Monday Notebook: Defense Improving Week-by-Week
10/9/2017 8:49:00 PM | Football
By: Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Top 25 rankings are a long-standing part of college football.
For Indiana coach Tom Allen, that also extends specifically to his defense.
An oft-stated Allen goal this season is to attain a top 25 national defensive ranking.
And while the Hoosiers aren't quite there yet, currently residing near the top third nationally at 47th in total defense among 129 schools, there are some sub-categories that bode well.
Indiana, for example, ranks No. 2 nationally in the number of three-and-outs posted by its defense.
Who is No. 1? That would be Michigan, whose Wolverines visit for IU's Homecoming and a noon ABC-televised kickoff Saturday.
"You got the top two teams in the country defensively in three-and-outs coming to play on Saturday," Allen affirmed during Monday's press conference. "(Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown) is one of the best. He truly is. I have a ton of respect for him.
"I always kind of studied what they do. Don't really know him, never met with him, but have always watched (his teams)."
Michigan's defense also ranks first nationally in total defense (allowing just 213 yards per game and 3.63 yards per play) and seventh in scoring defense (13.6).
"They're very athletic in the core," Allen said, "(and have) really modified their system to match their personnel. Different than last year. They were much bigger last year and played from more of a four-down (linemen set), now they're really a three-down and moving all over the place.
"They create a lot of havoc, a lot of movement. That's why they create a lot of sacks, more so than even last year at this time."
Allen's Hoosiers also have some other very healthy national rankings: 23rd in tackles for loss and 24th in both third-down defense and sacks.
"I've made a big deal, and will continue to, (about how) we want to be a top 25 defense," Allen said. "That's our stated objective … we have had to face a couple high-powered offenses within our conference and so we just continue to fight and claw and scratch to get back into the top 25."
A TAKE ON TAKEAWAYS
While Michigan and Indiana boast some robust defensive rankings, it's somewhat remarkable they've gone a combined 7-3 despite ranking next-to-last and last among Big Ten brethren in the key statistic of turnover ratio.
Michigan commits, on average, exactly one more turnover than it gets per game (with the 1.0 mark ranking 110th among 129 teams nationally) and the Hoosiers are worse at 1.4 (122nd).
"Ball security is huge," Allen, who continually has emphasized that topic as a coach, said Monday. " … We went back and did a whole summary of our opportunities for takeaways, and we have had, like, over 30 of them in the first five games.
"We're just going to really do a great job of helping guys see where those opportunities are and make sure we take advantage of those. We also did a summary of every single time we turned the ball over, of exactly what happened, had this all written up, why the turnover occurred, and what are we going to do to get it corrected. So going to take a proactive approach to getting what we want."
And if the strong defenses hold sway Saturday, the game could well turn on turnovers.
"We know as we get back into Big Ten play," Allen said, "those takeaways, those turnovers, are going to be huge in each and every game."
MILESTONES
Saturday's 27-0 score over Charleston Southern marked IU's first shutout win since 1993's 10-0 victory over Michigan State.
The Hoosiers allowed zero completions for the seventh time in school history, with the last previous instance in 1985 against Minnesota. And the Buccaneers' zero passing yards was undercut only by the minus-2 posted by Purdue in 1945.
Peyton Ramsey became the first IU freshman quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in a game (he was 32-of-41 for 321), the first frosh to do so since Kellen Lewis in 2006 at Minnesota.
Taysir Mack's 111 receiving yards on seven catches marked the first time a Hoosier freshman receiver exceeded 100 yards in receptions since Tandon Doss against Northwestern in 2008.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Allen indicated junior left guard Wes Martin not only played well enough Saturday to merit Offensive Player of the Game honors, but that it was also something of a cumulative honor.
"Really thought that was a great choice by our offensive staff," Allen said of the Martin nod, "just because of his steady play, leadership.
"It's not surprising, but his play matches his personality, it matches his work ethic, it matches his everything he does. He's so consistent. He is a tremendous leader for us, especially behind the scenes and in the day-to-day locker room and his consistent practice performance, his consistent play on game day is encouraging. He's a strong leader for us."
