On Defense Hoosiers Last in Big Ten 121st in Country

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Iceland12

Iceland12

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http://www.courier-journal.com/arti...ountry?odyssey=tab|mostpopular|text|FRONTPAGE

But they are 10th in the Country in Total Offense. Oh and they plan on keeping their Two Quarterback System!

What happens outside of our complex right here, those are things you’ve got to tune out,” defensive coordinator Doug Mallory said Monday. “I think we have an idea what’s going on inside the program. We’ve got an idea of what it’s going to take to get it fixed.

“It’s a process. Those are the things we’re going to continue to work on. As a coach, I tune it out. I have no idea what’s going on outside in the real world. So pretty easy for me.”

Mallory is in his third year as coordinator of a defense that continues to rank last in the Big Ten and near the bottom of the country.

Out of 125 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, Indiana is 121st in total defense (498.1 yards) and 112th in scoring defense (37.1 points). The Hoosiers ranked last in the Big Ten in those categories in 2012 and 2011..

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QB change possible
Wilson suggested that Tre Roberson might start ahead of Nate Sudfeld at quarterback. Roberson started the first two games and Sudfeld the past five.

Roberson has completed 39 of 62 passes for 644 yards and eight touchdowns. He would be first in the Big Ten and fourth in the nation in pass efficiency (186.3) if he had enough attempts to qualify.

Sudfeld is third in the Big Ten in total offense (246.0) and first in touchdown passes (14).

Wilson said Indiana would continue to use both quarterbacks and added that Cam Coffman, who started most of last season, has been sharp in recent practices.
 

I know it is two different types of running games but Navy (flexbone option) put up 444 yards rushing in Bloomington earlier this year. Hopefully our (multiple / power / zone read) running game can do the same thing. I know time of possession is the most overrated stat in football, but if we hold it for 35-40 minutes this game, it will be huge. I agree with other posters in other threads that we cannot go 3 & out in the first possession AGAIN this week. Grind one out! I hope we continue with the multiple looks, multiple shifts, multiple personal groups to keep IU guessing.
 


It will be interesting to see who starts this week. I am of the opinion that Nelson is the better overall QB and gives us the best chance to complete passes down the field. Play Action will be huge this week and I just trust Phil to complete more of those passes than Mitch.

It think they both play again and yes, Mitch will run on them.
 

Phil doesn't throw a good ball. Has trouble completing passes over 10 yards. Must throw
to tight ends and backs.

Runs the offense well (except Iowa) and doesnt usually fumble.
 


gopherveteran said:
Phil doesn't throw a good ball. Has trouble completing passes over 10 yards. Must throw
to tight ends and backs.

Runs the offense well (except Iowa) and doesnt usually fumble.
Click to expand...

He doesn't have the best arm, but at least he throws the ball when needed. When Leidner drops back, I see a deer in the headlights. Usually ending with a tuck and run out of bounds for 2 yards.
 

I'd like to see 1-2 play action passes on the first drive to make them think. Then run, run, run.
 

year of the gopher said:
I'd like to see 1-2 play action passes on the first drive to make them think. Then run, run, run.
Click to expand...

Totally disagree, against this defense you run, then you run and then just for fun you run some more. Best chance we have is to stay on the field as long as possible and limit their chances on offense. This is a very weak defensive team but they have an offense that can be deadly when it gets going.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Totally disagree, against this defense you run, then you run and then just for fun you run some more. Best chance we have is to stay on the field as long as possible and limit their chances on offense. This is a very weak defensive team but they have an offense that can be deadly when it gets going.
Click to expand...

Argree 100%. Maybe come out in the 2nd half and Play Action them, but to start the game this week? Ground and Pound!
 



MNVCGUY said:
Totally disagree, against this defense you run, then you run and then just for fun you run some more. Best chance we have is to stay on the field as long as possible and limit their chances on offense. This is a very weak defensive team but they have an offense that can be deadly when it gets going.
Click to expand...

Fair enough to disagree. What I don't want to see is us line up in basic power running sets with them having 9 in the box and we go 3 and out on our first two drives to start the game. They know we want to go in and run. The key is not letting them load up and stop it. Part of not letting them do that is making them hesitant to attack. The reason we could run on Nebraska is that we kept them off balance with occasional first down passes and play action. IMHO, our O-line is good but not yet dominant enough that they can do it all by themselves (see Iowa).
 


And take care of the ball.

I am certain the coaches want to control the clock and keep IU's offense off the field as much as possible. That means running the ball, not just pounding the rock. The players executed the numerous formations flawlessly against the Huskers. More of that is in order to help keep IU guessing.

IU will likely force us to pass, play some man press and load up the box. That should open things up for Maxx and maybe Engle as he does run good routes.

This will be a very interesting game. No one has kept IU under 28 points which we may have to do in order to get a W. Plus most teams have had TOP of 35-37 minutes and still IU has still put up lots of points. And everyone except Navy, who ran for over 400 yds, threw the ball a good share of the time.
 

I don't think you'll see more than 15 pass attempts.
 




gopherveteran said:
Phil doesn't throw a good ball. Has trouble completing passes over 10 yards. Must throw
to tight ends and backs.

Runs the offense well (except Iowa) and doesnt usually fumble.
Click to expand...

