Injuries Leading to Simpler Defenses Being Called by Hoosier DC Charlton Warren

Written by Matt Smith

It was a flip of the script over the weekend as the usually solid Indiana defense played one of their worst games of the season. The defense gave up 38 points to Maryland and could not get enough stops for the offense.

The Hoosiers played without their top two corners this weekend including Tiawan Mullen and Reese Taylor. They also didn’t have Josh Sanguinetti at safety. The air defense was a big issue against Maryland as Taulia Tagovailoa passed for over 400 yards and picked them apart.

“We have to find creative ways to get our guys on the field and put them in positions to make plays and have coverage concepts that play to the strengths of the guys who have to be on there,” defensive coordinator Charlton Warren said during his Monday press conference.

The Hoosiers tried to make adjustments going into the second half however, the defense continued to give up big passing plays. Warren attributed that to the one on one matchups that they were put in as well as a lack of communication.

With all of the injuries to the secondary it is hard to call creative defensive plays to confuse the opposing quarterback.

“Everything we do as we start moving guys around has to be more simple in nature.” Warren said. “We definitely have simplified things and made it a little easier for the parts to go into the game, but we have to be careful not to do so much, so it's easier for an offense to operate.”

The one constant for the entire Hoosiers team has been Micah McFadden, who is the leader of the team.

“He’s that rock in our defense, he’s the general on the field, he’s the guy that has been able to be disruptive on any down and distance,” Warren said. “It gives guys that have to come into the game confidence.”

As far as Michigan, the key to the game for the Hoosiers will be stopping the run in another loud stadium. 

“For us it is about playing our base fundamentals and rules, setting edges and allowing our defense to run the ball down from inside and out,” Warren said.