Indiana did not look pretty, but they got the job done against the University of North Texas, winning by a margin of 52-16.

I am not worried about the Indiana defense in the slightest. Curt Cignetti was not pleased, saying, “When you play a first game, especially with a new staff, you’re not exactly sure what you’re going to see offensively. You see some looks that you haven’t practiced, you have to make some adjustments.” he biggest issue was missed tackles, and I expect this to be cleaned up as the season continues. They did not look as fundamentally solid as they did a season ago, and this is the same criticism one could have made last year after the Old Dominion game. As was mentioned in the preview today, this is expected, Cignetti’s teams haven’t looked like world beaters during week one at any point. It’s about development and putting the puzzle pieces together. 

Offense

Offensively, the Hoosiers were solid, as you would assume with 52 points on the scoreboard. Nick Marsh (2 catches, 17 yards, 1 TD) and Charlie Becker (4, 64, 2) looked like the receiving threats  they were expected to be. Turbo Richard ripped off a 38 yard reception, Tyler Morris had 3 catches for 35 yeards, Brock Schott had a 25 yard reception, and Shazz Preston had 1 catch for 10 yards. Just 2 catches from Marsh leaves something to be desired, however, IU attempted just 16 passes overall. ,  Turbo Richard also added 15 carries for 58 yards and 2 TD’s. Lee Beebe Jr. looked steady in the running game with 14 carries for 33 yards. Josh Hoover was very accurate in the game, going 13-16 for 231 yards and four touchdowns. This was a great “ease him into it” game as Hoover didn’t have to do much of anything, IU’s pure talent was enough to dominate. 

Defense

On defense, the Hoosiers do have things to clean up, however, Isaiah Joens was a bright spot with 12 tackles today, including 8 solo. Tyrique Tucker had the lone sack of the game for either team, and IU had 7 total tackles for loss. Tobi Osunsanmi led the way with 2 TFLs. Quan Sanks added an interception in the secondary. 

Special Teams

On special teams, IU had a 67 yard return from Lee Beebe Jr., showcasing his significant explosiveness and ability to change the game. Turbo Richard had a 41 yard kick return as well. Tyler Morris is handling the punt returns and added a 36 yard return. These kinds of field flipping explosive outbursts are exactly what IU needs to see more of throughout the year. 

Overall, this was a take care of business game for Indiana, and they will look to build depth and continue momentum next week against the University of Howard. It was a 1-0 for Indiana, which is all you can ask for at this point in the season.

Up Next: IU Hosts Howard at home at noon on Saturday. Sansom Sports Media will have more Hoosier coverage throughout the week! 

Cover image courtesy of Indiana Athletics