IU attempts to remain undefeated

After defeating UMass 45-6 on the road, IU (2-0) returns home to Memorial Stadium to face Ball State (1-1) for their third game of the season.

In last year’s game, the Cardinals defeated the Hoosiers 27-20 at Lucas Oil Stadium in the first week of the season.

Sophomore quarterback Cameron Coffman is listed first on the team’s depth chart and will likely make his first career start following sophomore quarterback Tre Roberson’s season-ending leg injury last weekend

Coffman saw his first action as a Hoosier last week when Roberson left the game.

Coffman connected 16 of 22 attempts with 159 yards and one touchdown.

Running backs freshman Tevin Coleman and sophomore D’Angelo Roberts will complement the passing game for IU.

The two backs combined for 139 yards on 24 rush attempts last week.

Hoosier running backs will need to protect Coffman since the Cardinals will send many defenders to attack him throughout the game, Roberts said.

“From watching their defense, we know they have a good coordinator that will send a lot of blitzes, so that’s going to be different from the last two teams we’ve played,” Roberts said. “We need to pay attention to pass protection, because if they blitz, we don’t want our quarterback to get touched.”

Ball State will bring a run game of its own to the field on Saturday. The Cardinals are ranked seventh in the nation in rushing yards.

The dual running back system of sophomore Jahwan Edwards and freshman Horactio Banks has combined for 437 yards on 52 attempts, which is 8.4 yards per carry.

“One running back had over 200 yards in one game, and now another running back popped up at Clemson with over 100,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said.

Edwards is ranked 14th in the country in rushing yards.

Six of the seven Ball State touchdowns have come on rushing plays from these two.

“Because they get their running going, then they have a mature quarterback to get the pass going,” Wilson said.

IU running backs Coach Deland McCullough said the main difference from last year’s game is some Cardinals have graduated, but the ones who remain will bring confidence to the field.

“They have lost some guys,” McCullough said. “However, they continue to play really hard. Some guys are going to come in here with a swagger to themselves based on what they did to us the last couple times they have faced us.”

The Hoosiers defeated their first in-state team of the season in the first week against Indiana State. Their second in-state rival will look to repeat last year’s victory.

“They got the best of us last year, but we are ready to get some revenge,” junior defensive back Greg Heban said.