2021 CFP SEASON PREVIEW AUTUMN 11

INDIANA
#2 B1G EAST: CONF 6-1, HOME 3-0, AWAY 3-1, BOWL: L
HC: Tom Allen (5) OC: Nick Sheridan (2) / Grant Heard (2) DC: Charlton Warren (1)
OFFENSE:
QB: Returns Michael Penix Jr (1645 YDS, 14 TD, 4 INT passing, 2 TD rushing) who was leading a historic season for the Hoosiers
until he tore his ACL is the sixth game. Penix spent the Spring rehabbing from his injury. Backup Jack Tuttle (362 YDS, 2 TD, 1
INT) also returns.
RB: Lost top RB Stevie Scott III (561 YDS, 10 TD rushing, 86 YDS receiving) to the NFL. 220lb Sampson James (96 YDS) transferred
to Purdue. Returns Tim Baldin Jr (141 YDS) and David Ellis (61 YDS) also returns. Former five-star from the 2017 class Stephen
Carr (176 YDS in 2020, 1319 YDS & 12 TD in career) transferred in from USC and will no doubt get his carries.
WR: Lost Whop Philyor (495 YDS, 3 TD) to the NFL. Returns All-American 6’2 Ty Fryfogle (721 YDS, 7 TD) who was the go-to
target for Penix and looks to once again be a top 10 receiver in the country. Also returns 6’4 Miles Marshall (290 YDS, 1 TD),
Jacolby Hewitt (68 YDS) and Javon Swinton (52 YDS). 6’2 Camron Buckley (877 YDS in 3 years) grad-transferred in from Texas
A&M. Added FSU transfer DJ Matthews (2020 opt out, 355 YDS, 3 TD in 2019) who was the second-leading receiver for the
Noles in 2019. Almost the entire unit is over 6’0 tall.
TE: Returns one of the best TEs in CFB in Peyton Hendershot (151 YDS, 4 TD in 2020, 622 YDS, 4 TD in 2019). Also returns Matt
Bjorson (11 YDS). Khameron Taylor (1 TD in 2019) transferred in from South Alabama. TJ Ivy transferred to Coastal Carolina
after missing last season to injury and appearing in 11 games in 2019.
OL: Unit ranked 17 th in the country in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.25). 320lb C Zach Carpenter transferred in from
Michigan where he started 2 games but should start right away. Other starters are expected to be 360lb LT Caleb Jones (5
starts), 310lb LG Dylan Powell (6 starts), 330lb RG Mackenzie Nworah, 310lb RT Matthew Bedford (7 starts).
DEFENSE:
DL: DTs Jerome Johnson (18 TOT, 4 sacks, 1 INT) and Jovann Swann (4 TOT) went to the NFL. Returns 307lb DT Demarcus Elliott
(14 TOT), DT Sio Nofoagatot’a (12 TOT), James Head (9 TOT, 1 sack), DE CJ Pearson (8 TOT), and DE Jonathan King (6 TOT, 1 sack,
1 INT). Ryder Anderson (42 TOT, 2.5 sacks) transferred in from Ole Miss. Former 2019 four-star Jaren Handy (10 TOT, 1 sack in 2
years) transferred in from Auburn. Handy is cousins with WR Ty Fryfogle. DE Jalen Mayala transferred to UAB. Freshman DE
Damarjhe Lewis entered the transfer portal.
LB: Returns one of the best linebackers in the country with Micah McFadden (58 TOT, 6 sacks, 1 INT). Also returns Cam Jones
(35 TOT, 3 sacks), James Miller (24 TOT), Aaron Casey (15 TOT, 1 sack), DK Bonhomme (15 TOT, 1 sack), Michael Ziemba (11
TOT), Thomas Allen (8 TOT) and Alfred Bryant (7 TOT).
SF: Lost Jamar Johnson (43 TOT, 1 sack, 4 INT, 2 INT vs Ohio St) to the NFL. Returns Devon Matthews (40 TOT, 1 sack, 1 INT),
Josh Sanguinetti (8 TOT) and Juwan Burgess (8 TOT). Bryant Fitzgerald, originally a safety (27 TOT in 2019), moved back to safety
from LB (17 TOT in 2020). Jon Haynes (31 TOT, 1 INT) transferred in from Ole Miss.
CB: Returns one of the best corners in the country in Tiawan Mullen (38 TOT, 3.5 sacks, 3 INT). Also returns Jaylin Williams (30
TOT, 1 sack, 3 INT) who is one of the best CBs in the conference along with Reese Taylor (29 TOT, 1 sack, 1 INT).
SPECIAL TEAMS:
KR: Returns Charles Campbell (25/25 PAT, 10/11 FG). David Ellis is listed specifically as a RB/KR.
PR: Freshman James Evans is the only punter on scholarship. CB Reese Taylor returned 9 punts.
SPIN
Bloomington, IN – The Hoosiers are fresh off a season featuring wins over Penn State and
Michigan in the same year for the first time in IU football history. Michael Penix Jr does not get
the national recognition he deserves as a passer. The ground game only averaged 108.6 YDS/G
(14 th lowest in FBS). That should improve with the transfer portal addition of Stephen Carr.
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack left for the head coach position at South Alabama. Allen
hired Charlton Warren who was previously the DBs coach at Georgia the last two seasons. 17
starters are back from last year. Week 1 at Iowa is a tough draw, the two have not met since
2018, a 42-16 win for Iowa. A lot has changed for Indiana Football since then. Cincinnati almost
beat Georgia in the Peach Bowl last season. The Hoosiers are trying to start and finish as an AP
Top 25 team for the first time ever. Indiana’s regular season record could be anywhere from 8-4
to 11-1 and it all hinges on the health of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. This team might not be
the most talented on the field, but it is usually the most tough.
Twitter @Autumn_Eleven