Will_Logan

Tre is a better matchup against the Michigan defense. (1) they couldn't contain Minnesota's QB two weeks ago and he's not even considered dual threat (2) Michigan has a great pass rush and we have a suspect offensive line. We need all the help we can get in avoiding the rush. I'll be at a wedding during the game. Woof.

After spending the first part of the week wallowing in despair, I've decided to take the same approach Kevin Wilson adopted after the Missouri loss. Just act like it didn't happen. Act like the Hoosiers won and resume accordingly. Heck, one NCAA index has the Hoosiers ranked 19th in country! Here are this week's keys to the game: #1 Get off the "Dadgum" Field Ask Michigan fans what they are most worried about, and they will most likely tell you it has nothing to do with Indiana. They're worried about their team's affinity for turning the ball over. Michigan has more turnovers than any other B1G team through six games. A third of those turnovers have come from fumbles, and the rest can be attributed to quarterback Devin Gardner. Gardner has already thrown 10 interceptions and has developed a reputation for making hard-to-watch decisions under pressure. The front seven of Indiana will be responsible for generating this pressure, and the defensive backs will be charged with capitalizing on errant throws. The defense shouldn't have a problem with the pressure application aspect, as Michigan's offensive line has been a woefully weak spot for the team all year. Cornerback Tim Bennett continues to lead the nation in passes defended, but needs to convert some of those into "passes intercepted" (he currently has only 1). The other way for the Hoosier defense to get off the field is to come up with third-down stops. Perhaps the most telling statistic for the Indiana defense (because there are actually some favorable stats out there) is the rate at which they allow opponents to convert on third-down. The Hoosiers are ranked 118th in the country in first down's allowed, and their opponents are converting on nearly half of their attempts (Michigan State was 10-14 last week). Playing well on first and second down is meaningless if a defense can't make a stop on third. In the words of Kevin Wilson, "we need to get those dad gum third-down stops." #2 Contain Devin Gardner He's coming for you, Hoosier defense. Indiana has already been shredded by one dual-threat QB this year (James Franklin), and now they face the tall task of shutting down Devin Gardner, who is coming off a 121 yard rushing performance against Penn State. Stopping Gardner will be paramount to the Hoosier's efforts for a couple of reasons. Having a running QB doesn't extend Michigan's rushing attack; it is their rushing attack. The actual Wolverine running backs have been awful this year. Last week's leading back, Fitzgerald Toussaint had 27 yards...on 27 carries (the worst performance in the history of UM football).* Despite Michigan's lack of success in the running game, the Wolverines run the ball 63% of the time. Because they don't run well yet run a lot, they often end up in third and long situations, which favors the defense.** *Just because the UM running backs have struggled so far this year, doesn't mean they won't all have career days against Indiana (see Michigan State). **Of course, Indiana would have to stop them on that third and long. #3 Play through the Pain The Hoosier arial attack continues to lead in statistical categories, but has looked mediocre in each of the team's losses. The common denominator in each of those games has been the opponents' ability to pressure the QB. When asked about the QB's periodic struggles, Offensive Coordinator Seth Littrell placed the blame on the offensive line, "Some of it's just getting guys blocked up front. When guys are hitting as you throw ball, when you see guys (defensive rushers) coming free as you’re setting up to throw the football, it’s not the most comfortable situation. This could be a severe issue for the Hoosiers. Michigan has two defensive lineman ranked in the top 3 of the B1G in sacks, Cameron Gordon and Frank Clark (pictured above). Beyond that, they are 3rd in the conference in interceptions (9), meaning their backfield will make the IU QB pay for a hurried throw. To prevent this from being a disaster, Indiana turns to a line that Fort Wayne sportswriter Pete DiPrimio perfectly described as "a banged-up shadow of what it could have been." The Hoosiers have had an unbelievable six offensive lineman get injured this year. Wilson has been hush-hush as to whether the latest two to get injured will play Saturday, but either way the line can not make any excuses. In the words of Kevin Wilson, "we'll put another dude out there and keep going." Well put, dude. #4 Big Day for Tre This could be huge. Tre Roberson's role within the offense has continued to expand, and after an exceptional performance last week (94.2 quarterback rating compared to Sudfeld's 32.4), expect to see him get even more snaps this week. A lot more. One reason being that Kevin Wilson is still looking to add to the Hoosier's rushing attack: "We've got to find a way to get some run game." With Tre showing improvement, it seems likely one way Wilson will add the run-game is by playing Roberson more and more. The second reason I believe Tre is poised for big game has more to do with Michigan. The Wolverines struggled mightily against Penn State’s version of the hurry up offense, which pales in comparison to Indiana’s when it’s clicking. Furthermore, they struggled against the only semi-mobile QB they have faced this year against Minnesota, allowing freshman QB Mitch Leidner to rush for 66 yards. UM Defensive Coordinator Greg Mattison uses mass rotations on his defense, something that a hurry up offense makes difficult. He likes to keep bodies fresh, especially along the defensive line (much like Indiana). If Tre is given a chance, he could be the difference in the game. A hurry-up offense with a mobile QB seems to be UM’s perfect storm right now. Will Tre capitalize and return to his role as a major factor in the offense, or will he remain a rarely used afterthought? #5 Make Tackles 'Nuff said. Prediction Last week, I went with a stat-loaded and backed prediction. That didn't work. This week, I'm going on a hunch. Michigan has been week against weak opponents, hurry-up offenses, and a mobile QB. Indiana is probably weak in their eyes, but much better than the 1-6 Akron team they beat on a last second goal-line stand and the 0-5 UCONN team the edged out 24-21. A hurry-up offense with a mobile QB seems to be Michigan's kryptonite. I'm saying Tre rides his confidence from the MSU game to a career day. INDIANA 38 MICHIGAN 35

