(Photo Credit: peegs.com)
Key Players Returning:
WR Omar Cooper Jr., WR Elijah Sarratt, OG Bray Lynch, OT Carter Smith, DE Mikall Kamara, DT Tyrique Tucker, LB Aiden Fisher, LB Isaiah Jones, CB D’Angelo Ponds, CB Jamari Sharpe, SS Amare Ferrell, KR Soloman VanHorse, and PK Nicolas Radicic.
Key Players Departing:
QB Kurtis Rourke, RB Justice Ellison, RB Ty Son Lawton, WR Donaven McCulley, WR/PR Miles Price, WR Ke’Shawn Williams, TE Zach Horton, OC Mike Katic, OG Tyler Stephens, OT Trey Wedig, DE Lanell Carr Jr., DE Jacob Mangum-Farrar, DT James Carpenter, NT CJ West, LB Jailin Walker, CB Jamier Johnson, NB Terry Jones, FS Shawn Asbury II, and PT James Evans.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: QB Fernando Mendoza (California transfer), OL Pat Coogan (Notre Dame transfer), DS Byron Baldwin (Baltimore, Maryland), and CB Amariyun Knighten (Northern Illinois transfer).
3 Star Recruits: TE Holden Staes (Tennessee transfer), RB Roman Hemby (Maryland transfer), EDGE Tyrone Burrus Jr. (Indianapolis, Indiana), EDGE Triston Abram (St, Louis, Missouri), WR Davion Chandler (Indianapolis, Indiana), and TE Blake Thiry (Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin).
2024 Results:
G01 FIU W 31-7
G02 WESTERN ILLINOIS W 77-3
G03 @ UCLA W 42-13
G04 CHARLOTTE W 52-14
G05 MARYLAND E 42-28
G06 @ Northwestern W 41-24
G07 NEBRASKA W 56-7
G08 WASHINGTON W 31-17
G09 @ Michigan State W 47-10
G10 MICHIGAN W 20-15
G11 @ #2 OHIO STATE L 15-38
G12 PURDUE W 56-0
PLA @ #7 Notre Dame L 17-27
Team Info:
2024 Record: 11-2 (3rd in Big Ten)
Home: 8-0
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 8-1
Non-AAC: 3-1
Head Coach: Curt Cignetti
Indiana: 11-2
Bowls: 0-1
Career: 130-37
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Alberto Mendoza (1-1, 6 yards, 100%, 6.0 avg., 0 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Kaelon Black (46 car., 251 yards, 5.5 avg., 2 TD)
Receiving: Elijah Sarratt (53 rec., 957 yards, 18.1 avg., 8 TD)
TDs Scored: Elijah Sarratt (8)
Sacks: Tyrique Tucker (2.5)
Tackles: Aiden Fisher (118)
Tackles For Loss: Aiden Fisher/Rolijah Hardy (6)
Interceptions: Amare Ferrell (4)
Pass Deflections: D’Angelo Ponds (9)
Forced Fumbles: Rolijah Hardy (2)
Kick Returns: None
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Nicolas Radicic (10-11 fg/fga., 91%, 69-69 xp-xpa., 99 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 15 Fernando Mendoza (JR/TR)
RB: 8 Kaelon Black (RS SR/TR)
WR: 13 Elijah Sarratt (SR/TR)
WR: 7 EJ Williams Jr. (RS SR/TR)
WR: 3 Omar Cooper Jr. (RS JR)
TE: 19 Holden Staes (SR/TR)
LT: 65 Carter Smith (RS JR)
LG: 74 Bray Lynch (RS JR)
OC: 78 Pat Coogan (RS SR/TR)
RG: 67 Kahlil Benson (RS SR/TR)
RT: 75 Zen Michalski (RS SR/TR)
KR: 18 Soloman Vanhorse (GR/TR)
PK: 15 Nicolas Radicic (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 00 Stephen Daley (SR/TR)
DT: 0 Hosea Wheeler (RS SR/TR)
NT: 95 Tyrique Tucker (RS JR/TR)
DE: 6 Mikail Kamara (RS SR/TR)
LB: 21 Rolijah Hardy (RS SO)
LB: 4 Aiden Fisher (SR/TR)
NB: 12 Devan Boykin (RS SR/TR)
CB: 5 D’Angelo Ponds (JR/TR)
CB: 22 Jamari Sharpe (RS JR)
FS: 7 Louis Moore (RS SR/TR)
SS: 1 Amare Ferrell (JR)
PR: 2 Makai Jackson (SR/TR)
PT: 44 Mitch McCarthy (SR/TR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: A
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: B
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: A
Punters: A
Schedule:
08/30 OLD DOMINION MONARCHS | First meeting.
09/06 KENNESAW STATE OWLS | First meeting.
09/13 INDIANA STATE SYCAMORES | Indiana leads the series 6-1. The Hoosiers won (7-41) the last meeting in 2023, and they won (28-10) the prior meeting in 2014.
09/20 ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI | Indiana trails the series 25-46-2. The Hoosiers lost (45-48) the last meeting in 209923, and they won (23-20) the prior meeting in 2022.
09/27 @ Iowa Hawkeyes | Indiana trails the series 28-46-4. The Hoosiers are 0-3 since 2015, and they lost (6-34) the last meeting in 2021.
10/11 @ Oregon Ducks | Indiana trails the series 1-2. The Hoosiers won (30-24) the last meeting in 2004, and they lost (21-29) the prior meeting in 1964.
10/18 MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS | Indiana trails the series 19-50-2. The Hoosiers are 6-4 since 2015, and their last series loss (21-24) was in 2023.
10/25 UCLA BRUINS | Last season’s 42-13 win was the first meeting between schools.
11/01 @ Maryland Terrapins | Indiana leads the series 8-5. The Hoosiers are 6-4 since 2015, and their last series loss (17-44) was in 2023.
11/08 @ Penn State Nittany Lions | Indiana trails the series 2-25. The Hoosiers are 1-8 since 2015, and their last series win (36-35) was in 2020.
11/15 WISCONSIN BADGERS | Indiana trails the series 20-41-2. The Hoosiers won (20-14) the last meeting in 2023, and they won (14-6) the prior meeting in 2020.
11/29 @ Purdue Boilermakers | Indiana trails the series 43-77-6. The Hoosiers are 4-5 since 2015, and their last series loss (31-35) was in 2023.
Predictions:
Home: 7-0
Road: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 6-3
Non-B10: 3-0
Overall: 9-3 (8th in B10 – Bowl Eligible)
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