Springfield, Mo. — Sometimes all Dennis Raetz could do was shake his head.
On Saturday, Indiana State’s interim head coach watched his team lose its 12th straight game (the fifth since he took over) and ninth this season as the Sycamores dropped a never-close 63-7 decision to Missouri State.
The decisiveness of this defeat cut deep because the Bears were only one spot ahead of ISU at the bottom of the Gateway Football Conference standings entering this weekend.
As the losses continue to mount during this unique Indiana State season, which already has seen the previously retired Raetz replace Lou West after four games, statistical records may be mounting too.
As one might guess, they’re not pretty.
The school record for most points accumulated by ISU opponents in a season — 493 — was set in 2006. Through nine games with two to go against defending conference champion Youngstown State (at Memorial Stadium this Saturday) and current Gateway leader Northern Iowa (on the road Nov. 10), the Sycamores have allowed 433 points.
That means if Youngstown State and Northern Iowa “only” score 30 points apiece, the record would be tied. Considering Indiana (55), Eastern Illinois (54), Southern Illinois (72), Illinois State (69) and Missouri State (63) all topped 50 against Indiana State, I would bet the over, although I’d be thrilled to be wrong.
Another interesting tidbit: The last time the Sycamores went winless in a season, 0-11 in 2005, they permitted 476 points.
To summarize, that’s 476 points in 2005, 493 points in 2006 and probably 500-plus points in 2007.
Now I’m shaking my head.
As some might remember, I mentioned in a game story earlier this season that Indiana State lost to Jas. Millikin 158-6 in a 1920 game, but the ISU football media guide lists that team playing a five-game schedule instead of the current 11 games. Surprisingly, the opponents’ season total in 1920 was only 199, thanks in part to a shutout of Union Christian.
Looking at the updated NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-AA) statistical rankings Sunday, Indiana State is again 116th out of 116 teams in rushing defense (314.11 yards per game), 116th in scoring defense (48.11 per game) and 115th in total defense (504.78 yards per game).
“We’re hard-pressed to stop anything,” Raetz acknowledged after Saturday’s lopsided loss. “The same play that people have been running for the last five weeks … and we’ve got to struggle so hard to try to stop it. You commit defense backs to it. You try to scheme it and the next thing you know, you’ve broken down the integrity of what you’re trying to do. You’re vulnerable when they want to throw the ball. You’re vulnerable to everything else that happens.”
In rushing defense, the next-worst FCS team is Columbia, which is giving up 267.0 yards per contest, about 47 per game less than ISU.
In scoring defense, the next-worst FCS team is Western Carolina and its average of 41.4 points allowed.
In other words, the Sycamores need a borderline miracle to climb out of the basement in those two categories.
The 61-year-old Raetz hasn’t said anything about regretting his decision to return to the sideline, but I can’t help but wonder if second thoughts occasionally enter his mind.
“The cumulative effect of everything that happens wears on you,” he admitted, “whether that be the losing, whether that be the injuries, whether that be the lack of numbers [of players], whether that be the inability to ever control tempo with your offense.”
But Raetz still insists there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
It’s just not real bright at the moment.
“Whatever it is right now,” he continued, “we’ve got a chance to fix. But it isn’t going to be fixed until we start spring practice with whoever is the [long-term] coach.”
ISU director of athletics Ron Prettyman hopes to have a new coach in place by December.
Until then, all the coaches and players can do is give their best effort for two more games — two more games against really tough opponents.
“Everybody needs to decide to play hard and keep working and not give up,” said sophomore defensive end Daniel Millington of Terre Haute.
“Nobody’s given up. We just need to keep playing hard and listen to the coaches. Coaches know what they’re doing, so we need to listen to them and do what they say.”
Millington also said Missouri State did not run any offensive plays that confused the ISU defense Saturday.
“They did exactly what we practiced all week for,” he mentioned with a look of disgust on his face.
David Hughes can be reached by phone at 1-800-783-8742, Option 4, or at (812) 231-4224; by e-mail at david.hughes@tribstar.com; or by fax at (812) 231-4321.
Hughes News & Views
Hughes News & Views: ISU football doesn’t like setting these kind of records
- Hughes News & Views
-
-
Hughes, News & Views: Pacers, 500, NFL on mind of curious columnist
One previous time, I believe, my annual May questions column ran one day late into June.
Can you forgive me for this being the second time?
With apologies out of the way, below are questions that have been taking up valuable space in my head lately.
Some are serious, some not so much. Most are sports-related, but don’t blame me if a few are not. After all, newspaper sportswriters don’t eat, sleep and breathe sports 24/7 (contrary to what my Lisa might tell you).
Here we go:
• How funny will the reaction of the national media be when the Indiana Pacers knock off the unbeatable Miami Heat tonight and Monday to take the series and head to an NBA Finals showdown with the San Antonio Spurs? Hint: Several ESPN “experts” will need to change their underwear next week. -
Terre Haute runner sets up race to help Boston
Having competed in the Boston Marathon once before in 2003, 35-year-old Majel Wells of Terre Haute thought she should give it another try in 2013.
