Bloomington Leader

‘Swagger’ Could Play a Big Role Against Rutgers

It shouldn't keep happening. Bryant Fitzgerald understands that, believes that, works to prevent that.

As a veteran safety with an impressive resume (57 career games, 163 tackles, four interceptions), he KNOWS Indiana has a defense built to win games. And if it plays to its potential, victories will come again, perhaps as soon as Saturday when the Hoosiers (3-4) play at Rutgers (3-3).

"It's about having that confidence, that swagger when you take the field that nobody can play with us," he says. "It's thinking, we're the best of the best. It's communication and making sure everyone is on the same page. Rally to the ball."

Swagger can come even without standout linebacker Cam Jones, who remains sidelined with a foot injury. The Hoosiers have the playmakers to win the fourth quarter, just as they've done in so many quarters before.

That the defense hasn't come through when it matters most infuriates, but doesn't discourage. A tweak here, a play there, and IU will get those key stops, will snap its four-game losing streak, and generate momentum for a bowl-making run.

"It's just little things at the end," Fitzgerald says. "People not being in the right gaps. Getting cut off. It's things we can correct."

The Hoosiers have shown shut-down flashes, most impressively against No. 4 Michigan a couple of weeks ago. They held the Wolverines to 10 first-half points and to 17 points deep into the second half. They had a talented Maryland offense in big fourth-quarter trouble last week.

And then …

"This is a game of inches," Fitzgerald says. "If you're off by a step, in this league there are a lot of good running backs and they'll expose you."

The solution is as simple as it is challenging.

"We have to communicate," Fitzgerald says. "As long as we're doing that and everybody is on the same page, we're a good defense. When someone doesn't communicate, when one person is not on the same page, it hurts us."

Linebacker Aaron Casey understands that. He's replaced Jones in the lineup, and while he can't duplicate Jones' total impact, he's played well. His 55 tackles tie Jones for the team lead (although he's played two more games than Jones).

"We need to focus on carrying out our responsibilities and being in the right position at the right time," Casey says.

"We still have a lot of games in front of us. We have to keep pressing and doing what we need to do."

Jones' importance to the Hoosiers goes beyond numbers. Defensive coordinator Chad Wilt offers an example with Jones, knowing that Wilt's son also has a foot injury, sent Wilt's wife a short video to help ease the tension from a doctor's visit.

"What a guy that young man is," Wilt says.

As far as replacing Jones' production, Wilt adds, "You can't just plug and play. It's not possible. A lot of guys had to step up."

That means more leadership from Casey and more overall impact from Matt Hohlt.

"Aaron was producing," Wilt says, "but now you're involved in communication, command, leadership. It's not one guy that has to do it all.

"Each guy has to pick up his load. We're seeing that, but we need to see more guys do that."

Another key is better secondary play. That goes back to communication. The fact the Hoosiers are playing younger guys -- some of that is due to injury, some due to the need to develop depth -- has led to breakdowns.

Wilt points to three areas -- communication, execution, and execution of fundamentals and technique.

"We need to keep working on those three areas. We're going to keep challenging these guys to step up, grow up, and do what we know they're capable of doing."

Maryland film study showed a player using correct man-to-man pass coverage technique on one play, but not on another.

"When he did it," Wilt says, "boom! Play over. When he didn't do it, catch. So it's there. The kids know it. They see it. We have to reinforce it. It's on the coaches to get them to consistently execute."

As far as Rutgers, head coach Greg Schiano replaced his offensive coordinator. Nunzio Campanile now has the job and has had a bye week to tweak the attack. While the Hoosiers won't know the changes until game time, they have studied tendencies and personnel for an idea of what to expect.

Four Scarlet Knights have rushed for more than 100 yards, led by Samuel Brown V's 273 yards and two touchdowns. Big-play receivers Sean Ryan (18.2-yards-per-catch average) and Shannon Jones (17.7) can burn you.

"They have a lot of playmakers," Fitzgerald says. "They can take the top off. They do a lot of stuff well. They try to control the pace.

"With a new coordinator, they'll come out with some different stuff. We have to prepare for that."

Preparation doesn't have to be complex, Wilt says. It's a matter of technique and assignment.

"If I'm a defensive end and the offensive tackle does this, I do that. If the tackle does that, I do this.

"We need our guys to know our basic rules. If we know our basic rules, then we can handle whatever they throw at us."

Original source can be found here.