Weaver & Kelly's IU Football Podcast: Indiana rolls MSU

In this week's podcast, Peegs.com's Matt Weaver and Jared Kelly recap IU's win over MSU, discuss starting defensive end Kellan Wyatt's injury and how it could affect IU's defense, and look ahead to UCLA this weekend. They also detail the continued emergence of quarterback Fernando Mendoza and just how far the Hoosiers might be able to go this season.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome and everybody. It is Tuesday, October twenty first, Indiana
keeps the old Brass patoon in Bloomington with a thirty
eight to thirteen win over Michigan State on home coming weekend.
The Peace dot COM's Matt Weaver Jared Kelly here to
recap it all and then look ahead to this coming
weekend's game against UCLA. The Hoosiers our seven to zero,

(00:23):
up to number two in the AP poll rankings. Matt,
this Michigan State game, it kind of went how we
thought it would go, a lopsided victory in the end.
But I mean, Fananda mendoz And continues to make his
mark as a as a Heisman candidate, if not the
front runner in this defense. While it did look a
little bit leaky in this game, did they managed to
keep Michigan State out of the end zone all but

(00:45):
one time. Very very hard to complain about what Indiana
put on the field on Saturday.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, they you know, and coach Signetti talked about it yesterday.

Speaker 3 (00:54):
He thought maybe I think he said, he used the
term he didn't think the defense answered the bell to
start the game.

Speaker 2 (00:59):
But you know, like he said, I think over.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
The last oh maybe thirty eight minutes or so, I
can't remember exactly what it was. They pretty much shut
Michigan State down. They weren't able to do anything. I mean,
they got that field goal late when Indiana was playing
a lot of a lot of backup players on defense.
But offensively well, I think they scored well in their
first five possessions, and the one that they didn't score

(01:21):
on they didn't punt. The one they didn't score on
was the one TJ. Williams where you know, it was
literally a half an inch for being a touchdown, half
an intro. Yeah it should have been a touchdown, but yeah, anyway,
going by the rule, it was basically that close to
being a touchdown. So Mendoza was twenty four to twenty
eight I believe, three hundred and thirty something yards and

(01:42):
the four touchdowns. I mean just I mean, he's there's
not enough adjectives left. We've been talking about all season.
Even games where maybe his numbers aren't as good as
they can't they have been other games, he's still making
so many big plays to win games. And then obviously
Saturday he was fantastic. I guess the only maybe the
only little uh, you know, think you could pick apart

(02:02):
was the running game wasn't as strong as it normally is.
I think it was a bit other than that Kaylon
Black run, they really didn't They didn't really bust off
any kind of you know, substantial runs.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
But you know, give.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
Missigan State credit too. I mean, Michigan State has still
got talented players. They're not playing great, but they still
got good players on that team, and you know, I
think there's some credits to be given to them. It's
not just because Indiana didn't do things right. Sometimes the
other team does things better. So but overall it was
it was it was a good win, and you know,
like like we you know, I didn't get the prediction.
I wanted the forty nine to ten, but that's okay.

(02:34):
They still won.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
And then the way people were probably pissed off for
the people who.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
Had Indiana twenty seven when Jonathan Smith kicked the field
goal late in the game to make it twenty five.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
So yeah, that the spread at the end, I know
a lot of people were were probably shaken with that
because it was it was funny too because Indiana originally
so if you remember it was I lose fourth and
one in Michigan State's territory. At the end, Indiana lines
up like they were gonna go for no sorry, they
call time out. Then they come out in their offensive package.

(03:05):
Michigan State called the time out, and Kristin Netty's basically like,
screw you or kicking this field goal because it looked
like he was just gonna run out the clock if
they're able to pick the first down, and then Michigan
State gets the ball back with their backup quarterback in,
they drive down and they kick that field goal. So yeah,
for the for the betters in Vegas, probably not a
great day for them with how that ended. This was

(03:26):
a this was a weird game, Mexasine. So you mentioned
the run game, and I felt like Michigans a lot
of their philosophy this game, Michigan State was let's keep
this game as short as possible, and they, honestly, they
did a good job of that in the first half.
Keep it, you know, sustaining possessions, long drives, you know,
twelve twelve, thirteen, fourteen play drives from Michigan State. It
really felt like they played a lot of what Iowa

(03:47):
was trying to do and hasn't really done. Under kirk
ference and defensively, it really felt like Michigan State tried
to sell out on Indiana's run and make them one dimensional.
But you know, in doing so, you're letting Fana Mendoza
kind of kind of run free in the past game.
So it was an interesting philosophy from Michigan State, one
that I didn't expect, but it kind of worked a
little bit, at least through the first quarter and a half.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
I would say, yeah.

Speaker 3 (04:10):
I mean, say yesterday, he said with nine minutes to
go in the second quarter they had had two possessions
in Indiana and only had one.

Speaker 2 (04:18):
I mean, that's crazy to think about.

Speaker 3 (04:19):
I mean, that's like twenty one minutes of game time
and you only have the ball for the ball one time.
So yeah, I mean I think probably with Michigan State's
thinking is if we if we don't stop, the runner's
gonna rup down the field on us.

Speaker 2 (04:31):
They're gonna control the clock and we're gonna have absolutely
no chance.

Speaker 3 (04:34):
So it's a little bit of high risk, high reward,
I guess is what they were looking at it. You know,
maybe we can force Mendoza kind of like what happened
in Iowa where he wasn't as sharp just because of
the pressure that was on him, you know, And that's
you know, it's funny because you know, for years I
covered a team where that's what they had to do.
They had to basically, they had to do like gimmicky stuff,

(04:57):
I guess, so to speak, instead of playing straight up
to try to beat teams. And now Indiana's a team
that people have to do gimmicks stuff against to just
be competitive and try to keep the game close. It's
really it's really weird that it's.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
Flipped so much. But yeah, I mean I get where
they're coming from.

Speaker 3 (05:12):
Then obviously you got a guy in Chiles on offense,
have him drop back, if nobody's open, he can take
off and run. He's I mean, you know, I'd really
like to see Chiles and this is I you know,
I don't. I just don't feel like he's getting fully
coached in Michigan State. I think that guy's got a
lot of talent. I think he's got a ton of talent,
and you know, I have no idea what the guy
is gonna do. There's talk about John and Smith getting fired.

(05:32):
But even if he doesn't get fired, if I was
somebody close to a Childs, I would tell him to
jump in the portal and try to find a situation
where he's gonna has a chance, because I think he
could be a next level quarterback if he got in
the right system. But that's neither here nor there. But
they had some you know, Nick marsh is really really good.
I mean outside of I mean he's he's he's one
of the best receivers in the Big Ten. I mean

(05:52):
that that dude can really play football. They had some
other guys, and give their line credit. I think in
the NFL they could just rush forward. I think they
were maybe be a little bit surprised early on that
they weren't getting to home with just four guys, and
so they had to start doing some different things.

Speaker 2 (06:05):
But at the end of the day, you know, the
the what we thought was gonna happen happened. Indiana one
going away.

Speaker 1 (06:12):
Yeah, I thought. I thought Child's was pretty impressive in
this game, especially coming off the injury he had last week.
And no, I agree, I agree with you. It's weird
to his situation because he was he started Oregon stay
with Jonathan Smith, then followed him to Michigan State, and
it still feels like he's kind of in the same
boat that he was last year, Like he hasn't really
developed all that much. Now. He was pretty good in
this game, eighty two percent completion percentage, two to forty

(06:34):
three yards, no turnovers. But no, I agree with you.
I think he has a lot his ceiling is a
lot higher than what he's getting at Michigan State. So
that'll be interesting to monitor it if, if you know,
Smith ends up going elsewhere after this year. Let's stick
with Brnanda Mendoza, Matt because you know that. So I
keep going back and forth because I think he played
a really Obviously he played a really, really good game

(06:55):
in that Illinois game, but I think this might have
been his best performance full more quarter performance for Mendoza
throughout the season. Uh. Like this was a game where,
I mean every single time he dropped back, you had
complete confidence that he was going to find a man
and make something happen.

Speaker 3 (07:11):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (07:12):
And I mean he had that in the Illinois game
as well, but that Illinois secondary was banged up. This
was a Michigan State defense that you know, they probably
playing with a lot of pride, you know, looking to
get their first big ten win. U and Mendoza just
absolutely picked him apart, like every single time he threw
the ball right where it needed to be on the numbers,
gave his guys a chance to make a play after
this was in my opinion, I think this was his

(07:32):
best performance of the season.

Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yeah, I agree, and I would, and I would say
a big thing was in they ill Ainnoy.

Speaker 2 (07:38):
Everything was working like the running game that they were.
They were, you know, he wasn't.

Speaker 3 (07:42):
You know this game there were some second eights and
third I mean, so he had to, he had to,
they had to.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
They had to deal with a.

Speaker 3 (07:48):
Little bit more uh, you know, unfavorable situations in this
game for him. When he was throwing the ball and
the Illinnoy, everything worked. I mean, it didn't matter who
you put out there. Everybody was ripping off big chunks
and running game. Everything was working. So yeah, I would
agree with you. I think there was more. I think
there was more on his plate in this game than
than like in the Olmois game, where you would probably

(08:08):
say that was his other you know, really great performers.
This wasn't. I don't think it was quite to the
level of what was on his plate in Iowa because
Michigan State didn't do maybe the house blitzes that Iowa
was doing. But I would say after Iowa, this was
a game where he probably had more on that he
had it. There was more responsibility on him to make
plays than any other game this year, and obviously he
came through a big time.

Speaker 1 (08:27):
Yeah, especially because the running game it was Okay, I
guess in this the Running game.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
It wasn't it wasn't awful. It just wasn't what we
are accustomed to seeing.

Speaker 1 (08:36):
Yeah, yeah, it did just enough to I guess, keep
Indiana sort of ahead of the chains and give a
lot of passing offense to do as well. It did,
but sort of also, I guess in that vain mass
stick with the running game, Roman Hemby only six carriages
for eleven yards. There were people posting on the board
that he might be injured. I didn't. I didn't see
any injuries, but definitely a really low productive dick because

(08:57):
I thought Henby could have had a really big day
because Michigan States d line was banged up, So I
did not see him, you know, at one point eight
yards per carryer, This was pretty uncharacteristic for him.

Speaker 2 (09:09):
Yeah, I didn't notice the same thing.

Speaker 3 (09:10):
So if he was banged up, and you know, obviously
we're up in the press bucks and even though we're
at the game, it's you know, you know, sit up there.
Sometimes it's easy to miss stuff, you know what I mean,
Like you know, it's we don't, we don't, we don't
get even.

Speaker 2 (09:21):
Though we can see everything, we don't see everything.

Speaker 3 (09:24):
So yeah, I didn't. I didn't notice him ever getting
worked on. I didn't see him unless you know, it
was something at halftime. But yeah, I just think it
was more I mean, you know.

Speaker 2 (09:35):
Yeah, and the other thing about this game, Indiana didn't
have a bunch of possessions.

Speaker 3 (09:38):
I mean when I went back to the PFF story,
they only had like fifty two snaps on offense. That's
really low. I mean, that's that's usually what they have
maybe through like three quarters. So this was almost like
this is friendy Han's office, almost like a three quarter
game because they normally are pushing around seventy snaps a game.
So yeah, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna get to

(09:59):
you know it. You like to see him have you'd
like to see him have a better game than that,
But it's one game. I think the situation kind of
dictated that they The way they played is they just
they threw the ball as much as they ran it
this game, and because that's that's what was working. And
so you know, and and some of the things that
we're working was Mendoza, you know, keeping the ball himself.

(10:22):
You know, his longest game was eight yards, which isn't
super super long, but he was getting those three four
five yards when they needed it to kind of keep
the chains moving and kind of keep them on rhythm
and stuff like that. So one game, I'm not gonna
get too up what worked up about the running game.
I think it'll be fine going forward. It's just it's
just one of those games. Again, they weren't terrible, they

(10:44):
just weren't as dominant as we're used to seeing. So
I think sometimes people get worked up because you're used
to seeing someone. Well, sometimes this doesn't. It's gonna happen.
The other team has players too.

Speaker 1 (10:53):
Yeah, you mentioned Mendoza's feet, and I feel like this
has been an overlooked component of him, but especially in
this game. So we had that Indiana had that one.
Uh I think it was it was like a botched snap.
It looked like they're gonna get they're gonna hand it off,
but Mendoza botched the snap, picks it up and then
it almost looked like a sort of improvised quarterback power
that I think he picked up like eight yards on

(11:14):
that that run he had. Also, he had also had
a read option where he pulled it and kept it
and ran for a first down. Uh So that part
of his get Like last year, Indiana couldn't do that
stuff because of Curtis Rook's knee. Uh in It on
the surface, like if you're just a box score watcher,
it probably doesn't seem very consequential. But Mendoza, like his

(11:35):
ability to to pull the ball on these options and
run is is so critical. I think it's really allowed
Indiana to flourish more offensively than they were able to
last year.

Speaker 2 (11:45):
Absolutely, and and again he's not I mean there's been
some runs.

Speaker 3 (11:48):
I know at Oregon he met had some longer runs,
but it just it puts so much pressure and I
think he's gotten I mean there was two or three
times where he kept the ball and I was watching
bokas I was the running back.

Speaker 2 (12:00):
I had no idea that he had the football.

Speaker 3 (12:03):
So it just shows you how good he's gotten at that,
at that Reid option game, keeping the ball or you know,
watching the d N and seeing what he does and
it's in again.

Speaker 2 (12:13):
You don't have to rip off thirty yard runs. A
five yard run on third and.

Speaker 3 (12:17):
Four is a big run because it gets you, keeps
the keeps the change, gets the change down the field,
and get keeps the offense moving. So you're right, And
I thought that would be something that would be noticeably
different between last year and this year as far as
the quarterback playing it has been. I thought Mendoza would
be would you know, you know, would be able to

(12:37):
make some plays with his legs. I think the other
thing that he's really really good at. I thought Rourke
was pretty good at it, but I think Mendoza's next level,
of my opinion, is his ability to throw the ball
outside the pocket on the run and throw it with facracy.
I just think I think it's a really underrated part
of his game. I saw when I watched his Cow
film because he had to do it a lot. He
had to escape the pocket and run around, and maybe

(12:58):
that's why he got so good at it because he
was doing it so much. But I just think it's
something that I think that's I think it's an NFL
trait that he has that ability to get out of
the pocket and throw the ball when you don't have
your feet necessarily set, and be accurate and be on time.

Speaker 1 (13:12):
And we even saw that going back to you know,
Spring and Fall camp. Granted he was thrown on air
for a lot of those reps that we saw, but
you know, when he was rolling out and doing those
kinds of different things, throwing against his body, it was
I mean, it was not clear as day that he
was going to be at least capable of doing this
when when the bullets started flying. And this is a
thought I've had Matt with the receivers, especially this week

(13:35):
now that we've seen you know, Elijah Surrat, Nomar Cooper
just consistency on each Saturday. A lot of a lot
has been made about Random Mendoza and the individual honors
he could win this year, But he's not the only
guy on offense that that needs to be talked about
winning an individual award because Elijah Surat, in my opinion,
I mean, if if the game's on the line, who

(13:55):
else do you want a receiver in the country. I mean,
this is a guy that needs to be talked about
as a Bulittnikoff, a front runner, or at least in
that in that top group of guys, because you know
that obviously a lot has been made of Mendoza and
that that that touchdown pass, that back shoulder to Sarat,
but that was just as much on Surrat making that
play happen as it was on Mendoza throwing a beautiful ball.

(14:16):
And it's been that way really all season.

Speaker 3 (14:19):
Yeah, I mean, I'm just looking up Surat SUTs leading
the country in touchdown catches.

Speaker 2 (14:22):
He's got nine. There's four guys at eight.

Speaker 3 (14:26):
He's he is, you know, and listen, you know, Jeremiah
Smith gets a lot of pup and for good reason.

Speaker 2 (14:32):
He's phenomenal player.

Speaker 3 (14:33):
But man, you know, while I just rot may not,
you know, have the same maybe kind of physical gifts
that that he has. Jeremiah Smith, he's pretty darn good.
I mean, their numbers are really Smith's got forty nine
catches for six oh two and seven touchdowns. Sarat's forty
three for six oh three and nine touchdowns. So the
receptions are a little bit different, but the yardage and

(14:53):
the touchdowns are almost dead. Even you know he I'm
with you, and not only is he you know, first
team a big ten, uh, I think he's at all
he's playing at an All American level. Like you said,
he should definitely be one of the top guys for
that blittantkoff ward that goes to the top receiver in
the country. And I know Mark Cooper is getting oversatled
a little bit, but I mean he's got he's got

(15:14):
seven touchdowns. I mean, like that's crazy that you have.
I mean, top two receivers of how State have thirteen
combined and he has top to have sixteen.

