10-team MVFC.
Running back Shakir Bell rushed for 1,475 yards and 11 touchdowns, both totals were down slightly from his 2011 season. Bell had 1,617 total yards (he had 142 yards on 19 receptions), which comprised 47.7 percent of ISU’s total offense of 3,387 yards.
Sophomore quarterback Mike Perish threw for 1,615 yards and 10 touchdowns against eight interceptions. Perish struggled at times with accuracy, but also was victimized by a receiving corps that suffered from too many dropped passes.
Given that many of ISU’s offensive skill players aside from Bell were new starters this season, Miles is buoyed by the fact that there’s room to grow.
“People forget that we had a sophomore QB that hadn’t played. We lost [wide receiver] Justin Hilton, [quarterback] Ronnie Fouch, [fullback] Brock Lough, [tight end] Alex Jones and FN Lutz [ISU’s starting center who sat out the season with a knee injury],”
Miles said.
“We had a lot of things that we had to overcome. Guys like [tight end] Mike Mardis, [center] Evan Borchers, [fullback] Austen Wozniak and Mike Perish did well,” Miles added.
Miles stressed that ISU returns nearly its entire offensive line next season (right tackle Casey Paswater graduates). Miles is excited about ISU’s future at the quarterback position. He feels Perish will improve and will continue to be pushed in practice by Robert Tonyan Jr. and Trent Lancaster.
“Perish, Tonyan Jr. and Lancaster will be battling, and I think they’re all good,” Miles said.
One area of significant improvement was in the kicking game. Kicker Tanner Fritschle solidified a spot that had been uncertain for several years. The sophomore converted 83.3 percent of his field goal attempts and made all but one of his extra point attempts.
Punter Lucas Hileman was the MVFC’s best with a 44.1 per punt average, including 22 punts placed inside the 20.
Miles acknowledged that ISU needs to learn how to win championships in its next step of its evolution. Phase one of his initial plan to blow up the program and start over is completed, but the effects on recruiting are still being felt and will continue to be felt in the coming years.
Miles wants to get ISU on the footing of having normal departing class sizes and normal incoming recruiting classes.
“You can’t rid of 42 players in three years and have them all replaced. There’s certain areas to focus on to get the right mix when players leave and that’s a seven-year deal,” Miles said. “Last year, we went heavy for defense. Now we have to improve our offensive skill. We need more receivers.”
Miles declined to comment on one of the fruits of his and ISU’s success. His name has been mentioned in published reports for job openings at the FBS level. His name has been speculatively brought up in conjunction with openings at Kentucky, Purdue, and on Tuesday, Western Michigan.
Miles has three years left on a contract extension signed in 2011.
n ISU injuries — ISU lost Towalid and Layne in its loss to Youngstown State last Saturday. Towalid had a lower fibula injury on his right leg. It had not yet been determined whether he broke the leg. Layne suffered a bruised leg.
College
Related Photos
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Tribune-Star file photo/Joseph C. Garza Big stop: Drake running back T.J. James is stopped at the one yard line by Indiana State's Jacolby Washington during the Sycamores' win Saturday, Sept. 15 at Memorial Stadium.
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Touchdown: Indiana State's #92 Ben Obaseki steps into the end zone to score a touchdown with little resistance from a Quincy defender earlier this season. Jim Avelis
Discussion
A season of accomplishment
LKooking back at the 2012 Indiana State University football season
- College
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ISU baseball hoping Manaea can get its MVC Tournament moving in right direction
Indiana State’s baseball team has been waiting all season for its stars to align.
But this is the 2013 Sycamores, after all, and after a season in which seemingly little has gone right, it appears its stars will remain crossed at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. -
ISU track sending record 22 to postseason
On the heels of their thrilling double victory at the 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships both the Indiana State men and women moved up in the national rankings which were released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
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ISU's athletic treasure trove
Think of every championship that Indiana State has won in each of its sports, past and present. Think of every tournament — postseason or regular season — which the Sycamores have claimed as their own.
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Ort sets ISU RBI record in 16-7 win
Robby Ort celebrated his Indiana State baseball Senior Day on Saturday by becoming the Sycamores’ all-time leader in RBIs as ISU ended its regular season with a 16-7 win over Bradley at Bob Warn Field.