This week is another huge game for the Hoosiers. Of Indiana's seven remaining opponents, Michigan State, Minnesota, Illinois, and Purdue figure to be the most winnable games. For the math aficionados out there, Indiana has to win three of those four to go bowling. Here is what Indiana will have to do to start the B1G season 2-0 for the first time since 1991: #1 Humble the MSU Defense The Spartan fans, sports writers, team moms, etc. will tell you their defense is good. Number one defense in the country good. Statistically, they lead the NCAA in overall defense, rushing defense, and passing efficiency defense. Slow your roll Spartan faithful and breathe easy Hoosier crazies. Let’s take a closer look at the team's MSU has earned that #1 ranking against. South Florida is 1-4, ranked 116 in scoring offense and lost to McNeese State. Western Michigan is 0-6 and is ranked 121 out of 123 teams in scoring offense. Youngstown State isn’t even an FBS school. Notre Dame is 4-2 but ranked 83 in scoring offense. Iowa is the best offensive team MSU has played, and they are ranked a lowly 68 in scoring offense. How’s that for a cup of humble juice? If you’re going to claim to have the top defensive unit in the country, you better back that up against some good offenses. The Spartans will have a chance to do just that against the #11 scoring offense in the country this week. The Hoosiers put up 44 points on a top 15 defense last week, and if they can produce anything near those results in this weeks game, things may not even be close as Michigan State’s offense isn’t nearly as prolific as Penn State’s. #2 Win 1-on-1 Battles with the Spartan DBs One of the more intriguing matchups between the #11 offense and “#1” defense will feature the IU receivers and MSU defensive backs. MSU plays a 4-3 defense and isolates their DBs on the edges with man-to-man press coverage. As Kofi Hughes stated, "It's going to be a lot of one-on-one challenges. It will come down to, who's better?" Cody Latimer added that the matchup will "be a big challenge...as receivers we're excited." Fans should be excited too. Michigan State has the conference's 2nd ranked secondary, and Indiana has the conferences top ranked receiving corps. This should be a fun duel to watch all afternoon as long as IU can.. #3 Protect the QB We saw in the Missouri game what happens to the Hoosier offense when Nate Sudfeld isn’t given time to throw. Yikes. It is worth noting that Missouri is now up to the #4 team in the Fremeau Efficiency Index behind Stanford, Oklahoma, and Alabama, but the fact remains the same: the offensive line has to give Sudfeld time to throw. This will be perhaps the greatest challenge MSU will present to the Hoosier offense. As Coach Kevin Wilson warned earlier this week: "They're really strong with their blitz package of when they blitz and how they blitz." Michigan State has been excellent up front with pressuring quarterbacks, highlighted by the play of stud defensive end Shilique Calhoun. The Indiana offensive line has struggled at times, and the injury bug continues to take its toll. This week it was announced that starting guard David Kaminski is out for the year with an ACL tear, leaving Indiana with only two pre-season projected starters remaining. Indiana’s success on offense, or lack thereof, will be a result off the line's play up front. #4 Show up on the Road Yes this will be Indiana’s first game away from Memorial Stadium. Yes they have an atrocious road record under Kevin Wilson (1-7) and no, that’s nothing new for the Hoosiers (7-45 since 2000). Yet, apparently none of that matters to this Indiana team. Both the players and coaches claim to prefer road games, and those peculiar claims are actually backed up statistically. Last year, the Hoosiers were a better football team on the road. On offense, they scored an average of 2.5 more points and allowed 4.1 fewer points on defense. Michigan State was quite the opposite going 0-4 in East Lansing. Indiana will certainly get that hostile crowd they are looking for, as 75,000 will be packed into the stands Saturday celebrating not only homecoming, but also the 500th game at Spartan Stadium. #5 Play “Violent” Defense Last week’s article foreshadowed the sudden emergence of the Indiana defense: four turnovers-on-downs, four forced punts, multiple forced intentional grounding penalties, 6 tackles for a loss, 12 pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. When is the last time an Indiana defense had stat line like that? The big question is, are those results repeatable or a fluke? We will see this week. The good news is the Michigan State offense is bad. Like, 103rd in the nation bad. First year quarterback Connor Cook and the rest of the Spartan offense has struggled to put up points this year, and this should be the perfect matchup for the Hoosier defense to continue to build their confidence. Connor Cook’s play has had MSU fans clamoring for a replacement (he’s no Christian Hackenberg), they don’t have a single top ten B1G receiver in the conference (no Allen Robinsons), nor do they have a running back who ranks in the top ten of the league. If the defense can hold an offense with top talent like Penn State’s to 24 points, there is no reason they can’t hold MSU to a minimal amount of scoring...if they again play violently. Prediction I've been (rightly) accused of some displaying bias in my predictions, so let's just look at facts. Indiana’s 11th ranked offense against Michigan State’s 1st ranked defense leaves a -10 deficit for the Hoosiers. Michigan State’s 103rd ranked offense against Indiana’s 88th ranked defense results in a +15 margin in favor of Indiana. Let's also take into consideration the team's that those statistics were developed against. Michigan State’s FBS opponents thus far are a combined 9-14 (.391) while Indiana’s are 16-4 (.800). If the stats are skewed in any way based on opponents, it is drastically in favor of Indiana. The offense won’t put up 40+ points again, but neither will the defense surrender 24 points. HOOSIERS 24 SPARTANS 17 Here's to the Old Brass Spittoon! follow me on twitter @willieC1790