Speaker 2 (15:23):
That's that's saying a lot.

Speaker 3 (15:25):
These guys are playing really, really really well, and they're
playing they're playing a lot of snaps. The wide receiver
rotation this year is noticeably shorter than it was last year.
And I'm not that's not not me criticized. Y think
it's just that it's just they have a different wide
receiver room, not as many of his experienced guys and
that he's talked about that. So it's just a little
bit shorter room. And those guys are have to do

(15:47):
a lot of the heavy lifting and they are doing
it big time.

Speaker 1 (15:50):
And why would you take them off the field, you know,
because yeah, yeah, I mean you have to, like, I
don't know, I don't think that both are gonna end
up on the first team All Big Ten, just because
of your numbers games is probably be just a rap
first team and then Cooper makes up of the second
or third team. But I mean, yeah, why would you
take him off? Because they both improved this year dramatically? Uh?
And this is a question after you met because you

(16:11):
obviously you're the recruiting guy, and you watch Cooper a
lot developed throughout high school? Did you think he could
become this good? Because his his yak, his yards after
the catch, he might be one of the best in
the nation at that. I mean, he is so slippery,
and especially this year he's been he's done such a
good job of getting out of tackles and not letting,
you know, first contact take him to the ground. Did
you think he could he could become this good when

(16:34):
you saw him as a high schooler. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (16:36):
And one thing about Omar is if I remember right,
I want to check this, but I think he got
hurt late and he had an a cl injury late
in his high school career or one of one of
his years.

Speaker 2 (16:47):
I could have scorre he got hurt. But yeah, you
thought it could be pretty good.

Speaker 3 (16:50):
It's just it's just tough to you know, in high school,
you know, to kind of project that I would. I
would say, I think he's I think he's better than
I thought he was gonna be.

Speaker 2 (16:58):
And I thought he was gonna be pretty aren't good?

Speaker 3 (17:01):
And you know he was. He was four star by
some people, you know, top one hundred and like sixty
seventy prospects, so there was people who were very high
on him.

Speaker 2 (17:09):
But yeah, he was.

Speaker 3 (17:10):
He was.

Speaker 2 (17:10):
He was an outstanding high school player.

Speaker 3 (17:12):
Good basketball player too, if I remember right, you know,
and and obviously he played in him he was he
was Doninancully's top target, you know there for a while
in high school because he was McCauley as a quarterback.

Speaker 2 (17:23):
So you know, he he's really good.

Speaker 3 (17:26):
I think he's probably a little bit better than I
thought he's gonna be. But I did think he was
gonna be pretty good. Now, you know what. You know
what I said his junior senior year of high school,
I think this guy is going to be an NFL player.

Speaker 2 (17:36):
I wouldn't say there's a chance.

Speaker 3 (17:37):
I think it's I think there's I won't say no doubt,
but it's pretty close to no doub I think he's
an NFL guy. He he's a guy that he will
see him in the slot. He could play on the outside.
He's got so much versatility you can you can, you
can hand the ball off to him. I mean, he's
a guy that I think has a real chance at
the next level, you know, selfishly, for Indiana's sake, I

(17:57):
hope it's two years from now instead of next year.

Speaker 2 (17:59):
But I think at some point he's gonna get paid.

Speaker 3 (18:02):
Well, he's getting paid play footballright now, but he's gonna
get paid for his profession to play football.

Speaker 1 (18:08):
I just, uh, I just looked at mcaulay stats this
year out of curiosity for Michigan. He's a twenty four
for three sixty nine and two touchdowns. So Cooper has him.
I mean, almost double the amount of yards is McCauley,
almost triple the amount of touchdown or over triple amount
of touchdowns, almost double the amount of catches, So I mean, yeah,
he really yeah. E J.

Speaker 3 (18:26):
Williams stats are almost as good as McCauley's nineteen two
twelve and three touchdowns and real quick on him.

Speaker 2 (18:33):
A lot of years. J.

Speaker 3 (18:34):
Williams could easily be the number one, number two receiver
on Indiana's team. He's a talented guy and whenever they
thought him the ball, he's made plays. I mean the
catch against Illinois, the touchdown he had Saturday againstis gonna
say where he caught it and dove in there. And
then the second one where we thought it should have
been a touchdown, that was another great catch. So they've
got three guys who are really good. It's just there's

(18:54):
only so many balls to throw to go around. And
obviously sarat and Cooper are are you know, they're the
they're the alpha doll in that in that position group
for Indiana. But E. J. Williams is the heck of
a player too, and he and he's done good things
whenever he's had his opportunity.

Speaker 1 (19:09):
And we we even saw Riley know Olkowski had that
big run I think it was like third and long
or something that he converted a thirty nine yarder and
then Jonathan Brady had a couple of catches, so that
was good to see, Uh those two get going. We
saw Charlie Becker got a couple of snaps in there
rotating in for E. J. Williams, but with Williams two
Matt and I've said this all year. You know, he's
a guy just on a personal level, it's it's really

(19:30):
good to see him succeed with all that he's been through,
you know, especially coming to want him, you know, entering
the Portal last year and wanting to come back to
Indiana and seeing him do well, and especially in a
game like this, like I felt like there was a
game that was coming this season. Maybe it's still coming
this season where Williams gonna have him a huge, huge game.
In this game, he really should have had two touchdowns.
But with Williams too his I feel like a lot

(19:53):
of his big plays have been like jump balls and
those type of you know, kind of fade balls that
we saw in the back of the end zone in
this Like his his vertical leaping ability is really really impressive.
And you know the game like this where where you
know Michigan State might try to take away Serrat, it's
it's just so hard to take away one guy when
you have Cooper and Williams there as well.

Speaker 3 (20:15):
Yeah, and the other thing about him is I'd like
to know what his wingspan is so I think he's
around six to four. I'm gonna guess his wingspan is
probably like six'.

Speaker 1 (20:20):
Eight.

Speaker 2 (20:20):
Uh he's got super long. ARMS i, mean he always
kind of D he's one of.

Speaker 3 (20:24):
Those guys that can scratch his ankle without you, know
bending his knees because his arms are so. Long but
he he.

Speaker 2 (20:29):
Is, yeah he's got that big Catch. Rais he's got
great ball.

Speaker 3 (20:32):
SKILLS i, MEAN i remember When indiana Played illinois a
couple years ago and that game went into. OVERTIME i
think and sores be played played in that. Game it
was the game where McCauley kept getting touched down after,
touchdown already got pass interferences on.

Speaker 2 (20:44):
Him but then in the at the end of the,
regulation they threw a two point conversion.

Speaker 3 (20:49):
To williams AND i was standing right behind the end,
zone and he made an Unbelievable he made an unbelievable.
Throw But williams mate was run across backingsone jumped up
in the, air AND i JUST i, mean it was
like a basketball player going for a. Rebound it was
such an athletic JUST i, mean just something you couldn't.
Teach you can't coach that that's the kind of ability he.
Has LIKE i, said on a lot of, years this
guy is easily the number one or number two receiver

(21:10):
on The indiana, team and he's either the fact that
you got him as a number three and you have
him kind of there in your hip pocket if you need,
to you, KNOW i think you know it's it's what
a what a what a what a privilege For Mike
shanahan to have.

Speaker 2 (21:23):
That And i'm with.

Speaker 3 (21:25):
YOU i think there is a game where you could
see him go for like seven eight, catches one hundred
and twenty hundred and thirty yards and a couple of,
touchdowns especially if other teams are really trying to take
away Sarat and Or cooper And williams.

Speaker 1 (21:36):
TOO i, mean he's a guy he PROBABLY i don't
know what his DRAFT sat status looking. LIKE i, mean
he has the physical, tools but he might be a guy,
where you, know if he gets like A Senior bowl
In bite or like An East West Ryan bull, invite
he COULD i think he could do a really do
a lot more to increase his stock there BECAUSE i
think he's AN nfl player and he might maybe not right.
Away it might take him a couple of years to
get there to become a consistent. Player BUT i mean

(21:59):
he has everything you're looking. For he just the target
share just obviously isn't as great for him this year
as it would be with most.

