Indiana Hoosiers

Evaluating Indiana after two games

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Two weeks in and the Hoosiers are sitting comfortably with a 2-0 record and a couple of commanding performances under their belt. Those eager to see more Indiana domination will have to wait, however, as the team has an early bye week, and won’t take the field again until Sept. 24th.

The talk of the town is the newly revamped defense led by defensive coordinator Tom Allen. A more aggressive mentality that emphasizes takeaways and physicality has resonated with this young group. Players such as Richard Fant, Marcus Oliver, and Tegray Scales have emerged as some of the most effective of the bunch, but there are plenty of support players that are pitching in, as well.

Sep 10, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Ball State Cardinals running back James Gilbert (34) is tackled by Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Marcelino Ball (42) during the first half of the game at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

The most notable difference between this season and last’s for the defense is that it is an overall team effort. Whether it be the line, linebackers, or secondary, there isn’t one aspect of the scheme that is failing, whereas last season, they were extremely susceptible to big plays, specifically deep passes.

Some may argue that they have yet to play a decent opponent, but so many of the top teams this year have already had scares or been upset such as Georgia, Oklahoma State, Clemson, and more – teams deemed much better than Indiana. Nationally, they rank 2nd in defensive touchdowns and 6th in total turnovers. They rank 62nd in total defense, due to the yardage they have allowed, but their ability to take the ball away from offenses has then listed as tied for 34th in points per game allowed.

Point being, last season Indiana struggled across the board defensively. They finished the season as the 116th worst total defense and allowed on average 37.1 points per game. The Hoosiers defensive numbers are sure to suffer a little once the Big Ten season begins. They have three top 15 ranked opponents on their schedule, and the rest of the conference is quality, as well. At least Indiana can take solace knowing that at this point last season, their defense was not looking as tough, and that most of the close defeats they suffered could have been fixed if they could get just a couple of more stops.

On the other side of the ball, the Hoosiers still possess a lethal offense. They don’t quite look as good as they did last season, but those were some pretty big shoes to fill. Nate Sudfeld, Jordan Howard, and Simmie Cobbs Jr. moved the ball enough to establish themselves as the best offense in the country – quite the difficult feat.

Sep 10, 2016; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Leon Thornton III (21) throws a pass during the second half of the game at Memorial Stadium. The Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Ball State Cardinals 30 to 20. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

While the loss of Sudfeld and Howard hurts, along with the recent injury to leading receiver Cobbs Jr., it seems that the offense shouldn’t suffer too much. Lagow has proved that he is a comfortable pocket passer, and has the ability to spread the ball to a number of receivers. Another positive, which is sometimes sadly overlooked, is that Lagow makes extremely smart decisions on throws. With two games under his belt, he has 4 touchdowns to 0 interceptions. A quarterback that is able to move the football like he does, without turning it over often, is scary. He will only get better with more experience, too.

1,000 yard rusher last season, Devine Redding, has taken over as the team’s primary ball handler, and has already proven that he is a more than capable back. Continuing the trend of elite Indiana backs, Redding is building up to what could be his breakout year. A fumble in their season opener had Kevin Wilson questioning whether he was ready, but he secured the football well in their follow up game against Ball State, and added another 100 plus yard performance to his streak, making it five straight. With the offensive line opening up huge gaps for the bruising back, he should have no problem extending his streak.

While Cobbs Jr.’s absence certainly hurt, it seems that Lagow will be able to manage without. Nick Westbrook has emerged as Lagow’s new favorite target, already hauling in 9 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. His speed was on full display against Ball State, where he turned on the jets to get, what seemed like, an overthrown ball for a 43 yard score. He also took what was initially a pretty short pass all the way to the house for 79 yards, leaving defenders hopelessly chasing. The Hoosiers also possess two other capable receivers in Mitchell Paige and Luke Timian. With defensive attention now shifted toward Westbrook, they should enjoy plenty of space in the secondary.

This new offensive bunch has Indiana ranked as the 41st best overall offense. They average just under 500 yards per game, but are also balanced and versatile. It is natural for a team being led by a new transfer to take a couple of games to find their rhythm, and if they are still finding their rhythm, will be extremely dangerous when they do.

Richard Lagow is sitting as the 37th best quarterback in the league, but only four passers that rank better, like him, have 0 interceptions. Indiana will gladly take a top 40 passer who takes care of the football over someone slightly flashier. Someone that is climbing the ranks, however, is Devine Redding. With 245 yards on just 48 carries, Redding is currently the nation’s 11th best rusher, and the best in the Big Ten. Most should be used to seeing an Indiana running back close to the top, however, as early on last season Jordan Howard was being considered as a Heisman candidate.

Overall, Indiana seems to be a much better team this season. While a few key players have moved on, they have been replaced by capable athletes. Their most significant improvement is the defense, who are showing that they can compete with the best, but will have their ability tested come conference season. Surely a couple of those close games that got away from them last season, will go their way this year. It is a little early to start making those predictions, but the improvements of the program cannot be denied. They may have actually found the coaching combination to lift the program up.