Scouting Report: Indiana's Offense Against Ohio State's Defense

Here is a look at the Hoosiers when they've got the ball.

Pat Cavanaugh | Oct 22, 2021

Ohio State is preparing to take on an Indiana team that is missing its best player in Michael Penix Jr. The Buckeyes have also beaten the Hoosiers 26 straight times. Here's what to expect when the Crimson and Cream have the ball.

Indiana Offensive Scouting Report

Offensive Coordinator: Nick Sheridan, 2nd year

Key Players: RB Stephen Carr, WR Ty Fryfogle, QB Jack Tuttle, QB Donovan McCulley, TE Peyton Hendershot, RT Matthew Bedford

Season Stats

Average Points Scored Per Game: 22.3

Average Total Yards Gained Per Game: 340

Average Passing Yards Per Game: 215.8

Average Rushing Yards Per Game: 124.2

What to Look For

The Hoosier offense has struggled to put the ball in the end zone, especially in their three Big Ten matchups. In those three games, it took 11 quarters for them to score a touchdown and that came last week against Michigan State. In Week 1 against Iowa, they were only able to get two field goals and two weeks ago they were shut out by Penn State.

Their starting quarterback, Michael Penix separated his shoulder against Penn State and will be out again this week. Back-up Jack Tuttle got the nod last week against the Spartans and went 28-of-52 with zero TD's and 2 INT's. The Hoosiers may be turning to their third-string freshman quarterback Donaven McCulley for a spark at some point.

Head Coach Tom Allen’s response during this week's press conference when asked about whether they are still planning to redshirt McCulley said it all. “We were going to. Now we’re not. When Michael (Penix) went down, we had to make the decision that he’s going to have to go.”

Cav’s Three Keys for Buckeyes

1) Keep the Hoosiers behind the sticks: The passing attack of the Indiana offense has not been a strength this season with only five TD's and 10 INT's. The Buckeyes will want to force the Hoosier offense to third and medium or long to force passing downs.

2) Expect the Wildcat with McCulley: The 6-foot-5, 200-pound McCulley is the highest-ranked quarterback (4-star) the Hoosiers have landed out of high school. The freshman quarterback has been highly praised for his size, versatility and athleticism. He played three plays last week against the Spartans, rushing the ball twice for eight yards and throwing a backward lateral.

3) Consistency: The Buckeye defense had their best defensive performance in their last game against Maryland especially against the run smothering the Terrapins to an average of 1.6 yards a carry. The unit will be well-rested and eager to pitch a shutout on the road against a team that has not been able to find their groove.

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