IU Defense Resoundingly Answers Questions Entering the Season

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Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

Not much went right for the 2022 Indiana defense.

After finishing the year ranked 119th nationally in total defense, the Hoosiers hit the offseason needing a complete refresh. They hired a new defensive coordinator, Matt Guerrieri, from Ohio State, hit the transfer portal hard, and accepted when players opted to leave the program. The defensive room was completely transformed from top to bottom. Because of this, the Hoosiers entered this year with numerous questions left to answer.

Oh, and their first test would likely be their hardest, #3 ranked Ohio State, a team fresh off a College Football Playoff berth and a Buckeye squad that the Hoosiers had been in the losing column against every time since 1988.

With the odds seemingly stacked against them, the Indiana defense played well enough to steal a win. 

“Obviously, you don’t know until you go do it,” said Tom Allen postgame regarding the questions surrounding his defense. “I was really concerned about that matchup, without question. To be able to keep those guys in check was very critical. It was a combination of some pressure up front, as well as the guys coming around the back end and just trying to do a good job of disguising things.”

Aaron Casey was one of the few returning bright spots of last year’s defense and he picked up right where he left off last season, leading all defensive players in tackles with 11. Alongside him, though, was a new face to the defense – Stanford transfer Jacob Mangum-Farrar – who quickly made a name for himself as well.

“I was really proud of Jacob,” added Allen. “Obviously, we’ve never seen Jacob play in a game here, just on film at Stanford. So, I thought he did a really good job. I think he’s played the way we expect him to play.”

Mangum-Farrar finished with five tackles and two passes defended, one of which saved an Ohio State touchdown and stalled a redzone drive. This was a staple of Indiana’s defense all day, as the Buckeyes’ 380 total yards resulted in just 23 points.

“I was more encouraged by the bows up in the red zone,” continued Allen. “That’s when you got a long drive, you’re tired, you’re fatigued. It’s a gut check. It’s a character check. It’s a, can you bow up when your body is really, really exhausted and fatigued and make a play against an elite team, a top-3 team in the country. So, to me, our guys showed that.”

Two of the conferences’ toughest receivers were lined up against the Hoosier defense all day in Marvin Harrison Jr and Emeka Egbuka, but a new-look Hoosier secondary kept the duo to just 5 catches and 34 yards. New names aplenty in the secondary – Nic Toomer, Louis Moore, Kobee Minor, and Phillip Dunnam – combined for 23 tackles and Dunnam added the game’s lone takeaway, a second quarter interception.

“I know for a fact those receivers are special,” said Allen. “And the one is probably the best we’ve ever gone against since I’ve been coaching, in my entire career. We’ve got some length in the back end, got some playmakers. As you said, it’s a whole bunch of new guys. But I was very encouraged by our secondary.”

The final bright spot of the day was the performance of Western Michigan defensive line transfer Andre Carter. Carter was one of the nation’s top targets in the transfer portal and today he showed why against a tough Ohio State offensive front. He finished with four tackles, two of which were for a loss, despite facing a double team for much of the afternoon. Despite the great individual performance, Carter was most excited about how the new look defense gelled as a unit.

“I feel like we did great, not individually, but all of us together,” said Carter. “We did some good things today, and we’ve got a lot of things we’ve got to come back to work on.”

The defensive effort was ultimately not enough, as the Indiana offense was never able to get its footing and the Hoosiers were defeated 23-3. Their next game will be Friday against Indiana State.