Redshirt Preview: Which Redshirt Freshmen Will Breakout in Spring Practice?
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The Hoosiers have some impact players coming off redshirt years. Image: Cam Koenig HoosierHuddle.com
Written By Alex Compton
I’ve often felt that redshirt freshmen are the forgotten members of a football team. Many fans (myself included) read up on high school seniors when they sign with the Indiana Hoosiers and then wait for those players to make an impact on the field. If the recruit ends up redshirting during his first year on campus, it can be difficult to remember him when it comes time to preview the coming football season. What does the player offer? If he came in as an athlete, what position is he going to play after practicing for a full year? How does he fit in on the depth chart? How much progress has there been in his game during his time away from the watchful eyes of fans? With this in mind, I thought it would be beneficial to take a look at each of the guys who redshirted in 2016!
Peyton Ramsey
6’2”/208 lbs./QB from Cincinnati, OH
Peyton Ramsey has a chance to play this season. The three-star out of Ohio played a ton of high-level high school football, and sources within the program have told Hoosier Huddle on multiple occasions that he really turned some heads during the season with his play on the scout team. He was named offensive scout team player of the year after being named player of the week five times (Florida International, Michigan State, Maryland, Michigan and Purdue). He is regarded as a super smart guy with an undeniably high football IQ. Some high school stats listed on IUHoosiers.com go to show how impressive of a player Ramsey was at Elder High School in Cincy. “Two-time Greater Catholic League South Player of the Year ... special mention all-state, Enquirer Media All-Star and first team all-district selection as a junior and senior ... finished his career with 6,708 yards on 570-of-900 passing (63.3 percent) with 49 touchdowns ... collected 2,692 rushing yards on 465 carries (5.8 average) and 32 rushing TDs ... holds Elder career records in passing yards, total touchdowns, completions and attempts ... owns single-game records in TD passes (6), completions (31) and attempts (54) ... led Elder to three straight playoff appearances, the 2015 regional final and a conference championship ... passed for 2,689 yards with 26 scores his senior season ... added 1,232 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground ... threw for 2,062 yards and 13 TDs in 2014 ... rushed for 908 yards with 12 scores.”
WHY DID HE REDSHIRT?
After Nate Sudfeld graduated, IU was left with a huge hole at quarterback. Knowing that this team was a solid quarterback away from at least six wins and another bowl appearance, Kevin Wilson went out and looked for a QB that had some experience and could make all of the throws. He ended up bringing in Richard Lagow, and he had a season full of ups and downs as the starter. Other guys on the roster had experience as well, and that makes it harder on a QB to get any sort of consistent playing time barring major injuries. Playing Big Ten football well as a true freshman is really difficult, and playing quarterback well as a true freshman well is next to impossible. It takes time for QB’s to adjust to the speed of the game, the reads, the more advanced playbook, etc., and that is why Ramsey redshirted.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN 2017 AND BEYOND?
Peyton Ramsey is going to have a really good shot at starting under center for Indiana before it is all said and done. With that said, Richard Lagow is probably going to be the starter for IU next year. His arm talent alone gives IU the best shot to win, and he is the only quarterback on the roster with enough game experience to take this team to its ceiling. Ramsey should be in line for the backup job if he can beat out redshirt sophomore Austin King, and that would make Danny Cameron the likely QB4. Tom Allen and new offensive coordinator Mike DeBord have both stressed repeatedly how they look for quarterbacks that are mobile, but not necessarily your “dual-threat” type guys. If Ramsey can show he is athletic enough to extend and make some plays with his feet and is able to master another playbook, the 2018 offense looks like it could be Ramsey’s to run. He will have to beat out Austin King, incoming freshman Nick Tronti (likely to redshirt), and a quarterback in the 2018 class, as IU is targeting some blue-chip prospects heavily. All in all, Peyton Ramsey is a great guy to have in your QB room. He has the intangibles necessary to win in the Big Ten, but only time will tell if he can couple this with enough talent to see snaps for the Hoosiers. My bet is he will.
Cole Gest
5’8”/196 lbs./RB from Lyndhurst, OH
Cole Gest is different from the other guys in this piece because we actually have a little bit of game action to evaluate him on. Gest played in the first three games, and played well, before suffering a lower leg injury that forced him to miss the last three contests. In those games, he ran the ball 10 times for 47 yards and returned five kickoffs for 110 yards. Gest played incredibly well in some big time high school football games, and the three-star prospect boasts as impressive of an high school resume as anyone on the team. From IUHoosiers.com: “Led St. Edward to Division I state championships in 2014 and 2015 and a 27-3 record ... finished his career as the school’s all-time leading rusher with nearly 4,000 yards ... carded 50 career rushing touchdowns and scored at least one TD in 24 consecutive games ... first team All-Ohio and first team all-district as a senior ... rushed for 2,097 yards with 25 scores as a senior ... added 20 receptions, 342 yards and three touchdowns ... collected 1,854 rushing yards and 25 TDs as a junior ... named first team all-district and special mention All-Ohio”.
