Written by: TJ Inman

With spring practice right around the corner, Hoosier Huddle is ramping up coverage. Today’s focus is on position battles that will begin to be decided during the spring practice period. While it is possible the outcomes of these battles won’t be determined until the fall, spring practice should give the coaches an idea of who can step up and fill the holes left by some important departing players.

Safety

The safety position occupied expertly by Jamar Johnson is one of the only major question marks for Indiana’s defense to answer. New defensive coordinator Charlton Warren will need to find a player (or two) that can provide the dynamic playmaking ability brought by Johnson.

The primary players looking to fill the hole left by Jamar Johnson’s departure are Bryson Bonds, Devon Matthews and Juwan Burgess. On paper, it seems likely that Devon “Monster” Matthews would start at one safety after a terrific 2020 campaign. Matthews earned third-team All-Big Ten honors and was third on the team in tackles and seventh in the Big Ten in pass break-ups. That leaves Bonds and Burgess. Bryson Bonds will be in his second year of play after seeing the field some in 2020. His role is going to increase and I would peg him as the likely favorite to win the second starting job at safety. Burgess played in six games in 2020 and has not quite progressed to the level fans had hoped he would. This is an important spring period for him to show what he is capable of. Watch out for true freshman Maurice Freeman and Jordan Grier. Both of them are incredibly talented and we know Tom Allen will not shy away from playing his best players, even if those players are inexperienced.

Defensive Tackle

Another Johnson, Jerome, to be exact, left Indiana for the NFL and the defensive tackle will be one to watch this spring. There are plenty of bodies and the returning players that will battle for playing time have more experience than those at safety. In addition, the defensive line will be rotating heavily so whichever player ends up “starting” is somewhat irrelevant. That being said, it will be very interesting to see the progression of players like Damarjhe Lewis and C.J. Person. Indiana will need both of them to be ready to contribute as major parts of the rotation and the Hoosiers will need Sio Nofoagatoto’a to step into a larger role as a consistent force on the interior of the line.

Where Will Marcelino Ball Play?

One of the more interesting chess pieces for Charlton Warren and Tom Allen to figure out will be Marcelino Ball. After another injury sidelined him for all of 2020, the former Freshman All-American enforcer decided to come back for one last ride. Ball is listed in the defensive back on the roster right now and it is possible that steps back into the Husky role and battles Bryant Fitzgerald for snaps. However, the coaching staff might have something else in mind for Ball. He’s more than 220 pounds and could be used as a situational run-stopper or maybe as a pass rusher on third and long. Ball has never been strong in pass coverage but he is an asset for the defense when used correctly and it will be fascinating to see what the staff does with this very, very strong chess piece.

Running Back

People may scoff at this one but I think the battle for playing time at running back is very real. Stevie Scott is gone and the Hoosiers are bringing back running backs coach Deland McCullough. After a stint at USC and a Super Bowl winning run with the Kansas City Chiefs, McCullough is back in Bloomington and he has a running back room filled with talent but very little actual production.

The obvious answer to step into Scott’s shoes is Sampson James. The former four-star recruit has looked pretty good in his limited action in two seasons and maybe the obvious answer is the correct one. However, it would not shock me at all to see Tim Baldwin get a very serious look at the starting position or to see Baldwin earn a true platoon role. Baldwin has a bit more wiggle and burst to him than James does and it will be interesting to see what the new position coach thinks of them both. Another wrinkle to this position is what McCullough wants to do with David Ellis. Ellis has looked very good with the ball in his hands but the Hoosiers have not gotten it to him enough, in my opinion. He’s a weapon that should be utilized more but what exactly does that look like in this offense?

Slot Wide Receiver

The aforementioned David Ellis could factor in at the next position battle: slot wide receiver. Ellis started his IU career as a wideout but he was shifted to running back last season. Whop Philyor is now gone and the Indiana offense loves to use the slot as an extension of the running game by throwing screens out wide and trying to get the ball into the hands of a shifty playmaker. Those plays and the usage of Philyor had mixed results. It often was effective in picking up five to six yards but those plays very rarely picked up the kind of chunk plays you would hope for from an explosive receiver. D.J. Matthews projects as the starting slot receiver and punt returner after transferring to Indiana from Florida State. He has not had the amount of usage IU typically gives the slot receiver. Is he ready for that kind of role? Can he be more effective at making big plays than Philyor was? If Deland McCullough and Nick Sheridan decide they want to get the ball into Ellis’ hands more or McCullough likes other running backs more, does David Ellis feature some at slot? Could some of the younger wide receivers, a position IU is now very deep at, move inside and be featured some? Maybe Jacolby Hewitt is used a bigger target in that spot. Or perhaps one of the true freshman will get a look.

Punter

This position battle is not going to grab any headlines but after multiple years with Haydon Whitehead as punter, the Hoosiers will have a new player booming kicks on possessions that end in punts. IU clearly liked the production they received from Whitehead as they turned to the Prokick program in Australia for their next punter. James Evans is 6’1” and a freshman from Auckland, New Zealand. The Kiwi has never even visited the United States but he played rugby and squash in high school and trained at the prolific Prokick Australia facility in Melbourne. He is expected to win the job but Chase Wyatt, a walk-on from Noblesville, will be in his third year in the program and will have a say in who ultimately ends up starting at punter.

The Huddle

2021 Hoosiers Spring Football Preview – Position Battles to Watch