Coming into the season, the goal for the Indiana football offense was to get Jaylin Lucas involved in just about every facet of the offense. Through the first half of the season, you saw that. But, over the course of the last few weeks that hasn’t been the case.
Jaylin Lucas has totaled 242 rushing yards and 212 receiving yards with four total touchdowns. He’s averaging 4.3 yards per carry and 7.2 yards per reception. But, as of late his production has slipped, as have his opportunities.
In the last four games Lucas is averaging just 7.0 touches (receptions/carries) per game — a far cry from the nearly 20 total a game that the staff wanted to start the season. It hit its lowest point with one carry for -5 yards in Saturday’s loss to No. 10 Penn State. He ended the game without a reception and just three targets.
This performance comes on the heels of getting benched on punt return due to a muffed catch and fumble against Rutgers last week.
“Obviously they’re keying in on him defensively and trying to take him out of the game in some ways. So we’ve got to continue to find some ways of getting the ball in space. That’s never going to cease to be a priority,” Indiana football head coach Tom Allen said on Monday. “I think, as you grow and develop, obviously the other guys making plays will obviously help him have his opportunities. When he gets those, to take full advantage of them and maximize those and just to relax and play the game and not try to have to hit a home run every time with that.”
Lucas’ production has been slipping. In the last four games, Lucas hasn’t had more than seven carries. He had no less than eight in the first four games — with three of the four games with at least 10 carries. Since his 10-reception for 98-yard performance against Louisville, He’s totaled just 14 catches in the last five games, including two games with 0 catches.
Against Akron he didn’t receive a single target. Against Maryland, he had four catches for two yards. He had five receptions for 56 yards and one touchdown against Michigan and five receptions for just 16 yards against Rutgers.
“I think that he’s a phenomenal player, phenomenal person, and I want to see him continue to — and I think we will. I know we will. That’s always going to be a goal for us to get him the ball in space and to do it in a creative way each week,” Allen continued. “But it’s everybody doing their job — receivers, running backs, O-line, quarterbacks, tight ends. He’s just one of those pieces for sure.”
Since Indiana’s change at offensive coordinator following its loss to Maryland, Rod Carey’s had some very positive moments, but also the same inconsistencies that were hurdles for the offense before.
In his three weeks as the new coordinator, Indiana is averaging 286.7 total yards per game. Two of the four highest rushing total games and one of the top three highest passing games have been over the course of the past three weeks. Indiana also had two of the three lowest passing totals as well.
On the season, Lucas has 39 targets and 29 receptions — a 74.4 reception percentage.
There’s no doubt Indiana football needs to continue to find ways to utilize Lucas. Whether it’s in the screen game, jet sweeps, in the slot or anywhere else on the field. But, Indiana can’t forget about one of the more dynamic playmakers in the Big Ten.
Opposing teams also know his importance and are forcing others to make plays besides Lucas. It’s part of the scheming that Carey is looking to figure out and figure out quickly.
“Jaylin is a high priority for us to get him touches and he’s also a high priority for the defense to make sure we don’t get him touches. So, there’s a little bit of a cat and mouse game going on there,” Carey said on Monday. “We’re trying to be creative to get him touches but at the same time the defense is trying to take him way and there’s something else there. It’s going to remain a high priority for us and that’s not going to change. He’s dynamic. Certainly hasn’t been that the last few weeks because his touches are down so it’s my job to get his touches up. It’s also — you gotta move the offense and win the game and score points. There’s a lot of things that go into that, but that’s a still priority.”
Indiana football (2-6; 0-5) comes back to Memorial Stadium this weekend for a matchup with Wisconsin (5-3; 3-2).
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