Indiana University Athletics
Howard Wouldn’t Do Anything Differently In Loss
11/14/2015 11:00:00 PM | Football
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The only thing Jordan Howard said he wishes was different was the result.
Indiana ran the ball 18 consecutive plays, ranging from the beginning minutes of the fourth quarter to the penultimate play of a 48-41 double-overtime loss to Michigan on Saturday. But on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line, with Indiana needing a touchdown to keep any hopes of a win alive, the Hoosiers called for a pass.
Senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld's pass intended for redshirt junior receiver Mitchell Paige fell incomplete, spoiling an otherwise career-performance for Howard against one of the nation's most prolific rush defenses.
In a hypothetical world where Indiana would have had another chance at the final play, Howard said he wouldn't change anything.
He trusted the play and said he'd run it again.
He only wishes Paige would have held onto the ball.
"Of course everybody wants the ball on the last play of the game and make the play for the team," Howard said. But I didn't question coach's decision. I felt like it was a great decision. We just had to make the play."
Prior to the final pass breakup, Howard looked nearly unstoppable. He rushed for 238 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries against a Michigan defense that entered the day holding opponents to just 80.6 rushing yards per game as a team.
Yet somehow, Howard found a way. He had 75 yards in the first quarter alone and got his name called on more and more often as the game went on. Along the way, he became the 11th player in program history to rush for over 1,000 yards despite missing nearly 10 quarters of football with an ankle injury and still two games left to play on the schedule.
"The offensive line, they were making a great push on the defensive line and they were opening up holes greatly for me," Howard said. "We just had good play calls."
Head coach Kevin Wilson said he never planned for Indiana to run the ball 18 consecutive times. But the more Howard and sophomore Devine Redding touched the ball, the more success Indiana had.
Should Howard have gotten his number called again in 4th-and-goal? Maybe, Wilson said. But second-guessing a play call is easy after the fact.
"It didn't work," Wilson said. "Every time it doesn't work, you do something else that probably would work, but we didn't know because no one ever sees that one."
Wilson didn't see a need to discuss hypotheticals. Neither did Sudfeld, Howard or anyone else. The Hoosiers bought into everything they did but came up short.
But not before Howard offered another not-so-subtle reminder of how talented a rusher he is.
"We proved we can run the ball against anybody, no matter what the stats say," Howard said. "We're just going to have to regroup and not let this get us too down. We've just got to make the plays."
Paige Takes One All The Way
Before Paige nearly had a game-tying touchdown in double-overtime, he pulled Indiana within 1-point on an electrifying 51-yard punt return for a touchdown.
In doing so, Paige became the first Hoosier to return two punt returns for touchdowns since 1990 when Rob Turner had a pair. His first special teams score came in week three against Western Kentucky when he ran one back from 91 yards out.
"I just saw the lanes open up and I took them," Paige said. "Great blocking ahead of me."
Wilson's Word:
"The team, it's been playing good. Again, we played well but not good enough. So congratulations to Michigan. Proud of our guys, proud of the seniors. Good, awesome group. A lot of ball to play. A lot of things to play for. We'll see if we're strong enough and led well enough to get what we need down the stretch."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The only thing Jordan Howard said he wishes was different was the result.
Indiana ran the ball 18 consecutive plays, ranging from the beginning minutes of the fourth quarter to the penultimate play of a 48-41 double-overtime loss to Michigan on Saturday. But on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line, with Indiana needing a touchdown to keep any hopes of a win alive, the Hoosiers called for a pass.
Senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld's pass intended for redshirt junior receiver Mitchell Paige fell incomplete, spoiling an otherwise career-performance for Howard against one of the nation's most prolific rush defenses.
In a hypothetical world where Indiana would have had another chance at the final play, Howard said he wouldn't change anything.
He trusted the play and said he'd run it again.
He only wishes Paige would have held onto the ball.
"Of course everybody wants the ball on the last play of the game and make the play for the team," Howard said. But I didn't question coach's decision. I felt like it was a great decision. We just had to make the play."
Prior to the final pass breakup, Howard looked nearly unstoppable. He rushed for 238 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries against a Michigan defense that entered the day holding opponents to just 80.6 rushing yards per game as a team.
Yet somehow, Howard found a way. He had 75 yards in the first quarter alone and got his name called on more and more often as the game went on. Along the way, he became the 11th player in program history to rush for over 1,000 yards despite missing nearly 10 quarters of football with an ankle injury and still two games left to play on the schedule.
"The offensive line, they were making a great push on the defensive line and they were opening up holes greatly for me," Howard said. "We just had good play calls."
Head coach Kevin Wilson said he never planned for Indiana to run the ball 18 consecutive times. But the more Howard and sophomore Devine Redding touched the ball, the more success Indiana had.
Should Howard have gotten his number called again in 4th-and-goal? Maybe, Wilson said. But second-guessing a play call is easy after the fact.
"It didn't work," Wilson said. "Every time it doesn't work, you do something else that probably would work, but we didn't know because no one ever sees that one."
Wilson didn't see a need to discuss hypotheticals. Neither did Sudfeld, Howard or anyone else. The Hoosiers bought into everything they did but came up short.
But not before Howard offered another not-so-subtle reminder of how talented a rusher he is.
"We proved we can run the ball against anybody, no matter what the stats say," Howard said. "We're just going to have to regroup and not let this get us too down. We've just got to make the plays."
Paige Takes One All The Way
Before Paige nearly had a game-tying touchdown in double-overtime, he pulled Indiana within 1-point on an electrifying 51-yard punt return for a touchdown.
In doing so, Paige became the first Hoosier to return two punt returns for touchdowns since 1990 when Rob Turner had a pair. His first special teams score came in week three against Western Kentucky when he ran one back from 91 yards out.
"I just saw the lanes open up and I took them," Paige said. "Great blocking ahead of me."
Wilson's Word:
"The team, it's been playing good. Again, we played well but not good enough. So congratulations to Michigan. Proud of our guys, proud of the seniors. Good, awesome group. A lot of ball to play. A lot of things to play for. We'll see if we're strong enough and led well enough to get what we need down the stretch."
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