As the Memorial Stadium crowd settled into their seats, interior defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker wrestled a scrambling Nico Iamaleava for a sack on the game’s opening play.
One play later, again under pressure from Stephen Daley, Iamaleava swung a desperate pass to the left – straight into the hands of Aidan Fisher. Fisher tucked the ball into his right bicep and sprinted 25 yards into the north end zone for the game’s first touchdown.
Daley was the first to hit Fisher’s helmet as he sprinted through the end zone. The hugs on the sideline, however, went to Daley, whose pressure produced the pick — the first sign of a bullying attitude from Indiana’s defensive line.
From the opening sack to the final stop, Indiana’s defensive line was alive in the backfield during the 56-6 upset of UCLA.
“We wanted to be physical and dominate the scrimmage,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said after the game. “I thought we did that early in the game. Fisher’s play early in the game was a huge play.”
Indiana’s defensive line has wreaked havoc all season, dominating both the pass rush and run defense regardless of the opponent. Cignetti’s blue-collar group has maintained its lead all season.
Regardless of the opponent, Indiana dominates in both pass rush and run defense. Even without Mikail Kamara filling the stat sheet, Tucker, Daley, Mario Landino and Kellan Wyatt all flourished.
When Wyatt suffered a long-term injury in last week’s win over Michigan State, the line didn’t blink, leaning on the next-man-up mentality.
The line collected 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, continuing their dominance from last weekend.
“Those guys, they’re mean up front, and they play hard and aggressive, and with the stunts we have on those guys, it’s going to freeze them out,” linebacker Isaiah Jones said. “They can make plays.”
UCLA entered Saturday’s game averaging 33 points per game during its three-game win streak. The Bruins’ offense had also converted 50 percent of their third-down attempts during that period.
Cignetti praised the Bruins’ efficiency during Monday’s press conference. He highlighted their impressive success rate on both third and fourth down conversions.
Jerry Neuheisel’s offense was stymied on third down and failed to move the chains on its first nine attempts. Even in short-yardage scenarios, the defensive line penetrated the UCLA offensive line for tackles for a loss.
The success of the line starts with preparation during the week. Defensive line coach Pat Kuntz led the charge in devising a game plan.
Kuntz and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines emphasize the small details, whether in practice or on the field. They continually emphasize that mastering those details is essential to the success of the defense.
Indiana continued to break UCLA’s will throughout the second half. However, the defense continued to play every snap like it was a tie game. It’s a direct reflection of their coach’s consistent intensity.
“[Haines & Kuntz] Make sure we know everything,” Tucker said. “They do a great job of preparing us for what we’re going to see there, so yeah, they’re really good at what they do.”
The Hoosier defense as a unit has been robust all season when it comes to opponents getting to the end zone. Through five conference games, Indiana has allowed four touchdowns.
Entering the red zone has been a tall order for the Haines defense this season. Opponents average just 1.7 red zone scoring attempts per game, second-fewest in the nation behind Texas (1.6).
Allowing just six points in a Big Ten game is a fantastic achievement. But despite their dominance, the defense and coaching staff couldn’t help but feel frustrated that they couldn’t get a shutout.
“We went for the goose egg,” Jones said. “But you know, you can’t always be perfect, and that’s something we have to learn from and we’ll work through that in the film room.”
Many will remember Fisher’s pick six as the highlight of Indiana’s eighth win. Yet it was just the opening act on another day of quiet supremacy for the big men at the front – the engine that powered Indiana’s ascent.
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