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Indiana State Sycamores football | |||
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First season | 1896; 128 years ago | ||
Athletic director | Nathan Christensen[1] | ||
Head coach | Curt Mallory 7th season, 24–55 (.304) | ||
Stadium | Memorial Stadium (capacity: 12,764) | ||
Year built | 1924 | ||
Field surface | Field Turf | ||
Location | Terre Haute, Indiana | ||
NCAA division | Division I FCS | ||
Conference | Missouri Valley | ||
All-time record | 404–561–23 (.421) | ||
Bowl record | 0–1 (.000) | ||
Playoff appearances | 3 (Div. I FCS) 1983, 1984, 2014 | ||
Playoff record | 2–3 (Div. I FCS) | ||
Conference titles | 1 (1964 Indiana Collegiate) | ||
Rivalries | Ball State (rivalry) Illinois State | ||
Consensus All-Americans | 16 | ||
Colors | Royal blue and white[2] | ||
Fight song | March On! | ||
Mascot | Sycamore Sam | ||
Marching band | Marching Sycamores | ||
Outfitter | Under Armour | ||
Website | GoSycamores.com |
The Indiana State Sycamores football team is the NCAA Division I football program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They compete in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Playoffs in the 2014 NCAA Division I Football Championship. Their first season was 1896.[3] The Sycamore's greatest season was 1983, when coach Dennis Raetz led them to the 2nd round of the 1983 NCAA Division I Football Championship and ended the season with a record of 9–4. The Sycamores also appeared in the 1984 and 2014 NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs. The Indiana State Sycamores play their home games at Memorial Stadium, which seats 12,764.[4]
The 1964 Indiana State Sycamores football team shared the Indiana Collegiate Conference (ICC) title in 1964 with four other teams (Ball State, Butler, Evansville, Valparaiso, with the Sycamores finishing with a 4–2 conference record and a 6–2 overall mark.[6]
The Sycamores have participated in one bowl game, garnering a record of 0–1.
Year | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
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1949 | Shrine Bowl | Southern Illinois | L 14–41 |
The Sycamores have appeared in 3 NCAA Division I Football Championships. Their combined record is 2–3.
Date played | Round | Winner | Runner-Up | ||
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1983 | NCAA Division I First Round | Indiana State | 16 | Eastern Illinois | 13 |
1983 | Pecan Bowl | Southern Illinois | 23 | Indiana State | 7 |
1984 | Pecan Bowl | Middle Tennessee State | 42 | Indiana State | 41 |
2014 | NCAA Division I First Round | Indiana State | 36 | Eastern Kentucky | 16 |
2014 | NCAA Division I Second Round | Chattanooga | 35 | Indiana State | 14 |
The Sycamores reached the AP and United Press International Top Ten mid-way through the 1974 season; they would not return to the Top Ten until the 1983 season. The 2018 Sycamores finished #25 in the final FCS coaches poll.[7]
All Indiana State Coaching Records are available at:[8]
Coach (Alma Mater) | Seasons | Tenure | Games | Record | Pct. |
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Dennis Raetz (Nebraska, 1968) | 18 | 1980–1997 | 200 | 94–105–1 | .473 |
Wally Marks (Chicago, 1927) | 16 | 1927–1930, 1933–1941, 1946–1948 | 125 | 62–56–7 | .524 |
Jerry Huntsman (Wabash, 1952) | 7 | 1966–1972 | 68 | 43–24–1 | .640 |
Bill Jones (Ohio Wesleyan, 1939) | 9 | 1957–1965 | 70 | 32–37–1 | .464 |
Tim McGuire (Nebraska, 1975) | 7 | 1998–2004 | 79 | 24–55 | .304 |
Art Strum (Wisconsin-LaCrosse, 1916) | 6 | 1923–1926, 1932, 1942 | 43 | 21–20–2 | .512 |
Tom Harp (Muskingum, 1951) | 5 | 1973–1977 | 51 | 20–31 | .392 |
Trent Miles (Indiana State, 1987) | 5 | 2008–2012 | 56 | 20–36 | .357 |
Curt Mallory (Michigan, 1990) | 7 | 2017–present | 67 | 20–47 | .299 |
Mike Sanford (Southern California, 1976) | 4 | 2013–2016 | 48 | 18–30 | .375 |
Mark Dean (Northern Illinois, 1938) | 5 | 1951–1954, 1956 | 39 | 15–20–4 | .436 |
Dick Jamieson (Bradley, 1961) | 2 | 1978–1979 | 22 | 11–11 | .500 |
Phil Brown (Butler, 1923) | 1 | 1944 | 8 | 5–2–1 | .688 |
J. Roy Goodlad (Wisconsin, 1929) | 1 | 1931 | 7 | 4–3 | .571 |
CPO Bob LeCray[a] (SE Okla St, 19--) | 1 | 1945 | 6 | 2–4 | .333 |
Paul Selge (Indiana State, 1943) | 1 | 1955 | 9 | 2–7 | .222 |
George Ashworth (Indiana State, 1935) | 2 | 1949–1950 | 19 | 2–16–1 | .132 |
Lou West (Cincinnati, 1976) | 3 | 2005–2007 | 33 | 1–32 | .030 |
various (7 others) | 13 | 1896–1909, 1920-1922, 1943 | 42 | 9–28–5 | .274 |
PROGRAM TOTALS | 114-yrs | 1896-Pres. | 985 | 405–557–23 | .423 |
From 1924 to 2023, the Sycamores played Ball State (Ind.) University 66 times; the series stands at 39–24–1 in favor of Ball State.