I disagree. The deep throw to Engel was a very good throw and definitely could've been caught. And how about the throw to Engel on the 4th and 10 TD? He just needs to be more consistent with his accuracy. He's starting to get into a groove and I think he'll keep getting better as a passer.
 


jaymil said:
I disagree. The deep throw to Engel was a very good throw and definitely could've been caught. And how about the throw to Engel on the 4th and 10 TD? He just needs to be more consistent with his accuracy. He's starting to get into a groove and I think he'll keep getting better as a passer.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with this. Phil missed his TE badly on one play but they came back and let him throw again and he nailed it for a big gain down the sideline. He has passes he misses for some reason but still throws a good ball. Maybe he gets a little too excited or something but when he settles down he hits his receivers.
 

Stan The Caddy said:
I know it is two different types of running games but Navy (flexbone option) put up 444 yards rushing in Bloomington earlier this year. Hopefully our (multiple / power / zone read) running game can do the same thing. I know time of possession is the most overrated stat in football, but if we hold it for 35-40 minutes this game, it will be huge. I agree with other posters in other threads that we cannot go 3 & out in the first possession AGAIN this week. Grind one out! I hope we continue with the multiple looks, multiple shifts, multiple personal groups to keep IU guessing.
Click to expand...

I think the Gophers would really have to rack up ToP minutes to make it worthwhile in this case. Indiana is very quick-strike and passes a lot, which means the clock stops often when they have the ball and their possessions don't occupy a lot of clock, score or not. I don't think ToP means much to that team at all; but of course if the Gophers keep having long, drawn-out drives, it might make a difference. I'm thinking it would have to be 40+ minutes of Gopher ToP for this stat to matter Saturday.

I think, instead, that what will really make a difference will be turnovers. If the Gophers can get a +2 or more turnover margin, they win. If not, I think it's going to be tough to keep up - this will likely be a basketball type of scoring matchup (at least a Bo Ryan type of score).

What's the weather supposed to be like on Saturday...seems dreary across the upper Midwest and NE lately - if it's wet Indiana might not be able to pass as well, and that could be a big difference. Their QBs are mobile, but so are the Gopher QBs. If the weather is bad, I'd expect big running games from QBs on both sides.
 

Right now they're saying 54 degrees and sunny with winds from 8 to 12 MPH.
 

gopherveteran said:
Phil doesn't throw a good ball. Has trouble completing passes over 10 yards. Must throw
to tight ends and backs.

Runs the offense well (except Iowa) and doesnt usually fumble.
Click to expand...

Nelson has thrown the ball pretty well in actual games, limited by relatively few opportunities. His inexperienced decision-making is what hurts his game more than physical inaccuracy. IMO, he displays the best thrown ball by a Gopher QB since Cupito. His receivers drop the ball way too often, Engle's great catch, of course, excepted. The only pass he really missed physically the past two games was the errant throw to the wide-open Maxx; that said, the ball was still catchable if Maxx adjusted to the ball earlier.

If Nelson had an ace receiver like, say, an Eric Decker, I think he'd be looking very good to fans.

I don't know. Maybe I'm the only one who sees Nelson as having a pretty high-end D-1 QB skill set. As opposed to, say, Weber and Q, when it's an open 5-10 yard pass, I have plenty of confidence that it'll get to the receiver. Maxx has the best hands on the team, somehow he's got to get more involved in the passing game.

Nelson may also be the best Gopher running QB since Asad Abdul-Khaliq. Leidner may be just as good of a runner.
 


cncmin said:
I think the Gophers would really have to rack up ToP minutes to make it worthwhile in this case. Indiana is very quick-strike and passes a lot, which means the clock stops often when they have the ball and their possessions don't occupy a lot of clock, score or not. I don't think ToP means much to that team at all; but of course if the Gophers keep having long, drawn-out drives, it might make a difference. I'm thinking it would have to be 40+ minutes of Gopher ToP for this stat to matter Saturday.

I think, instead, that what will really make a difference will be turnovers. If the Gophers can get a +2 or more turnover margin, they win. If not, I think it's going to be tough to keep up - this will likely be a basketball type of scoring matchup (at least a Bo Ryan type of score).

What's the weather supposed to be like on Saturday...seems dreary across the upper Midwest and NE lately - if it's wet Indiana might not be able to pass as well, and that could be a big difference. Their QBs are mobile, but so are the Gopher QBs. If the weather is bad, I'd expect big running games from QBs on both sides.
Click to expand...

40+ minutes is over 2/3 of the game, of course if Minnesota held it that long it would matter. As I stated ToP is often extremely overrated, but in this game it would appear to really matter. We hold the ball, we keep them off the field.

You are right, IU does not care however, they are averaging 23:17 ToP per game.

Hold it, pound it and make a few stops on D and we are in business.
 

Stan The Caddy said:
40+ minutes is over 2/3 of the game, of course if Minnesota held it that long it would matter. As I stated ToP is often extremely overrated, but in this game it would appear to really matter. We hold the ball, we keep them off the field.

You are right, IU does not care however, they are averaging 23:17 ToP per game.

Hold it, pound it and make a few stops on D and we are in business.
Click to expand...


Which is one reason why they are 3-4, not 6-2.
 



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