The Good
Three obvious standouts in this game were Michael Penix, Whop Phylior and Tiawan Mullen.
Three obvious standouts in this game were Michael Penix, Whop Phylior and Tiawan Mullen.
- Michael Penix will surely be the B1G Freshman of the Week for the second time in 2019. He was 33-42 for 282 yards and 3 TDs and at one point threw 20 straight completions. As impressive as his accuracy was his poise and decision making in a hostile environment was excellent. For example he threw a strike on a slant as he was being nailed by a MSU DE. Brian Lewerke played very well at QB for MSU but when he faced similar pressure his accuracy went out the window.
- Whop Philiar had 14 receptions for 142 yards and 2 TDs. He seems to have become the number one option in the passing game.
- Tiawan Mullen has become our top cover corner. He has shown great ability and understanding of the game as well. Mullen had a couple of great breakups in the endzone against MSU WR Darrell Stewart Jr. Unfortunately they went to Stewart for a third straight time and the Spartan Wideout was able to get inside leverage on Bryant Fitzgerald and a TD grab. Stewart had five receptions but I would say he was targeted at least 10-12 times.
- Donavan Hale also had a great overall game with 7 receptions for 99 yards and a nice one-handed TD grab. (I thought he was being held but there was no call.)
- I also thought the offensive line did a pretty good job of pass protecting considering the front seven they were facing.
- Stevie Scott had 18 carries for 66 yards and 4 catches for 28 yards - that's 22 total touches for 94 total yards. He also picked up some pressures in pass protection.
- We defended the run pretty well really (run fits!) except for when Lewerkesberger decided to take off.
- Overall I thought the offensive play calling was good but...
- Penalties - both teams were bit by the penalty bug but a handful of fourth quarter penalties really cost the Hoosiers. I believe we had at least 70 yards in penalties though none of the online stats seem to want to list this category for some reason
- Strange play calls - I like to give Offensive Coordinators the benefit of the doubt because they've studied the film and we haven't. With that said I thought the fourth down give to Sampson James early on where he was running horizontally to the line of scrimmage was an odd choice. The Spartans are great at getting penetration, and they did on that play - blowing it up before it started. Then after MSU took the lead in the 4th we went three and out by running it three times. You'll rarely hear me complaining about trying to establish a run game but that was a pretty inexplicable series in my book.
- The secondary got torched - I've been talking up the defensive backfield all year but IU really got torched by an offense we didn't think was that great. The Hoosiers are going to need to shore this up moving forward.
- Nick Westbrook dropped another deep ball that hit him right in the hands.
- Culture of losing - I hate writing this but IU just doesn't know how to win and they can't seem to figure it out. Bryant Fitzgerald dropped a pick six fairly early in the game. It's just frustrating to miss that opportunity. At the end of the first half I don't have a problem with being conservative and forcing MSU to use their time outs. But if you're going to do that you can't turn around and let them score a TD - at least hold them to a field goal. Then in the 4th quarter we get the ball back with a three point lead and a chance to make it a two possession game. Philyor gets a 50 yard punt return but it gets called back due to not one but two penalties. We go three and out, give up a 22 yard punt return and then get a five yard penalty tacked onto it. Michigan State scores a TD in two plays to take a four point lead. That's when we go three and out again on three straight runs. Michigan State drives the ball again and we get lucky, holding them to only a field goal keeping it a one possession game. Penix leads us down for the tie. If the defense holds we have a chance to win in overtime. Or with a quick three and out we can win in regulation possibly. The game is ours for the taking. We just need to make a play. But how to we respond? Do we rise to the occasion? Do we step up and make the big play? Heavens no. Michigan State gets 74 yards in two plays and kicks an easy field goal for the win. Michigan State even bailed us out a couple times and gave us a chance but we still couldn't kick down the door and get a road win against a ranked B1G opponent. I don't know how we get this culture of losing turned around but I sure as heck somebody can figure it out.
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