Quoted: Indiana at Virginia
9/6/2017 2:27:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana football team will head on the road for the first time this season on Saturday. IU (0-1) will take on the Virginia Cavaliers (1-0) in Charlottesville, Va., at 3:30 p.m. EDT.
"It is just football," senior linebacker Tegray Scales said. "Go have fun. You get a chance to play in front of their home crowd and it is fun to play in different environments. Just relax and play ball."
Playing on the road provides unique challenges, especially at hostile environments. Calling plays, on-field communication and momentum shifts are all tougher to manage away from Memorial Stadium. Scales had a simple message for the younger players who will suit up for the first time on the road - have fun. Football is football, no matter where it is played.
"We need to be a better running football team," said offensive coordinator Mike DeBord. "And, we will be."
Over the last handful of years, Indiana has churned out 1,000-yard rushers and spit them out into the National Football League. In 2014, Tevin Coleman was unstoppable on the ground, racking up over 2,000 yards before being selected in the third round of the NFL Draft. Jordan Howard gained over 1,200 yards in less than 10 games in his lone season in the Cream & Crimson before heading to the Chicago Bears. In each of the last two seasons, Devine Redding hit the 1,000-yard plateau.
"Film study is very important against a team that is this multiple," said fifth-year senior quarterback Richard Lagow. "I want to know everything that they can do, how they might disguise it and their tendencies. Virginia is going to try to do a lot of things defensively. We have to be on top of our game this weekend."
Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall is known for bringing a highly-multiple defensive attack. The Cavaliers will disguise coverages, blitzes and stunts all afternoon to try to baffle the Hoosiers offense. In week one, Virginia held William & Mary to just 240 yards of offense, including a measly 72 yards through the air. Indiana will have to do a better job of recognizing the defensive scheme and producing a better statistical output.
"It is definitely a blessing," redshirt junior wide receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr. said. "Going through the injury process last season and coming back to make plays for my teammates, trying to keep them energized, making a play any time that I could, it was definitely a blessing for me."
Cobbs made spectacular play after spectacular play against the Buckeyes, hauling in a game-highs 11 catches for 149 yards and a score. He enticed not only the team, but the entire sold out crowd as well, with a SportsCenter-worthy one-handed catch, one of two that he made on the evening. Having Cobbs back in the mix gives the Hoosiers a deadly passing game, one complimented by tight end Ian Thomas and receivers Donavan Hale and Luke Timian.
"As I said after the game and will continue to say, BreakThrough is a mindset, it is a culture change, it is an expectation and we are raising the expectations here," said head coach Tom Allen. "Being close, playing a great first half, all of that is not good enough. We will embrace that."
Coach Allen took over head coaching duties before the Foster Farms Bowl last season after serving the regular season as defensive coordinator. He saw the Hoosiers scrap and claw their way to a 6-7 record with three of the losses coming by one score or less. His mantra for the 2017 season is to BreakThrough. One game in, that attitude is unwavering.
"It is just football," senior linebacker Tegray Scales said. "Go have fun. You get a chance to play in front of their home crowd and it is fun to play in different environments. Just relax and play ball."
Playing on the road provides unique challenges, especially at hostile environments. Calling plays, on-field communication and momentum shifts are all tougher to manage away from Memorial Stadium. Scales had a simple message for the younger players who will suit up for the first time on the road - have fun. Football is football, no matter where it is played.
"We need to be a better running football team," said offensive coordinator Mike DeBord. "And, we will be."
Over the last handful of years, Indiana has churned out 1,000-yard rushers and spit them out into the National Football League. In 2014, Tevin Coleman was unstoppable on the ground, racking up over 2,000 yards before being selected in the third round of the NFL Draft. Jordan Howard gained over 1,200 yards in less than 10 games in his lone season in the Cream & Crimson before heading to the Chicago Bears. In each of the last two seasons, Devine Redding hit the 1,000-yard plateau.
"Film study is very important against a team that is this multiple," said fifth-year senior quarterback Richard Lagow. "I want to know everything that they can do, how they might disguise it and their tendencies. Virginia is going to try to do a lot of things defensively. We have to be on top of our game this weekend."
Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall is known for bringing a highly-multiple defensive attack. The Cavaliers will disguise coverages, blitzes and stunts all afternoon to try to baffle the Hoosiers offense. In week one, Virginia held William & Mary to just 240 yards of offense, including a measly 72 yards through the air. Indiana will have to do a better job of recognizing the defensive scheme and producing a better statistical output.
"It is definitely a blessing," redshirt junior wide receiver Simmie Cobbs Jr. said. "Going through the injury process last season and coming back to make plays for my teammates, trying to keep them energized, making a play any time that I could, it was definitely a blessing for me."
Cobbs made spectacular play after spectacular play against the Buckeyes, hauling in a game-highs 11 catches for 149 yards and a score. He enticed not only the team, but the entire sold out crowd as well, with a SportsCenter-worthy one-handed catch, one of two that he made on the evening. Having Cobbs back in the mix gives the Hoosiers a deadly passing game, one complimented by tight end Ian Thomas and receivers Donavan Hale and Luke Timian.
"As I said after the game and will continue to say, BreakThrough is a mindset, it is a culture change, it is an expectation and we are raising the expectations here," said head coach Tom Allen. "Being close, playing a great first half, all of that is not good enough. We will embrace that."
Coach Allen took over head coaching duties before the Foster Farms Bowl last season after serving the regular season as defensive coordinator. He saw the Hoosiers scrap and claw their way to a 6-7 record with three of the losses coming by one score or less. His mantra for the 2017 season is to BreakThrough. One game in, that attitude is unwavering.
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