2017 Spring Practice Preview: Wide Receivers

/
2017 Spring Practice Preview: Wide Receivers

Written By David Sugarman (@David_Sugarman2)

One play. That’s it. After getting suspended for the season opener vs Florida International one play is what Simmie Cobbs ended up playing after suffering an injury against Ball State that would require season ending ankle surgery. All of a sudden Hoosier quarterback Richard Lagow, in just his second career Division I start, was down his best receiver and looking towards a former walk-on in Mitchell Paige and to Ricky Jones, a big-play threat who had been inconsistent in Big Ten play the year before. A wave of fear washed over the crowd, this is Indiana football’s luck and this is how it’s destined to stay. Like a bully on the playground the injury bug had pushed Indiana to the unforgiving blacktop just as it looked like they were beginning to get back up.

Read More

2016 Defensive Backs Preview: There's Depth And Talent, But Will Results Come?

/
2016 Defensive Backs Preview: There's Depth And Talent, But Will Results Come?

Indiana's pass defense was atrocious last season, ranking next to last in the nation giving up 313.8 yards per game. Despite the extremely low ranking, Indiana did manage to do some things decently, and showed that they have some talent in the secondary. The Hoosiers picked off 12 passes which ranked as a tie for 56th nationally. This season the entire secondary returns, most of them healthy and ready to play in 2016. On paper this may be the deepest and the most raw talent the Hoosiers have had in the secondary, probably ever, but can they turn names on paper into results on the field? The answer to that question is probably the difference between another bowl game, possibly seven or eight wins, and spending the holidays at home.

Read More

Countdown to Kickoff: 21 Days (Richard Lagow and Leon Thornton)

/
Countdown to Kickoff: 21 Days (Richard Lagow and Leon Thornton)

#21

We are a mere 21 days away from the Hoosiers 2016 season opener in Miami against Florida International! Today’s Hoosier Huddle Countdown provides you with a double-dose of information as we help you get to know a Hoosier on each side of the ball. The offensive player is quarterback Richard Lagow and the defensive player is former wide receiver turned cornerback, Leon Thornton III!

Read More

The Hoosiers Enter The Spring With Plenty of Questions Surrounding The Secondary, With Many Potential Answers.

/
The Hoosiers Enter The Spring With Plenty of Questions Surrounding The Secondary, With Many Potential Answers.

Entering the 2015 season, all the prognosticators, including us at Hoosier Huddle predicted that Indiana would struggle mightily defending the pass. Unfortunately, that did not begin to describe the Hoosiers complete inability to slow down any of their opponents’ aerial attacks. Out of 127 Football Bowl Subdivision teams, Indiana was second to last, giving up a putrid 313 passing yards per game. 

Honestly, this was not a particularly difficult predication to make, as the team entered the season with four new starters in the secondary. To make matters worse, the only player with starting experience in the defensive backfield, Chase Dutra, was sidelined for the first three weeks of the season. 

The Hoosiers enter the spring session with plenty of question marks, but a plethora of semi-experienced options, a much better place to be than they were a year ago. 
Over the next six weeks the coaching staff will need to assess which of the returning players best fit into new defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s schemes.

In addition to the new hybrid secondary player (Husky), it remains to be seen how the Hoosiers 4-2-5 defensive alignment will affect the play of the corners and safeties. Is there a greater or less of an emphasis on the field verse boundary cornerbacks? Rashad Fant, the team’s unquestioned number one cover man, thrives as the team’s field cornerback. Will the team look for a bigger body to place opposite of Fant on the boundary side of
the field? 

Read More

Indiana Hoosiers vs. Southern Illinois Salukis Game Primer

/
Indiana Hoosiers vs. Southern Illinois Salukis Game Primer

Week 1 Primer

What: IU vs. Southern Illinois

When: Saturday, September 5 at 4:00 PM

Where: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN

How to Watch: The game will be broadcast live on ESPNews and on the WatchESPN app. You can also listen to the IU radio broadcast on the IU Radio Network

Read More

Countdown to Kickoff: 80 Days (Leon Thornton III)

/

We are inching our way closer to kickoff as we hit a nice round number of 80. With 80 sunrises left until game day we are going to take a look at one of the newest Hoosiers wide receiver Leon Thornton III

Name: Leon Thornton III
HT/WT: 6’1”, 195 lbs. 
Position: Wide Receiver
Year: Freshman
Hometown: Lombard, IL
Career Highlights:
Thornton starred at Montini Catholic High School where he earned all-state, all-conference, and all-area honors two years and was named one of the team’s captains. As a senior Thornton caught 66 passes for 949 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also lettered in basketball and track and field during his career at Montini.
2015 Outlook:
Thornton could be thrust into action early on in his career at IU if the current receivers on the two-deep do not improve from last year, as you can bet the farm that Wilson will have a short leash concerning drops this season. At 6’1” he has the size to play almost anywhere on the field. The Hoosiers will likely move him around in multiple positions.

Signing Day 2015: Leon Thornton

/
Signing Day 2015: Leon Thornton

Leon Thornton, WR, Lombard, IL, Montini Catholic, 247 Composite Ranking- 3-Star

Thornton is a highly regarded wide receiver out of Illinois. He originally committed to the Hoosiers on June 11th and took his official visit just a few weeks ago on January 23rd. Thornton held offers from Cincinnati, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa State, Toledo, and Western Michigan. He is rated by 247’s Composite ranking as the 11th best player in Illinois and the 72nd best receiver prospect nationally.

Read More

#CrimsonArmy15 Invades Bloomington This Weekend

/
#CrimsonArmy15 Invades Bloomington This Weekend

Kevin Wilson and his staff are set to play host to several members of the Hoosiers’ 2015 recruiting class this weekend. The #CrimsonArmy15, as they so aptly refer to themselves on twitter, look to reinforce an Indiana football team that saw the departure of 23 seniors and redshirt juniors. Those members of the #CrimsonArmy15 set to invade Bloomington this weekend include Defensive Ends Joe Belden and Jacob Robinson, Tight End Austin Dorris, Quarterback Austin King, Offensive Guard Hunter Littlejohn, Outside Linebacker Omari Stringer, and Wide Receivers Leon Thornton and Nick Westbrook.

Read More

#CrimsonArmy15: A Recruiting Review of the 2015 Class Part I

/
#CrimsonArmy15: A Recruiting Review of the 2015 Class Part I

During the early bye week the Hoosier coaches have been scouring the Midwest to check out some high school recruits, so we will be doing the same thing. This is the first part of a three part recruiting review for the 2015 Hoosier class that has been dubbed #CrimsonArmy15. The Hoosiers have 12 commits so far and rank 13th in the Big Ten and 55th nationally. 

Read More

#CrimsonArmy15: Leon Thornton is Number Four for 2015

/
#CrimsonArmy15: Leon Thornton is Number Four for 2015

The Hoosiers have their fourth commit in wide receiver Leon Thronton according to Scout.com’s Allen Trieu.  Thornton, out of Montini, is a highly touted receiver out of the Land of Lincoln as 247 Sports has in ranked as the 17th best prospect in the state.  Thornton is a nice sized receiver  at 6’1” and 190 lbs.  He has offers from Illinois, Connecticut, Iowa State, and Cincinnati in addition to several MAC schools. 

Read More