“My goal was just to finish and enjoy Boston,” she reflected this week. “I had an injury [runner’s knee] beforehand, so I wasn’t too worried about beating my time from 2003 [4 hours, 10.20 seconds].
“But nobody cares about what your time is at Boston anyway.”
From what I’ve heard over the years, she’s right. Unless you’re a super-serious runner, the Boston Marathon has been more about taking in the atmosphere and having fun than placing in the top 50, although Wells was pleased that she beat her previous time by finishing in 3:55.19 on April 15.
Obviously, her race time wasn’t the most vivid memory that Wells took away from her 2013 Boston experience. -
Former South players to play in Saylor benefit game
I had my first phone conversation with Mike Saylor since mid-February on Thursday and he sounded good.
The former Terre Haute South High School boys basketball coach, who’s been battling cancer this year, has been traveling back and forth to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for chemotherapy treatments. -
Recent South swimmers Roach, Bray heading to DI nationals
I’m sure most of you with office jobs can relate.
When work gets busy, sometimes it’s easy to skim over our emails. After all, how many times do we need to read the same nonsense from alleged Nigerians wanting to make us rich if we’ll send them several thousand dollars first?
So after having three consecutive days off, that almost happened to me when I returned to work Tuesday. Then I realized that the message from Jeff Thompson, Terre Haute South High School’s boys and girls swimming coach, contained significant news. -
NCAA Division III basketball tournament returns to Rose-Hulman
The last time Rose-Hulman served as host for the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament, its game was played inside an old World War II airplane hangar.
You “old-timers” should know the building I’m talking about and the matchup wasn’t really that long ago — March 6, 1997, to be exact. -
DAVID HUGHES: Childhood friends use faith, sports to get them through
When I learned in February 2009 that a rare form of appendix cancer would devastate my life and cause me to miss work for several months, Mike Saylor was among the first to offer assistance.
-
Book review: Thumbs up for ‘Trophies and Tears’
Now might be too late for giving Christmas presents, but the book “Trophies and Tears: The Story of Evansville and the Aces” is a fascinating read for longtime Indiana basketball fans, particularly those older than 40.
Written by award-winning Kyle Keiderling of Henderson, Nev., and released in hardcover format in mid-December, the 480-page “Trophies and Tears” documents the rich tradition of the University of Evansville men’s basketball program through recent interviews and research of old yearbooks and newspaper/scrapbook clippings.
The book contains many cheery moments — behind-the-scenes details of all five NCAA College Division (now known as Division II) championships won in the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s by the Purple Aces and their legendary coach Arad McCutchan — although some of those moments don’t seem so cheery from an Indiana State perspective when the Sycamores found themselves on the losing end of scores. -
Hughes, News & Views: Wishing for Colts-Broncos playoff matchup from Santa
There’s plenty of tragedy in the world to bring us down if we let it, so let’s have a light-hearted column today — my annual Christmas gift requests for Santa Claus.
I already know one of my gift wishes is becoming less likely to happen. That would be for the Indianapolis Colts to face the Denver Broncos in the AFC playoffs. -
Colts' loyalty tested by Manning, Broncos
We’re approaching the halfway point of the NFL season and so far it’s been surprisingly enjoyable.
I wasn’t sure how I would handle following two favorite teams — 1a.) the Indianapolis Colts and 1b.) Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos — but the new arrangement hasn’t caused me any loyalty conflicts yet.
-
HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Sorting out the sports air waves
My name isn’t attached to them, but I’m the one who usually puts together the “Sports on the air” television/radio listings that appear daily on this newspaper’s Scoreboard Page.
-
Hughes, News & Views: North junior ready to go racing
When we last visited 16-year-old Rachel Gutish, she was finishing sixth in the Women’s Enduro X race in the nationally televised Summer X Games at Los Angeles.
-
HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Yelovich still striking the ball long on LDA Tour
In June 2011, I wrote a feature story about former Indiana State basketball center Mick Yelovich making a name for himself as a golfer on the Long Drivers Association (LDA) Tour.
-
HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Colts? Broncos? Maybe there’s more than enough room for both
I’ve got a longtime buddy who I’m fairly sure rarely, if ever, reads this column.
-
HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Point of Jones’ return
Since May 14, Indiana high school basketball fans have wondered why Jim Jones would want to come out of retirement at 74.
-
HUGHES, NEWS & VIEWS: Questions abound for Indy 500, Manning, baseball sectional
Phones are ringing less frequently in the Tribune-Star sports department this week.
-
Hughes, News & Views: Hutson getting ready for final stretch toward Olympic Trials
If Kylie Hutson were a cross-country runner, she’d be approaching the final stretch of her biggest race in about three weeks.
-
HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Rose basketball alumni offer advice to current team
Bryan Egli and Joe Puthoff, both Rose-Hulman basketball starters I covered in the late 1990s, took their degrees from the prestigious engineering institute and found successful careers in the Indianapolis area.
