Josh Henderson, Jaylin Lucas and Christian Turner Lead Versatile Running Backs Room

Written by: TJ Inman(@TJHoosierHuddle)

The Indiana University football team continues to prepare for the 2023 season, working hard in fall camp which has now entered its third week. The running game has struggled for the past couple of seasons but with a talented group of backs and a offensive line coach, there is hope that the Hoosiers can exceed the 3.36 yards per carry they averaged in 2022. IU has not exceeded four yards per carry in a season since 2018 when they ran for 4.41 yards per rush. Shaun Shivers has departed but IU returns Josh Henderson, Jaylin Lucas, Trent Howland and David Holloman and added Wake Forest transfer Christian Turner.

Associate head coach and running backs coach Craig Johnson, now in his second year with the Hoosiers, brought along a couple of his running backs and met with the media on Monday. Indiana has worked on several different formations and personnel groupings for the offense and Johnson stressed how important it was for the running backs to be ready to play anywhere within the offense.

“I’d like to think all of our guys can play multiple positions. We don’t really key them for one position or another. We try to have some one-back sets and try to have some two-back sets. Our guys try to learn every position,” Johnson told the media. “I think that’s key, that way they can play it if needed. That’s really a challenge to have to play multiple positions but it makes you a little more multiple.”

Any focus on the Indiana running backs is going to mention Jaylin Lucas, one of the more dynamic players in the country. He’ll be playing some slot receiver, but Craig Johnson was asked about Lucas’ growth as a player and how the coaches have pushed him in year two.

“I think the early-game jitters when he was a true freshman, that was a lot for him. Now, he plays like a second-year player. I think he’s understanding the game, the pace of the game, what he’s got to do, practicing at a really high level. I like what I’ve seen so far…but there is always room to grow.”

The Hoosiers have an intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday and expected starting running back Josh Henderson was asked about the performance of the position group, specifically, what did Coach Johnson think of the running backs scrimmage.

“I think the message was just that he’s not satisfied with how we did, and frankly we hold each other to a high standard, so none of us were really satisfied. We just know that we can play better,” the senior said.

Indiana now has less than three weeks before kicking off the season on September 2 against the Ohio State Buckeyes. For a running back group that has versatility and talent, no matter how they line up, more production in 2023 is necessary. Sophomore Jaylin Lucas believes learning from each other can help them achieve that goal.

“I can say that the people from the transfer portal, they came in knowing what to do, and just studying day in and day out on film. That’s been a great job. Overall, it’s been great just getting to know new things from new people from the portal and the transition is coming along well,” Lucas told the media.