Hoosiers hope Wilson’s teaching means needed win
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Assistant Editor
Opponent: Penn State Nittany Lions (3-1)
When: noon Saturday at Memorial Stadium
Heading into a bye week, Indiana coach Kevin Wilson pivoted back to fundamentals and spent time self-scouting. This team, in his eyes and others’, should be better than 2-2.
On Saturday, his team’s performance will reveal whether Wilson was a master problem solver. The pressure is on the Hoosiers in this game. Penn State is banned from postseason play. But the Big Ten opener will determine whether Indiana’s bowl hopes are in serious jeopardy.
At some point, the Hoosiers have to do better in league play. Going 5-35 against the Big Ten the past five years leaves them in a systemic rut. Wilson believes he can change the culture of the program and turn the Hoosiers into a winner.
Now is a tough time to start, because Indiana has never beaten Penn State in football. After an off week, the Nittany Lions resume what appears to be another winning season. True freshman Christian Hackenberg completes better than 62 percent of his passes, throws for more than 256 yards per game and has the talent to become one of the great quarterbacks in college football.
Defensive coordinator Doug Mallory reports that Hoosier defenders have the right attitude and work ethic but still need better results stopping the run. The Hoosiers are giving up 32.8 points a game. Wilson thought he found on tape problems with alignment and communication. He spent time in practice making changes with his young defense.
But all of the soul-searching and tactical adjustments face an immediate test, at what might be the crossroads of Indiana’s season. This is the type of winnable game that could spin positive momentum. Losing a third time on a five-game homestand could cost the Hoosiers some of their fan support. Wilson will find out whether his team is for real.
Three players to watch
Allen Robinson, WR: He’s a beast. Penn State wants to throw to Robinson as much as possible. At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, Robinson has good size but also makes big plays. As a sophomore last season, he went off for a school-record 77 catches and 1,013 yards with 11 touchdowns (including three against Indiana). All of those numbers led the Big Ten. The Hoosiers have to find No. 8 before the snap and probably provide safety help over the top.
Deion Barnes, DE: He had six sacks, three forced fumbles and 10 tackles for loss – all team bests – as a redshirt freshman. Now he’s a little stronger, up to 249 pounds. He never stops moving, is quick and is tall at 6-4. The Hoosiers might not face a better pass rusher all season.
John Urschel, RG: The senior bulldozer is on the Outland Trophy watch list for good reason. To look at Urschel’s 6-3, 307-pound frame is one thing. But eye him during a play instead of the ball, and it’s easy to see why he made first team All-Big Ten.
Series history
Penn State is 16-0 against the Hoosiers, with all games played since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993. Of course, 11 of those wins were vacated by the NCAA, but that’s mostly a matter of bookkeeping. Six of the games were played in Bloomington, with the Hoosiers losing those by six, 22, 33, four, five and six points. The schools are meeting for the sixth straight season and will continue to play annually as members of the new Big Ten East Division starting next fall.
Familiar faces
Penn State’s kicker and punter are from the state of Indiana. Alex Butterworth, averaging 39 yards per punt, was a three-time all-state selection at Heritage Christian High in Indianapolis. Kicker Sam Ficken is having a great year: 7 for 8 on field goals so far after going 14-of-21 last season. The junior attended Valparaiso High. Elsewhere, Indiana reserve quarterback Nate Boudreau and Penn State backup linebacker T.J. Rhattigan were teammates at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Ill.
Injury report
Indiana is likely to again be without right tackle Peyton Eckert, who has missed every game with a stiff lower back. Left guard Bernard Taylor is probable. Right guard Dan Feeney and linebacker Chase Hoobler are out for the season. As for Penn State, outside linebacker Mike Hull is expected to return from a knee issue. Safety Ryan Keiser will miss the game with a hand injury. Special teams player Jack Haffner (ankle) is doubtful.
Trivial
Penn State has 12 touchdowns and three field goals in 15 trips to the red zone this season. Only five other offenses in the Football Bowl Subdivision are perfect in the red zone: Maryland, Rice, Connecticut, Iowa State and Colorado. Dating to last year, the Lions have scored on 46 of 50 trips inside the opponent’s 20.
He said it
“We focus on this game. We don’t focus on years past. We focus on this year. This team, this year has never beaten Penn State. Penn State has never beaten us.” – Indiana’s Tim Bennett, to IndySportsLegends.com, on his school’s winless history against Penn State
Outlook
The Hoosiers are a quick-strike offense and need to put points on the board early. They have had a tough time this year getting off to a good start. The Lions and defensive coordinator John Butler can’t afford any type of repeat of the Central Florida game when they allowed 507 yards and lost. The program has made progress in Bill O’Brien’s second year. The Lions have a solid offensive line. O’Brien gets the most out of quarterbacks. Penn State went 8-4 last season. Tight end Kyle Carter is a star. This is going to be a tough game for the Hoosiers, who likely need to win out at home to make a bowl appearance. The bad news is that if they lose, they have the next two games – Michigan State and Michigan – on the road. Odds of Indiana beating Penn State are not good. Still, it’s not out of the question for Nate Sudfeld and the offense to put together a great game and finally knock off the Lions.
Follow Chris Goff on Twitter: chrisgoff_ISL.
