Takeaways do Not Make Up for Lack of Pass Defense for Hoosiers
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Written By Lauralys Shallow
IU defense lacked pass coverage and a pass rush in its 38-31 loss to Minnesota. After tonight’s loss, IU’s record drops to below .500 for the first time this year at 4-5 (1-5), and the defense is a large reason why. Minnesota was without its starting quarterback, and redshirt freshman Tanner Morgan handled the IU defense with ease in the first half of his first career start. The secondary gave the receivers way too much room, and the defensive line could not pressure Morgan, and Minnesota dominated IU’s defense in the first half and took a commanding lead.
In a must win game for IU football’s bowl aspirations, the IU defense did not come out playing like a team that really needed a win. In the opening drive, the defense, specifically veterans Jonathan Crawford and Marcelino Ball, was missing tackles, keeping Minnesota drives alive. Minnesota gashed the IU secondary and took a 7-3 lead, the defense looked like it was turning things around when Bryant Fitzgerald forced a fumble and Mike Barwick Jr. recovered it and set IU up in Minnesota’s territory. IU capitalized and briefly took a 9-7 lead, but the defense was unable to stop the Minnesota passing game. The IU secondary had no answer for Minnesota’s post routes and Morgan threw 12-14 for 203 yards and 2 TDs in the first half. Pinned on his own 1-yard line, Morgan led Minnesota on a 99-yard scoring drive right before halftime. Morgan threw a slant to Tyler Johnson and put Minnesota up 21-9 with the ball to start the second.
The second half did not get any easier for the Hoosiers as they were without its best defensive player, Ball, in the second half. Ball missed the entire second half after leaving the game in the second quarter with an injury, and freshman Cam Jones filled in his husky position. The secondary continued to look confused throughout the second half, as it struggled defending slant routes. Minnesota opened up the half with a seven-minute drive built on slants that resulted in a field goal and 24-9 Gopher lead. After a blocked punt on IU’s next drive, the Minnesota offense took over deep in IU territory, and Shannon Brooks ran for a 17-yard TD. Jones, filling in for Ball, was out of position on that scoring play that put Minnesota up 31-9.
After Ramsey threw a costly interception setting up Minnesota in short field position, the IU defense was able to force another fumble and get its second turnover of the night. Kahil Bryant forced the fumble, and Raheem Layne recovered it, setting up IU at its own 2. On the ensuing drive, IU forced Minnesota’s first punt of the game and IU cut the deficit 31-15 with 13 minutes remaining in the game. The IU defense needed to force a stop if it wanted to give its offense a chance to get back in the game, and sure enough, Jones forced a fumble and Juan Burgess recovered it to give IU the ball near midfield. IU would go on to score and make it a one score game. The IU defense came up with two fumbles and a stop that put IU back in the game, cutting the deficit to 31-23 with just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest.
IU came up with another takeaway on Minnesota’s first play following IU’s touchdown when Bryant Fitzgerald picked off Morgan, and it seemed like all the momentum had shifted back to IU. Ramsey threw an interception, and IU was unable to capitalize on a turnover, putting the IU defense in another position where they had to make a stop. Once again, IU was able to come up with a stop, and that stop allowed Ramsey and the IU offense to take over near midfield with seven minutes left and score a game tying TD and two-point conversion.
Indiana forced another Minnesota stop and the Gophers punted the ball back to IU with just over 3 minutes remaining in the game. In the first half, IU could not create stops, but the second half the defense’s stops put IU in a position to win the game. Turnovers were the catalyst for the Indiana comeback, and Morgan only completed four passes in the second half. His fifth completion was a 67-yard touchdown that put Minnesota up for goot at 38-31 with 1:34 left in the game. IU limited Morgan to almost no production in the second half, and his most productive play of the half proved to be the game deciding play.
Indiana struggled to defend the pass early in the game, and despite climbing back in the game, the IU defense was on brand when it made a critical coverage mistake late in its 38-31 loss at Minnesota. Tonight was a must win for IU, and this was a winnable game for the Hoosiers. Unfortunately, the defense allowed too many points early in the game and the takeaways were not enough to pull off the comeback.