PASADENA, Calif. — Inside The Hoosier Room under the west stands of Memorial Stadium, newly named Indiana football coach Terry Hoeppner stood at a podium with two items resting in front of him: a glass bowl and a red rose.
It was December 2004, and Indiana hadn’t even won a bowl game since 1991. Yet, the Indiana native eyed something bigger. He carefully grabbed the rose by its stem, lifted it in the air, and set seemingly far-fetched goals.
“Our goal is simple; the Rose Bowl,” he proclaimed. “We will shoot for perfection, and we can settle for excellence.