Examining Hoosiers’ defense by snap count
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Correspondent
With so much rotation on Indiana’s defense, it’s appropriate entering the bye week to dig deeper and try to get a feel for where different players stand in the eyes of the coaching staff. One way of doing that is by looking at the snaps played by Hoosier defenders in the team’s most recent game, a 45-28 loss to Missouri.
Note: These are unofficial figures tracked by IndySportsLegends.com from the Memorial Stadium press box. Snaps do not include a fourth-down fake field goal on which Indiana’s special teams were on the field, plays that were not official because of penalties or the final play of the game, a kneel down.
S Greg Heban – 95 of 95 snaps
S Mark Murphy –68 of 95
S Antonio Allen – 27 of 95
CB Tim Bennett – 95 of 95 snaps
CB Michael Hunter – 88 of 95 (Hunter left briefly in the first half after being shaken up)
CB Kenny Mullen – 12 of 95
CB Ryan Thompson – 7 of 95 (replaced Hunter in lineup)
LB Flo Hardin – 87 of 95 snaps
LB David Cooper – 63 of 95
LB T.J. Simmons – 56 of 95
LB Steven Funderburk –32 of 95
LB Marcus Oliver – 29 of 95
LB Griffen Dahlstrom – 3 of 95
LB Jake Michalek – 2 of 95
LB Jacarri Alexander – 1 of 95
DL Nick Mangieri – 59 of 95 snaps
DL Bobby Richardson – 57 of 95
DL Ryan Phillis – 56 of 95
DL Alex Todd – 47 of 95
DL Zack Shaw – 42 of 95
DL Ralph Green – 37 of 95
DL Darius Latham – 30 of 95
DL John Laihinen – 30 of 95
DL Adarius Rayner – 11 of 95
DL Chris Cormier – 9 of 95
DL Shawn Heffern – 2 of 95
Quick-hit thoughts: Nickel packages were used very infrequently, but when they were, Mullen usually came onto the field in place of a linebacker rather than a lineman … Heban and Bennett played every snap. Hunter likely would have done the same were he not banged up on a scramble to his side of the field by Missouri quarterback James Franklin … Mullen played only in sub packages, never in the base alignment. When Hunter left, Indiana opted for Thompson at right CB … The Hoosiers often instructed their corners to give plenty of cushion even with safeties playing deep most of the night … Indiana kept two safeties on the field at all times … Freshman David Kenney has been a little nicked up but seems to be the odd man out for now on the D-line … Oliver played almost exclusively at middle linebacker … Linemen frequently rotated in and out by groups of four. Mangieri, Richardson, Todd and Phillis started the game
Follow Chris Goff on Twitter: chrisgoff_ISL.
