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(11/18/18 3:07am)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A week after Tom Allen challenged Indiana to secure its fifth win, IU’s second-year head coach challenged the Hoosiers to give themselves a fighting chance against No. 4 Michigan on the road.
In the eventual 31-20 loss to the Wolverines (10-1, 8-0 B1G), Allen wanted Indiana (5-6, 2-6) to be the aggressor downfield. He wanted the Hoosiers to establish a running game. He wanted his defense to force field goals, and his team to play like it had nothing to lose.
“The message was really just, ‘let’s go out here, we have nothing to lose. Go out here, have fun. Just keep fighting,” receiver Nick Westbrook said. “That’s what we did. Unfortunately it didn’t play our way. It’s a game of inches, there’s so many different things that happen that change the course of the game. But that was the message, ‘Yeah, let’s get six. Who cares about who the opponent is, we still need to get six.’”
For the most part, the Hoosiers did everything its coach asked of them on Saturday in Ann Arbor. The Indiana offense accumulated 385 yards, the most allowed by Michigan all season. True freshman running back Stevie Scott scampered for 139 yards of them on 30 carries -- eclipsing 1,000 yards and becoming the program’s all-time leader in rushing yards as a freshman. When there was a clean pocket, quarterback Peyton Ramsey looked downfield. He connected with Luke Timian for 30 yards, Nick Westbrook for 41 yards, and continuously looked to attack the Wolverines. The young Indiana defense forced Michigan to kick six field goals amidst the 507 yards of offense by the Wolverines.
“We tried to,” Allen said of being aggressive. “We wanted to do that … We’re not going to beat this team being conservative. Had some things on the table ready to use and used some of them, didn’t use all of them. We were ready to pull the trigger and go. We came here to win.”
Indiana led 17-15 at halftime for many reasons. Scott sprinted in the endzone from 13-yards out for IU’s first touchdown of the day and the early 7-3 lead. The Hoosiers stalled Michigan’s offense in the redzone, forcing three first-half field goals by the Wolverines. After connecting with Westbrook and Timian for long gains, Ramsey completed the drive by finding receiver Ty Fryfogle in the endzone to give Indiana its 17-15 lead. At the end of the first half, IU true freshman safety Devon Matthews kept Michigan tight end Sean McKeown from scoring. The clock ran out and the Hoosiers sprinted into the Michigan Stadium tunnel with the lead.
“That’s kind of the way you have to take down these teams, these highly-ranked teams,” Westbrook said. “You just got to attack them. They always say the best way to beat a shark is to punch it right in the nose. So, you just got to be aggressive and try to get out front from the start.”
As it seemingly has against all eight of the top-five opponents IU has faced since 2015, the Indiana lead withered away in the second half. The Hoosiers went 3-and-out on the half’s opening possession, and Michigan quickly responded with running back Karan Higdon’s 3-yard touchdown to give the Wolverines a 22-17 lead with 9:44 remaining in the third quarter.
IU was shutout in the second half until kicker Logan Justus made a 36-yard field goal to trim Michigan’s lead to 28-20 with 6:10 to play in the game. The Hoosiers would not score again, as Michigan marched down the field twice for field goals that sealed the game.
Indiana gave itself a legitimate chance to beat Michigan in Ann Arbor for the first time since 1967. For as young as this IU defense is, the Hoosiers put themselves in a position to extend the game for as long as possible. Saturday was an ending that IU fans have witnessed for generations, but for as young as these Hoosiers are, it was a valiant effort that can be built into the season finale against Purdue.
“They kicked six field goals today,” Allen said .”Those field goals gave us a chance. You turn those into touchdowns and it's a long day at the office. Overall, we tried that a little bit more on third downs, because of the style they were using. I'm not a huge fan of being that way, but you gotta do what you gotta do. We had our shots. It was a one-possession game in the fourth quarter. It was effective for us again today.”
The narrative will quickly turn to the Old Oaken Bucket Game, if it hasn’t already. For the fourth consecutive year, Indiana must defeat Purdue (5-6, 4-4) to reach bowl eligibility. For the second consecutive season, both the Hoosiers and Boilermakers must win the Bucket to become bowl eligible.
“We've just got to stay the course,” Allen said. “We have the same opportunity that we had a year ago and now with their result today, both teams are fighting for the same thing. Winner moves on, loser goes home."
(11/17/18 10:46pm)
Greetings from Ann Arbor. It's the final Big Ten road trip of the 2018 season, and Michigan Stadium is a wonderful place to end. Indiana and Michigan are playing another odd football game, which is extremely on brand. It should only get weirder. Here is what I'm thinking at halftime:
Indiana has given itself a chance
Holding the opposition to three field goals instead of three touchdowns is a solid strategy against anyone. But for Indiana, on the road at No. 4 Michigan, it's exactly what the Hoosiers needed to do. Let's face it: this IU defense is young, has lapses, and lacks the proven talent of Michigan's offense. It will give the Wolverines yards, just like it gave Maryland's rushing game 353 yards. But the Hoosiers have proved tougher defensively in the redzone yet again here in Ann Arbor -- forcing Michigan to kick three short field goals and keep the first half very close.
But will it be enough? Again, Indiana was 28-point underdogs coming into this game. Its odds are bleak, and IU's offense has been inconsistent again today. This is the nation's best defense, Michigan is. Indiana's defense has given itself a chance to at least be competitive today, but will its offense be effective enough to keep it that way?
How aggressive has IU been?
Aggressive enough. And that's while dealing with a Michigan defense that has made Ramsey's pocket very short-lived today. After dinking-and-dunking early, Ramsey found Timian for 30 yards and Westbrook for a 40-yard play on the same drive. Remember, this is the nation's best passing defense and allows an average of 116 yards per game. Ramsey has already thrown for 105 yards in a half.
I wrote about this yesterday, the fact that Indiana wants, and needs to play aggressive against Michigan in order to stand an actual chance. It's done that via 4th-down attempts and throwing the ball downfield. It's also helped that Stevie Scott has forced Michigan to respect the run. Scott has 17 carries for 96 yards in that first half, including a 13-yard touchdown -- the game's only touchdown. He also broke loose for a 35-yard scamper and is the key to IU's consistency offensively.
How about that ending?
Devon Matthews, man. The true freshman absolutely stood up Michigan's 6-foot-5, 251-pound tight end Sean McKeon at the goal line. The Wolverines did not own any timeouts and time expired -- with Matthews saving points on the play. The Hoosiers were as animated as they have been all season, sprinting into the tunnel to the chorus of Michigan Stadium boos. Those are the plays that win games in Ann Arbor, as rare as it is. And the Hoosiers are riding high on an impressive first half, plus the fact of receiving the second half kickoff. This one is going to the wire, at least in my mind. Either way, Indiana came to play -- and backed up Allen's talk all week.
