Indiana Hoosiers All-Decade Team (2010-2019)
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Image: Amanda Pavelka Hoosier Huddle
Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)
As the decade closes out and we ring in a new year in just a few hours, I have put together my All-Decade team for the Indiana Hoosiers. This is just my opinion and I encourage discussion. The 2010’s were an up and down time for the Hoosiers as three head coaches spent time leading IUFB. The Hoosiers have had success though and some may call it the most successful decade since the 1980’s or 1990’s for the Hoosier football program. Indiana’s team won 49 games over the ten years, including six wins against Purdue (the first winning decade against the Boilermakers since the 1940’s) and qualified for three bowl games.
Indiana Hoosiers All-Decade Team 2010’s
Nate Sudfeld (7) fires a pass Image: Cam Koenig Hoosier Huddle
Offense:
QB- Nate Sudfeld (2012-15)- Sudfeld left IU as the Hoosiers career leader in passing yards (7,879), passing touchdowns (61) and 300-yard passing games (11) while playing in 38 of a possible 49 games. Sudfeld missed five games as a true freshman in 2012 and the final five games of the 2014 season due to a shoulder injury. He helped lead the Hoosiers to the New Era Pinstripe Bowl in 2015 when he threw for 3,573 yards and 27 touchdowns and claimed three wins over Purdue as well as a road upset of 18th ranked Missouri in 2014.
RB- Tevin Coleman (2012-14)- Coleman had one of the most remarkable seasons that a running back could have during the 2014 season as he ran for 2,036 yards and 15 touchdowns while carrying a Hoosier squad that lost Sudfeld at the mid-way point of the season. Coleman finished fifth all-time at IU for career rushing yards (3,219) and sixth in total touchdowns with 29. He was as special of a player as IU has had at running back in its history.
RB- Devine Redding (2014-16)- There were plenty of choices for the second running back spot for this decade, however I settled on Devine Redding for several reasons. While Jordan Howard was great in his only year with the Hoosiers, he played in just nine games and Stevie Scott’s career to date is really good, but Redding’s body of work is better.
Redding was the first Hoosier running back since the 1991 season to run for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. He was durable as well. He played in all 26 games between the 2015 and 2016 seasons. He finished his IU career with 2,252 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns before leaving early to test the NFL waters. He also set the school record for rushing yards in a bowl game with 234 against Duke in the 2015 New Era Pinstripe Bowl.
WR- Cody Latimer (2011-13)- Latimer is one of the best pass catchers in IU football history. His name is littered all of the school record book. Latimer finished ninth in career receiving yards (2,042), 10th in career receptions (135), sixth in career receiving touchdowns (17) and owns the third highest single-season receiving yards in IU history.
WR- Shane Wynn (2011-14)- Wynn was a hit on and off the field with fans. His smile and dynamic playmaking was easy to root for. He finished seventh in career receiving yards (2,198) and eighth in career touchdowns scored (25). Wynn reached the end zone in a variety of ways including punt returns, kick returns, receiving and rushing.
Nick Westbrook (15) celebrates a TD at Purdue Image: Amanda Pavelka Hoosier Huddle
WR- Nick Westbrook (2015-19)- I went with Nick Westbrook here because overall his career has been pretty darn good. He is currently eighth all-time in IU history in receiving yards, but can move into fifth with 58 yards in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. He also sits at seventh with 16 receiving touchdowns and needs just two to move into the top five in IU history. It would have been interesting to see where Westbrook landed in the record book had he not hurt his knee in 2017.
TE- Ted Bolser (2010-13)- Tight end was a tough choice as Peyton Hendershot has had an outstanding 2019 season and Ian Thomas was one of the most talented players Indiana has had at the position, but was dreadfully under used. Bolser had about as steady a career at IU as you can have at tight end finishing with 117 catches for 1,337 yards and 15 touchdowns.
OL- Jason Spriggs (2012-15)- Spriggs helped anchor one of the best offensive lines in IU history and finished his career being named an All-American by several national outlets.
OL- Dan Feeney (2012-16)- Feeney was the fourth player ever at IU to earn two first-team All-American honors. He helped lead the Hoosiers to back-to-back bowl games in 2015 and 2016 and led the the way for an Indiana offense that ranked near the top of the conference for most of his career.
OL- Colin Rahrig (2010-14)- Rahrig was the beginning of the talent alomng the Indiana offensive line. During his senior year in 2014, he only allowed two sacks in 808 offensive snaps.
Wes Martin Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle
OL- Wes Martin (2014-18)- Martin was a hoss at the guard position and really blossomed into a star in the wake of Dan Feeney. Not only was Martin one of the strongest players to ever play at IU, he was also pretty darn good. He played in 50 games with 43 starts, was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection.
OL- Coy Cronk (2016-19)- Cronk’s senior year was cut short after just four games due to a gruesome leg injury and he may be back for the 2020 season. However, the rest of his career merits being on this list. He was a freshman All-American at a position that it is nearly impossible to be really good at as a true freshman. He has started 40 games in his career and was widely considered one of Indiana’s most indispensable players heading into the 2019 season.
