Column: Could IU's running game be its biggest weapon?

Here’s a question I didn’t think I’d ever ask this season.

Is IU a better running team than passing team?

In IU’s 52-35 win Saturday at Memorial Stadium against Illinois, the Hoosiers piled up 371 rushing yards and 279 passing yards.

IU converted 14 first downs on the ground and 13 in the air.

I know IU has the surgeon-precision arm of sophomore quarterback Nate Sudfeld and his favorite weapons in seniors Kofi Hughes and Ted Bolser and juniors Shane Wynn and Cody Latimer.

They’re all good. But stay with me for a moment.

Sophomore running back Tevin Coleman scampered for 215 yards on 15 carries, averaging 14.3 yards per rush against Illinois.

His counterpart, senior Stephen Houston, tallied 151 yards and averaged 8.8 yards per rush. Each ran for two touchdowns.

Coleman was the first IU back to rush for more than 200 yards since BenJarvus Green-Ellis had 203 in 2003.

“Tevin ran like a maniac,” sophomore quarterback Tre Roberson said. “The O-line was opening up big holes for him. Everybody was blocking down the field for him, and he just ran.”

In back-to-back weeks, Coleman and Houston have both gone for more than 100 yards.

It’s the third time that’s happened this season.

It’s the second time this season IU has totaled more than 300 yards on the ground.

This argument isn’t meant to take anything away from IU’s aerial attack, which was on full display itself on Saturday as Latimer caught 11 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns.

But it does say something about this offense.

“I think the development of our run game just shows that there is some maturity on offense,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said.

Consider this: IU’s offensive line was playing Saturday without its normal starting center Collin Rahrig, and it has been playing without junior tackle Peyton Eckert and sophomore guard Dan Feeney the entire year.

Sophomore guard David Kaminski has also been injured this season.

IU ran all over Illinois with half of its starting offensive line.

“Our O-line — having people step up — it’s huge,” sophomore tackle Jason Spriggs said. “It’s really something we pride ourselves on.”

IU’s rushing effort was a full team effort. Spriggs credited guys like Latimer and Hughes for their downfield blocking.

Latimer said he likes run blocking. He understands it opens up opportunities for him.

“That opens up the pass a lot,” he said. “The balance of pass-run game, especially with me and an offense like ours, once the offense gets to clicking, there’s no stopping us.

“The running game opens it up for us. They gotta figure out which one they want to defend, the pass or the run. When we’re hand to hand on that day it’s going to be a good day for us.”

IU has weapons all over the field on offense. But maybe the running game is slightly overlooked. Maybe IU needs to think about keeping it on the ground more often.

Think back to the Minnesota game. Maybe if IU keeps it on the ground and hands it off to Coleman that game ends differently.

Maybe, just maybe, IU unveiled its biggest weapon — its secret weapon — Saturday.
Maybe consistently going to the run and latching your hopes to the Tevin Coleman rocket ship is how IU needs to finish this season.

If IU runs the ball more, it will take a strangle hold on time of possession and, as Latimer said, it will expose the defense to long passes over the top, just like it did against the Illini.

Spriggs wouldn’t say whether he likes run-blocking or pass-blocking more. He only has one concern.

“I like what gets us first downs,” he said.

Maybe the key to those first downs is more running.

­— robhowar@indiana.edu
Follow columnist Robby Howard on Twitter @robbyhoward1.