Egli, also a former West Vigo High School multi-sport standout, lives in Carmel and works for Thieneman Construction in Westfield. Puthoff lives in Indy and works for Rolls Royce Aircraft Engines. -
DAVID HUGHES: Super Bowl odds getting stranger and stranger
Today’s annual “Super Bowl odds column” feels special to me because I’ve been a diehard NFL fan since 1967 and next Sunday will be the first time the big game takes place in our great state of Indiana.
-
HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Coach’s book a chance to remember North Vermillion state champs
Almost 10 years ago, February 2002 to be exact, the New England Patriots upset the high-powered St. Louis Rams to win Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans, the Winter Olympics entertained spectators in Salt Lake City and Terre Haute South High School’s girls basketball team started its tournament run toward a Class 4A state title.
-
HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Plenty of sports-related gifts for columnist's wish list
Last week, I was all set to beg Santa Claus to give the Indianapolis Colts a certificate good for one NFL regular-season victory.
Then the 2011 Colts decided to play like the 2009 Colts and clobber the Tennessee Titans on Sunday for their first win of the season. So that present won’t be necessary. -
HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: WTHI defends decision not to show Colts
When your favorite NFL team is threatening to finish 0-16, you have to figure a few fans will jump off the bandwagon.
-
HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Former South coach Rady makes it look easy
Jack Butcher, Howard Sharpe and Bill Stearman.
-
HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Wheldon's genuine personality a devastating loss to racing
Lori Wood, the Tribune-Star’s Indianapolis 500 correspondent since 2000, planned to visit a friend in California and take in the IndyCar Las Vegas 300 as a ticket-buying fan last weekend.
-
HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Past greats proud of ISU’s recent improvements
Indiana State football alum Chris “Big C” Hicks will turn 58 Saturday and he knows exactly what he wants for his birthday.
-
HUGHES NEWS AND VIEWS: Rose-Hulman hungry for first football victory of season
The Engineers have not endured a losing season since 2004. But they’ve opened this season at 0-2, causing Sokol to admit they’re desperate for a win.
“We’re all very hungry for a victory,” he said after practice Thursday. “We all want to taste victory really, really bad.” -
Valley semipro football team reaches championship of IFL
The West Central Wildcats’ semipro football team from Terre Haute has been written about before in this column space over the last two years.
-
HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Colts cheerleaders glad to get back on field
When I heard the NFL lockout finally ended this week, I looked for someone affiliated with the Indianapolis Colts to get a reaction.
-
Amateur boxing card set for outdoors at Show-Me's
We all know what Show-Me’s sports bar is famous for around Terre Haute, right?
Chicken wings, of course. -
HUGHES NEWS & VIEWS: Porter’s persistence keeps his boxing career going
When I walked in Sweatbox Gym through the alley door Wednesday, I wondered if a time machine had taken me back to the 1950s, the glory days of boxing.
-
HUGHES, NEWS AND VIEWS: Seaton aces chance for more Div. 1 volleyball
Plagued by one injury after another after another, Kristen Seaton was ready to turn off the lights on her volleyball career.
In her mind, the party was over.
- More Hughes News & Views Headlines
-
Hughes, News & Views: Pacers, 500, NFL on mind of curious columnist
Tiger on Sergio: 'It's Time to Move On'
Robot Action Connected to Human Thought
Rain Damages Brazil Soccer Stadium
NYC 911 Call Lasts for 8 Hours
Obama: US Has Helped Syrian Rebels
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
California Cops Cruise on Stand-up Paddle Patrol
Falling Cable Hurts 10 NASCAR Fans
Raw: 100K Protesters Flood Brazilian Streets
Afghan Forces Take Afghanistan Security Lead
Raw: First Lady, Daughters Enjoy Irish Sights
Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent'
Transgender Candidate Running in NYC
Ex-NFL Star Chad Johnson Out of Jail
Man Who Disrupted Flight Ranted About CIA
Feds: 7-Eleven Stores Exploited Immigrants
Oklahoma City Thunder Players Tour Moore
Today in History June 18
Iran's Rowhani Urges 'Path of Moderation'
Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy
Inside Kim Kardashian's Premature Labor
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Paige Butcher Scorches on Hawaii Beach
Video: worst way to load cargo onto a plane
Never-before-seen footage of '08 Times Square bomber
WATCH IT: Lil Wayne tramples American flag
Mariah Carey Looks Beautiful in a Tiny Cut-Out Swimsuit
Out of Control Boat Throws Passengers Overboard
See Lindsay Lohan in Rehab
Sofia Vergara Posts Perky Backside Pic in Thong
Gaga Ditches Her Crazy Couture
Caught on Tape: Teacher Accused of Beating Autistic Child
"Stay Classy" Campaign Aims to Curb Binge Drinking
Sesame Street Tackling Tough Topic Parents in Jail
Miss Utah Fumbles Interview Question
Deranged man claims Newark-bound flight was poisoned
Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton Show Off Their Amazing Bikini Bodies
NBA FINALS: Spurs Win Game 5, Lead Series
