Indiana's Best of All-Time: Crimson Region
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Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)
Welcome to the Indiana Football’sBest of All-Time Tournament presented by Hoosier Huddle. Below are the first-round previews for the Crimson Region. Voting will start at 12:15 ET on Twitter.
First Round Match Up Previews:
Crimson Region
1. Anthony Thompson vs. 16 Herana-Daze Jones (Crimson Region)
Anthony Thompson, RB, 1986-89
- Indiana’s all-time leader in rushing yards (5,299), carries (1,161), points (412) and touchdowns (68)
- 1989 Maxwell Award Winner
- 1989 Walter Camp Award Winner
- 1989 Heisman Trophy Runner-up
- Two-time Big Ten MVP
- Two-time consensus All-American
- Two-time First-team All-Big Ten
- Second-team All-Big Ten
- His number is retired by Indiana
- Second Round Pick in 1990 NFL Draft (Phoenix Cardinals)
- Elected into the Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003
- Elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007
Herana-Daze Jones, DB, 2001-2004
- Fourth in IU history in career tackles made (342)
- Led IU in tackles (110) in 2004, Third in the Big Ten
- Second-team All-Big Ten in 2004
- Six-year NFL career with five teams after going undrafted
2. Tevin Coleman vs. 15. John Cannady (Crimson Region)
Tevin Colmeman, RB, 2012-2014
- IU’s single season leading rusher (2,036 yards in 2014)
- Has two of the seven longest runs in Indiana football history
- The second most rushing yards in a single game (307 vs. Rutgers in 2014)
- Fifth on IU’s all-time career rushing yards list (3,219)
- Led IU in rushing in 2013 and 2014
- Sixth on IU’s all-time touchdowns scored list (29)
- Sixth in IU’s history for most touchdowns in a single season (15 in 2014)
- Fourth on IU’s all-time list for most career rushing touchdowns (28)
- 2014 First-Team All-American
- 2014 First Team All-Big Ten
- 2014 Anthony Thompson team MVP
- Third-Round NFL Draft Pick (Atlanta Falcons, 2015)
John Cannady, Center, 1943-46
- Second-Team All-American in 1946
- Helped lead IU to a Big Ten Title in 1945
- First-Team All-Big Ten in 1946
- Selected to the East-West Shrine Game in 1945 and 1946
- Selected to the College All-Star Game in 1944 and 1947
- Third-Round NFL Draft pick in 1947 (NY Giants)
3. Jade Butcher vs. 14. Trent Green. (Crimson Region)
Jade Butcher, WR, 1967-69
- Led IU in receiving from 1967-69
- Fifth all-time in IU history for career touchdowns scored (30)
- Second all-time in IU history for career touchdown receptions (30)
- Three-straight years of 10 touchdown receptions
- 180-career points scored
- Helped lead IU to a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl appearance in 1967
- First-Team All-American in 1969
- Two-time First-Team All-Big Ten honoree
- Participant in the Hula Bowl and North-South All-Star Game in 1969
- Member of the Indiana University Athletics Hall of Fame
Trent Green, QB, 1989-92
- Seventh on IU’s all-time career passing list (5,400 yards)
- Eighth most passing yards in a single-season at IU (2,627 in 1991 was number 1 at the time)
- Elected to play in the 1992 Senior Bowl
- 1992 Anthony Thompson Team MVP
- Started in two bowl games, last IU QB to lead Indiana to a bowl win
- Eight-Round NFL Draft pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1993
- 16-year NFL career
- IU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee
- IU Football locker room is named after Trent and Julie Green
4. Tom Nowatski vs. 13. Whop Philyor (Crimson Region)
Tom Nowatski, FB/K, 1962-64
- Led the Hoosiers in rushing in 1963 and 1964
- Led the Hoosiers in points scored in 1963 and 1964
- Seventh on Indiana’s all-time list for points scored in a game (21 in 1964)
- Held the IU record for longest field goal (50 yards) for nine seasons
- First-Team All American in 1964
- Two-time First-Team All Big Ten selection (1963-64)
- Participated in the 1965 Senior Bowl and All-American Bowl
- Participated in the 1964 East-West Shrine Game
- 1963 Anthony Thompson IU MVP
- First-Round NFL Draft pick of the Detroit Lions in 1965
- Eight-year NFL career with the Lions and Baltimore Colts
- 1995 Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame inductee
Whop Philyor, WR, 2017-Present
- Indiana’s all-time leader in games with double-digit catches (five)
- Currently seventh in IU history for 100-yard receiving games (six)
- Currently 15th in IU history for receptions (126)
- Currently 20th in IU history for total receiving yards (1,572)
- Honorable-mention All-Big Ten Freshman Team Honoree (2017)
