2-Minute Drill: Indiana Hoosiers

IOWA RUSH OFFENSE VS. INDIANA RUSH DEFENSE

If you're the Hoosiers, you probably blitz out of comfort zone. Yes, this is the part about Iowa's running game, but why not send as many bodies as possible at that, too? Last week, Maryland started switching even and odd fronts and run blitzing late in the second quarter and, basically, took away Iowa's rush game.

In the second half, the Hawkeyes managed just 30 yards on 21 carries, their lowest output for a half this season. They lived. They put together enough first downs for three points, ran some clock and put win No. 8 on the board.

If you're IU defensive coordinator Brian Knorr, why not steal that film? Yes, it all has to fit and the Hoosiers' secondary is painfully inexperienced, but why not throw punches? In its 52-26 loss at Michigan State before last week's bye, IU blitzed more than 50 percent in passing situations and made a dent. According to the Hoosier Scoop, Knorr started using a three-man stack on third-down situations, giving the Hoosiers a push up front and getting them off the field (before caving in the last two weeks, IU held Wake Forest, Ohio State and Penn State to just 24 percent on third down). It's a little like Iowa's 'raider” formation. It keeps the O-line guessing on IDs.

IU's front seven has Iowa's attention. Led by tackle Darius Latham (6-5, 300) and end Nick Mangieri (6-5, 275), the Hoosiers' D-line has produced 21.5 of their 49 tackles for loss.

With quarterback C.J. Beathard's mobility limited because of injury (hip/groin), the Hawkeyes have put a lot on the backs of their O-line and running backs. So far, it's worked. The winning numbers have been and will continue to be 40 carries and 200 yards. The closer Iowa gets to those two, the more it turns this into a line of scrimmage game and the more the offense and defense clamp together to make it a time-of-possession, muscle game.

Beathard isn't getting better, Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said this week. But the O-line and running backs are. Last week, tackle Boone Myers (stinger) and running back LeShun Daniels (ankle) returned. Soon, right tackle Ike Boettger (ankle) and running back Jordan Canzeri (ankle) should return.

The College Football Playoff committee said this week, basically, that it likes the fireworks offenses of Baylor and TCU better than Iowa's. That's OK, this is how Iowa is going to win games, like it or not. The Hoosiers have allowed teams to rush for 4.09 yards on first down. Iowa has averaged 4.83 yards a carry on first down. That's the efficiency the Hawkeyes will have to hit to keep IU's offense off the field and less of a factor.

Advantage: Iowa

IOWA PASS OFFENSE VS. INDIANA PASS DEFENSE

Back to the Hoosiers and blitzing. Again, why not? According to the website Punt John Punt, dedicated to covering IU football, the Hoosiers said the heck with the inexperienced secondary and blitzed Michigan State QB Connor Cook on 33 of 56 drop-back passes (59 percent). From the website: Cook's yards-per-attempt were almost 5 yards fewer when faced with the blitz, and he completed only 50 percent of his passes, as opposed to 65 percent when IU rushed only 3 or 4. While Cook managed to throw 2 of his 4 TDs against the blitz, he was also hit 7 times and sacked 3 times when IU brought the heat. More specifically, IU's six-man blitzes did the most damage.

Is this a coach going for broke or playing to strength? You could make an argument either way. The Hoosiers allow 342.1 passing yards a game. That's the most in the nation. Opposing QBs also have completed 60 percent of their passes and thrown 21 TDs. The Hoosiers are playing three true freshmen in the secondary (cornerback Andre Brown, strong safety Jonathan Crawford and nickel safety Jameel Cook) and there's really nowhere to hide.

On the other hand, the Hoosiers are pretty good at getting to the QB. They're sixth in the league with 21.0 sacks. Mangieri is fifth in the league with 7.0 sacks, including two against Ohio State. Linebackers Zach Shaw (6.3, 253) and Tegray Scales (6-0, 227) have combined for 7.5 more.

If IU brings pressure, can Beathard make it pay? Last week was probably how Iowa is going to look for the rest of the season, at least in the passing game. Beathard has become a pocket passer, without any real convincing play-action to keep defenses stuck. Against a Maryland defense with an active, talented front seven, Beathard completed just 12 of 24 for 183 yards, lowest number of completions since nine against Wisconsin. He was sacked four times and finished with negative rushing yards for the first time this season. He said this week he wanted to take off and run with the ball, but just didn't feel right physically.

Of course, the passing game is a two-way deal. Iowa's receivers have to be on the same page with Beathard. Last week, there were a few misses on slot fades in the first quarter, including one where wide receiver Tevaun Smith didn't see a wide-open middle of the field.

