Indiana University Athletics
McFadden, Hoosiers Set to “Attack the Week”
11/18/2020 9:07:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Micah McFadden contemplates the beatable foe, history be darned.
Indiana's junior linebacker and the No. 9 Hoosiers (4-0) face, as usual, an Ohio State football powerhouse (No. 3 and 3-0).
"We have to perform at a high level and prepare that way throughout the week," McFadden says about Saturday's nationally televised showdown in Columbus. "We need to go into game day feeling confident in everything that we do, feel prepared, play lights out, play fast and physical, and play that Indiana football that we always talk about. We need to be ready to go."
So what that the Hoosiers haven't beaten Ohio State since 1988. That has nothing to do with this game and these teams.
"We cannot think about them being Ohio State or it being a big-time matchup," McFadden says. "We have to prepare like we have always prepared and attack each week with the same mindset. I think that is what we are going to do because that is what we have been doing. We have to keep working at it."
At least there won't be 100,000-plus Buckeye fans to deal with. Pandemic reality and Big Ten rules will shrink the crowd several hundred.
There will, however, be Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, who is putting up Heisman Trophy winning numbers with 908 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, no interceptions and an 86.7 completion percentage.
"(Fields) is pretty deceptive in where he is throwing the ball," cornerback Tiawan Mullen says. "We have to create takeaways in the coverages we play. We need to try to create turnovers. He is a great quarterback. He is very detailed in where he throws the ball, but we have to create some takeaways."
IU leads the Big Ten with 10 interceptions and 12 sacks.
Somebody, you figure, has to blink.
"They have a great quarterback and a great offense as a whole with the receivers on the outside," McFadden says. "It comes down to our defense executing fundamentally and doing what the coaches tell us to do each day and each week."
The 6-2, 235-pound McFadden has totaled 30 tackles, 4.5 for loss, with two sacks and an interception, but his impact goes well beyond that, defensive coordinator Kane Wommack says.
"It is fun to see somebody go through the progression of maturity on and off the field as a player. Also the way he has gone about his business and getting better as a player."
Despite potentially playing three fewer regular season games because of pandemic restrictions, McFadden is on pace to top the career-high 61 tackles he totaled last year.
"Early on, he was a guy that was just a playmaker who would line up and chase the ball down," Wommack says. "Now we get to see his skillset develop fundamentally with his understanding of the game, understanding of our concepts, recognizing situations and what offenses are doing. His production has continued to climb."
All this team and individual success is why the former record-setting defensive standout at Florida's Plant High School in Tampa is at Indiana rather than at, say, an SEC program.
"When I was a senior in high school and in the recruiting process," McFadden says, "(Coach Tom Allen) was true from the start. He was telling me that Indiana was going to be a Big Ten contender for the Big Ten championship. He said we were going to win a lot of games if I came here.
"The guys that he was recruiting, he knew it was going to be a good class. He was so enthusiastic about the change that was going on in this program. You could see it in his eyes and the way he talked was so convincing. That led me to believe, believe in him, believe in the program and the change that was going on. That led to me wanting to commit here."
IU is coming off a 24-0 win at Michigan State. Ohio State didn't play last Saturday after its game with Maryland was called off because of the Terrapins' COVID-19 issues.
Despite the strong performance, a scoreless second half and multiple missed red-zone chances have the Hoosiers pushing for more.
"We have a whole new mindset going into this game," running back Stevie Scott III says. "We are going into practice every day and building that team chemistry as we try to get better.
"Last week we did not execute that well in the red zone in the second half, so that is something that we have been working on. We have to keep moving forward."
Moving forwards means gaining honors. The latest goes to Allen, who was named to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award Watch List. The Coach-of-the-Year honor is announced after all the bowl games and national title contest.
Allen is one of 24 coaches on the list. Others include Notre Dame's Brian Kelly, Alabama's Nick Saban, Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Ohio State's Ryan Day.
Four years ago, Allen believed the Hoosiers could win a Big Ten championship.
Four games into the season, they have a chance to take a big step in that direction.
"It is his actions," Mullen says about Allen. "His actions speak louder than his words.
"He is a driven coach. He thrives and he wants the best for everybody. He does what he says he is going to do and that is why everyone follows him.