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Bradley ends 16-game MVC losing streak against ISU
Momentum was the only thing riding on Indiana State’s baseball game against Bradley on Friday. With a five-game winning streak going, ISU wanted to keep the good vibes going into next week’s Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
ISU couldn’t do it. -
Behind 16 hits and Manaea's pitching, ISU beats Bradley
Indiana State’s baseball team rode a wild ride of emotion on Thursday.
First came the public announcement that Bob Warn Field would host the 2014 Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. Later, Sean Manaea’s availability to pitch ISU’s series opener against Bradley was in doubt. -
Indiana State women add five transfers, including experienced D-I point guard
Indiana State coach Teri Moren believes the addition of five more newcomers to the program — in addition to the five who had already joined the program earlier this calendar year — will provide her coaching staff the athleticism and depth it needs to play a successful, up-tempo brand of basketball next season.
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Metro roundup: Woods softball takes seventh in national tournament
The St. Mary-of-the-Woods softball team finished seventh in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association softball tournament on Tuesday at Firestone Stadium.
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Metro Roundup: Indiana State’s Shakir Bell on Performance Awards watch list
College Football Performance Awards has announced its watch list for the 2013 CFPA FCS Running Back Award, and Indiana State’s Shakir Bell earned a spot on the list.
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ISU baseball team builds on success with 14-2 rout
Indiana State’s baseball victory over Alcorn State on Friday would take on more meaning Saturday if the Sycamores could build momentum and pick up on the good work they did in Friday’s ninth-inning rally.
Mission accomplished.
The Sycamores were aggressive from the opening inning at the plate and starting pitcher Devin Moore gave them eight valuable and effective innings on the mound as ISU defeated Alcorn State 14-2 at Bob Warn Field.
“It was a really good experience for everybody. It felt great to finally come out here and put some things together. It’s also really nice when your offense puts a lot of runs on the board,” Moore said.
Moore’s eight innings of work were as valuable as gold to an ISU team that is short on quality arms due to injury and ineffectiveness. He didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning and one of the two runs he conceded was unearned. -
Johnson, Lyke win MVC titles for ISU
Indiana State’s Felisha Johnson and Maurice Lyke were both crowned Missouri Valley Conference champions on Saturday during the MVC Track and Field Championships at Drake University.
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ISU earns badly-needed win
Alcorn State’s baseball team might be ranked in the bottom 10 in RPI and Indiana State might have never lost to a Southwestern Athletic Conference team. So it wouldn’t appear that a quality win was in the offing when Alcorn State visited Bob Warn Field on Friday.
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Metro roundup: RHIT’s Evans sets Div. III record in high jump
For the third time this season, Rose-Hulman senior Liz Evans topped the NCAA Division III all-time national record in the outdoor high jump Friday night.
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ISU’s Mascari and Hope win MVC track & field titles
Indiana State produced two champions during the opening day of action in the Missouri Valley Conference track and field championships Friday at Drake. Freshman John Mascari, a Terre Haute native, won the men’s 10,000-meter race and Nicole Hope won the women’s pole vault for the second time in three seasons.
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ISU pole vault tradition continues with help from its author
Pole vault is track and field for the adrenaline junkie, Indiana State senior Nicole Hope proclaimed during a recent practice at Marks Field.
To catapult oneself about 14 feet into the air with a large $500 fiberglass pole on a daily basis is a risky endeavor.
“We have to be fearless. You can’t be afraid at all,” said Hope, who has also catapulted herself into the NCAA’s elite in the event, ranking 15th in the NCAA with her leap of 13-feet, 9 1/4. -
Sycamores searching for answers after seventh loss in eight games
These are the bad times for the Indiana State baseball team.
The will is there for the Sycamores to pull out of their worst slump of the season, but the results are not. The suffering continued on Wednesday at Bob Warn Field as Eastern Illinois defeated ISU 5-3. -
METRO ROUNDUP: ISU men's track picked first in MVC Championships, women second
The Indiana State men’s track team has won the last two Missouri Valley Conference outdoor championships, but the women have not stood on the top podium since 1999.
That may change this year, but the Sycamores will face some stiff competition in their quest for the championships. -
North grad Welker helps Whitson earn first NCAA bid as coach
Eastern Kentucky girls golf coach Mike Whitson, an alumnus of his employer, enjoyed his stay in Terre Haute as coach of Indiana State, where he started the women’s golf program.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman wins HCAC all-sports trophy
Rose-Hulman has won the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference men’s all-sports trophy for the fifth time in the past six year, the league announced Monday.
