Although Indiana football won its season opener over Old Dominion University 27-14 on Aug. 30, one flaw in its performance stood out: the lack of red zone offensive execution.
Last season, the Hoosiers scored a touchdown on 79.71% of their red zone trips, which ranked second in the nation, while their 55 touchdowns in that area last season led the Football Bowl Subdivision. However, this trend reversed against Old Dominion.
Despite their six total trips inside the ten-yard line against the Monarchs in their season opener, the Hoosiers scored just two touchdowns while turning the ball over on downs twice.
After the season opener, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti was critical of the team's red zone plan.
This week, Cignetti and his staff made it a point to improve in that area in their week two matchup against Kennesaw State University Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
Cignetti’s emphasis paid off, as the Hoosiers scored a touchdown on all seven red zone opportunities Saturday, leading to a 56-9 victory over Kennesaw State.
“That had to happen, and we answered the bell,” Cignetti said postgame. “Like I said, we were No. 1 in the country in scoring touchdowns in the red area last year, and last week it was what it was. It was good to see that ball get in the end zone in the red area, yeah.”
After a three-and-out forced the Indiana offense to punt on their first possession of the game, redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza connected with redshirt junior wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. for a 40-yard gain on the Hoosiers’ second drive. The completion set Indiana up in the red zone.
Unlike last week, the Hoosiers capitalized on their methodical drive this time.
Redshirt sixth-year senior tight end Riley Nowakowski rushed up the middle for a one-yard touchdown — the first of his Indiana career to give the Cream and Crimson an early 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing Indiana drive, redshirt junior running back Lee Beebe Jr. led the team down the field, before Mendoza connected with Nowakowski for 14 yards, bringing the Hoosiers back into the red zone.
With the ball on the nine-yard line, Mendoza completed his first touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt this season. Sarratt led the Hoosiers with eight receiving touchdowns in 2024.
After hauling in just three catches last week against Old Dominion, Sarratt displayed an improved connection with Mendoza Saturday and re-established himself as a red zone threat. The duo connected for three touchdowns against the Owls — all coming from inside the red zone.
Sarratt was not the only Indiana wide receiver who found the end zone from inside the red zone. Redshirt sixth-year senior E.J. Williams Jr. caught an eight-yard touchdown pass, pushing the score to 49-9 in the fourth quarter.
Williams Jr. continues to showcase chemistry and timing with Mendoza, as the receiver reeled in a team-leading five catches and a team-high eight targets in the season opener last weekend. A reliable target for Mendoza opposite Sarratt is an encouraging sign for the Hoosiers moving forward.
The Hoosiers’ success inside the 20-yard line continued as Cignetti put in the second unit amidst a blowout victory. Redshirt freshman quarterback Alberto Mendoza found sophomore wide receiver Charlie Becker on a jump ball in the end zone.
With his fourth-quarter touchdown pass, Alberto Mendoza and Fernando Mendoza became the first pair of brothers to each throw a touchdown pass in the same FBS game.
Despite their improvement in the red zone, the Hoosiers remain unsatisfied with their performance in that area.
“I wouldn’t say satisfying,” Cooper Jr. said postgame. “Cause, you know, we still got to continue to work cause we still missed some plays. So just making sure that we keep getting better every day and just trusting every coach calls and go out and execute.”
Indiana’s next chance to improve inside the red zone comes against Indiana State University at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. This matchup will be the last non-conference game of the season and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
