DIPRIMIO NOTEBOOK: Hoosiers Have Deep Ole Miss Ties

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Sleep?

Are you kidding?

If you're Kane Wommack, you have no time for that.

As Indiana's defensive coordinator, he has to figure out a way to stop Mississippi's powerhouse offense under head coach Lane Kiffin and offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby during their Jan. 2 showdown in Tampa's 35th Outback Bowl.

As the new South Alabama head coach, Wommack has to put together a staff, get to know his new players and formulate a plan to turn the program into a winner.

Oh, and he's been named one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, which goes to the nation's top assistant coach. The winner will be announced on Monday.

"Long hours and a little less sleep," Wommack said during Tuesday's Zoom media availability, "but a lot of excitement."

Excitement starts by unleashing one of the Big Ten's most disruptive defenses on one of the nation's most prolific offenses.

Ole Miss (4-5) averages 40.7 points behind quarterback Matt Corral, who averages 332.8 passing yards a game while throwing for 27 touchdowns. He threw for at least 320 yards six times. He also rushed for 469 yards.

IU counters with a unit that led the nation in interceptions (17) and ranked fourth in the Big Ten in points allowed, at 19.4. Its 3.3 sacks a game ranked eighth nationally. Seven defensive players earned All-Big Ten recognition, a program first.

"They have got a number of things," Wommack said. "Offensive weapons. What Coach Lane Kiffin and Jeff Lebby do offensively is cutting edge. They are ahead of the game in terms of offensive fire power, and they are explosive. They are dedicated to it, which I think is a big part of creating explosives on offense. They are just simply dedicated to it."

This is not a short-passing attack designed to chew up the clock.

"They go about things schematically and they push the ball down field," Wommack said. "They have got a very explosive quarterback. There are times when you have got to be able to find ways to create confusion for him.

"At the same time, when he gets going, he is pretty good. He has got a lot of weapons that they can utilize. They do a great job of finding ways to get their playmakers the ball, and they have got a number of them."

One advantage for No. 7 IU (6-1) is that two of Ole Miss's best players, receiver Elijah Moore and tight end Kenny Yeboah, will skip the bowl to focus on next spring's NFL Draft.

Moore led the SEC in receiving yards per game, at 149.1. Yeboah averaged a conference-best 19.41 yards a catch. They also combined for 14 touchdown catches.

Another Hoosier advantage is their ability to force takeaways, starting with those 17 interceptions.

Corral has thrown 14 interceptions, including five in last weekend's loss to LSU.

However, a couple of Hoosier defenders have fumbled during their interception returns, which is a good way to get intense coaching. It's not a coaching doghouse as much as, well, reinforcement time.

Let safeties coach Jason Jones explain.

"We stress in practice when the ball is in the air we are attacking it. If you drop a pass in practice, and you have a chance to get an interception, there is a penalty. Sort of like a punishment or a reminder.

"Interceptions are precious. They are hard to get. So, when we have an opportunity to get them, we have to take advantage of it."

Coaching in a bowl game and coaching to start your own program is a heavy burden. Wommack saw that first hand last season, when Hoosier offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer took the Fresno State head coaching job, but stayed to coach IU in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against Tennessee.

"To have a resource in Kalen DeBoer, of course we talked about those things a lot," Wommack said. "Certainly, there are things that have to be juggled. (Head coach Tom Allen) has been great about that."

Wommack has already chosen his defensive and offensive coordinators in Corey Batoon and Major Applewhite.

"That was great to knock that out and have those guys on board," Wommack said.

"You're trying to make sure you are taking care of those players down there, and still doing right by our players here.

"This is a group here at Indiana that I care deeply for. It means something special to finish well with these guys."

As far as IU, Jones is well aware of how formidable coaching against a Kiffin offense can be. He coached under Kiffin last year at Florida Atlantic.

"He is a sharp coach," Jones said. "He is detailed, but he is going to give you a formation. He is going to run an offensive play, and he is going to have plans A, B, C and D. If the defensive does this, we are going do this.

"He is not going to leave any stone unturned. He is going to be detailed about the game plan. It forces you as a defensive coach to be even more detailed and pay attention so that on game day your guys will be in the best position possible to win."

Facing Mississippi has special meaning for Hoosier receivers coach Grant Heard. He played and coached for the Rebels.

"I was fortunate enough to get to play football at Ole Miss and even more fortunate to have been able to go back and coach. My brother still lives there with his family. I met my wife there and have many friends still there, so there are a lot of great memories and I would not change it for the world."

Regardless of who the Hoosiers play, Heard said, "I am excited to get the chance to go out there and play another game. It just so happens to be against Ole Miss."

DIPRIMIO NOTEBOOK: Hoosiers Have Deep Ole Miss Ties

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