Speaker 2 (22:06):
Teams, YEAH i think he's a guy, that you, KNOW
i don't know if he gets.

Speaker 3 (22:10):
DRAFTED i think he's a guy that definitely gets signed
as an undrafted free agent because of his physical. TOOLS i,
mean you can't teach, that and those kind of guys
you know in THE nfl they get downside that they
throw those fade, balls they throw those fifty to fifty.
Balls BUT i think he's a guy that could start,
out you, know really he'd be a practice squad. Player
get those reps because remember he's missed a lot of
time with, injuries and it's a lot of practice time

(22:30):
that he's. Missed he's he's kind of even though he's
a fifty year senior whatever it, is he's more like
a you, know like a red shirt junior or something like.

Speaker 2 (22:37):
That with his he's just missed so much.

Speaker 3 (22:39):
Time get him in a, system hopefully in this organization
that will really work with, him BECAUSE i think down
the road he's a guy that could definitely go.

Speaker 2 (22:45):
Out there and be a third or fourth receiver in
THE nfl for a.

Speaker 1 (22:47):
Team, yeah all, right let's slip it over to defense,
here and before we get into the things that we
saw a defensive winning this. Game Kellen Whyt Kurtzy nadias
yesterday he suffered a knee injury that will eve him
out long. Term didn't completely close the door on returning
at the end of the, season but it is a
possibility he misses the rest of the. Season, matt, obviously

(23:09):
this is this IS i wouldn't say it's a crushing
blow For indiana like some people are making it out to.
Be you, know this. Devastating indiana's defense is going to,
be you, know completely destroyed without like he was a good.
Player he's fifth and tackles for. Loss he was a
good player For. INDIANA i don't think this is a crushing.
Loss it's a big, loss not a crushing. Loss and
a lot of that has to do With Stephen daily
coming on strong in the last few. Weeks SO i,

(23:31):
MEAN i Think indiana And Brian haynes will will figure
out ways to scheme around. It definitely a notable, loss
BUT i don't think it was it's this huge crushing
loss For indiana's. Defense, NO i, mean.

Speaker 3 (23:41):
Quite, honestly if it's a crushing, loss then you didn't
have you didn't have that good of a defense to begin.

Speaker 2 (23:45):
WITH i mean one. PLAYER i mean there's some.

Speaker 3 (23:47):
GUYS i mean, listen if you lost In Aydan, fisher
that'd be really really tough to replace one because he's so,
good but too because you just don't have the depth at.
LINEBACKER i think there is better depth people have been
talking about on the. Board my guess IS i went
back and. Looked Dominic ratcliffe is playing about sixteen snaps a.
Game it's like one hundred and fifteen snaps in like seven,
games so it came out to about sixteen to seventeen
snaps a.

Speaker 2 (24:07):
GAME i think you see his.

Speaker 3 (24:08):
SNAP i, mean, listen no one player is gonna Replace Kellen.
White you're gonna have to do it as a. Group
so you, KNOW i Noticed, landino Now kamara WAS i
Think camora will be. Fair he wasn't asked. ABOUT i
don't think what happened to Him saturday was is. That
but we saw him kind of working on his shoulder
or neck or. WHATEVER i think my guess is he'll be.
FINE i.

Speaker 2 (24:26):
Didn't it didn't seem serious to, me But i'm not a.

Speaker 3 (24:28):
Doctor but, Anyway landino was playing some on the edge
And dukeway got his first, snaps and people mentioned THAT
i just find it hard to believe that In Duke
way is going to be in the. Rotation he's playing
seven snaps all, year AND i think almost all of
them came this Past saturday and mop up.

Speaker 2 (24:42):
Time, now maybe maybe there is a role for, him
but he's more of you.

Speaker 3 (24:47):
KNOW i, MEAN i guess you could Roll rich him
in there Behind kamara a little bit from here and,
there BUT i WOULD i think you'll see His landino
play more at D, n AND i think you'll See
ratcliffe get more snaps either inside or maybe they even
try him a little bit of strong side. In BUT
i think you'll just see two or three guys basically
have to pick up some of those. Steps wyatt was
at about thirty. FIVE i think it was like two
hundred and twenty one, hundred two hundred and thirty one

(25:07):
in seven, games so it was about thirty thirty five
snaps a, Game so it's a decent. AMOUNT i, mean
that's a decent amount of snaps a, game so you're
gonna have to have you're gonna have to have some
people pick up those. Steps and so my guess there'll
be three or four guys kind of pick up in
some extra. Snaps maybe a FIFTH i don't, know but
that's how it's gonna. Be there's not one guy's gonna replace,
him but they've got the personnel to do. It it
is a blow because he was he was. Good he

(25:29):
was good at getting after the. Quarterback like you, said
what'd you say he? Was was he second and tackles for?

Speaker 2 (25:34):
LOSS i, think, yeah, Yeah SO i, mean you know
he was doing a good job.

Speaker 3 (25:38):
There he had two and a half, sacks eight tackles for,
loss so you know he was twenty seven.

Speaker 2 (25:43):
Tackles SO i mean this was a productive. Player you,
know it'll.

Speaker 1 (25:47):
Be it was.

Speaker 3 (25:48):
Funny it was kind of suing THAT sinneti didn't close the,
door BUT i didn't feel like he really kept it
that far a jar, Either like it was like the doors,
closed but maybe they hadn't they hadn't turned the lock.
Yet BUT I i didn't GET i didn't get the
warm up fuzzies about him being able to play this.
Year maybe if they make a deep run of the,
playoff that's maybe way he's keeping the door open For
like if they get into the Into, january middle Of

(26:08):
january and they're still, playing he could. Play BUT i
think for the regular, SEASON i would guess he's done
for the.

Speaker 2 (26:14):
Next five, weeks yeah there or five? Games five.

Speaker 1 (26:17):
Games, yeah that's HOW i viewed it, Too and especially
BECAUSE i mean so right now And dana is obviously
protected for to get a first round by in THE,
cfp which will put him on pace to play like
Around New year's so you're talking about, good like what
that would be two and a half, months, Right, yeah
for him to get back on the. Field obviously we
don't know the severity of the, injury so so we'll.

Speaker 3 (26:38):
See, YEAH i would guess it's not AN, acl because
if it, WAS i think he would just come out
and say he's, done because you would be.

Speaker 2 (26:43):
Done So i'm guessing maybe it's one of the other.

Speaker 3 (26:45):
Ligaments and, like Again i'm not a, doctor but whether
there's like THE pcl and THE, ncl maybe it's something
else there in the knee that he has to have
some procedure. Done but it's not like the nine to
ten month. Recovery it's more, like you, know eight weeks
or something or you know WHAT i, mean something like
that where it's possible he could still come back and
play towards the, end assuming they make a deep.

Speaker 1 (27:04):
Run, Yeah and it's not like he was like carded
off the field or anything. Either he like he walked
off on his own. Power now very du believe that,
is but he was still able to walk off on
his own. Power and the other component two is is
in the, past Like, signetti how he's operated with the
season ending injuries is he's come out and said it right,
away you, know in the spring Of Tyler, morris he
said he was done for the. Year last year With Drew,

(27:25):
evans he was definitively done for the. Year earlier this,
season he said That Bryson bonds right, away he, Said
Bryson bonds has done for the So LEE bb, Two
so he did leave the door. Open so it'll be
interesting to see how how they handle. That and then
Also matt the three linebacker looked that That indian has
been playing a lot this. Year that could also be
a way that you you plug you you kind of

(27:45):
feel wise void is you just play a lot more
three linebacker set ups instead of that four down, lineman which,
Honestly frankdana has has worked out really well for.

Speaker 3 (27:53):
Them, yeah AND i saw your post on the board
where you talked almost you, know playing a little bit
almost like a three three, five which is which is
you know YOU i, mean at times we've talked about,
this they've kind of walked hardy. Up they Put Isaiah
jones at the end of the line and like a
stand up two point you, know uh kind of age.
Positions so there is there is some flexibility they they

(28:14):
have they have you, know it's not just a defensive
line that maybe can help you overcome, this it's the
other you, know the linebacker group can help.

Speaker 2 (28:20):
You you can do some different things with. Them, SO i,
MEAN i think they'll be. Okay it is a.

