Week Eight: Matchup to Watch: Indiana Pass Defense vs. Penn State Passing Game
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Jonathan Crawford and the IU secondary have to bounce back Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle
Written By Lauralys Shallow
Indiana hosts No. 18 Penn State this weekend and how the IU defense will matchup against Penn State’s explosive passing game is one of the biggest storylines heading into the contest. James Franklin is an aggressive play caller, and he will not shy away from calling deep throws if the Indiana defense gives Penn State the time and space to play the deep ball. The IU pass defense has to contain Penn State’s passing game if IU wants to give itself a chance to be competitive against the Nittany Lions.
The last time IU faced Penn State, the Nittany Lions won 45-14 and Trace McSorley was 23-36, throwing for 315 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Penn State’s all-time leader in receptions, DaeSean Hamilton was a problem for the Indiana pass defense. Hamilton had a career high three touchdown receptions with nine catches for 122 yards. Luckily for Indiana, Hamilton graduated and they will not face him this year, but McSorley still has plenty of talented receivers around him.
McSorley has thrown for 1241 yards, 11 touchdowns and 2 interceptions and a passer rating of 134.4 so far this season. McSorley’s 93-yard touchdown pass to KJ Hamler against Ohio State a couple weeks ago is second only to Sean Clifford, Penn State’s backup, as the longest pass play by a Big Ten quarterback this year. Clifford connected with Daniel George for a 95-yard touchdown pass against Kent State, setting a record for the longest touchdown pass in Penn State history. McSorely is definitely the starter, but Clifford went 5-5 for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns against Kent State. The IU defense needs to prepare for two solid quarterbacks in case Penn State decides to utilize Clifford.
Penn State has seven different receivers with over 100 yards on the year and seven different players have caught a touchdown pass so far this year. Hamler is the Nittany Lion’s top receiver with 374 yards and five touchdowns on 18 receptions, averaging 20.8 yards per catch. Juan Johnson is the next leading receiver with 221 yards and a touchdown on 19 receptions, averaging 11.6 yards per catch. Brandon Polk and Pat Freiermuth each have a pair of touchdown catches on the year, with Polk averaging 18 yards a grab and Freiermuth averaging 12. The Penn State receiving core has the depth, speed and size to wreak havoc on the opposing secondary.
The Indiana defense has allowed 1,593 total passing yards and 7.2 yards per pass through seven games this season. The IU defense allows an average of 12.2 yards per catch and 227.6 passing yards per game. It is no secret that the IU pass defense has struggled against the more competitive conference opponents this season. Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins threw for 455 yards and 6 touchdowns while Iowa’s Nate Stanley threw for 320 yards and 6 touchdowns. In the past two games alone, the IU defense has allowed 12 passing touchdowns. Senior safety Jonathan Crawford and junior cornerback A’Shon Riggins are the two most experienced and strongest players in the IU secondary and Jamar Johnson and Raheem Layne have shown flashes of their talent and play making ability in the secondary.
The IU pass defense has struggled against two solid quarterbacks as we saw Haskins and Stanley put up huge numbers in the passing game, and the linebackers and secondary face another talented quarterback, McSorely, with tremendous weapons in the receiving group. The IU pass defense faces a tough challenge against the Penn State passing game, and as the last two games have showed, if IU is unable to control the passing game, Penn State is going to score a lot of points and win the game.