The passing game going through junior wide receiver Matt VandeBerg probably won't change. Through eight games, VandeBerg has 44 catches for 445 yards and two TDs. That's 34.1 percent of Iowa's 129 receptions. That number is third to Kevin Kasper (35.7 percent in 2000) and Marvin McNutt (34.2 percent in 2011) in highest percentage of receptions to one player. VandeBerg is fifth in the Big Ten in receptions, but his 10.1 average yards per catch is 37th.

If Beathard stays upright, there will be plays to be made.

Advantage: Push

IOWA RUSH DEFENSE VS. INDIANA RUSH OFFENSE

For as much attention as IU head coach Kevin Wilson and his offense gets for throwing the ball, his offense actually bends slightly to strength. This year that's running back Jordan Howard (6-1, 230), who's second in the Big Ten with 787 yards.

When the Alabama-Birmingham football team went on hiatus last fall, Howard became a hot free agent. Vanderbilt, Louisville, Kansas, Nevada, Marshall, Southern Miss, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State offered. Iowa offered (yes, Iowa offered). Howard took his 1,587 yards and 13 touchdowns at UAB last season to Bloomington.

Howard suffered an ankle injury at Ohio State, but before the bye looked more like the back who rushed for 140-yards plus in his first four games at IU with 78 yards on 11 carries against Michigan State.

Indiana's O-line, which has combined for 121 career starts, is led by senior left tackle Jason Spriggs (6-7, 305) and junior guard Dan Feeney (6-4, 310). Feeney was named a midseason all-American by ESPN. The two have allowed just one sack in 291 pass attempts this season. Indiana's media notes state that the Hoosiers have seven O-linemen who bench press 400 pounds, with freshman left guard Wes Martin (6-3, 312) leading the way at 500 pounds. On his radio show Wednesday, Ferentz said IU will have the best, most physical O-line Iowa has faced this season.

Indiana runs a spread-based offense that takes snaps almost exclusively from the shotgun or pistol and that wants to get the ball to athletes in space. IU runs a 'check with me” play-calling system, so you'll see pace and reaction to what Iowa has on the field, alignment and personnel. The Hoosiers run an inside zone and a sweep off their read-option look.

The Hoosiers (fifth in the league at 180.6 yards a game) are the only B1G team that ranks in the top four in the conference in passing and rushing yards (IU leads the Big Ten in total offense at 467.6 yards per game).

The Hawkeyes are on pace to have one of the best rush defenses in the Ferentz era. They are holding opponents to 85.7 yards a game and 2.80 yards per carry. The 2002 Hawkeyes allowed opponents just 81.9 yards a game.

Indiana is an offense that will try to get the defense moving laterally and then find a lane and go. The Hawkeyes have seen this, but probably not with the personnel that Indiana is going to throw at them.

Advantage: Iowa

IOWA PASS DEFENSE VS. INDIANA PASS OFFENSE

In the early 1990s, Wilson and Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker faced each other in the Mid-American Conference. Wilson was running the Miami (Ohio) offense, and Parker was the secondary coach at Toledo. Parker hooked on with Ferentz at Iowa and Wilson jumped to Northwestern for a spot on the late Randy Walker's staff. So, there they were again and here they are again.

Hoosiers QB Nate Sudfeld had his season end at Iowa in 2014. He suffered a shoulder injury on a sack and that knocked Indiana off the rails in a game that was headed to the 100-point range. Sudfeld leads the Big Ten in passing yards (292.7 yards per game), pass efficiency (155.88) and yards per attempt (9.1). Sudfeld suffered an ankle injury and missed six quarters, but returned for Michigan State and completed 23 passes and with three TDs and one interception.

Wide receivers Ricky Jones (5-10, 188), Simmie Cobbs (6-4, 210) and Mitchell Paige (5-7, 176) have more than 30 receptions apiece, with Jones averaging 18.1 yards on 37 catches. The Hoosiers are fourth in the Big Ten with 32 plays of 20-plus yards.

Remember, this is a 'check with me” play system. Indiana will line up and then check what the defense shows it, scanning for a weakness. Here is where you'll see a lot of slot screens. A ton goes into this, including where the defender is shaded and what the matchup is.

Iowa's linebackers this season have been much better at diagnosing plays. Read and recognition has been demonstrably better than 2014. Saturday, it's a big deal. The Hoosiers can throw out of their read-option look and will look to read middle linebacker Josey Jewell. Does he play run or does he widen to close a passing lane in the slot?

