Yards After Catch Have Been Big Help For Indiana Offense

Indiana is among nation’s leaders in yards after catch by wide receivers.

Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) runs after the catch during the Indiana versus Maryland football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke has thrown for 1,752 yards in six games this season. A hefty total, good for 12th place nationally.

He’s had plenty of help. One of the beauties of being a quarterback is that you get credit for yards gained after the ball is in the receiver’s hands. Of the 1,752 yards Rourke gets credit for, 832 of them came from yards after catch by Indiana pass catchers.

“We spread the ball around. I think we had over 10 guys touch the ball last week or in the last game. They have great ball skills, and they're strong guys, too, which leads to broken tackles,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said during his Monday press conference.

While running backs and tight ends contribute to yards after catch, Indiana’s wide receivers have been particularly adept in picking up extra yards with their legs.

Four Indiana wide receivers – Elijah Sarratt (199), Myles Price (154), Omar Cooper Jr. (131) and Ke’Shawn Williams (113) have all topped over 100 in “YAC” yardage.

According to Pro Football Focus, only four other teams in FBS have four receivers with over 100 YAC. Colorado, Miami (Fla.), Texas Christian and Texas State join Indiana in that exclusive company.

Some elements of how to create yards after catch are elementary. You need a pass-oriented offense, and you need a quarterback.

It’s no surprise that Miami’s Cameron Ward (2nd), Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders (4th), TCU’s Josh Hoover (5th), Rourke (12th) and Texas State’s Jordan McCloud (15th) are all top-ranked passers nationally.

What’s noteworthy about the Hoosiers is how balanced their offense has been while still getting receivers YAC chances and how few pass attempts it takes for Indiana to compile its yardage.

Colorado and TCU both run more than 10 more passing plays on average than running plays. Miami runs almost seven more pass plays than run plays on average.

Indiana and Texas State both run more running plays, but not at the same margin. While Texas State runs three more run plays on average than pass plays, the Hoosiers have averaged 11 more running plays on average than passing plays.

It doesn’t stop there. Among the five teams with four receivers with 100 or more in YAC, the Indiana is the only one that throws the ball less than 30 times per game. So the Hoosiers are getting some serious YAC bang for their buck.

Yards after catch can come in many ways. Downfield blocking is always a key, a receiver beating their man one-on-one is another way, and wide receivers adopting a running back mentality to fight through defenders is another. Sometimes plays might be diagrammed to try to ensure yards after catch.

“You’re just trying to design plays that have answers and can free guys up versus all the different coverages you're going to see potentially, and then it comes down to execution,” Cignetti said on creating an offense that can take advantage of YAC.

Of course, it comes down to the receivers, too. Sarratt gained a big chunk of his 199 YAC with a 71-yard touchdown against Western Illinois, one in which he beat his man and was wide-open downfield.

Against Northwestern, Williams gained nearly all of his 53 YAC yards with a 52-yard gain. On a short crossing route, Williams found space, broke several tackles, and fought his way deep into Wildcats territory. The big play would set up an Indiana field goal.

“It's protection, separation, putting the ball where it's got to be, throwing it where it needs to be thrown and letting the athletic ability and the desire – sometimes there's a little want-to factor there, too, involved in that,” Cignetti said on the key to yards after catch.

Whatever it takes, Indiana has had it. And it’s just one component of the Hoosiers’ overall success.

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