WHY DID HE REDSHIRT?
If Gest didn’t get injured early in the year, he wouldn’t have redshirted. If Gest came back and played late in the season, he would have lost the ability to redshirt, so it isn’t certain if he could have come back towards the end of the year or not. Regardless, the injury forced him to miss most of the season, and it may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. If Gest is able to get back to 100% (all signs indicating he will), then he gained some game experience without having to give up a year of eligibility. Ultimately with the depth IU had at running back last year, it didn’t make sense to rush him back on the field and burn his redshirt
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN 2017 AND BEYOND?
Cole Gest isn’t the best running back on Indiana’s roster, but he does have something that the other backs don’t. Gest has breakaway speed, and that ability is the sole reason that he saw playing time as a true freshman on an offense loaded with weapons. He flashed his ability during the games he played in on kickoffs and out of the backfield, and he should be in line for a larger role this season. The change of pace he offers is too important to not give him steady touches on offense, and IU fans should be excited about the big play potential he offers. If Gest can improve his route running and ball skills in the passing game and also work on his ball security, he will be a solid piece for IU over the next four seasons. Pass blocking and running between the tackles will be a challenge for him due to his size, but a weapon like Gest will be utilized regardless. IU could see up to seven backs get solid touches next year, but look for Gest to stand out as a possible number two for Mike DeBord’s offense.
Taysir Mack
6’2”/196 lbs./WR from Brooklyn, NY
A late flip from Rutgers, Taysir Mack joined Phil Benker as the only receiver commits in the 2017 class. The three-star prospect out of Brooklyn has intriguing size and ball skills, but saw his ratings fluctuate heavily across the different major recruiting services. He ended up with an 83 point average (three-star) across them all, but it is interesting that different analysts had pretty different thoughts about his skills. Former O-Coordinator Kevin Johns actually flipped Mack on signing day and let out a yell during the signing day press conference that could be heard from the hallway. There is no doubt Mack is talented, as his high school stats would go to show you, but he is sort of an unknown as we head in to 2017. “First team all-state selection in 2015 ... named the All-Brooklyn Player of the Year ... led the team to a perfect season and the city championship ... caught 66 passes for 1,210 yards (18.3 average) and 16 touchdowns ... made 45 receptions for 884 yards (19.7) and 13 TDs as a junior” (IUHoosiers.com).
WHY DID HE REDSHIRT?
Simply put, IU was loaded at the skill positions last season. During the offseason last year, we kept talking about how the quarterbacks would have a crazy amount of talented options to throw to, and that is essentially why Mack took a redshirt. He spent the season learning the system and getting stronger, and his hard work should put him in the mix this year. In a season with so much talent at WR like last year, using a redshirt for a guy like Mack that wouldn’t have played much at all just made the most sense.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN 2017 AND BEYOND?
This season is much like last season in the sense that the Hoosiers will have a ton of talent at the skill positions. Simmie Cobbs and J-Shun Harris return from injury, and Nick Westbrook, Luke Timian, Donovan Hale, and Isaac James are also back. Jonah Morris is eligible after taking a redshirt last year (more on him later), and freshman Whop Philyor is likely to see some snaps as well. While Mack is talented, cracking the rotation this season will certainly be challenging. Mike DeBord has been known to rotate guys in at receiver however, so if Mack can stay ready and make some plays when his number is called, you never know what can happen. Mack will be a solid player for IU at some point in his career, but this season he likely projects as a guy that will provide quality depth behind some more established players.
Jonah Morris
6’4”/201 lbs./WR from Akron, OH
Jonah Morris was the highest rated prospect in IU’s 2016 class, and it wasn’t close. He was a four-star prospect on some sites, and was ranked as the 18th best athlete in the country. At 6’4” with crazy speed, IU saw enough to be convinced that he would be a dominant wide receiver in the Big Ten. He was named scout team player of the week against Purdue, and his high school stats and accolades are ridiculous. From IUHoosiers.com, he “ received All-America honors from MaxPreps ... named player of the year by the Akron Beacon Journal and the Akron Touchdown Club ... recognized as the Northeast Ohio Inland Defensive Player of the Year ... a first team all-state, all-district and all-league selection ... selected to the 2015 Blue-Grey All-American Bowl ... team captain and three-year starter ... led Archbishop Hoban to the 2015 state championship, the first in program history ... team won a school-record 14 games and finished 14-1 ... rated the No. 228 prospect overall and the No. 1 athlete in the Midwest by Scout ... rated the No. 18 athlete nationally and the No. 13 prospect in Ohio by 247Sports ... three-year football letter winner ... also lettered in basketball and track and field”. His offer list included Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Rutgers and Wisconsin, so the Jonah Morris hype is for real.