Defense:
DL- Ralph Green (2012-16)- Aside from being one of the better characters for Indiana football over the last decade, Green was a very productive defensive tackle. He played in 47 games, including 19 starts, and made 92 tackles with 21 of those coming for a loss. He also blocked two field goals. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2016 as a senior and helped IU land in two bowl games.
DL- Nate Hoff (2014-17)- Hoff was an under-appreciated piece of the Indiana defense during his time as a Hoosier. He was productive on the field with 90 career tackles and 20 career tackles for loss. He helped lead a defensive turnaround in 2016 with Ralph Green.
DL- Adam Replogle (2009-12)- While Replogle did play in the previous decade, most of his production came from 2010 through 2012. He made 183 tackles with 28.5 of them coming for a loss including 15 sacks. As a senior in 2012, he was named Indiana’s team MVP and earned second-team All-Big Ten recognition by both the coaches and media. Replogle may fly under the radar a bit since IU won only 14 games during his four years as a Hoosiers, but he was one of the hardest working, productive defensive lineman IU has had in recent history.
DL- Nick Mangieri (2012-15)- Mangieri was another very productive defensive end for the Hoosiers, however the defenses he played with were not always very good. He finished his career with 127 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks and two interceptions. During his senior season he earned honorable mention All-Big Ten while leading the Hoosiers with 9.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
LB- Tegray Scales (2014-17)- Scales earned All-American honors for a monster 2016 season when he made 126 tackles and had 23.5 tackles for loss. He finished his Hoosier career 10th on IU’s all-time list with 325 tackles and third for tackles for loss with 46. He was Indiana’s MVP in 2016 and won the defensive MVP in the Foster Farms Bowl against Utah after making 10 tackles, three for a loss including two sacks.
Chris Covington (4) and Jonathan Crawford (9) Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle
LB- Chris Covington (2014-17)- Covington only played a brief time at linebacker after starting his IU career at quarterback. He makes the list because during his senior season was fantastic. He made 85 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and had two sacks. It was good enough to win IU’s defensive player of the year and an All-Big Ten honorable mention.
LB- TJ Simmons (2013-16)- The third linebacker spot has to go to Simmons. He started his career as a vicious hitter and while things changed later in his career and injuries plus being in no man’s land in Allen’s defense ended his career. Simmons made 213 career tackles, 16 tackles for loss and six sacks. As a freshman he was named a Freshman All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com as well as making ESPN.com’s Freshman All-Big Ten team and honorable mention All-Big Ten.
DB- Rashard Fant (2013-17)- Fant is a lock on this list. He came in as a four-star recruit and while it took a couple seasons for him to reach his full potential, it was worth the wait. Fant played in 49 games and was one of the best cover corners in recent IU history. He left IU as their career leader with 58 career passes broken up and had five interceptions as well as three fumble recoveries to go along with his 123 career tackles. He helped IU get to two bowl games as well. Fant was a two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection.
DB- Tim Bennett (2012-14)- Bennett came to IU from junior college and immediately impacted the secondary. He left IU with 132 career tackles, 32 pass break ups and an interception in 35 games (27 starts). Bennett was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2013.
DB- Mark Murphy (2011-14)- Murphy excelled both on and off the field for the Hoosiers at a time when the defense was struggling to find an identity. He finished his career at IU with 274 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, four interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) and was a two-time Academic All-American. Murphy was a Campbell Trophy (academic Heisman) finalist in 2014 as well.
DB- Jonathan Crawford (2015-18)- Jonathan Crawford was an impact player from day one for the Hoosiers as he earned freshman All-American honors. He was one of two players to play in 50 games as a Hoosier. His stats speak for themselves as he made 275 tackles and had nine interceptions and seven fumble recoveries in his four years at IU. He ranks 8th on IU’s all-time list for interceptions as well. He left IU as a three-time honorable mention All-Big Ten Selection.
Special Teams:
Griffin Oakes lines up for an extra point for IU Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle
K- Griffin Oakes (2013-17)= Oakes won Big Ten Kicker of the Year honors twice during his Hoosier career. He made 69-of-90 field goal attempts (76.7 percent) and finished his career as IU’s leader in field goals made. He also is second all-time in IU history for made extra points (147) and total points scored during a career at IU (354).
P- Haydon Whitehead (2017-19)- The Australian punter is a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection and has been a weapon for Indiana over the past three seasons. Whitehead has a career average of 40.9 yards per punt and landed 71 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
KR- Shane Wynn (2011-14)- In addition to being a great receiver, Wynn was IU’s last really good kick returner. He sits at third all-time in IU’s history for kick return yards with 1,854.
J-Shun Harris returns a punt for a touchdown in 2018 Image: Sarah Miller
PR- J-Shun Harris (2014-18)- Harris was one of the best stories to come out of IU in a while. After suffering multiple knee injuries, the Fishers (In.) native became one of the most feared punt returners in the Big Ten. He had three punt return touchdowns and finished his career seventh on in IU history with 425 career return yards.