IU Will Raise the Victory Flag vs. Western Kentucky If…

The 2-0 Indiana Hoosiers will be back in Memorial Stadium to face the 0-2 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Saturday’s matchup will be the sixth time these two programs have faced each other. Indiana leads the all time series 5-0, with the last game coming in 2022. The Hilltoppers will look to change that record; however, first they will have to limit a dominant Hoosier offense. Indiana Football will raise the flag against Western Kentucky if…

Getting WKU’s Offense off the Field

The Hilltoppers‘ last game was against a tough Georgia Bulldogs team, where they were able to get 20 points on the board, with six of those points arriving in the second quarter. The Hilltoppers managed to stay on the field, recording 17 first downs against Georgia; the Bulldogs were slightly higher with 18. While the Hilltoppers totaled significantly fewer yards, their fast-tempo offense managed to outpace Georgia with 74 plays.

The Hilltoppers topped the Bulldogs in time of possession, 31:06. Indiana will have to limit the Hilltoppers’ offense on the field. Although WKU’s offense isn’t always the most efficient, they cash in when reaching the red zone. Last week, they were 3-for-3 in red-zone chances. The Hoosiers’ defense will need to keep them on their own side of the 50. Clearly, Georgia did not need time of possession because they generated explosive plays and scored quickly. The task in front of Indiana remains similar: score early and continue scoring.

Cashing In on Turnovers

WKU specializes in small gains and short passes, meaning the Hoosier secondary will have to react quickly and anticipate the play before it unfolds. In order to disrupt this rhythm, defensive backs will have to close quickly and restrict receivers from having the chance to turn upfield.

One of the biggest weaknesses of WKU’s offense is their tendency to turn the ball over. The Hilltoppers surrendered four turnovers to Georgia: two fumbles and two interceptions. Three of WKU’s turnovers gave Georgia the ball inside the Hilltoppers’ 20-yard line, and the Bulldogs capitalized on them. Indiana’s defense will have to collapse the pocket and contest WKU’s ball security to come away with these turnovers. If the Hilltoppers feel rattled, they will most likely give up the football, and the Hoosiers are very good at making teams feel out of control.

Another Josh Hoover Success

It is no secret that Josh Hoover has controlled the pace of each game this season. He has thrown four touchdowns in each of his last two games and tied the program record for most touchdown passes in the first two weeks of the season. Last weekend, Hoover was 6-for-11 in completions and averaged 13.2 yards per attempt, he also totaled six rushing attempts for 18 yards. Wide receiver Charlie Becker has also been a main recipient of Hoover’s throws. Becker recorded 3 receptions for 81 yards last week, all of which resulted in touchdowns. Becker became the only Indiana player with multiple touchdown catches in consecutive games. Receiver Nick Marsh followed Becker, with two receptions for 71 yards.

Lee Beebe Jr. also had a great showing last week, recording 16 attempts for 118 yards. Turbo Richard was shortly behind with 11 attempts for 108 yards. Indiana’s offense was clearly dominant and productive against Howard a week ago, logging 55 points, and they will seek to do it again against the Hilltoppers.