Indiana remains in proving stages

Indiana coach Kevin Wilson has built the hull of a Big Ten ... maybe not contender, at least not yet, not with a defense that has leaks.

That said, the Hoosiers (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten) are an interesting team that could put flame to your league title hopes. If Iowa (4-1, 1-0) plans on contending in the Big Ten West Division, and it should, everyone in the West should, it will have to negotiate one of the B1G's more explosive offenses.

Quarterback Nate Sudfeld won a 'Highlander”-like duel for the No. 1 QB job (two other candidates transferred). He's seventh in the Big Ten with 213.2 yards a game with five TDs and two interceptions. Wide receiver Shane Wynn is a consistent weapon, averaging 5.2 receptions and 72.4 yards a game.

What makes IU different this year is a sturdy running game led by junior running back Tevin Coleman (6-1, 210 pounds). He's No. 2 in the conference with 168.2 yards a game. He has eight rushing TDs and also has averaged 6.20 yards a carry in the Hoosiers' two games against Power 5 conference schools (Missouri and Maryland). He has streaks of 14 consecutive games with a rushing TD and seven straight over 100 yards that are the longest in college football.

And what's making that go is an excellent offensive line. The Hoosiers went into this season ranked third nationally in career starts spread among 10 players, trailing only Appalachian State and UTSA (San Antonio). IU rushed for 363 yards in last week's 49-24 victory over North Texas. In North Texas' first four games combined, it allowed 349 rushing yards. This effort was without left tackle Jason Spriggs, whose streak of 28 consecutive starts ended when he was held out with a knee injury. (Ralston Evans moved from right to left, and Dimitric Camiel filled in at right tackle.)

'I think our team realizes that if we play hard we can match up and compete,” Wilson said Monday.

Sudfeld hit 23 of 29 passes against North Texas, a .793 completion percentage that ranked No. 2 in school history. The running game isn't all Coleman (mostly, but not all). D'Angelo Roberts is a change-of-pace back. With 102 yards against North Texas, he's rushed for 359 for the season, a career high.

On defense, the Hoosiers allow 415.2 yards a game, that's 12th in the Big Ten. Indiana also allows 28.6 points a game (13th in the league) and 36.0 points on the road. Of course, Iowa's offense is 12th in the league with 22.8 points a game.

IU defensive coordinator Brian Knorr is working on opponent's explosive plays. The Hoosiers are 94th in the nation with 81 plays for 10-plus yards against them. Last week, IU allowed eight, but four of those came in mop-up time.

The Hoosiers have a contender-level offense. The defense remains a work-in-progress.

'It's a tremendous challenge to coach defense in this day and age,” Wilson said. 'You're going to get worked. Deal is you keep playing hard.”

Here are some extra factlets from IU coach Kevin Wilson's news conference today (mostly the Iowa stuff):

General Iowa

: 'Solid and strong as they always are. Legit on defense. They lost three great linebackers. They plugged three guys in, with their structure and defensive front, their coaching, hadn't missed a beat. Played really, really good defense.

'They've given up three touchdowns in 12 red zone opportunities, so 25 percent of the time, when you get in the scoring zone, you get a touchdown, and that's not a good formula on the road. Not scoring when you get an opportunity or kicking field goals is not something that wins on the road a lot in the lifetime of football. So that'll be a challenge for our offense.

'Offensively, as always, got a great offensive line, starting with their head coach and their line coach and their background. Always good. Maybe the premier player of our conference is their left tackle. So tremendous offensive line, awesome with the run game, and they stay with it.

'Their numbers aren't that good because they do it and people load up, but with that their passing - you would come in saying we're the passing team and they're the running team, yet their passing statistics are way better than ours and our running statistics are way better than theirs. So it's kind of like our passing sets up the run; their running sets up our pass. Did a great job with their play-action game and their balance and what they do.

'They don't beat themselves; solid at the kicking game. If you play well, it'll be a dogfight. If not, you'll get your butt beat by a really good program. So great challenge. I know our guys are looking forward to it. Great chance to go on the road, we'll be playing at noon I believe on ESPNU. Questions.”

Q. Iowa plays two quarterbacks. Do you prepare for both or is their style so similar it doesn't matter?

COACH WILSON

: 'I think their plays because it's not like one becomes the athletic zone read or one's just a running quarterback. One's a throwing. They're going to run similar stuff, and I don't know if it's due to just how they played or if the one guy that starts got maybe nicked up a little, I don't know.

'They're very fortunate because I remember going back and listening to preseason where they thought they had depth in the position, so I think it's just the nature of where they are offensively, but I don't think it changes dramatically. They're going to do what they do, and they execute it really well, and I'm sure that Coach Davis and Kirk will get the guy they think is going to give them the best chance to win, and it's kind of nice they got two guys they can do it with.”

Q. The fact that you guys beat them the last time you played them in 2012, how can that help the mind-set of the guys going into the week? Do they have some confidence from the prior success?

COACH WILSON:

'Yeah. I think our team's getting more confident just because we're slowly having a little bit more success; we're more mature. There's more talent with the younger guys; the veteran guys have grown. They've been battle tested and been on the road and played in games.

'So you know, that team two years ago had some injuries, I think, at Iowa, with running back and whatnot, and we were a different team. We threw it a lot that day, didn't run it very, very well; and so it's kind of, you know, we're kind of different, and both of us are at different points.

'They're a better team, for sure, just with their experience and growth and the way they coach them, and I think we're different. In some ways we're a little bit better, but it'll be a different matchup.

'I think our team realizes from how we've played that if we play hard, we can match up and compete; if we don't, we're very, very vulnerable and very susceptible to not having a positive outing, and that's all we've talked about, the preparation and the choice go out and play the way we need to play to be successful, because we can practice it, but you gotta choose to now go out there and let's play. And if you do that, you've got a chance, so I think it's more of just the confidence where we are this year versus a couple years ago.”

Q. On Iowa OT Brandon Scherff:

COACH WILSON

: 'I had a chance to quickly speak with him at the Big Ten meetings. I thought it was him. Wasn't sure. He's a big guy, like who are you; and as soon as he said, []I said, you're the guy that kills guys. And he said, I try to play as hard as I can. I said you do. He's very strong, very athletic. I think he's kind of grown into that position. He can come out as a natural, big guy. He's used their development of their weight program and their strength coaches and the position coaches, but he plays with a lot of passion, so he's a fun guy to watch.

'And I remember a year ago not playing them, but when we would watch defenses and you watched him making some awesome plays against some special guys. I have a lot of respect for him. He's a tremendous lineman, one of the best in the country.”

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