(11/16/18 7:38pm)
With an offense featuring 6-foot-4 receiver Donavan Hale and 6-foot-3 wideout Nick Westbrook, Indiana's lack of downfield passing had been rather puzzling. After all, Westbrook nearly reached 1,000 yards as a sophomore (54 receptions, 995 yards) and has only accumulated 30 receptions for 381 yards this season, with two games remaining.
It became so puzzling that questions arose at what the difficulty was. Were Westbrook and Hale struggling to create separation on the outside? Was offensive coordinator Mike DeBord not calling many plays with downfield options? Or was quarterback Peyton Ramsey more comfortable over the middle to slot receivers Luke Timian, J-Shun Harris, and when healthy, Whop Philyor?
Whatever the holdup was, Tom Allen had seen enough of IU's stagnant passing game. Ramsey completed eight passes of 10+ yards in IU's 34-32 win against Maryland last week. Hale was found for a 37-yard touchdown and a 43-yard play. Ramsey connected with Westbrook for a 19-yard score, and 6-foot-2 receiver Ty Fryfogle for 35 yards. All four plays were beautifully thrown by Ramsey, mostly coming over-the-shoulder down the sideline. The Terrapins were also called for defensive pass interference four times. Ramsey set a career-high with 8.68 yards per attempt.
"They're probably tired of hearing me say it," Allen said after Maryland. "Throw the ball down the field. Okay? We got big receivers, I live in that world, DB's aren't as big as the receivers and it's hard to cover them. So you get interference calls and we got a bunch of those. It's hard, I know you can't do it every snap obviously, but it's an objective for sure. And I just know that I don't like having to go against those kinds of receivers and so it was very effective today for us and it won us the game."
Indiana has suffered at least a three-game losing streak in every season since 1993. The Hoosiers lost four straight here in 2018, starting with Ohio State in the first week of October. In Columbus, IU's offense came out attacking. 13 of Ramsey's 26 completed passes were over 10 yards. It was an Indiana offense that simply did not exist against Michigan State and Rutgers.
In the loss to Michigan State, Hale and Westbrook combined for five receptions and 45 yards. In the win against Rutgers, Hale and Westbrook combined for seven receptions and 91 yards. As the Hoosiers finish preparations for No. 4 Michigan this Saturday, Allen expects IU to attack the Wolverines.
“Bottom line is you have to be able to throw the ball downfield to create running lanes for you," Allen said Thursday. "I think you have to win those one-on-ones. That’s a big key for us and a big thing to look for when you watch the game.”
Michigan boasts the nation's top defense, allowing an average of 220 total yards per game -- and only 116 passing yards per game. Those numbers are daunting, given the nation's next-best passing defense is Miami (Fla.), at 134 passing yards per game.
But in large part, Indiana was competitive in Columbus because it challenged Ohio State's defensive backs to cover the combination of Hale/Westbrook down the sideline, and Harris/Timian over the middle. Based on talent, the Hoosiers have one of the better receiving corps in the Big Ten. Ramsey is also the conference's most accurate quarterback behind Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins. IU running back Stevie Scott is second nationally among freshmen rushers, and benefits greatly from downfield passing.
Indiana has the offensive pieces to give any defense a scare. But the Hoosiers have not faced one as stout as Michigan, despite dealing with the nation's top rushing defense earlier in Michigan State. The Wolverines have explosive pass rushers such as Josh Uche (seven sacks), endless linebacker talent like Chase Winovich (12 tackles for loss), and proven defensive backs in Brandon Watson (three interceptions).
"Don Brown does a phenomenal job," Allen said of Michigan's defensive coordinator. "He’s great. He had the No. 1 defense in the country at Boston College, and they don’t have four or five-star athletes there. They play a ton of man coverage. They play a very aggressive style of in-your-face defense and they have a phenomenal defense line and linebacking corps that smothers you in the run game. They play such tight man coverage that there’s not a large margin for error. They’re sound and creative in their scheme and have a lot of great athletes running the scheme.”
Conservative offense has forced Indiana into large deficits like Michigan State (28-7) and Minnesota (31-9). Aggressive, downfield offense has resulted in giving the Hoosiers a chance against the likes of Ohio State. Two games remain for this young Indiana team, and the Hoosiers must win once to reach bowl eligibility. Saturday's meeting with Michigan is IU's toughest task of the year, and the Hoosiers have not beaten the Wolverines since the magical 1987 season. But Allen has zero intention of playing to lose in Ann Arbor.
“I told our team, ‘If you don’t believe, then stay home.’ Because I believe," Allen said.
(11/15/18 6:21pm)
The Hoosiers are back in action for their last road game of the season at the Big House this weekend in Ann Arbor. Indiana has been competitive in the last few years against the Wolverines, but can the Hoosiers keep it close this year against a CFP candidate? Teddy and Ben discuss.
(11/15/18 5:35am)
In September, Indiana embraced the preseason expectations. Senior forward Juwan Morgan guaranteed an NCAA Tournament appearance. Freshman guard Romeo Langford declared the National Championship as his goal.
On Wednesday, in a resounding 96-73 victory against No. 24 Marquette, Indiana confirmed the preseason expectations.
"I think in a way it kind of puts us on the map a little bit," Evan Fitzner said. "I think we all as a group have a lot of confidence in what we can do. But I think that we kind of showed everyone what we're capable of tonight, so I think that was the significance of it."
The Hoosiers were in control from start to finish. The first of four Evan Fitzner's 3-pointers handed Indiana the 19-4 lead and forced Marquette to burn a pair of timeouts in the game's opening five minutes. Despite a quick Marquette run near halftime, the Hoosiers led 47-34 at the break. In the first half, IU's young backcourt of true freshman Rob Phinisee and sophomore Al Durham frustrated Marquette All-American Markus Howard to the tune of seven points on 3-of-9 shooting from the floor.
"It was unbelievable to see," Fitzner said of Phinisee. "He's a really tough guy. For a freshman to do something like that, draw one of the better players in the country, and for the most part do a really good job on him, it was pretty impressive. I haven't really seen a freshman do something like that, so kudos to him."
The Hoosiers only expanded their lead in the second half through a balanced scoring attack and advantages capitalized in the fastbreak department. Romeo Langford finished with a game-high 22 points on an intelligent and efficient 8-of-15 shooting from the floor. Phinisee was equally as sound, scoring 12 points along with eight assists to only one turnover. Durham, too. The sophomore, whose minutes are expanded due to Devonte Green's injury, filled the box score with 13 points, five assists, and four rebounds.
"He's a stud. I mean, he's a stud," Miller said of Phinisee. "There's not much to say. I mean, 26 minutes, 12 points, 8 assists, 1 turnover, and he guarded arguably maybe the Player of the Year in the Big East for most of the game and held his own.
