Weathering the tide of IU football fortunes is often a lonesome task for those who count themselves as fans. IU alum and Aerys Sports writer Brenda Stidham gives us her perspective on growing up an IU football fan, and remaining that way.
am an Indiana University football fan.
I don’t think that admission is particularly amusing, but go ahead and snicker; it’s a typical response. For some reason – okay, reasons – many non-Hoosiers I meet are seemingly incredulous that my alma mater athletic loyalties extend beyond candy-striped pants.
“You care about football?”
“IU is a basketball school.”
“But you guys are terrible at football.”
I get it. Indiana’s football program lacks prestige: 120 seasons and three bowl victories. Our all-time win record is well below .500 with a conference winning percentage hovering around 30%. When it comes to my fandom, those statistics make for a vacuous argument. The truth, as outrageous as it might be to some, is I want IU to succeed at everything, athletic or otherwise.
Growing up in central Indiana in a Kentucky Wildcats household (yes, that happened), I embraced Indiana football during the 1980s when my only in-person exposure to the Hoosiers was the now-defunct Bourbon Barrel rivalry. Whether at Commonwealth Stadium or Memorial Stadium, my parents, extended family, and I would always sit in the Kentucky section, and playing the role of family maverick, I never wore blue.
Since then, I weathered Cam Cameron’s play-calling and general judgment follies (perhaps none more egregious than the infamous black jersey incident), Gerry DiNardo’s largely unmemorable stint, the 2007 Hoosiers’ moving tribute to fulfill coach Hep’s mission to “play 13,” and the likable-yet-often-overwhelmed Bill Lynch.
Enter Kevin Wilson, whose challenge is getting the program to a place it’s seldom been in the past three decades…consistently competitive in the Big Ten.
For me, hope springs eternal. Improvement will happen, although the ascent will be gradual and methodical. Look no further than the men’s basketball program to know change isn’t immediate. IU’s 2011 football season will inevitably be filled with offensive miscues, a porous, tired defense thanks to no huddle three-and-outs, and a handful of wins.
Is that progress? Absolutely.
Is it frustrating and agonizing to watch? You bet.
At long last, Indiana University’s Athletic Department has allocated the financial resources to build that consistently competitive program, a luxury not afforded to coach Wilson’s predecessors. Money doesn’t guarantee results, but it does demonstrate a commitment to football from athletic director Fred Glass. 
Coach Wilson deserves time to recruit and cultivate his players (Gunner Kiel, anyone?), coalesce with his coaching staff, and implement the promises he delivered during that fiery introductory news conference in December. Until then, and even after, I will religiously tune into Big Ten Network, follow beat writers on Twitter, continue to get my daily Hoosiers football fix online, and of course, plan my next Bloomington visit.
Basketball will always prevail in the hearts of Hoosiers, but football deserves an audience. Oklahoma it is not, but IU football fans do exist, and there are potentially thousands more – maybe tens of thousands more – waiting for a reason to cheer.
Being a dedicated IU Football fan, going to every game the last 3 years, there was something very different about what I saw last Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. As the “Win Today” commercial said, “This is not your daddy’s IU no more”.
IU Football needed a culture change and that’s what we are seeing. Whether or not it results in any changes in wins/losses we’ll have to see, but its a chance I’m willing to take. Two games will not define the Kevin Wilson era.
Unfortunately I live in Akron Ohio, so making my way to bloomington on saturdays is not very cost efficient, but I too need my daily internet hoosiers football fix. My father was a 5th year senior on the 1986 All-American Bowl team, and he brainwashed me from birth to be a hoosiers fan, I have definitely surpassed even my fathers fandom. I too agree wilson will get this ship afloat and keep it afloat as a team that may never be a national power, but maybe a Northwestern type.
There’s no reason why we can’t emulate Northwestern — 6-8 wins a year, occasionally more, and consistent contention for 5th and 6th spots in the bowl selection process.
I’d be fascinated to hear your father’s story…that must have been an interesting 5 years of transition on the football team.