"Coach Hep wanted us to practice hard," Powers said. "The last thing he wanted us to do was lose focus. We tried to concentrate on football and get ready for Saturday."
Concentration came easier after the Hoosiers learned just before practice that Hoeppner, the IU head coach, had undergone successful brain surgery to remove an apparent tumor. It was his second brain operation in 10 months.
"Everything is great as far as the surgery," interim head coach Bill Lynch said. "It couldn't be better. It was everything you'd have hoped for 30 minutes out of surgery. When the players heard that, they were able to relax and focus on practice."
Hoeppner will miss Saturday's game against Division I-AA Southern Illinois and the Sept. 23 game with Connecticut. He's shooting for a Sept. 30 return for the Hoosiers' Big Ten opener with Wisconsin.
The course was set when Hoeppner told the team Tuesday about his surgery, and it was directed by Lynch, a veteran coach who will be in charge until Hoeppner returns.
Lynch, the offensive coordinator, said his role hasn't changed much. He handles the offense while assistants Brian George and Joe Palcic run the defense.
"I didn't do anything different than I would in any other Wednesday practice," Lynch said. "We'll keep the same routine. We all have to do our jobs. If we do that, the program will move on."
"It doesn't get much worse than this," Powers said. "We're really concerned about Coach Hep. He's in our thoughts and prayers. We have to use this to bring us closer together."
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