Forcing turnovers should be a high priority for this Hoosier defense
Written By Sammy Jacobs (@sammyj108)
Good morning Hoosier Nation! We hope you are out tailgating
and cooking up some brats or some breakfast. Enjoy it while you can because there are only four games
left in the season. While your
food is cooking or your buddies are setting up the dish sit back and enjoy the
three keys for victory for the Hoosier defense.
Hold the opponents to field goal attempts- By now we all know
that this defense isn’t going to completely shutdown an opponent, but what they
can do is limit the damage. The
Hoosiers defense played OK in the second half last week after a disastrous
second quarter. If the Hoosiers
can not break after letting up yards to the Illini and hold them to field goal
attempts this game should be well in hand by dinner time. It should help IU that their number one
receiver Ryan Lankford is out for the year.
Pressure Scheelhaase- The reason Indiana came out victorious in
this matchup last season is that the Hoosiers put the Illini QB on his back all
day. Scheelhaase looked
uncomfortable and just was not effective.
Scheelhaase is healthy in 2013 so far and has looked solid, but this
offense is still 66th nationally in scoring at 29 points per game.
Take their Heart- The trick in beating really bad teams is to
not let them stick around for long.
Don’t let them believe that they can win. This is what Indiana has to do today. While the defense hasn’t been great they
have forced a turnover in six straight games this season. An early turnover should crush the will
of this Illinois team, especially if the Hoosiers can capitalize off of
it. Forcing multiple turnovers
will make this game swing largely in favor of the Hoosiers.
There are no two ways around it. This is a game Indiana should win. Playing at home against an inferior conference opponent the
Hoosiers simply have to win this game to have something to show for this
season. Illinois will come in
thinking that this may be their shot to end their losing streak, but the
Hoosier offense has to crush any hope that the Fighting Illini have at pulling
off the upset in Bloomington today.