Is Indiana Actually Good?

[MikeyCanez]

I know, I know. The shtick is getting a little old. But we keep winning, so I actually physically incapable of NOT writing 800 words about an Indiana team that most of you already know better than me.

I wouldn't subject you to this if the team didn't need me. I promise.

Indiana isn't just good, they are great. But much like the rest of you, I LOVE the narrative going into this game. We don't need an extra edge, but I certainly won't complain about having one. Indiana is obviously well-coached and experienced, but we match up well physically with a team that wins with physicality. My confidence builds every week watching Miami and there is no doubt that we can win...just please please please no stupid penalties!

I'll admit, I was a Fernando Mendoza hater and I'll go one step further and admit that I am still not a huge believer of Mendoza as an NFL quarterback. But it is hard to argue with the results, especially after watching him dismantle a pretty solid Oregon defense. His running ability doesn't even count as underrated anymore. I am more afraid of the receivers than I am of Mendoza. Stop the run and pressure him. If you are still reading at this point, I am still sorry.

The running backs are rock-solid college backs. I like think Kaelon Black is the better of the two, but both of them can do a bit of everything, including block. Neither are true gamebreakers, which should give our defense plenty of chances to contain them. Roman Hemby actually feels like a mini Mark Fletcher with how smart and tough he runs. We've contained better backs, albeit maybe not a better rushing attack.

The wide receivers are, to put it bluntly, studs. Elijah Sarratt is a grown-*** man who has done nothing but catch touchdowns everywhere he goes, Charlie Becker has really come on late and can be dangerous over the top and Omar Cooper is just as reliable as it gets in the slot and he is built a lot more solidly than he looks. Obviously our depth is a massive problem here and the Lucas penalty makes me angry just typing it. As much as I love Antoine, he is not ready for those guys. Hopefully some combination of Damari and Antoine and OJ can hold up for a half. Might be a sneaky big Bryce Fitzgerald game.

Ready for my hot take? I think Indiana's offensive line is overrated. I don't think they are bad, but I think ours is better and I also think our defensive line is better than their offensive line. Carter Smith is fine but the right tackle is gettable and neither can handle Bain or Mesidor. One of the biggest keys will be Moten's health. If he was 100%, I think he'd be a speed mismatch rushing the quarterback. Not exactly revolutionary analysis here but this is the key area for the game. If we can win here, we are in good shape.

On the other side of the ball, Indiana is a PAIN in the ***, especially against the run. I know Oregon was down a few backs and the freshman kid broke off a big run, but they are built to stop a rushing attack like ours and luckily we have the horses to go toe to toe with them. There is nothing MORE IMPORTANT in this game than making sure to keep Indiana's defense on their toes in short yardage. We will not be able to get predictable up the A-gap on 3rd and 2 all the time like we were against Ole Miss. I am not saying don't do it, I am just saying don't rely on it. I don't care how much bigger we are up front, they do not mess around against the run.

Unfortunately, the secondary is hardly a better matchup for us. D'Angelo Ponds is probably my favorite non-Miami player in college football and someone more plugged in needs to explain to me why we didn't recruit Jamari Sharpe. I didn't even know he was Glenn Sharpe's nephew. It seemed like his track times were fast and he obviously had size. He's sneaky excellent. Luckily Khamauri Rogers and Jaden Harris worked out great for us though, so it is all good.

If we are under the trust tree, I don't really understand this whole "Indiana wins because they are old" narrative makes no sense. They have plenty of NFL talent, a bunch of homegrown dudes starting on both sides of the ball and they simply do not make mistakes. Cignetti is a stud. I thought Ohio State would be the best team we play all season no matter what, but I don't know that I feel that way anymore.

That said, I feel as good about this game as I have about any in the playoff. I didn't know what to expect in the playoffs. The Miami I had known for the last 25 years looked a lot like the Miami that lost the SMU game because they tackled the quarterback when they couldn't hear the whistle. Just new ways to break my hear every single year.

