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(10/15/18 7:13pm)
In the wake of a demoralizing 42-16 loss to Iowa on homecoming Saturday, Indiana’s players had Sunday off. This is the breaking point of IU’s 2018 campaign, and with the grind of Big Ten play in full effect, the Hoosiers had a chance to spend Sunday gathering their thoughts before preparing for Penn State.
Indiana is the nation’s 19th-youngest team. Many key roles are being filled by underclassmen, or upperclassmen with limited experience. Senior wideout Luke Timian has been here since 2015. He has suffered demoralizing losses before. He may again. But after Indiana faltered in the redzone, allowed six passing touchdowns to Nate Stanley, and simply were not prepared for Iowa, Timian wasn’t sure how Monday would go.
“It's interesting because I don't think a lot of the young guys, and most of the team, really didn't know how to come in today,” Timian said. “Now we get Sundays off, so you get more time to gather your thoughts and think about it.”
Almost everything went wrong for the Hoosiers on Saturday. Indiana set a season-high in penalties with ten for 99 yards. Its bench had two of them. Iowa’s tight ends combined for eight receptions, 208 yards, and three touchdowns. The Hoosiers entered the Hawkeyes' 30-yard line six times on Saturday. They came away with 16 points.
Saturday’s game was a chance to push Indiana’s realistic, supposed ceiling to seven or eight wins. Instead, the Hoosiers are back to square one. Head coach Tom Allen is challenging his players ‘to own it, to flush it, and to press on.’
“We didn't execute like we need to,” Timian said of Iowa. “They're really, really disciplined football team. Probably the most disciplined team I've seen. You're not gonna trick them. We tried a couple times. They didn't bite. We're not happy with how we performed. We're gonna have to look ourselves in the mirror and decide what we want out of this season.”
IU seniors showed up Monday and decided to hold a player-led meeting with the team. It was led by offensive lineman Wes Martin and defensive tackle Jacob Robinson, but other senior leaders spoke. Five games remain for these Hoosiers. There are formidable tests such as this week against Penn State and a November trip to Ann Arbor. There are also more realistic opportunities on the remaining schedule, but those teams have started to prove their potential. Indiana has not.
“Everyone was there and present,” Martin said. “My biggest message to the guys was really just staying the course and if everyone across the board in the whole program does their job the best they can, then we'll be successful. We just have to focus on the things that we can control and do those things the best we can and you'll see good results when that happens.”
Allen is confident in his team’s ability to learn and respond from a lackluster performance against Iowa. It gets no easier with Penn State on Saturday, a Nittany Lion team on the heels of two disheartening losses of their own in Ohio State and Michigan State.
“It's amazing how one game changes how you feel, one way or the other,” Allen said. “It can change the trajectory of your season. You see it all across the country. You see it happen in places. I've been part of it both good and bad. Man, you have to just -- to me it takes tremendous mental toughness to be able to persevere."
For the Hoosiers, Monday was the start of having a better Saturday. For a successful season -- a bowl season, to materialize, Indiana must re-establish its momentum. It must be able to stretch the field offensively, and limit its lapses defensively. It must do what Wes Martin said Monday -- look Saturday in the face, and call it what it was.
“Today, we had to look Saturday in the face and call it what it was,” Martin said. “We got our butts whooped on Saturday. We had to face that and just move on. You watch the film, you see what happens, you go over all the things that need to be corrected and then you flush that and get ready to go. We have five games, a lot of football left to play. We got a lot of winning to do.”
(10/13/18 11:45pm)
In the third quarter of Indiana's 42-16 loss, Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley dropped back to pass on play action. He had ample time, and found tight end T.J. Hockenson on an outside post pattern. Indiana safety Juwan Burgess trailed behind. He dove at Hockenson's ankles to no avail, and the 6-foot-5, 250 pound tight end scored from 54 yards out to give Iowa a commanding 35-10 lead.
There were many plays that were similar. Indiana's defense missed countless tackles on Saturday. They allowed Iowa's elite tight ends to combine for eight receptions, 208 yards, and three touchdowns. The Hoosiers committed ten penalties, a season high. Stanley threw for six passing touchdowns, and evaded many potential sacks. It was the worst defensive performance of the season, according to senior safety Jonathan Crawford.
"Bad." Crawford said of grading the IU tackling. "D? I don't know, F? It was the worst. It was the worst game I've felt we've played as a defense."
The narrative of this season has changed. The competition has risen, yes. But Indiana was not missing routine tackles and sack opportunities against Virginia. Aside from a a few quarterback pressures, including an early interception by Thomas Allen, Stanley worked in a very comfortable pocket. Allen's interception injected life into the IU cause, as the Hawkeyes were driving and could have made it a 21-3 game early. Instead, Indiana took over and Peyton Ramsey found Ty Fryfogle for a 33-yard touchdown. It was suddenly a 14-10 game, even though Indiana had played sloppy.
“I’m really disappointed in that,” Allen said of the tackling. “We take so much pride in that, work so hard in that. Just, those guys are big and physical, and we kind of bounced off them a few times, and that’s disappointing.”
Iowa scored the next 21 points, marching down the field and taking advantage of a sputtering IU offense. The Hoosiers only completed two passing plays longer than 20 yards. They averaged 2.7 yards per rush, and Saturday's offensive performance felt similar to Indiana's loss against Michigan State. The offense could not stretch the field, and failed to execute in critical moments. Before halftime, Indiana failed to convert on 4th-and-1 as Ramsey did not see an open Peyton Hendershot. The Hoosiers could have cut their halftime deficit to 21-13 with a field goal, or 21-17 with a touchdown. Instead, Iowa led 21-10 and opened the flood gates.
Optimism was a legitimate feeling in Bloomington following a 4-2 start, respectable outing in Columbus, and the commitment of 4-star Avon running back Sampson James. The wind in IU's sails is now gone. The Hoosiers have lost two straight and face Penn State on Saturday. Indiana's loss to Iowa is not worthy of a funeral for this 2018 campaign. There is plenty of football to be played, however the path to bowl eligibility took a hit Saturday. Future winnable opponents, Minnesota, Purdue, and Maryland, have appeared competent in recent weeks. Indiana, quite frankly, has not. The Hoosiers look younger than ever on defense, and lacked the offensive explosion that was seen against Ohio State.
