Experience and Trust are Keys as Indiana's Secondary Looks Red Hot

image: Indiana University Athletics

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The Indiana defensive backfield has grown up. With maturing of the raw talent Tom Allen and his staff brought in, the secondary has become the strength of the Hoosier defense. Against Rutgers, the IU secondary accounted for 34 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and an interception. It’s the key to the defense’s success so far in 2020.

“That is really important for us” Indiana head coach Tom Allen said of his trust level in his secondary. “You want to be multiple schematically and I think that is one thing we have really tried to become more of as a defense and take some pressure off certain calls and techniques. I think that with their ability to play man and zone with both our safeties and our corners.”

The star of Indiana’s secondary is Tiawan Mullen, a true sophomore, who has helped Indiana in every way possible. He is Indiana’s third leading tackler with 15 stops. He’s made plays behind the line of scrimmage, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks and he is usually guarding the opponent’s number one receiver.

Indiana defensive coordinator Kane Wommack says Mullen’s ability to blitz from the nickel back position is quite unique. Mullen “is a guy that is crafty and explosive. He blitzes about two inches off the ground so he is hard to pick up. That can always be a difficult thing as well when you play low and fast. You find creative ways to get in the backfield” Wommack said on Monday.

Mullen credits the disguise of the blitzes for his success in getting into Rutgers’ backfield. “I think it was successful because we disguised it well” Mullen said. “I did not show any details that I was coming. When it was time to come, I improvised and got the quarterback down.”

It’s not just Mullen who is performing for the Hoosiers.

Sound tackling has probably been the most impressive characteristic of the Indiana secondary in 2020. When other teams have struggled to tackle well early in the season, the Hoosier secondary is bring ball carriers to the ground at an impressive rate. Safety Devon Matthews knows how important that has been to their success. “Tackling is very important. If you do not tackle, you do not win games” Matthews said. “Especially at the safety position, you are the last man of defense. If we do not make a tackle, nobody else is going to make a tackle, it is a touchdown. As long as we are tackling and keeping plays in front of us, we are going to be good.”

It’s a handful of players hitting their stride at the same time.

Cornerback Jaylin Williams was IU’s defensive player of the game against Rutgers. Reese Taylor played what Allen is calling “his best game as Hoosier”. Allen also said that Jamar Johnson “played his best game yet since he has been here on Saturday and just doing everything that he is asked to do like the discipline.”

The list goes on. Devon Matthews, Bryant Fitzgerald…it seems like every one in the secondary is hot.

Matthews credits experience to the success of the secondary. “I think we are playing very well. We are all comfortable back there, we have got experience. Like I have been saying before, experience is key to our defense. We all know what to do. We all are just doing our job. We all are just buying into what the coach is telling us to do, go out there and play our game and come out victorious.”