Countdown to Kickoff: 16 Days (Rashard Fant and Austin King)

Written By Nick Holmes (@HoosierHolmes)

#16

As the days grow shorter, the college football season draws nearer. The Hoosiers are only 16 days away from taking on the Panthers of Florida International in South Beach. Kevin Wilson and his club will make the near 1,100-mile trip south for theSeptember 1 matchup. Continuing our Countdown to Kickoff we take a look at two Hoosiers sporting the number 16 this fall, a corner and a King.

Rashard Fant (Redshirt Junior)

-    Height: 5’10”
-    Weight: 174 lbs. 
-    Position: Defensive Back
-    Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

When it comes to the Hoosiers defense this fall, there’s not a lot in which you can be absolutely certain. However, one thing we do know without a shadow of a doubt is who will be the team’s number one corner, redshirt junior Rashard Fant.
 
The native of Georgia had a strong sophomore campaign, leading the conference in pass breakups with 22 on the year. He also added 52 tackles, 48 of which were solo, tied for second-best on the team. He had an interception and fumble recovery to boot.
 
Despite his individual play however, Fant’s name is rarely being brought up when discussions of conference’s best cornerbacks are had. And in some ways it makes sense when you consider the overall play of the unit as a whole.
 
It’s hard to make a convincing argument for any player who is a part of a secondary that is regularly giving up over 300 yards through the air per game, worst in the conference by a long-shot.
 
So, what will Fant have to do to get some recognition for his play? Well, as one of the veterans in the secondary, he will start having to ask more of his teammates. And by all accounts, he appears to be doing this.
 
“The other players hold each other accountable. Like hey man you know what you got, give some pushups. Hey man, you got the right call, you know,” Fant said. “It’s not yelling, it’s encouraging like hey man, you missed that one, make a play now and we’ll be running across the field jumping on your back because we’re happy to see you making those big plays. We don’t care who gets the credit. We’re just going to go out there and play hard, and do our jobs and take it from there. Have a successful defense.”
 
And while pass breakups are nice, Coach Allen and Coach Shelby will be looking for Fant to generate some more takeaways. And Fant knows for him to be mentioned among the conference’s elite, interceptions are a must.
 
“That’s part of the game. That’s how you put your name in there with the best corners,” said Fant. It’s one thing that all of the great corners do. Willliam Likley had 8 interceptions two years ago, Desmond King with 8 this year, Joudan Lewis with 8 interceptions. To get your name in there with those other great corners, you got to get interceptions and make plays and change the game. For our team, that’s what we preach. We all want to get interceptions, it’s a fight for the ball. We all want to get in there and take away the ball, just get at it by any means necessary.”
 
With his agility, speed, and awareness, not to mention his passion for the game, Fant certainly possesses all the traits to be an All-Big Ten Caliber cornerback. In fact, there's reason to believe that Fant could become the program's best cover corner since a certain Tracy Porter was doing work out on an island.
 
As a side note, another factor that could go a long way in determining his effectiveness this fall is how well the Hoosiers front four do at generating a pass rush. It’s been a while since the Hoosiers have been able to consistently get to opposing quarterbacks, but with a new defensive coordinator and the return of Mark Hagen as the defensive line coach, there’s plenty of reason to believe that also should be improved this fall.
 
A slight uptick at all in that area would certainly make the life for Fant and company considerably easier this fall.
 
Suffice to say, Fant will play a huge role in determining how much improvement Indiana’s defensive side of the ball will exhibit in 2016.
 

Austin King (Redshirt Freshman)

-    Height: 6’2”
-    Weight: 203 lbs. 
-    Position: Quarterback
-    Hometown: Alpheretta, Georgia

With former Hoosier Nate Sudfeld leading the Washington Redskins on touchdown drives in the NFL, the quarterback position has been a heavily debated topic among Indiana fans all offseason. Who’s it going to be? The JUCO transfer Richard Lagow perhaps? The ever-exciting, dynamic dual-threat Zander Diamont? Or perhaps the Coach’s kid, Danny Cameron, who Wilson is calling the team’s most consistent backup.
 
And while the other number 16 on our list does not see his name among the top three in the quarterback battle, it won’t be too long before he does. There’s certainly no denying the raw talent of redshirt freshman Austin King.
 
King, also a native of Georgia, played his high school ball as Alpharetta High School, where as a senior he completed 168-of-298 for 2,370 yards with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions, earning him an honorable mention Class-AAAAAA and all-region selection.
 
After committing to North Carolina State and remaining so for over six months, King decided that after receiving an offer from Indiana that Bloomington was the place for him. So just a day after de-committing from the Wolfpack, he pulled the trigger on the Hoosiers offer.
 
During his first season with the team, very little was heard about King as he was redshirted. However, we did get to see King in action during spring practice, where he showed off a strong, but an unpolished arm.  
 
There’s plenty to like about King’s potential, possessing good size at a solid 6-foot-2, 203-pounds. Among the current quarterbacks on the roster, outside of Lagow, King might be the Hoosiers best long-term pocket-passing option.
 
It remains to be seen how he will continue to develop over the next couple of years, especially with Peyton Ramsey breathing down his neck. However, if he is willing to put in the time in the film room and continue to hone not only his arm but his eyes, he will be right in the thick of things in the next year or two.
 
Because if there’s anything we have learned since Coach Wilson has been in town, multiple quarterbacks every season get a chance to see play. And more times than not, they succeed in Indiana’s quarterback friendly offense. 

Share any memories or recollections you have of Rashard Fant and Austin King as a players in the comments section (or on the message boards) and be sure to come back to Hoosier Huddle each day during our countdown!