In 1940, the respective Blue Key chapters sponsored a trophy presentation, the 'Victory Bell' to reward the winner of the annual game between Indiana State and Ball State. The Sycamores lost the last game in Muncie. The game finished with a 45–7 loss for the Sycamores
The term Homecoming was first used in print announcements for the Alumni-Varsity Basketball Game on December 9, 1916. By the year 1919, this event became known as Blue and White Day and featured dances and entertainment for alumni of the Normal School. In 1921 the events were organized around a football game scheduled earlier in the autumn. A bonfire and pep rally were added to the festivities in 1922; the Blue-and-White Parade in 1923; and in 1937, Bette Whitmore (Kappa Kappa) was elected ISUs first Homecoming Queen.[9] The 2010 season will mark the 106th season of Sycamore football and the 91st Homecoming; the Sycamores will face conference foe, Illinois State, on October 9. This will mark the 7th time that Illinois State has been the Homecoming opponent; following a tremendous victory (59–24) the Sycamores now own a 5–2 mark vs. Illinois State in Homecoming games.
As of 2012; Indiana State owns a 50–36–2 (.580) record in Homecoming games; the outcomes of the remaining 5 games are unknown.
A symbol of the traditional rivalry in football between Indiana State and Ball State, the Victory Bell tradition was inaugurated in 1940 when the Blue Key chapters at both schools arranged to donate a bell to be presented to the victor of the football game. The idea was to start a traditional exchange of the bell as a means of improving relationships between the two student bodies.[10] The Victory Bell series is 34–19–1 in favor of Ball State, though the Sycamores won their last meeting in 2014.
Year | Home |
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1896–1948 | Multiple Venues; including Thompson Park, aka, Parsons Field. |
1949–present | Memorial Stadium, constructed in 1924. |
The Sycamores have played football at venerable Memorial Stadium since the 1949 campaign. Originally constructed in 1922–24, at a cost of $450,000; the 12,764-seat stadium remains a fixture at the intersection of Wabash and Brown Avenues in Terre Haute, IN.
Memorial Stadium's inauguration was on May 5, 1925, as the local minor league baseball team, the Terre Haute Tots, hosted their Three-I League rivals, the Peoria Tractors, before an estimated crowd of 9,000. Among the esteemed visitors were Major League Baseball Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis and Charles Barnard of the Cleveland Indians.
The facility was acquired (via a 99-year lease) by Indiana State University in 1967. The installation of Astroturf made Indiana State the first university to own a football stadium with artificial turf.
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Player | Years | Comp | Att | TD | Yds | Pct. | Int |
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Mike Perish | 2012–2014 | 618 | 1,050 | 45 | 6,696 | .590 | 28 |
Jeff Miller | 1982–1985 | 555 | 1,016 | 40 | 6,448 | .552 | 33 |
John Sahm | 1986–1989 | 341 | 668 | 30 | 5,139 | .496 | 38 |
Reggie Allen | 1978–1981 | 367 | 782 | 29 | 5,094 | .469 | 46 |
Ronnie Fouch | 2010–2011 | 322 | 544 | 38 | 4,316 | .592 | 15 |
Kip Hennelly | 1991–1993 | 249 | 490 | 19 | 3,158 | .508 | 27 |
Julian Reese | 2001–2002 | 267 | 499 | 20 | 2,961 | .535 | 21 |
Kevin Cox | 1993–1996 | 238 | 528 | 20 | 2,885 | .45 | 22 |
Kyle Frondorf | 1986–1988 | 208 | 391 | 8 | 2,778 | .532 | 24 |
Blayne Baggett | 2005 | 284 | 473 | 15 | 2,741 | .600 | 13 |
Player | Years | Att | Yds | Avg. | TD |
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Vincent Allen | 1973–1977 | 832 | 4,335 | 5.21 | 31 |
Shakir Bell | 2010–2013 | 672 | 4,214 | 6.3 | 28 |
David Wright | 1992–1995 | 784 | 4,181 | 5.33 | 22 |
Derrick Franklin | 1989–1991 | 710 | 3,231 | 4.55 | 23 |