Also recognized were senior linebacker Chris Covington (Defensive Player of the Game) and Griffin Oakes (Special Teams Player of the Game) and Scout Team performers Mo Burnam and
Thomas Henderson on defense and Sean Bonner, Alex Rodriguez and Connor Thomas on offense.
(EX-)MICHIGAN MEN
Mike DeBord was Michigan's offense coordinator. Twice. And that arose during two separate stints (1992-99 and 2004-07). He coached Mike Hart, Michigan's all-time leading rusher, and quarterback Nick Sheridan there.
Now, as IU offensive coordinator with Hart coaching the Hoosier running backs and Sheridan mentoring the Indiana quarterbacks, DeBord was asked on a conference call Monday if the trio had exchanged any thoughts about matching up Saturday against Michigan.
"To be really honest, we really haven't talked about it as a group," DeBord replied. "When you get into a season and game preparation, you get into a routine.
"We've talked about (Michigan's) defense a lot but, really, haven't had a lot of time to sit around and talk about old times. (But) when Nick and Mike came here, I obviously I told them why I wanted them here and that obviously went back to those Michigan days."
DeBord offered up some specifics in that regard.
"Regarding Mike, I loved how he was a team player, first of all," DeBord said. "I loved how he was as a person. A competitor. And tough ...
"With Nick, he was a young player when I was there, and I had coached with his dad. I know the family very, very well. His mom and my wife are close. When I went to Tennessee (as offensive coordinator in 2015), he was already there as a grad assistant. Nick took over the quarterbacks. Meetings. Preparations. Out on the field as a grad assistant. What I saw him do in two years with
Josh Dobbs was remarkable. (Nick is) another great person."
DeBord evinced no surprise that former Wolverine players Hart and Sheridan got into coaching as a profession.
"Nick grew up in the coaching world. His dad (Bill) is now with the Detroit Lions. You never know in college what they're going to pursue. Mike went on to play in the NFL for a while. I assumed he might get into coaching. It's no surprise they're great coaches.
"Because they were smart, they prepared, they were great people, team guys, all the things you look for in a coach … I just want people around me I can trust. Every day I love coming into the office because of the coaches we have here."
Hart previously coached against Michigan while on the Eastern Michigan staff and agreed that alma mater sentiment will have no role to play Saturday.
"It's business," Hart said. "I think it affects everybody more on the outside than it affects us, because we have a job to do and that's why we're here."
Sheridan concurred. "We care about our players here," Sheridan said, "and we're focused on giving them the best opportunity to be successful Saturday."
Both Hoosier assistants know the IU offense faces a huge challenge Saturday in Coach Don Brown's nationally top-ranked Wolverine defense.
"I don't know, when you watch tape, that any offense has had much consistent success against this defense all season," Sheridan said.
Hart opined that the Wolverines are as perhaps even better than the Ohio State and Penn State defenses IU has already faced and added: "You turn on the tape and they have a lot of NFL guys … they're just special. (Linebacker) Devin Bush is special. He's physical. He can run."
So could Hart. But he's no longer running for Michigan. He, Sheridan and DeBord are now trying to make sure IU's in the running Saturday.
INJURY UPDATE
Allen acknowledged that IU held some injured personnel out of the Charleston Southern win for primarily precautionary reasons, but others could remain sidelined by injuries this week and beyond.
"We had several that did not play and I would say there's a handful of those guys that could have," Allen said. "We are probable to get Ian (Thomas, the senior tight end) back. I feel good about the chance of hopefully getting Nate (Hoff, the fifth-year senior defensive tackle) back and he's (another) guy that will be real important to us."
Some other starters who sat out Saturday included junior wideout Donavan Hale and redshirt sophomore guard Simon Stepaniak – joining previously sidelined regulars such as defensive backs
Marcelino Ball and A'Shon Riggins, and slotback and return specialist J-Shun Harris II.
"It's questionable with the rest of them at best, I would say. Don't really know. It's early in the week, I'll know more probably on Thursday than I know right now … but regardless, we're always going to take the high road with them and I told one of them yesterday, 'Hey, you're not going to come back until you're healthy. We're not going to bring you back before then.' And I want them to play at a high level – and to play in the Big Ten and to be an elite player, you got to be healthy."