Wednesday was a complete performance for this Indiana team, on the biggest stage the Hoosiers will play until a late November meeting at Duke. The Hoosiers were prepared, unselfish, and unanimously impressive. This was expected when Morgan decided to return for his senior season and Langford committed last spring. But it was not yet reality. Wednesday's effort made it so, behind a second-year head coach in Miller that is pulling the right strings despite missing four players on his roster. The Hoosiers started a pair of freshmen in Langford and Phinisee, and a sophomore in Durham while senior Zach McRoberts was sidelined to injury.
"It's really difficult to explain," Miller said of IU's youth. "You're starting two freshmen and a sophomore, and you're bringing a fourth player in who is a freshman. To say the least, I couldn't be prouder of them. Not that they're perfect, but guys are ready to go, and that's an encouraging sign. If we can ever get a little bit healthy, we don't have to play them as many minutes."
Indiana showcased a brand of basketball that it hopes to replicate throughout the season. The Hoosiers outscored the Golden Eagles 21-5 on fastbreak points. Assists were made on 33 percent of IU's baskets, and Indiana shot 63.6 percent from the floor -- a record in Miller's IU tenure. This was the first of Indiana's expected resurgence in 2018-19. The preseason expectations of the Hoosiers were not met in Wednesday's 23-point victory against a solid Big East opponent. But it certainly confirmed the realistic nature of Morgan's promise of an NCAA Tournament appearance and Langford's goal for a sixth banner.
First, Indiana could use good news on the health front. Miller announced postgame that McRoberts, Green, and freshmen Jerome Hunter and Race Thompson are "out indefinitely" and he does not see them playing in the near future. As Miller said, November will be a risky month for these Hoosiers. A fickle trip to Arkansas awaits this weekend before returning to Bloomington for a pair of warmup games prior to Duke and the Big Ten season's start. IU, however, has passed its first test amidst early adversity.
"I look at guys being out, you get sick to your stomach for the players," Miller said. "You get sick to your stomach for the staff because you know you want to practice and do all the right things. But at the end of the day, the one silver lining is, you start to get rhythm, you get confidence, you get players in there. So it's a positive too. It's a positive for the guys that are available. Obviously it's frustrating, but it's something I thought tonight no one blinked."
(11/15/18 3:45am)
Hello from Bloomington, where we are expecting a few inches of snow and possible ice tonight. First off, please drive home safely. Indiana abused both Chicago State and Montana State to open the season, but IU's 2018-19 campaign got off to a resounding start on Wednesday night inside a patently electric Assembly Hall atmosphere -- taking care of No. 24 Marquette 96-73 and improving to 3-0. Arkansas awaits Sunday in Fayetteville.
There's a lot to discuss tonight. Easily the most impressive showing from Indiana in, dare I say, years? Could be a hyperbole. We'll start with a few things that caught my eye, and continue onward after we hear from Indiana players and head coach Archie Miller.
Wire to Wire
Forgive the obvious (and Marquette scoring the first basket of the night), but that might be the most impressive part of Wednesday's victory. Marquette never came close. The Hoosiers jumped out to a 19-4 start, highlighted by a much-needed Evan Fitzner 3-pointer that brought Assembly Hall to life for the first time this season. Marquette had to burn a pair of timeouts very early, and the Golden Eagles could never string anything more than a 7-0 run near halftime. The closest Marquette could get was a 42-34 deficit with 1:40 remaining in the first half.
I thought Indiana was a bunch of things tonight: prepared, deep, and energetic, among others. There honestly weren't many negative plays made by the Hoosiers, from Romeo Langford down to De'Ron Davis or Damezi Anderson. And this is Indiana without four players, as Devonte Green, Zach McRoberts, Race Thompson, and Jerome Hunter all missed Wednesday's game. Only Hunter is expected to miss significant time.
Romeo? Oh, what a night
I have a feeling that Romeo Langford will earn himself a subheading on most Rapid Reactions this season. He's that good. As much as Indiana confirmed the preseason expectations tonight, so did Langford. He was phenomenal at driving to the basket, as expected. Langford finished with a game-high 22 points on a pretty efficient 8-of-15 shooting from the floor. And arguably even more importantly, he didn't try to do too much in his first big-time atmosphere. Not a single Hoosier tried to force plays, and IU's chemistry was exceptionally impressive Wednesday.
Langford is a game-changer. While we all expected him to be, he showed it against the No. 24 team in the country. It's still November, it's still the third game of the season. But Langford showed the problems he can create for a defense, not just by his skill, but by the threat of his skill. Much, much more to come on this front later tonight. I really want to talk defense.
Let's Talk Defense
We've made it to defense. Alright, despite Langford scoring 22 points, and Evan Fitzner putting on a 3-point shooting clinic with 16 points and a perfect 4-for-4 on treys, Al Durham could very well be the player of the game tonight. It's fascinating, mostly because Durham never really found a role during his freshman season. With Rob Phinisee committing and playing well in IU's first two games, there were legitimate questions about what Phinisee could do for this 2018-19 team.
He answered those questions in easily his best collegiate game. Even when Devonte Green returns, Durham solidified an essential role during this early season. Look, Marquette's Markus Howard is one of the best scorers in the country. The 5-11 guard averaged 20.4 points per game a season ago, and averaged 26 points per game coming into Wednesday. Durham, along with equally effective defense from Phinisee, held Howard in the first half to seven points on 3-of-9 shooting. Durham, especially, was active and smart on the defensive perimeter against Howard. We'll also have more on this tonight, but man, it was one of the most intelligent defensive games Indiana has played in quite some time. And even with that, the Hoosiers still put up 96 points.
It really was a banner day, no pun intended, for Indiana basketball. Those are just a few of my quick, rushed thoughts. Get home safely, and we'll have more in a few minutes.
(11/13/18 5:00am)
Rewind to Week 1 of last season. Indiana had just hung with No. 1 Ohio State for a half, as former quarterback Richard Lagow, former receiver Simmie Cobbs, and former tight end Ian Thomas put on a show in front of a sold-out Memorial Stadium. The Hoosiers eventually lost, 49-21, and the resulting story was depth.
In the second half, Indiana’s second stringers or fatigued starters weren’t able to keep up with the seemingly endless talent of Ohio State. It was Tom Allen’s first regular season game as IU’s head coach. He spoke of culture changes, breaking through, and most important of all, building depth.
“We're still not where we need to be depth-wise,” Allen said last August. “It is what it is. We have to recruit better. We take out our No. 1s and right now there's too big of a drop off. I felt like especially in some of those big plays in that third quarter, it shouldn't have happened.”
