Top Five New Faces Emerging This Spring For Indiana

Written By Alex Compton (@alexncompton)

Indiana had an up-and-down season in Tom Allen’s first year as head man, and now will have to deal with the loss of many established players that really played well in 2017. Guys like Tegray Scales, Richard Lagow, Simmie Cobbs and others are gone, and Indiana’s depth and player development will now be put to the test. Depth and player development are two marks consistently used to evaluate the strength of a program, and with Indiana being so close on so many levels, this offseason actually presents a great measuring stick. While the ceiling of this team will likely rest on the growth of the returning players and of the staff, there are quite a few new faces that will have a major impacts on the program in 2018, and for some, beyond. In no particular order, here are the Top Five new faces for Indiana Football in 2018. 

Bryant Fitzgerald

One of Indiana’s most heralded recruits in the 2017 class, the Avon native was forced to sit out his first year and redshirt due to an error by the IU compliance staff. The error caused him to be ruled ineligible, meaning he could not play in any games last season when he absolutely would have. After Marcelino Ball went down, Fitzgerald probably would have been a starter at husky as a true freshman, and that experience would have been vital for a young player to get so early in his career. Fitzgerald projects as Ball’s backup this year, but will be all over the field in every game making plays on defense and on special teams this year. IU is very fortunate that Fitzgerald didn’t elect to transfer, and now are looking at a guy that was ready to play as a true freshman, sat out, and will now return with a year of seasoning and a huge chip on his shoulder. Offenses…beware.

David Ballou

Coach Allen has his guy. After inheriting Keith Caton from Kevin Wilson’s staff it was rumored that Allen was looking for his own guy to bring in, and boy did he get a good one. David Ballou comes to IU from Notre Dame (I know, but it’s okay) after spending last season as their co-director of football strength and conditioning. Ballou played fullback for the Hoosiers for three seasons from 1997-1999, and was the head strength and conditioning coach at Avon High School for 14 seasons. Ballou is a Hoosier through and through, and people around the program really couldn’t be happier that Coach Allen has brought him in. He knows as well as anyone how close IU is, and a workout regimen focused on speed and durability should bode well for the Hoosiers. Allen knocked this hire out of the park, and he will be a huge asset in 2018 and beyond. 

Nick Linder

Miami finished 13th in the AP Poll after being the runner-up in both the ACC Championship Game and the Orange Bowl against Wisconsin. Mark Richt has the Canes on the right track, but sometimes talented guys need a fresh look to really make the most of their abilities. Indiana landed an immediate starter in Nick Linder when he opted to pursue the graduate transfer route from Miami, and the benefits are two-fold. First off, the Hoosiers are getting an experienced interior lineman from a top program that can start right away. He started 26 games during his three year career at Miami, 22 of which were at center. Some say he looked better as a left guard, but his highest upside is at center. He is as healthy as ever after sitting out all of last season, and seems poised to take over the starting center spot this year assuming IU’s guards are healthy come kickoff. Secondly, this move allows incoming sophomore Harry Crider to redshirt. He was thrown into the fire early as a true freshman in 2017, with mixed results. He has sound fundamentals and looked the part of a starting B1G center, but towards the end of the season looked worn down and physically outmatched. A year of development will be huge for him, as Hunter Littlejohn is an excellent depth guy that can rotate in with the first team this year behind Linder. Linder, who will wear #50, is a nice under-the-radar grab for Tom Allen. 

Juwan Burgess

You didn’t forget about the highest rated member of last year’s class did you? The four-star athlete from Plant High School in Tampa came to campus with Thomas Allen and Whop Philyor, and surprised some by being listed as a redshirt. Incoming talent like that normally doesn’t wait to see the field at IU, but times are very different now. IU was in good shape at safety last year with Jonathan Crawford, Tony Fields, Chase Dutra and others manning the boundaries for the Hoosiers, so it would have been mostly spot snaps here and there for Burgess. Sitting out was probably tough, but he is now looking at a starting spot next to Crawford at free safety in 2018. Burgess is a great athlete, and possesses the speed needed to make plays on downfield passes and wide-stretching runs. Game experience is obviously the best way to develop, but a season of practice and lifting should pay huge dividends for Tom Allen and his defense in 2018 and beyond. Burgess is a key guy to watch during spring ball, as he is the projected starter at a very important position in Allen’s defense.

Early Enrollees

IU landed one of its best classes in school history this year in Tom Allen’s first full class as Head Coach. The class is expected to grow a little bit during the coming months, but IU already has four players that are on campus attending classes and working out with the team. They are all going to be great players during their careers, and they all should compete for major playing time right away. 

James Head Jr. is a 6’5” beast DE from Miami that I think will end up starting by the time fall comes around. Enrolling early for him gives him a chance to get stronger and get accustomed to college football without burning any of his eligibility. He will make a big impact as a true freshman. 

Jacolby Hewitt is a 6’1” WR from Memphis that Grant Heard absolutely loves. He has the tools to play both outside the numbers and in the slot, and I expect him to play heavy amounts a true freshman in both situations. With the injury to J-Shun Harris, departures of Simmie Cobbs and Taysir Mack and recoveries of Nick Westbrook and Donavan Hale, the chance is there for Hewitt to seize some major playing time right away in 2018.

Ronnie Walker is the home run threat at running back that the Hoosiers needed. With some attrition at the position this offseason as well, the backfield looks to be in the hands of Morgan Ellison, Cole Gest, and Walker. Walker figures to be the guy to spell Ellison the most, but a strong couple of camps leading in to the season could see him split carries with Ellison. Coach DeBord was pumped to get a weapon like this on offense, and enrolling early allows for Walker to start his career with a bang right away in the fall.

Mike Penix Jr. was the absolute icing on the cake to a tremendous early signing period signing day for IU in this class. The 13th best pro-style QB according to Rivals chose IU over Florida State and some others after being a Tennessee commit, and Coach Allen literally jumped for joy in the war room. The southpaw signal-caller from Florida solidifies what was then a dangerously thin quarterback room, and immediately throws his name into the mix for the starting spot. Peyton Ramsey is close to 100% after dealing with nagging injuries in the second half of the season, and looked serviceable when healthy. I am a huge fan of Nick Tronti, but he is a redshirt freshman and has never played in a game. A few walk-ons round out the room, and then you have Penix Jr. Enrolling early is a big deal, because it confirms the belief that Tom Allen thinks he could in fact start a true freshman quarterback next season. Penix Jr. could win the job right away, and being on campus early is absolutely necessary for that to happen. 

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