The Indiana Hoosiers were able to move to 6-0 on the season with a come-from-behind 20-17 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Week 6. It was a tough test for the Hoosiers, and one they passed--for the most part.
Nebraska gave Indiana all it could handle on Saturday afternoon in Lincoln. The Hoosiers were playing from behind for the majority of the game, but were able to make winning plays when it mattered most down the stretch.
However, Indiana's schedule is about to see an uptick in competition the rest of the way. If Indiana wants to be a National Championship contender again this season, there is one glaring issue that has to be fixed.
Indiana has to be better against mobile quarterbacks
Indiana's defense has been among the best in college football through six games. So far, the Hoosiers lead the Big Ten by allowing just 11.8 points per game and rank third in the conference by surrendering 263.5 total yards per game. But Anthony Colandrea and the Cornhuskers were able to exploit a major weakness that put the Hoosiers on upset alert.
Colandrea had a great day through the air, but he was also a major threat on the ground. In total, Colandrea rushed 17 times for 47 yards, which included a 39-yard TD run early in the 4th quarter that put Nebraska up 17-6. Colandrea's mobility and athleticism added another dimension to Nebraska’s offense, and Indiana found it difficult to contain him in the pocket. Even if Colandrea didn't rip off a long run, he was able to extend plays and keep his eyes downfield. Those efforts played a big part in the Huskers dominating time of possession 39:33-20:27.
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If the Hoosiers want to avoid similar issues moving forward, they need to prioritize maintaining lanes, keeping opposing QBs contained, and capitalize on opportunities to get QBs to the ground. Improving in those areas will be crucial for Indiana’s defense, especially against teams that rely on their quarterbacks making plays outside the pocket. That won't necessarily be a point of concern this weekend against Ohio State, as Julian Sayin is a true pocket passer whose mobility is limited. Plus, the Buckeyes have plenty of other offensive weapons to worry about on Saturday in Bloomington.
But when looking at the rest of Indiana's regular season schedule, several mobile QBs are on the docket. Michigan's Bryce Underwood, USC's Jayden Maiava, and Washington's Demond Williams all bring a mobile component to their respective games. If Indiana can't find a way to limit opposing quarterbacks on the ground, it could become a recurring weakness that opposing offenses exploit down the stretch.
But Indiana football fans have plenty of faith in defensive coordinator Bryant Haines. He is among the best defensive minds out there, and has produced elite results at Indiana since following Curt Cignetti from James Madison. The Hoosiers have held 22 straight opponents to 24 points or fewer, a streak that will be put to the test in Week 7 against Ohio State.
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