Keys to Knockin' off Navy

Indiana got their season off to a good start last week against Indiana State, but shouldn’t expect the same cakewalk this week against Navy. The Midshipmen have been to a bowl game in nine out of the last ten years, and they defeated IU last season on their way to an 8-5 record. Here’s a look at what Indiana will have to do in order to take down Navy on Saturday.

#1 Play Disciplined Defense

Greg Heban and the defensive coaches talked throughout camp about playing disciplined defense. Last year, rather than each player focusing on their own assignment on a given play, defenders were worried about covering for their teammates mistakes and put themselves out of position. This year, they have adopted a “do your job” mentality, which requires the players to trust each other and the system. Nowhere will this be more important than against Navy’s triple option attack.

Successfully defending the option requires defensive football players to follow strict assignments and, in some ways, ignore basic instincts like flying to the football. This will be a particularly difficult task for true freshman like T.J. Simmons and Darius Latham who will be playing in just their second college football game.

#2 Capitalize on Offensive Opportunities

Navy’s run-heavy offense and ability to put together long drives will lead to fewer possessions for the Hoosiers, which in turn will leave the offense with fewer chances to score. The offense knows opportunities will not be as plentiful against the Midshipmen as they were against the Sycamores. They will need to put points on the board every chance they get in order to provide some cushion for the defense. Failing to capitalize on offensive opportunities cost the Hoosiers the game last year in Annapolis.

On three drives, the offense got the ball inside the Navy 20 yard line but had to settle for field goals. Two other possessions ended with interceptions thrown by Cam Coffman, including one that was returned for a touchdown. Finally, with the game on the line and trailing by a single point, the offense was unable to move the ball on their last two possessions of the game. Here are the highlights if you want to relive the pain:

If the Hoosier offense is again unable to capitalize on opportunities, expect the same result in the win-loss column.

#3 Make Adjustments

All of the reports coming out of the Navy camp indicate their offense will be more diverse this year than in the past. It’s great if you’re one of the most effective option teams in the country, but that effectiveness diminishes when opposing defenses know it’s coming every time.

Last year, Navy was held to 144 yards and 0 points against San Jose State. Archrival Army then had the audacity to place 10 defensive players near the line of scrimmage, effectively daring Navy to pass. The result for Navy was a poor rushing game and an embarrassed head coach:

I'm never going to let Army line up that way again. If they're going to sell out against the run like that, we have to make them pay.

-Navy Head Coach Ken Niumatalolo

The bad news for Indiana is that Navy didn’t play in week one. Therefore, the defensive coaches don’t know exactly what to expect from the newly diversified Navy offense. Coaches will have to quickly identify and dissect the different looks being shown by the Midshipmen and then adjust their defense accordingly as the game progresses.

#4 Improve Play along the Offensive Line

If there was a weakness on the offensive side of the ball during the 73-point effort against Indiana State, it was along the line. Although the Sycamores never came up with a sack, there were plenty of times when the quarterback was rushed out of the pocket and forced to throw the ball away. If the offensive line can’t keep FCS level players away from the quarterback, they may have serious problems against Navy. The Hoosiers were the Big Ten’s leading passing offense last year, and it was no coincidence that their offensive line was the second best in the conference at protecting the quarterback. If the quarterbacks aren’t able to play pitch and catch with their receivers and put points on the board, the Hoosiers could be in trouble.

#5 Get Help from the Crowd (Yes You!)

It’s no secret that Indiana ranks near the bottom of the Big Ten in attendance every year, but Athletic Director Fred Glass has done a tremendous job trying to change that. If you haven’t already, check out some of the newly implemented game day enhancements.

Although an effort to fill the stands is being made, students still have a particularly bad reputation for not making it into games. It's time to change that and make the actual game atmosphere as rowdy as the tailgates, as it is at other schools.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9CVx_fQAqY

As Coach Wilson pointed out earlier this week, the crowd's noise level will play a particularly crucial role against Navy:

We need to play well, but [Navy] is a no huddle team. They're a no huddle team we're playing, and the louder our crowd can be and the more energy we can create to make that a challenge will be very very positive for us."

- Indiana Coach Kevin Wilson

So if you’re in Bloomington this weekend, run the marathon. Tailgate like a champ, carry the energy into Memorial Stadium, and then head to Kirkwood to celebrate the victory.