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'A little bit too controlled': Bryant Haines ready to unleash Indiana defense

headshotby: Alec Lasley09/06/25allasley
Syndication: The Herald-Times
Old Dominion's Colton Joseph (1) during the Indiana versus Old Dominion football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025.

Fast. Physical. Relentless. Those are the three words that this Indiana football coaching staff goes by when building a team and putting together their system and eventual game plan.

That was not the case in Saturday’s season opener against Old Dominion. Despite a win, there was a mutual feeling of wanting more amongst the coaching staff, players and even the fans. For defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, he took Saturday’s defensive performance personal, regardless of the dominant nature his defense played.

Indiana forced three turnovers, but failed to create the relentless pressure and physical nature it showed in 2024. Indiana had just three tackles for loss, three quarterback pressures and one sack. All numbers that were disappointing and frustrating for Haines.

“I thought the guys played hard,” Haines said on Thursday’s radio show. “But we’re a lot more aggressive than we showed.”

After being one of the most disruptive defensive fronts in football last season, especially against the run, that was quickly an afterthought after Old Dominion took the first play from scrimmage for 75 yards and a touchdown on a quarterback run for Colton Joseph.

Then in the second half, it was a 78-yard run by Joseph to the end zone. On two plays, Old Dominion accounted for 48.7 percent of its total yardage and 70.2 percent of its rushing total. So from the outside, it was a dominant performance with those two plays removed. But for Haines, it wasn’t anywhere good enough.

“At the end of the day, you got to get on the stat sheet. You got to make plays in their backfield and there wasn’t enough of that,” Haines said. “A little bit too controlled. Not dynamic. Not aggressive. Not our style.”

Indiana led the FBS in rushing defense last season, allowing just 80.2 yards a game. It was second in total yardage per game and third in rushing yards per carry (2.74).

Additionally, Indiana was 11th in the FBS in 2024 in tackles for loss at 7.3 per game.

Saturday was Indiana’s first game without CJ West and James Carpenter — two dominant defensive lineman who were amongst the best in the Big Ten a year ago. With new faces and new skillsets, week one was an adjustment — and will not be the standard in 2025.

“In the opener, both coach (Pat) Kuntz and Buddha (Williams) and I felt like we didn’t produce the way we are used to,” Haines said.

While part of it was ODU’s scheme and skillset on the field, Haines and the rest of his defensive staff expect more from their group.

So does Curt Cignetti.

“All of the important stats, we won,” Cignetti said on Thursday. “But we had that team down, we were in position to knock them out, we had them on the ropes, and we didn’t do it. And that’s what frustrated me.”

Saturday is the next opportunity for this Indiana football defense to unleash some of its physical play.

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