Bloomington Leader

Indiana Falls to No. 16 Penn State

Alfred Bryant contemplated Indiana's loss with a soft voice, a reflective voice, a voice that mixed frustration and resolve.
 
"It's tough," the redshirt senior outside linebacker said in the aftermath of Saturday's 45-14 loss to No. 15 Penn State, "We have to come back and work and get things figured out. Get back to the details."
 
Six-straight defeats have ripped away the promise of a 3-0 start, and with three games remaining, including next Saturday's challenge at No. 2 Ohio State, strong minds and attitudes are crucial.
 
"You have to come back to work," Bryant said. "Flush all of that. You can't dwell on the past. We have a game next week. Try to win that. It's hard, but you have to have that mindset."
 
Quarterback uncertainty has returned. Banged-up starter Connor Bazelack was not in uniform. Jack Tuttle started, but got knocked out of the game midway through the second quarter. 
 
True freshman Brendan Sorsby and redshirt sophomore Dexter Williams II got their first college action.
 
Tuttle showed good speed and mobility until Penn State's relentless pressure sent him to the locker room with a first-down sack. Sorsby came in and was sacked for losses of one and seven yards to force one of eight-straight Hoosier punts.
 
Tuttle hit his first six passes for 66 yards and finished 9-for-12 for 82 yards and a touchdown.
 
"Jack did a good job," tight end AJ Barner said. "He moved the pocket. He extended some plays. It's unfortunate he got hurt. I know how hard he has worked. It will work out for him. He's a great person and teammate. He'll be back."
 
Sorsby finished 3-for-6 for eight yards and an interception.
 
Williams II's dual-threat ability was a positive. He was 4-for-11 for 41 yards and two interceptions. He added 24 rushing yards on four carries.
 
"Dexter is one of the hardest working people I know," Barner said. "If you ask him to get in catches, he'll come out with you.
 
"They can move around. They have great arm talent. They will continue to learn. They can only get better."
 
Head coach Tom Allen said Bazelak should be able to play next Saturday.
 
"Jack did some good things. He got injured, so we're trying to figure out the final diagnosis for him."
 
As for Sorsby and Williams II, Allen said they are "very similar."
 
"They have a lot of talent. Dexter did some really good things. There's no doubt about it. They will both be a big part of our future."
 
Offensive line woes continue. It gave up six sacks, including the one that hurt Tuttle. The running game generated just 65 yards. IU was held to 196 total yards.
 
Penn State (7-2) had 483 total yards. Quarterback Sean Clifford threw for 223 yards.
 
"In order to move the football," Allen said, "it has to start up front. We have to do a better job in that area. It's not good enough. It's killing us.
 
"There's no magic scheme. You have to block them up front. When you block them up front, everything works better. It's about getting our playmakers the football and letting us have a chance on offense."
 
Hoosier defenders were positioned to make multiple key plays. They didn't. The Nittany Lions did.
 
"It's very frustrating to have guys in those spots and not be able to come up with a play that can change the game," Allen said. 
 
Added cornerback Tiawan Mullen: "We try to translate what happens in practice to the game. We're not doing our part as players, but the season is not over."
 
Penn State's game-opening possession ended in a punt courtesy of Bryant's sack.
 
The Nittany Lions came back to score on a 1-yard run. IU countered with an up-tempo, 75-yard touchdown drive. Tuttle connected with Emery Simmons for 14 yards and Andison Coby for 35 yards, then added runs of six and 14 yards to set up his 11-yard scoring pass to Barner for a 7-7 tie.
 
The Hoosiers got the ball right back on Mullen's second interception of the season, but couldn't score off of it due to a pair of Tuttle sacks.
 
Penn State added two second-quarter touchdown runs and then a field goal, for a 24-7 halftime lead. Sorsby's third-quarter interception led to a 96-yard Nittany Lion TD drive and a 31-7 lead. The advantage grew to 45-7.
 
Williams provided a late spark for a touchdown drive, but it wasn't nearly enough.
 
"It stinks," Barner said. "A lot of people don't see the spring we go through, the winter workouts we go through, the summer we go through. We create a bond. A lot of guys love each other and have each other's backs. No matter what happens, we'll be there for each other." 

Original source can be found here.