Speaker 3 (28:25):
Blow there's no like we've talked, about this is a.
Blow he Was he was a starting. Player NOW i
don't get two worked up who starts on THE d
line because they rotate so many, guys but he was
a guy that was out there most weeks on the
other side From. Kamara so it was a guy that
they thought highly. Of but this is something you can't.
Overcome and if, listen if you're a really good, team
if you're a national championship time type, team you should

(28:46):
be able to overcome.

Speaker 1 (28:47):
This, yeah, NO i agree with. YOU i Think Stephen daily,
especially you, know having the two sacks this last, game
and he's really come on strong as big ten plays,
unraveled he's been looking more and more promising to to
to step up in that. Role all, right let's let's
look at the defense here in this, Game matt from
The Michigan state, game and this, is you, know a
fear That indiana fans have kind of had all, season

(29:08):
AND i don't think it was it was calmed any.
Anymore so this game with the, secondary especially in the first,
half there's a lot of busted. COVERAGES i went back
and rewatched this. Game there's a lot of, guys especially
at the end of those, plays those long passing, places
a lot of a lot Of indiana defensive backs are
looking at each other, like you, know you're supposed to be,
here why aren't you. There so there's a lot that's

(29:29):
still easy to get cleaned up in the. Secondary and
Fortunately indiana is still. Undefeated it hasn't hurt them in
in a huge. Way BUT i, mean like projecting, forward
If indiana is going to compete against like An Ohio, State,
uh this stuff has to be clean. Up like your
seven games into the, year they they you, know these
dbs have played basically one hundred percent of the snaps.

(29:51):
Together i'm kind of. Surprised it's it's as leaky as
it is.

Speaker 3 (29:55):
Still, yeah and to, me it's The Achilles it's The
Achilles hill of this team right. Now and let's just
say you went out and you go to The Big
Ten championship and you got to cover not Only Jeremia,
smith but you got to Cover Carnel, tait who's playing
really really. Good if you have these, breakdowns it's they're
gonna be getting like sixty seventy yard. TOUCHDOWNS i, mean
they're just they're they're going To so, Yeah AND i

(30:17):
thought it was interesting BECAUSE I i kind of somebody
asked that IF i asked about the, defense somebody might
asked about the, secondary and he, said it's not. Misalignment
he made. It it's kind of interesting how he made that.
Clear so basically saying it's not what we're calling that's not.
Working it's once it's almost like it's after the, snap
not before the, snap that the issues are having that they're. Having, so.

Speaker 2 (30:39):
You, KNOW i THINK i said it to you in
the presspects one of the players in that.

Speaker 3 (30:42):
Game you saw Boy kin after the play was over
get up AND i don't know who he was looking,
at but you could tell he was, like you, know almost.

Speaker 2 (30:48):
Like what are you? Doing and he mentioned on that
to me the one that was they first.

Speaker 3 (30:52):
Possession they Get Mischigan state in a third and, twelve
and first of, All child's had all day to, throw
and then he found a guy for LIKE i think
it was about two on your twenty two yard game
and he was wide open over the, middle And signetti,
said a guy made a bad decision instead of he
went for the six yard route instead of staying, back
which you, know to me that seems pretty, obvious like
if it's third and, twelve let the six yard route.

Speaker 2 (31:12):
Go you can run up and tackle. Him but you
know that you have to make decisions and in a
short amount of, time and the guy made the wrong.

Speaker 3 (31:20):
Choice but you, know, yeah we're getting in the part
of the season WHERE i keep saying it's.

Speaker 2 (31:24):
Fixable, well you got to get it. Fixed this needs
to be.

Speaker 3 (31:27):
Fixed is this is you, know we shouldn't be this
far in the, season and you've not only had seven,
games but you also had a bye, week so you
had enough time to get this taken care.

Speaker 1 (31:36):
Of, so.

Speaker 2 (31:38):
You, KNOW i think it s so comes down to.

Speaker 3 (31:39):
Communication and SOMETIMES i think maybe some guys are trying
to play a little bit of a hero. Ball maybe
they're trying to go make the big play instead of
just doing their. Job and so that's what's. Happening you,
know it is still, fixable but we're past the point
of saying it's, Fixable like it just needs to be.

Speaker 1 (31:53):
Fixed and it's not just one, Guy like you would
feel better if it was you, know one, guy and
and you, know maybe you could play with somebody else
or or do something sigematically to to mask. Him but you,
know even D'Angelo pond's Has heads has had a moment
here and there of uh coverage bus uh in this.
Game going back to this, game Like Aiden fisher that
that they're long you were talking About Matt that Was

(32:14):
Aidan fisher who came. Up you, know he didn't play
deep enough zone and they converted a third and long
there so that, that you, know that tells me that
it's a lot of it is communication based and for
some JUST i don't know what it, is but for some,
reason like even last year's secondary was completely, new but
they look so much better than this year's secondary just

(32:34):
on a communication wide, level and that that part is
the most confusing for.

Speaker 3 (32:38):
ME i, Think, yeah it's not like you're PLAYING i,
Mean Amari ferrell is a, junior he's played, Now he's
played a lot of.

Speaker 2 (32:44):
Safety Devin boykin's a fifth year.

Speaker 3 (32:46):
Guy Lewis moore was like a sixth year, guy and you,
know he's played a lot of he played a lot
Of indiana's first time, around and then obviously At Old.
Miss you, KNOW i would guess the only guy that's
a little bit new Is Jamari sharp is far is playing,
time BUT i mean he's been AT iu and he's
been in this system now for a year and a.
Half Dangel pons has been in this system since he

(33:06):
came into college because he played AT. Jmu so you,
KNOW I I i'm kind of with. You i'm a
little bit baffled that it's taken that you're still having
the same mistakes that you. Had you, know week, One week,
Two week, three in week game seven and week eight
of the, season.

Speaker 2 (33:23):
It is you, know and it's just not A christmas the.
Coach it's just you.

Speaker 3 (33:27):
Know to, Me i'm sure the coaches are doing. Everything
at some, point the players have got to do their
jobs and they and they got. It they got to
be accountable and get this taken care.

Speaker 1 (33:35):
Of you do have to credit the defense BECAUSE i
feel like a lot of these these buss have happened
early in. Games you, know the or you go back
to The oregon, game they had that long touchdown early
and then they kind of settled in the secondary did
and then same thing with this. Game second half they
played a lot better than the first. Half it makes me,
wonder like why why are they starting so? LACKADAISICAL i

(33:55):
guess is the best word for. It like in the
what just the startup games has Given indiana defense a
lot of, ISSUES i, think And Brian hands has made
the adjustments necessary as the game goes. On but like,
WHAT i don't know if it's like preparation or what's
Going like what what is it about the starting? Game
it's it's very.

Speaker 3 (34:12):
Odd, Yeah i'm not sure you remember last, year it
was always like the end of, half you, know the
first half where they had the. Issues SO i, MEAN
i think it's probably more Like signeti, SAYS i think
sometimes maybe they're maybe they they're coming in and they're
NOT i don't think preparation would like as far as
the game. Plan maybe it's just the players are not
mentally prepared themselves or or they're you, know LIKE i,

(34:33):
Said saneti, said he called it not answering the. Bell
so to, me that means you're a little bit. Flat
you're not you're not maybe in the right headspace to
go out there and play the kind of football at
the level that they expect you to. Play and then
after you get punched in the, mouth then you kind
of you kind of wake. UP i mean against a
team Like Michigan state or even this week AGAINST ucla
or some other, teams that's. Fine when you get in

(34:55):
The Big ten, championship if you're able to get there
Against Ohio state and you're not ready to, play it's
gonna be like fourteen and nothing in the end of
the first.

Speaker 2 (35:01):
Quarter if you do that in the, playoff it's gonna
be the same.

Speaker 3 (35:04):
Thing you're gonna be playing really really good, teams so
you gotta be ready to play.

Speaker 2 (35:08):
From the get.

Speaker 3 (35:09):
Go you can't take a possession off for four or
five plays because four or five, Plays Jeremiah smith the
Cardell taate are gonna be doing an end zone dance
because that's what's gonna happen if you play those teams
and you're not ready to.