All streaks come to an end. At least that’s what Hoosier fans will be telling themselves Friday night as they try to get some sleep before the Nittany Lions roll into Bloomington. Penn State has truly been a nightmare for the Hoosiers over the years. They are a perfect 16-0 all-time against Indiana and have given IU fans some truly haunting memories. I personally had my first trip to Memorial Stadium ruined when Larry Johnson gashed the Indiana defense for 327 yards (11 years later IU still hasn’t figured out how to stop the run). And who could forget this miserable ending: Think of that next time Gerry DiNardo seems to have all the answers on the Big Ten Network. But, as Coach Wilson pointed out, these are two completely unique teams playing Saturday. Here is what Indiana will need to do to start the Big Ten season off with a win. #1 Score Early The Indiana offense is to blame for each of the Hoosier’s losses this year. That’s right. The offense. Sit tight. Much has been made of the need for the Hoosiers to develop a running game. It is absolutely essential that they balance their attack in order to become less predictable, but this appears to be a function of play calling rather than ability. On paper, Indiana has three different running backs averaging over 6 yards per carry, and only four other B1G running backs are averaging more yards per game than Tevin Coleman. Indiana obviously has the ability to run the ball, so why are they 10th in the conference in the category? It appears to be a consequence of the Hoosier's inability to put points on the scoreboard early on in games. The all-powerful Hoosier offense has scored a grand total of 0 first quarter points each of their losses. When the offense is playing from behind, the coaches tend to rely too heavily on the passing game, making the offense easier to defend for opposition. The first key to knocking off the Nittany Lions then will be for the offense to do something they haven't done much of this year: score early. #2 Score Often Although the Indiana State game has skewed the statistics, this is another area where the Indiana offense hasn't been up to snuff. Indiana’s football team is not designed to play in low scoring games. A natural consequence of running the no-huddle offense and scoring 13 times under 90 seconds through 4 games is that the defense is called upon to play more downs with less rest. With the current talent-level, the defense is not expected to shut teams out, but to force enough punts and turnovers so that the offense has adequate opportunities to outscore their opponents. The defense has given the offense sufficient opportunities, but the offense has not capitalized at an acceptable rate thus far. A closer look at the Missouri makes this crystal clear. Through 3 quarters, Indiana’s offense accounted for 1 net score on 12 possessions (an interception returned for a TD negates one of the IU scores). On the other side of the ball, the Indiana defense forced a turnover or punt on 6 of Missouri’s 10 possessions. In other words, the Indiana defense had a 60% success rate while the offense had one of 8%. For Indiana to win, the offense obviously has to have a higher success rate than the defense, and that’s not going to happen at 8%. Here’s another way of looking at things. Let’s say the IU defense gets 1 point for every possession they reach their goal (prevent the opponent from scoring). We will similarly award the IU offense 1 point for each possession they reach their goal (scoring). Additionally, we will subtract a point from the offense if they allow the opposing defense to score. The score through 3 quarters in the Missouri game would have been: FINAL SCORE IU Defense: 6 IU Offense: 1 For Indiana to be successful this week (and for the rest of the season) the offense has to improve their efficiency, and this week is a great place to start. Penn State fans are understandably nervous about the matchup between the Nittany Lion's defense and Hoosier's offense. Although PSU has the 11th ranked defense in the country, they were torched last week by their first real competition. Central Florida used their dynamic passing offense to expose PSU’s first-year corners and force the Nittany Lions to