(WR Donaven McCulley – Columbus Dispatch/USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Tayven Jackson, WR Donovan McCulley, WR EJ Williams Jr., OC Mike Katic, DE Lanell Carr Jr., DE Jacob Mangum-Farrar, FS Nic Toomer, and PT James Evans.
Key Players Departing:
QB Brendan Sorsby, RB Josh Henderson, RB Trent Howland (Oklahoma State transfer), RB/RS Jaylin Lucas, WR DeQuece Carter, OC Zach Carpenter, OG Max Longman, OT Matthew Bedford, OT Kahlil Benson (Colorado transfer), DE Andre Carter, NT Philip Blidi, LB Aaron Casey, LB Myles Jackson, CB Kobee Minor (Memphis transfer), NB Noah Pierre, DS Phillip Dunnam, DS Louis Moore (Ole Miss transfer), and PK Chris Freeman.
(WR Elijah Sarratt – Herald-Times/USA Today Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: WR Elijah Sarratt (James Madison transfer), QB Kurtis Rourke (Ohio transfer), and QB Tyler Cherry (Greenwood, Indiana).
3 Star Recruits: DT CJ West (Kent State transfer), CB Josh Philostin (West Palm Beach, Florida), OT Evan Lawence (Danville, Indiana), RB Elijah Green (North Carolina transfer), DS Shawn Asbury II (Old Dominion transfer), DL James Carpenter (James Madison transfer), and RB Kaelon Black (James Madison transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 #3 OHIO STATE L 3-23
G02 INDIANA STATE W 41-7
G03 vs, Louisville L 14-21
G04 AKRON W (4OT) 29-27
G05 @ Maryland L 17-44
G06 @ #2 Michigan L 7-52
G07 RUTGERS L 14-31
G08 @ #10 Penn State L 24-33
G09 WISCONSIN W 20-14
G10 @ Illinois L (OT) 45-48
G11 MICHIGAN STATE L 21-24
G12 @ Purdue L 31-35
Team Info:
2023 Record: 3-9 (7th in Big Ten East)
Home: 3-3
Away: 0-5
Neutral: 0-1
B10: 1-8
Non-AAC: 2-1
Head Coach: Curt Cignetti
Indiana: 0-0
Career: 119-35
Bowls: 0-0
(DE Lanell Carr Jr. – Herald-Times)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Tayven Jackson (78-128, 914 yards, 60.9%, 7.1 avg., 2 TD, 5 INT)
Rushing: None
Receiving: Donaven McCulley (48 rec., 644 yards, 13.4 avg., 6 TD)
TDs Scored: Donaven McCulley (6)
Sacks: Lanell Carr Jr. (5)
Tackles: Nic Toomer (26)
Tackles For Loss: Lanell Carr Jr. (8.5)
Interceptions: Josh Sanguinetti (2)
Pass Deflections: Jacob Magnum-Farrar (4)
Forced Fumbles: Venson Sneed Jr. (1)
Kick Returns: Joshua Rudolph (1 ret., 14 yards, 14.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Nicolas Radicic (1-1 fg/fga., 100%, 2-2 xp-xpa., 5 pts.)
Punting: James Evans (57 punts, 2612 yards, 45.8 avg., 16 TD)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 9 Kurtis Rourke (SR/TR)
RB: 6 Justice Ellison (SR/TR)
WR: 13 Elijah Sarratt (JR/TR)
WR: 1 Donaven McCulley (SR)
WR: 4 Myles Price (SR/TR)
TE: 44 Zach Horton (SR/TR)
LT: 65 Carter Smith (RS SO)
LG: 77 Tyler Stephens (RS SR/TR)
OC: 56 Mike Katic (RS SR)
RG: 55 Nick Kidwell (RS SR/TR)
RT: 75 Trey Wedig (RS SR/TR)
KR: 5 Ke’Shawn Williams (SR/TR)
PK: 43 Derek McCormick (RS SR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 6 Mikail Kamara (SR/TR)
DT: 8 CJ West (SR/TR)
DT: 99 James Carpenter (RS SR/TR)
DE: 41 Lanell Carr Jr. (SR/TR)
LB: 4 Aiden Fisher (JR/TR)
LB: 2 Jailin Walker (SR/TR)
NB: 25 Amare Ferrell (SO)
CB: 5 D’Angelo Ponds (SO/TR)
CB: 22 Jamari Sharpe (RS SO)
FS: 19 Josh Sanguinetti (RS SR)
SS: 1 Shawn Asbury II (SR/TR)
PR: 4 Myles Price (SR/TR)
PT: 94 James Evans (SR)
(QB Kurtis Rourke – Indiana Athletics/247Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: B
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: B
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/31 FIU PANTHERS | Indiana leads the series 3-0. The Hoosiers won (38-28) the last meeting between schools in 2018.
09/07 WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS | Indiana lost (17-27) the only prior meeting between schools in 2012.
09/14 @ UCLA Bruins | First meeting between schools.
09/21 CHARLOTTE 49ERS | First meeting between schools.
09/28 MARYLAND TERRAPINS | Indiana leads the series 7-5. The Hoosiers are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series win (27-11) was in 2020.
10/05 @ Northwestern Wildcats | Indiana trails the series 35-47-1. The Hoosiers won (34-3) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/19 NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS | Indiana leads the series 10-9-3. The Hoosiers lost (21-35) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/26 WASHINGTON HUSKIES | Indiana leads the series 2-1. The Hoosiers lost (13-38) the last meeting between schools in 2003.
11/02 @ Michigan State Spartans | Indiana trails the series 18-50-2. The Hoosiers are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series win (39-31) was in 2022.
11/09 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES | Indiana trails the series 10-62. The Hoosiers are 1-9 since 2014, and their last series win (38-21) was in 2020.
11/23 @ Ohio State Buckeyes | Indiana trails the series 12-79-2. The Hoosiers are 0-10 since 2014, and their last series win (41-7) dates back to 1988.
11/30 PURDUE BOILERNMAKERS | Indiana trails the series 42-77-6. The Hoosiers are 4-5 since 2014, and their last series win (44-41) was in 2019.
Predictions:
Home: 7-1
Road: 3-1
Neutral: 0-1
B10: 7-2
Non-B10: 3-0
Overall: 10-3 (3rd in Big Ten/10th Seed – Eliminated in First Round)
gridironpredictions.net 