Hoosiers Come Up Short Against Minnesota

Saturday, November 20

Bloomington, Ind.

3:30 PM

Indiana University

2-9 , 0-8

Minnesota

7-4 , 5-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Minnesota

Indiana

11/20/2021 7:15:00 PM | Football

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Grant Gremel clutched the football in his right hand as if it was the Holy Grail, which, in some ways, it was.

"It's my touchdown ball," the redshirt sophomore walk-on quarterback said. "I've got to keep that with me."

Memorial Stadium glowed in Saturday night's post-game light, a Senior Game lost 35-14 to Minnesota, a potential Oaken Bucket starting opportunity looming, and if that suggested pressure for this walk-on from Noblesville, he wanted no part of it.

"Pressure is fake," he said. "I don't believe in pressure. Preparation creates confidence. Coach (Tom) Allen preaches that all the time. It's all in mindset."

Gremel had the ball from his first college touchdown pass as proof.

"What stood out to me is he looked comfortable," Allen said. "That's a good sign. He's improved a lot since he's been here."

Behind Gremel, from mostly empty stands, his family cheered. That he would have a media opportunity following a Big Ten game, that he would have thrown his first college touchdown pass and shown that maybe, just maybe, he was set to throw more once seemed as likely as finding a pot of gold at a rainbow's end.

"It's special," he said. "When I came here, I never thought I'd be in this position.

"I never take anything for granted. It's humbling. Real special. Awesome."

Gremel opened the season fourth on the depth chart, avoiding fifth only because Dexter Williams II was lost with a torn ACL. He hadn't played in either of his first two seasons after a decent, but not spectacular, high school career at Noblesville outside of Indianapolis.

But he was Saturday's fourth-quarter starter, replacing true freshman Donaven McCulley, and finished 5-for-12 for 60 yards with a 29-yard touchdown pass to Malachi Holt-Bennett to basically end the game.

"We called four verts," he said about that play.

Translation -- IU sent four receivers streaking to the end zone.

"They played Cover 2," Gremel said. "I was looking at the safety, going off him. He went to the inside, so I threw to the outside guy."

That was Holt-Bennett, whose touchdown was his first college catch. It set off a sideline team celebration.

Gremel also rushed for 23 yards, including an 18-yard scramble, making him IU's second-leading rusher behind McCulley (72 yards on 16 carries). He stayed poised even with Minnesota, knowing the Hoosiers had to pass, coming after him on every play.

"I'm a poised person," he said. "I try to be calm. I try not to think it's too big of a situation. I try to be in the moment and take it one thing at a time. If you think too much, it gets to your head and you over-think it and do things wrong.

"I've been here for three years. I know the plays. Having an understanding of the offense helps you stay calm."

Gremel said he prepares beyond practice, such as watching extra film, and meeting with receivers and offensive linemen.

"I try to approach every game the same, whether I'm starting or I'm sixth string. I always prepare like I'm starting. You never know what could happen."

Gremel had never come close to playing before this season, but after veterans Michael Penix Jr. and Jack Tuttle went down with injuries, opportunity arrived. IU was down to one scholarship quarterback, McCulley.

Gremel moved into playing position. Before Saturday, he had completed 9-of-16 passes for 62 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

He sparked the offense against Minnesota, just as he did the previous week in a loss to Rutgers.

"He did a good job of moving the chains," Allen said

Gremel's chance came from McCulley's struggles. McCulley was 3-for-7 for 17 yards and two interceptions against Minnesota. For the season, his completion percentage is well below 50 percent, among the reasons why most of his plays were runs.

"We have a good relationship," Gremel said. "There's no hate anywhere in the quarterback room. Everyone is trying to help Donaven. I'm trying to mentor him a little bit even though I haven't played a lot. I try to help him see things and get him to calm down.

"We talk a lot off the field. We study together. We're in the same hotel room (the night before games), so we always study there and watch extra film."

Allen said he's concerned McCulley's struggles, which come because he was forced to play before he was ready given he didn't arrive on campus until June, could have long-term consequences.

"Playing somebody too soon is hard," Allen said. "Sometimes when negative things happen, you start losing confidence. We're seeing some of that. A lot of negatives set you back. That's a fair concern.

"He has a lot of talent, but if you get thrust in when you're not ready, it can hurt you. You even see it in the NFL.

"He's been awesome. He cares. And he hasn't thrown in games the way he throws in practice."

Could Gremel start in next Saturday's season finale against rival Purdue (7-4)?

"Absolutely," Allen said. "Whatever we have to do to beat Purdue. Everything is on the table. It comes down to one game. This is THE game of the season.

"He's locked in. He's ready to go. He does things right. That's positive. That's encouraging.

"It's next man up. Step up and make plays. If you're good enough, we'll get you in there."

IU set a run-heavy tone on its first possession. Eighty-five of its 92 yards came on the ground. McCulley had 53 of them, including an 11-yard touchdown run.

After that, the offense hit a wall. It gained just 23 yards for the next two and a half quarters before gaining 98 yards in its last two series behind Gremel.

On the game's opening drive, Minnesota converted its first four third-down conversions and drove inside the IU 10-yard before, on fourth-and-one, linebacker Micah McFadden went into thou-shall-not-pass mode. His one-yard tackle for loss kept the game scoreless.

Then Indiana unleashed its running-back-by-committee attack. Seven-straight runs for 66 yards. A seven-yard pass. IU was in the red zone and thriving. McCulley capped it off with an 11-yard touchdown run.

The Hoosiers led for the first time since the Michigan State game on Oct. 16.

Minnesota (7-4) ran for the tying touchdown six minutes before halftime. It scored again a few minutes later after a busted Hoosier coverage allowed a 48-yard reception to set up a touchdown TD. A McCulley interception with 23 seconds left led to a Gopher TD pass and a 21-7 halftime score.

"I wanted to get in field goal range," Allen said about having McCulley throw late in the first half. "I didn't want to be conservative. We've got to score points.

"That's on me. We had to throw. Let it rip. You can't play scared. But you have to do it in an efficient way."

Minnesota added touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters before the Gremel-to-Holt-Bennett connection provided a Hoosier highlight.

"I'm disappointed in the outcome," Allen said. "We couldn't make plays on offense or get third-down stops on defense.

"I'm proud of our seniors and all they represent. They helped us create change in in this program.

"Our focus is on getting ready to play Purdue in the Bucket Game."

In the aftermath, Gremel met with his family in his stands, still clutching the touchdown ball.

"If I start, I start," he said about the Bucket game. "If Donaven starts, great. We're doing everything we can to win."