Indiana University Athletics
DIPRIMIO COLUMN -- Despite the Loss, Indiana Prospects Remain Bright
9/23/2018 1:27:00 AM | Football
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's football prospects remain bright.
Focus on that.
There's plenty to build on.
Keep that in mind.
As for the disappointment in an opportunity lost in Saturday night's 35-21 what-could-have-been defeat to No. 24 Michigan, well, it can motivate for what's to come.
A lot is coming.
A lot is needed to make the most of it.
The Hoosiers (3-1) showed they have a lot to give.
"There's definitely some positives to build on," head coach Tom Allen said.
Next up is a 1-3 Rutgers team.
There is more opportunity there, and in the seven regular season games after that.
The key is perspective and Allen pushed it in the aftermath.
"It's one game. We'll learn from it and press on. We'll become a better team because of tonight."
Becoming better starts with this truth:
You can't win without a difference-making quarterback.
IU has one in redshirt sophomore Peyton Ramsey.
You can't win without playmakers.
The Hoosiers have them with receiver Whop Philyor, punt returner J-Shun Harris II, defensive backs Marcelino Ball and Jonathan Crawford, and more.
Still, it's all about winning and on this night, IU couldn't deliver.
Defensive back Khalil Bryant was talking about the defense, but he might as well have been speaking for the whole team when he said, "We didn't come out with the win. We didn't play good enough. We might have made strides, but we didn't finish. We have to play the same way the whole game."
Ramsey agonized over an offense that was positioned to score more than 30 points and couldn't.
"We had so many opportunities to score points. There were a lot of missed opportunities. It's difficult to not put up enough points to win."
Ramsey made plays without the benefit of a running game (just 29 yards) and despite facing a fierce pass rush that produced four sacks and numerous pressures.
He was 32-for-46 for 272 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and one pick-6 against a powerhouse front seven that attacked relentlessly.
"When you play Big Ten ball," Ramsey said, "there's going to be pressure. There's going to be guys breathing down your neck. It's a matter of adjusting and getting comfortable back there."
Added Allen: "It puts a ton of pressure on you when you don't have time to function in the (pass and run) game. That's an area that really bothers me. We have to address that to move forward."
Philyor came up big and he needed to with veteran receiver Luke Timian out with an injury. Philyor tied his career-high with 13 catches for a career-high 148 yards, including a career-long 65-yard touchdown.
Only three other Hoosiers have caught more passes in a game. No other Hoosier has twice caught at least 13 passes in a game.
Harris, as good a punter returner as there is in the Big Ten, caught six passes for 42 yards. He returned one punt for 19 yards.
The defense had four takeaways that resulted in 18 IU points. If you're counting, that's 31 points off of nine takeaways for the season.
The Hoosiers just missed a fifth takeaway Saturday night when cornerback Raheem Layne's first-half interception was disallowed because of pass interference.
Ball had two sacks and the first forced fumble of his career, plus six tackles. He would have had more if he hadn't been ejected in the second half for targeting. He'll have to sit out the first half against Rutgers.
Crawford had a team-high nine tackles and recovered a fumble for the sixth time in his career. He's been involved in 18 takeaways -- nine interceptions, six fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles.
As far as the game …
Adversity rocked the Hoosiers early, but didn't break them.
The defense roared back after a bad series that led to Michigan State's first touchdown.
The offense roared back after a couple of bad possessions that included that pick-6 and a 14-0 Michigan State lead.
And then …
More adversity.
A defense that had been so dominant gave up a seven-play, 74-yard touchdown drive in 64 seconds at the end of the first half. The result – a seven-point halftime deficit became 14 points, at 21-7.
Still, IU had the ball to start the second half. Score a touchdown and a win was in sight.
Instead, the Hoosiers' first play of the third quarter was a 5-yard sack. Their second play was another 5-yard sack.
That set a tone IU couldn't overcome. Its offense fizzled against a defense that had two weeks to prepare. Its defense couldn't regain its earlier dominance.
And yet, it all began with so much promise. The Hoosiers had as impressive a non-conference run as they've had in years.
Opportunity arrived with several key questions:
1) Could IU's rushing attack crack a Michigan State front seven that allowed just 69 total rushing yards after two games?
2) Could Ramsey exploit a vulnerable Spartan secondary that had allowed 349.5 passing yards per game, the worst in the Big Ten?
3) Finally, could the Hoosiers punish an inconsistent Michigan State offensive line to stuff the run (the Spartans came in averaging a Big Ten-worst 114 rushing yards per game) and pressure quarterback Brian Lewerke into irrelevance?
Pre-game signs had been encouraging with Ramsey emerging as the Big Ten's most accurate passer, tailback Stevie Scott a true freshman sensation with his 388 rushing yards and a rapidly improving defense.
On this cool, gray night, answers came fast if not furious.
IU couldn't make the plays it needed to make. Michigan State did.
The good news is, the Hoosiers have at least eight more games to get it right, and a coach driven to ensure it happens.
