Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 58 Days (Whop Philyor)
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Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)
#58
The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff is roaring towards the halfway point! The season opener against the Ohio State Buckeyes is now less than two months away! Today’s article focuses on a player that doesn’t have an assigned number yet so the vacant #58 has been assigned to him for the purpose of our countdown. Let’s meet incoming freshman Whop Philyor, an appropriately explosive play for the Fourth of July!
Whop Philyor
-Height: 6’0”
-Weight: 175 pounds
-Hometown: Tampa, FL (Plant High School)
-Position: Wide Receiver
Kevin Wilson is rightly known as one of the best offensive minds in college football. However, his 2017 recruiting class lacked many offensive skill players or difference makers. When Wilson resigned and was replaced by new head man Tom Allen, IU’s recruiting class began to add some explosive athletes and one of the most notable of the bunch is the focus of today’s countdown feature. De’Angelo “Whop” Philyor committed to IU over program such as Louisville, Arizona, Virginia Tech and many others. He loved the family atmosphere of the program and was friends with his high school teammate and fellow incoming freshman Thomas Allen.
At Plant High School, Philyor played wide receiver, running back and safety. He also contributed on special teams. In a word, Philyor was simply a “playmaker”. As a senior, he caught 91 passes for 1,282 yards and 18 touchdowns, ran for 201 yards with two touchdowns and had 38 tackles and 20 passes defended.
His speed is something to behold as he clocks in at under 4.4 in the 40-yard dash. That elite level speed is a game-changing ability that IU’s offense simply lacked in 2016 and it could very well be enough to push his way onto the field this coming season. The only roadblock to potential playing time in 2017 is the depth at his position. Whop is expected to play receiver and the Hoosiers are well-stocked, with six receivers returning with game experience and three other well-regarded redshirt freshman raring to earn their way onto the field. In addition, Whop is not the only freshman wideout to arrive as part of the 2017 recruiting class. In short, there is a whole lot of competition that could make it a smart move to redshirt the explosive Floridian.
If his speed proves too much to sideline, he could contribute right away as a deep threat, a player you get the ball to on sweeps or screens and try to find him space or as a weapon in the return game. Either way, snaring the services of a tremendous speed demon like Whop Philyor was a massive plus for the Hoosiers and he’ll be a very exciting player for IU fans to watch for the next few seasons.
Please share any comments or thoughts in the comments section or in our message board. The countdown continues each and every day so make sure to check Hoosier Huddle daily as we roll towards the 2017 season!