make plays in space, a task at which the PSU defensive unit failed miserably. The exciting news for Hoosier fans is that Indiana runs the same style of offense as the Bulls, and they're even better at it. Indiana enters Saturday's contest ranked 14 spots higher in passing yards per game and 33 spots higher in rushing yards per game. From a purely statistical standpoint, anything UCF was able to do against the Penn State defense, Indiana should be able to do better. #3 Relax and Play Football It was clear last week that Indiana let the magnitude of a game against the SEC get to them, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The IU recievers had several uncharacteristic drops early on and never got into a rhythm on offense. Shane Wynn spoke this week about the need to relax and have fun. The result of the Missouri game had much more to do with what the Hoosiers didn’t do than anything the Tigers actually did. Therefore, Indiana spent most of their time during the bye week focusing on themselves rather than their future opponents. While the offense needs to relax, the defense needs to get comfortable. Up to this point, the players inability to grasp the defensive concepts has hindered their ability to simply go out and play football. If you've watched any games this year, the players' confusion is evident. They frequently can be be seen looking around or throwing their hands up in the air in desperation while looking to the sidelines for guidance. Defensive coordinator Doug Mallory spoke to this point earlier this week. Hopefully the players and coaches have figured out their own defense during their bye week. #4 Make the Phenom Look Like a Freshman There is no denying the talent of Penn State freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg. Hackenberg arrived in Happy Valley over the summer as the top rated quarterback prospect in the country. Thus far, he has backed up the hype by throwing for 1,027 yards and 5 touchdowns in his first four games. However, he has also thrown for 4 interceptions, fumbled 3 times, and been sacked 9 times. Additionally, this weekend will be Hackenberg's first road test. In summary, he's got all the tools, but he's still a true freshman. The Hoosiers will have to take a page out of Missouri's book and find a way to constantly pressure the young QB. There is no reason to think this won’t happen as the Penn State offensive line has looked vulnerable and despite all the heat the IU defense has taken, they currently lead the B1G in sacks per game. Who knew? If Indiana can't pressure the quarterback, expect a lot of pitch-and-catch between Hackenberg and last year's B1G receiver of the year, Allen Robinson. You might remember him from his beastly 197 yard 3 TD performance against the Hoosiers last year. Of course this year he will have to against Indiana corner Tim Bennett who leads the entire country in passes broken up. WHO KNEW?! #5 Stop the Three Headed Monster Although I’ve argued the responsibility for this year’s losses should be placed primarily on the offense, there is no denying that the run defense must improve. The NIttany Lions will deploy a formidable trio of running backs against the Hoosiers. Zach Zwinak, the bruiser pictured below, will be used to pound away at the defensive interior which will then set up speedsters Akeel Lynch and Bill Belton for the big play. As we say every week, Penn State's game plan will involve running the ball to keep it out of Indiana's hands, making the ability to stop the run crucial. Indiana does have more players ranked in the top 11 of the B1G in tackles than any other team (Cooper, Heban, Bennett, Simmons- WHO KNEW?!?), and they will all be called upon to make stops Saturday. Prediction: Penn State fans are legitimately terrified of what the Indiana offense might do to their defense. If they don't have any faith in their defense, then neither do I. They did shut out Kent State last week, but KSU is ranked 115 out of 123 schools in total offense (interesting to note Purdue comes in right behind them at 117). Operating under the assumption that Indiana took the bye week to get their confidence restored and learn the defense, I'm going out on a limb. INDIANA 38 PENN STATE 17

