Indiana football has reached the season’s halfway point and currently holds a 2-4 record following a 52-7 blowout defeat Oct. 14 to Michigan in Ann Arbor.
The Hoosiers started the season with a 23-3 home loss to Ohio State and alternated wins and losses for four weeks, taking victories over Indiana State University (41-7) and the University of Akron (29-27) with a 21-14 defeat to the University of Louisville sandwiched in between. Indiana has been dominated in its last two games by Maryland (44-17 on Sept. 30) and Michigan.
To kick off the second half, the Hoosiers will host Rutgers on Homecoming Day at Memorial Stadium — but before then, the Indiana Daily Student football reporters offer their analysis on the season thus far and predictions on what’s to come.
Biggest question
MATT PRESS: At the midway point of the season, we still don’t know who Indiana’s quarterback is. After publicly committing to redshirt freshman Tayven Jackson in the week leading up to the Michigan game, head coach Tom Allen opted to rotate between Jackson and redshirt freshman Brendan Sorsby in a blowout loss to the Wolverines. Both struggled greatly, and with redshirt junior Dexter Williams II potentially being added to the fold soon, the Hoosiers’ quarterback room grows even murkier. Neither Jackson nor Sorsby has been put in a favorable position for success given the team’s offensive line struggles and questionable play calling, but both have shown flashes of quality play. Coming into the season with two quarterbacks who boasted little to no college experience, it’s perhaps unsurprising that this is how the situation played out. Regardless, the fact remains Indiana is without a solidified quarterback as it stares down the barrel of another dreadful season.
DANIEL FLICK: Can new offensive coordinator Rod Carey prove he’s worthAllen’s investment? After firing Walt Bell for performance on Oct. 1, the Hoosiers skipped the interim tag and named Carey the full-time play caller. Allen made him the highest-paid assistant coach in program history at $815,000 with the hopes that he’d jumpstart Indiana’s sluggish offense, and after the first quarter in Ann Arbor, the returns were promising. The Hoosiers posted 136 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown across three drives and largely had their way with a Wolverines defense that came in as the best scoring defense in the country, allowing 6.7 points per game. But over its final eight drives, Indiana only had 10 more total yards of offense (62) than Michigan had points (52). In essence, there were glimmers of hope from Carey, who’s also served as head coach at Northern Illinois University and Temple University, but several discouraging signs, as well – and how he finishes the year will be paramount to evaluating Allen’s bold hire.
DALTON JAMES: When will the quarterback circus end? After defeating Indiana State on Sept. 8, Allen named Jackson the starting quarterback. Since then, Jackson has shown tiny glimmers of hope that he could be an above average quarterback for the Hoosiers. While Indiana may have lost to Louisville, Jackson shined the second half, leading fans to believe that he will be “the man.” The Greenwood, Indiana, native has been dreadful since then in rough outings against Akron, Maryland and Michigan, going a combined 35-of-68 for 355 yards alongside four interceptions and a fumble. Jackson’s play so far simply isn’t going to cut it, but the offense hasn’t looked any better under Sorsby except for the end of the loss to Maryland when the backup threw a pair of touchdowns late in the game against the Terrapins’ reserves. While yes, the quarterback play has been less than ideal, Allen’s inability to stick with a quarterback has not only likely wounded their confidence but has also prevented either of them from getting into a rhythm with the offense.
Most pressing area of improvement
PRESS: There’s only so many words you can use to describe Indiana’s offensive performances on short yardage downs and near the goal line. Indiana took the first step to the solution in parting ways with Bell, but a midseason playcaller change won’t fully remedy the Hoosiers’ woes. An entirely winnable game slipped through Indiana’s fingers when it couldn’t convert a 4th and 1 from the goal line against Louisville, and the Hoosiers failed to score a touchdown two separate occasions from inside the two against the University of Akron. Then, in the second quarter against Maryland, Bell drew up a triple option on 4th and 1 that resulted in Jackson being sacked for 11 yards. Indiana has been all too predictable in crucial spots, and it can’t expect to improve throughout the season if it can’t begin to capitalize in the red zone.
