UW’S OPPONENT AT A GLANCE: INDIANA
OFFENSE
Head coach Tom Allen challenged the offensive staff and players in the days leading to the Maryland game. The Hoosiers responded with 35 first downs and 410 yards on 97 plays despite the lack of a running game and having to use two quarterbacks. Redshirt freshman Peyton Ramsey was knocked out of the game twice because of hits to his right knee and was replaced by Richard Lagow in the 4239 loss. Ramsey, who has completed 65.4% of his passes and has twice as many touchdown passes (10) as interceptions (five) might not be available this week. He is a more dangerous runner than Lagow, with 226 yards and two touchdowns. Lagow, who opened the season as the starter but lost that job to Ramsey in Week 5, has completed only 56.5% of his attempts. He has minus-30 rushing yards on 13 attempts. The Hoosiers likely won’t have two injured tailbacks against UW. Neither Morgan Ellison, who has rushed for 473 yards and three touchdowns, nor Mike Majette, who has 12 catches for 90 yards, traveled to Maryland. Indiana has three receivers who will test UW’s secondary. Simmie Cobbs leads the team in catches (54), receiving yards (600) and touchdown catches (five). The 6foot-4, 220-pounder uses his size and strong hands to defeat tight coverage, particularly in the red zone. He had 10 catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns against Maryland. Luke Timian had 13 catches for 91 yards against Maryland and is second on the team with 49 for 359 yards. Freshman Whop Philyor, who is quick and physical, is coming on. He had eight catches for 60 yards entering the Maryland game but caught 13 passes, an IU freshman record, for 127 yards and a touchdown against the Terrapins. The Hoosiers also will use Philyor on jet sweeps.
DEFENSE
Allen has brought toughness and discipline to the defensive unit, two qualities too often lacking under former coach Kevin Wilson. Rarely do you see gaping holes for running backs or receivers running free in the secondary. The Hoosiers play to the final snap. Sixteen players have at least one tackle for loss, led by linebackers Tegray Scales and Chris Covington with eight apiece. Scales is eighth in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.0) and has a team-high four sacks. Covington leads the team in hurries (four) and is second in passes broken up (three). One area of concern for this unit is turnovers forced. The Hoosiers struggle to take the ball away from opponents. They have a league-low six takeaways, two interceptions and four fumbles recovered.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Griffin Oakes hit two of seven kickoffs out of bounds against Maryland because the Hoosiers were trying to keep the ball out of the hands of Ty Johnson. Oakes, who has 23 touchbacks on 42 kicks, likely won’t employ that strategy against UW’s so-so return unit. Oakes is one of the better field-goal kickers in the Big Ten. He has made 11 of 12 attempts, including 5 of 6 from 41 yards or longer. His lone miss was from 51 against Michigan. Punter Haydon Whitehead has forced a fair catch on 20 of his 59 punts and averages 41.2 yards per attempt. He shanked a 25-yarder late in the first half at Maryland, which led to a 50yard touchdown drive, and saw another punt blocked and returned 16 yards for a touchdown. Indiana lost its best punt returner, J-Shun Harris (knee), in the loss to Maryland. Harris was averaging 19.0 yards per return.