Week Two Inside the Numbers: Efficiency and Field Position Are Vital
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Quarterback efficiency is vital to the Hoosiers success image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle
Written By Rylie Kyhn
The Indiana Hoosiers play host to the Virginia Cavaliers on what could be a soggy Saturday in Bloomington. Usually during games in bad weather efficiency and field position are of upmost importance. We go deeper inside the numbers for the Hoosiers matchup with the Cavaliers.
Quarterback Play
The quarterback situation has been one of the most talked about aspects of this team. Saturday it was proven that Indiana has two quarterbacks that they can rely on and they are both dual threats. Both Peyton Ramsey and Mike Penix were reliable and accurate and if they can produce the way they did last week, it could lead to a successful season for this team. They produced 465 yards of total offense which is more that what they averaged last season at 395 yards per game. The quarterbacks combined for 28 completed passes on 37 attempts for 252 yards and four touchdowns. Last season they averaged 4.8 yards per play but last Saturday they averaged 5.7 yards per play.
Obviously they have a long way to go but for a season opener, they improved their numbers from last season. They also controlled the game in total possession time with 32:35 the ball was with the Hoosiers compared to the FIU offense that had the ball 27:25. This weekend should be more of a test for the Hoosier offense to matchup against the Virginia defense. Virginia gave up only 13 points last weekend against Richmond including nine first downs and only one rushing first down. Indiana has now lost their top two leading rushers and Virginia knows how to stop the run game so this weekend they will be tested. The Cavaliers allowed only two third down conversions and one touchdown and overall will be a bigger battle for the Hoosier offense to face.
Opposition Points and Yards
The defensive group is young and at times last weekend, you could tell. The mistakes cost them yardage and a touchdown in one instance. The defense gave up 327 yards overall which isn’t a huge number considering they averaged 340 yards per game last season, but those 327 yards amounted to 28 points for FIU which is “too much” said Coach Allen. The defense allowed the FIU offense two fourth down conversions and for a team that only gave up nine total fourth down conversions last season, coming out with two given up in the first game is something they are going to have to improve on. Coach Allen was disappointed in the linebackers but we knew this was going to be a position that may struggle coming in. Losing Tegray Scales and Chris Covington, the two that saw almost all the snaps last season was a huge blow to this defense. Adjustments and growing pains are going to be inevitable because you can’t expect a group that is so inexperienced to come in and have as much production as those two did last season. Heading into this weekend against Virginia, they bring a dual threat quarterback so they are going to need to made adjustments quickly and then implement them in order to prepare. Virginia tallied up 492 yards of total offense last weekend with 301 rushing yards and 191 passing. The Indiana defense struggled against the run game last weekend and with quarterback Bryce Perkins having the ability to run and the strength of running back Jordan Ellis, each who had two touchdowns last weekend, this could be a tough matchup for the young defense.
Takeaways
Although the Indiana defense is young and they struggled in their season opener, they came out with their three a game takeaway goal with an interception and two forced fumbles. Veteran leader Jonathan Crawford commanded the secondary and he came up with a forced fumble early and a pick six to spark the defense into getting their goal. The Hoosier defense came out with three takeaways but the Virginia defense also came up with two. Takeaways are a huge part of both of these defenses and they are going to be key on Saturday. Last season when these two teams played, Indiana came up with no takeaways in comparison to Virginia’s one interception. Despite the Cavaliers winning the takeaway battle in 2017, the Hoosiers were still able to come out with a win 34-17. This year, with the Virginia defense they are bringing to Bloomington, the Hoosiers are going to have to protect the ball and not give up easy takeaways as well as control the possessions if they want to come out of Saturday with a win.
Field Position
Field position for both Virginia and Indiana is going to be important. For the Hoosiers last weekend, they controlled the ball well despite one interception and they held good possession time with the final drive of the game around six minutes. They ran a total of 82 plays for 465 yards and their starting average field position was at their own 31-yard line. Indiana averaged 5.7 yards per play and they were efficient in the red zone with six attempts, four touchdowns and one field goal. Virginia ran 74 plays for 492 yards and their starting average field position was at their own 35-yard line. The Cavaliers averaged 6.6 yards per play and tallied 492 total offensive yards. They were two for three in the red zone with two touchdowns but one missed field goal. The Indiana field goal unit was efficient, Logan Justus making his only attempted field goal for 36 yards whereas Virginia attempted one field goal and missed. Special teams could end up playing a vital role in the game on Saturday so efficiency and accuracy for both teams will be key.