Indiana
Indiana Defense Not Satisfied Despite Dominant Performances
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For a second straight week, Indiana’s defense put together a near-perfect performance.
The offense may get more of the plaudits after Friday’s 77-3 win over Western Illinois because it set the program’s all-time single-game scoring and total yardage (701) records. But including last week’s 31-7 win over Florida International, Indiana’s defense has kept pace with its counterpart.
Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ unit allowed just 182 total yards and 3.1 yards per play against FIU, and it was even more stifling on Friday night, giving up 121 total yards and 2.3 yards per play to Western Illinois.
But in both games, the defense’s lone letdown came in the same moment. Indiana allowed a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive against FIU, which concluded with just 52 seconds left in the first half. On Friday, Western Illinois’ drove 69 yards across 12 plays and settled for a field goal with 30 seconds left in the first half.
Despite the lopsided scores in both games, those end-of-half drives left something to be desired.
“That was pretty bad, I’ll be completely honest,” Indiana defensive end Mikail Kamara said Friday. “That was pretty bad. The same thing happened last week, so we gotta end the halves a lot better. That’s something we’re definitely going to be focusing on, especially that middle eight. That’s something we gotta do better going forward.”
The reason behind those drives?
“Maybe just a little bit of complacency,” Kamara said. “Guys just kind of settling down, getting ready for halftime instead of keeping their foot on the pedal.”
And the solution?
“Communicating whenever we see some of the guys get a little too happy, not happy, but when they get a little too fat and happy, we just gotta bring ‘em down a little bit,” Kamara said. “But little things like this, them scoring at halftime, things like that should humble us down.”
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said postgame there were a few defensive mistakes and substitutions during Western Illinois’ scoring drive, though he didn’t want to give a full evaluation until watching the film. But in general, he knows from 14 years of head coaching that the beginning and end of halves are crucial to sustained success.
“We’ve been starting the third quarter well, but we haven’t finished the half well,” Cignetti said. “We’ve been starting the game well and finishing the game well too. There’s a lot more positives, but just like 98 percent of the teams in the country, we have a couple things to work on and improve on.”
Outside of those two drives, Indiana’s defense has mimicked what made James Madison successful in 2023. Kamara and five other first-year Hoosiers played on that James Madison defense, which led the nation in tackles for loss and run defense.
Indiana totaled four sacks and eight tackles for loss against FIU, followed by six sacks and eight tackles for loss against Western Illinois. Neither team was able to run the ball, with FIU gaining 53 yards on 30 carries and Western Illinois rushing for just 12 yards on 26 attempts.
Kamara said nothing is really new from last season for him, it’s just a matter of proving it at the Big Ten level. That begins next week at UCLA, and he’s confident defensive success in the first two games will carry over.
“We feel good, but teams like [Western Illinois], we gotta keep a foot on their jugular,” Kamara said. “That’s what good teams do, and that’s how we view ourselves as. That’s something – obviously a win’s a win and it’s hard to win in college football, but this is something that should not happen.”
“I don’t know what you guys think of our defense right now, but I expect us to blow all that out the water. I expect us to really show everyone what this defense is about.”
Indiana
Ken Nunn, prominent personal injury lawyer based in Indiana, dies at 85
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — Ken Nunn, a prominent attorney at the head of the “largest personal injury practice” in Indiana, has died at 85 years old.
His law office confirmed his death in a statement on social media. His cause of death has not been released.
Nunn died sometime in the morning of Christmas Eve. He is survived by his son and daughter, David and Vicky; and his two grandkids, Katie and Jimmy.
Nunn, a familiar face across several commercials and billboards spotted in Indiana, was described as “tough, smart, and incredibly organized.”
According to the law firm’s statement, Nunn had the odds stacked against him from day one, “growing up in a single-parent home in the poorest section of Jeffersonville.”
But with the guidance of his then-girlfriend, turned wife of over 60 years, Leah, Nunn “was able to graduate from high school, achieve a business degree from Indiana University, and receive his law degree from IU School of Law in 1967.”
Nunn started his practice in Bloomington soon after graduation, “starting with a card table and folding chairs in his first office.”
Despite a meager set up, Nunn was reportedly determined to build a successful practice and always fight for his client – pulling inspiration from his favorite movie, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” to fuel that fire.