Speaker 1 (35:19):
Go all, Right so don't want to spend too much
time on the secondary because obviously there are some issues
that need to be. Fixed but once, Again matt the
run defense For indiana continues to play at an elite.
Level and this is this is an area where you,
know you can go into every game For indiana, think you,
know feeling very good about their you, know chances to
stop the. Run, obviously running quarterbacks have continued to Give

(35:42):
indiana a little bit of trouble this year as they.
Have you, know it's it's very tough for most defenses
to fully contain a dual. Threat But Aiden childs had
that long sixty four yard run in the second. Half
but if you take out that that, Run Michigan state
only runs for ten yards on twenty three. Carries the
average lesson yard to CARRY uh just super impressive In Michigan.

(36:03):
State in this, game they wanted no part Of indiana's run.
Defense and you saw what the screen? Passes who throws
out to the? Flat, Uh Michigan state really they you
know this is it felt very reminiscent of what we
saw we used to see With indiana back in like
The mike To board, days where they would have to
throw screen passes BECAUSE i couldn't run the. Ball this
felt very much like that With Michigan's Michigan state's offense

(36:24):
because they just couldn't run the ball at.

Speaker 2 (36:25):
All, YEAH i thought the run defense is really.

Speaker 3 (36:28):
Good obviously you can't take off that one, play but
and again aid And childs is a supremely talented player
who can do that against a lot of. Teams but,
yeah the run defense WAS i, mean the run defense was.
Fantastic they they they just said you couldn't get anything,
going And indiana pretty much had.

Speaker 2 (36:46):
Their way with. Them and and you, know, uh it's
been that way all year that you.

Speaker 3 (36:50):
Know the one thing that's not been an issue is
their ability to you, know AND i Think oregon they
had a couple of runs but more but for most
of that game and that's the game you'd really look
at Because oregon so so.

Speaker 2 (37:00):
Talented they they shut them.

Speaker 3 (37:02):
Down SO i don't see, anybody you know left on
the you, know even Though Penn state's going through issues
and they've got the new quarterback and all, that the coaching,
change they do have two guys that are gonna be
tough to. Contain allen and the other GUY i think
is A. ROBINSON i can't remember the other guy's, name
But i'm Sorry Singleton singleton's sorry Not, Robinson singles And
Kroon allen And Nicholas.

Speaker 2 (37:22):
Singleton they're really really.

Speaker 3 (37:24):
Good but this, team this This indian, defense has shown
they can they can stop the run against, anybody you,
know and AND u shut teams down and make them
really really one. Dimensional and that's what they did Against Michigan.
State and even Though child's is, good it was just too.
MUCH i, mean there's there's you, know there's no way
they were you're gonna be with one.

Speaker 2 (37:42):
Hand tie behind your.

Speaker 3 (37:43):
Back you're not gonna beat Uh Brian haynes defense if you,
can't if you can't have a little bit of, balance
and they really had almost no balance.

Speaker 1 (37:50):
Whatsoever, yeah, yeah nine tackles for loss on the day
For indiana only one touchdown a, lot which came in
the early second quarter From Michigan. State and that that
that's another part of this defense, too mad that that you,
know it's it's hard to quantify. IT i, mean certainly
you can't because they need to only allowed one touchdown
to each opponent this. Season but there's something that happens

(38:11):
when opposing teams get past midfield That indiana's defense like
they turn into a completely different. Beast, like, yeah they
might have a chunk play here and there to get
Into indiana's, territory but once they, DO i, Mean indiana
is as stingy as is anybody and keeping teams out
of the end.

Speaker 3 (38:27):
Zone, YEAH i, MEAN i, think what is. It it's
they've only given up six touchdowns all. Year, uh and
the defense HAS i mean they've given up the teams
given up, seven but one of those is a pick
six and that's the most important Stat And Tom allen
would talk about, that you don't want to give up,

(38:49):
yards but yards are. Okay the biggest thing is is
when they get down the red, zone making them kick
field goals instead of getting touchdowns And indiana has done,
that and THEY'VE i, mean what are They they're they're
holding teams to eleven points six points a game and
they played seven games were and they played some good.
Offenses so you, know on noois got good. Offense Obviously

(39:09):
oregon's got a good. Offense so they they're playing teams
that can score points and they're and they're doing a
great job of you, know and that's the most important
STAT i, mean, yeah you don't want to give up
four or five hundred yards and if you, do you're
probably gonna give up more than twelve points a.

Speaker 2 (39:22):
Game but they are really. Good they were really good
at in the red zone.

Speaker 3 (39:27):
Defense uh and the other, one you, know their second
in the league and third opponent third down.

Speaker 2 (39:32):
Conversions Only Hollo states.

Speaker 3 (39:34):
Better indians only given up a, first given up a
conversion on third down twenty five percent of the. TIME
i mean that's one out of four or. So if
you have fifteen to sixteen in the, game they're only
getting at four. Times it's you, know they're they're they're
playing in high level, defense and even with the occasional
leakiness in the, secondary this is still one of the
best defenses in the not only The Big, ten but

(39:55):
of the, country no.

Speaker 1 (39:56):
Doubt and to the secondary's, credit we've given them some
some grief here about the the coverage, bus but the
open field tackling has been you, know kind of under
the radar as. Well uh you, know you think To
Lewis moore this week was named what was, it The
Senior Bowl player of The week or something like. That
Lewis moore has been really really good tackling in. Space
Dangel ponds And Mars, Sharp they've been really good At.

(40:18):
Marii farrel has been really good in. Space the linebackers of,
course that that that that part of goo goes a
little bit under overlooked With, indiana but they're tackling has
been so so good throughout this. Season and then this
is a don't don't forget. Too this is a team
that doesn't tackle at all basically in the, offseason but
they just continue to make plays in space and not

(40:38):
allow those you, know huge backbreaking, plays which which is
a large part of Why dan his defense has been so. Successful,
yeah and.

Speaker 3 (40:45):
They deserve credit for the run defense because obviously you
don't want your safety having a bunch of. Tackles But
one reason Why Lewis moore has good a lot of
tackles is he comes up on run plays and gets
involved in those run.

Speaker 2 (40:55):
Plays it's not because they're running down the.

Speaker 3 (40:57):
Field in the, past When indiana safeties love the team
in tackles is because they were making tackles twenty yards.

Speaker 2 (41:01):
Downfield these dbs come up and they and they they
come up and they not only get off Of.

Speaker 3 (41:08):
I'd said this To Ken bike off in the, game this,
defense AND i noticed it last year and it was
something that towards the end Of Tom allen's time was
really an.

Speaker 2 (41:16):
Issue they get off blocks incredibly well at all three.
Levels the d.

Speaker 3 (41:20):
Linemen know how to use their, hands the linebackers and
the DB's and the. Dbs that's where you, Know Dangel
pond's one hundred and seventy, pounds he could have one
hundred and ninetywo hundred pund ride receiver block And i'm you,
know and he's able to get off that block and
go make a. Play and that's that's that's. COACHING i,
mean flat out that's. Coaching trust. ME i have two
boys who played football and teaching kids eleven thirteen how

(41:40):
to use their hands to get off blocks is, like you,
know splitting the at, him it's almost. Impossible so and
now these are older, GUYS i get, that but it's
so important and that's all. Coaching these guys are are taught.
This we seen him work on it when we're when
we were able to go to.

Speaker 2 (41:54):
Practices and it's carrying over the.

Speaker 3 (41:55):
Games and like you, said they don't do a lot
of live, tackle AND i think they do a lot
of tackling drills where they're probably are tackling the dummies
or the pads or. Whatever but, yeah they're not doing life,
tackling which is. Different and this team is an outstanding tackling.

Speaker 2 (42:07):
Team they.

Speaker 3 (42:08):
Are they are really really good of getting people not
only wrapping.

Speaker 2 (42:12):
Them up by getting them to the.

Speaker 1 (42:13):
Ground, yeah it's very impressive as well. Too Like indiana
always you always see every play like there's always at least, two, three,
four five jerseys around the. Ball so their gang tackling
is really impressive as. Well and that's just an effort
thing For. Indiana it is swarming to the ball like.
That and that was one thing, too and not to
go off a tangent, map but that was one thing

(42:33):
that drove me crazy by The Tom allen era is
you would always hear about the swarm, tackling and then
game day would come and there would be just countless.
Mistackles AND i just couldn't stand that because he he
would always harp, on you, know swarm beaswarm beats swarm
d and it just never. Happened and with this, defense
there's not too much you, know sexiness to. It it's
just these guys just want to get after. It, uh

(42:55):
and it shows up Every.

