ATLANTA — Usually occupied with befuddling opposing offensive coordinators and quarterbacks, Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines was annoyed prior to the regular season meeting with Oregon.
It wasn’t anything Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein or quarterback Dante Moore did on film that struck a nerve with one of the best defensive minds in college football, but rather a post on X about the weight disparity between the Hoosiers defensive line and Ducks offensive line. The observation came from an IU student media member and Haines wasn’t having it.
“Didn’t realize how small & defenseless we’re gonna be. Oh no!” Haines posted in response.
Indiana recorded eight tackles for loss, including six sacks — most allowed by Oregon this season — in its 30-20 win in Eugene on October 11.
With the top-ranked Hoosiers set to take on the No. 5 Ducks in Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl, Haines explained why he weighed in on social media commentary.
“There’s no scale in football,” Haines said. “There are no weight classes. It has nothing to do with the weight of the operation. I thought it was a lazy take. I didn’t like that it came from an IU guy and I put it out there because I wanted the players to see how I felt about it.
“I don’t take kindly to the fact that we’re going to get bullied. We don’t get bullied. I’ve never had a football team get bullied. I don’t expect to, but not because we’re bigger than anybody. It’s because that’s not what football is about.”
Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells coined the phrase big people beat little people. Haines, a two-time Broyles Award finalist, ascribes to that adage “within reason,” but not in this case.
“I think if what we are saying if you measure the weight of an offensive line relative to a defensive line, then you can indeed pick the outcome of the game,” Haines said. “I think that is senseless.”
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No. 1 Indiana (14-0) vs. No. 5 Oregon (13-1)