TIME TO BREAK THROUGH?
Indiana football hasn't beaten Michigan in 30 years. And it has just two wins over the Wolverines in the past half century, with the other victory coming during IU's 1967 Rose Bowl campaign.
And the Hoosiers have dropped six straight Homecoming games against Big Ten foes.
So a Homecoming victory Saturday over the No. 17-ranked Wolverines would certainly seem to constitute an achievement in keeping with Allen's primary theme word for this season: Breakthrough.
"I think I've been pretty clear about what breakthrough means to me," Allen said Monday. "And it's an attitude, it's a mindset, it's an expectation. I've said that many times. It is an expectation for sure. And it is created over time.
"I've been places where we won most of our games and we expected to win. If games were close, teams were fighting us, whether they were supposed to or not, we expected to find a way to win.
And you have to create that. It doesn't happen through talking about it. You have to live it. You have to experience it.
"I'm a guy that goes back and studies history, and we haven't beaten Michigan in 30 years. And we have beaten them twice in the past 50 years. So I understand the history. And so there's no question if I'm on the other side of the table I would expect to win. The bottom line is that how do you break through that from our perspective and to me we have laid that out. It's about doing the little things, our one word for this week is confidence. And to me preparation creates confidence."
And Allen is confident a breakthrough is coming, with its arrival time determined by the Hoosiers themselves.
"I told our team breakthrough is going to happen," Allen said. "When is up to them.
"… I want a physical football team, mentally and physically, that's going to be tough. That's what I want. And that to me is all part of this process. I've laid it out there and I'm not running from it and I will never run from it. And I believe in my heart it's going to happen. We just got to keep staying the course. And when it does, we'll readjust and go after bigger goals."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Top 25 rankings are a long-standing part of college football.
For Indiana coach Tom Allen, that also extends specifically to his defense.
An oft-stated Allen goal this season is to attain a top 25 national defensive ranking.
And while the Hoosiers aren't quite there yet, currently residing near the top third nationally at 47th in total defense among 129 schools, there are some sub-categories that bode well.
Indiana, for example, ranks No. 2 nationally in the number of three-and-outs posted by its defense.
Who is No. 1? That would be Michigan, whose Wolverines visit for IU's Homecoming and a noon ABC-televised kickoff Saturday.
"You got the top two teams in the country defensively in three-and-outs coming to play on Saturday," Allen affirmed during Monday's press conference. "(Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown) is one of the best. He truly is. I have a ton of respect for him.
"I always kind of studied what they do. Don't really know him, never met with him, but have always watched (his teams)."
Michigan's defense also ranks first nationally in total defense (allowing just 213 yards per game and 3.63 yards per play) and seventh in scoring defense (13.6).
"They're very athletic in the core," Allen said, "(and have) really modified their system to match their personnel. Different than last year. They were much bigger last year and played from more of a four-down (linemen set), now they're really a three-down and moving all over the place.
"They create a lot of havoc, a lot of movement. That's why they create a lot of sacks, more so than even last year at this time."
Allen's Hoosiers also have some other very healthy national rankings: 23rd in tackles for loss and 24th in both third-down defense and sacks.
"I've made a big deal, and will continue to, (about how) we want to be a top 25 defense," Allen said. "That's our stated objective … we have had to face a couple high-powered offenses within our conference and so we just continue to fight and claw and scratch to get back into the top 25."
A TAKE ON TAKEAWAYS
While Michigan and Indiana boast some robust defensive rankings, it's somewhat remarkable they've gone a combined 7-3 despite ranking next-to-last and last among Big Ten brethren in the key statistic of turnover ratio.
Michigan commits, on average, exactly one more turnover than it gets per game (with the 1.0 mark ranking 110th among 129 teams nationally) and the Hoosiers are worse at 1.4 (122nd).
"Ball security is huge," Allen, who continually has emphasized that topic as a coach, said Monday. " … We went back and did a whole summary of our opportunities for takeaways, and we have had, like, over 30 of them in the first five games.
