Indiana State’s football team again will have a tough task in trying to snap its losing streak Saturday when the Sycamores take on major power Louisville in the opener for the Kentucky team.
Louisville has not lost 27 games in a row, but the Cards are coming off two subpar seasons under coach Steve Kragthorpe, who is 11-13 in his first two seasons at the Big East school.
University officials deny there is pressure on the team to win and compete in a bowl game for the first time in three years, but there will be pressure from fans accustomed to winning.
The Cardinals were 5-7 and 1-6 in the Big East last year.
The Louisville Courier-Journal lists Kragthorpe on the hot seat along with first-year Auburn coach Gene Chizik, Notre Dame’s Charlie Weis, Wisconsin’s Bret Bielema and Al Groh of Virginia.
The newspaper’s beat writer picks Louisville to finish 5-7 and to lose to rival Kentucky for the third straight season.
By the way, Indiana State alumni will have a tailgate gathering prior to the contest that begins at 7:30 p.m.
• New coaches — Two Terre Haute North graduates have new coaching jobs this fall.
Andy Hopkins is an assistant coach for men’s and women’s tennis at Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne. He is a 2009 graduate of Ohio Northern and is getting an MBA in health care management.
Rob Roads is coaching cross country, track and swimming at Rivet High School in Vincennes. He is teaching physical education and health. The cross country team began its season in the Terre Haute South Invitational.
In a related note, John Memmer recently became the winningest coach in all sports at Riverton Parke when the volleyball posted a victory.
Elsewhere, Park Tudor has hired Ed Schilling to coach boys basketball.
Schilling has been the coach at Wright State and assistant at Massachusetts, New Jersey Nets and Memphis while also coaching Western Boone and Logansport.
He succeeds Darnell Archey, who is the new coordinator of basketball operations at Butler, his alma mater.
That gave Memmer 255 wins. He and Sam Ball each had 254 going into this season.
• More rankings — The preseason Sagarin Rankings for college football are out and were released prior to games played last week.
Most polls have Florida No. 1. Not Sagarain, a native Hoosier. He has Southern Cal first followed by Florida, Oklahoma, Texas and Ohio State.
Some other teams and their rank: 48. Notre Dame, 57. Purdue, 63. Illinois, 81. Ball State, 83. Northern Iowa, 95. Indiana, 177. Eastern Illinois, 229. Indiana State.
• Tom-Cattin’ It — Lawrence North has lost another basketball player. Xavier recruit Justin Martin will attend school at Mountain State University Academy in West Virginia. The 6-foot-7 ace averaged 10.4 points as a junior. Dominique Ferguson previously said he would attend Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia instead of completing school at Lawrence North. … Heritage Hills is off to another super start in prep football. The Patriots beat Vincennes 68-0 in the opener and beat Tell City 63-13. … Princeton defeated Gibson Southern in its first game to snap a 13-game losing streak while Edinburgh has lost more than 40 in a row. … In a recent golf match, Forest Park defeated Hulman Links 121/2-8/2. Vigo County high school girls teams will meet in the county match Thursday at Rea Park. … Chad Collins enjoyed his week off from the Nationwide Tour last week by scoring his fifth hole-in-one at Geneva Hills. He said all five of the aces have been done in different states. Eight events remain on the Nationwide Tour and he likely will play in seven of them with a chance to finish in the top 10 in money winnings.
Tom Reck may be contacted by telephone at (812) 232-3231, by e-mail at tm_reck@yahoo.com or by mail at 4284 South 5th Street, Apt. 3, Terre Haute, IN 47802.
Ramblin' Reck
Ramblin' Reck: ISU opponent feeling the heat, too
- Ramblin' Reck
-
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: And now, on to the next beloved winter sport
The final football game finally has been played, meaning folks in the Valley can concentrate on basketball this week.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Indianapolis is looking mighty good this week
It’s Super Bowl XLVI week … in Indiana for the first time.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Fox gives TH punter kudos
The stage is set. It’ll be the New York Giants against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl that will be played for the first time in Indianapolis.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Big Ten shaken up last week
It was a very interesting week in men’s college basketball, especially in the Big Ten.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: A fresh round of predictions as the NFL dwindles to 8
More National Foootball League playoff games are slated this weekend, with the number of postseason teams down to eight following an interesting weekend of wild-card action.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Hile inducted into Hall
Indiana State grad Amy Lynn Hile will take her place in another Hall of Fame this year.
