Indiana’s 31-7 win over FIU wasn’t a perfect performance by the Hoosiers, but it set the table nicely for the rest of the season.
These three standout performers from the game were a big reason why IU got off to a good start this year.
Justice Ellison
Ty Son Lawton led Indiana’s backfield with 16 carries to Ellison’s 10, and Lawton scored two touchdowns. And Elijah Green provided the biggest highlight play among the running backs, with his 51-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. So Ellison’s performance has slipped under the radar a bit. But he turned in a solid first game with IU.
Ellison finished with 68 rushing yards on 10 carries, a more efficient line than Lawton recorded. He also caught one pass for 19 yards on a nice wheel route in the red zone, which was perhaps Kurtis Rourke’s best throw of the game. Indiana’s run-blocking provided a lot of room for ball-carriers, but the fifth-year senior showed good burst in getting through those holes. Ellison’s running style gives Indiana the sort of dynamic playmaking ability that could lead to big plays and could change games.
Indiana’s backfield picture could change from week to week, so everything remains fluid. And this isn’t to demean Lawton, who played well and will continue to be an important piece of Indiana’s offense. And certainly, if Green continues performing the way he did against FIU, he could see expanded opportunities and become a key piece for IU. But don’t overlook Ellison’s importance to the Hoosiers.
Carter Smith
Indiana had some offensive linemen grade well on Pro Football Focus in pass-blocking in week one, including Smith.
This was a surprising revelation after seeing Rourke under duress frequently during the game on Saturday. But the tape doesn’t lie: most of the times Rourke faced pressure, the missed assignments or breakdowns happened in a few spots on the line. Right tackle Trey Wedig had a tough day, and left guard Drew Evans was responsible for a few of those moments as well.
Smith isn’t the only lineman who performed well, but he’s the one most worth highlighting. He held up well in pass protection all game, including an important block on the fourth-down wheel route pass to Ellison in the first half. Smith earned an 88.5 pass-blocking grade on PFF, which tied for eighth in the country among all offensive linemen.
He didn’t grade quite as highly in run-blocking, but he was still solid, and IU’s best run-blocking lineman. Smith notably made key blocks on both of Lawton’s touchdown runs.
Smith carried big expectations into this season, and overall, the FIU game was a great start.
Aiden Fisher
There are plenty of candidates on the Indiana defense for standouts, but we’ll go with Fisher here.
Indiana’s linebacking tandem — Fisher and Jailin Walker — played well, finishing as the team’s two leading tacklers. And Fisher has all the makings of a typical good college football linebacker. For any physical attributes he may lack — and he has adequate size, at 6-foot-1 and 233 pounds — he makes up for in awareness. Fisher is just one of those players who consistently puts himself in the right place at the right time and makes plays. That’s a big reason why he finished with a sack and two tackles for loss.
Fisher may need to improve a bit in coverage, as FIU did hit a few passes over the middle on Saturday. The Panthers targeted him in coverage three times, and they completed all three attempts for 23 total yards. FIU’s passing attack — and offense as a whole — wasn’t particularly lethal on Saturday, but that looks like a potential weakness in the Indiana defense that better opponents could exploit.
Still, Fisher’s awareness and high football IQ make improvement feel plausible. And that could be just as much for defensive coordinator Bryant Haines to figure out as it is on Fisher. But against FIU, even with the weakness, Fisher showed why he’s so important to the IU defense. He’s the man in the middle of everything, and he frequently puts himself in position to make plays.
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