Defensive Coordinator Charlton Warren’s history with Cincinnati QB Could Be Key for the Hoosiers Defense

Written by Evan Orris

No one can really stop Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder—the 2020 runner-up for the Maxwell Award. Only one team did all last season: The Georgia Bulldogs. Now, the Indiana Hoosiers have someone who received the inside look of what it takes to beat the 2020 AAC Offensive Player of the Year: Defensive coordinator Charlton Warren.

After throwing for 2,296 yards and 19 touchdowns to just six interceptions in the air and adding 592 yards and 12 scores on the ground, Ridder went head-to-head with Warren and the Georgia defense in the Peach Bowl. Although Warren was the defensive backs coach at the time, he still spent time game-planning against the star quarterback. Now, the two will meet again on Saturday.

“I learned they have a quarterback who has played a lot of football. It’s hard to trick him. He’s seen a bunch of things, he can make checks, he’s one of those guys that can truly hurt you with his arms, his legs, and his brain.” Warren said of the quarterback.

When they played, Warren’s secondary allowed two first-half passing touchdowns but then stood pat the rest of the help Georgia sneak out with a 24-21 win after a last-second field goal. Ridder still ended the game with 206 yards and two touchdowns while completing 65% of his throws but folded when the game mattered most.

The key to stopping the star quarterback and his high-powered offense was to not let him throw. The Bulldogs sacked Ridder eight times all game and made him feel uncomfortable in the pocket. One of the sacks resulted in a fumble, which led to a momentum-shifting Georgia touchdown. Something the Hoosiers need to do if they want to win. 

“All those games help, but again, like I said, this is a very experienced quarterback, who has seen a ton,” Warren said. “And it’s really going to come down to us executing and making plays. Winning some 50-50 ball’s and taking the ball away to give us a chance to win the game.”  

So far, Ridder has thrown for 538 yards and six touchdowns and has completed 72.3% of his throws en route to a 2-0 start. He also has thrown just one interception this season, so the Hoosiers need to capitalize on any errant throws that come their way, which there has been limited proof on film.

“We spend a lot of time studying over the summer as well and look in previous years and see his growth as a quarterback. He's just really throws the ball down the field with a lot of accuracy now and has a really talented receiver core,” Head coach Tom Allen said of Ridder. “He's a very good football player. Definitely a future NFL guy. You have that kind of guy leading your team, that's a very good formula for a lot of success.