Speaker 2 (42:56):
Saturday, WELL i.

Speaker 3 (42:58):
Mean it's great to swarm with the, ball and everybody teach,
that you do the pursuit, drills but once you get
to the, ball you gotta make the you got.

Speaker 2 (43:04):
To finish the. Play and then he has doing.

Speaker 3 (43:07):
THAT i just looked it. Up they're fifth in the
country and tackling according TO. Pff take that for what it's,
worth but their grades ninety point. Three clemson's actually the
top tackling.

Speaker 2 (43:18):
Team according TO. Theff not eve one put Forward Tom allen's.

Speaker 3 (43:21):
Defense Georgia North TEXAS Usc indiana's tied WITH usc for fourth,
actually so it's showing up in THE pff. Stats but,
YEAH i, mean everybody talks about swarming to the ball
and pursuit because you have. To you got to get
as many hats to the ball carrier as you. Can
but then you got to you got to you gotta
make the. Play you got to get the guy to the.
Ground and this team does a great job of doing.

(43:42):
That and not only do they tackle, guys but they
tackle guys physically like they take when they take you
to the, ground it's not just WHERE i, mean they
get you to the ground.

Speaker 2 (43:50):
And it's all. Legal but like, this this is a
physical team when they play.

Speaker 3 (43:53):
TEAMS i guarantee you after teams Play, indiana those guys
are ready for ice bass because they are going to
be pretty beat up Because indiana is hitting you.

Speaker 2 (43:59):
Hard.

Speaker 1 (44:00):
Yeah, YEAH i would not doubt it at. All all,
Right so that'll do it for The Indiana Michigan state.
GAME a quick note on the special. Teams just another
really good day For Grant. Caine didn't do anything to Hurt,
indiana wasn't called upon a. Lot mis McCarthy didn't even
punt in this. Game Niko radichich made his only field
goal late in the fourth. Quarter you got a sixteen
yard return For Johnathan, Brady so all good on special teams.

(44:22):
There indiana continued to do well in that third, phase
So hoosiers Are hoosis get back to the old brass
tom for a second race, season thirty eight to thirteen
Over Michigan. State next, Up Matt let's look ahead here TO.
Ucla indiana opened as twenty four and a half point.
Favorites the spread is the line has moved in favor
Of indiana, now so they're about twenty five twenty five

(44:43):
and a half point favorite OVER. Ucla ESPN's fpi gives
The hoosiers a ninety six point two percent chance at victory.
Now the Way christignetti framed, This matt in His monday press,
CON i thought there was a lot of gamesmanship On signetty's,
part you, know CALLING u c L a a three
and oh, team you, know just singing their praises of

(45:04):
what they've done the last three. GAMES i thought there's
a lot of gamesmanship there On signetty's. Part and you,
know he This indiana team is never gonna look overlook.
Opponents but it really felt Like signety wanted to hammer
at home that THIS ucla team is is vastly different
than the one that started zero to Four.

Speaker 2 (45:21):
Yeah they're playing, Better there's no doubt about.

Speaker 3 (45:24):
It. Now they were easily one of the, worst uh you,
KNOW d one teams in the country for the first
four weeks of the. Season so they've got a really talented.
Quarterback i'm not gonna try At. Nico you can maybe
say his, name but he's he's really. Talented they got
some good skill. Players their defense is playing. BETTER i,
actually uh caught a little bit of their game Against
maryland after THE iu Game saturday. NIGHT i, mean it

(45:47):
wasn't a crazy impressive performance and Now. MARYLAND i Think
maryland' kind of hit the skids themselves a little. BIT
i don't want to say they've lost three in a,
row is that? Right, yeah they've lost three in a.

Speaker 1 (45:56):
Row so you, know this, GAME.

Speaker 3 (46:02):
I think it'll be a lot like The Michigan state.
Game you, know it may come out where you, know
but you See la gives. Them you, know there's a
They're they're in the game there in the first quarter
and making some. PLAYS i think is a game whears on.
THOUGH i Think indiana polls away and gets right around that.
Number what do you say was twenty four to twenty,
Five SO i think it'll BE i think the score
could be pretty, similar you, know kind of like thirty

(46:23):
eight to, thirteen or you, know maybe forty one kind
of seventeen or something like, that forty one fourteen something like.

Speaker 2 (46:29):
That so you, know but this is this is this
Is listen how you see al he's playing with the house.

Speaker 3 (46:35):
MONEY i, mean they're they're, loose they're winning that that
that Uh Tim skipper the, coach their interim. Coach he's
been a head coach, before so this hasn't totally formed.
Him but he's got those. GUYS i mean it sounds
like he's a real kind of like, passionate you, know motivating,
guy and they've responded to, it and they're they're playing
pretty good, FOOTBALL i still, think and he has clearly

(46:57):
the better. Team but this is game and all these. Games,
listen you are now the. Hunted, okay you're. Everybody the
bullseye is on your back AND. U. C L A
is gonna want to come in here and spoil your.
Season so but If indiana comes out and plays THE a,
game this is a game that they should, have they
should be, okay they should pull away and they should win.

Speaker 2 (47:15):
Comfortably.

Speaker 1 (47:16):
Yeah, yeah you, know there's been a little bit of
a nervousness on The indiana fan base front with this.
Game this is a, game And i've said this WHEN
ucla started having their success after the coaching. CHANGE i,
mean there's there there was no tape On UCLA's offense
because they changed. Coordinators you didn't know what they were
doing in. Offense so there like it, was it was

(47:37):
so hard to game plan for other. Teams and that's
not you, know that's not to take anything away from
how they Bepen sate because that's a very impressive, win
but it was very hard to game. Plan now now
that now that they have you, know three games of
tape under them and you kind of know what they
want to do, OFFENSIVELY i Think, indiana you, know HAS
a has a little bit more of luxury than than
the past few teams that have played U c L.
A now that there is more film on them to

(47:58):
go off, of AND i Think Brian hayes will have
this defense. Ready and that's that's probably the one area
where if ucl is gonna beat, you it's it's because
of i Amalai, ava their. Quarterback he's gonna have to
beat you because they can't really run the. Ball Imlai.
Alba he's their leading rusher this season and a lot
of those yards came Against Penn. State so he can't
run the. Ball he's got a huge. Arm he's gonna

(48:19):
take deep shots against. You and this is especially a
game where where the secondary we talk about the coverage.
Bus the secondary is gonna have to be really good
in this game because he's got a huge. Arm eam
Malay alva does even go back to His tennessee. Days,
uh and he's gonna take. Shots so So indian the
secondary is gonna have to be ready for. That.

Speaker 2 (48:36):
Yeah and then AND i don't, KNOW i haven't looked
at their.

Speaker 3 (48:38):
SET i, mean overall their bottom third in sacks allowed
sixteen and seven. Games so teams are getting after him
a little bit. Now maybe those happened earlier in the.
Year maybe they six set the last three. WEEKS i
have not had a chance to, watch you say all that,
much but you, know his ability to, run that's you,
know and that gives everybody. Problems what we've seen It
Colton joseph or in the first game of the season

(48:58):
eight And childs And, yeah did a pretty good job
Against Dante, moore WHO i thought might have a little
bit more success.

Speaker 2 (49:03):
Running but you're, right you, know containing him is gonna be.

Speaker 3 (49:07):
Huge and then not only, that but not letting those
guys get behind you in the secondary and giving up chunk.

Speaker 2 (49:13):
Plays you, KNOW I i'll it'll be interesting to see
how how they Block.

Speaker 3 (49:16):
INDIANA i Think indiana have a good scheme to get it,
after get after him and make make life rough for.
Him but if if they you, know they do a
good job containing him like they did Against more In,
OREGON i think it's gonna BE i guess you, see
is gonna have a hard time. SCORING i, mean you,
KNOW i went back and it looked a little bit
at The maryland. Game it looked Like maryland helped them
out a little bit in that. Game it only got twenty.

(49:37):
Points so, again, listen every week you gotta show. Up
anybody in The big ten can beat. You anybody can
beat you on on a week the way's. Basis but
If indiana show and unless this team is always gonna
prepared to, play and his staff are going to make
sure that if these guys are locked, in they're they're
gonna come away with a.

Speaker 2 (49:54):
Win On saturday before we get the.

