For Improving IU Defense, It’s Time to ‘Attack’ the Road

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Fear the Big Ten road? Are you kidding? Indiana linebacker Micah McFadden has better things to do with his time.

So when the Hoosiers' second-leading tackler sees a two-game road swing of Maryland (3-3) and Nebraska (4-3) looming, he puts it in perspective.

"We love home games, but we're ready to attack these two. It will be a good stretch, but we're going after these teams."

IU (4-2) is flexing defensive muscles rarely seen in program history. It allows 19.7 points and 282.7 total yards a game. In three of its six games, it's allowed zero, zero and three points.

Yes, that came against Eastern Illinois, Rutgers and Connecticut, which would never be confused as offensive juggernauts.

Still, you can see the improvement and potential. IU is attacking quarterbacks at an offense-busting pace, with 16 sacks and all sorts of pressure.

Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack has dialed up the pressure, and with players such as McFadden (a team-leading 6.0 tackles for loss), linebacker Cam Jones (3.0 tackles for loss), defensive tackle Demarcus Elliott (5.0) and defensive end Michael Ziemba (4.0), there is plenty to dial with.

"I hope Coach Kane continues to call the plays that get me in the backfield," Jones says with a smile, "so I can continue to make plays."

Wommack, of course, has every intention of doing that for Jones and all the defensive Hoosiers.

"Some of the technique we use on the defensive line, particularly with our defensive ends coming off the edge, we're trying to make them more aggressive," Wommack says. "We've created not only sacks, but pressure in the backfield to get the quarterback off his spot.

"A sack is great, but what is a win in terms of a pass rush? Any time you get a quarterback off his spot where he was supposed to drop, or if we can take away his vision -- crushing the pocket down to where he cannot see where his first open-lane throw is.

"We're getting some sacks and pressures, but even more, we're taking away the quarterbacks' throwing lanes. That's why you've seen such a limited production in the passing game."

That limit was highlighted by Rutgers' one passing yard in 13 attempts last Saturday.

"That's our style of play," Ziemba says of IU's pressure approach. "Coach Wommack wants us to penetrate and get in the backfield. Try to cause as much havoc as we can. That's what we've been doing. He gives us the right calls and we've been getting back there."

The 6-2, 232-pound McFadden typifies the benefits. The sophomore is two years removed from an all-state career at Florida's Plant High School, where he was an offense-busting terror with a school-record 211 tackles.

This season he's totaled 23 tackles, second on the Hoosiers to senior linebacker Reakwon Jones' 30. That's three more tackles than he had all of last season.

"I've gotten a lot bigger," McFadden says. "I'm taking on bigger running backs. I've done better with my tackling. As a team, we've done better, too."

That includes veteran husky Marcelino Ball and young cornerbacks Tiawan Mullen, Reese Taylor and Jaylin Williams.

"Marcelino is one of the 11 bodies who represent the Swarm D," Wommack says. "We are good when all 11 execute at a high level.

"For (Ball's) position on the perimeter, it's critical that we take away a lot of a team's perimeter game. He puts things on the ground and doesn't give them anything in space.

"We have to take advantage of his athleticism as a blitzer. Find creative ways of getting him closer to the box."

As for the cornerbacks, Wommack says, "They are getting comfortable in our system and what we're asking them to do. They're also physical players."

Wommack mentioned the 5-11, 183-pound Taylor, who is rounding into form after battling injuries early in the season. On one play against Rutgers, he cut down an offensive tackle. On another, he had two big kickoff tackles (one was negated by his being called offsides; he responded on the re-kick by making the tackle again).

"He's showing up on multiple levels," Wommack says. "That's what we expected him to do, and what he will do moving forward."

The Hoosiers are set to move forward with him.

"We have to play Indiana football," Cam Jones says. "It's going to start getting cold. Offenses don't like to play in the cold. It's a defensive game. Our defense has to step up, big time. We've got to continue to make plays and finish."

On Saturday that will mean Maryland and its roller-coaster season. In recent weeks it has lost to Temple (20-17), Penn State (59-0) and Purdue (40-14), while beating Rutgers (48-7).

"We're taking it one game at a time," Ziemba says. "Every week we try to be 1-0. That's all we try to do. Keep getting after it. Keep learning."

Or, as Wommack puts it, "We need to continue to focus on us and take steps in the right direction."

Maryland has offensive talent with quarterbacks Tyrrell Pigrome and Josh Jackson, and tailbacks Javon Leake (341 rushing yards), Anthony McFarland (340) and Tayon Fleet-Davis (186 yards).

"Maryland is a very athletic team," Wommack says. "They have a group of guys who have shown they can create explosive plays in the run and the pass game. Their quarterbacks do a nice job of staying on pace. (Pigrome) is a dynamic athlete as well as a runner. We have to be aware of that.

"Their running backs are very explosive. They'll create big plays if you miss fit.

"We have to execute, do our jobs, get them into (long) third-down situations and try to keep the pressure on them as best we can."

For Improving IU Defense, It’s Time to ‘Attack’ the Road

Players Mentioned

Demarcus Elliott

Cam Jones

Reakwon Jones

Marcelino McCrary-Ball

Micah McFadden

Tiawan Mullen

Reese Taylor

Jaylin Williams

Michael Ziemba

Indiana University Athletics