“Disappointed in how we performed, absolutely,” Indiana coach Tom Allen said. “Just weren’t good enough today, and that’s all on me. It’s my responsibility to get our team ready to compete and play at the highest level, and based on how we performed throughout the game, it wasn’t to our standard.”
(10/13/18 5:41pm)
What's up everyone. First off, happy homecoming. I hope it's been a nice weekend. Football usually gets weird in Bloomington when homecoming rolls around, and that has been the case for Indiana-Iowa today. A few thoughts:
Undisciplined Football
I generally thought Indiana was a disciplined football team through the season's first six weeks. That's, uh, changed today. Indiana has six penalties for 65 yards, easily a season-high for the Hoosiers this season. Tom Allen has two of them, for 30 yards, as today's Big Ten officials have not appreciated Allen's common outbursts after no-calls, or calls going against Indiana. The way I see it, it's Allen simply being himself. But the officials don't see it that way. Allen is another penalty away from being ejected from this game. Wouldn't that be something?
It goes far past IU's head coach. Indiana is having its worst tackling performance of the season, and it's not really close. There have been at least four instances where IU defenders haven't been able to bring Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley down for possible sacks. The botched kickoff return by the Hawkeyes could have forced Iowa to start inside its own 5-yard line. Instead, Indiana couldn't make the tackle, and Stanley started that drive in IU territory. The Hawkeyes scored.
There have also been key penalties against Indiana's players, most notably the early defensive pass interference on Raheem Layne that wiped out an IU interception. I thought it was an unfortunate, unlucky call. The receiver halted, and there was nothing Layne could do but make contact. That's how movement works.
But I think we can all agree that Indiana has shot itself in the foot many times today. It just hasn't executed, either. The Hoosiers botched a 3rd-and-1 by sending Ramsey on a quarterback read. It lost four yards and the Hoosiers had to punt. And then instead of going for a field goal, Indiana went for it on 4th-and-short. Ramsey ran from the pocket, didn't see an open Peyton Hendershot, and the attempt failed. Iowa is always known as the most fundamentally sound football around, and that's why the Hawkeyes lead 21-10. It should be, at the very least, a 21-13, or 21-17 game. But that's football for you.
It also hasn't been the best half for Marcelino Ball. He was burned on two Iowa touchdowns, first in coverage on a nice throw from Stanley, and then Ball whiffed on bringing down Stanley for a sack. Other than those two plays, he's been solid. But Indiana's defense, at least in the last two weeks, have played a takeaway-or-touchdown brand of football. It can't continue if the Hoosiers want to beat a fundamentally sound program in Iowa.
Where does the second half take us?
Oh boy, I have no clue. Indiana needs some sort of message at halftime, and quite honestly, the Hoosiers need to play an entirely different brand of football in the second half. Stanley has comfort in the pocket. The Hawkeyes are marching down the field, and have only punted once. That interception from Thomas Allen was massive, and resulted in a beautiful throw and catch from Ramsey to Ty Fryfogle. Indiana will need more takeaways. It will need to execute on short, critical downs. And man, it can't afford giving the Hawkeyes 15-yards time and time again.
Talk to you on Twitter, @ByTeddyBailey, and at the end of this one.
(10/11/18 11:24pm)
The Hoosiers are back in Bloomington for the next two weeks, but first will welcome in the Iowa Hawkeyes for a Homecoming weekend clash. Indiana will be looking to bounce back after a tough loss in Columbus last week. Teddy and Connor break it down.
(10/09/18 12:42am)
The Hoosiers hung tough for a while in Columbus, but the Buckeyes were too much for them to handle. There were, however, some positives to take out of Saturday's game. Teddy, Ben and Connor break it down.
(10/07/18 2:02am)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Tom Allen sat in front of his postgame microphone following Indiana's 49-26 loss to No. 3 Ohio State. He praised his valiant quarterback, Peyton Ramsey. He acknowledged not taking advantage of miscues by the Buckeyes. He slammed the table in a blend of passion and frustration, and walked out.
Saturday's loss was a familiar defeat for those around this Indiana program. The Hoosiers battled, and they battled well. They held their own against an Ohio State team glued to its goal of a National Championship. This has also become a rather familiar defeat for Allen. He saw his team outplay a superior opponent at times, but not enough times. Allen was as animated as he has ever been, including on the game's final drive -- a drive ending with a Dwayne Haskins kneel to signal victory.
“My whole thing was we weren’t going to back down from anybody," Allen said. "I didn’t want anybody feeling sorry for themselves. We were going to finish. We were going to look them in the eye, then shake their hands, make sure they know we respect them. But this program is working hard to be special. That ain’t gonna change."
Each of these familiar losses are similar in outcome, but different in nature. Allen learned more about this Indiana team than he did last week in Piscataway. In Columbus, he learned that the IU offense can pose a threat vertically when its offensive line performs consistently. He learned that Indiana's defense is explosive when it pressures the quarterback. And, above all, he learned again what the Hoosiers must do to end droughts such as their 31-year spell against Ohio State.
There was a window for the Hoosiers to take the lead at Ohio Stadium in the second half. Via an interception and a poor punt, Indiana started two drives inside the Ohio State 40-yard line late in the third quarter. On both drives, the Hoosiers were held scoreless -- as kicker Logan Justus missed from 51 yards and punter Haydon Whitehead was called upon to pin the Buckeyes deep. Ramsey was 0-of-6 during those two drives, and the Buckeyes held their 35-26 lead.
“There is always a window in every game where you’ve got to put all of your energy right in there to make that game-changing play, when it can make a difference in the game," Allen said. "And that was our window of opportunity. We just couldn’t take advantage of it."
When he had a clean pocket, Haskins picked this Indiana defense apart. Ohio State did not punt until the third quarter, as Haskins finished 33-of-44 with 455 yards and six touchdowns. There were breakdowns, most notably a 71-yard score from Haskins to Parris Campbell to give Ohio State a 35-20 lead seconds into in the third quarter. When Haskins was pressured, he was intercepted twice -- first to Devon Matthews, and then to Bryant Fitzgerald. Both were created by hitting Haskins as he threw.
"We knew that we had to pressure him to get him rattled," linebacker Reakwon Jones said. "He's a great quarterback who can throw, especially with a clean pocket. Our plan was to make sure we got pressure on him and when we did, it was very effective. And when we didn't, you could tell. He had time to look downfield and off our defensive backs. It is what it is. We're going to come back and figure out how to beat Iowa."