This team is different though. Mario is different. The players are different. The vibe is different. Need that one more time.

Let's go win.

 

[ShadowSpring]

They are not built to stop our run. They are too small to handle DUO blocking schemes and natural double teams. They are small and slice between gaps against teams to stop the run. Mirabal's OL system uses tight splits to prevent this. They are playing right into our hands. They will have to take on our power straight in the mouth and deal with it for 60 minutes.

I don't care what the stats say. We should be able to move them all night. Wear them down because they have no depth.

They are a very good football team, but I'm telling you they don't match up well against us.

Stop the run, and run the ball. If we can't we will get smoked like everyone is saying.

 

[RozayCane]

Good? Apparently this is the greatest college football team of all time

 

[Cknucks305]

Like I’ve been saying all playoffs when people ask me about Miami if we can block them and they can’t block us we win full stop. Ole Miss did a better job blocking us but we blocked them up easily. IU is a very good team but if they have trouble stopping our run game and we stop theirs and Bain and the boys get after Mendoza we should win.

 

[USNAVYCANE]

let’s not kid ourselves they are a very very very good team . Not unbeatable tho we will have to play our best game of the year .

 

[Golsen82]

Good? Apparently this is the greatest college football team of all time

They're better than 01 Miami and 2019 LSU combined! Team is nothing but future super bowl winners and HOFers

 

[CaneBear0207]

Hetherman is a Cignetti guy. So, what if Indiana's entire staff are Hethermans? One way to look at it if you want to psych yourself out.

 

[brock]

Not unbeatable but they are good and well coached

 

[SinCityCane]

Your evaluation of the matchup and claim that you feel as good about this game as any we've had in the CFP are contradicting each other at full speed.

 

[OrangeBowlMagic]

I actually love the matchup. They're very similar to Ohio State. IMO Ohio State is better, and yes, I know Indiana beat them. But we know that game was a total coinflip. And guess what...Vegas thinks Taint it better, too.

Indiana is 127th in pace. They run their offense just like Taint does.... slow and methodical, allowing our defense to rest and get set.

But they play the exact way we're built to handle. They generate a lot of TFLs...guess what we're REALLY good at avoiding? They're 13th in the country in sacks per game....guess what we don't allow?

IMO the whole game comes down to how do we handle Mendoza on 3rd down? They have the best 3rd down offense of the past decade, and Mendoza is on a heater right now. Will they be able to protect him and give him 3 seconds to throw, unbothered? If so, they're going to win, because they're going to convert 3rd downs. If we can keep them in 3rd and medium/long, and pressure him, we're going to get them off the field. But keep an eye on the 3rd down numbers, it's how they make their bones. They have converted 57% this season, that's genuinely historic. Our #1 offense in school history last season finished at 55%. If we look up halfway through the 2nd quarter and they're something like 2/5 or 2/6 on 3rd down, we should be winning and have a good shot to win the game. If they convert 60% on us, they're gonna score a lot of points and we're in trouble.

But I love this matchup. They're smart and disciplined on defense....well, we don't do anything exotic, we just line up and whip your *** and get the ball to playmakers on the outside. They're slow and efficient on offense....well, we have the best DL in pass rush in America, but we're not super deep, so tempo and a quick passing game neutralizes that.

We're gonna win #6.

 

[ShadowSpring]

I actually love the matchup. They're very similar to Ohio State. IMO Ohio State is better, and yes, I know Indiana beat them. But we know that game was a total coinflip. And guess what...Vegas thinks Taint it better, too.

Indiana is 127th in pace. They run their offense just like Taint does.... slow and methodical, allowing our defense to rest and get set.

But they play the exact way we're built to handle. They generate a lot of TFLs...guess what we're REALLY good at avoiding? They're 13th in the country in sacks per game....guess what we don't allow?