The Hawkeyes do counter with cornerback Desmond King, who leads the nation with seven interceptions. Still, with a running game that has had success, Iowa's secondary and linebackers will need to be disciplined in what they see.

Defensive end Nate Meier was declared healthy early this week after leaving the Maryland game late with a shoulder injury. Meier is Iowa's sacks leader with 6.5 (sixth in the Big Ten). If there's pressure, it will probably come from the front four. Iowa blitzed a half dozen times last week and likely will want to keep everything in front of it this week.

Advantage: Indiana

SPECIAL TEAMS

Just going off straight numbers, Indiana has a clear advantage. The Hawkeyes coverage units have sunk since a fast start to the season, culminating in last week's 100-yard kick return by Maryland's William Likely. Iowa is now 14th in the league in kick coverage (112th nationally) allowing 24.28 yards on 25 returns. IU kick returner Damon Graham averages 22.10 per return.

Iowa's punt coverage is better, but also sits near the bottom of the Big Ten with a 10.4 average. This isn't as bad as last season, when the Hawkeyes were last in the league, allowing 15.1. IU punt returner Mitchell Paige is sixth in the B1G with 10.5 per return and a TD.

Indiana kicker Griffin Oakes is tied for the Big Ten lead with an 83.3 field goal percentage (10 of 12). Iowa's Marshall Koehn has made 11 of 14, with a 49-yarder last week after an illegal formation penalty allowed him to inject some needed confidence into his game. After finishing second in the league with 43 touchbacks last season, Koehn has 25 with 36 for Oakes.

Indiana punter Erich Toth has placed 15 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Iowa's Dillon Kidd has 13 of those.

Advantage: Indiana

INTANGIBLES

1. Looking for the payoff

- Since securing a nice victory at Wake Forest, the Hoosiers have lost four straight after starting the season 4-0. IU athletics director Fred Glass has been asked about Wilson's future and he's always answered in the affirmative. IU is on a bowl track, with No. 11 Iowa and No. 16 Michigan before finishing the season against Maryland and rival Purdue.

It doesn't take long to find Wilson's signature win during his five seasons. Last year, the Hoosiers knocked off No. 14 Missouri in Columbia. Iowa, No. 9 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, would be a bigger, shinier trophy. It doesn't sound as if Wilson's job needs saving, but a victory Saturday would stem that kind of momentum.

And never mind the fact that Iowa is first place in the B1G West and Indiana is last in the B1G East. That only makes the Hawkeyes look more like the main course.

2. Sleepy Memorial Stadium

- Indiana has a really nice football stadium. It just doesn't generate a tenth of the electricity that IU basketball does in Assembly Hall. That probably goes without saying. This is the kind of atmosphere, however, that can lull a team to sleep. Iowa jumped to a lead there in 2012, but succumbed 24-21. In 2010, Iowa needed a miracle drop to escape with an 18-13 victory. Iowa has to bring its own momentum in and build it from there.

3. Have you heard what everyone's saying about the Hawkeyes?

- In the wake of the release of the College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, Iowa has been somewhat of a dart board for some national media. It's not everyone, but perhaps the unkindest cut came from CFP committee chair Jeff Long. He said, essentially, that the reason Iowa was behind Baylor and TCU was because of the circus offenses those two schools run. So, really, points are pretty and defense doesn't matter much. That kind of cuts to the core of what Iowa is. The Hawkeyes have compartmentalized this as well as you can imagine. Win and let the championship math work itself out. This is a team that under Ferentz has made its living on having a chip firmly implanted on its shoulder. With all of that swirling around, the spotlight is shining point blank on this one.

IOWA WILL WIN IF

... If the Hawkeyes can contain the run and make the Hoosiers somewhat one dimensional. Offensively, what can Iowa get out of the passing game? What will Beathard be able to give Iowa this week? Maybe more than we think, but it's the variable for the rest of the season and that makes Iowa's offense hard to track/depend on.

INDIANA WILL WIN IF

... A real winning number for Indiana would be yards per play. If the Hoosiers' offense can live up to its advertising, that means it will have shaken out a few more explosive plays than Iowa. If you look at yards per play vs. FBS Power 5 teams, Indiana is at 5.46 yards per play. Iowa isn't that far behind at 5.43. The point here is that Indiana has to play a complete game. The defense has to be along for the ride. This might boil down to the worst pass defense in FBS vs. Beathard's health.

PREDICTION:

Iowa 37, Indiana 31

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com