Patience Has Paid off for the Hoosiers with Stevie Scott’s Performances

ImagE: sammy jacobs/hoosier huddle

Written by Amanda Pavelka (@amandapavelka3)

The offense has undeniably been the strongest unit of the Hoosiers in 2019. Even with the injury-stricken offensive line and unpredictable quarterback situation for the first half of the season, the one constant has been the tough running, timely pass catching and consistent blocking provided by sophomore running back Stevie Scott.

Stevie Scott was the offensive star last year, putting up record-breaking freshman numbers with 1,137 yards, 10 touchdowns, and six 100 yard games. His lengthy list of accolades as a true freshman have placed a target on his back, one that he’s finding his way around. 

 “We were very frustrated at first,” Allen explained, “I do feel like there was a concerted effort by the teams we were playing to just make sure Stevie Scott did not beat them.” 

Indiana’s opponents have loaded the box to try shut the star running back down. Patience has been the key for Scott, and it’s starting pay off halfway through the season. 

“It was kind of a dual reason for why he wasn't getting the production that we were used to seeing from him,” Allen said, “Coach (Mike) Hart did a great job of teaching him how to handle this and to be more patient with his runs, and he started running harder, running with more confidence, and now our O-line just keeps getting better and better each and every week, even though we've played against some really good run defenses and still have been able to consistently run the football in the way that we know we need to.”

Mid-season, Scott has proven himself unstoppable as the key to Indiana’s run game, and yet another receiver to confuse defenses. In Saturday’s victory over Northwestern, the running back recorded his third 100-yard game of the season with 116 yards on 26 carries for two touchdowns and a 20-yard touchdown reception— a performance that earned him Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. 

The key to his breakout performance? Patience. 

“Taking my time and being patient, letting everything flow and happen instead of rushing it,” Scott told reporters Saturday. “I go into the game with the same mindset— to finish strong and help my team win, but I definitely feel the offense is different this year than last year. We’re more engaged, have that team chemistry. We’ve been working so hard in the offseason that we’ve just been waiting for this moment.”

The last four games Scott has found a way to nearly double his 281 yards on 76 carries in the first four games of the season— racking up 456 yards on 72 carries against Rutgers, Maryland, Nebraska, and Northwestern. 

“I definitely feel like since the beginning of the season, the whole offense grows as a team and that team chemistry starts coming together and you start clicking. In the middle of the season, I feel like our team is right where we want to be,” Scott said.

Not only is Scott right where Indiana needs him to be, averaging five yards per carry, his offseason pass-catching work has only made him the versatile player every team wishes they had. With 207 yards on 23 receptions this season, Scott is the Hoosiers’ sixth-best pass catcher. 

“I read a lot of books and use a lot of books to teach our players about the kind of team we're trying to develop,” Allen said, “and one of them was about an unselfish running back at the NFL level and what that looks like and how those guys have to be great pass blockers as well as receiving the football out of the backfield as well as running the ball, and he's bought into that.”

What kept him motivated through the first half of the season? Being a part of making history at Indiana. 

“It’s all we talked about in the offseason, all last season is changing this program and getting it headed in the right direction. I feel like we’re winning and we’re all on the same page. I feel like we’re just destined for greatness at this point, and we’re just striving,” Scott said. “If we hit the AP Top 25, we will be very excited. We won’t get big-headed at all, we’ll just be working and grinding hard, just keep taking it game by game and try to finish the season strong.”

Scott and the 7-2 Hoosiers came up just short with 27 points in the AP Poll after the victory over Northwestern Saturday. If Indiana cracks the AP Top 25 going into Penn State, it will be the first time since 1994.