Storylines to Watch for During IU’s Spring Practice

Image: Zach Greene Hoosier Huddle

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The Indiana Hoosiers will open their spring football practice on March 4th and hold 15 practices before the spring season concludes with their Spring Football Event on April 15th in Memorial Stadium.

IU is coming off a 4-8 (2-7) that was disappointing, but still a two-win improvement from a disastrous 2021 campaign. However, the Hoosiers have some momentum as head coach Tom Allen and his staff pieced together a top-10 transfer class. When added to the incoming freshmen, the class is ranked in the top-40 nationally.

There will be plenty of new faces on the gridiron and the sidelines this spring as IU also has brought in several new coaches, headlined by offensive line coach Bob Bostad.

Spring practice is a time for development and instillation. It gives players a chance to move up on the depth chart or stake a claim to an open position.

Here are the storylines Hoosier Huddle will be keeping an eye on over this six-week period.

1. Quarterback Battle

The Hoosiers will enter spring practice with a legitimate quarterback battle. With Dexter Williams’s health in jeopardy for the 2023 season, the battle is between two redshirt freshmen (Tayven Jackson and Brendan Sorsby) and true freshman Broc LowMry.

While Jackson has the most experience, all of three games at Tennessee, he will not just be handed the job. Sorsby played in one game for IU last year and understandably looked overwhelmed against Penn State. Lowery, while a highly talented player, is fresh out of high school.

IU does not have to announce who will start the season opener against Ohio State at the conclusion of spring practice, but they should have sufficient data on each player to start having an idea who may win the job in fall camp. This will be the headline story for much of the offseason.

2.  Bob Bostad’s Impact on the Offensive Line

Bostad’s hiring was probably the most important of the offseason. The Hoosier offensive line has been a weak link for over the last few seasons and one of the main reasons why IU slipped from 14-7 in 2019 and 2020 to just 6-18 over the last two seasons.

While it is always difficult to judge the impact or improvements on the offensive line in spring practice, all eyes will be in the trenches if IU plays a full spring game. Bostad has a good history with Wisconsin and developing players. IU has the talent, now they must be groomed.

3.  Allen Gives Up Defensive Play Calling

Another big piece of news this off-season, while not unexpected, is Allen handing the defensive play calling to new co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Matt Guerrieri. This will free up Allen to worry about the big picture of the program and follows the blueprint for success from 2019 and 2020 when Kane Wommack was calling the defense.

Guerrieri comes in from Ohio State after spending a decade as a defensive coach at Duke. He knows the system and will use spring practice to evaluate his roster and implement his twist on the 4-2-5.

4. Impact Transfers on Campus

One of the biggest reasons for optimism in the 2023 season are the transfers that Allen and his staff brought in from the portal. The headliners are quarterback Tayven Jackson and defensive end Andre Carter, but there are more than a handful of impact players on each side of the ball coming in.

On offensive wide receivers E.J. Williams (Clemson) and Dequece Carter (Fordham) will be in the rotation, if not starting early in the season. Offensive lineman Max Longman (UMass) will provide experienced depth in the trenches while running back Christian Turner (Wake Forest) will be a nice running back behind Josh Henderson.

On defense, the line was the focus as IU three defensive linemen and a couple players at the Bull position.

5. Redshirt Freshmen to Watch

One of the more fun things to watch in any spring practice is which players who redshirted their first season on campus. Even with the players being able to appear in four games and preserving their redshirt, there is still some mystery as what these players can provide.

For IU there are several redshirt freshmen who can have an impact in the 2023 season that will get more chances to prove themselves in spring football. There are nearly a dozen redshirt players on offense that can potentially add quality depth and production to this year’s team.

On the offensive line Bray Lynch, Carter Smith and DJ Moore are all one year more mature than 2022. While they may not be in the starting lineup, they can work their way into the rotation. Smith and Lynch both got playing time at the end of the season last year.

Kamryn Perry and Omar Cooper are two wide receivers who will get their change to solidify their spots in the rotation as well. Tight ends Brody Foley and Ryan Miller are both in position to make a difference at a position of need.

On defense, players like Nick James, J’mari Monette and Venson Sneed could be thrown into the rotation along the line. While secondary players like James Monds, Trevell Mullen and Jamari Sharpe are players who can make their case for bigger roles in 2023.

The linebacker depth can be helped if Isaiah Jones and Kaiden Turner can build off of their performances at the end of the year as well.

Spring practice is not always the most exciting of times in the college football season, but for the Hoosiers it is a chance to build on the momentum of the offseason and build depth on a roster that needs an infusion of young talent.