Big Ten Preview: Indiana

College football season is approaching and for the next couple of weeks I'll be giving you some quick previews of the Big Ten. All ten....ummm eleven teams will be featured. Today we have the Indiana Hoosiers.

Things won't get easier in Bloomington this year after the emotional ride the Hoosiers took last season. Indiana dealt with the loss of head coach Terry Hoeppner, then worked their way to a 7-6 record and a bowl appearance for the first time in 13 years.

This year, Indiana deals with a loss not nearly as tragic, but one that will likely keep them out of a bowl game: wide receiver James Hardy. Hardy hauled in the second most touchdown passes in all of college football last season. Another standout, quarterback Kellen Lewis, was suspended for the spring and parts of summer workouts for violating team rules.

Head coach Bill Lynch will need Lewis to play up to his capabilities as a star dual-threat quarterback, but will also need some new faces to step up offensively. Andrew Means and Ray Fisher look like candidates to step up at wideout, while Indiana has a decent platoon of running backs. Replacing three on the offensive line will be tough, but Lewis makes this offense dangerous.

Defensively, Indiana isn't strong, but boasts some standout players. Defensive end Greg Middleton led the country in sacks last season and will look to build on it this year. Safety is also a position of strength, with Nick Polk and Austin Thomas returning. The safeties will need to be on top of things though, as there will be two new starters at the corners.

Central Michigan is the toughest team on the non-conference schedule, so with due respect to the Chips, that's an easy slate. Also, Indiana misses Michigan and Ohio State this year, so despite the questions, there is still hope for a second straight bowl bid.