November 27, 2022 | Daddy Hoosier | iufb.net
Indiana fell to Purdue 30-16 Saturday in the annual matchup for the Old Oaken Bucket. The loss drops IU’s final record to 4-8 overall and 2-7 in Big Ten play.
The biggest story from the game from Indiana’s point of view was the 1st quarter injury to Dexter Williams II. Williams, making his second career start, suffered what appeared to be a significant leg injury.
Up to that point in the game Indiana’s offense was primarily a rushing attack and the Hoosiers were moving the ball well. Connor Bazelak came in off the bench and initially the Hoosiers continued to run. But as the game went on Indiana began to find some success through the air, though said success was inconsistent.
Indiana outgained Purdue on Offense 421 to 388. IU gained 200 yards rushing for the second straight week, thanks in part to Jaylin Lucas’ 100 yards on 9 carries – including a 71-yard score on Indiana’s opening possession.
Emory Simmons led Indiana receivers with 64 yards on 4 catches.
The Indiana Offense moved the ball but left points on the table on multiple occasions. Charles Campbell missed a field goal in the 1st quarter and had another blocked in the 3rd. The Hoosiers turned it over twice on downs on Purdue’s side of the field, once while in the red zone.
Senior Alfred Bryant led the charge for the Hoosier Defense, landing 3 tackles for a loss and 2 sacks. The IU defense for the most part kept Purdue in check and allowed IU to be within striking distance in the final period of play.
The win for Purdue earns them a trip to Indianapolis where they will face the undefeated Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten Championship Game.
What’s Next?
Between player graduation and the transfer portal there will be quite a bit of roster turnover between now and Fall Camp. Here is a quick page I put together covering outgoing Seniors, including those who went through the Senior Ceremony yesterday despite having eligibility remaining. Be sure to follow iufb.net for transfer portal developments, recruiting news, and off-season storylines as it all transpires.
Here is a look at the most pressing issues that Tom Allen and company need to address between now and Spring Practice.
1. Offensive Identity – I know the temptation will be to skip down to number three on this list – to talk about the quarterback position and to seek to address that situation first. And yes, the offensive line needs an upgrade. But even before that is issue is dealt with the offense needs to establish an identity going forward. Over the last two games Indiana averaged 236 rushing yards. The o-line played better in this mode and the offense appeared more coherent with a mobile quarterback out there. Will this be IU’s new look going forward? First Walt Bell and CTA need to settle on an identity and then build efficiently and effectively toward that vision.
2. Offensive Line – Call me old school but I still believe the o-line is the heart of a football team. Once Indiana knows where they are trying to go offensively then they can go seek out the best linemen to fit that system. The transfer portal and Junior College standouts could help retool for next year while recruits can lay a foundation for the future. Should athleticism be valued over the prototypical size and body type traditionally associated with Big Ten Linemen? What current pieces can work out and where do changes need to take place? What about in house development? We will also have see what happens with the Offensive Line Coach position which was held down by Rod Carey following the mid-season firing of Darren Hiller.
3. Quarterback – Dexter Williams was making a case for being the starter next year in the new-look Indiana Offense. With the injury setback it seems unlikely that he be able to participate physically in Spring Practice. (I don’t know that for sure but that’s my educated guess.) We saw that Dexter has some great arm strength but we saw very little of him being an effective pocket passer. Will Indiana look to the transfer portal for help or at least for insurance? What role will Brendan Sorsby play? If I’m a quarterback looking for a new home I want assurances that the offensive line situation has been thoroughly and adequately addressed. Who wants to run for their life behind a line that can’t block and to roll the dice on being able to make it through a season in one piece?
4. Defense – The IU D took a step back this year. Does Tom Allen need to re-relinquish defensive play-calling duties and delegate that role to Chad Wilt? Does Allen’s 4-2-5 scheme need to be recalibrated to account for CFB’s adaptations to this now popular scheme? Can CTA convince Dasan McCullough to stay?
5. Wide Receivers – Even going back to 2019-20 I have never been super high on Indiana’s Wide Receiver room. Yes, there have been several individual players who have put up some numbers but as a whole the group has lacked depth and explosiveness.
Re-building
Indiana did improve from 2-10 last year to 4-8 this year. They didn’t win a conference game in 2021 but beat Illinois and Michigan State in 2022. The Hoosiers kept playing and fighting until the end this year. If they can improve by two more games next year that will get them back to 6-6 and Bowl Eligibility.
