Hoosiers: What’s Hot and What’s Cold
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Assistant Editor
Each week I’ll run down what’s hot and what’s cold with Indiana football. Here’s my take from Saturday’s 42-14 loss at Ohio State:
HOT
Receivers – Kofi Hughes had nine catches for 120 yards, Shane Wynn had eight catches for 59 yards and a touchdown, and Cody Latimer added five receptions for 60 yards. At the very least, their numbers were there.
D’Angelo Roberts as a pass-catcher – Tailback finds 34 yards on two receptions, including a dandy 25-yard touchdown on a screen pass to the right side. Roberts reads blocks and uses speed to evade tackle of fast Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier, one of the nation’s top defenders.
COLD
Special teams – Kicker Mitch Ewald misses first field goals of the season, from 41 and 36 yards. Each clanks off an upright. Frigid temperatures, snow and wind have to be taken into account, but Ewald’s string of perfection comes to an end. Hoosiers also have a punt blocked.
Run defense – Unit makes its weekly appearance on this list. Buckeyes open some huge holes as quarterback Braxton Miller and halfback Carlos Hyde run wild.
Facing Ohio State – Hoosiers appear no closer to figuring out the Buckeyes and lose their 18th straight against them.
Bowl games – Eliminated from postseason play, Indiana still has gone to just one bowl game since 1993 and extends its current bowl drought to six seasons.
Offense – Hoosiers, who entered Saturday second in the Big Ten in scoring at 39 points a game, have managed just 17 over the past two weeks. Loss of star runner Tevin Coleman has hurt, but explosive attack has not translated in two of the conference’s most difficult places to play. Posted 442 total yards against Ohio State but failed to extend and finish drives or score a single point when the game was within reach.
Follow Chris Goff on Twitter: @chrisgoff_ISL.
