Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 84 Days (Danny Friend)

Written by David Sugarman (@David_Sugarman2)

#84

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kick-Off is underway! We’re now 84 days away from the Indiana Hoosiers taking on the Ohio State Buckeyes to open the 2017 season. Today we zone in on starting tight end, Danny Friend.

Danny Friend (Redshirt Senior)

Height: 6’5’’

Weight: 265 pounds

Hometown: Morris, Illinois

Position: Tight End

Ten passes. That’s not how many passes Danny Friend caught last season, but rather how many the entire tight end unit caught all-together. With Richard Lagow having his share of ups and downs in 2016, a stronger presence at tight end for a security blanket would’ve been a welcome asset and that fact remains in 2017. 

Despite that fact, Friend’s junior year did include some highlights. He managed to stay healthy and play in all 13 games, the first time he played a full season since 2013.  The Morris Community High School product caught seven balls for 65 yards and two touchdowns in addition to serving as a solid blocker. Friend also managed to earn the team’s offensive player of the week in the opener against Florida International after he caught two passes for 27 yards and a touchdown. For his career Friend has played in 29 games making 10 catches for 104 yards and scoring two touchdowns.

With what may be the best wide receiver duo in the Big Ten between Nick Westbrook and Simmie Cobbs, the Hoosiers don’t need a monster Jake Butt type year out of any of their tight ends. If Friend can stay healthy and catch somewhere in the neighborhood of 15-20 passes as well as continue to block well, that would be a successful year. He doesn’t need to be a deep threat, but a consistently reliable short and intermediate route player as well as a consistent red zone target would help IU’s offense take a big step forward in 2017.

 Share your thoughts or expectations for Danny Friend, what you think his role will be and the rest of the tight ends in our comments section (or on the message boards) and be sure to come back to Hoosier Huddle each day during our countdown!