Bruins’ defense put to the test with Indiana star playing Saturday

Indiana football wide receiver Donaven McCulley is expected to play Saturday against the UCLA football team, according to Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports.

McCulley did not play in Indiana’s 77-3 win over Western Illinois in Week 2 due to an injury he suffered in Week 1. In Week 1 against Florida International University, McCulley caught just one pass for nine yards.

The 6-foot-5 receiver is an uneven piece in the Hoosiers’ offense and adds another dynamic playmaking threat for Indiana. Last season, McCulley finished as the Hoosiers’ leading receiver, leading the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He caught 48 passes for 644 yards and six touchdowns in 2023, including an 11-reception, 137-yard game against Illinois late in the season.

McCulley’s expected return adds another facet to Indiana’s offense that the Bruins will need to stop Saturday. While McCulley was the team’s easy primary receiver last season, the Hoosiers have shown a more complete receiving core through the first two weeks of the season.

In Week 2, Indiana had two receivers top 100 receiving yards in Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. Sarratt caught six passes for 137 yards and a touchdown against Western Illinois, averaging 22.8 yards per reception. Sarratt is a freshman receiver at Indiana, transferring from James Madison where he caught 82 passes for 1,191 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023.

Cooper caught four passes for 131 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. He is now in his third year with Indiana and is a senior, meaning he could play a larger role in the offense.

With a trio of playmakers capable of rushing for over 100 yards per game, the Bruins’ defensive line will be put to the test Saturday afternoon. The Bruins’ biggest defensive strengths lie in their defensive line and linebacker groups, while their defensive back group remains largely unproven.

In Week 1, the Bruins’ secondary held quarterback Brayden Schager to just 227 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, but receiver Pofele Ashlock still managed to record 112 receiving yards. Ashlock and the core of receivers could have put up even bigger numbers if Ashlock hadn’t suffered a finger injury and Schager hadn’t missed some of his pass attempts.

Over the past two weeks, Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke has played with precision, including a 15-17 record in Week 2. It will be critical for the Bruins to put pressure on Rourke and keep up with their receivers to disrupt the passing game.

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