The last two years have taught us not to worry about the number of scholarships we have remaining. If more top tier players want to sign, Crean will find a way to make it work. There are also early-NBA types on this roster that will free up spots.

Great way to end the week. It's been a worrisome few weeks on the bball recruiting scene.

The Hoosiers will wrap-up pre-conference play this week against the formidable Missouri Tigers. Although the Tigers went 5-7 last year, they played the nation's toughest schedule and are focused on starting 3-0 before SEC play resumes this year. The Indiana coaching staff is very familiar with that of the Tigers from their previous combined experiences in the Big 12. In fact, the last time Coach Wilson faced Missouri, his Oklahoma offense put up 62 points on the Tigers in the Big 12 championship game. That was years ago, however; and the Hoosiers aren't the Sooners. Here is what IU will have to do to take down the Tigers under the lights on Saturday: #1 - Contain James Franklin The Tiger offense is led by senior quarterback James Franklin. Franklin is a big, tough, dual-threat quarterback who's not afraid to lower his shoulder when he takes off running. Kevin WIlson recruited Franklin when he was coaching at Oklahoma and has stressed that Franklins has developed into a true dual-threat QB, just as capable of beating a team with his arm as he is with his legs. Through two games this year (the Tigers were off last week), Franklin has thrown for 530 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception. He has also rushed 23 times for 121 yards. Mizzou is undefeated in games when Franklin leads the team in passing and rushing yards so, clearly, limiting his production is paramount to a victory on Saturday. #2 - Prove Navy was a Defensive Anomaly Statistically, the Indiana defense isn't quite as bad as the Navy game would indicate. The Hoosiers are ranked 3rd in the conference in red zone defense, 4th in 3rd down defense, and Nick Mangieri's 2.5 sacks are the second most in the conference. In the backfield, cornerback Tim Bennett ranks 1st in the B1G and 3rd in the nation with seven passes defended. Cornerback Michael Hunter has also been exceptional and ranks 4th in the B1G and 19th nationally with five passes defended. However, they will still need to show improvement against the nation's 17th ranked offense on Saturday. The Tigers have two running backs averaging over 6 yards per carry, and Indiana remains the 11th ranked rushing defense in the conference. Mizzou also has a stellar receiving corps highlight by 6'6" 225 pound stud Dorial Green-Beckham. DGB was the consensus #1 overall prospect in the 2012 recruiting class and finished his high school career as the nation's all-time receiving leader with 2,233 yards and 24 touchdowns as senior. As a freshman last year, he led the Tigers in touchdown receptions despite missing time after a run-in with the law. We will know after this weekend where the Indiana defense truly stands. #3 - Win the Matchup against the Mizzou DBs The matchup between the Missouri defensive backs and the Indiana receivers and quarterbacks quarterback should be fun to watch. For the first time in history, the Hoosiers have four 1,000 receivers on the same team (Kofi Huges, Ted Bolser, Cody Latimer and, after last week, Shane Wynn). Sudfeld has started to garner national attention as he leads the B1G in passing efficiency, yards, and touchdowns. While Purdue fans may quickly proclaim that those statistics are simply the result of how much Indiana throws the ball, Sudfeld actually only ranks 5th in the conference in passing attempts. This weekend, the Indiana arial attack faces a tough defense with a knack for creating turnovers. Mizzou has forced a turnover in 32 straight games and has recorded 29 defensive touchdowns during head coach Gary Pinkel's tenure. This year, their secondary is averaging a gaudy three interception per game, and has been given extra motivation to perform against the Indiana receivers thanks to a menacing tweet from the IU realm. #4 - Improve Special Teams Play Between the blocked punt in last week's game and Laray Smith's fumbled kickoff against Indiana Sate, the Hoosier's special teams have become the source of endless laughs and entertainment for non-Hoosier fans. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2rM0ySOD-I Not surprisingly, special teams was an area in which Coach Wilson stressed the need for improvement during this week's press conference. Through three games, the Hoosiers have had two punts blocked, two fumbled kickoffs, are one of only two B1G teams averaging below 20 yards per kick return, and rank last in the conference with an embarrassing 22.0 yards per punt. They'll also have All-SEC and 2nd team All-American return man Marcus Murphy to worry about this week. Last year, Murphy returned four kicks for touchdowns, including one of 98 yards against the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide. Missouri is a solid, well-coached football team, and as Kevin Wilson pointed out earlier this week, "They're not going to lose the game...you have to play well to beat teams like this." Indiana has survived poor special teams play thus far, but it could be the undoing of the Hoosiers in this week's matchup. #5 - Don't Turn the Tigers into Gods This will be the first opportunity for any of the current IU players to go up against a team from the illustrious SEC. It's a big deal, and the players are well-aware: Being excited about playing an SEC squad is fine, but the players can not get overwhelmed and turn the Tigers into something they're not. They are not Alabama. They are not Georgia. In reality, talent-wise the Missouri roster is much more similar to Indiana's than their SEC counterparts. According to recruiting ratings over the past four years from rivals.com, Missouri and Indiana are bringing in roughly the same talent. MIZZOU INDIANA ALABAMA 5 Star Recruits - 1 0 11 4 Star Recruits - 9 6 56 3 Star Recruits - 66 54 31 Average Class Ranking - 35 63 2 The only number that appears to heavily favor the Tigers is the overall class ranking. However, that number is severely skewed by the 2010 IU recruiting class that was ranked an abysmal 92nd in the nation. In fact, last year Indiana's recruiting class was ranked #38 while Missouri's came in at #41. Bottom line, Missouri is an "SEC" team in name only, and the Hoosiers shouldn't feel outmatched. Prediction: This game has the makings of an offensive shootout. Indiana enters as college football's 8th ranked offense while Missouri is ranked 17th. While discussing the game, Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel said, "They're going to make plays...We have to make more." In the end, as long as the Indiana defense prevents James Franklin from having a career day, I think the Hoosier offense will make just enough big plays to win the game. INDIANA 35 MIZZOU 31 Let's Go Hoosiers.

