February 24, 2019

Spring Preview- Is This the Year Indiana Takes Advantage of Talent at Tight End?

February 24, 2019/ Hoosier Huddle

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The tight end position has been talked about a lot over the past few seasons with the Hoosiers. Kevin Wilson’s offense under-utilized the position to the point of non-existence on the stat sheet and Mike DeBord’s offense used the position more, but still left a lot to be desired. So can the new offensive coordinator figure out how to utilize a position that the Hoosiers have both depth and talent? We’ll see soon enough. The Hoosiers do lose Ryan Watercutter to graduation as well as Austin Dorris who transferred to Bowling Green. The Hoosiers do have two young tight ends who project to be very good in TJ Ivy and Matt Bjorson, then Gary Cooper will join the team over the summer as a true freshman.

February 24, 2019

Spring Preview-Hoosiers Must Replace Key Pieces Along the Offensive Line

February 24, 2019/ Hoosier Huddle

Written by Nathan Comp

We are under two months away from the Indiana Football spring game and just a week away from the first spring practice. It is time for Hoosier Huddle’s preview coverage to ramp up after a couple month break following the season-ending loss to Purdue.

With a new offensive coordinator in town, the expectations are already heightened for Indiana’s 2019 offense. But no matter how good Kalen DeBoer is, games are won in the trenches. After losing Wes Martin, Brandon Knight, and Nick Linder to graduation, Indiana will be looking to these players to open up holes for the running game and protect the winner of the starting quarterback job.

February 22, 2019

Spring Preview- Hoosier Wide Receivers are Vets Looking for More Big Plays

February 22, 2019/ Hoosier Huddle

Written by Evan McShane (@veryreasonable)

Happy Friday! The spring practice previews continue with the wide receivers. This was a position group that answered a lot of questions last season and is looking to be more explosive in 2019. The group is led by seniors Nick Westbrook and Donavan Hale with promising juniors Ty Fryfogle and Whop Philyor adding to that veteran presence. With a new offensive coordinator and what will be a good quarterback battle, fans should be excited what they could see from this group.

February 21, 2019

Spring Preview-A Quarterback Battle is Brewing and Everyone Has Something to Prove

February 21, 2019/ Hoosier Huddle

Written by Nathan Comp

We are under two months away from the Indiana Football spring game and just over a week away from the first spring practice. It is time for Hoosier Huddle’s preview coverage to ramp up after a couple-month break following the season-ending loss to Purdue.

With a new offensive coordinator in town, the expectations are already heightened for Indiana’s 2019 offense. The excitement only grows more when you take a look at the three options Indiana will have at quarterback; each brings a unique skillset but also their own set of questions to the table. The quarterback competition will certainly be on the front of everyone’s mind as the 2019 season draws nearer.

February 20, 2019

Spring Preview –Running Backs Provides IU with Depth and Talent

February 20, 2019/ Hoosier Huddle

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

The Cream and Crimson game is less than two months away! That means it is time for Hoosier Huddle’s spring preview coverage to ramp up. The first article in our preview series is on one of the deepest and most talented position groups on the Indiana roster: running back. A stellar sophomore returns after a terrific debut season, a fellow sophomore is back after showing flashes in his freshman season and a pair of highly-anticipated freshmen are joining the backfield. This cadre of backs gives new offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer a whole lot to work with. I’ll begin by giving a brief breakdown of each player in the running back room, provide a few things to look from the backs during spring practice and then finish with a projected depth chart.

March 09, 2018

Indiana Brings the Energy in Full Pads in the Final Practice Before Break

March 09, 2018/ Hoosier Huddle

Written By Rylie Kyhn

It wasn’t feeling much like spring in Bloomington on Thursday morning, with the snow flurries falling and the freezing wind chill, but inside John Mellencamp Pavilion the energy and intensity at IU's fourth spring football practice was enough to keep anyone warm as the Hoosiers were in full pads for the first time this spring.

March 03, 2018

Hoosiers Focusing on Install, Technique and Execution as Spring Practice Begins in Bloomington

March 03, 2018/ Hoosier Huddle

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

It may be March, but it felt like a gorgeous fall day in Bloomington this afternoon as the Hoosiers kicked off their spring practice on Saturday afternoon. This was the first of four practices before the Indiana players embark on spring break (IU will have 11 practices after spring break including the annual Spring Game on April 14th) and head coach Tom Allen has set his focus on three goals before the Hoosiers go on hiatus: Installing new concepts in all three phases, technique and execution.

February 26, 2018

Spring Practice 2018 Positional Preview: Wide Receivers

February 26, 2018/ Hoosier Huddle

Written By Rylie Kyhn

Throughout the 2017 season, injuries were a problem for the wide receiver group which lead to
adjustments in the passing game and forced young players to step up. When three experienced
receivers suffered season-ending injuries early in the season, the Hoosiers needed to find
production and consistency in the group that remained healthy. Redshirt junior J-Shun Harris II
and junior Nick Westbrook both suffered from season-ending ACL tears and junior Donavan
Hale suffered a season ending injury in the third game of the season. The Hoosiers worked a
number of players into the offense at the receiver position and worked to figure out the right
combination but it was something they seemed to struggle with all season.

February 26, 2018

Spring Practice 2018 Position Battle: Tight End

February 26, 2018/ Hoosier Huddle

Written By Evan McShane (@veryreasonable)

Indiana head coach Tom Allen and offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Mike DeBord will have their hands full in trying to replace the production from former tight end Ian Thomas. As alluded to in our positional preview, Thomas will graduate in May and pursue an NFL career. Analysts project him to be selected anywhere between the third and fifth round of the NFL Draft in April. Ian Thomas’ size and athleticism make him an intriguing pro prospect, as well as a difficult player for Indiana to replace.

After seeing former IU tight end Danny Friend catch just seven passes during Kevin Wilson’s final year as coach, Hoosier football fans rejoiced upon learning Mike DeBord took more advantage of the position in the passing game. The results spoke for themselves as Thomas compiled 25 catches for 276 yards and five touchdowns. Meanwhile, former walk-on Ryan Wattercutter added 12 catches for 69 yards. Indiana will continue to utilize their tight ends in the passing game and especially in the red zone. Wattercutter will return to IU as a redshirt senior this season. He will be joined by redshirt sophomore Shaun Bonner, redshirt junior Austin Dorris, and redhirt freshman Peyton Hendershot. Which Hoosier tight end will step and deliver in 2018?

February 24, 2018

Spring Practice 2018 Position Preview: Tight End

February 24, 2018/ Hoosier Huddle

Written By Rylie Kyhn

With the new offensive coordinator and tight end coach Mike DeBord’s system being put in
place in 2017, the tight end position saw more action last season than in previous years. Going
into the Hoosiers 2017 season there was a big name everyone was talking about to watch for
on the offensive side of the ball, Ian Thomas. At 6’5’’ 250 pounds, they looked for him to be an
incredible weapon at the tight end position. Thomas added an important element to the
Hoosiers offense last season, leading the team in average yards per reception and scoring 5
touchdowns during his senior season. Thomas graduates in May and will look to pursue a
career in the NFL, and the Hoosiers will look to fill the starting tight end position.

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