2019 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff is Underway 100 Days Away from IU vs. Ball State

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

Welcome to the 2019 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff as we count you down from 100 days for the fifth consecutive season. The Indiana Hoosiers open the season at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis against the Ball State Cardinals. For the readers who are new, welcome and thanks for joining. The 100-day countdown will highlight current IU players (usually correlating days to jersey numbers) and some blasts from the past. In addition, this season will be a special one as we honor the late Terry Hutchens by adding IU football trivia questions to each post from one of Terry’s books. Terry was a great mentor and a huge help for all of our writers. He made us feel welcome, told ridiculous stories and pulled off many pranks. We miss you, Hutch!

There are now 100 days until Indiana football kicks off the 2019 campaign. Since there is no player numbered 100, here are 10 things fans should look forward to in 2019.

1. Offensive Coordinator Kalen DeBoer

One of the most talked about topics the entire off season has been in regards to Indiana’s new offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer who was hired in late January to replace Mike DeBord. DeBoer comes to IU from Fresno State where he coordinated the 2017 and ’18 offenses for the Bulldogs. In 2018 Fresno State finished with a school-record 12 wins and finished 26th nationally in scoring and 29th in passing. DeBoer was brought in to add consistency and explosiveness to the Hoosier offense.

2. Young Quarterback Battle

Peyton Ramsey has started 16 games over the last two seasons and has put up solid numbers. However, all eyes will be on the youngsters as Jack Tuttle and Michael Penix try and unseat Ramsey as the starter. Penix, a redshirt freshman, played in three games a season ago before tearing an ACL against Penn State. He showed a glimpse of what he can do by completing 21-of-34 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown. Tuttle transferred in from Utah and was granted a waiver from the NCAA to play in 2019. He is a former four-star recruit and completed in the Elite 11 quarterback competition. Tuttle showed off a strong arm and the ability to run during the spring before missing the final week due to an illness.

3. A Young, Fast Defense

The Hoosier defense took some lumps last season as their defense gave up nearly 4.5 more points per game from 2017 to 2018. Growing pains were to be expected last season and that pain should pay dividends in 2019 as the freshmen will be sophomores.

4. A Trip to Lucas Oil Stadium

While a season opening game against Ball State may not check many boxes for college football fans, this match-up is spiced up a little bit by being in Lucas Oil Stadium, the home of the Indianapolis Colts. It’s a chance for fans who can’t get down to Bloomington as easily to enjoy some Hoosier football. Lucas Oil Stadium is one of, if not, the nicest NFL stadiums and this should be an affordable way for fans to experience that.

5. The Big Boys Come to Bloomington

It’s an odd numbered year, so the schedule brings Ohio State and Michigan to Bloomington. These games always draw a huge crowd and give Memorial Stadium a special atmosphere. The Hoosiers have hung tough against Ohio State since 2011 and have taken Michigan to overtime on their last two visits to Bloomington. Could 2019 be the year that one of these dominos falls? We’ll see as both teams have playoff hopes.

6. First Trip to Nebraska Since 1977

College football is about traditions and one of the best places to be on a Saturday in the fall is Lincoln, Nebraska. For the first time since 1977 the Hoosiers will travel west to Memorial Stadium. If you’re a college football junkie and an IU fan, this trip is a must. Traditions include the Balloon Release, Tunnel Walk and the Black Shirts. Nebraska also has an NCAA record 368-game sell out streak that started in 1962. Since Nebraska plays in the Big Ten West, a Hoosier trip to Lincoln is rare, the next trip there is in 2022.

7. A Trip to Happy Valley

A trip to Happy Valley for Penn State is a much more frequent occurrence, but that doesn’t take the shine off of the trip. State College is one of the premier destinations in the Big Ten, let alone college football. Located in the mountains of Pennsylvania, the atmosphere and scenery may be the best in the league. The tailgate scene is second-to-none and the game atmosphere is as good as it gets.

8. Bucket Revenge

The Bucket Game is the most important game on the IU schedule every year. It’s an in-state rivalry that has swung back in favor of Purdue lately after IU had a run of five Bucket wins in eight seasons. It has been a must win game for the Hoosiers’ bowl hopes for four-straight seasons as well. Those hopes were dashed the last two seasons and IU wants to get revenge in West Lafayette this season. Rivalry games are always fun, but when the stakes are high it gets really exciting.

9. Tailgating in Bloomington

Tailgating is one of the highlights during fall weekends in Bloomington. Whether you park in the grass lots, by the baseball stadium or at the church across the road, it is always a great time catching up with fellow fans for a beverage and some food. With a few winnable early season home games and the usual mid-October homecoming date, the first half of the season could be a tailgaters delight.

10. Beer and Wine at Home Games

Indiana athletic director Fred Glass has had quite the off-season as he brought back names on the back of football jerseys, restructured ticket prices and announced that IU will be serving beer and wine in Memorial Stadium during the 2019 season. This has been a decision that has been received with (mostly) open arms. The hope is that this will attract people watching or listening to the game in the parking lot into the stadium and give IU an additional revenue stream. Hopefully, IU fans (as well as visitors) don’t make Glass and the higher-ups regret their decision, as it will be nice for fans of age to enjoy a cold brew on a warm September afternoon.