IU junior running back Tevin Coleman leads the nation in rushing yards per game. Knowing that, the Hoosier offense expects North Texas to pack the box and stop the run.
IU offensive coordinator Kevin Johns went so far as to say opponents are committed to the run and aren’t respecting the IU passing game.
Translation: Sudfeld will get his chances. The question is whether or not IU can take advantage.
“We have to win one-on-one battles,” Sudfeld said. “I’ve got to put the ball on the money better. I’ve got to trust my protection and throw the ball on time and rip it a little bit more.”
After leading the Big Ten in passing yards the last two seasons, IU has taken a noticeable step back through four games this season.
After leading the conference with 306.7 passing yards per game in 2013, the Hoosiers rank 10th this year, averaging just 209 passing yards per game.
Sudfeld ranks 11th out of 14 starting quarterbacks in the Big Ten for passer rating. He was just 14-of-37 for 126 yards in last week’s 37-15 loss to Maryland.
With Sudfeld at the helm, IU has failed to surpass 130 passing yards twice this season. IU was held to less than 130 yards just once last year when the Hoosiers threw for 122 yards against Wisconsin.
The Hoosiers’ second-worst passing game in terms of yardage in 2013 was 259 against Michigan State.
“I’m being too careful, in my opinion, not trying to make a big mistake,” Sudfeld said. “But at the same time, I need to find that balance of ripping shots and having that anticipation and fitting it into open windows and stuff like that.”
Despite the passing struggles, Johns doesn’t think Sudfeld’s mechanics are the problem.
“If anything, he has gotten better over the past year or so,” Johns said. “He has gotten stronger, but I haven’t seen anything wrong with his fundamentals.”
Senior receiver Nick Stoner said the receivers need to do a better job of getting open to make it easier on Sudfeld to make the passes he needs to make.
He said Sudfeld is still adjusting to not having tall, physical receivers such as Cody Latimer and Kofi Hughes from last season. This year, IU is relying on smaller, quicker recievers like Stoner, senior Shane Wynn and freshman J-Shun Harris.
“(Wynn) and I need to get a lot more separation, and we’re not as big,” Stoner said. “(We’re) maybe not going to make as many of those competitive plays, so that might play a role into it. But that’s not an excuse either way. We need to be better, and our timing needs to be down more.”
The passing attack will be tested at 2:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium this weekend by a North Texas team that ranks 17th in total defense.
Sudfeld wasn’t around when IU lost to North Texas 24-21 in 2011, but he compared its defense schematically to Michigan State, who led the Big Ten in total defense last year.
The “Mean Green” are holding opponents to 126 rushing yards and 147 passing yards per game.
But those numbers may not tell the whole story.
In two losses to Texas and Louisiana Tech, two teams that are a combined 4-5 this season, the North Texas defense is allowing 40 points and 355.5 yards per game.
North Texas’ two wins have come against SMU and Nicholls State, who are a combined 0-9. Against those two foes, North Texas has allowed an average of 4.5 points and 259 yards per game.
IU Coach Kevin Wilson said not to expect the IU offense to change anything in the scheme. He said he still trusts Sudfeld and expects a turnaround this weekend.
“We won’t change,” Wilson said. “We gotta get better. We gotta get better at it and I believe we will. I’m sure we will.”
