All season long the Hoosiers’ defense has ranked amongst the best in college football; they sit at #4 in Total Defense. Fresh off their toughest test against Ohio State’s high-powered offense, they face another challenge against a fired-up Alabama team in the Rose Bowl. In order to come out on top, the Hoosiers are going to need to lean on their strengths as a defense.
The heart and soul of the Hoosiers’ defense, linebacker Aiden Fisher spoke with the media on Sunday to discuss how the Indiana defense stacks up against the Alabama offense. “I think [defensive coordinator Bryant Haines] said summed it up well. A really good offensive line: big, physical. A lot of playmakers on the edge and really good running backs, as well. Definitely have our work cut out for us.” Fisher said.
He continued saying, “These last couple of weeks they’ve been able to get their running game going and I think that has helped them a lot. They, obviously, have a quarterback that is playing at a really high level right now. Smart player that kind of knows what to do, how to get in and out of checks, does a really good job identifying blitzes and things like that, so definitely going to be a challenge for us. A really good football team.”
In order to slow down Alabama QB Ty Simpson, the Hoosiers need to lean into the physicality of their defensive line. “I think for us, stopping the run is always priority number one. They did a great job in the pass game during the Oklahoma game, especially Ty Simpson did a great job extending plays, letting his receivers get down field and get open. A lot of scrambling. He did a good job running the ball when he had to.” Fisher said.
When asked exactly how they plan on stopping Ty Simpson, Fisher said, “For us, it’s just about staying disciplined when he is on the move. Have to do a great job sticking to guys and making sure they are not getting opened down the field. Then, containing the quarterback when it comes down to needing to keep him in the pocket.”
The Hoosiers will have to contain Ty Simpson without one of the stars along their line, Stephen Daley. Daley, who suffered an unfortunate injury celebrating the Big Ten Championship, is out for the remainder of the season. As such, sophomore Daniel Ndukwe will likely see the field more during the CFP.
When asked about replacing Daley, Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines said, “Same with all positions, it is always next man up. So, I expect that when Daniel Ndukwe’s number is called, he’ll be ready just like everybody that came before him and everybody that is going to come after him, as well. That is regardless of position. You know, we had some [injuries] at linebacker during the middle of the year and whether it be Jeff Utzinger that shows up in there or Kaiden Turner. There is a job description that needs to be done, find a way to get it done.”
Ultimately, as Coach Haines says, “It is on me to adapt the scheme that fits what those guys are capable of; whether it is Daniel Ndukwe or whoever shows up at field end. I need to put them in a great spot to be successful. That is what I get paid to do and so I will fight my tail off to get that done.”
You can be sure that come gameday, Haines and Hoosiers’ will have a scheme in place that highlights their strengths while exposing Alabama’s weaknesses.