2016 Defensive Line Preview: Can The Hoosiers Be Disruptive Enough Upfront?

Ralph Green (93) and Nate Hoff (74) will anchor an inexperienced defensive line in 2016

Written By: Nick Holmes (@HoosierHolmes)

New defensive scheme? Check. New defensive line coach? Check. New defensive line starters? Check. Plenty has changed since the Hoosiers gave up 44 points to Duke in the Pinstripe Bowl, a game that was gift-wrapped and delivered a day after Christmas to the Blue Devils. Well, if Indiana is to avoid a similar set of events in 2016, change is necessary, but change in itself is not nearly enough. There has to be a greater level of execution, which starts upfront, in the trenches at the point of attack.

Changing from three down linemen to four is the first thing you will notice when Indiana takes the field in just a few days. Also, as mentioned by many of the players, their first step is no longer lateral, but vertical, looking to make their way up the field quicker. But beyond scheme, who are some of the players looking to execute these changes?

The Beef (Nate Hoff and Ralph Green)

Nate Hoff is looking for a bounce back season after his sophomore campaign was a little underwhelming, especially after the potential he flashed as a freshman in 2014 when he amassed 29 tackles with 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss, earning an honorable mention on BTN’com’s All-Big Ten Freshmen team. Hoff already appears to be well on his way to having a bigger impact, as he is listed as a starter at defensive tackle on the team’s preseason depth chart. Not to overstate his importance, but it’s far from a stretch to say that if Indiana’s defense is to make a significant stride in 2016, the Hoosiers will need to see more of the ‘14 Hoff than the ’15 version.

The only pseudo-returning starter among the front four is fifth-year senior Ralph Green III, a Texas-sized nose tackle looking to wreak havoc along the interior of the defensive line. In addition to helping collapse the pocket from the inside and dragging down running backs, he has made batting down passes a frequent occurrence, knocking six passes to the ground in 2016. Green is another guy that Indiana will be relying on heavily to help turn the tide of the team’s defensive misfortune over the last few seasons. Again, he has yet to replicate, at least statistically, the same success he had as a freshman. However, few would argue that when Green was on his game in 2015, he made things truly difficult on offensive lines in the Big Ten.

New to The Line (Greg Gooch, Ja'Merez Bowen, Nile Sykes, Brandon Wilson, and Omari Stringer)

I wrote about Greg Gooch back in July, and my opinion remains largely unchanged; highly-touted recruit out of Florida who has yet to have quite the impact on the field many believed he would at this point in his career, no fault of his own. Getting lost in the shuffle of a deep group of middle linebackers in 2014 and playing behind one of the team’s best defensive players Zach Shaw in 2015, Gooch has not had a great opportunity to contribute, until now. Indiana desperately needs to find some players who can get into the backfield and cause some discomfort for opposing quarterbacks. The ball has been placed in Gooch’s court, but what will he do it? He possesses the ideal size, but has he developed the much needed skills to be effective in this new role?

Speaking of changes, redshirt sophomore Ja’Merez Bowen has seen his fair share over the last 12 months. After transferring to Indiana last fall, Bowen was shifted over to the defensive side of the ball after entering college as an offensive tackle. With the depth the team possessed along the offensive line, Coach Wilson believed his size, 6-foot-4, 308-pounds, and skill would be put to better use along the defensive line. The position is far from foreign to him though, as he played defense in high school. It’s hard to forecast what type of impact he will have this fall, but the team seems very optimistic about his potential to contribute, as he is currently listed behind Hoff as the team’s number two defensive tackle.

Much in the same vein as Gooch, Nile Sykes joined the team possessing a pretty robust recruiting profile, but that has not translated to on-the-field success, at least yet. He, like Gooch, has been shifted around the field to different positions, but looks to have found a new and hopefully permanent home at defensive end. It is obviously no secret Indiana is clamoring for an electric pass rusher and Sykes will also get an opportunity to show that he is capable of bringing the heat on passing downs, but more than that, winning the battle upfront when a team tries to run it. The audition for playing time started back in the spring and has continued into fall camp. Where he sat on the depth chart a few weeks ago was squarely behind Gooch. Where he is positioned now becomes public early next week and will come into play a few days later during the team’s first game against FIU.

