IU coach Terry Hoeppner stood at the 30-yard line at the north end of Memorial Stadium during Tuesday's practice and pointed up to the vacant seats as his team departed the field.

"The field is 100 yards long and 57 yards wide," Hoeppner said. "The surface is pretty neutral, so the advantage has to be there," he continued as he pointed. "We need home-field advantage. We've got seven opportunities to make that home-field advantage ours, and that's my request, my challenge (to fans): Help us defend The Rock."

It might be a familiar message for IU football fans, but last season's 4-7 record is all behind the Hoosier team that will take the field for Saturday's spring football game.

Amid a busy recruiting season, Hoeppner had surgery Dec. 26, 2005 to remove a tumor from the right side of his brain, but the operation didn't slow him down much. He is able to joke about it, calling it his "elective cosmetic surgery" although he realizes the surgery had to be done.

"I don't want to make light of it," he said. "I've been positive about it, and it turned out so far, so good. It was the best thing that ever happened to me."

With the surgery behind him, Hoeppner was able to return to his football team and continue on the recruiting trail to National Signing Day where he inked 20 players from around the country. Maybe more importantly, many are from the Midwest, including six players from Indiana, five from Ohio and three from Illinois.

"Last year, he was coming in, and he really didn't know anybody," Hardy said. "He was still learning names and their positions. This year, he knows what he wants. Either you're going to be able to do the job or you're not."

For Hoeppner, it is like coaching a different team this spring. The Hoosiers return 17 starters from a year ago and are welcoming 19 redshirt freshmen who sat out last season.

"Honestly, 17 or 18 of them (redshirts) are going to play," Hoeppner said. "They're inexperienced, but they're talented. They can play football."

Sophomore offensive lineman Chauncey Incarnato transferred to IU from the University of Notre Dame last year and was recently named a top 30 transfer by www.collegefootballnews.com. The sophomore said Hoeppner and his coaching staff have made his transfer an easy one.

"Coach Hep has been great for my transition," Incarnato said. "He's made it really easy for me. I've been here less than a year, and I feel like I've been here my whole college career."

While Saturday's game will wrap up the spring season for the Hoosiers, Hoeppner is as excited as ever to be back on the field and is ready to show the cream and crimson fans what the 2006 team is capable of.

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