FLICK: With Indiana’s red zone struggles already covered, I’ll go with the rushing attack, which currently ranks second-worst in the Big Ten at just 107.2 yards per game. Prior to his firing, Bell claimed the Hoosiers were a run-first team, but they averaged only 3.2 yards per carry under his guide. Senior running back Josh Henderson has missed the last three games with an injury, but both Allen and Bell spoke at length about the quality depth Indiana’s compiled in the backfield, making Henderson’s absence an invalid excuse. With a better ground game, life becomes easier for Jackson, and the passing game could return to the level it was at during the second half against Louisville. Similarly, finding ways to get Henderson and fellow ball carriers Jaylin Lucas and Christian Turner rolling aids red zone execution and simply elevates the Hoosiers’ offense to a new level.
JAMES: It’s simple: coaching. While Indiana began its season with a 23-3 loss against Ohio State, the Hoosiers defeated Indiana State to improve to 1-1. Coaching has been a hot topic from the beginning. The loss to the Buckeyes with Bell’s conservative playcalling cost Indiana a shot at an upset win. Once again, coaching was brought into question at Lucas Oil Stadium against the University of Louisville when a questionable playcall by Bell cost the Hoosiers a chance at a victory. A narrow quadruple-overtime win over Akron once again had fans up in arms over Bell’s playcalling. A 44-17 loss against Maryland on Sept. 30 proved to be the final straw for Bell as he was fired the following day. While Bell received a majority of the flack for the offensive struggles, Allen decided to make a change and promoteCarey to become the offensive coordinator. If Indiana is going to win again this season, they must play inspiring and disciplined football — something they simply haven’t done this season under Allen.
Most valuable player
PRESS: Redshirt senior Aaron Casey looks to have potential to follow in Micah McFadden’s footsteps as the next Indiana linebacker to be drafted in the NFL. Casey’s huge jump has been one of the few silver linings of the Hoosiers’ season, and the Douglasville, Georgia, native leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss with eight, and ranks sixth in the conference with 50 tackles. The leader of Indiana’s defense has played with a different burst than he’s shown in previous years, and he’s been able to impress both dropping back in coverage and as a pass rusher. Casey shined against Louisville, racking up three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks as part of an impressive second half showing from Indiana’s defense. While the Hoosiers are mostly scrounging moral victories at this point, Casey is the clear MVP for me.
FLICK: In many ways, Andre Carter is step-for-step with Casey, as the two captains are the lone Hoosiers to have at least six tackles for loss and two sacks. Similarly, Carter’s leadership has been oft-praised by teammates and coaches alike. With 20 quarterback pressures, Carter’s in the midst of one of the most disruptive seasons by an Indiana pass rusher in quite some time, even if the sack numbers don’t illustrate it. Indiana defensive line coach Paul Randolph could only laugh when thinking about the disparity between pressures and sacks, but noted Carter’s frequent activity in the backfield means he’s close — and if he’s able to finish more consistently down the stretch, he has a chance to emerge as IU’s most valuable player.
JAMES: While I agree with Matt in that Casey has been Indiana’s most valuable player through five games this season, I see sophomore running back Jaylin Lucas playing a major impact in how the rest of the season plays out. While Lucas stands at 5-foot-9-inches and 170 pounds, he’s been called upon to run in between the tackles this season. I don’t believe that the Houma, Louisiana, native has been utilized correctly in the offense. Lucas is at his best when he is in space, and I simply don’t understand having him run up the middle with a struggling offensive line. With Bell’s departure, ideally Carey can utilize Lucas’ promising talents to guide the Hoosiers to more victories this season.