On the other side of the ball, Indiana's offense showed signs of life that had not appeared until Saturday. Nick Westbrook caught six passes for 109 yards and a touchdown -- four of his receptions were over 15 yards. Indiana's receivers won matchups against Ohio State's secondary, and IU's offensive line bought enough time for Ramsey to find them. Compared to uninspiring offense against Michigan State and at times, Rutgers, the Hoosiers proved that they can competently stretch the field.
Indiana once again abandoned the run early. Freshman Stevie Scott broke out a 45-yard run on the game's opening drive, but received only nine total carries. Ramsey threw the most passes of his career, finishing 26-of-49 for a career-high 322 yards and three touchdowns.
"It was definitely out of game plan," Westbrook said of going downfield. "We saw that opportunity going throughout the week. We knew they're struggling in their secondary and that's where we thought we could exploit them. That's where we saw opportunities. We have a great receiving corps. It just works out perfectly because if you just throw it up to any of us, we're going to make the play."
For the better part of its loss to Ohio State, there are elements that Indiana can replicate next week against Iowa. The Hoosiers stretched the field. They created three takeaways. They remained intact for significantly longer than last season's defeat to the Buckeyes. A new, more realistic challenge awaits in the Hawkeyes.
"I don't think we backed down at all," defensive tackle Nile Sykes said. "I think it's just a matter of executing the calls when we're supposed to execute calls. In long-distance situations like 3rd-and-10, we're supposed to be off the field if we execute the calls correctly. There were plenty of times where we kind of beat ourselves."
(10/06/18 9:47pm)
COLUMBUS, OH -- Hello from Columbus, where Indiana is yet again very much in the ballgame. The Hoosiers went down 14-3 but responded quite well to an early deficit. Here are a few of my takeaways from the first half, and where I think this game is headed:
A Whole New Offense
I've spent probably 70 percent of my coverage this season on Indiana's offense, and for good reason. It was seen as the strength for the Hoosiers in the offseason, and has been fascinatingly inconsistent. That continued today, as Peyton Ramsey emerged in his best Richard Lagow impression -- firing downfield and aside from a pair of overthrows, was generally effective. He found Peyton Hendershot for a 32-yard touchdown on a beautiful fake reverse play, and then Nick Westbrook via a 19-yard back shoulder score. J-Shun Harris also made one of the best catches you'll see this season.
Indiana's offense was innovative, creative, and explosive in the first half. It picked apart a spotty Ohio State secondary. There's credit in a lot of places here, but most of it should go towards IU's offensive line. The Buckeyes did not register a QB hurry once on Ramsey in the first half. There was enough time for Indiana's receivers to get downfield, and enough time for Ramsey to find them. The Hoosiers threw the ball 29 times, to ten runs. That's not usually a recipe for success, at least historically for Indiana, but it was effective early on today. Win or lose in Columbus, that's a very good sign for the bigger picture. Because if Indiana can expand vertically against the likes of Iowa next week, it's an entirely different team. There's simply more dimensions.
Westbrook has emerged today, mostly due to IU's strong offensive line play. At the end of the day, Westbrook's role in this IU offense is being a vertical weapon. Well, he hasn't had enough time to get vertical with spotty offensive line play against the likes of Michigan State and Rutgers last week. He has today, and that's attributed to three receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown in that first half. He is Indiana's most complete receiver, and producing flashbacks to his 2016 season.
The Dwayne Haskins Field Day
Hoo-boy, Dwayne Haskins is 19-of-22 for 243 yards and three touchdowns today. Indiana hasn't generated any pressure on him besides Cam Jones' hit that forced the Devon Matthews interception. With endless time in the pocket, Haskins simply waits for his speedy receivers to become open. You saw that with Parris Campbell's 18-yard touchdown reception. Indiana's linebackers just don't have any shot there. The Hoosiers will have to create pressure up front. Ohio State has not punted today, and it's been takeaway-or-bust from Indiana. As good as IU's offense has been today, I'm not sure if it can put up 45+ points. And that's what it will take to win, at least.
Other than the Matthews' interception, Brandon Wilson forced a very nice strip in the first half as well. We'll see how both teams make their adjustments at halftime -- because both teams are in need of them. It's been a classic toe-to-toe matchup between Indiana and Ohio State. But historically, and at least recently, the Buckeyes have pulled away in the third quarter when the Hoosiers run out of gas. We're going to find out just how deep this IU team is.
Miscellaneous Nuggets
A reminder that Ohio State will get starting safety Isaiah Pryor back for the second half. He was suspended for the first half after a targeting call against Penn State. The Buckeyes' secondary is this team's weakness.
Logan Justus continues to be reliable for the Hoosiers, and I'd suspect Allen is feeling more confident in his kicking game by the week. IU's kicker has not missed this year (one block), and was good from 37-yards twice in Columbus today.
Ohio State will receive the ball to begin the second half. Talk to you all via Twitter, @ByTeddyBailey.
(10/05/18 8:06pm)
Indiana offensive coordinator Mike DeBord admitted Monday that his running game has been inconsistent of late. After IU running backs scampered for 106 yards against FIU, 204 yards against Virginia, and 157 yards against Ball State, the Hoosiers' run game had emerged as a strength for this team.
The past two weeks, though, have been a complete reversal. Indiana only managed 18 yards from its tailbacks vs. Michigan State, and 93 yards against a Rutgers defense that allowed 400 on the ground to Kansas earlier in the season.
IU's struggles against Michigan State were expected -- the Spartans are the nation's top rushing defense, and it's not particularly close. But 18 yards signaled a clear abandonment of the run. And only managing 93 in Piscataway is concerning for an Indiana offense that starts on the ground.
"It's been inconsistent," DeBord said. "We've had it going in games, and in other games we've struggled. The run game goes hand-in-hand with the offensive line, the tight end, and the running back. They've all got to be together. We've had some mistakes in the offensive line and we've also had mistakes with our backs not reading properly. That makes the line look bad. We just have to be in a better sync. That's where the inconsistency comes from."
Under Debord for the past two seasons, Indiana is an astounding 9-2 in games with 100 rushing yards or more. The Hoosiers are 0-6 when they run for under 100 yards. Peyton Ramsey is 2-4 in games when IU's quarterback has thrown over 30 times. Ramsey, meanwhile, has never lost a start when he has attempted less than 30 passes.
