If anyone thought IU’s defense performance last week was a fluke, it came out this week to prove it wasn’t.
In IU’s 37-21 victory over Rutgers on Saturday, it seemed any time the Hoosiers needed a big tackle, a cornerback came flying in to make a stop. Anytime Rutgers was piecing together a decent drive, someone in the secondary was there to make a pick. When Rutgers went for it on fourth down, the defensive line was knocking down a pass.
“It’s a lot of different guys,” IU head coach Tom Allen said. “Different ones step up at different times at the safety position, the corner position.”
Rutgers was 0-4 on fourth down attempts and IU’s defense had three interceptions that turned into 17 points.
On a fourth and eight in Rutgers’ first drive of the second half, junior linebacker Micah McFadden stepped in front of the receiver and intercepted Vedral’s throw. IU turned the ensuing drive into a field goal.
“Once we get down to that fourth down, there’s just a lot of talk throughout the whole defense,” McFadden said. “‘They’re not going to get this first down, they’re stopped right here.’ We take that to heart.”
IU’s defense was in complete control for most of the first half.
At halftime, Rutgers’ senior quarterback Noah Vedral was 7-13 with 34 yards, 23 of which came off his first touchdown pass. In total, Rutgers had 60 first-half yards. They had two in the second quarter.
The Scarlet Knights’ first-quarter touchdown drive started at the Hoosiers’ 43-yard line. The drive before that went for 29 yards and ended with a punt on IU’s 45-yard line. No other first half drive went more than eight yards. Four drives were three and outs, two others ended in interceptions.
Vedral finished with 128 passing yards and was kept to 17 rushing yards on 14 attempts.
“We went out and played hungry,” junior cornerback Reese Taylor said. “We went out and played fast and comfortable at the same time.”
IU’s defense faltered late last week in a game where they were on the field for more than 40 minutes. Against Rutgers, they only were on the field for 27 minutes, due in part to the offense’s successful long drives.
The only truly scary play for IU’s defense on Halloween came on Rutgers’ final play, an attempt at a lateral that nearly went for a 55-yard touchdown before being called back for an illegal forward pass.
The Hoosiers’ defensive line only put limited pressure on Vedral, but it was able to turn to a different producer for sacks. Sophomore cornerback Tiawan Mullen had 2.5 sacks in the game, the first of his career.
The first sack game on second down at the end of the first quarter and helped the IU defense force a three-and-out before IU drove and kicked a field goal. Mullen came flying around the corner on his second sack and tripped up Vedral on a diving play.
If there was one issue present from the defense, it was penalties.
The Hoosiers had two roughing the passer calls. The first came on a fourth down that would have given IU the ball back. Vedral connected with senior receiver Bo Melton for a 23-yard touchdown on the next play.
The second came on third down, which extended the drive and allowed for a 37-yard rushing touchdown three plays later.
“It was a little sloppy at times,” Allen said. “Gotta get that cleaned up.”
