Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: Week Five vs. Ohio State
9/28/2015 3:50:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The first third of the season is over, and the Indiana Hoosiers stand undefeated.
Indiana football players and coaches met with the media Monday for the Hoosiers' weekly press conference leading into Saturday's 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Ohio State to discuss their success to date and more heading into Big Ten competition.
As we've done every week, IUHoosiers.com compiled four quotes and storylines to follow as the Hoosiers open up conference play looking to improve to 5-0.
Senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld: "Obviously, you come to Indiana, you don't come here to play just the non-conference games. You come here to play Big Ten games. You want to play the best there is. Right now, Ohio State is the best there is. There's going to be another level of focus, but I really think we've been focused each week."
The defending national champions are coming to Bloomington.
The Ohio State Buckeyes, who won the inaugural College Football Playoff, are undefeated. They'll be matched against an also undefeated Indiana Hoosier program that's gained confidence through the non-conference season.
The last time Indiana played the defending national champion was in 2003. Coincidentally, that game also featured the Hoosiers and Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium.
Fifth-year senior bandit Zack Shaw: "It was nice to be able to get after Wake Forest's quarterback and rattle them a little bit, but we want to establish that as something we do every week. When we get after it, it feels good."
Shaw said Indiana's front seven showed what it's capable of in last week's 31-24 road win against Wake Forest.
The Hoosiers accounted for six sacks, the most by an IU team since seven at Illinois on Oct. 27, 2012. They also added eight tackles for loss.
Shaw himself picked up his first sack of the season, the sixth of his career. Sophomore linebacker Tegray Scales led Indiana with two sacks in the game.
Shaw said keeping the pressure on opposing quarterbacks will be crucial for Indiana in the Big Ten.
Sophomore receiver Simmie Cobbs, Jr.: "It's always great to give Nate (Sudfeld) options. When he gets going, we're going. It's always big time for us when we're giving him guys to throw to, and I try to be there whenever I can."
Cobbs had his best game as a Hoosier to date against Wake Forest, hauling in a career-high seven receptions for a career-best 75 yards and a 6-yard touchdown.
In total, 13 different Hoosiers have been on the receiving end of passes from Sudfeld this season. Cobbs is one of seven receivers to catch a pass, joining four tight ends and two running backs who have also gotten involved in the passing game.
Indiana's ability to spread the field makes the offense dangerous, Cobbs said. Anyone who lines up at any given time is a threat.
Oh, and junior running back Jordan Howard has 675 yards rushing. That helps too, Cobbs joked.
Howard: "(Being named Big Ten Player of the Week) means a lot to me, but I guess it means a lot to the team because it shows we're doing something well."
Howard was named Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the week Monday after Indiana's win against Wake Forest. In doing so, he became the first Hoosier to earn the conference honor since Tevin Coleman on Oct. 13, 2014.
Howard continues to earn praise from his teammates and coaches for his ability to be a powerful runner. He became the only FBS player in the last 20 seasons with 140-plus rushing yards in each of his first four games with a program when he logged 168 yards on 33 carries and a score in the Hoosiers win over the Demon Deacons.
Howard enters the Ohio State game leading the nation with 675 rushing yards and is second in yards per game (168.8). Since the start of 2013, Howard ranks first in the nation among active rushers with 3,143 yards.
Indiana football players and coaches met with the media Monday for the Hoosiers' weekly press conference leading into Saturday's 3:30 p.m. kickoff against Ohio State to discuss their success to date and more heading into Big Ten competition.
As we've done every week, IUHoosiers.com compiled four quotes and storylines to follow as the Hoosiers open up conference play looking to improve to 5-0.
Senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld: "Obviously, you come to Indiana, you don't come here to play just the non-conference games. You come here to play Big Ten games. You want to play the best there is. Right now, Ohio State is the best there is. There's going to be another level of focus, but I really think we've been focused each week."
The defending national champions are coming to Bloomington.
The Ohio State Buckeyes, who won the inaugural College Football Playoff, are undefeated. They'll be matched against an also undefeated Indiana Hoosier program that's gained confidence through the non-conference season.
The last time Indiana played the defending national champion was in 2003. Coincidentally, that game also featured the Hoosiers and Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium.
Fifth-year senior bandit Zack Shaw: "It was nice to be able to get after Wake Forest's quarterback and rattle them a little bit, but we want to establish that as something we do every week. When we get after it, it feels good."
Shaw said Indiana's front seven showed what it's capable of in last week's 31-24 road win against Wake Forest.
The Hoosiers accounted for six sacks, the most by an IU team since seven at Illinois on Oct. 27, 2012. They also added eight tackles for loss.
Shaw himself picked up his first sack of the season, the sixth of his career. Sophomore linebacker Tegray Scales led Indiana with two sacks in the game.
Shaw said keeping the pressure on opposing quarterbacks will be crucial for Indiana in the Big Ten.
Sophomore receiver Simmie Cobbs, Jr.: "It's always great to give Nate (Sudfeld) options. When he gets going, we're going. It's always big time for us when we're giving him guys to throw to, and I try to be there whenever I can."
Cobbs had his best game as a Hoosier to date against Wake Forest, hauling in a career-high seven receptions for a career-best 75 yards and a 6-yard touchdown.
In total, 13 different Hoosiers have been on the receiving end of passes from Sudfeld this season. Cobbs is one of seven receivers to catch a pass, joining four tight ends and two running backs who have also gotten involved in the passing game.
Indiana's ability to spread the field makes the offense dangerous, Cobbs said. Anyone who lines up at any given time is a threat.
Oh, and junior running back Jordan Howard has 675 yards rushing. That helps too, Cobbs joked.
Howard: "(Being named Big Ten Player of the Week) means a lot to me, but I guess it means a lot to the team because it shows we're doing something well."
Howard was named Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the week Monday after Indiana's win against Wake Forest. In doing so, he became the first Hoosier to earn the conference honor since Tevin Coleman on Oct. 13, 2014.
Howard continues to earn praise from his teammates and coaches for his ability to be a powerful runner. He became the only FBS player in the last 20 seasons with 140-plus rushing yards in each of his first four games with a program when he logged 168 yards on 33 carries and a score in the Hoosiers win over the Demon Deacons.
Howard enters the Ohio State game leading the nation with 675 rushing yards and is second in yards per game (168.8). Since the start of 2013, Howard ranks first in the nation among active rushers with 3,143 yards.
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