"Everything starts with him and we follow his lead, as we are doing right now, and everything is falling into place."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Micah McFadden contemplates the beatable foe, history be darned.
Indiana's junior linebacker and the No. 9 Hoosiers (4-0) face, as usual, an Ohio State football powerhouse (No. 3 and 3-0).
"We have to perform at a high level and prepare that way throughout the week," McFadden says about Saturday's nationally televised showdown in Columbus. "We need to go into game day feeling confident in everything that we do, feel prepared, play lights out, play fast and physical, and play that Indiana football that we always talk about. We need to be ready to go."
So what that the Hoosiers haven't beaten Ohio State since 1988. That has nothing to do with this game and these teams.
"We cannot think about them being Ohio State or it being a big-time matchup," McFadden says. "We have to prepare like we have always prepared and attack each week with the same mindset. I think that is what we are going to do because that is what we have been doing. We have to keep working at it."
At least there won't be 100,000-plus Buckeye fans to deal with. Pandemic reality and Big Ten rules will shrink the crowd several hundred.
There will, however, be Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, who is putting up Heisman Trophy winning numbers with 908 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, no interceptions and an 86.7 completion percentage.
"(Fields) is pretty deceptive in where he is throwing the ball," cornerback Tiawan Mullen says. "We have to create takeaways in the coverages we play. We need to try to create turnovers. He is a great quarterback. He is very detailed in where he throws the ball, but we have to create some takeaways."
IU leads the Big Ten with 10 interceptions and 12 sacks.
Somebody, you figure, has to blink.
"They have a great quarterback and a great offense as a whole with the receivers on the outside," McFadden says. "It comes down to our defense executing fundamentally and doing what the coaches tell us to do each day and each week."
The 6-2, 235-pound McFadden has totaled 30 tackles, 4.5 for loss, with two sacks and an interception, but his impact goes well beyond that, defensive coordinator Kane Wommack says.
"It is fun to see somebody go through the progression of maturity on and off the field as a player. Also the way he has gone about his business and getting better as a player."
Despite potentially playing three fewer regular season games because of pandemic restrictions, McFadden is on pace to top the career-high 61 tackles he totaled last year.
"Early on, he was a guy that was just a playmaker who would line up and chase the ball down," Wommack says. "Now we get to see his skillset develop fundamentally with his understanding of the game, understanding of our concepts, recognizing situations and what offenses are doing. His production has continued to climb."
All this team and individual success is why the former record-setting defensive standout at Florida's Plant High School in Tampa is at Indiana rather than at, say, an SEC program.
"When I was a senior in high school and in the recruiting process," McFadden says, "(Coach Tom Allen) was true from the start. He was telling me that Indiana was going to be a Big Ten contender for the Big Ten championship. He said we were going to win a lot of games if I came here.
"The guys that he was recruiting, he knew it was going to be a good class. He was so enthusiastic about the change that was going on in this program. You could see it in his eyes and the way he talked was so convincing. That led me to believe, believe in him, believe in the program and the change that was going on. That led to me wanting to commit here."
IU is coming off a 24-0 win at Michigan State. Ohio State didn't play last Saturday after its game with Maryland was called off because of the Terrapins' COVID-19 issues.
Despite the strong performance, a scoreless second half and multiple missed red-zone chances have the Hoosiers pushing for more.
"We have a whole new mindset going into this game," running back Stevie Scott III says. "We are going into practice every day and building that team chemistry as we try to get better.
"Last week we did not execute that well in the red zone in the second half, so that is something that we have been working on. We have to keep moving forward."
Moving forwards means gaining honors. The latest goes to Allen, who was named to the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award Watch List. The Coach-of-the-Year honor is announced after all the bowl games and national title contest.
Allen is one of 24 coaches on the list. Others include Notre Dame's Brian Kelly, Alabama's Nick Saban, Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Ohio State's Ryan Day.
Four years ago, Allen believed the Hoosiers could win a Big Ten championship.
Four games into the season, they have a chance to take a big step in that direction.
"It is his actions," Mullen says about Allen. "His actions speak louder than his words.
"He is a driven coach. He thrives and he wants the best for everybody. He does what he says he is going to do and that is why everyone follows him.
"Everything starts with him and we follow his lead, as we are doing right now, and everything is falling into place."
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