IMO the whole game comes down to how do we handle Mendoza on 3rd down? They have the best 3rd down offense of the past decade, and Mendoza is on a heater right now. Will they be able to protect him and give him 3 seconds to throw, unbothered? If so, they're going to win, because they're going to convert 3rd downs. If we can keep them in 3rd and medium/long, and pressure him, we're going to get them off the field. But keep an eye on the 3rd down numbers, it's how they make their bones. They have converted 57% this season, that's genuinely historic. Our #1 offense in school history last season finished at 55%. If we look up halfway through the 2nd quarter and they're something like 2/5 or 2/6 on 3rd down, we should be winning and have a good shot to win the game. If they convert 60% on us, they're gonna score a lot of points and we're in trouble.

But I love this matchup. They're smart and disciplined on defense....well, we don't do anything exotic, we just line up and whip your *** and get the ball to playmakers on the outside. They're slow and efficient on offense....well, we have the best DL in pass rush in America, but we're not super deep, so tempo and a quick passing game neutralizes that.

We're gonna win #6.

Isn't the key to stopping a RPO offense a great DL?

 

[jps2344]

I know, I know. The shtick is getting a little old. But we keep winning, so I actually physically incapable of NOT writing 800 words about an Indiana team that most of you already know better than me.

I wouldn't subject you to this if the team didn't need me. I promise.

Indiana isn't just good, they are great. But much like the rest of you, I LOVE the narrative going into this game. We don't need an extra edge, but I certainly won't complain about having one. Indiana is obviously well-coached and experienced, but we match up well physically with a team that wins with physicality. My confidence builds every week watching Miami and there is no doubt that we can win...just please please please no stupid penalties!

I'll admit, I was a Fernando Mendoza hater and I'll go one step further and admit that I am still not a huge believer of Mendoza as an NFL quarterback. But it is hard to argue with the results, especially after watching him dismantle a pretty solid Oregon defense. His running ability doesn't even count as underrated anymore. I am more afraid of the receivers than I am of Mendoza. Stop the run and pressure him. If you are still reading at this point, I am still sorry.

The running backs are rock-solid college backs. I like think Kaelon Black is the better of the two, but both of them can do a bit of everything, including block. Neither are true gamebreakers, which should give our defense plenty of chances to contain them. Roman Hemby actually feels like a mini Mark Fletcher with how smart and tough he runs. We've contained better backs, albeit maybe not a better rushing attack.

The wide receivers are, to put it bluntly, studs. Elijah Sarratt is a grown-*** man who has done nothing but catch touchdowns everywhere he goes, Charlie Becker has really come on late and can be dangerous over the top and Omar Cooper is just as reliable as it gets in the slot and he is built a lot more solidly than he looks. Obviously our depth is a massive problem here and the Lucas penalty makes me angry just typing it. As much as I love Antoine, he is not ready for those guys. Hopefully some combination of Damari and Antoine and OJ can hold up for a half. Might be a sneaky big Bryce Fitzgerald game.

Ready for my hot take? I think Indiana's offensive line is overrated. I don't think they are bad, but I think ours is better and I also think our defensive line is better than their offensive line. Carter Smith is fine but the right tackle is gettable and neither can handle Bain or Mesidor. One of the biggest keys will be Moten's health. If he was 100%, I think he'd be a speed mismatch rushing the quarterback. Not exactly revolutionary analysis here but this is the key area for the game. If we can win here, we are in good shape.

On the other side of the ball, Indiana is a PAIN in the ***, especially against the run. I know Oregon was down a few backs and the freshman kid broke off a big run, but they are built to stop a rushing attack like ours and luckily we have the horses to go toe to toe with them. There is nothing MORE IMPORTANT in this game than making sure to keep Indiana's defense on their toes in short yardage. We will not be able to get predictable up the A-gap on 3rd and 2 all the time like we were against Ole Miss. I am not saying don't do it, I am just saying don't rely on it. I don't care how much bigger we are up front, they do not mess around against the run.