There is much to be addressed but it should be interesting to see how things develop over the coming weeks and months.
originally published here
Indiana fell to Purdue 30-16 Saturday in the annual matchup for the Old Oaken Bucket. The loss drops IU’s final record to 4-8 overall and 2-7 in Big Ten play.
The biggest story from the game from Indiana’s point of view was the 1st quarter injury to Dexter Williams II. Williams, making his second career start, suffered what appeared to be a significant leg injury.
Up to that point in the game Indiana’s offense was primarily a rushing attack and the Hoosiers were moving the ball well. Connor Bazelak came in off the bench and initially the Hoosiers continued to run. But as the game went on Indiana began to find some success through the air, though said success was inconsistent.
Indiana outgained Purdue on Offense 421 to 388. IU gained 200 yards rushing for the second straight week, thanks in part to Jaylin Lucas’ 100 yards on 9 carries – including a 71-yard score on Indiana’s opening possession.
Emory Simmons led Indiana receivers with 64 yards on 4 catches.
The Indiana Offense moved the ball but left points on the table on multiple occasions. Charles Campbell missed a field goal in the 1st quarter and had another blocked in the 3rd. The Hoosiers turned it over twice on downs on Purdue’s side of the field, once while in the red zone.
Senior Alfred Bryant led the charge for the Hoosier Defense, landing 3 tackles for a loss and 2 sacks. The IU defense for the most part kept Purdue in check and allowed IU to be within striking distance in the final period of play.
The win for Purdue earns them a trip to Indianapolis where they will face the undefeated Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten Championship Game.
What’s Next?
Between player graduation and the transfer portal there will be quite a bit of roster turnover between now and Fall Camp. Here is a quick page I put together covering outgoing Seniors, including those who went through the Senior Ceremony yesterday despite having eligibility remaining. Be sure to follow iufb.net for transfer portal developments, recruiting news, and off-season storylines as it all transpires.
Here is a look at the most pressing issues that Tom Allen and company need to address between now and Spring Practice.
1. Offensive Identity – I know the temptation will be to skip down to number three on this list – to talk about the quarterback position and to seek to address that situation first. And yes, the offensive line needs an upgrade. But even before that is issue is dealt with the offense needs to establish an identity going forward. Over the last two games Indiana averaged 236 rushing yards. The o-line played better in this mode and the offense appeared more coherent with a mobile quarterback out there. Will this be IU’s new look going forward? First Walt Bell and CTA need to settle on an identity and then build efficiently and effectively toward that vision.
2. Offensive Line – Call me old school but I still believe the o-line is the heart of a football team. Once Indiana knows where they are trying to go offensively then they can go seek out the best linemen to fit that system. The transfer portal and Junior College standouts could help retool for next year while recruits can lay a foundation for the future. Should athleticism be valued over the prototypical size and body type traditionally associated with Big Ten Linemen? What current pieces can work out and where do changes need to take place? What about in house development? We will also have see what happens with the Offensive Line Coach position which was held down by Rod Carey following the mid-season firing of Darren Hiller.
3. Quarterback – Dexter Williams was making a case for being the starter next year in the new-look Indiana Offense. With the injury setback it seems unlikely that he be able to participate physically in Spring Practice. (I don’t know that for sure but that’s my educated guess.) We saw that Dexter has some great arm strength but we saw very little of him being an effective pocket passer. Will Indiana look to the transfer portal for help or at least for insurance? What role will Brendan Sorsby play? If I’m a quarterback looking for a new home I want assurances that the offensive line situation has been thoroughly and adequately addressed. Who wants to run for their life behind a line that can’t block and to roll the dice on being able to make it through a season in one piece?
4. Defense – The IU D took a step back this year. Does Tom Allen need to re-relinquish defensive play-calling duties and delegate that role to Chad Wilt? Does Allen’s 4-2-5 scheme need to be recalibrated to account for CFB’s adaptations to this now popular scheme? Can CTA convince Dasan McCullough to stay?
5. Wide Receivers – Even going back to 2019-20 I have never been super high on Indiana’s Wide Receiver room. Yes, there have been several individual players who have put up some numbers but as a whole the group has lacked depth and explosiveness.
Re-building
Indiana did improve from 2-10 last year to 4-8 this year. They didn’t win a conference game in 2021 but beat Illinois and Michigan State in 2022. The Hoosiers kept playing and fighting until the end this year. If they can improve by two more games next year that will get them back to 6-6 and Bowl Eligibility.
There is much to be addressed but it should be interesting to see how things develop over the coming weeks and months.
originally published here
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