BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Jay Rodgers doesn't not lack confidence.

Still, the former Champaign resident was wondering what went wrong in his two starts leading up to Saturday's game against Illinois.

In back-to-back shutout losses, Indiana's starting quarterback was a dismal 19 of 47 for 184 yards and four interceptioins. In each game, the former Champaign Central student was replaced by former Indiana prep star Earl Haniford.

"I haven't been playing exceptionally well," Rodges said. "I think that going into every week you look at the positives and the negatives and you build on them both heading into the next week.

"You have to keep learning."

Rodgers rediscovered his stroke against the Illini, completing 12 of 16 passes for 123 yards in a 23-6 win. No touchdown passes, but no interceptions.

That his revival occurred against a team his father once coached is no surprise. He made his first college splash in Indiana's 46-43 overtime loss to Illinois last season in Champaign.

"Last year's game was when I started playing a whole lot," Rodgers said. "I came in, and things started rolling."

Since then, Rodgers has:

– Set a school record with 408 yards passing against Ball State

– Threw more TD passes against Ball State (5) than Indiana quarterbacks did all of last season (4);

– Held off Haniford, who broke Jeff George's passing records while starring at Martinsville High School. Haniford had relieved Rodgers in Indiana's previous four games, all losses.

"I think I've improved on the mental aspects, but I still have to get better," Rodgers said. "You don't ever want to settle for mediocre. You want to be the best."

The wet look.

Had it not rained so much, De'Wayne Hogan may not have enjoyed the career day he did against Illinois.

The freshman running back from Indianapolis rushed for 164 yards and finished with 194 total yards, both personal bests. His 38 carries also marked a career high.

Indiana coach Cam Cameron had planned on rotating Hogan with two other tailbacks but stuck with the 220-pound bruiser because of the slippery conditions.

"You don't need an outside runner as much because anybody who knows that turf the way I know it, you're not going to run outside," Cameron said. "On wet turf you've got to have a guy who can run inside."

Hogan scored the game's first touchdown on a 1-yard dive in the second quarter. That broke a 19-quarter touchdown-less streak for Indiana.

"I wasn't worried about dancing or anything like that (after the touchdown)," Hogan said. "I was too happy."

Happy return.

Kywin Supernaw's 90-yard return of a Tim Lavery interception is the fifth-longest in Indiana history. It marked the second time Supernaw has scored on an interception, but he never has run so far.

"It felt like a quarter-mile," the senior free safety said. "I was just hoping I could make it all the way."

This 'n that.

True freshman receiver O.J. Conner of Gary, Ind., made two catches for 30 yards. Conner chose Indiana over Illinois ... Aaron Warnecke's first-quarter interception was his first of the season and second of his career. He also had a tackle for a loss after a subpar performance in last week's 62-0 loss at Iowa (two tackles). "We could have put our heads between our legs today," he said. "If we had done that, we would have been beat."

Closed practice.

At Illinois, Lon Kruger opens his men's basketball practice to the media. Not so at Indiana, where Bob Knight keeps a tight lid on workouts. Prior to Saturday's football game, two reporters standing in the balcony section were asked to leave Assembly Hall by a member of Knight's staff.

The Hoosiers open Nov. 14 against Temple.

Idle star.

Reigning News-Gazette Player of the Year Antwaan Randle El of Harvey Thornton will not play this season at Indiana. A partial qualifier, Randle El is practicing with the Hoosiers but won't be eligible until 1998.

A two-sport star, Randle El still is considering playing basketball for Knight next season.