There are numerous discrepancies with these statistics. Most of them are generated because of how football is played. When you're winning, you run the ball more often. When you're losing, you throw the ball. The sample size is small, but there is a clear pattern regardless: DeBord's offense, and Indiana's personnel, require a competent running game. Most teams do, obviously, but Ramsey is clearly at his best when IU is able to run the football.
So, the question is, can the Hoosiers re-ignite their run game in Columbus? It will be a tough task. Ohio State is only the 63rd-best rush defense in FBS, but those numbers are skewed based on the 175 rushing yards of Penn State's Trace McSorley last week. Indiana and Ohio State only have one common opponent, Rutgers. The Buckeyes allowed Rutgers tailback Raheem Blackshear 31 yards on nine carries -- compared to Blackshear's eight carry, 64 yard performance against the Hoosiers last week.
In the second half against Rutgers last week, Indiana ran the ball 22 times for 56 yards en route to being shutout by the Scarlet Knights following halftime. According to both DeBord and head coach Tom Allen, it has been a combination of spotty offensive line play, and youth in the backfield. Indiana's leading ball carriers of Stevie Scott and Ronnie Walker are both true freshmen. Allen was asked about the offensive line on Monday, and felt that it must improve as Indiana heads to Columbus.
"We had one three and out in the second half, and that was the first one, and we ran the ball three times there and didn't get a first down," Allen said. "That set a tone. That was disappointing. I was frustrated by that. They've got to be more consistent. To me they did some good things in the first half, but it's got to continue. We play for 60 minutes. That's a group that I feel like has got to continue to keep working."
These struggles were expected in the offseason, especially before Florida International when starting running back Morgan Ellison was suspended indefinitely. Scott emerged, and he emerged rather quickly. But Indiana has run into Big Ten defenses now, and opponents that benefit from having ample film on IU's true freshmen tailbacks. A 12-game season will almost always have its ups and downs. Saturday in Columbus could certainly be another struggle for Indiana's run game. Even though the Buckeyes lack star defensive end Nick Bosa, the Hoosiers will be faced with an elite defensive line --featuring the likes of 6-foot-3, 286-pound defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones and 6-foot-4, 308-pound Davon Hamilton. It's a very seasoned line for Ohio State, with explosive defensive end Chase Young as the only underclassmen starter.
For Indiana and its run game problems, it's all centered on progression. The Hoosiers will benefit Saturday, and far past it, if they can establish the run early.
"I didn't think our running backs did a great job, and our staff would agree of reading our blocks," Allen said. "That happened multiple times in this game more than it's happened the entire season, so working on that, getting those things cleaned up. Those guys are still young back there, that we're relying on to run the football."
(10/05/18 12:07am)
It's fall break in Bloomington and the Hoosiers are heading to Columbus for a Homecoming game with the Buckeyes. Bill Rabinowitz of the Columbus Dispatch joins the podcast to preview this weekend's matchup and give the Ohio State point of view. Join Teddy, Ben and Connor as they get you set for Saturday.
(10/01/18 11:59pm)
The Hoosiers earned their first Big Ten win of the season Saturday at Rutgers. Now, IU must prepare for Ohio State this weekend in Columbus. Joining the podcast along with Teddy, Connor and Ben is Mike Miller from the Bloomington Herald-Times.
(09/29/18 9:52pm)
PISCATAWAY, N.J -- In the aftermath of Indiana’s 24-17 win against Rutgers, linebacker Reakwon Jones felt compelled to address his team.
The Hoosiers had just won their first Big Ten road opener since 2007, but it wasn’t anywhere close to the standard Jones wanted to meet. After leading 24-7 at halftime, Indiana was shutout by Rutgers in the second half. It took an offside penalty with three minutes remaining for the Hoosiers to escape Piscataway with a victory.
“I'm not satisfied with how the game ended, but I addressed the team in the locker room after the game,” Jones said. “I told them I'm happy. I'm extremely happy we won this game, but we all feel like we left something out there. That's how you should feel. We should play to a higher standard. “
Indiana marched into Piscataway and quickly took ahold of a game that was a must-win for the Hoosiers. They scored on all four of their first-half possessions: Stevie Scott soared into the endzone from 15 yards out in response to Rutgers’ opening possession touchdown, Peyton Ramsey just barely extended the ball past the pylon, and then found J-Shun Harris open in the flat for another score. Logan Justus nailed a 44-yard field goal. The Hoosiers were seven-of-nine on third down, and led Rutgers 24-7 at the half.
There was no knockout punch given by Indiana, though. The defense remained stingy, but IU’s offense malfunctioned. The Hoosiers ran the ball 22 times in the second half and gained 56 yards. Haydon Whitehead punted twice, Stevie Scott fumbled for the second time in as many weeks, and Ramsey was intercepted on 4th-and-9 when Allen decided against a 35-yard field goal attempt. Yes, Indiana won a critical game in the never-ending hunt for six wins. But it barely held on, against arguably the worst power-conference opponent in the country.
“They made adjustments too," Ramsey said of Rutgers. "After scoring on all four of our possessions in the first half, they had to adjust. They did a good job, but obviously we didn’t do a good enough job of executing. It came down to little things, missed assignments by really everybody. There’s no person or group to point fingers at, it was a collective offensive effort that has to be better.”
Indiana’s rushing struggles came against a Rutgers defense that allowed 400 yards on the ground to Kansas weeks prior. The Hoosiers ran all over Virginia and Ball State, but have seen their run game vanish in the last two weeks. Michigan State’s vaunted defensive line was one thing, but Allen is concerned with the performance in Piscataway.
“Didn't run the ball like I wanted us to,” Allen said. “Obviously, they loaded up at times. We'll still look at that and just got to keep working to get better at it. You gotta establish that. That never changes.”
There are significant questions that remain with this Indiana team. Right now, it is rather inconsistent and injured. Those two characteristics do not usually bode well in Columbus, where Indiana will face Ohio State on Saturday. Against Rutgers, the Hoosiers were without DT Jacob Robinson, DB's A'Shon Riggins and Cam Jones, along with slot WR’s Whop Philyor and Luke Timian.
Indiana’s wins are wins. They count the same, regardless of opponent. The Hoosiers are at four. But it will need two more for 2018 to be considered a success. The Hoosiers checked one off in Piscataway, and that may be all that is remembered following IU’s second half performance.
