The Goal for Indiana's Defensive Line...Wreak Havoc

Image: Indiana University Athletics

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The Oxford dictionary defines havoc as wide spread destruction. What better word to describe what a defensive line should cause in college football. Havoc in college football is a stat that measures sacks, pass breakups, fumbles and tackles for loss. Basically all the plays that spell destruction for an offense. Indiana defensive line coach Kevin Peoples is wanting more havoc plays from the IU defense.

“One big thing with Coach (Charlton) Warren is creating havoc. We have a havoc leader every single day and that's tackles for loss, forced fumbles, sacks, pass breakups, and interceptions. That's a huge focus for our defensive line and a huge focus for our entire defense.” Peoples said on Wednesday.

The Hoosiers were a very disruptive defense in 2020. IU was second in the nation in interceptions (17) and led the Big Ten in takeaways (20) and sacks (25) and finished second in the Big Ten in passes defensed (52). That’s pretty good. Peoples wants more and IU has room for improvement in one particular category, tackles for loss.

Defensive lineman Lance Bryant, who has played a lot of football for IU, said that was one of the main focuses in fall camp. “It is an everyday thing. Every day we drill it and talk about it in meetings.” He said. "We [focus] on it in every drill: team and individual drills. Every day [the coaches] drill it into our heads. Eventually, it becomes natural, but we drill it a lot [in practice].”

Another veteran defensive lineman Sio Nofoagatoto'a echoed those sentiments saying, “The emphasis on havoc has really helped us as a D-line because we feel like if we can create havoc we can give confidence to our secondary and our linebackers.”

The Hoosiers will open the season ranked in the top 25 by all the major polls, bu there is already a sense of doubt from the national media as much of IU’s success on defense was based on takeaways, which have a certain amount of luck to them. One year a team could be great in that area and the next year the well goes dry. Indiana head coach Tom Allen will dismiss that and say that the preparation IU has put in to create those opportunities is the reason why ‘luck’ has gone IU’s way.

Havoc plays help create those opportunities, all IU has to do is cash in.