Countdown to Kickoff: 25 Days (1991 Copper Bowl Champions)
/
Written By Nick Holmes (@HoosierHolmes)
#25
There are now 25 days remaining until the Indiana Hoosiers kick-off the 2016 season in Miami against the Florida International Golden Panthers. Join us each day for each part of our 100-day countdown to the opener! Since we have already profiled Kiante Enis, who will be wearing number 25 this season, we decided to look back at the 1991 Hoosier squad that won the Copper Bowl 25 years ago.
1991 Indiana Hoosiers (Copper Bowl Champions)
- Copper Bowl Score: Indiana 24 Baylor 0
- Coach: Bill Mallory
- Team Record: 7-4-1
In 2015 Kevin Wilson led the Indiana Football program to its first bowl game in eight years. Now that the Hoosiers have exorcised that demon, what other monkeys are they are looking to get off their back? I can think of one, and that is to win a bowl game for the first time in a quarter of a century.
Many of the pieces look to be in place for this program to take that next step in 2016, to become the first Indiana Football squad since 1991 to end the year on a high note and pick up that elusive postseason victory. But before we look too far in the future, let’s give that early 1990’s squad a closer examination.
Not only were they the last Indiana team win a bowl game, they are the only team in program history to do so while shutting out their opponent, triumphing over Baylor 24-0.
Against the Bears, running back Vaughn Dunbar carried the pigskin for 106 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries, earning him offensive Most Valuable Player honors. Current Hoosiers defensive line coach Mark Hagen earned MVP honors on defense, collecting 11 tackles, including 2 for loss and 1 pass break up. Two-time Pro Bowler Trent Green was the Hoosiers quarterback, scoring twice on the ground in the game.
Dunbar ran for 1,805 yards that season, a program-best until Tevin Coleman’s historic season in 2014. And Green’s 2,627 passing yards during the same season stood for 16 years as a program record until 2007. Over the last nine years five different quarterbacks have surpassed Green’s mark. Hagen finished the season with a team-high 109 tackles, and to this day his career 336 tackles are fifth best in program history.
Other notable contributors from that team included former defensive line coach Larry McDaniel and current Northern Illinois head coach Rod Carey, who snapped the ball to Green. Along with Hagen, Randy Schneider and Paul Williams were the team captains.
Another feather in the cap of that ’91 squad was that they are one of only two Indiana teams in the last 25 years, 1993 being the other, to finish the season with an above .500 conference record. Both teams picked up five Big Ten victories in eight tries.
Indiana also won all three of its rivalry games that season, knocking off Kentucky 13-10 for the Bourbon Barrel, blanking the Spartans 31-0 for the Old Brass Spittoon, and squeaking out a close one against the Boilers, 24-22 for the Old Oaken Bucket.
Another game to take note of was the team’s season opener. Despite losing 49-27, what makes this game notable is that for first time in over thirty years, the Hoosiers played against Notre Dame; the two programs have not met up since.
The Bill Mallory-led 1991 Hoosiers were one of the best teams in program history. Question is, can the 2016 Hoosiers find a way to not only match that success, but surpass it?
Share any memories or recollections you have of the 1991 team or any of its players in the comments section (or on the message boards) and be sure to come back to Hoosier Huddle each day during our countdown!