Since Allen replaced Kevin Wilson at the helm before Indiana’s Foster Farms Bowl appearance in 2016, he has been craving for the luxury of taking his starters out and maintaining the same level of production and performance. It has been a luxury that has always been sought after in Bloomington, but has never matured. Depth is, of course, a direct result of recruiting.
This is the youngest Indiana team in recent memory, in terms of both age and on-field experience. The Hoosiers were senior-laden a year ago, and impressive freshmen -- both true and redshirt, have filled those holes. Michael Penix at quarterback, Stevie Scott and Ronnie Walker at running back, James Head at defensive end, Micah McFadden and James Miller at linebacker, Cam Jones at husky, Bryant Fitzgerald and Juwan Burgess at safety, Jaylin Williams at cornerback, and Reese Taylor, well, everywhere. Those are just 11, but the list goes on. 16 true freshmen have played for Indiana in 2018, and there are still two weeks remaining. Only 12 true freshmen appeared for Allen last season.
“There are so many new faces on defense,” Allen said Monday.”And we've had injuries still. We've lost some very productive guys on offense that haven't played much at all or any this year. And other guys had to step up, whether it's the receiving corps, or in the running back room. It's just part of it. We're still probably a couple classes away from having the depth that we need to have.”
What does this mean? The short answer is that Allen and the Hoosiers are getting closer to their desired depth. In theory, these freshmen will benefit immensely from playing right away. It surely has caused some headaches for Allen and growing pains for this 2018 team, but he has acknowledged that in the long run, it should pay off. Allen’s depth has increased from last season despite graduating 14 seniors and additional key contributors from last season’s team, such as Cobbs (NFL) and transfers such as WR Taysir Mack, DB Zeke Walker, DB Tyler Green, and RB Devonte Williams.
It has allowed Indiana’s coaching staff to sprinkle freshmen in at opportune times, or at least, prepare them. The NCAA’s new redshirt rule has aided this, but Allen’s freshmen aren’t just playing special teams and garbage time snaps. Fitzgerald leads the team with three interceptions, while the Avon product Fitzgerald and Cam Jones lead the Hoosiers with a pair of forced fumbles. If football was basketball, Allen's freshmen would be considered as playing starter minutes.
“Just settling in,” Fitzgerald said last week. “I was really nervous for the first half of the season. It was the first time being out there, I didn’t know how I was going to play. I was out there just worrying. But now, I’m finally just playing my game and starting to settle in.”
Recruiting under Allen has changed slightly. Generally speaking, his staff is targeting strong and versatile athletes, while worrying about positions at a later date. IU true freshman running back Stevie Scott is the clearest example -- recruited by Allen’s staff as a running back or linebacker, with the hope that Scott would pan out in the backfield. The Syracuse native is second nationally among freshmen in rushing yards, with 894. True freshman Jamar Johnson, meanwhile, can play all five positions of Allen’s secondary. Johnson has appeared in eight games, highlighted by a crucial interception at Rutgers earlier this season.
“You look at that offensive line from Maryland, and there were a bunch of fifth-year seniors,” Allen said. “I've said it before and say it again, those are grown men. We've got some young guys playing on defense that are 18 years old, a bunch of them. That's a big difference. Those four years make a -- that's four years of a lot of things that change for you in this time of your life.”
It will take time, but the margin of depth appears to be closing between Indiana and its Big Ten East rivals. While unfinished and unsigned, Allen’s incoming recruiting class features multiple pieces that are primed to contribute in 2019 -- specifically 4-star running back and former Ohio State commit Sampson James, 4-star Carmel defensive end Beau Robbins, and defensive backs Tiawan Mullen and Larry Tracy. Even potential slot receiver David Ellis has made highlight reels from his senior high school season in Michigan. Allen’s 2019 class is currently ranked 41st in the nation by 247 Sports, which would set an IU record since recruiting rankings began in 2002.
Indiana’s football program has progressed into solidified expectations of perennially winning all three non-conference games and competing for bowl appearances. This 2018 team has helped in that, despite growing pains seen weekly -- such as allowing 353 rushing yards to Maryland last week and being outclassed by Iowa. The next step is what Allen perpetually calls the breakthrough. What used to be seen as a fallacy is now starting to come into focus, by allowing Indiana’s 25 contributing freshmen to contribute early in their collegiate careers. Reinforcements are coming.
“We recruited well with this current freshmen class, and we've got to do it again,” Allen said. “And we've got to do it again, to be able to create and have the depth from all four classes together to be able to withstand injuries and the ups and downs of the season, and playing against a very mature guys.”
(11/13/18 2:13am)
Teddy, Ben, Connor discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of Indiana's much-needed victory against Maryland. What can the Hoosiers replicate against Michigan and Purdue in their quest for bowl eligibility? Teddy, Ben and Connor discuss.
(11/10/18 11:09pm)
Before Indiana's 34-32 win against Maryland on Saturday, Tom Allen made a decision. Unlike a season ago, IU's head coach decided to address the postseason to his team. Indiana had lost four games in a row, two in the closing moments. At 4-5, its season was on the brink. But the Hoosiers did not appear in the bowl season last year, so Allen walked into this week's meetings and made a change.
Allen spoke to his team about Indiana's bowl history. It is not rich. Since the bowl era began in 1940, the Hoosiers have appeared only 11 times. Instead of ignoring the noise of postseason possibilities like last year, Allen told his inexperienced, often naive team that a bowl appearance is what they are pursuing. First, however, Indiana had to translate its urgency into victories.
"I didn't really do that last year at this time," Allen said. "I chose not to. I didn't want to talk about going to bowl games, but I just said, you know what, forget all that, I'm talking about bowl games. Because they're big. We have been to 11 in this program's history. And so our objective is to get to No. 12. And so I'm going to call it what it is. I'm going to call these guys out on it and say that's what we're playing for."
A fifth win already has matured, albeit by the thinnest of margins. Indiana's defense was abused for 542 total yards against Maryland, 353 coming on the ground, and 210 by freshman running back Anthony McFarland. In the clearest example of IU's bend-but-don't-break defense, the Hoosiers forced four field goals by Maryland kicker Joseph Petrino. Indiana also forced four takeaways, scoring 17 points off them to take a 31-15 lead with 7:05 remaining in the third quarter. But Maryland marched back as opponents seem to do in Bloomington. Maryland receiver Jeshaun Jones escaped attempted tackles by Thomas Allen and Andre Brown Jr, dove for the endzone, and handed the Terrapins a 32-31 lead with 4:54 to play.
Then IU freshman running back Stevie Scott took over. Scott, who is nearing 1,000 yards on the season and set the school's all-time record for freshman rushing touchdowns, scampered for 32 yards to give kicker Logan Justus an opportunity at a go-ahead field goal. From 42-yards, Justus made the biggest kick of his IU career. But 2:32 remained, with Maryland holding a pair of timeouts and offensive momentum.
