IU's Defensive Line Hopes to Build on 2016 Success
/
The IU defensive line will be trying to build on the foundation they laid in 2016. Image: Sammy Jacobs HoosierHuddle.com
Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)
The Indiana Hoosiers entered the 2016 season with a new defensive coordinator, a new defensive line coach and a number of holes on the defensive line. Starters like Nick Mangieri and Darius Latham were gone and IU had more questions than answers. However, new coordinator Tom Allen and new position coach Mark Hagen had a quick impact on the young line and the unit many (myself included) questioned prior to the season outperformed expectations during a very successful 2016 season. After finishing at or near the bottom defensively for years, IU crept up into the middle of the pack. They finished ninth in the league in scoring defense (surrendering 27.2 points per game) and tenth in rushing defense (160.4 yards per game). Despite having no stand out pass rushers, IU was able to cobble together enough pressure as a group to finish fifth in the Big Ten in sacks (2.5 per game). The Hoosiers lose a pair of contributors in Ralph Green and Patrick Dougherty but, for the first time in a number of years, expectations are high for the IU defense and the line hopes to serve as an imposing tone-setter in their second year under Mark Hagen’s guidance.
“We’re more familiar with each other and now we have a standard set and we just go by our standards,” lineman Greg Gooch said on Tuesday. “One of my words is relentless and I’ll hold my teammates accountable to that as well.”
Robert McCray was injured until later in the 2016 season but he’s healthy now and working on becoming a force for 2017.
“Last year, I feel like I showed flashes. This year, I feel like I can focus more and just be relentless,” McCray said. “You just have to do your job. Do your job and the plays will be there.”
IU is expecting returning veterans like Gooch, McCray, Nate Hoff, Jacob Robinson, Derrian Meminger and Nile Sykes to mix with freshmen and redshirt freshmen like Juan Harris, Jerome Johnson and Allen Stallings.
Mark Hagen spoke on Tuesday about the progress the “young guys” have made thus far in spring practice. “I think the effort has been good. Our two young tackles (Jerome Johnson and Juan Harris) are getting baptized in terms of uptempo and after two or three snaps, they’re kind of searching for that breath. There’s some give and take with them and I’ve challenged them both and they’ve both responded. Juan especially needs to continue to get in better shape and drop his weight a little bit. Jerome is kind of learning a new position. We had him at the nose last year and he’s out at the three-technique right now but he’s a guy that has responded and I like how he’s come back. All the young guys are doing well and it’s just a work in progress you know, it doesn’t happen overnight.”
The progress of Harris and Johnson is particularly important as IU hopes to make up for the graduation of Ralph Green and his presence in the interior of the defense. Finding a pair of young tackles that can pair with Nate Hoff to clog the middle and penetrate into the backfield would be a massive boon for IU’s defense and these two appear to the be the best bets. The other important step for IU’s line to take another step forward involves individual pass rushers. The Hoosiers finished fifth in total team sacks but finding a couple of pass rushers capable of winning individual battles and making game-changing sacks is a big priority. Tom Allen addressed the need in recruiting but none of those guys are on campus for spring practice and their ability to impact the squad in 2017 is unknown. That means the Hoosiers will turn to Allen Stallings, Brandon Wilson, Omari Stringer and, as Mark Hagen pointed out, senior Robert McCray.
“I’ve challenged him because he’s one of our more talented athletes on the defensive line,” Hagen said of McCray. “He needs to ratchet his game up a couple of notches and he’s capable of doing it. He’s responded in a positive way so far and he needs to keep gaining on it. He’s a guy that can create negative plays for us and he’s one of our few guys that in a one-on-one situation can get to the quarterback.”
IU’s defensive line made impressive strides during the 2016 season but there are reasons to expect even better in 2017. This is their second year in this defensive system, the line rotation should be deeper and there’s an impressive level of talent and experience returning. The Hoosiers were ninth in total defense in the Big Ten in 2016 but progress from the defensive line could push IU into the top half of the conference in 2017.