What the PFF Grades Really Say About Indiana’s 55-0 Win Over Howard

Indiana’s 55-0 win over Howard was never going to be defined by the scoreboard alone.

Against an overmatched opponent, the more useful evaluation is how Indiana played, who played, and what the individual grades and snap counts tell us about the development of the roster. That is where the PFF data becomes useful.

The Hoosiers finished with a 90.3 overall team grade, including 80.6 on offense, 91.1 on defense and 94.0 in run defense. Those numbers match the tape: Indiana controlled the game, emptied the bench and maintained its standard.

Quarterback

Josh Hoover played 38 offensive snaps and finished with a 52.7 overall grade and 63.1 passing grade. His traditional line was much better than the raw grade: 6-of-11 for 146 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions on the graded passing report.

The takeaway is not that Hoover played poorly. PFF grades each individual assignment and throw rather than simply the result of the drive. Indiana created explosive scoring opportunities, and Hoover capitalized without putting the football in danger.

Tyler Cherry logged 14 snaps, while Grant Wilson played 10. Wilson produced an 81.6 passing grade in limited work.

Running Back

Lee Beebe Jr. handled the largest workload with 32 snaps and posted a 74.6 overall grade, an 80.1 pass-blocking grade and a 72.7 rushing grade.

Turbo Richard was explosive in a smaller 15-snap role, earning an 84.1 overall grade and an 81.1 rushing grade. Beebe can handle volume while Richard can change the tempo of a game.

Wide Receiver

Charlie Becker continued to stand out. On 38 snaps he earned an 81.4 overall grade and 80.9 receiving grade.

Nick Marsh graded at 79.5 overall and 76.0 as a receiver over 30 snaps. Jackson Wasserstrom also made the most of 12 snaps with a 77.2 overall grade and 74.1 receiving grade.

Tight End

Andrew Barker led the tight ends with 34 snaps. Brock Schott played 23, while Blake Thiry and Parker Elmore received late-game work. Indiana got four tight ends onto the field without losing control of the game.

Offensive Line

The offensive line produced one of the most encouraging position-group reports. Carter Smith posted an 83.4 pass-blocking grade. Drew Evans and Joe Brunner each graded 82.2 in pass protection, while Bray Lynch finished at 80.3. Brunner’s 80.0 overall grade led the starting offensive linemen.

The starting five each played 48 snaps, giving Indiana a clean block of continuity before the staff worked the reserves into the game.

Defensive Line

Mario Landino earned a 90.4 overall defensive grade and an 89.7 pass-rush grade on 24 snaps. Joe Hjelle posted an 89.1 overall grade on 17 snaps. Stephen Daley graded 77.1, while Tyrique Tucker finished at 74.3.

Indiana rotated bodies, created pressure and protected the legs of its primary defensive front.

Linebacker

Rolijah Hardy was one of Indiana’s highest-graded defenders at 90.2 overall, including 89.9 in coverage. Isaiah Jones produced a 74.5 overall grade and an outstanding 81.7 run-defense grade.

One developmental note worth watching: true freshman linebacker Jacob Savage played 13 defensive snaps and earned an 81.2 overall grade, including 78.5 against the run and 77.9 tackling. Those are meaningful September snaps for a young linebacker.

Daniel Ndukwe also played 18 snaps and graded 71.0 overall.

Secondary

Amare Ferrell earned a 73.6 overall grade and 72.0 in coverage. Ryland Gandy posted a 72.5 overall grade and 72.6 coverage grade. Anthony Chung was excellent in limited work, grading 81.0 overall and 79.5 in coverage on eight snaps.

Indiana used the lopsided score exactly as it should have, getting young defensive backs onto the field while keeping the structure of the defense intact.

Special Teams

Jeff Utzinger led the unit with 22 special-teams snaps and a 70.6 grade. Quan Sanks graded 71.6, Anthony Chung 70.4 and Brock Schott 73.9.

Quinn Warren earned a 71.5 kickoff grade, while Nico Radicic posted a 70.6 field-goal grade. Beebe and Richard each earned 73.3 kickoff grades in their return-related work.

Coach Griff’s Take

A 55-0 score can hide as much as it reveals. The PFF report gives us a better view of what Indiana accomplished.

The defensive front was disruptive. Hardy was outstanding. The offensive line protected well. Becker and Marsh were efficient at receiver. Richard provided explosiveness. And, perhaps most importantly for the long season ahead, Indiana distributed meaningful snaps throughout the depth chart.

The true value of a game like Howard is not simply getting to 2-0. It is getting better while you win.

That is what Indiana did Saturday.

Grades and snap counts referenced from PFF Premium Stats. Analysis and interpretation by Coach Griff / Hoosier Tailgate.