How Bad is the Hoosier Defense?

The Indiana football defense has been much maligned during the 2013 season, and rightfully so. The Hoosiers are fresh off a record breaking performance at Michigan. A record breaking performance they don’t want to be associated with.

Michigan quarterback Devn Gardner notched over 580 total yards and 503 through the air vs. the Hoosier defense. Wide Receiver Jeremy Gallon set the Big Ten single game receiving record with 369 yards, second all time in NCAA history (408 yds by Troy Edwards of Louisiana Tech in 2007).

It’s been more than one game, or even the seven games of 2013. This has gone on for three years. There are 123 teams playing division one football. Let’s take a look where the Hoosiers rank out of 123 teams in the following categories.

SCORING DEFENSE (110th) – 37.1 ppg
TOTAL DEFENSE (119th) – 498.1 ypg
RUSHING DEFENSE (110th) – 221.0 ypg
PASSING DEFENSE (107th) – 227.1 ypg

OPPONENT STATISTICS (ONLY DIVISION 1 OPPONENTS)

WHAT DO THE STATS SHOW US ?

The stats show us two different things: GOOD & BAD
1.) If you want to have your best offensive day, schedule Indiana
2.) There is potential on defense and they have proven they can stop good teams, so these alarming stats are inexcusable

In our four losses we have allowed our opponent their biggest offensive output of the season. We are getting pushed around like a FCS defense. Is it scheme, players, or both?

I have to think it is more scheme than anything because it has gone on for three years. We have good players on the defensive side of the ball. Some will play on Sundays. It’s inexcusable for teams to consistently gain 120+ yards on our defense over their season averages.

Even in our two wins against division one opponents we still gave up over 400 yards of offense. The good news is we won those games, mainly because we played with a lead and kept the defense off the field 2:31 on average more than the losses.

KEVIN WILSON’S THOUGHTS ON THE SITUATION

Coach Wilson on having confidence in defensive coordinator Doug Mallory:
“I better, and the players better too.”

Coach Wilson on why he still has confidence in Doug Mallory:
“As head coach, I’m in charge of everything. I do spend a little more time on offense. There have been some times where I go over there and suggest ideas. But I’m not gonna tell them how to do that. That’s their job. They’re hired to do that. What I’m doing is trying to give them the resources, time and the practice commitment they need, and I’m trying to give them all the energy I can to give them positive reassurance of effort, attitude.”

Coach Wilson on who is to blame for Saturday’s loss at Michigan:
“To me, that game’s on the offense.”

MY THOUGHTS

I want to give Kevin Wilson the benefit of the doubt but I am on record saying that the maximum you are going to get from Wilson is 7 wins. Wilson has done a good job after taking over for Bill Lynch in getting the talent level up, improving the win total, and making us more competitive. However, I just think the maximum we will ever get is to 7 wins. I don’t think Wilson can take us to the next level.

I am not calling for Wilson’s job. He has only been given three years and should at least get a fourth. I hope he proves me wrong and wins 6 this year and comes out with 8-9 wins next year but I am not going to hold my breath waiting.

Coach Wilson’s quotes show us that he knows he is the head coach and in charge of everything. That is my philosophy as well, I don’t want to give all the blame to Doug Mallory because I believe that the head coach has the final say and gets the ultimate responsibility. I am disturbed by Coach Wilson’s quote of “I am not going to tell them how to do it, that’s their job.”

I think it is time for Coach Wilson to step up and tell them how to do it if he has the answers otherwise it will cost their job, and ultimately his. When you rank last in the Big Ten in all three defensive categories like we did in 2011 you expect some improvement. No improvement was shown as IU finished last in all three categories in 2012 and presently rank last in 2013 in the same categories.

The defense did respond after a bye week when taking on Penn State. Let’s see if the same can be done this week in preparation for Minnesota next week. It’s obvious Mallory isn’t the answer as the D.C. The improvement is non-existent in three years. I don’t see anything changing in year 4. It’s time for heads to roll in Bloomington on the defensive side of the ball. I am just shocked that a change wasn’t made during this bye week.

BY: Dee-Bee