September 11, 2022 | DaddyHoosier
Originally published at iufb.net.
The Indiana Football Hoosiers improved to 2-0 by defeating Idaho 35-22 Saturday night but had to overcome an awful first half to do so. It was a rain-delayed kickoff for a game that already had a late start time and it was pouring rain for much of the first half. The Hoosiers may have also had a bit of an emotional hangover lingering from last week’s hard-fought victory over Big Ten foe Illinois. And it’s not inconceivable that they were sleeping on FCS Idaho a bit, a team that appears significantly improved from last year.
But Head Coach Tom Allen is not about to lean into excuses and knows his team can’t afford to play so poorly going forward. Offensively the Hoosiers looked sluggish and out of sync in the first two quarters and they squandered the opportunities they did have.
After going three and out and punting on their first possession IU missed a field goal on their second possession and failed to convert on fourth and goal from the one-yard line on their third. Idaho then embarked on a 13 play 98-yard drive to take a 7-0 second quarter lead.
Indiana’s next three possessions were fumble, three an out, punt, and three an out, punt. After an Idaho field goal late in the second quarter Indiana put together its best drive of the first half only to have Connor Bazelak float a ball to a Vandal defensive back inside the Idaho five yard line.
Bazelak was 6 of 17 for 49 yards and an Interception in the first half. Indiana averaged nearly five yards per carry on the ground during that period but turnovers and incompletions stalled any momentum they were able to build.
“That’s not acceptable in my mind, as far as the standard with which we have to play,” said Tom Allen. “We know this is not the standard we have to have as a football team.”
Indiana also struggled for much of the Illinois game. But also like last week the Hoosiers found a way to get it figured out.
IU came out smoking. Their first offensive play was 31 yard Shaun Shivers run which would be a sign of what was to come. In the third quarter IU had 239 yards of offense and 23 points – and they were threatening to score (and eventually did) as the third quarter ended. Indiana scored five second half touchdowns including three on the ground and two through the air.
Bazelak found his accuracy after the break, connecting on 10 of 12 for 148 yards and two scores.
Indiana also amassed 239 rushing yards averaging 6.6 yards per carry for the ball game. Shaun Shivers had 20 carries for 155 yards including a 46-yard score to ice the game in the fourth. IU responded to the first half by rattling off 29 unanswered points and by the start of the fourth quarter were comfortably in control of the game.
Indiana had zero second half penalties which goes a long way toward helping an offense to get back on track.
Coach Allen was frustrated with the way his defense finished, however. Idaho scored two of the last three touchdowns including a 71-yard touchdown reception by Idaho receiver Michael Graves.
Allen is owning his team’s inconsistency through two games.
“We sang the fight song and do what we do after a win but this is not the standard we have to be where we want to be as a football team. We’ll take the win, but we’re going to take what comes along with poor play, which is accountability. That’s on me.”
In week one versus Illinois Indiana struggled but found a way to win. In week two versus Idaho Indiana was in a first half funk but found a way to snap themselves out of it. One has to acknowledge the poor play rather than sweeping it under the rug but overcoming adversity and fighting to get to 2-0 shows character and mental toughness past Indiana teams have lacked.
But Coach Allen and Indiana know that moving forward they will need to get some things sorted out as their scheduled opponents only get more talented.
Through two games Bazelak’s completion percentage is sitting at 54. This is not likely to get the job done in Big Ten play. Defensively Indiana hasn’t been bad, allowing 42 points in two games, but they have looked more vulnerable than I think many were expecting. And overall the Hoosiers can’t expect to play poorly in large portions of remaining ball games and come out unscathed.
This is a team that seems to recognize that while they are 2-0 they have certainly not arrived and there is plenty of work to be done. Allen’s message to the team going forward is short and to the point.
“Too many mistakes, and that’s not good enough.”
Indiana’s next opportunity to take a step forward comes next Saturday in Bloomington as the Hoosiers will face Western Kentucky’s high-flying Air Raid offense.