Unfortunately, the secondary is hardly a better matchup for us. D'Angelo Ponds is probably my favorite non-Miami player in college football and someone more plugged in needs to explain to me why we didn't recruit Jamari Sharpe. I didn't even know he was Glenn Sharpe's nephew. It seemed like his track times were fast and he obviously had size. He's sneaky excellent. Luckily Khamauri Rogers and Jaden Harris worked out great for us though, so it is all good.

If we are under the trust tree, I don't really understand this whole "Indiana wins because they are old" narrative makes no sense. They have plenty of NFL talent, a bunch of homegrown dudes starting on both sides of the ball and they simply do not make mistakes. Cignetti is a stud. I thought Ohio State would be the best team we play all season no matter what, but I don't know that I feel that way anymore.

That said, I feel as good about this game as I have about any in the playoff. I didn't know what to expect in the playoffs. The Miami I had known for the last 25 years looked a lot like the Miami that lost the SMU game because they tackled the quarterback when they couldn't hear the whistle. Just new ways to break my hear every single year.

This team is different though. Mario is different. The players are different. The vibe is different. Need that one more time.

Let's go win.

I know, I know. The shtick is getting a little old. But we keep winning, so I actually physically incapable of NOT writing 800 words about an Indiana team that most of you already know better than me.

I wouldn't subject you to this if the team didn't need me. I promise.

Indiana isn't just good, they are great. But much like the rest of you, I LOVE the narrative going into this game. We don't need an extra edge, but I certainly won't complain about having one. Indiana is obviously well-coached and experienced, but we match up well physically with a team that wins with physicality. My confidence builds every week watching Miami and there is no doubt that we can win...just please please please no stupid penalties!

I'll admit, I was a Fernando Mendoza hater and I'll go one step further and admit that I am still not a huge believer of Mendoza as an NFL quarterback. But it is hard to argue with the results, especially after watching him dismantle a pretty solid Oregon defense. His running ability doesn't even count as underrated anymore. I am more afraid of the receivers than I am of Mendoza. Stop the run and pressure him. If you are still reading at this point, I am still sorry.

The running backs are rock-solid college backs. I like think Kaelon Black is the better of the two, but both of them can do a bit of everything, including block. Neither are true gamebreakers, which should give our defense plenty of chances to contain them. Roman Hemby actually feels like a mini Mark Fletcher with how smart and tough he runs. We've contained better backs, albeit maybe not a better rushing attack.

The wide receivers are, to put it bluntly, studs. Elijah Sarratt is a grown-*** man who has done nothing but catch touchdowns everywhere he goes, Charlie Becker has really come on late and can be dangerous over the top and Omar Cooper is just as reliable as it gets in the slot and he is built a lot more solidly than he looks. Obviously our depth is a massive problem here and the Lucas penalty makes me angry just typing it. As much as I love Antoine, he is not ready for those guys. Hopefully some combination of Damari and Antoine and OJ can hold up for a half. Might be a sneaky big Bryce Fitzgerald game.

Ready for my hot take? I think Indiana's offensive line is overrated. I don't think they are bad, but I think ours is better and I also think our defensive line is better than their offensive line. Carter Smith is fine but the right tackle is gettable and neither can handle Bain or Mesidor. One of the biggest keys will be Moten's health. If he was 100%, I think he'd be a speed mismatch rushing the quarterback. Not exactly revolutionary analysis here but this is the key area for the game. If we can win here, we are in good shape.

On the other side of the ball, Indiana is a PAIN in the ***, especially against the run. I know Oregon was down a few backs and the freshman kid broke off a big run, but they are built to stop a rushing attack like ours and luckily we have the horses to go toe to toe with them. There is nothing MORE IMPORTANT in this game than making sure to keep Indiana's defense on their toes in short yardage. We will not be able to get predictable up the A-gap on 3rd and 2 all the time like we were against Ole Miss. I am not saying don't do it, I am just saying don't rely on it. I don't care how much bigger we are up front, they do not mess around against the run.