Second half breakout player
PRESS: I’ve had a lingering feeling that one of Indiana’s receivers is bound to break out. There have been some strong performances from senior Cam Camper and redshirt freshman Omar Cooper Jr., but they’ve been moreso flashes than signs of sustainable play. The Hoosiers’ offensive line and play calling have limited big play potential from receivers, but I think we may start to see Indiana’s quarterbacks airing the ball out a bit more, and senior wideout DeQuece Carter could stand to benefit greatly. Carter’s had a quiet six games in his first season with Indiana, totaling just seven catches for 88 yards. At Fordham University, Carter became one of the most prolific receivers in school history over his four year career. He’s simply too talented to not be utilized in a greater role, and I think there’s a chance he breaks out in a major way moving forward.
FLICK: I’ll follow Matt and choose a receiver but will go with a different name: - junior Donaven McCulley. Against Maryland, McCulley set career-highs with six catches for 79 yards while adding his second career receiving touchdown. Allen has long praised McCulley’s natural ability, as the 6-foot-5-inch, 200-pound Indianapolis native brings a salivating combination of length, athleticism and ball skills. The Hoosiers believe in McCulley’s potential, and he continues to grow more confident and nuanced by the week. McCulley already has more receptions (20) and receiving yards (224) through six games this year than he did in 12 games last season. Allen shared after the bye week that McCulley’s role should only continue expanding throughout the final six contests of this season, and he feels poised to continue building towards a second half breakthrough.
JAMES: I’ll tag along with Matt and Daniel in choosing an offensive player, but I’m selecting sixth-year senior running back Christian Turner. With sixth-year senior running back Josh Henderson sidelined for a couple of games, Turner received 28 combined carries against Akron and Maryland for a total of 128 yards. While the Wake Forest University transfer has shown a promising burst, I believed Turner is poised for a breakout game in the near future.
Final record prediction
PRESS: I predicted the Hoosiers would finish 3-9 and 1-8 within the conference before the season, and I’m sticking with that now. Maryland and Michigan utterly embarrassed Indiana Sept. 30 and Oct. 14, respectively, and I don’t see how things can get much better. I’m eyeing one of the last two games of the season — Michigan State and Purdue — for the Hoosiers to pick up a win. It’s a grim outlook for a team that displayed some promise at the beginning of the year, but I don’t think it’s by any means unrealistic. Indiana had to scrape and claw its way to a quadruple overtime win over Akron, who is tied for dead last in the Mid-American Conference. The Hoosiers have shown they can’t compete with some of the upper echelon Big Ten teams, and I don’t believe their fortunes will change much against the rest of the conference.
FLICK: Prior to the season opener, I tabbed the Hoosiers for a 4-8 record, and I still believe that’s the way it plays out. Michigan State, who comes to Bloomington for the penultimate game on Nov. 18, is in limbo following the firing of head coach Mel Tucker for cause, and the Spartans (2-3) feel like a beatable opponent. The same is true for Illinois and Purdue, both of whom sit at 2-4 on the season and will mark Indiana’s last two road games of the year. Those three games are the last on the Hoosiers’ schedule, and none of the contests in between — vs. Rutgers, at Penn State and vs. Wisconsin — jump out as favorable matchups. Considering the way Indiana’s trending, predicting two wins feels bold — but the final three games on the calendar are certainly up for grabs, and I think Indiana has a solid chance of taking the home game against Michigan State and pulling out one of the two road affairs.
JAMES: While Indiana has had its fair share of struggles this season, I could still see a way in which the Hoosiers reach five wins. Sure, it’s probably not going to come to fruition, but matchups against Rutgers, Michigan State and Purdue are games in which I see the Hoosiers competing. At the end of the day I’m going to side with Matt; I think Indiana will finish 3-9 and 1-8 in the conference. Inconsistency in all three facets of the game alongside the playcalling fiasco that has taken place under Bell, I don’t see a way in which the offense sizeably improves under Carey. While the season began with promise in a relatively close loss to Ohio State and a blowout win over Indiana State, I don’t believe the Hoosiers will be able to turn their struggles around against conference opponents.
Follow reporters Matt Press (@MattPress23) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
