Despite shaky season, IU AD solidly supports Kevin Wilson

• IU at No. 7 Ohio State%2C noon%2C Saturday%2C BTN

As far as Fred Glass is concerned, Indiana University is two plays away from consecutive bowl appearances. Thus despite rumors and reports to the contrary, the athletic director is solidly behind embattled football coach Kevin Wilson.

When asked if IU football is heading in the right direction, Glass replied:

"To me, the answer is a resounding yes, notwithstanding the lack of wins this year."

The Hoosiers (3-7, 0-6) are assured of a seventh consecutive losing season heading into Saturday's game at No. 7 Ohio State (9-1, 6-0). The Buckeyes' expected victory would clinch a spot in the Big Ten's Dec. 6 championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Wilson, nearing the end of his fourth season, is 5-25 in Big Ten games and will endure a second winless conference record unless Indiana beats Ohio State or Purdue. The Hoosiers have lost five in a row, beginning with an Oct. 11 defeat at Iowa in which quarterback Nate Sudfeld was sidelined with a shoulder injury.

"I get that we'd like to win more games," Glass said. "But I also think you just can't overstate the impact of Nate going down."

The play in which Sudfeld was hurt took Indiana out of bowl contention. The other fateful play was a pass-turned-fumble that contributed to a 42-39 loss to Minnesota last year. The Hoosiers were driving toward a tying or winning score that would have given them the necessary six wins to qualify for a bowl game.

Glass conceded "it's kind of loser talk" to bring up those plays but said Indiana is making progress elsewhere. He said he is "bullish" on the talent on Indiana's roster. Football insiders have told him Indiana had a bowl team before Sudfeld was hurt.

Glass said he hadn't read a story on Sports Illustrated's website reporting Wilson likely would be fired. He said that report, and rumors that Wilson was looking to leave Indiana for a coordinator's job, could have been planted by adversaries who count on beating Indiana every year.

"I think they'd like to keep us down," Glass said.

Wilson's annual salary of $1.3 million ranks 13^th out of 14 coaches in the Big Ten. If he is fired, he gets $500,000 base pay through the unexpired part of the contact. If fired after this season, for example, he would be owed $1.5 million.

The athletic director, who meets with Wilson weekly and sometimes attends practices, said the coach has remained upbeat and committed to Indiana. Glass said Wilson has "that fire in his belly, and he's all in."

Glass did not blame Wilson for the quarterback crisis that resulted in freshman Zander Diamont being thrust into action two years ahead of a projected debut. A year ago at this time, Indiana featured three QBs who had started – Sudfeld, Tre Roberson and Cam Coffman – and was not going to be able recruit many others. Roberson and Coffman transferred to other schools.

Glass listed inherent challenges to reversing Indiana's football fortunes:

• Losing legacy. The Hoosiers have gone to one bowl game in the past two decades and have more defeats than any program in major college history.

• Scheduling. The Hoosiers have played six home games in three of Wilson's four years, and virtually all Power Five teams play at least seven. Indiana will play seven in 2015.

• Geography. Indiana is one of only five states that has more than two Power Five conference programs. (Others are California, Florida, Texas and North Carolina.) "When you are the state school," Glass said, there are some inherent advantages, as in the cases of Nebraska and Wisconsin.

• Continuity. Since Bill Mallory was fired in 1996 after 13 years, Indiana's subsequent five coaches have averaged 3.6 seasons. "It's just really hard to get things turned around that way," Glass said.

He said he has been bemused by calls for Indiana to do what Duke did and hire a David Cutcliffe type. Cutcliffe had losing records in each of his first five years and was 9-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Glass said Duke, which was 10-4 in 2013 and is 8-3 in 2014, benefited by sticking with Cutcliffe.

"I just think it takes a little while," Glass said. "That's why I gave Kevin a seven-year contract."

If not for Sudfeld's injury, Glass said, reporters would be calling to ask him about a turnaround season and bowl appearance.

"Given the challenges inherent here, Kevin is going the right way," Glass said. "It's just a shame Nate went down."

Call Star reporter David Woods at (317) 444-6195. Follow him on Twitter at @DavidWoods007.

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INDIANA (3-7, 0-6) at NO. 7 OHIO STATE (9-1, 6-0)

Kickoff: Noon Saturday, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

TV: Big Ten Network.

Radio: WFNI-107.5 FM, 1070 AM.

Line: Ohio State by 34½.

Three storylines:

• As a five-touchdown favorite, Ohio State is not exactly vulnerable to having its 18-game winning streak over Indiana end. But the Buckeyes need to cover that point spread to impress the committee selecting four teams for the College Football Playoff. A victory would secure a share of the East Division and a berth in the Big Ten's championship game Dec. 6 at Indianapolis.

• Indiana junior RB Tevin Coleman isn't going to lead the nation in rushing or win the Heisman Trophy. But with 1,678 yards and two games to play, he has a chance to reach 2,000. IU's record is 1,805 by Vaughn Dunbar in 1991.

• Indiana needs to protect freshman QB Zander Diamont because there aren't many alternatives. Backup Nate Boudreau is "limited," according to coach Kevin Wilson, and the Hoosiers don't want to waste freshman Danny Cameron's redshirt season by having to insert him. Diamont was significantly improved a week ago (15-of-31, 179 yards) in a 45-23 loss at Rutgers.

Key stats: Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett has accounted for 38 touchdowns (29 passing, nine rushing).That is tied for the national lead with Heisman front-runner Marcus Mariota of Oregon. … Ohio State has extended its Big Ten record to 22 consecutive regular-season conference wins. … Ohio State leads the Big Ten in scoring (44.5), and Indiana is 13^th in scoring defense (33.6). Ohio State is second in the Big Ten in total offense (514.0 yards), and Indiana is 12^th in total defense (432.7). The Hoosiers are allowing nearly 100 yards a game less than they did a year ago.

Coaches: Indiana, Kevin Wilson (fourth year, 13-33); Ohio State, (third year, 33-3, and 137-26 in 13 years overall).

-- David Woods