COLUMN: Hoosiers need to improve linemen play

As the humid fall air breezed through the stands and the sunlight gave way to a showdown under the lights at Memorial Stadium, year two of the IU Coach Kevin Wilson era began in disappointing fashion.

The Indiana State Sycamores, a member of the Football Championship Subdivision and the Missouri Valley Conference, were supposed to be a proverbial punching bag for Wilson’s Hoosiers, a tune-up for the grind of conference play.

The Sycamores had other ideas.

Led by a dominant performance from Indianapolis native running back Shakir Bell, ISU fell one touchdown shy of shocking the Hoosiers, who squeaked out a 24-17 victory.

The terrifyingly close game was a classic example of “little brother” nearly pulling off the unthinkable.

In fact, the Sycamores forcefully convinced those still in attendance in the fourth quarter they would make the trek back to Terre Haute  with victory in hand.

Thankfully for the Hoosiers, ISU’s final heave to the end zone as time expired fell into the wrong hands.

Despite Indiana earning the “W” on paper, chalk up the game as a moral loss.

For four quarters, the ISU offensive line had its way with the Hoosier front seven, paving the way for former Warren Central standout Bell to accumulate 192 net rushing yards on 24 attempts.

This was ISU, not Wisconsin and its Heisman Trophy candidate running back Montee Ball.

When approached about the inevitable matchup against those formidable rushing attacks, Indiana senior defensive tackle Larry Black, Jr., was guarded.

“We just take it one game at a time,” Black said. “We’ll worry about Montee Ball when we get to Wisconsin.”

The Hoosier defense would be wise to worry about the issue now. The defensive front seven won’t become a stout bunch overnight, while nightmares of Bell cutting and slashing his way to those mind-numbing 192 rushing yards continues to plague the Hoosier defense.

Controlling the line of scrimmage was an issue on the other side of the ball, as well.

IU starting running back sophomore D’Angelo Roberts worked his way to a pedestrian 67 rushing yards on 22 carries, good for an average of just more than three yards per carry.

Center Will Matte, a senior and leader of the young offensive line, openly admitted the struggles his group encountered down the stretch.

“We kind of shut down a little bit in the second half,” Matte said. “I’m a little bit disappointed in how we played there. I messed up a snap and had a holding call at a key point.

“We have to get in the film room and correct our mistakes and move on.”

Matte and his fellow offensive linemen simply can’t afford to go through the motions for long stretches, or else the offense will become one-dimensional, a likely possibility that will keep Wilson up at night.

Controlling the line of scrimmage is a task the Hoosiers just can’t seem to grasp.