Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

This week’s match-up to watch is between two playmakers on opposite sides of the ball. When Penn State has the ball, all eyes will be on junior receiver KJ Hamler who has eight receiving touchdowns to go along with 44 catches and 739 yards and Indiana’s true freshman defensive back Tiawan Mullen who leads the Hoosiers with seven pass breakups and has been trusted to be put on the opponents’ most dangerous pass catchers.

Hamler, while small in stature, has the ability to change the game by taking the top of the defense and making video-game like moves when he has the ball in space. He is very similar to Nebraska’s Wan’Dale Robinson who was a pain in the rear end for the Hoosiers in their win over the Huskers.

Is Mullen up to the task as a true freshman? Indiana defensive coordinator commented on Mullen Monday afternoon.

“(Tiawan) is a confident individual that just believes in his ability every time he walks onto the football field. He wants to go against the best of the best, and every week we ask him to be placed on the best of the best and he’s proven it. He’s earned that right.”

Mullen’s “breakout” season may have come to a surprise to some, but the freshman from Flordia comes from a big-time football blood-line. His brother, Trayvon Mullen, played his college football at Clemson and now is with the Oakland Raiders in the NFL and his cousin is Lamar Jackson. Yes, that Lamar Jackson who lit up the college football world at Louisville and is now lighting up NFL defenses as the quarterback of the 7-2 Baltimore Ravens.

Mullen will have his work cut out for him and Indiana may also have to give the youngster some support instead of leaving him on an island in the secondary.

“Hamler is as quick as you're going to see,” Allen said on Monday, “he makes a lot of people look silly in space. You don't want to put one guy... You better have more guys there than just one or else it's going to be a long day. But then you do too much on one guy, they got others around him to hurt you for that. A lot of challenges. We just got to do a great job of being very disciplined, trying to do some really good things schematically to give ourselves a chance to be successful with those talented receivers.”

This should be a fun matchup to follow throughout the game and if Mullen can clamp down as best he can on Hamler Indiana’s defense should be in good shape.

The Huddle

Week 12 Match-up to Watch: Indiana DB Tiawan Mullen vs. Penn State WR KJ Hamler

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