Building consistency has been a bit of an issue in recent history. The Hoosiers haven’t won back-to-back games since beating Iowa after Illinois on Nov. 3, 2012.
IU has shown flashes of a team bound to become bowl eligible, such as an upset win against Missouri. But the Hoosiers have also gone through struggles like a last-second loss to ?Bowling Green.
IU Coach Kevin Wilson has continued to harp on becoming more consistent on both sides of the ball. He has repeatedly said building consistent plays starts in practice.
In his weekly press conference Monday, he compared consistency on the practice field to hitting golf balls on a driving range. Bringing the driving range swings to the course is the next step.
The Hoosiers are still trying to ensure they bring it to the first tee.
“We can go hit a bunch of balls, but we need to start hitting them good,” Wilson said. “We’ve been hitting a bunch of balls in practice, but we need to start hitting them down the middle.”
The Hoosiers enter their second Big Ten game of the year Saturday against Iowa at noon in Iowa City, believing they are building ?consistency.
IU’s 3-2 start is the best the program has had since 2010.
The Hoosiers 3-1 nonconference record is the best in the Wilson era.
Just three wins over the next seven games separates IU from its first bowl ?appearance since 2007.
IU offensive coordinator Kevin Johns said IU played with a renewed confidence in Saturday’s 49-24 win against the Mean Green of North Texas.
He added the team feels like it’s moving in the right direction but pointed out that there is more growing left to do.
“For us, we still need to continue to find plays in the passing game, shots down the field ... and just in general continue to put the whole package together,” Johns said.
Wilson said the coaching staff can only preach so much consistency.
Consistency can be addressed, but at the end of the day, it comes down to whether or not the players themselves can execute.
“Like we tell them all the time, ‘It’s not our job to come in here and give some rah rah, Win-One-For-The-Gipper speech and you’re going to win,’” Wilson said. “That’s done through the week, and you’re building that point.”
Part of that execution comes down to playing for a full 60 minutes.
With the state of the Big Ten and the parity around college football, it isn’t far-fetched to believe in the old “any given Saturday” cliché that says any team can beat any other team.
Freshman safety Chase Dutra said IU let off the gas in Saturday’s win against North Texas when the Hoosiers allowed 14 quick points in the fourth quarter.
He said those types of mistakes need to be limited as they could prove costly in the Big Ten.
“We let our guard down on a couple of series,” Dutra said. “You’ve always got to keep your foot on their throat, you know? You’ve got to keep coming at it every series and keep playing hard.”
Heading into Iowa, Scales admitted that the team’s mentality is difficult to explain.
The Hoosiers have been projecting confidence and building all week, but at times the inconstant play has led to Hoosier losses.
Scales said the coaches have told the players they’re getting closer to where they need to be. At the end of the day, it comes down to whether or not the team can continue moving forward.
“So far, we’re on the right path,” Scales said. “We’ve just got to keep going.”