Inducted into the ISU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005, the former Sycamore standout has been named as one of the 2011 inductees into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: It’s time now for some intraleague hoops rivalries
It’s the final week of 2011 but it is the first week of conference basketball games for most colleges, particularly those in Indiana and Illinois.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: A long distance relationship
Indiana State’s trip out West to play basketball at Boise State brought back memories of one of the trips I made to that city.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Indiana Mr. Football still has big decision to make
Some awards in high school and college football were announced last week.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: No dearth of good basketball
Based on early games, the college basketball season is going to be very interesting for coaches, players and fans, particularly in the Big Ten and Missouri Valley.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Big Ten-ACC challenge gets under way tonight
Conference championship football games and challenge action in basketball will make for a busy week for college teams.
Wisconsin and Michigan State will meet in the very first Big Ten football championship Saturday at Indianapolis. Kickoff is 8 p.m. and the action will be carried by Fox.
Michigan State nipped the Badgers in the regular-season contest at East Lansing. We like Wisconsin to win and earn a trip to the Rose Bowl.
Other games and picks:
SEC — LSU over Georgia on Saturday
Mid-American — Northern Illinois over Ohio U. on Friday
Pac-12 — Oregon over UCLA on Friday
ACC — Virginia Tech over Clemson on Saturday
Conference USA — Houston over Southern Mississippi on Saturday
Western Kentucky will not play for a championship but the Hilltoppers won seven of their last eight games to finish with a winning mark. That’s the same team that lost to Indiana State, you will recall.
Meanwhile, the hiring and firing already has begun with Urban Meyer coming out of retirement to accept the job at Ohio State. That was a no-brainer.
Illinois is bowl-eligible but Ron Zook is out. Ditto for Turner Gill at Kansas and apparently Dennis Erickson at Arizona State.
In basketball, the first games in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge will be played tonight. The biggie tonight is Duke at Ohio State. Miami of Florida is at Purdue and Illinois plays at Maryland.
On Wednesday, Indiana is at North Carolina State, Wisconsin is at North Carolina and Michigan State goes to Florida State.
Indiana State is at Boise State on Saturday for a Missouri Valley-Mountain West Challenge game,
It was fun and gratifying to be able to watch the Sycamores on national television as they took third in the Old Spice Classic. The team got tons of favorable publicity and comments from the three games.
And what a game for Jake Odum and his triple-double. Wow.
I I I
n White honored — Taylor White of Casey has earned academic all-state honors in Illlinois football.
White was one of the top players at linebacker and fullback and was one of the captains on the team but did not play as the Warriors lost to Morrison in the Class 2A title tilt.
He was sidelined by injury in the game against Marshall and underwent surgery.
The Warriors gave Morrison all it wanted in the final game, concluding another banner season for coach Keith Sinclair and the team.
Nice work, Warriors.
I I I
n Tom-Cattin’ It — Carmel was the only public school to win a prep football championship in Indiana and was impressive in its 54-0 victory over Penn in the 5A finale.
Other winners — all private schools — were Lafayette Central Catholic in A, Fort Wayne Luers in 2A, Indianapolis Chatard in 3A, and Indianapolis Cathedral in 4A.
n Sullivan puts its undefeated girls basketball record on the line tonight at West Vigo. Its victory over Terre Haute South last week was its first over the Braves since 1992.
n Terre Haute North grad Steve Weatherford, now punting for the New York Giants, was featured in a nice story in The New York Times on Monday.
He was singled out for his conditioning program and called the strongest player pound for pound — at 210 pounds — on the team that met the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.
n Jim Rathman died last week at 83.
He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1960, edging Rodger Ward in a race in which there were a record 29 lead changes.
Rathman also was runner-up in the race in 1952, 1957 and 1959.
n Flora has been tabbed by one newspaper as the preseason pick to win the Little Illini Conference boys basketball championship and to make it to the Final Four.
The Wolves play Marshall, off to a 3-1 start, next week.
Tom Reck may be contacted by telephone at (812) 232-3231, by email at tm_reck@yahoo.com or by mail at 4284 South 5th Street, Apt. 3, Terre Haute, IN 47802. -
RAMBLIN' RECK: Sinclair: ‘Never underestimate the heart of a Warrior’
Casey’s high school football team will have one more week of practice, including a workout early Thanksgiving Day, but the players don’t mind it.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: MVC’s quick start brings hope
Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball teams and others are off to a good start.