"We're just going to really do a great job of helping guys see where those opportunities are and make sure we take advantage of those. We also did a summary of every single time we turned the ball over, of exactly what happened, had this all written up, why the turnover occurred, and what are we going to do to get it corrected. So going to take a proactive approach to getting what we want."
And if the strong defenses hold sway Saturday, the game could well turn on turnovers.
"We know as we get back into Big Ten play," Allen said, "those takeaways, those turnovers, are going to be huge in each and every game."
MILESTONES
Saturday's 27-0 score over Charleston Southern marked IU's first shutout win since 1993's 10-0 victory over Michigan State.
The Hoosiers allowed zero completions for the seventh time in school history, with the last previous instance in 1985 against Minnesota. And the Buccaneers' zero passing yards was undercut only by the minus-2 posted by Purdue in 1945.
Peyton Ramsey became the first IU freshman quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in a game (he was 32-of-41 for 321), the first frosh to do so since Kellen Lewis in 2006 at Minnesota.
Taysir Mack's 111 receiving yards on seven catches marked the first time a Hoosier freshman receiver exceeded 100 yards in receptions since Tandon Doss against Northwestern in 2008.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Allen indicated junior left guard Wes Martin not only played well enough Saturday to merit Offensive Player of the Game honors, but that it was also something of a cumulative honor.
"Really thought that was a great choice by our offensive staff," Allen said of the Martin nod, "just because of his steady play, leadership.
"It's not surprising, but his play matches his personality, it matches his work ethic, it matches his everything he does. He's so consistent. He is a tremendous leader for us, especially behind the scenes and in the day-to-day locker room and his consistent practice performance, his consistent play on game day is encouraging. He's a strong leader for us."
Also recognized were senior linebacker Chris Covington (Defensive Player of the Game) and Griffin Oakes (Special Teams Player of the Game) and Scout Team performers Mo Burnam and
Thomas Henderson on defense and Sean Bonner, Alex Rodriguez and Connor Thomas on offense.
(EX-)MICHIGAN MEN
Mike DeBord was Michigan's offense coordinator. Twice. And that arose during two separate stints (1992-99 and 2004-07). He coached Mike Hart, Michigan's all-time leading rusher, and quarterback Nick Sheridan there.
Now, as IU offensive coordinator with Hart coaching the Hoosier running backs and Sheridan mentoring the Indiana quarterbacks, DeBord was asked on a conference call Monday if the trio had exchanged any thoughts about matching up Saturday against Michigan.
"To be really honest, we really haven't talked about it as a group," DeBord replied. "When you get into a season and game preparation, you get into a routine.
"We've talked about (Michigan's) defense a lot but, really, haven't had a lot of time to sit around and talk about old times. (But) when Nick and Mike came here, I obviously I told them why I wanted them here and that obviously went back to those Michigan days."
DeBord offered up some specifics in that regard.
"Regarding Mike, I loved how he was a team player, first of all," DeBord said. "I loved how he was as a person. A competitor. And tough ...
"With Nick, he was a young player when I was there, and I had coached with his dad. I know the family very, very well. His mom and my wife are close. When I went to Tennessee (as offensive coordinator in 2015), he was already there as a grad assistant. Nick took over the quarterbacks. Meetings. Preparations. Out on the field as a grad assistant. What I saw him do in two years with
Josh Dobbs was remarkable. (Nick is) another great person."
DeBord evinced no surprise that former Wolverine players Hart and Sheridan got into coaching as a profession.
"Nick grew up in the coaching world. His dad (Bill) is now with the Detroit Lions. You never know in college what they're going to pursue. Mike went on to play in the NFL for a while. I assumed he might get into coaching. It's no surprise they're great coaches.
"Because they were smart, they prepared, they were great people, team guys, all the things you look for in a coach … I just want people around me I can trust. Every day I love coming into the office because of the coaches we have here."
Hart previously coached against Michigan while on the Eastern Michigan staff and agreed that alma mater sentiment will have no role to play Saturday.
