Indiana LB tells where Hoosiers’ plan to stop the Alabama offense starts

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Indiana football’s linebacker, Isaiah Jones feels the Hoosiers’ plan to stop the Alabama offense begins with them stopping the Tide from running the football.

Jones says the Indiana offense is designed to make opponents play with one hand behind their back and stopping the Alabama rushing attack could essentially force the Crimson Tide to do so in the Rose Bowl.

“We pride ourselves on stopping the run, and we plan to do that,” Jones said. “That was a big game plan for the Ohio State game. Whether they (Alabama) are one-dimensional or not, I think they have a lot of athletes on the outside. They have a lot of good receivers. The quarterback, he can run, and that’s something that adds to what you have to prepare for is if you have a quarterback that can scramble, you might get home with pressure, but if he gets out, then there’s another first down. It’s just something. It all goes into the game plan, being able to stop the quarterback run, stop their receivers on the outside, and don’t let them get down the field, but it all starts up front with our base plan of stopping the run and then trying to dictate the game from there.”

The Tide’s rushing attack has left a lot to be desired at several points this season, with its lowest point coming against Georgia in the SEC Championship. Fortunately for the Crimson Tide, Ty Simpson and the Alabama passing game have managed to be effective during a good portion of those points.

Simpson’s ability to make plays with his arms and legs is what Jones feels adds another dimension to game planning to stop the Tide’s offense.

“He’s a pretty talented player,” Jones told reporters. “He throws for almost 275 yards a game. He knows how to get from one to two, to three, down to a check down pretty quick. He also can keep plays alive with his legs. That’s something that he’s special with is he can run and then he can also create plays downfield when he does that and so just trying to be able to take away that extra time he has with his legs and maybe trying to lie to him with coverages or rotations or trying not to let him see the shell pre-snap, and that speeds up his clock in the backfield. I feel like that’s what we’re gonna have to do to try to stop his ability to read the defenses and throw at zones.”

Alabama and Indiana will both look to keep their National Championship hopes alive in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.