- Second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2019
5. Vaughn Dunbar vs. 12. Rodger Saffold (Crimson Region)
Vaughn Dunbar, RB, 1990-91
- Seventh all-time leading rusher in IU history (3,029 yards)
- Second highest rushing total in a single-season in IU history (1,805 yards in 1991)
- Fourth most rushing yards in a single game in IU history (265 in 1991)
- All-time leader in IU history for rushing attempts in a season (364 in 1991)
- Seventh all-time in IU history for career all-purpose yards (4,041)
- Tied for eighth in IU history for career touchdowns scored (25)
- First-Team All-American selection in 1991
- Finished in 6th place in the 1991 Heisman Trophy race
- First-Team All-Big Ten selection in 1991
- Second-Team All-Big Ten selection in 1990
- Offensive MVP of the 1991 Copper Bowl
- Participated in the 1991 East-West Shrine Game
- 1991 Anthony Thompson IU team MVP
- First-Round NFL Draft pick for the New Orleans Saints in 1992
- Four-year NFL career with the Saints and Jacksonville Jaguars
Rodger Saffold, OL, 2006-2009
- Started 41 of 42 career games for the Hoosiers
- Anchored an offensive line that helped IU to score a then-school record 412 points
- Second-Team All-Big Ten Selection in 2009
- Participated in the 2010 East-West Shrine Game
- Second-Round NFL Draft Pick in 2010 (St. Louis Rams)
- Currently entering his 11th year in the NFL, now with the Tennessee Titans
6. Corby Davis vs. 11. Joe Norman (Crimson Region)
Corby Davis, FB, 1934-35, 1937
- 1937 Big Ten MVP
- First-Team All-American selection in 1937
- First-Team All-Big Ten selection in 1937
- Participated in the 1938 East-West Shrine Game
- Participated in the 1938 College All-Star Game
- 1937 Anthony Thompson IU Team MVP
- First overall pick in the 1938 NFL Draft (Cleveland Rams)
- Played four seasons in the NFL
- Fought in World War II
Joe Norman, LB, 1975-78
- Indiana’s all-time leader in career tackles (444)
- IU record for tackles in a single game (26)
- Most tackles in a single season in IU history (199 in 1978)
- Led team in tackles for loss in 1978 (13)
- Second-Team All-American selection in 1978
- First-Team All-Big Ten Selection in 1978
- Participated in the 1978 Hula Bowl and 1978 Japan Bowl
- Two-time Anthony Thompson Team MVP winner (1977-78)
-Two-year team captain (1977-78)
- Second-Round NFL Draft Pick in 1979 (Seattle Seahawks)
- Four-year NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks
7. Jammie Kirlew vs. 10. Courtney Roby (Crimson Region)
Jammie Kirlew, DL, 2006-09
- Second in IU history for career tackles for loss (52.5)
- Fifth most tackles for loss in a single-season in IU history (19.5 in 2008)
- Tied for third most tackles for loss in a single-game in IU history (4.5 in 2007)
- Led IU in tackles for loss in 2007 and 2008
- Third leading career sack getter in IU history (23)
- Fourth highest single season sack total in IU history (10.5 in 2008)
- Led IU in sacks in 2007 and 2008
- First-team All-Big Ten Selection in 2008
- Second-Team All-Big Ten Selection in 2009
- Four-time Academic All-Big Ten Selection
- Two-time Anthony Thompson Team MVP winner
- Participated in the Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Game in 2010
- Seventh-Round NFL Draft Pick in 2010 (Denver Broncos)
Courtney Roby, WR, 2001-04
- Left IU as the school’s leader in career receiving yards (2,524) and receptions (170)
- Fifth most receiving yards in a single-season at IU (1,039 in 2002)
- Second-Team All-Big Ten Selection in 2004
- 2004 Anthony Thompson Team MVP winner
- Third-Round NFL Draft Pick in 2005 (Tennessee Titans)
- Nine-year NFL career with five teams
8. Mitch Ewald vs. 9. Tom Allen (Crimson Region)
Mitch Ewald, K, 2010-13
- Third in IU history for career points scored (320)
- Second in IU history for career field goals made (53)
- Hold two of the top 10 longest made field goal streaks (10, 9)
- IU’s career leader in extra points made (161)
- IU’s record holder for most extra points in a single game (10)
- 2013 Second-Team All-Big Ten Selection
- Four-time Academic All-Big Ten Selection
Tom Allen, Coach, 2016-Present
- 18 wins in his first three seasons as head coach
- Led Indiana to the biggest defensive turnaround in the nation in 2016
- Led Indiana to a national top-25 ranking for the first time since 1994
- Signed IU’s highest-rated recruiting class in school history
- Has had 29 All-Big Ten selections as head coach
- Currently has one win against Purdue
- Coached the Hoosiers in two bowl games (Foster Farms ’16, Gator ’19)