Hoosiers look to get running game back on track
Indiana rushed for an impressive average of 235 yards in its first three games.
All that changed against Michigan State Saturday, picking up a mere 29 yards on 32 attempts in a 35-21 home loss to the then-No. 24 Spartans.
Indiana (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) will seek to get the running game again when it faces host Rutgers (1-3, 0-1) at noon on Saturday.
Hoosiers coach Tom Allen said the running game’s struggles were a mix of the Hoosiers not executing and the Spartans having an excellent defensive line.
“You’ve got to give them tremendous credit,” Allen said. “They are really good in the box. They’re hard to move because they’re so physically strong. They’re so well-coached, and they use their hands well. But we had some errors. We had some technical scheme — not executing it right, and then also them just disrupting, and that’s why that part of the game was so huge.
“It’s hard to get things going when the line doesn’t hold up, and it’s hard to stop somebody if you can’t do it on either side. So it’s just a matter of a combination of both. I think that they’re a really good run defensive team for sure, and it showed on Saturday night. But we have to find a way to run the football.”
Allen is emphasizing the Hoosiers should not take Rutgers lightly, despite the Scarlet Knights’ record and 42-13 loss to visiting Buffalo on Saturday.
Although Indiana won 41-0 last year, he was the defensive coordinator in 2016 when IU squeaked by with a 33-27 victory. In 2015 in Bloomington, the Scarlet Knights rallied for a 55-52 win.
“We went there two years ago, my first year here, and were not sharp, and that is a vivid memory in my mind of how we played in that game as a team,” Allen said. “It’s going to be a very important opportunity for us to be at our very, very best.”
“They have a really talented young quarterback that as a true freshman (Artur Sitkowski),” Allen said. “(He) can really throw it and does all the things that you want in regards to a guy at that position. Talented running backs. I know they haven’t played the way that they want to, but the bottom line is that we will have to be prepared for a tough battle.”
Rutgers coach Chris Ash said he will use practice to determine whether to start redshirt senior Gio Rescigno or Sitkowski against IU. Rescigno replaced Sitkowski in the first half against Buffalo.
Sitkowski has started all four games, completing 39-of-80 for 329 yards, one touchdown and seven interceptions. Rescigno has completed 24-of-48 passes for 233 yards and one interception.
