2022 Spring IUFB Position Battles – Quarterback

Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

Due to injury and an overall lack of production from the position in 2021, Indiana saw four different quarterbacks start last season. Nick Sheridan is now out, and Walt Bell has been selected to coach the offense next season; his choice for who he puts his trust in to lead the Hoosiers quarterback room in 2022 will be pivotal in ensuring that last season was merely a blip on the radar, and not a pattern of what is to come.

The Players

Jack Tuttle – Redshirt Junior from San Marcos, California

Tuttle is no stranger to a quarterback competition for the starting position. After transferring from Utah before the 2019 season, Tuttle has found himself competing for the job each offseason and ultimately winding up as QB2 each time. However, injuries to the guys ahead of him have consistently thrown him into the ring, allowing him to amass four total starts and 14 appearances. He has totaled 819 passing yards, 4 TDs, and 6 INTs on a 56% completion percentage over this time. He has consistently displayed his toughness and grit in his tenure – best shown in his first career start that led to a road victory against Wisconsin – but has been turnover prone and has battled with his own injury problems as well. Will 2022 be the year for Tuttle? That is yet to be seen, but nonetheless he will be a great piece for leadership, experience, and depth; a healthy Tuttle for a full season could do a great deal in stabilizing this room.

Donaven McCulley – Freshman from Indianapolis, Indiana

The plan for McCulley’s first season with the Hoosiers was quickly thrown out the window when Penix, Tuttle, and Dexter Williams all went down with injuries throughout last season. After landing the 4-star in-state recruit as a part of the 2021 class, Tom Allen and his staff hoped to allow the 6’5” dual-threat QB to hit the weight room and learn the playbook behind his more experienced teammates. Instead, the season saw McCulley become just the third true freshman QB in Indiana history to start a game and sixth overall to see action when he made his debut against #10 Michigan State for the Homecoming game in October. He ultimately saw action in seven games, but only threw 82 passes for 475 yards and 2 TDs during this time as Sheridan showed a reluctance to let him throw. He added 135 yards and 2 additional touchdowns on the ground, a trait Walt Bell may want to take advantage of in his system. Ultimately, McCulley has star potential; but it will be up to Allen and his staff to bring that out of him.

Connor Bazelak – Transfer from University of Missouri

Tom Allen and Walt Bell hit the transfer portal for the newest member of the quarterback room, Connor Bazelak. Bazelak played three seasons for Missouri but still has three seasons of eligibility remaining. He threw for 5,084 yards with 23 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, and a 66.4% completion percentage in 24 games (20 starts) with the Tigers. Bazelak’s best season came in 2020, where he posted a 5-3 record as a starter and was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Year and a Pro Football Focus SEC-All Freshman first teamer, all after having torn his ACL in 2019. He has solid size at 6’3” and 215 pounds and can move the pocket, which will fit in well to what we imagine Walt Bell’s system will prefer. His experience in the SEC plus a strong arm may make him the favorite to start game one next season, but we’ll have a better idea once spring ball gets under way.

Dexter Williams II – Redshirt Freshman from Macon, Georgia

The often-forgotten final scholarship member of the quarterback room is Dexter Williams II, a former 3-star dual-threat quarterback in the 2019 recruiting class. Williams II redshirted his first season in Bloomington without having seen the field and then unfortunately tore his ACL in spring camp last season, so we have yet to see what he can really provide to the team. We know that he is athletic and has an ability to move the pocket – he was ranked the 34th best dual-threat prospect in his class – but beyond that his impact is still unclear. Williams II first step will be to prove he is durable enough to be available an entire season, learn the playbook, and prove he can compete for time.

Prediction

With a new offensive coordinator and new members to the room, it is certainly tricky to say who will be leading the Hoosiers’ offense next fall. We have a three-horse race on our hands, featuring Jack Tuttle, Donaven McCulley, and Connor Bazelak. Tuttle has the most experience with Indiana, but will that matter as much with a whole new system? McCulley probably has the most star potential, but is the nineteen-year-old ready to take the reigns of the offense in such a pivotal season? Bazelak has experience in the SEC, but can he adjust quickly enough to become the guy?

Spring ball will start to clear up all these questions, but if I had to choose today, I would likely bet Bazelak will be the starter for the Illinois game in September. Allen and Bell brought him in for a reason, and I would predict his experience to ultimately be enough to separate himself from the pack.