Indiana edged Northwestern 29-23 Friday, converting a crucial third down in the final minute. The win kept the Hoosiers unbeaten but raised questions about Josh Hoover and the defense; Northwestern scored on its last four drives, including three touchdowns.
Hoover, a TCU transfer, connected at times with receivers Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh but was uneven, the article said; a struggling run game and error-prone offensive line have complicated the offense. Indiana had four sacks and seven tackles for loss, but Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles completed 22 of 29 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns. Indiana forced no turnovers.
Indiana lost Khobie Martin in the opener against North Texas; the article said he should return around midseason, but no target date was confirmed. Turbo Richard was helped off in the first half Friday, and coach Curt Cignetti had not updated his status. With Lee Beebe Jr. needing a running mate, the article said Indiana may need a quick return by Martin or Richard or faster development from Sean Cuono. The young tight ends also missed assignments and struggled in pass protection.
