What Worked and What DIdn't in Indiana's Win at Rutgers
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image Sarah Miller Hoosier Huddle
Written By Lauralys Shallow
What Worked
Pass Defense:
Overall, Indiana’s defense, specifically its secondary, did a nice job of limiting the Rutgers passing game. Rutgers quarterback Artur Sitkowski was 18 for 35 for just 154 yards on the day. Rutgers completed only 19 passes throughout the entire game, and the IU defense only gave up one pass that was over 20 yards.
The most impressive defensive pass play was when true freshman Jamar Johnson got his first career pick in the end zone. Johnson killed a successful drive that Rutgers should have gotten at least three points off of; instead, Indiana took over from its own 20 and picked up 3 points after Logan Justus connected on a 44-yard field goal to give the Hoosiers a 24-7 lead heading into the half.
IU held Rutgers to 193 passing yards, and in all four of IU’s wins this season, the Hoosiers have held their opponents to under 200 yards passing. Michigan State put up 217 passing yards in IU’s only loss on the season. IU’s defense put up a strong performance against the Rutgers passing game.
Finding Nick Westbrook:
Nick Westbrook was targeted more times in the first half than he had been in the last two contests combined. Westbrook was targeted seven times in the first two quarters against Rutgers, while he was only targeted six times total against Ball State and Michigan State. Westbrook finished with four catches for 62 yards, averaging 15.5 yards per catch.
With Luke Timian and Whop Philyor sidelined due to injuries, Indiana got some much needed production from its senior receiver who had been quiet the last two games, catching just four passes for 39 yards. Westbrook’s talent and experience is a tremendous asset for the receiving core, and he is that much more significant without Timian and Philyor on the field to give IU production in the pass game.
What Didn’t
Play Calling:
After putting up 24 points in the first half, 7 in the first quarter and 17 in the second quarter, IU was heled scoreless in the second half. Three weeks ago, IU found themselves in a similar situation when it scored 20 in the first half against Virginia and was unable to put up any more points in the second half.
With the ball to start the third quarter up 24-7, IU was in the perfect position to get points on its opening drive of the second half and start to put the game out of reach. Of course, IU did not do that. The Hoosiers went three-and-out to start the half after handing the ball off to Stevie Scott on a very manageable 3rd and 3. IU’s quick three-and-out was very telling of how the offensive play calling would look the rest of the game: conservative.
Peyton Ramsey, 27-40 for 288 yards, was tearing up the Rutgers defense through the air, but IU chose to run the ball more in the second half to chew the clock. That run-heavy, conservative play calling backfired, and IU squandered its 17-point lead to seven. Perhaps the best example of IU’s bad play calling came on a 4th and 9 in the red zone. IU had a 24-10 lead and found themselves in a 4th and 9 from the Rutgers 18. Instead of kicking the field goal and taking a 13 point 27-10 lead, IU elected to go for it and Ramsey threw an interception in the end zone on an attempted fade route to J-Shun Harris, who is only 5’8. Rutgers got the ball on its own 25 with 7:47 remaining and an opportunity to make it a one score ball game. Rutgers would go on to hit a field goal and make it a one score game with a little under four minutes remaining.
The only reason IU found itself in a one score situation with Rutgers late in the game was the play calling. IU had been conservative throughout the entire second half, and the one time it just needed to take the points IU decided to take a chance, and it cost them. IU made what should have been an easy win look hard. While it is great that IU won, IU needs to be consistent for an entire game if it wants to beat the stronger conference opponents coming up on the schedule.