Hoosiers: What’s Hot and What’s Cold
By CHRIS GOFF
ISL Correspondent
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Each week I’ll run down what’s hot and what’s cold with Indiana football. Here’s my take from Saturday’s 45-28 loss to Missouri:
HOT
Cody Latimer – Receiver has seven of his eight receptions in the first half to help the Hoosiers stay close at intermission, as he keeps showing why he has a future in the National Football League.
Erich Toth and punt squad – One week after costly breakdowns against Bowling Green, and against a dynamite returner in Marcus Murphy, the unit holds up and produces great results (nine punts, no returns by Murphy and an average of 41.2 yards).
Marcus Oliver – Freshman gets the strip of Marcus Lucas to stop a Missouri drive early in the second quarter. Credited with four tackles in limited playing time as middle linebacker.
Greg Heban – Safety nabs two interceptions, bringing his career total to eight, and leads team with eight tackles.
COLD
Nate Sudfeld – Admittedly off his game, he fires three interceptions to bring his season total to five and begins to press as coaches let the offensive attack become one-dimensional despite some early success with the run.
Kofi Hughes – Silent night for receiver, who finishes with one catch for 5 yards. A lot of that had to do with being covered by shutdown cornerback E.J. Gaines.
Offensive/defensive lines – Missouri won the battles at the line of scrimmage, which showed up in the passing game. Sudfeld was thrown off his rhythm by a constant squeezing and collapse of the pocket via the Tigers’ defensive line. Despite missing left guard Max Copeland, Missouri’s offensive line marched up and down the field and gave James Franklin time. Indiana’s rush didn’t get it going until the second half, and even then three sacks made little difference.
Ted Bolser – Tight end is called for a false start on the first play of the second quarter, a fourth-and-1 at the Missouri 48, and caught just two passes for 10 yards. Bolser is really good and a fifth-year senior at that, but this was not his best effort.
Bowl hopes – Hoosiers must go 4-4 in Big Ten play in order to gain bowl eligibility. That alone would constitute a major achievement since Indiana won five Big Ten games in the previous five seasons combined. What is truly cold are the feelings of encouragement brought on by the 42-10 victory over Bowling Green. That now seems a bit of an aberration.
Follow Chris Goff on Twitter: chrisgoff_ISL.
