Hoosiers Now

Indiana Hoping 'Swarm D' Mantra Can Limit Chase Brown, Illinois Offense

Illinois running back Chase Brown posted over 150 yards from scrimmage with three touchdowns against Wyoming in Week 0 after a 1,000-yard rushing season in 2021. Indiana linebacker and team captain Cam Jones said all 11 defenders will need to swarm to the ball.

Jack Ankony

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A Wyoming defender broke into the backfield, but Illinois running back Chase Brown planted his left foot to shift his momentum toward the sideline. 

With the would-be tackler now laying face-first on the turf, Brown burst through a crease paved by the Illinois offensive line for a 38-yard gain on the first offensive play of Illinois' season. And before Wyoming could catch its breath, Brown slipped out of the backfield for a 14-yard touchdown reception on the second snap of the game. 

Illinois coach Bret Bielema and the Illini cruised to a 38-6 win behind Brown's 167 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. Coming off a 1,000-yard season and third-team All-Big Ten honors, Brown's transition with a new quarterback and offensive coordinator looked seamless.

Brown and the Illini now head to Bloomington, Ind. for a Friday night matchup with the Hoosiers at 8 p.m. ET. First-year Indiana defensive coordinator Chad Wilt is well-aware of Brown, who shredded the Minnesota defense for 147 yards last year. When Wilt coached Minnesota defensive linemen in 2021, he saw Illinois run the ball 48 times compared to just 10 pass attempts as the Illini took home a 14-6 road win at Minnesota. 

"He’s a really talented back," Wilt said of Brown. "He’s the upper echelon in this league."

Wilt noted that Illinois showed far more balance in its season-opening win over Wyoming, running the ball 41 times with 40 pass attempts. Syracuse transfer Tommy DeVito earned the start at quarterback for Illinois, distributing the ball to five receivers who hauled in three or more receptions. Wilt said it was good to see how the Illini use their offensive playmakers, but he knows they'll have more to throw at the Hoosiers on Friday night.

“Everyone says the biggest time of development is week one to week two, so they have that advantage. Fortunate for us, we have some extra film that they don’t have on us, so call it a push," Wilt said. 

Indiana team captain and linebacker Cam Jones hasn't played Illinois in his first four seasons in college – the teams last met in 2017 when Indiana won 24-14 – but he noticed that Illinois found creative ways to get Brown the ball on Saturday. Jones said defensive communication will be key to limiting Brown's production, as well as following Indiana's 'Swarm D' mantra.

"[Brown] is a very explosive player," Jones said. "He’s fast out of the backfield, he runs hard, he breaks a lot of tackles ... It takes all 11 of us to swarm to the ball."

Against Brown and the Illini – and the 2022 season as a whole – Wilt said one of Indiana's defensive strengths is having a plethora of veteran players that know how to handle their business.

With Jones leading the defense in the middle, Demarcus Elliott, James Head Jr., Sio Nofoagatoto'a, Cal transfer JH Tevis, Lance Bryant, Miami (FL) transfer Bradley Jennings Jr., Aaron Casey, Tiawan Mullen, Devon Matthews, Jaylin Williams, Noah Pierre and Bryant Fitzgerald each boast at least three years of significant Power Five football experience. Wilt said this allows the veterans to hold younger players accountable and creates depth throughout the defense. 

"We have to be able to play multiple guys, play a lot of them and just keep sending the swarms," Wilt said. "That’s who we are. 'Swarm D' is our mantra and logo, and that’s who we are going to be. If you want guys running to the ball and playing fast, you’ve got to keep 'em fresh.”

Due to the strength of Illinois' run game, Allen said DeVito was relieved a lot of pressure against Wyoming. DeVito completed 27-of-37 pass attempts for 192 yards and two touchdowns in his first start for Illinois. 

DeVito started 11 games as a sophomore at Syracuse in 2019, but a season-ending injury limited him to four starts as a junior. He started the first three games of the 2021 season, but entered the transfer portal on Oct. 17 after losing the starting job to Garrett Shrader in Week 4. 

Allen expected the Syracuse transfer to earn the starting job at Illinois, and said Indiana has been preparing to face him this offseason. 

"You can just tell that [DeVito's] got that moxie to him and he has that charisma about him," Allen said. "I don't think they just rely on him to just put it all on his back, but I think there's obvious reasons why he won the job. I think he's really talented."

As Indiana approaches a critical season-opening game against Illinois, it appears significant focus is pointed towards stopping Brown and the run game. Illinois wants to run the ball and be physical, and Allen and Wilt know that. The Hoosiers were a middle-of-the-pack run defense in 2021, ranking eighth in the Big Ten at 147.3 rushing yards allowed per game. 

But where the Indiana defense struggled in particular in 2021 was fourth down and red-zone situations. The Hoosiers allowed opposing offenses to convert fourth down attempts 66.7 percent of the time – 10-for-15 overall – which ranked 13th in the Big Ten in front of Illinois at 72.2 percent. In 55 red zone trips, offenses scored 90.9 percent of the time against Indiana, including a Big Ten-high 39 touchdowns.

Wilt is thankful to have film on the Illini heading into Week 1, but he knows to expect new wrinkles on Friday night.

"They’re not just going to go do everything they just did against Wyoming, either. We’re not that naive," Wilt said. "They’re going to find new and creative ways to use their guys this week compared to last week."

Related stories on Indiana football:

  • BIELEMA TALKS INDIANA MATCHUP: Illinois defeated Wyoming 38-6 in Week 0, and now the Illini will begin Big Ten play on the road at Indiana on Friday night. Here's what coach Bret Bielema said about the Hoosiers. CLICK HERE
  • WIDE RECEIVER POSITION PREVIEW: Indiana lost its top two receivers from 2021 – Ty Fryfogle and Miles Marshall – and coach Grant Heard left for UCF. D.J. Matthews returns to Indiana after tearing his ACL in week four, Donaven McCulley is making the switch from quarterback to receiver, and transfers Cam Camper and Emery Simmons have stood out in fall camp. CLICK HERE
  • IU AD SCOTT DOLSON: Indiana University Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Dolson talked to the media on Monday ahead of the 2022 Indiana football season. He discussed the Big Ten's new media rights deal, Indiana's approach to NIL and more. CLICK HERE
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Jack Ankony
JACK ANKONY

Jack Ankony is a Sports Illustrated/FanNation writer for HoosiersNow.com. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism. Follow on Twitter @ankony_jack.

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