Column: Hoosiers must pass Navy's test

It isn’t coach speak.

This game against Navy is important for IU.

No, it’s not the Missouri game everyone circled at the beginning of the season. No, it’s not a Big Ten team.

But yes, it’s a good team.

And it’s a game IU should win.

It’s a game IU needs to win if it wants to go to a bowl.

IU Coach Kevin Wilson understands all of this.

“It’s not just the O,” Wilson said of Navy. “It’s how they play as a team, and they’re a tremendous, solid winning team, and for us to win this game we’ll need to show that we’re a complete, good team because our defense is not going to shut them down, and our offense is not going to outscore them.

“This is a game where you win this game as a team or you lose this game as a team, and last year as a team we lost because we screwed up a couple opportunities, had a pick-six, had a chance to get a couple stops. We didn’t do it. We’ll see if we can win as a team this year because they win as a team.”

Yes, every game is won and lost as a team. It’s coach speak.

But sometimes coach speak is gospel. There’s a reason coaches say the same things over and over again — because it’s true.

This game will provide a measuring stick for the Hoosiers. IU’s 73-point performance against Indiana State was impressive. All parts of the team looked good, and they are supposed to. After all, it was against Indiana State.

Navy is a different story.

The Midshipmen have played in a bowl game nine of the past 10 years.

By contrast, IU has only been to nine bowl games in its entire history.

Navy sounds a whole lot better now, huh?

The Midshipmen are a real test.

IU lost 31-30 last year to Navy in a game the Hoosiers should have won.

“We had great opportunities in the game last year,” Wilson said. “We take the opening drive down, and we got the ball on the first drive on the 10-yard line. We had a miscommunication, our back goes the wrong way, we get off schedule, kick a field goal. There’s a four-point swing there.

“We give a pick-six, there’s seven more points, there’s an 11-point swing there. Let alone at the end of the game when we can’t execute a four-minute drive properly, we give up a touchdown and then throw a pick.”

The Hoosiers showed the team has improved from last year by improving from a seven-point margin against ISU in 2012 to a 38-point victory this year.

There’s no reason IU can’t improve last year’s one-point loss against Navy to a multiple touchdown victory this season.

The biggest key, it should come as no surprise, is stopping Navy’s option. IU’s defense has historically struggled against defending the run.

Indiana State star back Shakir Bell only played in about half the game Thursday, but still rushed for 113 yards.

If any part of this team still has something to prove following last week’s game, it is the run defense.

Freshman linebacker T.J. Simmons recorded a team-high nine tackles in his debut. He looks like he has the potential to be a big-time, impact player for IU.

But, defending the option will be a measuring stick for him, too.

Sophomore defensive end Nick Mangieri recorded 1.5 sacks in his first career start. How will he contain the edge against the option?

This game gives the defense a great chance to prove itself.

And the team as whole, for that matter, because, as Wilson said, “you win this game as a team.”

True story, coach.

My prediction: IU continues to air it out, playing all three quarterbacks, and the defense manages to hold its ground. IU wins 38-24.

­— robhowar@indiana.edu
Follow columnist Robby Howard on Twitter @robbyhoward1.