Matchup to Watch: Chris Covington vs. Jonathan Taylor

Written By Alex Compton (@alexncompton)

Oh boy. For the third season in a row, IU is now in “must-win” mode much earlier than they should be. At 3-5, a bowl game is definitely still on the table, but IU would have to win 3 of their last 4 to get to 6. Wisconsin is IU’s last shot at a “Breakthrough” moment in the regular season, and I think the Hoosiers will be ready come kickoff on Saturday. Wisconsin is pretty much the same team as last year, and they have just found the formula to winning in the Big Ten. Grind you out on defense, then just squeak out enough on the other side of the ball while taking care of it to rack up some wins. The Badgers are tough again, but our matchup this week has a huge impact on their games and could let IU grab the upset win if it goes in their favor. 

JONATHAN TAYLOR VS. CHRIS COVINGTON

Chris Covington has been so solid for Indiana this year. The former quarterback finally seems to have found his home at linebacker, and is thriving in Tom Allen’s 4-2-5 scheme. His size and athleticism makes him somewhat of a freak, and his play this year has actually allowed him to start appearing on the radar of NFL teams for this year’s draft. He is crucial in the run game, as Scales normally finds himself on the boundary and in the backfield, so Cov serves as the last line of defense for ballcarriers. There isn’t a break in the Big Ten when it comes to defending talented running backs, and this week brings the toughest challenge yet to the Hoosiers. A one-time Rutgers commit that hails from New Jersey, true freshman Jonathan Taylor has set the country on fire with his talent. The frosh leads the Big Ten in rushing yards, and is currently fifth in the country despite only playing one half against Illinois. He is your classic Big Ten back, a rare blend of speed and power that can keep opponents awake on Friday nights. 

So yeah, Taylor is good, but you cannot actually rush for yards in football if you don’t dress for the game. Like I previously mentioned, Taylor suffered a left leg injury in the second quarter against Illinois last weekend and did not return. He is officially listed as “Questionable”, but head coach Paul Chryst obviously did not disclose any more information about Taylor’s status during the week to keep IU on edge. If Taylor plays, this matchup is huge for the Hoosiers. UW’s offense is boring, but efficient. Taylor is such an effective runner in between the tackles, and that is a huge part of what they like to do on O. If he is out, experienced back Bradrick Shaw will likely take over as the starter. He’s solid, but not Taylor. Taylor being out means they cannot run the ball in between the hashes super well, which is what has allowed them to start 8-0 and have a semblance of a decent offense. If Taylor plays, you must stop him to win. That is the absolute top priority, and a lot of that falls on the shoulders of Mr. Covington. If he doesn’t even try and play, the Badgers could very well be on upset alert this Saturday.