Indiana heads to Rutgers on Saturday night carrying the kind of backfield issues that can turn a comfortable matchup into a stress test.
The Hoosiers started the year with what looked like a loaded running back room, but the depth chart has been thinned fast. Khobie Martin went down in the first half of the season opener with a forearm injury that is expected to keep him out until midseason. Then Turbo Richard, who had been handling a big chunk of the load, was knocked out late Friday night after 68 yards on nine carries and did not return.
That left Lee Beebe Jr. as the last man standing, and he answered with a huge night: 203 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown as Indiana moved to 4-0. Even so, the injuries are a real concern entering the trip to New Jersey.
Richard’s return timeline is still unclear, though early reports had suggested he could be back soon. For now, it looks highly likely he won’t play Saturday, which means Beebe will carry the offense on the ground with Sean Cuono or Jayreon Campbell behind him.
The matchup at least gives Indiana a chance to keep leaning on the run. Rutgers is giving up 5.02 yards per carry overall and 5.1 against FBS opponents, a mark that ranks 114th nationally. That should open the door for the Hoosiers to control the game on the ground, but the lack of depth behind Beebe is something to watch closely.
Indiana’s concerns don’t stop there. The secondary has been one of the bigger questions all offseason after the departures of D’Angelo Ponds and safety Louis Moore, and the early returns have not been especially clean. Tayven Jackson hurt the Hoosiers in the opener, Western Kentucky’s Brock Glenn had some success, and Northwestern’s Aidan Chiles finished 22-29 for 293 yards and two touchdowns in a game that flipped after halftime.
IU spent 87% of its pass plays in zone coverage, according to HuddleIQ, and Northwestern’s receivers found plenty of room in that look during the second half. Bryant Haines may have to tweak the plan this week, including mixing in more man coverage than the 13% the Hoosiers have used so far.
Personnel changes could be part of it, too. Getting A.J.
Harris back after a long injury absence would help, and there could be a case for shifting Preston Zachman or Tobi Osunsanmi into roles that ask less of them in pass coverage.
Rutgers brings enough firepower to make Indiana’s trip interesting. The Scarlet Knights have a pair of NFL-caliber talents on offense in receiver KJ Duff, who already has 550 yards and seven touchdowns, and running back Antwan Raymond, who has 438 yards and four touchdowns.
Dylan Lonergan’s return at quarterback has helped the offense look sharper lately. Rutgers threw for 252 yards against USC and scored 35 points in a close home loss, then rolled Howard 58-7.
Turnovers have been a major problem for Greg Schiano’s team, but when the ball security is there, Rutgers has shown it can put points on the board. Indiana will try to keep pressure on Lonergan, who does not have the same escape ability as Aidan Chiles.
The Hoosiers are the better team, but this is their first road test and the injury pileup makes it a little less tidy than the ranking might suggest. With Duff and Raymond on the other side, Rutgers has enough to stay within striking distance. Even so, an improved outing from IU should be enough to push the Hoosiers to 5-0 and give them a little more confidence heading deeper into the schedule.
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