Indiana Football: Time For a Change at Quarterback?

Connor Bazelak marched Indiana down the sphere with ease on the primary drive.

He transformed third and a couple of with fast slant to Emery Simmons, and Shaun Shivers burst by the Rutgers protection for a 24-yard achieve on a display go. A well-timed hitch path to Cam Camper introduced Indiana into the crimson zone, and Bazelak stored it himself on a learn possibility to provide the Hoosiers a 14-0 lead halfway by the primary quarter.

Finishing his first 10 passes, Bazelak was off to his greatest begin of the season. Maybe Indiana was able to lastly put collectively a whole offensive recreation at Rutgers on Saturday. 

Not even shut. Indiana punted seven consecutive occasions, together with 4 three-and-out possessions and sequences the place gaining 10 yards appeared unattainable. After an ideal begin, Bazelak accomplished simply 13 of his subsequent 31 go makes an attempt, and his pick-six represented the ultimate dagger in a 24-17 loss to Rutgers, Indiana’s fifth in a row. 

This loss raised a legitimate query for Indiana with an upcoming bye week earlier than matchups in opposition to No. 13 Penn State, No. 2 Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue to finish the yr.

Is it time for a change at quarterback?

“Nicely, no matter we obtained to do to attempt to discover a approach to be extra productive on offense,” Indiana coach Tom Allen answered. “We obtained to take a look at each potential possibility. There is no query. No matter it’s, we modified some issues on the offensive line at the moment, simply making an attempt to proceed to vary that. We modified our schedule up, we modified lots of issues this previous week making an attempt to get a distinct consequence and completely different approach of doing issues. Yeah, we have to take a look at each risk to make this crew in place to win video games.”

After Saturday’s efficiency, it is simple to level to the negatives of Indiana’s offense with Bazelak below middle. His 54.8 completion proportion ranks thirteenth within the Massive Ten, and he leads the convention with 9 interceptions. At occasions he is seemed unstoppable, main a number of clutch landing drives in opposition to Illinois and Western Kentucky. However he is been woefully inconsistent every week, depicted completely by his efficiency in opposition to Rutgers.

If Indiana desires to make change to Jack Tuttle or Dexter Williams for the sake of change, go forward. But it surely will not change a lot, if something, transferring ahead. It would even make issues worse. 

Tuttle has been at Indiana for 4 seasons, and he is by no means received the beginning job. He is aware of he will not be Indiana’s starter in 2023, so he introduced intentions to switch after the season. Tuttle’s most memorable efficiency as a Hoosier got here in a 14-6 win at No. 16 Wisconsin on Dec. 5, 2020 when he accomplished 13-of-22 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. 

Tuttle does not carry something Indiana is lacking with Bazelak, both. He is a profession 55.9 p.c passer and was by no means an incredible deep-ball thrower. Just like Bazelak, Tuttle lacks mobility to evade go rushers behind Indiana’s shaky offensive line. Indiana skilled main personnel turnover at broad receiver, and Tuttle has by no means thrown to them in a recreation state of affairs. 

The opposite possibility some known as for is redshirt sophomore Dexter Williams, the present third-string quarterback. Williams redshirted through the 2020 season, and tore his ACL within the spring of 2021. He arrived at Indiana as a three-star recruit and the No. 34 dual-threat quarterback within the class of 2019, and Indiana coaches have acknowledged his upside.

“He is gonna be a very good soccer participant,” Indiana offensive coordinator Walt Bell stated final week. “Simply from a reps standpoint in follow, particularly at this level within the yr as reps get smaller, not just for him however for everyone, you’ve got gotta take advantage of these concentrated intervals. He prepares daily, he research daily, and he is gonna be a man that has an opportunity to be a very good participant when known as upon.”

Williams seems to have the mobility that might give Indiana’s offense a distinct wrinkle in comparison with Bazelak or Tuttle. However throwing him into the hearth in opposition to Penn State and Ohio State is a frightening approach to begin a university profession for a younger quarterback. 

All through Indiana’s five-game shedding streak, it is clear that issues run deeper than the quarterback place. The protection is permitting over 400 yards and 30 factors per recreation, and solely Temple, Akron and Boston School, amongst FBS groups, run for fewer yards per recreation than Indiana. Indiana made modifications with Josh Gross sales and Khalil Benson beginning on the offensive line, however the productiveness of that unit remains to be a priority.

At this level within the season, reaching bowl eligibility seems unattainable following missed alternatives in opposition to Maryland and Rutgers. Indiana must win three of its subsequent 4 video games, and it could take greater than a change at quarterback to tug off these sorts of upset.

Allen usually preaches accountability, and beginning another person at quarterback would maintain Bazelak accountable for his latest play. It will not, nevertheless, change the trajectory of the 2022 Indiana soccer season. 

Associated tales on Indiana soccer:

• INDIANA LOSES TO RUTGERS, 24-17: After two fast touchdowns, Indiana punted seven occasions, and a Connor Bazelak pick-six doomed the Hoosiers of their fifth-straight loss. CLICK HERE
• TOM ALLEN REACTS TO LOSS: Indiana head coach Tom Allen addressed the media following the Hoosiers’ 24-17 loss to Rutgers. Learn his full transcript, or simply watch the hooked up video of the complete press convention. CLICK HERE
• MY TWO CENTS: Indiana soccer is a multitude, and after a fifth-straight loss on Saturday at Rutgers, followers are howling for change. They need everybody fired, however that is simply not actuality in big-time school soccer. Cash talks first, and cleansing home simply cannot occur proper now. CLICK HERE