Hoosier Huddle's Postseason Review Quarterbacks: Formula Found, but Too Late

Written by: Zach Greene @zachegreene

After getting a chance to digest the season and go back and review some games, Hoosier Huddle is doing a full post-season evaluation of the Indiana Football program. Today we look at the quarterback position and how it performed in 2022.

As was the case in 2021,the Hoosier quarterback room was a revolving door by the end of the season thanks to injuries and under performance. While not the sole issue of an inconsistent at best offense, it was a major factor in IU’s struggles during a season strangling seven-game losing streak.

With form IU quarterback Michael Penix at Washington thanks to the transfer portal, IU turned to Missouri transfer Connor Bazelak to man the position after he beat out Jack Tuttle.

Bazelak started nine games for the Hoosiers before missing the Penn State game due to injury. Tuttle, who announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal during the season, started against the Nittany Lions. However, he was hurt in the first half and missed the rest of the season. True freshman Brendan Sorsby replaced him before Dexter Williams got mop up duty late in the game.

Bazelak would start against Ohio State, but play only three series before Williams came in relief and earned starts in the season’s final two games against Michigan State and Purdue. Unfortunately, Williams suffered a catastrophic leg injury in the first quarter against Purdue and had surgery shortly after the season ended.

How did each player perform?

Connor Bazelak

Bazelak started the season 3-0 with wins over Illinois, Idaho and Western Kentucky. In those three wins, Bazelak was more efficient and protected the ball better. He had five touchdowns and just two interceptions in those three wins. However, in the seven losses, Bazelak was inaccurate and turned the ball over far too many times. For every touchdown he threw, he threw an interception. Some of that could be because of the pounding he took from opposing defenses.

Bazelak was not accurate enough to make up for his lack of mobility and after the Cincinnati game did not look like the same quarterback as the one who lead IU to three come from behind wins. Yes, the offensive line played into his early struggles, but when the line was playing better he was still missing targets and easy throws.

At the end of the season Bazelak decided to enter the transfer portal for a second time. It was clear he did not fit the offense Tom Allen and offensive coordinator Walt Bell were wanting to run.

Jack Tuttle

Tuttle played less than one half of football for the Hoosiers in 2022. It was unfortunate because when he played the offense had some life. However, Tuttle got hurt and his Hoosier career is over. It is hard to judge Tuttle’s career at IU because of the injuries. He had his moments and proved to be a warrior, but ultimately injuries and bad luck caused him to miss his opportunities.

Brendan Sorsby

Like Tuttle, Sorsby saw less than a half of football. However, he was a true freshman and nothing was really was expected of him on the game field in 2022. He completed three passes for eight yards against Penn State. Sorsby has the advantage going into spring practice as the only healthy quarterback who has seen the field in college (as of now). Broc Lowry will join him for spring ball, but IU will quickly find out what Sorsby has and if he fits into their future plans as well as they hope.

Dexter Williams

It looked like IU had found their future at quarterback when Williams took the field against Penn State and took over the position during the Ohio State game. A road win over the Spartans and a hot start against Purdue ignited some embers in the football program. Unfortunately, Williams suffered a significant leg injury against Purdue and his immediate future is in doubt. Williams woke IU’s offense up and Bell had schemed up some good game plans in the final two games.

Williams provided the running threat that made defenses account for him and that opened everything else up. While he did not have great passing numbers, he did display good arm strength and the ability to make a throw when he needed to. It is really too bad IU could not have Williams as the starter going into spring practice because he seemed, if given the chance, to be the answer.

Final Analysis

The Hoosiers may have picked the wrong quarterback coming out of fall camp in Bazelak, but he did get the team off to a fast start. However, the staff was too slow in realizing that there were better options behind him on the bench. Had Tuttle or even Williams been given a chance earlier in the season, maybe IU is playing for bowl eligibility or even preparing for a bowl game as we speak. The good news is that the issue was identified, the bad news is that the potential solution to the issue got hurt.

Quarterback play was not the only reason IU’s offense sputtered in 2022, but it became clear how important a mobile quarterback is to the success of Walt Bell’s offense is. While 4-8 (2-7) is certainly disappointing and the injury to Dexter Williams put a kibosh on the excitement of the future, IU found its identity at the position.

Tom Allen and Walt Bell have plenty to figure out before the 2023 opener against Ohio State. They will need to find a quarterback that fits their mold in the transfer portal to not only improve the depth, but fight for the starting job. It will be hard to rely on a redshirt freshman and a true freshman at that position and get the results needed to take a step in the right direction.