Unfortunately, the secondary is hardly a better matchup for us. D'Angelo Ponds is probably my favorite non-Miami player in college football and someone more plugged in needs to explain to me why we didn't recruit Jamari Sharpe. I didn't even know he was Glenn Sharpe's nephew. It seemed like his track times were fast and he obviously had size. He's sneaky excellent. Luckily Khamauri Rogers and Jaden Harris worked out great for us though, so it is all good.

If we are under the trust tree, I don't really understand this whole "Indiana wins because they are old" narrative makes no sense. They have plenty of NFL talent, a bunch of homegrown dudes starting on both sides of the ball and they simply do not make mistakes. Cignetti is a stud. I thought Ohio State would be the best team we play all season no matter what, but I don't know that I feel that way anymore.

That said, I feel as good about this game as I have about any in the playoff. I didn't know what to expect in the playoffs. The Miami I had known for the last 25 years looked a lot like the Miami that lost the SMU game because they tackled the quarterback when they couldn't hear the whistle. Just new ways to break my hear every single year.

This team is different though. Mario is different. The players are different. The vibe is different. Need that one more time.

Let's go win.

As always, much appreciated.

To me, this matchup is very different from our previous 3 playoff games. If you follow the Cignetti career path closely, you realize he emphasizes and sticks with a plan which prioritizes his guys’ skill set. He’s been a master at matching his roster, particularly up front on both sides of the ball, with what he wants to do, aka lots of moving parts on the OL and pretty much all over the D. That OL is very athletic and is the best pulling team I’ve seen all year by far. The maximizing of HIS guys skillset may seem like common sense. But let’s face it, and we’ve seen it here through the years of futility, a lot of coaches outsmart themselves by being overly concerned on what the other side does well. Cignetti is not that guy and it’s apparent that belief and consistency in his approach maximizes what he gets out of his guys.

They are an outstanding team no doubt. But I have so much faith in the staff as a whole, especially Hetherman, that I believe the advantage a guy like Cignetti and his staff has over most they play is mitigated, especially in a winner take all game. Add that to the preparation of the talent we have and I have little doubt we handle business.

 

[brock]

I actually love the matchup. They're very similar to Ohio State. IMO Ohio State is better, and yes, I know Indiana beat them. But we know that game was a total coinflip. And guess what...Vegas thinks Taint it better, too.

Indiana is 127th in pace. They run their offense just like Taint does.... slow and methodical, allowing our defense to rest and get set.

But they play the exact way we're built to handle. They generate a lot of TFLs...guess what we're REALLY good at avoiding? They're 13th in the country in sacks per game....guess what we don't allow?

IMO the whole game comes down to how do we handle Mendoza on 3rd down? They have the best 3rd down offense of the past decade, and Mendoza is on a heater right now. Will they be able to protect him and give him 3 seconds to throw, unbothered? If so, they're going to win, because they're going to convert 3rd downs. If we can keep them in 3rd and medium/long, and pressure him, we're going to get them off the field. But keep an eye on the 3rd down numbers, it's how they make their bones. They have converted 57% this season, that's genuinely historic. Our #1 offense in school history last season finished at 55%. If we look up halfway through the 2nd quarter and they're something like 2/5 or 2/6 on 3rd down, we should be winning and have a good shot to win the game. If they convert 60% on us, they're gonna score a lot of points and we're in trouble.

But I love this matchup. They're smart and disciplined on defense....well, we don't do anything exotic, we just line up and whip your *** and get the ball to playmakers on the outside. They're slow and efficient on offense....well, we have the best DL in pass rush in America, but we're not super deep, so tempo and a quick passing game neutralizes that.

We're gonna win #6.