“Yeah but a win’s a win, especially in the Big Ten,” Ramsey said. “It’s hard to win. We came away with one. Obviously we’re not satisfied. We’re going to learn from it come Monday, move on, and flush it to get ready to go.”
(09/29/18 5:46pm)
Hello folks. I know it's a busy day for Indiana athletics, but here are a few thoughts from Indiana's meeting with New York's Big Ten Team, Rutgers:
Takin' Care of Business ... Everyday!
That's a fantastic song. I wasn't sure how Indiana was going to handle this one, given a lousy opponent, in front of a few thousand folks, in New Jersey, at noon. There have been times, many times, where this program has played down to its competition. Doesn't look like today will be that day, folks. That first drive by Indiana's defense was concerning, given unwise penalties and quite frankly allowing Rutgers to score on its first possession. That should, uh, that should never happen.
It was important that Indiana came back with a drive of its own, and Stevie Scott powering into the endzone from 15 yards out. The former Rutgers commit has ran for 36 yards on eight carries.
I'd say that Indiana is likely pleased with a 24-7 halftime lead here in Piscataway. The margin allows the Hoosiers to try some things, such as Reese Taylor dropping back to pass, fleaflickers with Peyton Ramsey, or whatever Mike DeBord has up his sleeve. It also could bring on Michael Penix, who has played in two games this season. If Penix does not play today, the odds of him redshirting in 2018 are tremendously higher. Today is the ideal situation to play Penix and see what you have in him, but at the same time, another year of eligibility is useful. We'll see.
This is a different game if Indiana doesn't convert seven of its nine attempts on 3rd down. That's obvious, yes, but the Hoosiers have been a very strong 3rd down team this season. It's Rutgers, yes, but remember, it's a must-win game for Indiana. The Hoosiers have executed in critical moments this week, finding J-Shun Harris, Nick Westbrook, and Ty Fryfogle four times each. I wouldn't say that Indiana has necessarily stretched the field, but it also hasn't had to. Rutgers is leaving IU's wideouts open and Ramsey has handled the pressure rather well. He is 18-of-26, quintessential numbers for him, with 185 yards passing and 45 more on the ground. His career-high for total offense is 375 yards against Charleston Southern last season.
Other Nuggets
Man, I think Indiana found itself a solid player in true freshman defensive back Jamar Johnson. Allen said two weeks ago that Johnson can play all five positions in IU's secondary, and he was a late add for the Hoosiers in this past recruiting class. Indiana kept a few players on the sidelines in this one, given the opponent and some nagging injuries. Johnson has played because A'Shon Riggins is out and Marcelino Ball was suspended for the first half for targeting. He mostly played special teams this year, but looked the part on a second quarter interception of Rutgers quarterback Art Sitkowski. If Rutgers scores there, it's a 21-14 game instead of what became 24-7. The Scarlet Knights had been moving the ball well on that drive.
(09/28/18 2:36pm)
The Hoosiers are hitting the road this week for the first of two straight road games. This week they will head to New Jersey to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. The guys are joined by Rutgers insider Brian Fonseca of ScarletNation.com.
(09/27/18 12:52am)
With Hoosier Hysteria marking the start of Indiana's 2018-19 basketball season, Indiana held its annual media day on Wednesday. The team photo was taken, the fog machine triggered Assembly Hall's fire alarm, and we spoke with each and every member of Archie Miller's roster. Here are a few themes from Wednesday that will almost certainly continue through the year:
(09/25/18 12:15am)
The first Big Ten matchup of the season has come and gone and it has the Hoosiers looking for answers after a loss to Michigan State. Plenty of things to take away from Saturday's ballgame. Teddy, Connor and Ben break it all down.
(09/24/18 9:46pm)
Hello again, and welcome to another Monday notebook. We sat down with Nile Sykes, Jonathan Crawford, J-Shun Harris, and Peyton Ramsey -- as well as hearing from Tom Allen and offensive coordinator Mike DeBord.
Let's start with something that I've wondered after all four games this season: Why aren't the Hoosiers stretching the field? It's a loaded question. Let's start with Michigan State, given the Spartans constantly pressured Ramsey to the point where Indiana's quarterback didn't have much time in the pocket. That's certainly part of it, a large part of it, but it's not the whole story.
I'll take a step back and provide an overview with four games in the sample size. According to Pro Football Focus this season, Ramsey has thrown 122 passes. 69 percent of Ramsey's passes have been thrown under ten yards. Nine of them have been attempted over 20 yards. Ramsey is 0-for-5 when throwing to the outside parts of the field over 20 yards. He is 4-for-4 over the middle at that distance, however, including his 65-yard touchdown to Whop Philyor against Michigan State. That was a 22-yard throw, from release to reception
Saturday night's loss was the worst game of the year for Indiana's offensive line. It's an elite Michigan State front seven, a rush defense that ranks first in the country. The Hoosiers abandoned the run at halftime, and the Spartans got to Ramsey throughout the entire night. He didn't have much time in the pocket at all -- and it's measured by how often he completed passes to his outside receivers: six catches and ten targets (Hale, Westbrook, Fryfogle). Reminder: Ramsey threw the ball 46 times, his career-high. With the exception of that Philyor play and Ramsey's overthrow to Reese Taylor on IU's third offensive play, the deep ball was not explored Saturday night.
How much did that have to deal with Indiana not being able to run against a vaunted Michigan State defense?
“Yeah, trying to make up for that a little bit, yes," DeBord said Monday. "They played a lot of man coverage and we were trying to run some crossers, some guys running underneath guys right around the five-yard area. And you’re going to catch those. Trying to get rubs that way, get guys open that way. But, yes, to answer your question, it was trying to keep the chains moving a bit, to get in favorable third-downs."
“Yeah, it was because of the pocket," DeBord after being asked again. "When you’re in the course of the game and having trouble that way a little bit, the thing I think about is getting rid of the ball quick, and we tried to do that as best we could."
There are questions with Ramsey's arm strength, although it does appear that it's improved from his freshman to sophomore seasons. But Ramsey averages 6.3 yards per attempt in college. A fellow quarterback under DeBord's system, Tennessee's Josh Dobbs, averaged 8.3 yards per attempt as a senior. Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins averages 10.4 this season, as another example. And Richard Lagow averaged 7.2 yards per attempt in his two seasons at Indiana.