Speaker 1 (49:56):
Predictions uh so there is Some indiana ties. Here uh
old friends former starting Quarnerback Jamir. JOHNSON i don't know
what his deal is because he hasn't played in the
game this season for u c L. A doesn't have any.
Stats Uh SO i DON'T i don't know if he's
injured or what's going on, there but he hasn't played
at all this year for u c L. A. Uh
it does make you wonder if he regrets transferring a

(50:17):
little bit away From indiana this. Offseason so that's. Interesting
In matt so SO u c L a sack, leader
which this. Is this is very UH i guess, unimpressive
but they're they're leading sack guy one and a half?
Sacks Former indiana. Guy do you know who it? Is is?

Speaker 2 (50:35):
It?

Speaker 1 (50:36):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (50:36):
Well did he play For allen?

Speaker 1 (50:38):
Yep is?

Speaker 3 (50:40):
It is? It the guy FROM i can't think of his.
Name he's From, Jordan miles, something AM i?

Speaker 2 (50:44):
Right?

Speaker 1 (50:44):
No? My, YEAH i know he was talking About Miles
jackson and not. Him it Is anthony Jon oh.

Speaker 3 (50:50):
Wow, yeah, yeah he's bounced around this like his for.
SCHOOL i think he was a big time. Recruit, Yeah
Anthony jones he was a big time recruit and he
was only you for one year he left when when.

Speaker 2 (51:03):
When signetty came?

Speaker 3 (51:03):
In but, yeah he was a big time. Recruit but,
YEAH i want to half sacks is that's not? Great so,
NO i guess by Now Miles jack is probably he's
probably not a college for a year, two but he.
WAS i thought he went out TO ucla.

Speaker 2 (51:15):
TOO i might have that. WRONG i think did he
come From?

Speaker 1 (51:18):
Ucla he came From, ucla, yeah and then he went
to TOULS i think after, uh But Anthony Jones oregon
started his, career then spent three AT. Iu, uh was
At Michigan state last, year and now he's AT.

Speaker 2 (51:30):
Ucla, yeah they're dead last in. Sacks they only have
six sacks in seven. Games LIKE i, YOU i MEAN i.

Speaker 3 (51:35):
YOU i think has at least one or two guys
that have more sacks than, them or at least right
around six. Sacks so, well four and a half For Isaiah,
jones three and a half For State, daily three For,
tucker two and a half a, fish SO i mean
there at four For. Party so, yeah they got some.
Guys landino's got. Four but, yeah that's crazy as a.
Team you only got six. Sacks, Wow SO i mean

(51:56):
My bendoza should have a lot of time to throw the.

Speaker 1 (51:58):
Football, yeah, yeah bottom. Line AND i, mean once, again
this is a team that looked like they were a
dead man walking after four. Games so there's probably still
a lot more that they are trying to at least
at least plug the holes on the on the on
the ship a little bit here, defensively SO i expect
a big day From indiana's. Defense let's get into predictions
here For, MATT i Think indiana actually covers pretty comfortably

(52:20):
WHAT ucla has done the last three. Games it's bound
to end at some. Point and now that there's tape
on this, team because if they're gonna beat, you if
they're gonna upset, you it's gonna be, OFFENSIVELY i don't
Think indiana's defense is gonna give up. Much. Uh and
then this is An indiana offense that should that that
theoretically should be able to shred this defense for EC.
La So i'm gonna Go indiana wins, Big i'm gonna

(52:41):
Give i'm gonna Go indiana forty FIVE u c L a, Ten.

Speaker 2 (52:47):
Okay i'm gonna. Go i'm with.

Speaker 3 (52:51):
YOU i think there's been enough, TAPE i, think you,
know AND i think some of What sinnetti was doing
was also probably meant for his team to.

Speaker 1 (52:58):
Hear you.

Speaker 3 (52:59):
Know i'm sure he's done it, privately but also putting
out there. Publicly so you, Know i'm sure he knows
his guys are out, There they're on social, media they read.
Stuff so you, KNOW i think this is, him you,
know getting that. Message as much as he's trying to
say to the fans and to, US i think it's
also you, know to get his. Team, hey this, team
AND i think he sees. It they're a dangerous team

(53:19):
that's playing with house. Money they got nothing to, lose
they fired their, coach they were supposed to lose every.

Speaker 2 (53:24):
Game now they're on a winning. Street But i'm with.
YOU i THINK i think they run into a reality
check this. Week that IS.

Speaker 3 (53:30):
Ucla you said forty five to, Ten i'm gonna, Go i'll,
Go i'll go forty, One i'll go, Forty So i'll
go forty two to.

Speaker 1 (53:39):
Thirteen, YEAH i believe that's WHAT i had last. Week
but either, way we both Have indiana covering the spread
pretty handily in this. Game so The hoosiers it's going
to be a new kick, On Big New kickoff On.
FOX i believe this is the first time all season
eighty has Played Big Neon, kickoff mostly because they've been
on three thirty FOR. Cbs mostly the, name so that

(54:00):
that'll be. Fun i'm sure for THE iu fan base
to Have Big New kickoff in. Town looking ahead, Here
Matt indiana is in the driver's seat BECAUSE i think
they have the points points forward manager. Whatever the advantage
is that the tiebreaker is that they're number one ty
With Ohio state in The Big, ten but technically they're
a Bubb Ohio? State are? We are we in The

(54:21):
BECAUSE i have a lot of FRIENDS i already know
that have already booked hotel rooms for A Big ten title.
GAME i, mean it's like it's it's time to start
thinking about, that is it?

Speaker 3 (54:30):
Not?

Speaker 2 (54:31):
Yeah And i'm, sorry what what is the type breaker
if you don't play each?

Speaker 1 (54:34):
OTHER i want to say it's like head to head
versus common opponents or something like. That there's like fun or.

Speaker 3 (54:41):
Something, well whether they finish first or second at the
end of the regular. SEASON i, mean LIKE i, said
borrows something. Crazy this team's making The Big. Ten The
Big Ten title, game AND i don't think they're gonna
lose a. Game BUT i would say even if they
lost the, GAME i think they would Still. Yeah it's, like,
yeah SO i think your friends are safe to make

(55:03):
those those hotel. Plans, now getting tickets might be a
different story for. Him i'm guessing that's Especially uh If
Ohio states send that's gonna be a tough ticket to.
Get and think about, This, uh the basketball team's Playing
louisville that day At. Gamebridge The pacers ARENE i think at,
noon and then The Big Ten title games that usually
was like eight. O'clock so you could have basically The

(55:26):
indiana fan base Plus, louisville which travels. Well they're basketball
fans In Ohio, state which travels incredibly. Well the downtown
you're in downtown Indian it's gonna be a, madhouse. DUDE
i mean it's going to be crazy that That, saturday that.
Weekend there's gonna be so many people in. Town but you,
know great For indianapolis and great FOR i you and
and their fans if that. HAPPENS i, mean what a
what a cool day if you could if some people

(55:47):
were able to go to the basketball game and then
head over and go to the football game as. Well
WHAT i mean like that that's never happened obviously because
any has never been in The Big Ten championship for,
Football so you, KNOW i think it's pretty cool for
for not only the city but the state and the fan,
base and, uh you, know it'll be really really surreal
to cover assuming that. Happens AND i think there's a

(56:09):
very good chance for me to Cover indiana playing If
i've covered and playing In Lucas, oil but obviously not
in The Big Ten. Championship they played like you, Know
Ball state or, whatever neutral size or you, know neutral
site game against, Somebody so it'll it'll be really that'll
be that'll be something else to.

Speaker 2 (56:25):
Be a part.

Speaker 1 (56:26):
Of, yeah certainly doubleheader on tap. There indiana can make
it to the biggest title, game they would have to
lose twice this season in the regular, season so two,
games five games, left they'd have to lose. TWICE i
don't see them losing, Twice SO i think it's, uh you,
know obviously one game at a, time BUT i think
it's pretty safe to Say indiana will find itself playing
At Lucas oil in Early. December but for now we're

(56:48):
looking one game. Ahead indiana versusy C l a big
new kickoff This. Saturday of Course matt AND i will
be there as always with full, coverage and then after
that they hit the road for a two game road
to Now east Against Penn state And. Maryland. Uh but for,
now that will do. It Matt, Weaver Jarrick, kelly we'll,
uh we'll see folks over on peegs dot. Com