Written By: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

Harry Crider doesn’t have to rack his brain to remember the dark days of Indiana football.

Having grown up about an hour east of Bloomington in Columbus, the Hoosier program was always on his radar. However, the state of the program was much gloomier than it is in present day: little to no fan support, losing seasons, and an outdated, dingy version of Memorial Stadium with just a few rows of fans filling the stadium on game days.

“I remember coming to games when I was maybe a sophomore in high school and coming here to play football was not even in consideration,” Crider said looking back on how far he and his team have come. “I remember coming to those games and it was just never really even close. The stadium was half full. There was not a lot of pride around the campus for the football team. Being an Indiana guy, I have always seen that.”

And he’s not lying, playing football for Indiana was never really something he considered. The former low 3-star recruit was committed to play for Virginia before he received an offer from Indiana’s former offensive line coach Greg Frey. He was a middle of the pack rated recruit for Indiana’s 2017 group of signees, but would have been the second-lowest rated prospect in the Hoosiers’ last two classes.

The times have changed.

“Where we are now is crazy,” he continued. “I am so glad to have been a part of it, building that foundation my first couple of years here. Then, thriving as we are now. It has been special. It means a lot more being from Indiana. Just seeing the growth that it has made throughout my lifetime.”

Now, he will have the opportunity for the second straight year to play in a January bowl game against an SEC opponent. That sentence was unimaginable for Crider his entire life growing up in Indiana, yet the consensus feeling is one of disappointment for having only been selected for this game and not one that was part of the New Years Six. Nonetheless, he takes the program-changing accomplishments one step at a time.

“I am sure you have heard a lot about how long it is been since we have won a bowl game. That is obviously a huge motivating factor for us. Another chance to play an SEC opponent. We get that opportunity maybe once a year, so it is a statement game. A chance for us to make a statement. So many factors play into it, and that is why we are so excited to get down there and play.”

With this season not counting towards his eligibility, Crider is still unsure if he will return next year. He was just selected this week as a player in the East-West Shrine Bowl, the same event that Nick Westbrook played in last season and is now playing on Sundays for the Tennessee Titans. Though the game itself is cancelled, Crider will still have the opportunity to meet virtually with NFL scouts as a perk of having been selected.

“It’s a decision I’ll make soon after the bowl game, in regards to what I’ll do next. But the Shrine Bowl is a huge opportunity, I’m super thankful for that.”

For now, all of his focus is on beating Ole Miss this Saturday. Just another step in his career that has completely changed the perception of Indiana football.

“It’s exciting to get back out there in front of people, and that’ll help us lead into hopefully some packed houses here next year.”

The Huddle

Harry Crider Happy to be Part of a Thriving Program

Hoosier Huddle