Prospects really do remain bright.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's football prospects remain bright.
Focus on that.
There's plenty to build on.
Keep that in mind.
As for the disappointment in an opportunity lost in Saturday night's 35-21 what-could-have-been defeat to No. 24 Michigan, well, it can motivate for what's to come.
A lot is coming.
A lot is needed to make the most of it.
The Hoosiers (3-1) showed they have a lot to give.
"There's definitely some positives to build on," head coach Tom Allen said.
Next up is a 1-3 Rutgers team.
There is more opportunity there, and in the seven regular season games after that.
The key is perspective and Allen pushed it in the aftermath.
"It's one game. We'll learn from it and press on. We'll become a better team because of tonight."
Becoming better starts with this truth:
You can't win without a difference-making quarterback.
IU has one in redshirt sophomore Peyton Ramsey.
You can't win without playmakers.
The Hoosiers have them with receiver Whop Philyor, punt returner J-Shun Harris II, defensive backs Marcelino Ball and Jonathan Crawford, and more.
Still, it's all about winning and on this night, IU couldn't deliver.
Defensive back Khalil Bryant was talking about the defense, but he might as well have been speaking for the whole team when he said, "We didn't come out with the win. We didn't play good enough. We might have made strides, but we didn't finish. We have to play the same way the whole game."
Ramsey agonized over an offense that was positioned to score more than 30 points and couldn't.
"We had so many opportunities to score points. There were a lot of missed opportunities. It's difficult to not put up enough points to win."
Ramsey made plays without the benefit of a running game (just 29 yards) and despite facing a fierce pass rush that produced four sacks and numerous pressures.
He was 32-for-46 for 272 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and one pick-6 against a powerhouse front seven that attacked relentlessly.
"When you play Big Ten ball," Ramsey said, "there's going to be pressure. There's going to be guys breathing down your neck. It's a matter of adjusting and getting comfortable back there."
Added Allen: "It puts a ton of pressure on you when you don't have time to function in the (pass and run) game. That's an area that really bothers me. We have to address that to move forward."
Philyor came up big and he needed to with veteran receiver Luke Timian out with an injury. Philyor tied his career-high with 13 catches for a career-high 148 yards, including a career-long 65-yard touchdown.
Only three other Hoosiers have caught more passes in a game. No other Hoosier has twice caught at least 13 passes in a game.
Harris, as good a punter returner as there is in the Big Ten, caught six passes for 42 yards. He returned one punt for 19 yards.
The defense had four takeaways that resulted in 18 IU points. If you're counting, that's 31 points off of nine takeaways for the season.
The Hoosiers just missed a fifth takeaway Saturday night when cornerback Raheem Layne's first-half interception was disallowed because of pass interference.
Ball had two sacks and the first forced fumble of his career, plus six tackles. He would have had more if he hadn't been ejected in the second half for targeting. He'll have to sit out the first half against Rutgers.
Crawford had a team-high nine tackles and recovered a fumble for the sixth time in his career. He's been involved in 18 takeaways -- nine interceptions, six fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles.
As far as the game …
Adversity rocked the Hoosiers early, but didn't break them.
The defense roared back after a bad series that led to Michigan State's first touchdown.
The offense roared back after a couple of bad possessions that included that pick-6 and a 14-0 Michigan State lead.
And then …
More adversity.
A defense that had been so dominant gave up a seven-play, 74-yard touchdown drive in 64 seconds at the end of the first half. The result – a seven-point halftime deficit became 14 points, at 21-7.
Still, IU had the ball to start the second half. Score a touchdown and a win was in sight.
Instead, the Hoosiers' first play of the third quarter was a 5-yard sack. Their second play was another 5-yard sack.
That set a tone IU couldn't overcome. Its offense fizzled against a defense that had two weeks to prepare. Its defense couldn't regain its earlier dominance.
And yet, it all began with so much promise. The Hoosiers had as impressive a non-conference run as they've had in years.
Opportunity arrived with several key questions:
1) Could IU's rushing attack crack a Michigan State front seven that allowed just 69 total rushing yards after two games?
2) Could Ramsey exploit a vulnerable Spartan secondary that had allowed 349.5 passing yards per game, the worst in the Big Ten?
3) Finally, could the Hoosiers punish an inconsistent Michigan State offensive line to stuff the run (the Spartans came in averaging a Big Ten-worst 114 rushing yards per game) and pressure quarterback Brian Lewerke into irrelevance?
Pre-game signs had been encouraging with Ramsey emerging as the Big Ten's most accurate passer, tailback Stevie Scott a true freshman sensation with his 388 rushing yards and a rapidly improving defense.
On this cool, gray night, answers came fast if not furious.
IU couldn't make the plays it needed to make. Michigan State did.
The good news is, the Hoosiers have at least eight more games to get it right, and a coach driven to ensure it happens.
Prospects really do remain bright.
Players Mentioned
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