WHY DID HE REDSHIRT?
Like I just touched on, IU was loaded at the skill positions last season. Jonah Morris was a guy that I thought could have seen some snaps as a true freshman, but ultimately the depth was the main reason he redshirted. It had less to do with his skill and development, and more to do with the amount of quality, experienced talent that was on the team last year. If Morris was able to refine his route-running ability and add some muscle, then the redshirt season was well worth it.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN 2017 AND BEYOND?
I firmly believe that Jonah Morris will be a star before his career is over in Bloomington. An attack featuring Simmie Cobbs, Nick Westrbook and Jonah Morris on the outside coupled with J-Shun Harris and Luke Timian on the inside should have opposing defenses shaking in their boots during game prep. His length makes it hard for defenders to get hands on the ball, and his speed and leaping ability will make him an extremely attractive target over the top. All of the receivers will have to share touches this year, but Morris should be the focal point of the passing game once Westbrook and Cobbs move on. He is one of the most talented prospects to come to Bloomington in years, and I think he will outplay his low four-star ranking before his career as a Hoosier is over. If IU plays their cards right and Morris stays relatively healthy, this is absolutely an NFL-caliber receiver.
Mackenzie Nworah
6’4”/320 lbs./OG from Houston, TX
Mackenzie Nworah was the prospect I was most excited about landing during the 2016 recruiting process. Watching him on tape, I saw an explosive guard that could pull across the line and punish linebackers. Nworah won’t be Dan Feeney, but his pulling ability and the way he got to the second level reminded me a whole lot of the likely first round pick. Former O-Line coach Greg Frey raved about this guy, and other schools pushed really hard only to watch Nworah select the Hoosiers. He had one of the most impressive IU offer lists in years, as he chose Indiana over Arizona State, Illinois, Boston College, Colorado, Houston, Kansas State, Maryland, Missouri, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech. He played big-time HS football in Texas, and that should have helped him be more prepared for his collegiate experience during his redshirt year.
WHY DID HE REDSHIRT?
IU’s offensive line was solid last year, and featured lots of established talent at guard. Dan Feeney would have started at ANY school in the country at right guard, and Wes Martin had some experience after playing really well during half of the 2015 games at left guard. There were some other guys behind those starters with experience, so redshirting a guy as talented as Nworah made the most sense to make sure you get a full four seasons out of him.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN 2017 AND BEYOND?
Indiana’s offensive line will be good in 2017, but there are some questions about who will play where. Coy Cronk will likely play left tackle, Wes Martin will be back at left guard, and Simon Stepaniak is reportedly in line to play center. Right guard is open, and that is where things get interesting. Delroy Baker or Brandon Knight will play right tackle, and we think that Brandon Knight will move inside to right guard if Baker wins the job. If Nworah shows he is good enough to start at RG however, it will be his spot and Baker or Knight will play RT. One day however, Nworah will start at one of the guard spots. He has all of the tools to be a dominant Big Ten guard, and his challenge now will be to beat out some guys on the roster to earn that starting job.
Grayson Stover
6’6”/300 lbs./OT from Spring Hill, FL
Grayson Stover was a one-time South Florida commit, but the chance to play Big Ten football was ultimately too much for Stover to pass up. He chose IU over plenty of offers, including ones from Maryland, Iowa State, Ohio, Rutgers, Temple, Vanderbilt, and Virginia. Stover won scout team player of the week twice, coming during the Northwestern and Penn State weeks. Some of his accomplishments and accolades include: “played in the Blue-Grey All-American Game ... two-time first team all-conference selection ... voted by the team as the top lineman as a junior and senior ... posted 87 knockdowns (8 per game) in 2015 ... Hudson averaged 275 rushing yards per game his final two seasons ... team had at least one 1,000-yard rusher in each of his three campaigns, including two his senior year ... played in the county’s first all-star game ... Hudson lost 20 straight games before his arrival and strung together three straight winning seasons during his career” (IUHoosiers.com).