The ultimate takeaway came with 1:40 remaining in the game, with the Hoosiers leading 34-32. Indiana had not been able to sack Maryland all game, but Syracuse grad transfer Kayton Samuels strip sacked Tyrell Pigrome with the Terrapins on the IU 48-yard line. Nile Sykes fell on the ball. The Hoosiers had secured their fifth win, snapping a four-game losing streak and injecting life into the season.
It is a season that continues, and will continue to Ann Arbor against No. 4 Michigan -- in arguably Indiana's most daunting task of the season. The Hoosiers will conclude at home against Purdue. For the fourth consecutive season, it is likely that Indiana will need to claim the Old Oaken Bucket in order to reach bowl eligibility. The Boilermakers, having lost Saturday, could very well be in the same situation.
“I think it was huge," linebacker T.D. Roof said of Allen's bowl game message. "I think it really motivated people. The last three games it was either now or never, so I think him talking about that really motivated the team. It helped us get the win today.”
Indiana survived its first test in a battle of desperate teams, though. At five wins, Maryland now has to beat either Ohio State or Penn State to extend its season. Urgency, for IU, translated into a multitude of ways on Saturday. Peyton Ramsey delivered one of his best games as a Hoosier -- setting a career-high 8.68 yards per attempt en route to completing 16-of-28 passes for 243 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
"I liked it a lot," Ramsey said of the downfield attack. "Especially when you have guys on the perimeter that have the ability to make plays. We have so many guys that are capable of making plays, and defenses that we've played have understood that ... Today when the opportunities were given, we did a good job of taking advantage of it."
Ramsey appeared more confident to throw downfield, finding outside receivers in Donavan Hale for an impressive 37-yard touchdown and Nick Westbrook from 19-yards out for another score. Ramsey also found Ty Fryfogle for 35 yards in the first half, and scampered for a career-long 35-yard touchdown. It has been a point of emphasis, from Allen, to take chances downfield with IU's tall, athletic receivers.
"They're probably tired of hearing me say it," Allen said. "Throw the ball down the field. Okay? We got big receivers, I live in that world, DB's aren't as big as the receivers and it's hard to cover them. So you get interference calls and we got a bunch of those. It's hard and so I know you can't do it every snap obviously, but that's to me, it's an objective for sure."
Saturday was not pretty. Aside from Ball State, there has not been an attractive victory for this Indiana team. Youth, inexperience, and injuries usually lead to that. But these Hoosiers, as flawed as they may be, responded with a victory as their season was on the brink.
"That locker room, all you had to do was just take a peek in there and see what it means to these guys," Allen said of the win. "And it was a huge, huge win for our program. I love the way these guys have stayed together and they have just had to block out the noise and just keep fighting. We knew we needed it and we talked very openly to our team about what was at stake."
(11/10/18 6:40pm)
Hello from a nippy Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Folks up here aren't too pleased with the freezing temperatures, but I think it's a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky! Okay, that's enough. Indiana is playing a must-win game today, in terms of its bowl hopes. It hinges on this and Purdue, no? Well, today has been a rollercoaster and it's only 1:30. Away we go with my thoughts:
Can Indiana halt Maryland's ground game?
At the end of the first quarter, Maryland outgained Indiana 144 yards to one. It was, quite frankly, an inexcusable start for an Indiana team that had two weeks to prepare for this. The Terrapins do not run an overly complicated offense -- at the most, the most intricate part is pre-snap shift changes. Rarely do they throw, and it has shown. But what has also shown is how effective Maryland's rushing offense is. Longtime starting running back Ty Johnson took five carries for 38 yards before being sidelined to injury. He has been dealing with a calf strain, but it hasn't affected Maryland's ability to run. Freshman Anthony McFarland has 135 yards on 16 carries, good for 8.5 yards per carry. Rarely has he been stopped in his tracks, and Indiana's linebackers haven't been able to keep him between the tackles.
Maryland quarterback Kasim Hill went down as well, looks to be a knee injury after Cam Jones brought him down. Tyrell Pigrome is in, and perfectly capable. Hill was 4-of-12 and an interception before his injury, so Pigrome really could be an upgrade -- at least for today. He is a better threat with his legs, and really can't be worse than Hill was at passing today. Adjustments are key, defensively, for Tom Allen's defense. The first drive will be telling.
Another poor first-half ending
After Maryland scored, but missed the PAT to cut its deficit to 21-12 -- a Terrapin player committed an unsportsmanlike penalty. Indiana returned the kickoff to its own 45 with roughly three minutes remaining. Instead of marching down the field for extra points and momentum, Peyton Ramsey was intercepted throwing off his back foot to the wrong receiver, albeit tipped and deflected at the line. Indiana has not played well this season when halftime is approaching -- think Penn State, when clock management ruined the potential for points. Just something I've noticed, and written about a lot at halftime this year. This game should be 21-12, 24-12, or 28-12. Not 21-15.
Peyton Ramsey, dime thrower
Credit where credit is due. When Ramsey has looked downfield, he has been brilliant today. His best throws, per usual, have come down the sideline and over the shoulder. He hit Ty Fryfogle for 35 yards, and Donavan Hale for a 37-yard touchdown. He also juked out a Terrapin defender for a 35-yard rushing touchdown and his career-long on the ground. Indiana's offense was putrid to start, but it really took advantage of a Jaylin Williams interception and Jerome Johnson fumble recovery. Both were gifted by Maryland couldn't have come any easier for Indiana. On a day where Stevie Scott has managed only 23 yards on seven carries, we shall see what Mike DeBord does.
(11/10/18 5:16am)
As was Indiana's dominant 80-35 victory against Montana State, November games against severely inferior opponents are always challenging to evaluate. Everything must be taken with a grain of salt -- from holding Montana State to 35 points and a shot clock era Assembly Hall record, to high-flying dunks from Romeo Langford and Justin Smith.
There are early indications, however. And two games in, Indiana's brightest indication could very well be the play of freshman point guard Rob Phinisee.
As junior Devonte Green recovers from the rust of a preseason thigh contusion, Phinisee has started his first two collegiate games at point guard. After a six-point, five-steal, and five-assist debut vs. Chicago State, Indiana's 6-foot-1 freshman played significantly more aggressive in Friday night's win. In 26 minutes, Phinisee finished with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting and only allowing one turnover.
"I feel like Rob, out of all the freshman, besides Romeo, just came in ready for college basketball," De'Ron Davis said. "His body is real good. He's mentally tough and smart on the court and makes good passes, good decisions, and he just encourages us on the court. He talks, so honestly, I feel like he steps into his role with Devonte being hurt pretty well and I think he's seizing his opportunity."
