Game Day Primer: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Eastern Illinois Panthers
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Image: Sarah Miller Hoosier Huddle
Written by T.J. Inman
Game 2 Primer – Eastern Illinois
What: Indiana (1-0) vs. Eastern Illinois (0-1)
Where: Memorial Stadium
When: Saturday, September 7 at 3:30
How to Watch: The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. You can also listen to the game on the IU Radio Network with the legendary Don Fischer on the call.
Series History: This is the first meeting between the two programs.
What’s at Stake: The primary goal for the Indiana Hoosiers in 2019 is to reach a bowl game. That means the Hoosiers need six victories and they must avoid any bad losses. To write the obvious, losing to Eastern Illinois would be a bad loss. EIU has a first-year head coach and they are an FCS program that has struggled to find much success in the past couple of seasons. After the actual outcome, the most important thing for the Hoosiers is to correct the errors and issues from week one as they prepare for the Ohio State Buckeyes on September 14.
What to Watch For
1. Get the Running Backs Going
Indiana’s running back room entered the season as a group that was expected to be a strength. They certainly still could be but week one was not a standout performance for the deep and talented unit. Ball State did load the box against the backs but IU should be expected to have more success than what they did. Stevie Scott ran the ball 19 times for 48 yards, only an average of 2.5 yards. He had two touchdowns but the yards per carry were too low. No other running back had more than one carry. While Michael Penix had seven carries for 67 yards and IU ran for 4.5 yards per carry total, IU will need to have more success from their running backs against the Panthers. Eastern Illinois will not be a pushover up front as they only allowed 2.8 yards per carry against Chattanooga. Failure to get the traditional run game going would be a major worry.
2. Improve the Tackling
By Tom Allen’s count, Indiana missed 25 tackles against the Ball State Cardinals. That is simply unacceptable and Allen recognized as much. He called the tackling performance “horrible” and vowed that it was something that would be corrected moving forward. In an effort to stay healthy, Indiana went light on live tackling throughout camp and that undoubtedly impacted how they tackled in the opening game. However, it will need to be corrected quickly. The Panthers are coached by first year head coach Adam Cushing. He came to EIU after a long stay at Northwestern and the Panthers will look to throw a lot of looks and short passes at the Hoosiers. If IU cannot make the first tackle, those short passes could turn into substantial gains.
3. The Progression of Penix
Michael Penix Jr. made his first career start on Saturday against Ball State and he performed quite admirably, showing his immense potential. Penix Jr. went 24-40 for 326 yards along with 67 yards rushing. However, he had two interceptions and was a bit inaccurate on some short to mid-range throws. There were some drops from the receiving corps and it would be terrific to see that get corrected by guys like Whop Philyor and Nick Westbrook. Penix Jr. needs the game experience and this is another terrific opportunity to play against a live opponent and improve his game. The potential is clearly there and Saturday is another opportunity to get closer to realizing it.
Hoosier Huddle Preview Video
Game Day Experience Improvements
1. Beer and Wine Pilot Program: IU Athletics retained Upland Brewery for a pilot program to sell beer and wine in the public areas of Memorial Stadium this season. The main goals for this program are to enhance the game-day experience for our fans and reduce alcohol-related incidents in and around the stadium. Additional details about the program can be found HERE.
2. Restroom Renovations: Not coincidentally to the new beer and wine sales, the restrooms in Memorial Stadium’s main concourse have all been renovated in preparation for the 2019 season. The improvements in the 14 restroom facilities include new roofs, new lighting, and fresh paint.
3. Improved Wayfinding and Welcome Signage: The wayfinding and directional signage in and around Memorial Stadium have been increased and improved, highlighted by the new, friendlier “Welcome to Memorial Stadium” sign. We have doubled the directional and wayfinding signs inside Memorial Stadium All parking lot entry signage have been updated. We have added five eight-foot “YOU ARE HERE” signs in parking lots to help direct fans to gates and provide helpful information. We have also added signage stressing the ability to call or text 812-369-6948 (MYIU).
4. Tiered Ticket Pricing: Hoosier fans can now take advantage of new tiered single-game ticket pricing for home games at Memorial Stadium. The new single-game pricing structure includes four options for each of IU's six home football games, with a single-game, general public ticket against Eastern Illinois available for as little as $20. While the IU Football season ticket remains the most affordable option for fans attending multiple games, the new single-game tiered pricing structure gives fans another option to consider. Additional details on the tiered ticket pricing can be found HERE.
5. Names Return to the Back of IU Football Jerseys: IU Athletics has returned the names of IU’s football players to the back of their jerseys. In so doing, IU Athletics recognized the unique nature of football in terms of the size of the competition venue, the distance between players and fans as well as the size of the roster and use of the duplicate numbers. Additional details about this decision can be found HERE.
6. “Orange” Parking Lot Renovation: Thanks to a project funded by the university, the IU Athletics “Orange” Parking Lot, located between Memorial Stadium and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, underwent a $1.71 million reconstruction and re-alignment over the summer. The project included the improvement and addition of green space similar to what can be found in the recent, university-funded renovation of the “Purple” Lot. The reconfigured Orange Lot, accessible through Gate 4 at the intersection of Woodlawn and 17th Street, will dramatically improve game-day vehicular and pedestrian traffic flow, as well as enhance the tailgating experience.