Fifth year senior linebacker and team captain Andrew Wilson will sit out the first half of Saturday's game. He was given a one-half suspension for this hit last week on a Toledo receiver: The hit wasn't overly egregious, but Wilson was asking for it. If you're going to go for the Tim Riggins look, you're going to get that "bad boy" label that goes along with it. It was only a matter of time before he ran across an officiating crew familiar with Friday Night Lights. He will be replaced by inexperienced redshirt freshman Michael Scherer. This is a huge opportunity for the Hoosier offense to build an early lead. Look for more keys to victory on BtownBanners later today. Go Hoosiers.

The Navy game was horrendous. The defense did not play disciplined, the offensive didn't capitalize on opportunities when they needed to, and the coaches, by Doug Mallory's own admission, didn't make the adjustments they needed to throughout the game (see last last week's "Keys to Knockin' off Navy" article). On to this week. The Hoosiers now face a Bowling Green team that has already beaten two teams that each won 11 games a year ago. The Falcons have been playing excellent football, which has them knocking on the door of the top 25 (they received seven AP votes this week). They also have no problem playing on the road. They have won their last four road games by a combined score of 115-46. Things aren't getting any easier for the Hoosiers, but the importance of this game cannot be understated as far as their bowl hopes are concerned. Here is what Indiana will have to do this week if they want to avoid starting the season 1-2. #1 - Play Defense

 The Bowling Green offense has executed a 2:1 run-to-pass ratio this year, but expect to see more of run-heavy approach Saturday. Head Coach Dave Clawson spent the majority of his press conference this week praising the Indiana offense, and he knows the best way to beat a good offense is to keep them on the bench. Therefore, ball control figures to be a major focus for the Falcons as they seek to limit Indiana's opportunities. If the Hoosier defense is unable to stop the run and again is unable to force a punt, Clawson will have no issue accomplishing his goal. 