WHY DID HE REDSHIRT?
Like I just mentioned, IU’s offensive line was very good, especially at tackle. Coy Cronk was really solid as a true freshman at left tackle, and Dimitric Camiel, Brandon Knight, Delroy Baker and Dan Feeney combined to turn in a nice season at right tackle. With no real playing time in sight, redshirting Stover was the safe and smart play. Stover likely could have played some snaps due to injury and general fatigue, but a guy like Stover will end up playing down the line and a whole season of eligibility shouldn’t be spent on spot snaps.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN 2017 AND BEYOND?
Grayson Stover will likely have to spend this season as a backup tackle. Coy Cronk will play left tackle, and Brandon Knight or Delroy Baker will play right tackle. Behind those guys, he will have to battle Davondre Love and early enrollee Tyler Knight for playing time. Stover is a really athletic tackle that has great technique with his hands. He will end up starting at points in his career, but he will have to work hard to see the field consistently. Stover is a great guy to have on the roster due to the skill he provides as a backup, and I have little doubt that his number will be called at some point during 2017. Beyond 2017, Stover’s situation is tough to project. Brandon Knight and Coy Cronk are still really young, and IU is targeting a handful of talented tackles in the 2018 class as well. Depth charts are hard to project from week to week, let alone two years out, so I won’t make a call on where I see Stover beyond this season. He is talented enough to start at a tackle position, but it is too early to tell at this point whether or not that will be the case in the future.
Shaun Bonner
6’3”/245 lbs./OT from Moultrie, GA
Shaun Bonner might be the most mysterious player from the 2016 class. Kevin Wilson jumped on him late in the recruiting cycle, and he was an unranked, relatively unknown prospect at that point in time. He ended up as a two-star prospect (lowest in the class) and his only other offer was from Georgia Southern. Kevin Wilson cited his hands and blocking ability as the reasons for going after Bonner, but he is still very much an unknown at this point in this IU career.
WHY DID HE REDSHIRT?
Shaun Bonner is still a project at this point in his career, and that means he was not ready to contribute in the Big Ten as a true freshman last year. He has good size, but adjusting to the college game is the hardest part of the jump from high school, and that is why Bonner took a redshirt.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN 2017 AND BEYOND?
It is hard to say what Bonner’s future at IU has in store for him. Heading in to 2017, I would say Bonner is the #5 tight end. Danny Friend and Ian Thomas will share starting duties as seniors, and Austin Dorris appears to be primed for a breakout season as a playmaking backup. Freshman Peyton Hendershot could see some snaps, but a redshirt could also be in the cards for him. IU tight ends only caught TEN passes as a group last season, although new offensive coordinator Mike DeBord has vowed to get the talented group more involved this year. Beyond the guys currently on the roster, Tom Allen and his staff are targeting a few athletic pass-catching ends in the 2018 class, so it would appear that Bonner doesn’t exactly fit Allen’s “type”. Bonner could be a guy that plays this year based on matchups or in short yardage situations as a blocker, but other than that I don’t see him playing much at all in 2017. After this season, Friend and Thomas graduate, so that would a more reasonable time to look out for Bonner playing a sizable role in the offense.
Jerome Johnson
6’3”/300 lbs./DT from Bassfield, MS
Jerome Johnson was a late add to the 2016 class, but an absolutely vital one. He was the only interior lineman in the class, and came at a time where the defensive line appeared to be in shambles. The defensive line outperformed all expectations last year, but the D-Line will have to increase their production in 2017 if IU wants to get over the hump. Running backs coach Deland McCullough actually recruited Johnson to IU, and the three-star chose the Hoosiers over Illinois, Louisville, and Ole Miss. He has the size you’re looking for in an interior lineman, and he reportedly turned a lot of heads during his redshirt year after a high school career that included some of the following. “three-time first team all-state and first team all-region selection ... named the 2015 Region 7-2A Most Valuable Player and the Mississippi Association of Coaches Player of the Year ... two-time all-area honoree posted 88 tackles, eight sacks and 20 tackles for loss his senior campaign ... led Bassfield to its fourth straight state championship ... played in the 2015 Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game ... added 14 TFLs as a junior” (IUHoosiers.com).
WHY DID HE REDSHIRT?
We originally thought that Jerome Johnson could have cracked the two-deep as a true freshman, but ultimately the experienced players stepped up and won the snaps. Ralph Green was a beast, and Nate Hoff really played well after a disappointing sophomore season. Mike Barwick Jr., Robert McCray and Ja’merez Bowen also played great in support roles, so it was actually a great decision to redshirt Johnson, as he will now have four years to play heavy snaps.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN 2017 AND BEYOND?
