Elijah Sarratt showed in the game against Northwestern why he’s been calling himself “Waffle House” over the last few weeks.
In their win over the Wildcats on Saturday, Sarratt caught seven passes for 135 yards. Through six games, the junior wide receiver has three games with 128 yards or more receiving, with two of those coming in back-to-back weeks.
On the year, Sarratt has put up an impressive stat line with 29 catches for 513 and two touchdowns. He’s on pace for 1,026 yards for the year, which would make him just the eighth player in Indiana football history to put up 1,000 yards in a season and the first since Whop Philyor did it in 2019.
Sarratt has clearly taken the next step from a valuable wide receiver to an elite, game-changing player that makes an impact on every play. In the third down offense, quarterback Sixth-year senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke is always looking for Sarratt and, given the nickname, he’s always open.
“I try to be where he wants me to be at the perfect time,” Sarratt said postgame. “He’s putting the ball where I want it.”
Even when Sarratt isn’t open, he has the length to elevate above any defender the Hoosiers will come across.
“You got to play the game of football with a level of toughness,” Sarratt said after the game. “I’ve been around football my whole life and it’s just instilled in me.”
It not only adds versatility in the receiving room, but it’s one of the main reasons the Indiana offense is so elite.
The Hoosiers already have one of the top running back rooms in the Big Ten with senior Justice Ellison and seventh-year senior Ty Son Lawton. The duo combined for 120 yards and two touchdowns against Northwestern, building off last week’s 144 yards and two touchdown performance.
However, Sarratt makes it so defenses can’t sell out on the run which opens the Indiana playbook for anything. So, even when he’s not touching the football, Sarratt is making a huge impact on the field.
Despite this early production, the best secondaries are still ahead of the Hoosiers. Sarratt will have to go against cornerbacks such as Will Johnson from Michigan and Denzel Burke from Ohio State, two opportunities where we will truly be able to see how open he can get.
The development and growth of the rest of the receivers would not have taken place this rapidly without the presence of Sarratt.
Drawing every team’s best corner allows senior Ke’Shawn Williams to put up 87 yards and a touchdown. It allows senior Miles Cross to find an opening in the back of the end zone on fourth down for a touchdown. Sophomore Omar Cooper Jr., who has arguably taken the biggest leap of anyone on the team, would not be having this good of a season without Elijah Sarratt.
“He’s a consistent player who plays hard, runs great routes and catches the ball,” Williams said postgame. “He’s the full package, and he continues to be successful.”
Not only does he help with development amongst the receivers, but he is putting Indiana in position to win big games. Just look at the fourth down with 4:18 remaining when Sarratt had a physical reception on the sideline that he turned into a 27-yard gain with his speed and athleticism.
Looking ahead to Nebraska, who ranks 11th in the Big Ten in passing yards allowed per game, Sarratt is going to have to make plays to stand a chance against the best pass defense Indiana has faced thus far. With the way Sarratt has been producing, he will carry on as the Hoosiers’ best playmaker.
There’s nothing better than Waffle House on a Saturday night and Sarratt continues to deliver. He has the tools to play on Sundays in the future, but for now, Indiana fans have the privilege to watch him sport cream and crimson.
Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
