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TERRE HAUTE -
Wins have been hard to come by for the Indiana State football team. The Sycamores carried the burden of a 33-game losing streak into their homecoming contest against Western Illinois Saturday. Indiana State's last victory was in October of 2006. That victory against Missouri State (also on Homecoming) ended an 18-game losing streak. If you add up the streaks, The Sycamores had lost 55 of 56 games.
Saturday afternoon, the players, fans, coaches, and alumni who've endured so much pain got to experience the satisfaction that can come with a hard-fought football victory. "We've practiced so hard and we've stayed together. Just look around, just how much our community is behind us, and we're just happy to get the victory.
Read: Ryan Roberts' TD Gives Indiana State First Win Since 2006
Those who really bleed white and blue, they stuck behind us," said sophomore quarterback Ryan Roberts while surrounded by fans who rushed the Memorial Stadium turf.
Roberts is a big reason ISU could stage an on-field celebration. In the second quarter, he rushed for a 91-yard touchdown that gave the Sycamores a 10-7 halftime lead. I let him know that run was a school-record scoring scamper, "I didn't know that, I was tired at the end, couldn't hardly breathe after we were done. The line did a great job blocking and it just worked out for the best."
Then, with his team trailing by four and time running out on the long-awaited victory, Roberts led Indiana State on a 15-play, 80-yard drive, capped off by a four-yard touchdown run with just over four minutes to play. He then watched as the defense delivered two more times, keeping the Leathernecks out of field goal range, allowing the fans to storm the field. "It's been a long time since we could do that, can't even describe it," said sophomore fullback Brock Lough, who knows all about ISU's losing tradition having grown up in Terre Haute and played for the South Braves.
Read: Indiana State Shows Signs Of Hope Against FBS Opponent Louisville
"We put everything we had into it. we made changes to the coaches, coaching different positions, we put everything we had into this. It feels good to get a win," commented senior defensive back Donye McClesky.
While McClesky's ISU career is winding down, coach Trent Miles has big plans for the future. He is a Terre Haute native and after stops in some of college football's biggest stages, he is back home and hopes this win is the start of something special. "I feel great for our alumni, I feel great for our young men who have been through so much crap. I'm just happy for the community, enjoy this for a few hours and get ready for Southern Illinois, let's go!" said Miles moments after a Gatorade-style drenching that has been a long time coming.
Miles, a former assistant coach with Stanford, Notre Dame, Washington, and the Green Bay Packers, finally saw some of the fruits of his nearly two years of labor. While there is finally a commitment to the football program from the University, it is because of the dedication and determination of someone like Trent Miles that the Sycamores have a chance to be successful in the future. When I reminded Miles that he has earned the right to celebrate this win for more than just a few minutes before looking ahead to the next game, he was very quick to put the day into perspective.
"Of course, for these guys, I'm thrilled, for these alumni, for our administration and the community I'm thrilled to death for them, but I"m going back to work, I've got Southern Illinois in a few hours."
Read: Stadium Renovations First Part of Indiana State Football Rebuilding
Trent Miles realizes how important it was for the players and fans to feel what it's like to win a football game. He also knows what it's like to win with regularity and wants to see his hometown team reach that level. Lough will be around for a couple more years and was quick to point out, "It is time to start a new streak."
While the players would be wise to follow the old coaching cliche, and take them one at a time before worrying about any long-term winning streaks, at least they don't have to answer questions about the nation's longest losing streak any longer.
Saturday afternoon, the players, fans, coaches, and alumni who've endured so much pain got to experience the satisfaction that can come with a hard-fought football victory. "We've practiced so hard and we've stayed together. Just look around, just how much our community is behind us, and we're just happy to get the victory.
Read: Ryan Roberts' TD Gives Indiana State First Win Since 2006
Those who really bleed white and blue, they stuck behind us," said sophomore quarterback Ryan Roberts while surrounded by fans who rushed the Memorial Stadium turf.
Roberts is a big reason ISU could stage an on-field celebration. In the second quarter, he rushed for a 91-yard touchdown that gave the Sycamores a 10-7 halftime lead. I let him know that run was a school-record scoring scamper, "I didn't know that, I was tired at the end, couldn't hardly breathe after we were done. The line did a great job blocking and it just worked out for the best."
Then, with his team trailing by four and time running out on the long-awaited victory, Roberts led Indiana State on a 15-play, 80-yard drive, capped off by a four-yard touchdown run with just over four minutes to play. He then watched as the defense delivered two more times, keeping the Leathernecks out of field goal range, allowing the fans to storm the field. "It's been a long time since we could do that, can't even describe it," said sophomore fullback Brock Lough, who knows all about ISU's losing tradition having grown up in Terre Haute and played for the South Braves.
Read: Indiana State Shows Signs Of Hope Against FBS Opponent Louisville
"We put everything we had into it. we made changes to the coaches, coaching different positions, we put everything we had into this. It feels good to get a win," commented senior defensive back Donye McClesky.
While McClesky's ISU career is winding down, coach Trent Miles has big plans for the future. He is a Terre Haute native and after stops in some of college football's biggest stages, he is back home and hopes this win is the start of something special. "I feel great for our alumni, I feel great for our young men who have been through so much crap. I'm just happy for the community, enjoy this for a few hours and get ready for Southern Illinois, let's go!" said Miles moments after a Gatorade-style drenching that has been a long time coming.
Miles, a former assistant coach with Stanford, Notre Dame, Washington, and the Green Bay Packers, finally saw some of the fruits of his nearly two years of labor. While there is finally a commitment to the football program from the University, it is because of the dedication and determination of someone like Trent Miles that the Sycamores have a chance to be successful in the future. When I reminded Miles that he has earned the right to celebrate this win for more than just a few minutes before looking ahead to the next game, he was very quick to put the day into perspective.
"Of course, for these guys, I'm thrilled, for these alumni, for our administration and the community I'm thrilled to death for them, but I"m going back to work, I've got Southern Illinois in a few hours."
Read: Stadium Renovations First Part of Indiana State Football Rebuilding
Trent Miles realizes how important it was for the players and fans to feel what it's like to win a football game. He also knows what it's like to win with regularity and wants to see his hometown team reach that level. Lough will be around for a couple more years and was quick to point out, "It is time to start a new streak."
While the players would be wise to follow the old coaching cliche, and take them one at a time before worrying about any long-term winning streaks, at least they don't have to answer questions about the nation's longest losing streak any longer.