Potentially even more important were Phinisee's looks from 3-point range. A season ago, Indiana shot 32.2 percent from 3-point range -- 307th in the nation. On Friday against Montana State, Phinisee was 3-of-4 from long distance. When he was open via Montana State's zone, he did not hesitate to pull the trigger. It's an early indication, granted, but Phinisee appears capable to improve Indiana's 3-point shooting from a year ago.
IU head coach Archie Miller said postgame that he does not expect Indiana to "shoot a ton of threes," nor does he feel like the Hoosiers should. For Miller, a contested 3-pointer is the last resort offensively. Indiana shot 6-of-21 from distance Friday, and Miller feels many at the end of the first half were ill-advised. The Hoosiers will not rely upon 3-point shooting to win games in 2018-19 on the sole promise of their strength inside. Indiana outscored Montana State 48-18 inside the paint -- with Juwan Morgan spearheading the effort with a game-high 14 points and 11 rebounds in just 22 minutes.
"Rob is a good shooter," Miller said of Phinisee postgame. "He's going to take advantage of the quality ones when he's open. We have confidence in him ... Devonte basically has only been back for a week and has to get his feet under him in games and will be better. Phinisee obviously is a good shooter ... But we don't aspire to take a ton of threes. I don't think that's this team's niche but I do think if we take the good ones, we'll make them."
Soon enough, Phinisee will face high-major opponents in Marquette on Wednesday and Arkansas later this month before Big Ten play begins. As Green continues to recover from a slight injury hiccup, Phinisee's minutes could decrease in favor of IU's more experienced option at point guard. But for now, just two games into his collegiate career, Phinisee appears confident and poised to contribute as a freshman in the Big Ten.
"I'm still learning," Phinisee said. "I learn from our older guys like Juwan and the captains, Zach. Just keep doing what I'm doing and I feel like I'll do a lot better."
News & Notes:
Indiana freshman Jerome Hunter is expected to miss a "significant stretch" due to a leg injury, Miller said postgame. He described the injury as "not a typical leg injury," and Hunter will be evaluated on a to-be-determined basis.
De'Ron Davis, however, says he feels "pretty much 100 percent" as he finalizes his recovery from a torn achilles suffered last season. Davis played 11 minutes against Montana State on Friday and is full-go in practice.
Zach McRoberts has been dealing with back tightness for the better part of four weeks, Miller said postgame. McRoberts did not play in the second half due to rest.
Meanwhile, Al Durham made his season debut after missing Indiana's exhibition game and opener against Chicago State. Durham tallied five points in 15 minutes.
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(11/09/18 9:32pm)
With four wins and three games remaining, Indiana's players have started to realize the pressing nature of returning to the bowl season. Only a handful of players were contributors during Indiana's 2015 and 2016 bowl appearances, and as the nation's 19th-youngest team, there is bowl season terminology to be learned. First, however, there are two more games to be won. The Hoosiers face a must-win opportunity in Maryland at Memorial Stadium this Saturday at noon.
"A win this Saturday would definitely be big," freshman running back Stevie Scott said. "If we get this W this week, we just need one more game to be bowling, as they would say. It's my first year so I guess bowling is the term. If we can get that win and look forward to Purdue and Michigan and pull those games out."
Following nine consecutive weeks of football, this Indiana team is fresh off its bye week. Big Ten scheduling did no favors to Tom Allen's program, gifting the Hoosiers with the conference's latest open week. It came so late that cornerback Raheem Layne forgot that it existed.
"Honestly I kind of forgot about the bye week until after we played the (Minnesota) game," Layne said. "Like oh yeah, now we have the week off coming up to take care of our bodies. That sounded like music to my ears. That was good to hear."
For the first time this season, the Hoosiers addressed the bowl season at weekly media availability. It's a delicate subject, but a realistic conversation to have during Week 11. Admitted or not, a bowl appearance would be deemed a success for this Indiana team. The Hoosiers are young -- both in age and experience, and serious injuries have not helped. IU lost its top two preseason running backs in Morgan Ellison (dismissed) and Cole Gest (torn ACL), as well as dynamic freshman quarterback Michael Penix (torn ACL). Senior defensive tackle Jacob Robinson has also missed the past six games to a knee injury.
"Just what I needed," Layne said. "To rest up so we can finish strong these next three games and get to our bowl game."
The realistic path to six wins for Indiana starts Saturday against a Maryland team that totaled 100 total yards of offense in a 24-3 home loss to Michigan State last week. The Hoosiers had their fair share of struggles against an elite Spartan defense earlier this season, but managed to total 301 yards offensively.
Offensively, the Terrapins are dangerous on the ground. Freshman quarterback Kasim Hill averages only 17.5 passing attempts per game, and relies heavily upon proven running back Ty Johnson (2,597 career rushing yards) and speedy freshman tailback Anthony McFarland (6.9 yards per carry). Johnson, however, is questionable for Saturday after missing last week's game vs. Michigan State. Coupled with adverse off-the-field complications, Maryland has struggled with consistency. Prior to scoring only three points against Michigan State, the Terps tallied 63 points and 712 yards of offense against Illinois.
With interim head coach Matt Canada in charge, Layne mentioned the importance of Indiana communicating on defense. This Maryland offense carries a high tendency of pre-snap shift changes to generate mismatches.
"They force you to be extremely disciplined," Allen said. "Even though it's not an option offense, the way that they shift, move, adjust, motion, different things that they do, it forces you to be extremely disciplined. If you get out of position, they're very, very athletic. You make one guy miss, it's a big, big play."
There is urgency on both sides. Maryland, despite the odds, is one win away from bowl eligibility. With Penn State and Ohio State looming on its schedule following Indiana, this is also the Terps' most realistic chance to bowl. Stevie Scott laughed when he was told who Maryland had remaining.
"They're definitely focused for this game then, for sure," Scott said with a laugh.
IU redshirt freshman Bryant Fitzgerald said Monday that the reset button has been hit. Internally, those disappointing losses to Penn State and Minnesota are forgotten, especially with last week off. With the bye, local players were able to see family and friends, watch football, and take a breath.
In his first season, Fitzgerald is taking this final stretch one game at a time. A trip to Ann Arbor looms next week before the season finale against Purdue in Bloomington. IU's season still carries a pulse, but four consecutive losses have generated the need for urgency.
"They say we need two more wins to make a bowl game," Fitzgerald said. "But our focus is just on 1-0 every week and staying hungry."
(11/09/18 12:15am)
We're back with another edition of the Indiana Football podcast with the Hoosiers coming off a bye week. Justin Fitzgerald of the Testudo Times joins the pod to discuss the Terrapins. Is it a must win game for the Hoosiers? Teddy, Ben and Connor discuss.
(10/23/18 4:25am)
BLOOMINGTON -- As Hurricane Michael tore through the southeastern United States last week, Florida native and Indiana linebacker Reakwon Jones heard the screams of his family. A tree had just fallen onto the house, and Jones heard it while on the phone with his stepfather.