Indiana will likely need to stretch the field at times in certain games. Does it have to happen against Rutgers? No, probably not. But if Indiana wants to stay competitive in Columbus and Ann Arbor, the Hoosiers will have to run effectively. IU's run game has opened up when it has proven to an honest defense that it can throw downfield. It works both ways, I suppose. The Hoosiers have their best batch of offensive skill players in years. It appears they just need to execute them.
"Coming to the sideline, I could've done a better job of relaying the message to our coaches that we could have probably taken some shots outside," Ramsey said Monday. "We were just taking what the defense was giving us, and it just turned out that they were shorter routes."
What happened on Michigan State's sealing touchdown?
On the 75-yard touchdown by Michigan State's Jalen Nailor that sealed Indiana's 35-21 loss on Saturday, IU safety Jonathan Crawford was visibly upset.
As he should be, although Indiana's senior safety is one of the more stoic players on the team. The Hoosiers' offense had miraculously cut the deficit to 28-21 with 3:28 remaining, and it was the defense's turn to give Indiana a chance to tie the game. The Hoosiers had all three timeouts remaining.
Nailor went untouched to the house on a play where Indiana players say they were misaligned. Crawford cited a missed assignment. The Hoosiers were down to their third-string husky as well, after Marcelino Ball's targeting ejection and an injury to freshman Cam Jones.
"I've just been in that situation so many times," Crawford said of the play. "It's really frustrating for me. Honestly, it was one of those things that is out of my control for my position. I wanted it bad. Things were looking up, Coach Allen said the game was in our hands."
Crawford has indeed dealt with those kinds of game-ending plays over the course of his career. He has started every game for the Hoosiers since arriving to Bloomington as a true freshman in 2015. There's a lot of games that ended like Saturday's. Think Ohio State/Iowa/Michigan in 2015, Penn State/Michigan in 2016, and Michigan/Michigan State in 2017.
And now this one. But like Saturday night's letdown, Indiana will have to turn the page and focus on its next opponent. This time, it's Rutgers, the embarrassment of the Big Ten through four weeks.
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Injury Update
It is Week 5 now, and that usually means injuries are starting to pile up. While Indiana has avoided many serious ones, the Hoosiers have accumulated a few. There are two that bring a decent amount of concern: Defensive tackle Jacob Robinson unexpectedly missed Saturday's game vs. Michigan State, as Allen said his senior captain suffered an injury during practice last week. He is week-to-week, and has been removed from Indiana's two-deep depth chart. It's a depth chart, so value that with a grain of salt. Jerome Johnson and Brandon Wilson have taken his place there.
Marcelino Ball will be suspended for the first half of Rutgers, as addressed earlier. Allen spoke to his team Monday morning about the targeting rule and the best ways to avoid the penalty and ejection. Anyway, freshman husky Cam Jones was injured against the Spartans and did not finish the game. He will be a game-time decision for Rutgers and Allen will know more about his status later in the week. Bryant Fitzgerald and true freshman Jamar Johnson are two options Indiana has at husky behind Ball and Jones.
It sounds like Whop Philyor avoided a serious injury on Saturday night. Philyor hobbled off a few times, although he finished the game and at times, was the entirety of IU's offensive production. He said postgame that his ankle was "very sore," and he may have sprained it. We'll see if he's out there in Piscataway. As far as fellow slot receiver Luke Timian, Allen says that he is week-to-week. It appears like it's somewhat of a leg injury for Timian, who did not dress Saturday. Allen said Monday that he is improving.
Along with those five names, another question mark is the status of right guard Mackenzie Nworah. Indiana could use him back for offensive line depth. He has missed the last two games.
Quick Look at Rutgers
Where to start. The Scarlet Knights were blown out, 42-13, last week against a 4-0 Buffalo team. But still. Rutgers lost 55-14 at Kansas the week prior, and 52-3 to Ohio State. Though they do in fact have one win against an actual FBS opponent in Texas State.
In all seriousness, Indiana should find some success running the football against Rutgers on Saturday in Piscataway, or New Brunswick, or wherever the school is. The Scarlet Knights are the nation's 115th-best rush defense, as they gave up 400 yards to Kansas on the ground. Four hundred. To Kansas.
Rutgers head coach Chris Ash held his weekly presser this morning, where he did not answer questions asking who Rutgers' starting quarterback will be against Indiana. True freshman Artur Sitkowski had been the Scarlet Knights' starter, but he has thrown one touchdown to seven interceptions. He did not finish Saturday's game against Buffalo.
As much as Rutgers has completely fallen apart as a program in 2018, this is a crucial game for the Hoosiers. If there is a path to six, seven, or eight wins -- it includes Rutgers. And Indiana hasn't exactly thrived against the Scarlet Knights in recent years.
"I know they haven't played the way that they want to," Allen said. "But the bottom line is that we will have to be prepared for a tough battle. We went there two years ago, my first year here, and were not sharp, and that is a vivid memory in my mind of how we played in that game as a team."
(09/23/18 5:00am)
In yet another back-and-forth loss in the battle for the Old Brass Spittoon, Whop Philyor doesn't think No. 24 Michigan State was necessarily the better team in IU's 35-21 defeat Saturday night.
“We can match their talent any day," Philyor said postgame. "We just shoot ourselves in the foot with all the mistakes and penalties. I don’t think they were a better team than us. We just shot ourselves in the foot.”
There's truth to Philyor's words. For arguably the third consecutive meeting, Indiana showed flashes of outplaying the Spartans. Stevie Scott soared into the endzone to pull Indiana within 14-7 following a disastrous first quarter. The Hoosiers scored 14 unanswered points to spark an improbable comeback, cutting the deficit to 28-21 with 3:28 remaining.
Indiana, again, wasn't run off Memorial Stadium's field. Not after the Spartans made it 14-0 on a tipped pick-six. Not after Michigan State's Matt Dotson got away with offensive pass interference to hand the Spartans a 21-7 halftime lead. And not after a 28-7 deficit sent its starved fans to the exits.
These are flashes, though, and certainly not a complete performance by any means. Against the nation's top rush defense, offensive coordinator Mike DeBord conceded and abandoned the run early. Scott finished with 23 yards on 11 carries in his first Big Ten game. Once the Hoosiers married the passing game, Michigan State's elite front seven began the abuse of Ramsey and his offensive line. IU's quarterback was sacked three times, but the onslaught made it feel like thirty. To make matters worse, a steady pass rush spoiled any opportunity for the Hoosiers to consider downfield plays.
