Matchup to Watch Week Three: Indiana's Secondary vs. Michigan's Receivers
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Reese Taylor is playing his best football as a Hoosier Image: Indiana University Athletics
Written by Andrew Walker
The Indiana Hoosiers are coming off another win, this time against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Indiana football is officially 2-0 in Big Ten play, and they’re ready for more. The win against Rutgers wasn’t exactly a sensational game, but the Hoosiers were commanding and forceful with their win. Tom Allen coached a good game, and Mike Penix performed as advertised. That level of play, however, will have to be stepped up big time against Indiana’s next opponent.
Enter Michigan.
The Wolverines are 1-1 on the season, having lost last week to a Michigan State Spartan team that’s puzzling a lot of people. Michigan’s surprising loss to MSU has raised some eyebrows among Indiana fans, but nobody should ever underestimate the Wolverines. They’ve been too good for too long to underestimate. The upcoming game against the Hoosiers will be a tell-tale game for both teams. For Indiana, this game means a test of truth. If Indiana can pull this win off, they’re for real. Really for real. Likewise if Michigan loses this game, their strange season continues. Questions will arise about the legitimacy of that team.
As for a matchup to watch, Tiawan Mullen said it himself. “They have a great receiving group. We have to go out and execute whatever call defensive coordinator Kane Wommack makes. We just have to go out there and play. They have a great offense, but we have a great defense. At the end of the day, you just have to go out there and make plays.” The Hoosier defensive backs and the Wolverine receiving corps will be the show to watch this game.
Michigan QB Joe Milton is a heck of a quarterback. The arm talent he has as a junior is next level. Standing 6’4, 243 pounds, Milton is a hard QB to take down and even harder to catch. Almost looking like Cam Newton on the field, Milton can take off when he needs to, rushing for over 50 yards in each of their first two games this season.
Junior WR Ronnie Bell has been a great option for Michigan for years, but this year he’s playing great. Freshman WR Roman Wilson is a speedy 6’0 receiver that had 71 yards receiving in their last game. Wilson has proven his worth, even as a freshman and found his way into the starting lineup. Mullen, by far the Hoosiers’ most talented DB, will most likely be matched up against the speedy Wilson. Mullen and co. will have their hands full preventing Milton and his receiving corps from producing. But Indiana’s defensive backs group is as good as it’s ever been. Safety Devon Matthews knows what it takes to win. He thinks the Indiana secondary is playing better than they ever have before. “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.”