4 Takeaways From Indiana's Blowout Win Over Howard

A 55-0 win over FCS foe Howard is not going to turn many heads regarding Indiana football. However, after a week one win that left people questioning Indiana's running game and defense, Saturday's blowout win did start to answer concerns.

Rushing Attack Back on Track

Indiana used four running backs on Saturday to power their way to 296 yards on the ground. Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe both cracked the 100-yard mark with 108 and 112 yards, respectively. Richard was the lone runner with a touchdown.

"So it all starts up front, and with tight ends and the perimeter blocking and the backs. I think we ran for 320 against Old Dominion last year. That one drive early in the first half where we just handed the ball off and hammered them, I like doing that." Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said.

The Hoosiers were without running back Khobie Martin, who will miss a few weeks with a broken arm, so the Hoosiers also got carries for Sean Cuono and Jayreon Campbell late in the game.

Havoc Defense Returns to B-Town

Indiana's defense returned to form with 12 tackles for loss, five sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown. It is exactly what Indiana's defensive front was supposed to do against a lower-division foe.

Daniel Ndukwe and Keishawn Calhoun had two tackles for loss apiece and linebacker Rolijah Hardy returned an interception 21 yards for a touchdown.

"(We were) back to how we used to be. I thought as the game went on they couldn't block us and our biggest challenge was tackling the quarterback when we were getting to him. And then we got to him and tackled them." Cignetti said.

Passing Attack is Deadly

TD No. 3 🎥@CharlieB_16 | 📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/c4ftGD8Z0O
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) September 12, 2026

A week after throwing four touchdowns and just three incompletions, Josh Hoover tossed another four touchdowns on just six completions. While Hoover was not nearly as accurate with his throws as week one, he did find receivers open whenever he wanted. He finished 6-11 for 145 yards and four touchdowns.

Backup quarterback Grant Wilson also got into the mix, tossing two touchdowns of his own. The experienced backup was 2-2 passing for 54 yards with the two scores.

Third-string quarterback Tyler Cherry looked rusty in his first game action in nearly two years. He completed one of his three passes for 10 yards.

In all, IU quarterbacks completed 9-of-16 passes for 209 yards and six touchdowns.

Special Teams Woes

A week after having a great special teams performance, the Hoosiers struggled in that area. Placekicker Nico Radicic was a late scratch with a ribcage injury, so Paddy McAteer had to handle placekicking duties.

McAteer shanked an extra point and while he finished 7-of-8 on the afternoon, it did leave something to be desired in that department.

Last week, the punt return unit looked solid, but on Saturday Tyler Morris muffed two punts, losing one of them. It was the Hoosiers' first lost fumble in over a calendar year. These were mistakes that Indiana did not make on special teams a year ago.

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