In what was a 31-7 win for Indiana in its week one opener against FIU, the running backs played a pivotal role, possibly the most important role, in making sure the offense moved soundly throughout the game.
Curt Cignetti said postgame that the key to the running backs' success was the fact that they got "nice creases" but also "nice cuts" and "nice chunks." The combination of these three leading to a huge afternoon for the RB room.
The mix of Ty Son Lawton and Justice Ellison fired on all cylinders throughout the game, with Elijah Green capping off the performance by the running backs with the longest carry of the day, a 51 yard TD run.
Cignetti said that he was "really impressed with Elijah Green" and that he "showed sped and burst." Green ended up being the leading rusher of the game, although that 51 yard rush was what ultimately put him on top despite not having nearly as many carries as Lawton and Ellison.
It may have been a surprise, but Lawton had the most carries for the game, and it seemed to have worked out. The transfer from JMU rushing 16 times for 74 yards. Lawton also had two touchdown rushes early on, allowing IU to get a big leady early, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
Lawton said "it felt great" to score those two touchdowns in the first half and that he "felt good and felt fresh" before the game, allowing him to get those two scores.
While Lawton was the main ball carrier, six different players carried the ball during the game, Lawton, Ellison and Green already mentioned, but Miles Price Kaelon Black and Kurtis Rourke also having at least one rush.
Lawton said postgame that "it's a blessing" to have a large mix of guys that can contribute to the run game, while also recognizing that the offensive line may have been the main reason for his successes.
He said "the offensive line did an amazing job today, shoutout to all five of them," mentioning that "the holes were always wide open" in reference to the abundance of running room he and his fellow running backs had during the game.
In the second half, the pass game for the Hoosiers was almost nonexistent, with just 33 yards passing. Rushing, however, was even better than the first half, with the running back group rushing for 138 yards in the later half compared to 96 in the first.
Tight end Zach Horton said that some of the offense "may have been going through the motions" after having a big lead, but the running backs didn't seem to just go through the motions at all.
Horton also mentioned that in the second half the Hoosiers "were doing a good job running the ball, so [they] might as well keep pounding the ball," and pound the ball they did, with 21 rushes compared to just 11 passes in the second half.
This, along with stellar defense, is what allowed IU to keep such a big lead for the majority of the game, although Lawton mentioned that he's "not really satisfied with how many points the offense put up" and that they "could have put up more but it's still a win."
The main reason that it was a win was because of the running back room, Lawton, Ellison, Green and the rest of the corps put together a great game, something that they hope to replicate on Friday against Western Illinois.
In the words of Lawton, they'll "be ready for Friday," so expect more big things from this Indiana running back room against Western Illinois and beyond.
–––––
Like this content? Join the conversation on TheHoosier.com's premium message boards and subscribe today!
– Follow TheHoosier on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!
– Subscribe to TheHoosier on YouTube for more content
– Interact with fellow fans on TheHoosier's Premium Football Board and Premium Hoops Board
- 1
- 2
- 2
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