Have noticed they do a lot of back shoulder fade balls to these receivers

 

[BigDikDaddyFromCincinnati]

They are not built to stop our run. They are too small to handle DUO blocking schemes and natural double teams. They are small and slice between gaps against teams to stop the run. Mirabal's OL system uses tight splits to prevent this. They are playing right into our hands. They will have to take on our power straight in the mouth and deal with it for 60 minutes.

I don't care what the stats say. We should be able to move them all night. Wear them down because they have no depth.

They are a very good football team, but I'm telling you they don't match up well against us.

Stop the run, and run the ball. If we can't we will get smoked like everyone is saying.

You just mentioned you don’t care about stats, but here’s one for you:

Miami’s OL average weight is 331. Indiana’s DL average weight is 278.

If we play clean, we win by double digits.

 

[Combo]

They're extremely good. Which doesn't mean we can't beat them.

 

[Notsince1985]

Of course they are good. They are very good, but that doesn't mean they can't lose. It depends on how they play and how Miami plays. I know, that was some hard hitting analysis, but it's true. If the Indiana that needed a miracle catch to beat a bad Penn State team shows up, or the Indiana that barely beat Iowa, Miami wins (unless Miami commits 17 penalties and 4 turnovers).

 

[jps2344]

As always, much appreciated.

To me, this matchup is very different from our previous 3 playoff games. If you follow the Cignetti career path closely, you realize he emphasizes and sticks with a plan which prioritizes his guys’ skill set. He’s been a master at matching his roster, particularly up front on both sides of the ball, with what he wants to do, aka lots of moving parts on the OL and pretty much all over the D. That OL is very athletic and is the best pulling team I’ve seen all year by far. The maximizing of HIS guys skillset may seem like common sense. But let’s face it, and we’ve seen it here through the years of futility, a lot of coaches outsmart themselves by being overly concerned on what the other side does well. Cignetti is not that guy and it’s apparent that belief and consistency in his approach maximizes what he gets out of his guys.

They are an outstanding team no doubt. But I have so much faith in the staff as a whole, especially Hetherman, that I believe the advantage a guy like Cignetti and his staff has over most they play is mitigated, especially in a winner take all game. Add that to the preparation of the talent we have and I have little doubt we handle business.

And last thing or two to chew on…

I hear and see a lot of talk about their path through the playoffs. The Oregon/TT game was the worst executed, mistake ridden, uninspired big football game I’ve seen in ages. IU, and Cignetti teams especially, feast on dumb players and choices. Oregon’s QB has the ability to work through progressions like Ray Charles would work through a crossword puzzle not in braille. Alabama had ZERO business being in the playoff and had been playing inconsistent, disjointed, uninspired football for most of the last quarter of the season. It’s also a team that got pounded by a ****** FSU squad and Bama was playing much more like week 1 Bama than regular season vs UGA Bama.

I may be wrong. But this team is very hyped and I think it’s a lot of bluster and bull****. Outstanding team, but they aren’t the 01’ Canes. Far from it.

 

[Hoyacane1620]

Have noticed they do a lot of back shoulder fade balls to these receivers

Mendoza throws two balls: back shoulder fades and "go up and get it" throws to Becker, the TE. They do both very very well

 

[90scane]

I didn't even know he was Glenn Sharpe's nephew. It seemed like his track times were fast and he obviously had size. He's sneaky excellent. Luckily Khamauri Rogers and Jaden Harris worked out great for us though, so it is all good.

I have to disagree on Sharpe. He is the weak link on the outside. Marion or Daniels will have a good game vs him. He maybe fast but he doesn’t have the hips for the digs and outs.

I wouldn’t throw many go routes vs them. Ponds and Sharpe are good against them and the safeties will catch INTs if given a chance.

We have to stay on the field. Indiana needs less opportunities to score and the best way to do that is playing keep away.

 

[canes1977]

You just mentioned you don’t care about stats, but here’s one for you:

Miami’s OL average weight is 331. Indiana’s DL average weight is 278.

If we play clean, we win by double digits.

Sounds like a perfect recipe for some Mali-Cat and a handful of flea-flickers