Spring Preview-A Quarterback Battle is Brewing and Everyone Has Something to Prove

Michael Penix (9) is returning from injury. He battles Jack Tuttle and Peyton Ramsey for snaps. Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle

Written by Nathan Comp

We are under two months away from the Indiana Football spring game and just over a week away from the first spring practice. It is time for Hoosier Huddle’s preview coverage to ramp up after a couple-month break following the season-ending loss to Purdue.

With a new offensive coordinator in town, the expectations are already heightened for Indiana’s 2019 offense. The excitement only grows more when you take a look at the three options Indiana will have at quarterback; each brings a unique skillset but also their own set of questions to the table. The quarterback competition will certainly be on the front of everyone’s mind as the 2019 season draws nearer.

Jack Tuttle Redshirt Freshman 6’4” 205 One Word: Positivity

The quarterback with the most question marks for Indiana fans will be Utah transfer Jack Tuttle. Despite these question marks, he likely also has the highest expectations. Tuttle was a stud in high school and drew offers from all the big names, including the likes of Alabama. However, he did not take any snaps for the Utes last season and announced that he would be transferring after only a couple games. To add to the uncertainty, Tuttle has still not received clearance from the NCAA for immediate eligibility, despite Georgia transfer and now Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields having already received his. Skills wise, Tuttle is equipped with an arm capable of making any throw along with deceiving athleticism in and outside of the pocket.

Mike Penix Redshirt Freshman 6’3” 205 One Word: Ambitious

After needing a spark on the offensive side of the ball towards the end of last season, Mike Penix entered the game October 20th against Penn State for the first time since the September 15th Ball State game. Penix was immediately able to bring more life to the offense, mostly because of his complete cannon of an arm and ability to scramble. However, Penix’s question mark will come from what happened in that Penn State game: after a scramble up the middle, Penix tore his ACL. Although it looked like Allen and former offensive coordinator Mike Debord might have been willing to give Penix the starting job for the remainder of the season, Penix instead had surgery and watched the rest of the season from the sideline. His health will certainly be something to watch this spring, but his willingness to throw the ball downfield and make plays with his feet keep the Penix excitement high.

Peyton Ramsey Redshirt Junior 6’2” 210 One Word: Not Published

Peyton Ramsey brings experience to the QB room. Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle

The incumbent for the quarterback position is Peyton Ramsey. Ramsey is the most well known of the three options Coach DeBoer will have at his disposal, having been the starter for practically the last two years. At his best, Ramsey has shown that he knows how to protect the football while also having the ability to make plays with his legs if needed. He completed 66% of his passes last season and totaled 2875 passing yards and 19 TDs. However, Ramsey was never able to earn the respect of opposing defenses downfield last season. The question with Ramsey is whether this was a product of former offensive coordinator Mike Debord’s offensive scheme, or if the offensive scheme was driven around Ramsey’s seemingly limited arm strength. Either way, Ramsey’s competition will be stiffer this offseason.