The Indiana Hoosiers are National Champions. This team will go down in both IU football history and college football history as one of the best teams of all time. Undoubtedly, this team produced some of the program’s most beloved players of all time, but today we wanted to honor the most beloved Hoosiers of the past decade as well, as those players made this championship happen through their hard work and love for Indiana University.
We’ll be ranking them from 10 to 1 on an admittedly very subjective “beloved” scale, but all of these players are incredibly beloved and deserve recognition for their contributions to IU. Also, we’ll only include one player from each team from the past decade. Without further ado, let’s get into it:
10. Chase Dutra, DB, 2017
Dutra was a starting safety on the 2017 team and if you watched any IU game at all that season, he was impossible to miss. Dutra was the vocal leader of the defense – and the team as a whole – and was simply everywhere around the ball, seemingly at all times. His 2017 season was truly impressive as he led the team in tackles, played in all 12 games, and won IU’s special teams player of the year. Dutra’s passion for Indiana showed every time he came on the field, which fans loved and appreciated immensely.
9. Tyler Natee, RB, 2016
Tyler Natee only played with the Hoosiers for two seasons before transferring, but his freshman season was one to remember. Listed at 6’0″ and 260 pounds, Natee was borderline un-tackleable (if that’s even a word). His bruising, Jerome Bettis style of running quickly made him a fan favorite among many. I mean, look at these runs, especially the one that starts around 48 seconds in the video below. Natee will always be one to remember.
8. Stevie Scott III, RB, 2018
Stevie Scott burst onto the scene during his true freshman season in 2018, accounting for over 1,200 scrimmage yards, 11 total touchdowns, over 100 total scrimmage yards per game, and several weekly and annual honors. The excitement of having an elite true freshman running back after not having a strong running game the year prior was incredible. Stevie was an efficient running back, worked unbelievably hard, and ended his IU career with nearly 3,000 total scrimmage yards. He is one of the greats and is truly beloved by fans.
7. Aaron Casey, LB, 2023
Casey, who donned the historic George Taliaferro #44 jersey, was the undisputed team leader on this 2023 team. He led the team in tackles with 109 and led the Big Ten in tackles for loss with 20. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors this season and was the heart and soul of this Hoosiers team, bringing positivity and top notch work ethic every single game, even amidst a down season with a 3-9 record. Casey was truly one of the best linebackers in the country this season and will go down as one of the best linebackers in IU history. His passion for Indiana and leading by example will always be remembered fondly among Hoosier fans.
6. Tiawan Mullen, DB, 2022
2022 was not a great season for the Hoosiers as they finished 4-8 on the year, but that was certainly not Tiawan Mullen’s fault. He earned All-Big Ten honors and was on countless national award watch lists. His breakout season was of course his stellar 2020 campaign, but Mullen will always be a fan favorite for his unique style of play. He excelled in complex blitz packages where he would rush the QB from the corner spot, then the next play he would lock down the opposing team’s best receiver. He was a Swiss army knife of athleticism, intelligence, and elite cornerback play. He is arguably one of the most beloved players of the Tom Allen era as a whole.
5. Micah McFadden, LB, 2021
2021 was another down year for the Hoosiers as they finished 2-10. One of the only bright spots that season was Micah McFadden, the team’s starting linebacker, team captain, and arguably best player. In his senior season before leaving for the NFL – where he continues to excel – McFadden led the team in tackles with 77 while also racking up 15.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, both of which also leading the team. The Florida native spent four years in Bloomington and is arguably the biggest “leave everything on the field” player on this list. Fans noticed that day in and day out, which is why he is one of the most beloved players of the past decade.
4. Whop Philyor, WR, 2019
Mister Elias De’Angelo Philyor, or “Whop”, as he is commonly known, not only possessed the best nickname in sports during his time at Indiana, but was also one of the most dynamic and reliable playmakers to ever step foot in Bloomington. He is Indiana’s all time leader in double-digit catch games with 7 and is 9th in program history in total receiving yards with nearly 2,100. In 2019 he was named IU’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Year, earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, and was on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. When IU was on offense this year, it was a sight to behold. Everyone knew the ball was going to Whop, but you couldn’t stop him. Yard by yard he would carve up opposing defenses. He is arguably the most dynamic weapon IU has had over the past decade and quickly endeared himself to fans as a favorite.
3. Aiden Fisher, LB, 2024
Aiden Fisher joins the list of incredibly talented Indiana linebackers who play each game with everything they’ve got. It all started with his iconic interview after the 2024 Spring Game where he hyped up the team and said that things are changing from the Indiana of old. We could have never imagined how right he’d be at the end of the day. That 2024 season was magical and put IU on the football map for one of the first times ever. Fisher was at the center of it all, acting as the “quarterback of the defense” and leading that defense to become one of the best in the entire country. Fisher’s heart and work ethic eventually led to Indiana’s National Championship, but this 2024 season started it all and huge credit is due to Aiden Fisher for making it happen.
2. Michael Penix Jr., QB, 2020
Michael Penix Jr.’s dive against Penn State (pictured above) was a monumental moment in the history of IU athletics. Finally the Hoosiers tackled an elite ranked team after so many tries, so many 4th quarter blunders, and so much disappointment. The Hoosiers finally did it, and Michael Penix Jr. led the way. Little did we know, this season would turn into one of the greatest in Indiana’s history prior to the Cignetti era. As a fan, I personally thought this was as good as it would get and I relished in every moment. The 2020 season did not feel real (for many reasons, of course), but the Hoosiers just kept winning. Penix’s elite play was behind it all as he finished this season with second-team All-Big Ten honors and countless national award recognitions/watch lists. Who could have guessed Indiana would win the National Championship just 5 years later? But for that moment in the 2020 season, Penix could do no wrong and will never have to buy a drink again in Bloomington, Indiana.
1. Fernando Mendoza, QB, 2025
Who else could it be? Arguably the nicest guy to ever put on an IU uniform for any sport who just so happened to lead IU to their first ever College Football National Championship while also winning the Heisman Trophy? Certainly, however you gauge the “beloved scale”, Mendoza would top it, and he absolutely does here. Fernando is truly one of the greats and I hope he becomes an elite quarterback at the next level as well.