The Falcon's offense, led by quarterback Matt Wilson, is already averaging 37.5 points per game, and their star running back is averaging nearly 5 yards per carry. That spells disaster for the Big Ten's worst rushing defense. If Indiana can't stop the run, the Falcons will control the time of possession, and this game will be a hard one to watch. 

 On the bright side, Bowling Green is only converting on 36% of their third downs. If the Indiana defense can at least keep pace with the defensive units of Kent State and Tulane, the offense should get their opportunities. One would like to believe the Hoosier defense is capable of anything a MAC or Conference USA team is but...

 #2 - Start Fast

 Last week's game against Navy made it crystal clear that Indiana cannot get itself into a hole early in the game as long as their defense is struggling. Coach Wilson alluded to the need to start fast earlier this week, so expect the Hoosiers to come out firing like a cornered Tony Montana (“say hello to my spread offense”). The Falcon's aforementioned strategy of running the ball to keep it out of the Hoosier's hands will be much less effective if Indiana can force them to play from behind. Forcing the Falcons to vary from their game plan could also go a long way in aiding the defensive effort. 

However, putting up points is not going to be as easy as it was in the first two contests. The Hoosiers may currently have the nation's #4 scoring offense, but the Falcons boast the nations #29 ranked scoring defense. This game has the makings of great offensive-defensive battle, but Hoosier fans have to hope that doesn't come to fruition. We saw last week what happens if the offense isn't able to score at will. 

#3 - Run the Ball Effectively

 As bad as the IU defense appears to be, history dictates that Indiana's ability to run the football will ultimately decide this contest. Until last week's Kent State game, Bowling Green had held their opponents to under 100 yards rushing in every one of their wins over the past two years. In fact, Kent State rushed for 113 yards in the first half and trailed only 24-22. However, in the second half, the Golden Flashes were held to just 22 yards rushing. The score of that second half was 17-0 in favor of the Falcons, clearly illustrating the correlation between Bowling Green's ability to stop the run and their ultimate success. Although the Indiana offensive line has not allowed a sack this year, they will have to go a step further this week and open up holes for the running backs. It may seem over simplistic, but if either Tevin Coleman or Stephen Houston is able to have a big game, the Hoosiers should be able to handle the Falcons. 

#4 - Get the Ball to the Playmakers 

As important as the rushing game will be, Indiana also must find a way to get it's playmakers the rock. Coach Wilson and offensive coordinator Seth Littrell both spoke specifically about the need to get top receiver Cody Latimer more involved with the offense:
 This may seem like an obvious point, but the Bowling Green defense was ranked 13th in the country last year in passing yards allowed. From that same defense, nine starters, including their entire defensive backfield, have returned. This isn't your average MAC defense; its a top notch unit that will challenge the Indiana receivers and quarterbacks to play to their highest potential. 

#5 - Win Battles in the Red Zone 

Nate Sudfeld's interception in the red zone last week proved disastrous as the Hoosiers went on to lose by a touchdown. While the Hoosier offense currently has a red zone efficiency rating of 83%, they will endeavor to improve that number against a Falcon defense that currently ranks second in the country in red zone defense. Bowling Green’s defense has only allowed points on two of their opponent’s five trips inside the 20-yard line. Bowling Green’s offensive numbers inside the red zone are equally impressive. The Falcons are one of the few teams remaining in college football that are able to claim a 100% red zone efficiency rating, scoring every time they get the ball deep into their opponents territory. That’s more bad news for a Hoosier defense that is already allowing opponents to score on 90% of their red zone trips. The red zone will be a battlefield this week, and the team that is most successful, both offensively and defensively, will hold a large advantage in the contest. Not the cheeriest of previews I know. Make no mistake, this Bowling Green team poses some colossal challenges for Indiana. However, if this preview has you feeling more depressed than excited about this week’s game, let this true, undaunted fan cheer you up. GO HOOSIERS.

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: 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: 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.

Good point Mr. Berghoff. I think the overall increased depth of the defense will help out with the stamina aspect. I'm not sure how many defensive lineman played last Saturday, but Indiana has the personnel to keep them fresh IF they have time to make substitutions.

The Hoosiers face their first real challenge of the season against Navy on Saturday. Here's how they can they avoid losing to the Midshipmen for the second straight year.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: 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. As Coach Wilson pointed out earlier this week, the crowd's noise level will play a particularly crucial role against Navy: 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. Click here to view the article