Tight ends ignored....

[Sassy61]

With six games under our belt, our tight ends have only 22 catches. Watching some of the film replays, the middle of the field is open more times than not . We seem uninterested in the 5-8 yard plus gain and go for the bomb or interception. The dive play to the left side with the quarterback then running around the right side has been wide open as well.

We have a great group of tight ends and need to use them much more. It is ridiculous that they have only 22 catches after 360[+or-] plays.

He who uses the tight end most....wins.

 

[td75]

Agree 100%...heck, watch any pro game and the utilization of their TE in the passing game is typically a large part of their attack.

Indiana certainly has a pretty good TE room that appears to be underutilized.

 

[Sope Creek]

We have a great group of tight ends.

We do? Sure fooled me. It ain't exactly UGA's tight end room, where they've got 3 5 stars in line behind the incumbent . . . the best receiving tight end in the country. Oh, and the third string TE . . . he was the #1 recruit coming out of high school.

Barner ain't all that . . . he's been targeted more than his production merits. Steinfeldt? he's a freshman . . . the best thing about him is he'll be a sophomore next year. James Bomba, a walk-on, has seen time this year.

You bought into the "he could be" hype about Barner, didn't you?

 

[IUNCAAChamps2012]

We do? Sure fooled me. It ain't exactly UGA's tight end room, where they've got 3 5 stars in line behind the incumbent . . . the best receiving tight end in the country. Oh, and the third string TE . . . he was the #1 recruit coming out of high school.

Barner ain't all that . . . he's been targeted more than his production merits. Steinfeldt? he's a freshman . . . the best thing about him is he'll be a sophomore next year. James Bomba, a walk-on, has seen time this year.

You bought into the "he could be" hype about Barner, didn't you?

this is a weirdly aggressive take. Barner has been fine when targeted. I agree with OP that it has been rare for the TE to be targeted this year. And at least one instance of Baz overthrowing an open TE in the middle of the field.

 

[daddyhoosier]

I have always and will always advocate being intentional about getting the TE involved in the passing game. I don't understand why any OC wouldn't do that. I also think dink and dunk can be a winning strategy if you have the patience to do it. I do agree that we have a good TE room. People like to take the position that if you don't have what Alabama or Georgia or Ohio State has then you are a bunch of bums. I think it is better and more useful to bring a little more nuance to the table.

 

[13thman]

Aren't they staying in to help pass block?

 

[76-1]

this is a weirdly aggressive take. Barner has been fine when targeted. I agree with OP that it has been rare for the TE to be targeted this year. And at least one instance of Baz overthrowing an open TE in the middle of the field.

Baz has consistently overthrown Barner and made what should have been an easy catch a tough one... Right now Barner is playing on either a sprained ankle or a sprained foot, or both...

The OC probably doesn't call many over the middle throws because every one Baz makes has a 50/50 probability of being overthrown and consequently a high possibility of being intercepted...

Whether Baz' overthrow issues are a footwork problem or a release point issue it's something that Bell as the QB's coach needs to identify and solve, otherwise, since we seem inexplicably unable to give anyone else a shot at QB, the season is doomed...

 

[Hoosiers47614]

They are having to stay in and block, or at least chip, on most plays.

And by the time they can disengage and leak out into a route, it is often too late.
Like that block and release play Maryland had on Saturday for a TD.
We could never do that, because Baze would've been on his back before the TE even drifted up field.

 

[vesuvius13]

They are having to stay in and block, or at least chip, on most plays.

And by the time they can disengage and leak out into a route, it is often too late.
Like that block and release play Maryland had on Saturday for a TD.
We could never do that, because Baze would've been on his back before the TE even drifted up field.

That wasn't a big issue with MD and yet coach Bell still didn't target the TE in the middle. Too many of the passes are going outside and IU needs more change up routes like they need varied running plays that aren't happening right now.

 

[Fenny72]

The TEs have had to stay in and block so far and then Barner got hurt. Baze has missed the TEs several times when he has thrown their way for good plays and overlooked them other times when they have been open.
With the OL giving Baze a little more time last week, hopefully that continues, and it will open up more routes, TE over the middle or roll outs.

 

[walkerman]

The TEs have had to stay in and block so far and then Barner got hurt. Baze has missed the TEs several times when he has thrown their way for good plays and overlooked them other times when they have been open.
With the OL giving Baze a little more time last week, hopefully that continues, and it will open up more routes, TE over the middle or roll outs.

He was not a tight end but how many times did we see Mitchell Paige catch a 3rd down and whatever over the middle for big gains. I do not know what the scheme was, but it has disappeared from the playbooks.

 

[Courtsensetwo]

With six games under our belt, our tight ends have only 22 catches. Watching some of the film replays, the middle of the field is open more times than not . We seem uninterested in the 5-8 yard plus gain and go for the bomb or interception. The dive play to the left side with the quarterback then running around the right side has been wide open as well.

We have a great group of tight ends and need to use them much more. It is ridiculous that they have only 22 catches after 360[+or-] plays.

He who uses the tight end most....wins.

Two reasons

Blocking needs as stated several places above

and

CB has sailed passes over their heads many times.

 

[82hoosier]

With six games under our belt, our tight ends have only 22 catches. Watching some of the film replays, the middle of the field is open more times than not . We seem uninterested in the 5-8 yard plus gain and go for the bomb or interception. The dive play to the left side with the quarterback then running around the right side has been wide open as well.

We have a great group of tight ends and need to use them much more. It is ridiculous that they have only 22 catches after 360[+or-] plays.

He who uses the tight end most....wins.

I remember what seemed to be decades were Indiana never threw to the tight end. And that was because they needed them to stay in and help block with their undermanned offensive line teammates.

 

[Sope Creek]

I remember what seemed to be decades were Indiana never threw to the tight end. And that was because they needed them to stay in and help block with their undermanned offensive line teammates.

It was decades . . . 70s and 80s.

{on edit:] I don't recall the '67 team having a tight end either . . . just Butcher, Isenbarger and Gonso.

 

[jsenleo]

It was decades . . . 70s and 80s.

{on edit:] I don't recall the '67 team having a tight end either . . . just Butcher, Isenbarger and Gonso.

1967 Al Gage.... TE.. Most a blocker but he caught a few.

I clearly remember him dropping an easy TD pass in the end zone in either the Minnesota loss or the Rose Bowl... can't remember which it was. But, it was key.

 

[Sope Creek]

1967 Al Gage.... TE.. Most a blocker but he caught a few.

I clearly remember him dropping an easy TD pass in the end zone in either the Minnesota loss or the Rose Bowl... can't remember which it was. But, it was key.

I remember the name now . . . but don't remember the player. Course I don't remember my old high school coaches as players for IU either.

 

[82hoosier]

Last year I found the entire Rose bowl broadcast of Indiana and USC on YouTube. I imagine it's still there.

 

[hoosier roadtrips]

I believe that Gage caught the winning touchdown pass in the opener against Kentucky in 1967. That was right in front of where I was sitting.

 

[vesuvius13]

One short-coming of IU's offense is the inability to get passes in the middle of the field.