"It's business," Hart said. "I think it affects everybody more on the outside than it affects us, because we have a job to do and that's why we're here."
Sheridan concurred. "We care about our players here," Sheridan said, "and we're focused on giving them the best opportunity to be successful Saturday."
Both Hoosier assistants know the IU offense faces a huge challenge Saturday in Coach Don Brown's nationally top-ranked Wolverine defense.
"I don't know, when you watch tape, that any offense has had much consistent success against this defense all season," Sheridan said.
Hart opined that the Wolverines are as perhaps even better than the Ohio State and Penn State defenses IU has already faced and added: "You turn on the tape and they have a lot of NFL guys … they're just special. (Linebacker) Devin Bush is special. He's physical. He can run."
So could Hart. But he's no longer running for Michigan. He, Sheridan and DeBord are now trying to make sure IU's in the running Saturday.
INJURY UPDATE
Allen acknowledged that IU held some injured personnel out of the Charleston Southern win for primarily precautionary reasons, but others could remain sidelined by injuries this week and beyond.
"We had several that did not play and I would say there's a handful of those guys that could have," Allen said. "We are probable to get Ian (Thomas, the senior tight end) back. I feel good about the chance of hopefully getting Nate (Hoff, the fifth-year senior defensive tackle) back and he's (another) guy that will be real important to us."
Some other starters who sat out Saturday included junior wideout Donavan Hale and redshirt sophomore guard Simon Stepaniak – joining previously sidelined regulars such as defensive backs
Marcelino Ball and A'Shon Riggins, and slotback and return specialist J-Shun Harris II.
"It's questionable with the rest of them at best, I would say. Don't really know. It's early in the week, I'll know more probably on Thursday than I know right now … but regardless, we're always going to take the high road with them and I told one of them yesterday, 'Hey, you're not going to come back until you're healthy. We're not going to bring you back before then.' And I want them to play at a high level – and to play in the Big Ten and to be an elite player, you got to be healthy."
TIME TO BREAK THROUGH?
Indiana football hasn't beaten Michigan in 30 years. And it has just two wins over the Wolverines in the past half century, with the other victory coming during IU's 1967 Rose Bowl campaign.
And the Hoosiers have dropped six straight Homecoming games against Big Ten foes.
So a Homecoming victory Saturday over the No. 17-ranked Wolverines would certainly seem to constitute an achievement in keeping with Allen's primary theme word for this season: Breakthrough.
"I think I've been pretty clear about what breakthrough means to me," Allen said Monday. "And it's an attitude, it's a mindset, it's an expectation. I've said that many times. It is an expectation for sure. And it is created over time.
"I've been places where we won most of our games and we expected to win. If games were close, teams were fighting us, whether they were supposed to or not, we expected to find a way to win.
And you have to create that. It doesn't happen through talking about it. You have to live it. You have to experience it.
"I'm a guy that goes back and studies history, and we haven't beaten Michigan in 30 years. And we have beaten them twice in the past 50 years. So I understand the history. And so there's no question if I'm on the other side of the table I would expect to win. The bottom line is that how do you break through that from our perspective and to me we have laid that out. It's about doing the little things, our one word for this week is confidence. And to me preparation creates confidence."
And Allen is confident a breakthrough is coming, with its arrival time determined by the Hoosiers themselves.
"I told our team breakthrough is going to happen," Allen said. "When is up to them.
"… I want a physical football team, mentally and physically, that's going to be tough. That's what I want. And that to me is all part of this process. I've laid it out there and I'm not running from it and I will never run from it. And I believe in my heart it's going to happen. We just got to keep staying the course. And when it does, we'll readjust and go after bigger goals."
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
K
/ Football
QB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
RB
/ FootballFB: Omar Cooper - ISU Postgame Press Conference (09/12/25))
Friday, September 12
FB: Fernando Mendoza - ISU Postgame Press Conference (09/12/25)
Friday, September 12
FB: Week 3 (Indiana State) - Curt Cignetti Postgame Press Conference
Friday, September 12
FB: Inside IU Football with Curt Cignetti - Week 3 (Indiana State)
Wednesday, September 10