Reakwon Jones, Jonathan Crawford Wreck Ball State Offense
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James Head (6) gave the IU defense a lift with his play on the edge Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle
Written by Rylie Kyhn
Ball State was an offense that put up 16 points over a talented Notre Dame team last weekend, was held to 10 points Saturday after a strong showing from the Indiana defense. The Hoosiers recorded three sacks and seven tackles for loss. After the first drive of the game where they gave up a field goal, the held Ball State scoreless in the rest of the first half. The first two possessions for Ball State they moved the ball well and the Cardinals averaged 6.7 yards per play on first down after those first two possession drives, they shut them down. In Ball State’s first two drives, they went 112 yards but the next six drives they moved 60 yards total with no third down conversions. After the second possession they seemed to find a solution for dual threat quarterback, Riley Neal and continued to hold them.
Getting pressure on Neal was key for IU’s defense. “Once we started getting them in third downs and longer, then we were then able to put our ears back and get after it, and try to mix up man and zone and different things we like to do” Allen said after the game.
Coming into the game tackles for a loss was a statistic that was going to be important and The Indiana defense came up with 7 tackles for loss. They had 5 different players with a tackle for loss including true freshman James Head, Allen Stallings, T.D. Roof, Jonathan Crawford and Reakwon Jones. For a defensive line and young group of linebackers that struggled in their first game of the season, it seems to be no longer a concern.
The first drive of the second half the defense forced a three and out, but shortly after in the third quarter they allowed the Cardinals their first touchdown of the game. They allowed that but that would be all the production they would in the rest of the second half. Jonathan Crawford and Reakwon Jones came up with two sacks to bring up third and then fourth down to start off the fourth quarter and that basically sealed the game away. Allen praised Jones after the game saying, “Reakwon continues to elevate his game. Like you said, he may be a junior on paper, but he's not played the number of snaps that a typical junior has played. So he's younger in regards to his rep base. His development grows and I think will continue.”
The next possession resulted in another three and out for the Cardinals and they only got one final possession as time was running out. On the final play of the game Isaac James came up with an interception to seal off the victory.
The young defense seems to be putting it all together heading into Big Ten play next week. The rest of the season will determine how they match-up against their conference opponents but for the moment the Hoosiers are 3-0 and they seem to be putting everything together.