The family’s house was destroyed. Its clothes and belongings were lost. The surrounding area of Panama City, Fla. saw five schools vanish. Because of poor cell reception, Jones still hasn’t been able to speak with his father, who also lost his home during the hurricane.
12 hours away in Bloomington, Jones was both praying for his family and preparing to play against Iowa. At first, he felt helpless. He could hear the pain in their voices. He wanted to be there.
“I felt really down because everybody wants to be there with their family and friends when they’re going through something tough,” Jones said. “But my mom’s really strong and she encourages me no matter what that if I’m okay, she’s gonna be okay, so that helps me to be able to just go through the day. I know they’re strong and they’re going to get through things without me. They can and they did.”
Despite the ongoing crisis in his hometown of Lynn Haven, Fla., Jones knew there was a game to be played. A crucial one, on homecoming, that Indiana lost 42-16. It was the most disappointing game of the season for the Hoosiers -- allowing Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley to throw for six touchdowns. The momentum established the week before in a valiant effort against Ohio State had evaporated.
“It was really emotional for me,” Jones said. “I went out there and I wanted to win that game for my city. I wanted to play as hard as I could for my city and I felt like I went out there and played as hard as I could, and that I did everything in my power that I could for myself. And then just to see the results of that game, you know, it broke my heart. I broke down after the game and it was just tough.”
Following the game against Iowa, Jones arranged for his family to visit him in Bloomington. He hadn’t seen his family since January. The hurricane had passed in the Florida panhandle, but Jones’ family was still on curfew. Once it was lifted, Jones’ family rented a car and drove 12 hours to southern Indiana to visit the eldest member of the household. They arrived in Bloomington Friday, just in time to see Jones play for the first time in college, on Saturday against Penn State.
Except the Jones’ family had just lost everything. Reakwon’s mother, stepfather, and two youngest siblings weren’t able to afford a place to stay in Bloomington. So the eldest brother hosted his family for the weekend.
“It was a blessing,” Jones said of the visit. “After the game, I got to hang out with them. They stayed with me because they couldn’t afford to stay anywhere else. They stayed with me and my two dogs. We made it work, we packed up in there. We just hung out and had fun, caught up, talked and just shared feelings.It was really good for me. It’s really hard to focus when you haven’t seen your family in forever and something like that happens. And I was able to see them, lay eyes on them, and see that they were physically okay.”
With 63 Hoosiers either hailing from Indiana or its bordering states, many families are able to see each game at Memorial Stadium. For Jones’ mother, this was her first visit to IU since dropping Jones off as a freshman in 2015. Walking into the stadium from Indiana’s pregame buses, it was the first time Jones saw her face.
“I just couldn’t believe that they were there,” Jones said. “Just to see them in person in Indiana was crazy. I knew they were coming but at the same time I couldn’t believe that they were here. I was extremely happy. I felt the same again. I was smiling and it was just a great all-around feeling to have them here to support me and I support them through what they’ve been through.”
Working with Indiana’s compliance office and the NCAA, Jones has started a GoFundMe to assist his family. Everything was lost in Hurricane Michael. He isn’t looking for big donors. All he wants is a restart button for his loved ones.
“Whatever someone can donate, we’re grateful for anything that happens,” Jones said. “ Like I said, we’re just trying to find a way to restart and build on, and just move on in life and kind of just put this in the past because I mean, no one wants to hang onto this forever.”
For now, the family is staying in Alabama, with the grandmother of Reakwon’s stepdad. Jones doesn’t know how long, as there isn’t a home to return to in Florida. But his family is safe, and recently together. For that, Jones is grateful.
“Throwing in that hurricane just changes everything like, man, that could’ve been the last time I saw my family,” Jones said. “I thought about that and that’s what kind of broke my heart but I’m just glad they’re okay.”
(10/23/18 12:18am)
It was quite a Saturday in Bloomington as the Hoosiers kept it close, but once again, couldn't knock off Penn State. Some news also came out Monday as Michael Penix Jr. will miss the rest of the season. Teddy, Connor and Ben break it all down.
(10/21/18 1:52am)
Tom Allen walked into the Indiana locker room moments after a familiar 33-28 defeat to No. 18 Penn State. He stared into the eyes of his players. He saw his freshmen, like Stevie Scott, who had just experienced their first, true, gut-wrenching Big Ten defeat. He saw his seniors, like Jonathan Crawford, who can add Saturday's defeat to the long list of missed opportunities for signature, program-changing upsets.
Allen saw the tears of a program that has been on the brink of monumental upsets for years. This was no exception. Despite leaving first-half points on the field, Indiana took a 21-20 lead on Penn State with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter. And despite a Michael Penix injury, a J-Shun Harris fumble, and two rushing touchdowns from Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley, Indiana scored and then recovered an onside kick for an opportunity to win the game in its closing seconds. An improbable drive, started on the IU 42-yard line with 49 seconds remaining, ended in defeat.
"I challenged them in a huge way this week, and they chose to respond," Allen said. "I thought they played their hearts out. That's why there's a lot of tears in that locker room because they played so hard and they did a lot of great things. But the bottom line is we didn't make enough plays to win the game, and that's why we have to go back and watch the film and learn from it. But from a perspective of heart and effort and toughness and grit and fight, I'm proud of this football team."
Saturday was especially heartbreaking for Indiana's football program. And it came a week after the Hoosiers were embarrassed yet again on homecoming, in a 42-16 blowout loss to Iowa that derailed the momentum established in Columbus. Indiana was back to square one this week, and responded in valiant fashion. Scott ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns, becoming only the third freshman in IU history with three 100-yard games in a season. Penix entered early and showcased his promising arm strength and dual-threat abilities. The Indiana defense forced two turnovers and held McSorley without a touchdown pass for the first time in his 34 career starts.
In Big Ten East games and crossover tests against the likes of Iowa and Wisconsin, the margin of error for Indiana is slim. The Hoosiers, with inferior recruiting capabilities and bleak historical trends, cannot beat themselves. On Saturday, Indiana, yet again, self-destructed its opportunity for an impressive victory. Most of IU's mistakes came on special teams. Penn State's K.J. Hamler took the opening kickoff to the Indiana 35-yard line. Johnathan Thomas took a 3rd-quarter kickoff for 94 yards. Harris' punt return fumble essentially closed Indiana's window of opportunity until the onside kick was recovered -- as McSorley's touchdown gave Penn State a 33-21 lead with 10:25 remaining.
"To me, it's really, really frustrating to give up those," Allen said of kick return yards. "To play so well on offense and defense and give up those kind of return yards. It just makes me want to puke."