Jerome Johnson could start alongside Nate Hoff in 2017. He and early-enrollee Juan Harris will be tasked with replacing Ralph Green, and together, they should be able to get the job done. Johnson reportedly improved as much as any member of the team during last season, so picturing him as a run-stopping starter is not out of the picture at all. Even if he isn’t listed as a starter, Johnson will play a large amount of snaps for the Hoosiers in 2017 and beyond. His focus will be on staying in shape and becoming more discipline technique-wise in the coming seasons, and these should really help Johnson’s development. A few more years of Mark Hagen could turn Johnson into an All-B1G caliber player, and it will be exciting to watch and see what the tandem of he and Juan Harris could turn in to.
Phil Benker
6’2”/203 lbs./WR from Jacksonville, FL
Despite having a healthy balance of skill players already on the roster, IU went hard after Phil Benker in 2016. While he was ranked a lower-tier three-star prospect, former OC Kevin Johns liked him enough to push hard for him throughout the recruiting period. Benker was the scout team player of the week against Purdue, and ultimately picked IU over just one other Power Five offer from Wake Forest. His rankings weren’t impressive, but his stats and accolades were. “posted 104 receptions, 1,914 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career ... the school’s all-time leader in catches and receiving yardage ... all-stater was selected to the 2015 Times-Union Super 24 team ... two-time all-conference and All-First Coast honoree ... named Sandalwood’s most valuable player in 2014 and 2015 ... made 59 receptions for 1,061 yards and 10 TDs as a junior” (IUHoosiers.com).
WHY DID HE REDSHIRT?
IU was incredibly lucky to have the amount of talented skill guys that it had on the team last year. There wasn’t much playing time to be found even for a guy like Jonah Morris, and even after J-Shun Harris and Simmie Cobbs went down with injuries. Benker could have played some special teams, but IU had enough athleticism at some defensive positions. Instead of spending a year of eligibility on special teams, the coaching staff decided it would be best for Benker to work on improving behind the scenes.
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT IN 2017 AND BEYOND?
Playing time for receivers, especially young ones, will be hard to come by in 2017. With that in mind, don’t expect to see Benker much outside of special teams. He is athletic and has great size, and will contribute in the later stages of his career for sure. For now however, Benker will be used to push guys in practice and make plays on special teams. You always have room for players with the talent of Benker on your team, and IU is now in a place where I guy like him can be used to provide depth.
PLAYERS COMING OFF OF MEDICAL REDSHIRTS
Andre Brown Jr.
6’0”/195 lbs./DB from Decatur, GA
Brown Jr. started eight of nine games in his freshman season in 2015 before suffering a season-ending injury. In those games, he made 35 tackles (27 solo), four pass breakups, and one fumble recovery. He is a great tackler at the cornerback position, and will provide great depth this season after he missing all of last season due to injury and received a medical redshirt. He will be a redshirt sophomore this year.
Jameel Cook Jr.
6’1”/203 lbs./DB from Missouri City, Texas
Cook Jr. appeared in eight games as a true freshman in 2015 before he suffered an injury and missed the last five games. He had 16 tackles (11 solo), 1 pass breakup, and a game-sealing 96-yard interception return for a touchdown against FIU. He will see some snaps if he is healthy in 2017.
Simmie Cobbs Jr.
6’4”/224 lbs./WR from Oak Park, IL
Simmie Cobbs was IU’s best weapon during his sophomore season, and his injury in the Ball State game was an unfortunate blow to Indiana’s offense. In his sophomore year in 2015, Cobbs “made 60 receptions (8th in the Big Ten) for 1,035 yards (3rd) and four touchdowns ... became the sixth Hoosier with a 1,000-yard season and ranks sixth all-time ... averaged 79.6 yards (3rd in the Big Ten), 4.6 receptions per game (9th) and 17.2 yards per catch (3rd) ... led the Hoosiers in receptions, yards, yards per game, catches per game and yards per grab ... posted four 100-yard games, which shared third in the conference ... in league games only, he finished first with 18.1 yards per catch, second with 670 yards and 83.8 per game, and tied for ninth with 37 receptions and 4.6 per game ... started all 13 games ... led the team in catches five times (twice with game-high honors) and yardage six times (thrice) ... recorded six games with five-or-more receptions, six games with 80-or-more yards and 10 games with 50-or-more yards ... posted 20 20-yard grabs, 11 30-yarders, four 40-yarders and a career-long 55-yarder” (IUHoosiers.com). He will be the focal point on offense again this season.
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