“When you struggle to run the ball, it’s harder to throw the ball,” Ramsey said. “I don’t know. They were dropping guys into coverage and made it a little bit tougher than we anticipated to throw the ball downfield.”
As expected, supposed strengths of this Indiana team came into question in its Big Ten opener. The offensive line left many plays to be desired against an opposing defensive line that will carry the Spartans for the rest of 2018. And IU's redzone execution was alarmingly poor for the entire night. The Hoosiers left first-half points on the board with a turnover on downs from the Michigan State 18-yard line -- as a quarterback draw and shotgun handoff couldn't manage a yard on 3rd and 4th downs. Khalil Bryant intercepted Lewerke on the Michigan State 7-yard line, and IU only moved backwards after an offensive pass interference penalty. On four drives ending inside Michigan State's 30-yard line, the Hoosiers only mustered ten points.
“They play bend don’t break," Ramsey said. "We moved the ball and got down there, especially in the first half. We couldn’t punch it in, they got tough. They made it harder on us and we didn’t execute to the best of our ability. It’s tough, because I think there were so many opportunities for us to score points on offense. A lot of missed opportunities. I would say it’s difficult for us to not put up enough points to win the game.”
It was not the best game for this Indiana offense -- an offense that built legitimate expectations through the first three weeks. In fact, this was an Indiana offense that looked as limited as it's ever been since Ramsey took over at quarterback. Ramsey threw the ball 46 times, the most of his career. Indiana is 1-3 when Ramsey attempts over 40 passes, and 5-1 when IU's quarterback throws less than 30 times.
Challenging games (i.e: Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State) result in deficits and more passing plays. But under Ramsey, Indiana's offense does not succeed when its quarterback is dropping back over 45 times. For this offense to function properly, it must be able to run the football. If Indiana has any hope of reaching a bowl game, it will be able to accomplish that next Saturday against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights gave up 405 rushing yards to Kansas two weeks ago.
"Very, very disappointed in our running game," Tom Allen said. "You have to run the football. It really puts a ton of pressure on you when you can't have time to function in both the pass game and moving the ball in the run game. That's an area that really bothers me."
It should bother Allen, because there's few ways for this Indiana offense to move the football without a competent running game. One of those is Philyor, who matched his career-high in receptions with 13 and broke his career-high in yards with 148 yards on Saturday night. He was banged up early and played through injury. Postgame, Philyor believes he sprained his ankle and said it's very sore. It hurt to stand. The Hoosiers might not require his presence in Piscataway, but they'll need him soon after. Columbus awaits.
Indiana wasted a valiant effort from its defense. Despite missed tackles on Michigan State's first scoring possession, the Hoosiers played through some serious adversity. Both Raheem Layne and Andre Brown were both cited for very questionable pass interference penalties. Marcelino Ball was ejected for targeting and will be suspended for the first half of next week's game. It certainly bent, but didn't generally break. It showed flashes, but again, it just was not enough. In front of 45,445 at Memorial Stadium, Indiana failed its first opportunistic test of 2018. At least three remain.
"Disappointing performance and outcome tonight," Allen said. "Had a great opportunity as a program and didn't take advantage of it. I thought we were inconsistent in a lot of different areas."
(09/23/18 1:12am)
Oh boy, where to begin. Going to start typing and see where that takes me. A few of my thoughts from an odd first half in Bloomington:
Has Indiana been the better side?
I'd say yes. Obviously the score doesn't show it and that's what ultimately matters, but it's been a theme in this series lately. Last year in East Lansing, the Hoosiers outplayed the Spartans. I'd argue that's happened again here in Bloomington, considering how monumental the Shakur Brown pick-six was to give Michigan State the 14-0 lead early.
Indiana's defense has come to play. The first MSU touchdown drive featured a lot of missed tackles, and the Spartans' drive to end the half wasn't great, but all in all, the Hoosiers have held the Spartans in check. It helps that Michigan State simply cannot seem to run the ball (18 yards on ten carries), and Brian Lewerke hasn't been the most accurate.
Indiana again seems to be the recipient of missed calls from the officials. Let's be clear: that was not defensive pass interference on Raheem Layne, and I'd argue that the officials missed an offensive pass interference on the touchdown catch by Michigan State's Matt Dolson. Other than that, it's been what you'd expect in an important Big Ten football game.
The Hoosiers have not done anything to be given the benefit of the doubt, however. The second-quarter sequence where Indiana could not convert on 3rd-and-1, and 4th-and-1, was poor. I'm not sure that I've ever seen an effective quarterback sneak out of the shotgun. Indiana stalled on the Michigan State 18-yard line and left points on the board. Those points have already haunted an Indiana team that can't afford it.
Evaluating the IU offense
Well, it hasn't been bad? This is a tricky one. Ramsey has done a solid job at getting the ball to Whop Philyor, who leads the game with eight catches for 59 yards despite being banged up. Stevie Scott has been handled in his first-ever Big Ten game, with 15 yards on eight carries. I think Indiana should continue to run the football, but playing from behind will force the Hoosiers to throw. I'd expect to see Michael Penix if Indiana doesn't move the ball on its first drive of the second half, but what do I know? That's just been when Allen has felt comfortable using him.
Indiana hasn't taken advantage of its field possession to the point where it should. The Spartans cannot punt very well without their starting punter, and J-Shun Harris must be licking his chops. It's an obvious point, but Indiana has to score on its first drive of the second half. Because a 28-7 deficit against this methodical Michigan State offense is probably insurmountable.
Ramsey isn't the reason Indiana trails 21-7. The interception was unlucky and his only other mistake was missing Reese Taylor on a vertical route to end Indiana's first offensive sequence. But the Hoosiers could use an explosive play, given their longest offensive play has been 13 yards.
(09/21/18 9:15pm)
It sounds like Mark Dantonio will never forget the complexities of Michigan State’s loss to Indiana in Bloomington two years ago. Speaking at his weekly press conference on Tuesday, D’Antonio was asked about his preparations for the Hoosiers -- and warned of IU’s fondness for trick plays. He said the Spartans “have to go back and look at all of them to be prepared.”