Originally published at iufb.net.
The Indiana Football Hoosiers improved to 2-0 by defeating Idaho 35-22 Saturday night but had to overcome an awful first half to do so. It was a rain-delayed kickoff for a game that already had a late start time and it was pouring rain for much of the first half. The Hoosiers may have also had a bit of an emotional hangover lingering from last week’s hard-fought victory over Big Ten foe Illinois. And it’s not inconceivable that they were sleeping on FCS Idaho a bit, a team that appears significantly improved from last year.
But Head Coach Tom Allen is not about to lean into excuses and knows his team can’t afford to play so poorly going forward. Offensively the Hoosiers looked sluggish and out of sync in the first two quarters and they squandered the opportunities they did have.
After going three and out and punting on their first possession IU missed a field goal on their second possession and failed to convert on fourth and goal from the one-yard line on their third. Idaho then embarked on a 13 play 98-yard drive to take a 7-0 second quarter lead.
Indiana’s next three possessions were fumble, three an out, punt, and three an out, punt. After an Idaho field goal late in the second quarter Indiana put together its best drive of the first half only to have Connor Bazelak float a ball to a Vandal defensive back inside the Idaho five yard line.
Bazelak was 6 of 17 for 49 yards and an Interception in the first half. Indiana averaged nearly five yards per carry on the ground during that period but turnovers and incompletions stalled any momentum they were able to build.
“That’s not acceptable in my mind, as far as the standard with which we have to play,” said Tom Allen. “We know this is not the standard we have to have as a football team.”
Indiana also struggled for much of the Illinois game. But also like last week the Hoosiers found a way to get it figured out.
IU came out smoking. Their first offensive play was 31 yard Shaun Shivers run which would be a sign of what was to come. In the third quarter IU had 239 yards of offense and 23 points – and they were threatening to score (and eventually did) as the third quarter ended. Indiana scored five second half touchdowns including three on the ground and two through the air.
Bazelak found his accuracy after the break, connecting on 10 of 12 for 148 yards and two scores.
Indiana also amassed 239 rushing yards averaging 6.6 yards per carry for the ball game. Shaun Shivers had 20 carries for 155 yards including a 46-yard score to ice the game in the fourth. IU responded to the first half by rattling off 29 unanswered points and by the start of the fourth quarter were comfortably in control of the game.
Indiana had zero second half penalties which goes a long way toward helping an offense to get back on track.
Coach Allen was frustrated with the way his defense finished, however. Idaho scored two of the last three touchdowns including a 71-yard touchdown reception by Idaho receiver Michael Graves.
Allen is owning his team’s inconsistency through two games.
“We sang the fight song and do what we do after a win but this is not the standard we have to be where we want to be as a football team. We’ll take the win, but we’re going to take what comes along with poor play, which is accountability. That’s on me.”
In week one versus Illinois Indiana struggled but found a way to win. In week two versus Idaho Indiana was in a first half funk but found a way to snap themselves out of it. One has to acknowledge the poor play rather than sweeping it under the rug but overcoming adversity and fighting to get to 2-0 shows character and mental toughness past Indiana teams have lacked.
But Coach Allen and Indiana know that moving forward they will need to get some things sorted out as their scheduled opponents only get more talented.
Through two games Bazelak’s completion percentage is sitting at 54. This is not likely to get the job done in Big Ten play. Defensively Indiana hasn’t been bad, allowing 42 points in two games, but they have looked more vulnerable than I think many were expecting. And overall the Hoosiers can’t expect to play poorly in large portions of remaining ball games and come out unscathed.
This is a team that seems to recognize that while they are 2-0 they have certainly not arrived and there is plenty of work to be done. Allen’s message to the team going forward is short and to the point.
“Too many mistakes, and that’s not good enough.”
Indiana’s next opportunity to take a step forward comes next Saturday in Bloomington as the Hoosiers will face Western Kentucky’s high-flying Air Raid offense.