Speaking of pass rush, moving Omari Stringer from linebacker to defensive end looks to be an attempt to get a quicker, more agile guy upfront. While by far the slightest option among the defensive ends, standing at 6-foot-4 and just 227-pounds, the redshirt freshman could become a third down pass rush specialist, which many teams have used over the years. As he continues to gain strength and add muscle to his frame, he might be able to work his way into an every down defensive end, but for now would likely be overpowered by opposing offensive lineman.

Another native of the Sunshine State, Brandon Wilson is a name we have not heard a lot of during fall camp, but he too joined the Hoosiers as a pretty high profile recruit. Previously committed to Virginia, Wilson decided that Indiana was a better fit and quickly flipped his commitment to Indiana. After taking a redshirt last fall, Wilson looks primed to push for playing time this fall. He already possesses the ideal size for the position at 6-foot-3, 261 pounds. Depending on how the players listed in front of him on the depth chart do, Wilson will likely get an opportunity to showcase his skills at some point this season.

Back For More (Jacob Robinson, Robert McCray, and Patrick Dougherty)

Second-year player Jacob Robinson is a bit of a wildcard, but not in a good verses bad sort of way. Right now he’s listed as one of the starting defensive ends, but with as much strength and size he’s packed on in the last year, he very easily could be shifted inside on certain downs. In fact, we have already seen a little bit of that back in the spring and some during fall camp. Of the many players expected to see action on the defensive line, Robinson could be as gifted as any and the team’s defensive performance may hinge upon his ability to realize that potential early on. At 6-foot-4, 285-pounds, he possesses the size of a truly game-changing defensive end, capable of mixing it up against an offensive tackle or setting the edge on running plays.

Robert McCray III was poised to be a major contributor for the Hoosiers in 2016 and still could be, but he is sidelined for at least the first half of the season recovering from shoulder surgery. The junior is another hybrid type of defensive lineman, capable of playing both in or outside, largely depending on down and distance. The biggest game of his career came during the team’s must-win contest against Purdue, recovering a fumble, and recording a pass breakup and a tackle for loss. When he does make it back out on the field, Indiana will be looking for more performances from him like that one.

Patrick Dougherty enters his fourth season in the Cream and Crimson, after seeing his first ever action in 2015 as a redshirt sophomore. Currently listed as the team’s number two nose tackle, he will be pushed by quite a few younger athletes looking to carve out some playing time for themselves at the position. Obviously one advantage he has over many of his peers is that he’s been through camp three times before and is no stranger to going through the rigors of an entire college football season. At the very least, Dougherty will provide some veteran leadership and some stability along the defensive line.

Possibly in the Mix

Joe Belden, Mike Barwick, and Derrian Meminger all find themselves in similar circumstances. Belden, a redshirt freshman, and Barwick and Meminger both redshirt sophomores, have yet to see any action at the collegiate level. How much they will contribute this fall is largely dependent on the health of the players in front of them on the depth chart. There’s a chance they could see some action on special teams throughout the course of the season, but as of right now, did not appear on the team’s two-deep. Of the three, Barwick possesses the ideal size of an interior defensive lineman, coming in at a stout 295-pounds on a his 6-foot frame, so getting leverage should be a non-issue. Belden is hard-nosed player and Meminger will look to provide depth when given the opportunity.

The Freshmen (Allen Stallings and Jerome Johnson)

Allen Stallings and Jerome Johnson are the final two scholarship defensive linemen on the team in 2016. There’s a strong chance that both could find their way on the field as true freshman, especially Stallings at defensive end. At this point, I’ve made it crystal clear that the audition for playing time at defensive end is wide open and Stallings looks like a prime candidate for early playing time. A standout wrestler at Oak Park-River Forest High School in Chicago, Stallings obviously knows plenty about getting leverage and using his body to get his opponent off balance. Stallings finds himself with a golden opportunity early on, like the rest of the defensive ends do. Crack the rotation and figure out how to have an impact on game day. Johnson, who already possesses the size of a Big Ten defensive tackle, seems to have a steeper hill to climb for playing time, as the team has plenty of bodies to throw at both of the interior defensive line positions.

Indiana’s play along the defensive front has left much to be desired the last few seasons, especially on passing downs. Losing four major contributors during the offseason only further complicates the matter, so figuring out what to expect from the group season is anyone’s guess. A change of scheme and coaching could go a long way in helping this group reach a higher level than they have in years past. But just as important, is getting the right guys in the right spots to make plays. Indiana has some bodies to throw out there, whether they individually possess the skills and talent to make plays remains to be seen.