BLOOMINGTON — No need to check birth certificates. No player on the Indiana football roster was alive the last time the Hoosiers defeated Ohio State in 1988 and that didn’t change Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The 2023 Big Ten opener for both teams took place under a hot sun and with a temperature of about 85 degrees, but it was a no-sweat result for the visiting Buckeyes, who entered the contest ranked No. 3 in the nation despite making some drastic changes in their lineup.
The perennial league powerhouse prevailed, 23-3, which was a distantly optimistic result for IU, a 30-point underdog that could thank its reasonably stout defense for the final score, but could also blame its reasonably lame offense.
Seemingly always in the national contender picture, Ohio State finished 11-2 last year. Seemingly usually near the bottom of the Big Ten standings, Indiana was coming off a 4-8 finish.
For the most part, the Buckeyes pushed around Indiana’s offense, containing all threats beyond pivotal feet owned by the Hoosiers’ kicker Chris Freeman (a 40-yard field-goal) and punter James Evans, who averaged about 55 yards per punt andtwice reached 60 yards. Evans launched more rockets than NASA has lately.
A year ago, explosive Ohio State featured C.J. Stroud and his 41 touchdown passes. Stroud is now on the roster of the Houston Texans of the NFL, however, and his main replacement, Saturday, Kyle McCord, threw just 20 passes last season. He hurled more than that Saturday, going 20-for-33 for 239 yards and a touchdown.
IU pretty much kept McCord and his vaunted corps of receivers (including Marvin Harrison Jr., just two catches), under wraps. Indiana coach Tom Allen was pleased with his young secondary. Allen, starting his seventh season leading IU, said the defensive backfield passed a tough test.
“I know for a fact those receivers are special,” he said. It was good work “being able to keep those guys in check.”
Overall, Ohio State gained 380 yards to Indiana’s 153, so the definition of keeping the Buckeyes in check depends on your Dictionary.
Last year, the Hoosiers had more quarterback aggravation than any team deserves, from injuries to disappointments, and Allen was pretty much evaluating from ground zero in spring practice and fall practice. He has settled on a seemingly outwardly peculiar solution on who is to run the offense.
The coach decided the QB competition ended in a first-place tie between freshman redshirt Brendan Sorsby and Trayven Jackson, the local guy from Greenwood, whose brother Trace Jackson-Davis just completed his star turn for the Hoosier basketball team. Sorsby started, but they split the job. Jackson already knows he will start next game, Friday night against Indiana State.
Hungry and competitive, they both would like to be “The Man,”
but they are mentally in it-is-what-it-is mode about running the team. Sorsby went 8-for-16 for 58 yards and Jackson was 1-for- 5 for 24 yards. Neither electrified the house. Both find notbeing the No. 1 and fighting for that designation a bit awkward.
“It’s hard,” Jackson said. “I think it’s challenging. You’ve got to wait your turn.”
It’s not 100 percent clear when each quarterback’s turn is coming. If one of the guys quickly tosses three touchdown passes, he is probably not coming out. If one of the guys quickly throws three interceptions, he will likely be yanked.
Neither of those things occurred. Allen said the quarterbacking was conservative and IU will have to open it up more against other opponents. Jackson said he thinks the QB option to run can shake up opponents.
“I like to throw the football,” Sorsby said. “I just got to continue to press it down the field.”
One guy who likes to catch the football is Cam Camper, who returned to the lineup after suffering a season-ending knee injury seven games into last season and making 46 catches. Felt He caught three balls against Ohio State with a 24-yard long-gainer.
“I had fun out there,” said Camper, who believes the Hoosiers will grow from this loss. “I know it’s going to be alright.”
Noting he can be a huge weapon, Allen said speedy, shifty sophomore Jaylin Lucas is an X factor in the return game, someone who always capable of breaking a long return or taking a kick-off or punt for a touchdown.
On occasion, the 5-foot-9, 170-pound Lucas, who tried to field all punts, seemed close to zipping through holes that just didn’t remain wide enough
“I feel like there were plays left on the field,” said Lucas, who likes to think he can make something happen every time he
touches the ball. That kind of oomph was lacking against Ohio State. Offensively, it was pretty much coulda-shoulda. The Hoosiers left all of the juicy adjectives in the locker room.