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When does Defense become IU's strength?

TMFT

All-Big Ten
Nov 4, 2019
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The thread about Caden Curry got me thinking, when does defense become IU's team strength. It feels like we've relied on scoring points for so long that I haven't given it too much thought.

But I'm thinking of some of our top rated recruits the last couple of years: *Note: I know I'm leaving guys off of this list, I was just looking at the top 5 or 6 recruits each season.
2020 - Lewis (DT), Murphy (DE), and Watley-Neely (DB)
2019 - Robbins (DE), Cam Williams (LB), Sanguinetti (DB), and Mullen (DB). I'll throw in Sio (DT) too, even though he wasn't a top-rated recruit he had an impressive true Fr. year.
2018 - Reese Taylor (DB) and Head (DE)

I mean, they've been able to pull in some 4-stars to go along with some less highly ranked guys that have shown they can play (like Sio) in addition to absolute gems like Mullen.

I hope Wommack can take advantage of his players, because as I'm thinking about it, I can't think of any reason the defense can't be much improved in 2020 and really dang good in 2021 & 2022.
 
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I agree with the old adage "offense wins game, defense wins championships" so I hoped for a defensive minded coach every time we made a change. Accordingly I was happy with the Hoeppner hire and although I thought Allen was a little premature, I'm happy with him now.

Wilson did wonders for our program by insisting that IU football would no longer be a punching bag -- starting with the Jack and Zach interview and irritating the powers that be by constantly lobbying for improved facilities and generally better treatment of the program. BUT, he was an offensive minded coach, an offensive guru, an offensive genius, and I cringed when we hired him. He practically said defense isn't very important, that if we could score 55 points a game we wouldn't need defense. The reality was if we scored 55 we gave up 62. He certainly added some good defensive players but not enough and we never had adequate depth.

Allen, with his defensive background, is addressing the problem with quality players and numbers and I expect it to continue. There are always enough good RBs and receivers to go around but you need depth at all three levels of the D to keep guys rested and playing full speed. I'm optimistic.
 
The thread about Caden Curry got me thinking, when does defense become IU's team strength. It feels like we've relied on scoring points for so long that I haven't given it too much thought.

But I'm thinking of some of our top rated recruits the last couple of years: *Note: I know I'm leaving guys off of this list, I was just looking at the top 5 or 6 recruits each season.
2020 - Lewis (DT), Murphy (DE), and Watley-Neely (DB)
2019 - Robbins (DE), Cam Williams (LB), Sanguinetti (DB), and Mullen (DB). I'll throw in Sio (DT) too, even though he wasn't a top-rated recruit he had an impressive true Fr. year.
2018 - Reese Taylor (DB) and Head (DE)

I mean, they've been able to pull in some 4-stars to go along with some less highly ranked guys that have shown they can play (like Sio) in addition to absolute gems like Mullen.

I hope Wommack can take advantage of his players, because as I'm thinking about it, I can't think of any reason the defense can't be much improved in 2020 and really dang good in 2021 & 2022.
Defense carried IU during Wilson's last season as HC (no way that team would have gone bowling without Allen's D), and has been good - - at times - - since. But you're right. With the talent upgrade and, assuming Wommack's the right man for the job, the D should be primed for a breakout season soon.
 
Looking at the bowl game except the last 7 minutes and I see IU's defense being much better this season. The experience the players gained last year should make this defense much better this year.
 
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