The Ken Nunn Law Office soon grew into the largest personal injury practice in Indiana, the firm says, and has served the state for over 50 years.
His grandson, Jimmy Nunn, remembered his grandfather fondly in a post on Instagram.
“My grandfather was my most important person in my life. He made an impact not only to his family and friends, but also to the community,” he said. “He was the toughest fighter I knew, and cared for his clients and the people around around him every day.”
“Love you grandpa. Thank you God for watching over him,” he finished.
Ken Nunn’s daughter Vicky, who the firm says was inspired by her father to practice law, will be taking over leadership at the office.
Indiana
Alexander announces run for re-election to Indiana Senate seat
MUNCIE, IN — Republican Scott Alexander has announced he will seek a second term representing District 26 in the Indiana Senate.
He was first elected to represent the district, made up of Delaware and Randolph counties, in 2022.
“I believe government should be responsive, that jobs should be grown here at home, and that our communities deserve safe roads, dependable schools, and a strong future,” Alexander said in a news release. “I have been active in securing millions of dollars in road-and-bridge grants for the district, funding for the Delaware Regional Mental Health Center, grants for housing and development, and improvements to our local schools.”
In the Senate, Alexander serves on the Agriculture, Judiciary, Natural Resources, and Pensions & Labor committees.
He and his wife, Valerie, live in Delaware County and are the parents of two children. He previously served on the Delaware County Council.
“I know firsthand the hopes and concerns of Hoosier families — from local business owners and farmers to parents and retirees — and I bring that perspective to the Statehouse every day,” Alexander said.
Indiana
Cignetti Mum on Indiana Football’s Replacements for Injured Starter Stephen Daley
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana football’s biggest question likely won’t get an answer until the No. 1 Hoosiers (13-0) kick off at 4 p.m. ET Jan. 1 against Alabama (10-3) in the Rose Bowl.
After losing All-Big Ten honorable mention defensive end Stephen Daley, who led the conference and tied for the Division I lead with 19 tackles for loss, to a knee injury suffered while celebrating the Hoosiers’ Big Ten championship game victory over Ohio State on Dec. 6, Indiana must pivot to replace his production.
But Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, who met with reporters Monday on Zoom, didn’t pull back the curtain covering the Hoosiers’ plan to fill Daley’s void.
“Yeah, well, Bryant Haines does a great job coordinating our defense,” Cignetti said. “We have a lot of confidence in our players, and we’ll find the best solution that gives us the best chance to be successful.”
Indiana has plenty of possible solutions.
Potential replacements for Stephen Daley
The first centers around the “next man up” approach, a role Daley thrived in after Indiana lost starting edge defender Kellan Wyatt to a season-ending knee injury in a 38-13 win over Michigan State on Oct. 18.
Daniel Ndukwe, a 6-foot-3, 244-pound sophomore from Lithonia, Ga., saw snaps against Wisconsin and Ohio State in relief of starting edge defender Mikail Kamara, who battled lower-body ailments.
Ndukwe has played 104 snaps on defense — 47 in run defense, 32 in pass rush and 25 in coverage — while registering five total pressures, including four quarterback hurries and one hit, according toPro Football Focus. He’s steadily risen up the depth chart this fall, taking over as the No. 3 edge rusher after Wyatt’s injury and the No. 2 when Kamara missed time.
The Hoosiers have other options to consider beyond merely replacing Daley with Ndukwe.
Indiana moved defensive lineman Mario Landino from field defensive end, where he spent his freshman season, to defensive tackle over the offseason. The 6-foot-4, 284-pound sophomore has flourished on the interior, collecting five sacks and six tackles for loss this fall.
Landino has played sparingly on the outside this season, as he’s played either left or right defensive end on 76 of his 423 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. But he’s a viable candidate to see more snaps on the end of the line of scrimmage.
Be it promoting Ndukwe to a larger role, kicking Landino outside or reshuffling additional pieces, Indiana’s coaching staff has lots to ponder — and Cignetti gave no indication of which avenue the Hoosiers plan to take.
“It’s a little bit of all,” Cignetti said. “And I guess we’ll see when we play the game what we decide to do, right?”
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