There’s only one problem with that: the Hoosiers haven’t really used trick plays anymore under Tom Allen, unless jet sweeps are considered trickery. D’Antonio was likely referring to the Kevin Wilson era --- the likes of Big Bacon with Zander Diamont and Tyler Natee, fake punts, and the like. After all, Indiana doesn’t claim the Old Brass Spittoon in 2016 without Mitchell Paige’s touchdown pass to quarterback Richard Lagow. It’s not surprising that D’Antonio implicitly referenced it on Tuesday.
It is, however, surprising that D’Antonio spoke of the 2016 loss rather than the 2017 win. Boy, was that game ugly. Michigan State won 17-9 in a game that Peyton Ramsey never looked comfortable. As inspiring as Ramsey was against Virginia and Michigan, he appeared hesitant and at times, overwhelmed against Penn State and Michigan State.
Ramsey finished 22-of-34 for 158 yards but the Hoosiers could not move the ball. And when they did move the ball, they couldn’t score a touchdown. Indiana is three weeks into its 2018 campaign, and last season’s loss in East Lansing is the ideal case study for IU’s offensive transformation. A lot has changed since Allen took over, even if D'Antonio is still preparing for flea flickers and onside kicks. Let’s see what the film shows from last season's game:
Redzone Execution
I’ve said this multiple times already this season, but last season’s offense was very confusing. I think part of it was the challenge of building it around Richard Lagow, only to have Ramsey enter and take the reigns. That’s a hard adjustment, considering how different those skillsets were.
Anyway, Mike DeBord had Ramsey run the ball significantly more last year against the Spartans. Indiana never solidified its running game in 2017 despite flashes from Morgan Ellison, and that forced Ramsey to use his legs. It did not work in East Lansing. Ramsey averaged 2.2 yards on 15 carries. Indiana’s go-to play in the redzone was a quarterback draw with Ramsey. The Hoosiers ran it five times and gained a few yards total, if anything.
After Tony Fields forced a fumble in the first quarter, Indiana took over at the Michigan State 15. The Hoosiers went three-and-out and settled for a short Griffin Oakes field goal. This sequence of play-calling was not effective in the slightest:
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It's a rather minor point, but DeBord has not called those quarterback draws for Ramsey this season, at all. If Ramsey runs, it's via option after making the read -- or a scramble. Ramsey has deceptive speed, but he's not fooling a defense like Michigan State's front seven. With emerged running backs in Stevie Scott and possibly Ronnie Walker, Indiana has won with feeding its actual tailbacks, rather than forcing Ramsey to create. In the redzone this season, Indiana has been improved at finishing touchdowns rather than field goals. The Hoosiers have 14 redzone opportunities and have scored nine touchdowns and two field goals, for 11/14. The tests get tougher this week, but the playcalling and execution have been more improved. Targeting Donavan Hale near the pylon is a valuable option IU has, similarly to Cobbs last season. It also helps to have Scott move piles, by himself.
“I think there’s a sense of knowing where I’m gonna go with the ball," Ramsey said. "Sometimes even before it happens. There are times where, whatever the defense is giving me, there’s holes in the defense and certain things we’re doing where we know we’re gonna get easy completions.”
Ramsey, the Runner
Let's look at another redzone sequence against Michigan State last season. I don't mean to be harsh, it's just that Indiana likely wins that 2017 game if it converts in either of these opportunities. Also, it's a decent look at how Ramsey has improved as a runner. And lastly, I personally think Indiana wins this game if it converts touchdowns in the redzone and has success on the ground.
On this fourth quarter drive, Devonte Williams drew a pass interference penalty to give Indiana a 1st-and-10 from the MSU 11-yard line. A touchdown would have given the Hoosiers a 13-3 lead in the fourth quarter. Instead, the Hoosiers once again settle for a short field goal. They run the same play three times and gain seven yards -- feeding the ball to Morgan Ellison. I'm assuming that Ramsey could have kept any of these options. On the second play of this 3-and-out, Ramsey may have been able to score a touchdown if he faked the handoff to Ellison. Unlike the 2017 quarterback draw, this is a play still heavily frequented by DeBord in 2018 -- as it should be. Three games in, Ramsey is making the correct reads so far and has excelled in choosing when to run, and when to feed Scott. IU's quarterback is running less, but with more effectiveness -- averaging 4.6 yards per rush compared to 2.5 as a freshman. This was not one of those effective times, given a stingy Michigan State defense:
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Speed Kills
Watching that Michigan State-Indiana game from a year ago, Saturday night is a completely different matchup. Indiana has changed its identity, while Michigan State essentially remains the same and returns many starters. IU's offense is faster, older, and deeper. Simmie Cobbs was a valuable talent, but he didn't usually stretch the field. Subtract Cobbs, and add the likes of Reese Taylor, a healthy Nick Westbrook, J-Shun Harris, and Donavan Hale, an emerged running game, and the list goes on. The capabilities that DeBord has on offense are drastic compared to this meeting last season.
"You've seen how much we have improved last year," Ramsey said of the offense. "I think our offensive line play has been the main driving force for us to move the ball. we have so many playmakers on the outside and so many guys to get the ball to. We have so many different pieces that have allowed us to move the ball and score points."
There's been a lot of speed talk in Bloomington this season, given IU's revamped strength and conditioning program that was put in place this offseason. It's for real. The playcalling has completely changed -- and while Ramsey might always be an accuracy-first quarterback in an accuracy-defined offense, we're seeing new formations and offenses like DeBord hinted at in the offseason. The addition of Michael Penix Jr. has allowed Indiana to stretch the field, and we haven't necessarily seen the results of combining Penix's arm with Westbrook's ability as a vertical receiver. Something to keep an eye on.
A lot of this has to do with the offensive line. In last season's battle for the Old Brass Spittoon, Indiana relied heavily upon quick screens to Cobbs, or dinks and dunks over the middle to Timian. Ramsey didn't usually have much time, and when he did, his receivers didn't create, or have, any separation. There's no film needed for this segment. Indiana was without Westbrook and Hale, Philyor hadn't totally broken out just yet, and Reese Taylor was torching up scoreboards for Ben Davis. If this film study serves as a preview for Saturday night's showdown, it should be clear that Indiana's offense is operating with levels of speed and versatility that rivals any IU offense in recent memory.
(09/20/18 11:21pm)
The guys are back and breaking down Indiana football as it gets set to host Michigan State this weekend. They are happy to be joined by Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal to preview Sparty. Can the Hoosiers beat the Spartans for consecutive times at home?