Reenergized Hoosiers head to No. 4 Michigan
It was the kind of lift the Indiana football team needed after going 0-for-October.
“We haven’t had a win in so long,” quarterback Peyton Ramsey sad. “Getting another Big Ten win under our belts, after the game on Saturday, the locker room was energized. That carried over into (practice). It’s really encouraging to see the guys excited and ready to go this week.”
Ramsey threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns in the Hoosiers’ 34-32 victory over visiting Maryland. That broke a four-game losing streak for the Hoosiers (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) who play at No. 4 Michigan (9-1, 7-0). Ramsey said the bye week prior to the game was much needed.
The Hoosiers, who had four takeaways, sealed the game when defensive tackle Kayton Samuels forced a fumble and the Hoosiers recovered. Indiana leads the Big Ten and shares fourth nationally with 24 takeaways
Indiana coach Tom Allen knows Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson is special. Patterson has completed 152-of-227 passes for 1,927 yards with 17 touchdowns and three interceptions. Patterson played two seasons for Mississippi before transferring after the 2017 season. Allen was part of the Mississippi staff that recruited Patterson.
“Watched him play a lot on film in high school, and a lot of respect for his talents,” Allen said. “He’s an extremely gifted passer, but also has great escape-ability. And they’ll use him in the run game at times, and it’s effective when they do. But what he really, really creates that makes it so hard is the extending plays.
“He just runs around back there with his eyes down field, and he’s extremely, he’s one of those unique guys that he could be moving to his left, his right, it really doesn’t matter. He can contort his body and make the throws he has to make, and he’s accurate when he does that.”
Allen said that makes it hard to defend him because “there’s always separation that’s created when a guy starts scrambling.
“He’s a very, very gifted player,” he said. “I think it’s kind of the missing thing that they’ve had, in regards to that play-making ability at that position. They’ve always had a really talented receiving corps and tight ends and running backs and big old physical offensive lines. Those things haven’t changed. But you insert this young man, and this seems to be a good fit for what they do.”
Allen has been impressed with Wolverines’ offensive growth.
“Their defense has been lights out since day one,” he said. “But their offense has really been performing at a high level the last several weeks. So they’re a very good football team. I think that he makes them way more dangerous than they were before.”
