Indiana Has Defense, Skill Position Talent to Compete, But Solving QB Dilemma Key to Season

Indiana hadn't allowed 23 points or fewer against Ohio State since the 1993 season, but that's what the transfer-heavy unit did Saturday. Indiana also proved to have talented skill position players, but this could all go to waste if head coach Tom Allen and offensive coordinator Walt Bell can't solve Indiana's quarterback dilemma.

Jack Ankony | Sep 2, 2023

Indiana Has Defense, Skill Position Talent to Compete, But Solving QB Dilemma Key to Season /

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – From quarterback to quarterback, Indiana’s search for an offensive spark fell flat in Saturday’s 23-3 season-opening loss to Ohio State.

The transfer-filled defense proved remarkably sturdy most of the afternoon against the No.3-ranked Buckeyes before wearing down as the offense failed to sustain drives. No wonder Indiana coach Tom Allen is excited about the revamped defense, which appears strong enough to keep the Hoosiers in future contests against weaker opponents.

But without a definitive decision at quarterback, the 2023 campaign will come with growing pains. As talented as the defense and skill position players may be, quarterback and offensive line play ultimately drive any offense.

Allen said postgame that Indiana decided both quarterbacks would play in the first two games, with Brendan Sorsby starting against Ohio State and Tayven Jackson starting Week 2 against Indiana State. Both players knew that ahead of time. This decision, or perhaps lack of a decision, stemmed more from Allen not knowing exactly what he had with each quarterback in a game situation.

“You have spring ball, you have summer, you have fall camp and they never get hit and it’s not full-bore live football played in the game,” Allen said. “And they need to play in the game for us to truly be able to – it was one guy would have a good practice, another guy, back and forth, a good week, just all kind of like, ‘Man, they’re so similar.’ So we felt like the best thing to do was let them, see them play.”

Seeing them play Saturday provided no clear answers. Neither Sorsby or Jackson looked sharp or consistently confident. Sorsby completed 8-of-16 passes for 58 yards, with zero touchdowns or interceptions. He rushed six times for negative two yards, factoring in yards lost through sacks. Jackson completed 1-of-5 pass attempts for 24 yards and gained 11 yards on three carries. Those performances are not going to produce many wins – whether the opponent is Ohio State or Indiana State.

No matter who was under center, Indiana was unable to reach the end zone. Jackson led Indiana to its only three points of the game, an eight-play, 43-yard drive, which included Jackson’s only completion and was capped off by a 42-yard Chris Freeman field goal.

To compare Jackson and Sorsby’s performances would be splitting hairs, but there were a few minor distinctions and potential advantages. Bell clearly trusted Sorsby to throw the ball more frequently, and he showed real arm strength on a few completions up the middle. Advantage Sorsby.

But the first play of the game revealed Indiana’s predicament. Sorsby looked completely unsure of what to do on the triple option play, which is especially concerning considering it was the first call Bell made all year. It led to a two-yard loss, but Sorsby somewhat redeemed himself on the next snap, an 11-yard rush.

When it was Jackson’s turn to audition, he looked far more decisive in the triple option. He made confident tosses to Jaylin Lucas, which opened up a few running lanes and put Ohio State on its heels at times. Jackson carries an advantage when it comes to elusiveness, but Sorsby is athletic enough to challenge defenses in the run game, too.

Perhaps the best way to look at this decision is in a big-picture sense. If Dexter Williams II was healthy, he likely would have started Saturday against Ohio State. And when he is healthy – Allen predicts this to be midseason or a few weeks before – Williams showed enough in-game productivity last season to take the starting job from Jackson and Sorsby.

But for the time being, Bell and Allen have a decision to make. Is it better to tailor the offense closest to how it will be run when Williams is back? In that case, Jackson is the choice, and that would make the transition easier for the rest of the offense.

Allen said schematic differences with Jackson on the field compared to Sorsby are “not holistically major. There’ll be some subtle things within both the run game and the throw game to favor their strengths.” That said, real consideration must be given to the idea that Sorsby’s potential advantage in the pass game means he’s the better choice right now. Indiana won’t beat any Big Ten opponent – or Indiana State on Friday – if it can’t pass.

Regardless of the unsettled quarterback situation, Indiana proved it had the defensive building blocks to hang tough with the nation’s No. 3 team.

Indiana rotated four cornerbacks for most of Saturday’s game, including transfers Jamier Johnson, Kobee Minor and Nic Toomer, as well as redshirt freshman Jamari Sharpe. Together, they largely contained two of the nation’s top wide receivers. Marvin Harrison Jr. finished the game with two catches for 18 yards, and Emeka Egbuka was held to three catches for 16 yards.

Allen pointed out that Ohio State has annually shredded Indiana’s run defense, but that wasn’t the case Saturday. Across Allen’s seven-year tenure, Ohio State has rushed for at least 292 yards in four of seven games. Saturday, Indiana’s transfer-heavy defense held strong and allowed just 143 rushing yards, the lowest total in Allen’s career against Ohio State. Indiana’s 23 points allowed were the fewest against an Ohio State team since the 1993 season, when it also allowed 23.

Moving forward, Indiana’s biggest question comes at the most important position, quarterback. The Hoosiers have the weapons at the skill positions and the stout defense required to compete with most Big Ten teams. But if a viable starting quarterback does not show up fast, count on a third consecutive losing season with bowl eligibility out of sight.

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