Valley teams were 9-2 in games played through Sunday. Two teams picked up some very nice victories.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: ISU’s ranking solid heading into basketball season
The college football season still has a few weeks to run for most teams, but the basketball season starts for real for a lot of teams this week; a few still have some exhibition contests left on the schedule.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Terre Haute native had memorable career at Red Hill
When Red Hill played its final football game of the season last month in Illinois, it marked the end of an era for a friend of mine and for the high school.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Terre Haute jumps several spots in Sporting News’ ratings
The Sporting News recently released its rankings of best sports cities in the country.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Big week brought ISU alumni to Terre Haute in droves
It was a great weekend in Terre Haute.
Alumni were back in town for Indiana State’s homecoming, the football team made it great with another victory and the weatherman cooperated with nice fall weather.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Unbeaten football seasons on line for Linton, North Central
We’re down to the final week of the high school football season for teams in Indiana and some really big games mark the schedule in the area.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Big college, prep football games scheduled this weekend
Some big football games are on the schedule this week in both the college and high school ranks.
In the Missouri Valley Football Conference, Indiana State and Northern Iowa share first place with 2-0 records. They’ll meet Saturday evening in the UniDome.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Big Ten openers are here
Big Ten football teams play their first conference games this week and a big game will top the schedule.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Wild card races offer suspense
Major league baseball is down to its final days, with the final games slated for Sept. 30.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Now for a few football landmark… both north and south
Some milestones were recorded in Indiana high school football games played Friday night.
n Heritage Hills blanked Pike Central 75-0 for a 3-0 record in Pocket Athletic Conference action at Lincoln City.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Labor Day means football, of the college kind
Labor Day is coming up and that means the start of the college football season for most teams on Saturday.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Southwest 7 cleans up in Week 1
Three Southwest Seven Conference teams were winners last week as Indiana high school football teams opened the 2011 season.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Beginner’s luck?
Sunday and Monday were good days for first-time winners in some of the major sports events.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Schelsky, Bilyeu, Fish conclude big golf weeks in Valley
Some notes and observations on recent achievements by folks from the area:
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Week filled with competitive golf, multiple racing events
Last week was a busy one but a nice one with golf, harness racing and automobile racing on the hot, humid schedule.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: Brickyard 400 a hot item on this week’s racing schedule
It’s race week again in Indiana and a busy time for golfers in the area too.
-
Here’s rooting for some fictional sports characters
With all these hot days, it’s nice to sit in one’s apartment where it is cooler — not air-conditioned but cooler — and watch some television.
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: It won’t be long before another season of college football
College football will be here before you know it and some of the preseason picks already have been made.
- More Ramblin' Reck Headlines
-
RAMBLIN' RECK: And now, on to the next beloved winter sport
Raw Video: Israeli Embassy Car Attacked
Nordic Festival Puts North Korea in Spotlight
Coroner: Don't Know Houston's Cause of Death Yet
Raw Video: Whitney Houston's Last Performance
'Rumor Has It' Adele's Rolling in the Grammys
Bacteria Keep Swimmers Off Some Fla. Beaches
Grohl, Grammy Nominees Cut Up on the Red Carpet
Coroner: Houston Autopsy Results Weeks Away
Reaction to Houston's Death at Clive Davis Party
Valentine Greetings Sent Worldwide From Loveland
Arab League Wants U.N. Help in Syria
Raw Video: Obama Budget Goes to Capitol Hill
Greek Austerity Measures Spark Riots
Whitney Houston's Church Mourns Her Passing
Raw Video: Child Rescued After Kosovo Avalanche
Pop Music Superstar Whitney Houston Dies at 48
Raw Video: Greek Rioting Ahead of Austerity Vote
Greece Passes New Austerity Deal Amid Rioting
Police: Houston Found Under Water, Unconscious
ShowBiz Minute: Houston, Grammys, BAFTAs
Adele's First 'Vogue' Cover!
Scarlett Johansson's Bikini P-D-A
Arm Wrestler Not Guilty Plea in Wife's Death
Romijn's 60 Pound Weight Loss
Jacqueline Kennedy's personal papers released
Did Tyler Perry Have a Secret Wedding?
Facebook Parenting: Father Posts Video Responding to Daughter's Post
Raw Video: Houston Body Flown From L.A. to N.J.
'Bachelor' Free Falls into the Ocean
Bobby Brown on Houston's Death
Adele's revealing "60 Minutes" interview
Gregoire: Marriage Equality Is Right for Wash.
Kissing contest heats up
Rosenthal: A's sign Cespedes
Sandusky Can See Grandkids, Have Local Jury
Apple of their eye at $500 a share
Turkey's first face transplant
Exclusive Video: Bobbi Kristina Leaving Hospital
Obama Unveils $3.8 Trillion Budget