Rose tallied 66.5 points for its finishes in 11 men’s sports, just ahead of Franklin with 66. Hanover was third with 53 points. -
METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman tennis falls in HCAC semifinal
Rose-Hulman’s hot streak in men’s tennis came to an end Saturday in the semifinal round of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament at the West Indy Racquet Club.
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Manaea fights off bad hip, wet weather to toss four innings
Mother Nature has been the bane of the Indiana State baseball team’s existence all season. Eight games wiped due to weather are a testament to that. So it was no surprise, though no less disappointing, when she didn’t deal Indiana State pitcher Sean Manaea the greatest hand on Saturday as he tries to recover from a hip injury.
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ISU track enjoys big night at IU's Billy Hayes Invitational
The Indiana State Sycamores either won or finished as the top collegian in 12 events, led by the record-breaking performance of senior Brandon Pounds at the 2013 Billy Hayes Invitational Friday at Indiana University.
Pounds broke his own school record to win the men’s hammer throw. -
Lansing looking for more home games for next fall
Indiana State’s men’s basketball team is looking for a few good games.
Home games that is.
The Sycamores have filled in most of the blanks in their nonconference schedule, but as ever, ISU coach Greg Lansing would like to visit the friendly confines of Hulman Center a bit more often. -
Secret weapon: Kelsey Rosselli finishing Woods career with a bang
At Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, reporting game results to the Tribune-Star after a win or a loss is not always a high priority.
So when one of its athletes enjoys an outstanding season, like senior Kelsey Rosselli is doing for the Pomeroys’ softball team in 2013, media publicity doesn’t always follow.
In fact, her efforts almost seem like a government secret.
Rosselli’s name might sound familiar to longtime Terre Haute softball followers because she was a standout for North High School, from where she graduated in 2009.
Since then, she’s helped The Woods finish runner-up in three straight U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) national tournaments in 2010, 2011 and 2012. -
ISU baseball gets back into rhythm with victory
Baseball is a rhythm game. With contests every day or five times a week in the case of many college programs, you have the chance to build on success or wallow in a slump.
Mother Nature took that rhythm away from Indiana State’s team last week. After a 7-1 loss to Indiana on April 24, ISU was supposed to play a three-game series at Tennessee-Martin, but it was wiped out by rain.
So the rhythm was disturbed, but perhaps that wasn’t a bad thing.
ISU was in a five-game losing streak before its unintended vacation and the Sycamores made a move in the right direction Wednesday with a 7-0 win over DePauw at Bob Warn Field.
“It was a disappointing weekend. We went all the way down to Tennessee and didn’t get to play. We sat around in the hotel room. We came here and it was still raining. It was nice to get out and see some live pitching,” ISU center fielder Landon Curry said. -
Metro roundup: ISU hands out spring awards
The Indiana State University athletic community, along with family, friends and fans, paused Tuesday night to honor the spring sports teams at the Terre Haute Savings Bank Spring Sports Banquet.
Most of the ISU teams are still in competition with the baseball team having 13 games left of its regular-season schedule before beginning the Missouri Valley Conference tournament May 21, the softball team with just three games left of the docket this coming weekend against Southern Illinois and the track and field program with just one more meet before beginning its postseason events.
The ISU women’s golf team is the team that has ended at this time, with the group recording a sixth-place finish at the MVC championships one week ago. -
METRO ROUNDUP: Rose baseball wins another thriller
Rose-Hulman earned its third victory in its last at-bat in the last five days with a 6-5 win over Franklin in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball Tuesday night at Art Nehf Field.
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ISU relay teams enjoy strong day at Drake Relays
It was a day for the relay teams to shine at the 104th Drake Relays Saturday as four of the five Indiana State relay teams that competed ran times that put the team among the top five in school history for their respective events.
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Indiana State baseball series canceled
Heavy rain from Thursday through Saturday has forced Indiana State and Tennessee Martin to cancel their three-game weekend baseball series in northwest Tennessee.
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Metro roundup; Five Wabash Valley players on Terre Haute Rex team
The Terre Haute Rex will look to three-peat as Prospect League Western Division champions with a roster that includes a quartet of Wabash Valley players. Indiana State University standouts Tyler Wampler and Josh Dove will reunite with former Little League and high school rivals Cody Gardner (Wright State), Tim Johnson (Vincennes) and Bryan Nacke (Vincennes) for the summer season.
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