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swingman

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https://www.hoosiersportsreport.com/2018/10/4-things-we-learned-from-ius-loss-to-penn-state/

The fans want to see more of the true frosh QB, Penix. He left game injured. Coach Allen, now in year two, has not burned the redshirt on Penix yet.

Special teams has been terrible. Up 21-20 with 4 minutes to go in third quarter, gave up a 90 yard kr. Later fumbled a punt.

The true frosh RB Scott had a nice game vs PSU. The projected one RB was dismissed from team last week for sexual assault. The other true frosh rb Walker had a nice run, but also a bad fumble.

Summary from Hoosier Sports Report:

Saturday brought more of the same from an IU football program familiar with letdowns on a big stage.

Against a ranked, albeit beatable opponent, Indiana couldn’t get out of its own way. In failing to do so, Saturday felt like so many recent occasions when the Hoosiers had a chance to achieve the meaningful victory they crave, but ultimately fell victim to their own shortcomings.

The latest instance on Saturday proved especially painful, given IU’s statistical advantage over Penn State and what happened just up the road in West Lafayette, where Purdue upset No. 2 Ohio State. Not only did the Boilermakers get the win, they ran away with it.

Indiana has flirted with such results, but that’s about it. Now, the Hoosiers will have to be especially locked in to go on the road Friday night at Minnesota and claim a much-needed win on a short week.

It’s going to take maturity, discipline and focus, qualities this team and this program have lacked when needed the most.

2. Special teams units were a major letdown
It starts with kickoff coverage, where Indiana has been terrible in recent weeks. The Hoosiers are last in the Big Ten, having allowed 591 yards across 22 opponent kick returns through eight games. Not only are they last in the Big Ten, but they rank 126th out of 130 teams nationally.

Go back to last week’s loss to Iowa, where three IU players whiffed while trying to bring down Hawkeyes return man Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who sprinted 60 yards and set up a quick and easy scoring drive.

Penn State’s KJ Hamler took the opening kickoff 58 yards to position the Nittany Lions for a quick and clinical scoring drive in the first two minutes of Saturday’s game. Then, after Stevie Scott pushed IU to a 21-20 advantage with four minutes left in the third quarter, the Hoosiers turned around and gave the lead back after a 94-yard kickoff return set up an easy five-yard score for Trace McSorley.

The kickoff coverage was so poor, it may have overshadowed a bumbling sequence early in the fourth quarter when IU had to burn a valuable timeout because it only had 10 men on the field to field a punt.

Coming out of the timeout, J-Shun Harris’ fumble on the ensuing return effectively ended the game.

3. It’s hard to justify going a month with Michael Penix on the bench
Tom Allen’s desire to redshirt his heralded freshman quarterback is understandable. He’d like to gain an extra year of eligibility, while creating two years of separation between Penix and starter Peyton Ramsey. On its face, that strategy makes sense.

Then, you watch Penix play and it’s abundantly clear that it doesn’t do this team any good to keep him on the bench. On Saturday, he was ready and able to contribute.

Although the final stat line for Penix wasn’t altogether impressive, it doesn’t tell the full story. He finished 9-for-19 for 94 yards and zero touchdowns, a victim of a few costly drops and at least one series-killing penalty that was out of his control.

At the same time, there was an unmistakable jolt that Penix brought to the offense, both with his arm and his legs. At a program like Indiana, the best players need to play.

Whether Penix, whose previous appearance came on Sept. 15, plays again this fall remains to be seen. He suffered a “lower-leg injury” at the end of a 13-yard first-down run early in the second half and did not return to action. Additional information on the severity of Penix’s injury could come Monday.

4. IU’s run game resurfaced
Stevie Scott entered the weekend with a total of 169 rushing yards and one touchdown across the first four Big Ten games. Against Penn State alone, Scott scored twice and totaled 138 yards.

For Scott, it was the first time since the Ball State win on Sept. 15 that he had rushed for more than 100 yards, while his total yardage and 26 attempts both stood as the most for the freshman since Sept. 8 vs. Virginia.

Ronnie Walker also showed his burst, running for a 30-yard touchdown to give IU a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter. It was another big moment for the well-regarded freshman, though his fumble in the red zone on the opening series of the second half was another example of IU making critical mistakes at all the wrong times.

Penalties aside, the offensive line performed well in this regard
 

Thanks for posting this. I haven’t had a chance to watch IU play this year and I am still looking forward to their first game here.
I just hope the Gophers can take care of business.
 




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