The next opportunity for Allen and Indiana to capture a signature victory will be in Ann Arbor against Michigan. But that game is in a few weeks. The pressing matter for these Hoosiers is Friday night in Minneapolis -- against a Gopher team that handed winless Nebraska its first victory. If there is a path to bowl eligibility and success, obtaining a fifth win against Minnesota, before a much-needed bye, is required.
"It makes us stronger," Marcelino Ball said of another tough loss. "The fight that we put in throughout the game. You know, we're all sad. We're all down about it, but at the same time, it makes us stronger. It makes us want it. It shows us that every play matters."
Allen said postgame that the Hoosiers are not discouraged, despite another demoralizing defeat. Winnable games remain, and so does the goal -- returning to the bowl season.
"Our kids are fighters, man," Allen said postgame. "I looked in that locker room, in those eyes, and I had everybody's eyes on me. Just left it just now, and I promise you this team is going to keep on fighting. Yeah, they're hurting, and yeah, they want to win these close games, and we will. It's a process. I believe in this football team."
(10/20/18 9:31pm)
Hey everyone. A beautiful, but windy day here in Bloomington. There is, as always, a lot to talk about. So let's discuss that first half, and more:
The end to the half? Not great.
Ooh boy. Maybe the worst example of clock management in Tom Allen's career. It's not all his fault -- he doesn't call the offensive plays and Ricky Brookins didn't get out of bounds there to end the half. But Indiana left at least six points in that second quarter. First, let's discuss the 4th-and-1 playcall to Nick Westbrook in the endzone. Huh? I'm probably as confused as you are. Indiana averaged 6.9 yards per carry in that first half. Its offensive line has played a very strong game, minus the holds. Both Stevie Scott and Ronnie Walker showed bursts of speed. I understand that Penn State may have seen a Scott run coming, but all the Hoosiers needed was a few inches. Instead, IU opts for a low-percentage play to Westbrook and misses out on three, or seven points. It could have been a Michael Penix ad-lib. Whatever it was, it can't happen if Indiana is serious about upsetting teams such as Penn State. I also understand the mindset of being aggressive as the inferior program, but at some point, it should be played smart. For the record, I was a fan of the decision of going for it on 4th-and-1. But the play call and execution could not have been worse.
And secondly, Indiana leaves another field goal try on the field with a clock management disaster. Another holding penalty pushed IU out of Logan Justus' range, but Peyton Ramsey found Brookins for eight yards to get to the Penn State 32-yard line. Justus isn't necessarily money from 49 or 50 yards, but he would have had the wind at his back. There will be questions postgame on both sequences. Indiana should be leading this game. I swear I've typed that before this season, and for the last four seasons.
Talkin' Quarterbacks
I'm going to be honest, I was pretty surprised that Penix appeared in this game -- especially as early as he did. I know that he was going to play twice more, at least, but it's incredibly windy on the field and a tough spot for a freshman quarterback. Overall? He's looked very promising. There are things that Penix can do with his arm, and legs, that Ramsey cannot. Penix can stretch the field in a variety of ways. He's better at keeping the play alive as well, in my opinion. His numbers aren't great, 9-of-19 for 94 yards in that first half. But there have been a few drops and unlucky plays, along with a couple poor decisions from Penix himself. A mixed bag, I would say.
Ramsey, of course, entered again to finish the second half. That decision seemed strange to me. I suppose Allen went to Ramsey again for the purpose of clock management (yikes), and being the better option at short, quick strikes against a conservative Penn State defense to end the half. I wonder what happens on IU's first drive of the second half year. My guess is Penix, but who knows. I also wonder how much confidence and momentum these two quarterbacks have with going back-and-forth from the bench to the field. But that's a conversation for another day. Talk to you soon.
(10/19/18 11:33pm)
In a statement released Friday evening by the program, Indiana sophomore running back Morgan Ellison has been dismissed from the Indiana football program and suspended from the university for two and a half years.
"Effective today, October 19, 2018, sophomore Morgan Ellison has been suspended for two and one half years from Indiana University," the statement said. "Dismissing him from all university-related activities and resulting in his permanent dismissal from the football team.
In a decision dated October 3rd, an Indiana University panel determined that Ellison had sexually assaulted a fellow IU student 'while she slept and then used force to continue the assault when she woke up,' as reported by the Indianapolis Star. According to the Star, Ellison said the sexual activities were consensual and had previously been appealing the panel's decision.
"In its findings, the University’s sexual misconduct hearing panel concluded that "the aggravating factor of (Ellison) engaging in sexual activity while Complainant was asleep, and (Ellison)’s use of force during the incident" led to the determination that Ellison should be suspended from Indiana University for 2 1/2 years, according to records obtained by IndyStar. The Indianapolis Star also spoke to the alleged victim and reported her accounts.
Ellison was indefinitely suspended prior to Indiana's season opener against Florida International. The program has never released the specific reason for Ellison's suspension. When asked at his weekly press conferences, Tom Allen said he regularly met with Ellison and even allowed the sophomore running back to practice starting September 13th. He stopped participating in practice on October 3rd, the day of the panel's decision.
At this time, Ellison has not been criminally charged for the sexual assault allegations against him. The case against him had been reported to Indiana University, and was strictly a campus investigation.
“We followed all the applicable University rules and policies that our department has, that the University has, followed them all, everything I was told do,” Allen said after Indiana's loss to Iowa.
From a football standpoint, the loss of Ellison does not necessarily damage Indiana's depth at running back. The Hoosiers have a pair of true freshmen in Stevie Scott and Ronnie Walker playing this season. Seniors Ricky Brookins and Mike Majette will graduate. 4-star commit and Avon running back Sampson James chose Indiana over Ohio State last week. He will be a true freshman in 2019. Cole Gest (season-ending injury), Craig Nelson, and walk-on Kristian Pechac will all return, among others at the position.
At the same time, Ellison's departure, again from a football standpoint, is disappointing after a promising freshman season. He emerged as Indiana's starter and led the team with 704 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Ellison ran for a season-high 185 yards in the win against Georgia Southern, and was thought to be the starter this season before his suspension. He is a physical, reliable running back that proved his own in a conference full of elite running backs. As far as Ellison's future, he is able to seek transfer possibilities and could even return to Indiana University as a student in two and a half years.
This is Tom Allen's first dismissal of his head coaching career, and the first public case of IU football players in trouble off the field.
(10/18/18 11:22pm)
Another week and another preview pod as John McGonigal of the Centre Daily Times joins the podcast to preview the Nittany Lions. A lot of interesting conversations about how Indiana will fare this week against another ranked team. Josh fills in for Connor and is joined by Teddy and Ben.
(10/16/18 12:04am)
It was a tough Monday for Indiana football following a brutal loss to Iowa over the weekend. The guys recap Allen's press conference today and what went wrong over the weekend. The Hoosiers will get set to welcome in Penn State this Saturday.