Eric Robinson | 1979–1982 | 443 | 2,169 | 4.90 | 22 |
Jake Shields | 2001–2004 | 521 | 2,119 | 4.07 | 19 |
Darrius Gates | 2006–2010 | 396 | 2,010 | 5.08 | 20 |
Jim Brumfield | 1967–1969 | 448 | 1,998 | 4.46 | 23 |
Darrold Clardy | 1981–1984 | 355 | 1,594 | 4.49 | 19 |
Tori Vactor | 1987–1988 | 312 | 1,545 | 4.95 | 12 |
Player | Years | Rcpt | Yds | Avg. | TD |
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Dante Hendrix | 2018-2022 | 190 | 2,500 | 13.2 | 13 |
Sam Logan | 2003–2006 | 196 | 2,385 | 12.2 | 9 |
Robert Tonyan | 2013–2016 | 147 | 2,029 | 13.8 | 20 |
Carl Berman | 2003–2006 | 136 | 1,666 | 12.1 | 11 |
Rodney Porter | 1986–1989 | 135 | 1,906 | 14.1 | 9 |
Terry Bell | 1982–1985 | 132 | 2,048 | 15.5 | 13 |
Joe Downing | 1982–1985 | 115 | 1,608 | 14.0 | 15 |
Eddie Ruffin | 1978–1981 | 110 | 1,831 | 16.6 | 11 |
Gary Owens | 2013–2015 | 105 | 1,373 | 13.1 | 13 |
Larry Brown | 1993–1996 | 105 | 1,197 | 11.4 | 6 |
Steve Elminger | 1987–1989 | 102 | 1,823 | 17.9 | 10 |
Steve Schmid | 1967–1969 | 100 | 1,394 | 13.9 | 11 |
Player | Years | TD | FG | PAT1 | PAT2 | PTS |
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Kyle Hooper | 2003–2007 | 0 | 42 | 85 | 0 | 221 |
Vincent Allen | 1973–1977 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 200 |
Tom Allison | 1992–1995 | 0 | 38 | 82 | 0 | 196 |
Scott Bridges | 1983–1985 | 0 | 31 | 87 | 0 | 180 |
Shakir Bell | 2010–2013 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 180 |
Eric Heidorn | 2013-2015 | 0 | 29 | 81 | 0 | 168 |
Mike Megyesi | 1999–2002 | 0 | 27 | 83 | 0 | 164 |
Jim Brumfield | 1967–1969 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 156 |
Robert Tonyan | 2013–2016 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 140 |
David Wright | 1992–1995 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 140 |
Career leaders in bold
Fifty former Sycamores have played in professional football leagues. The leagues include the National Football League (NFL), Canadian Football League (CFL), Arena Football League (AFL), the United Football League (UFL), and United States Football League (USFL). The most notable players are:
Player | Class Year | Position | Primary Team(s) | Career | Highlight(s) |
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Jalen Booth | 2022 | Tackle | Tampa Bay Bandits | 2022–present | |
Jonas Griffith | 2021 | OLB | Denver Broncos | 2021–present | |
Dominique Dafney | 2020 | TE | Green Bay Packers | 2020–present | |
Robert Tonyan | 2017 | TE | Green Bay Green Bay Packers | 2017–present | Led NFL in 2020 with 'Touchdowns by TE'; tied franchise record (11 TDs) |
Jameer Thurman | 2016 | LB | Calgary Stampeders | 2017–present | 2018 Grey Cup Champion |
Shakir Bell | 2012 | RB | Ottawa Redblacks | 2014–2017 | 2015 Grey Cup Champion, All-American |
Jamie Petrowski | 2006 | TE | Tennessee Titans | 2006–2012 | 3rd Team All-American |
Dan Brandenburg | 1996 | DT | Buffalo Bills | 1996–1999 | 42 Career Games |
John Bock | 1993 | OL | Miami Dolphins | 1995–2000 | 17 Career Starts; Head Coach, Brooklyn Bolts |
Vencie Glenn | 1986 | DB | San Diego Chargers | 1986–1995 | 35 Career INTs |
Wayne Davis | 1985 | DB | San Diego Chargers | 1985–1990 | 5 Career INTs |
Craig Shaffer | 1982 | LB | St. Louis Cardinals | 1982–1984 | 18 Career Games |
Tunch Ilkin | 1980 | OL | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1980–1993 | Pittsburgh Steelers All-Time Team, 2x Pro Bowl Lineman |
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Announced schedules as of June 6, 2024.[43]
2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
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at Purdue | Eastern Illinois | UT Martin | at UT Martin |
at Eastern Illinois | at Indiana | at Eastern Illinois | at Indiana |
Dayton | at Montana | at Purdue | |
Houston Christian |
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