College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Indiana season with what you need to know.
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Indiana Hoosiers Schedule Analysis
– Indiana Hoosiers Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
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2020 Record: 6-2 overall, 6-1 in Big Ten
Head Coach: Tom Allen, 5th year, 24-22
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 23
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 49
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 64
Indiana Hoosiers College Football Preview 2021: Offense
– At least up until the bowl loss to Ole Miss – when Indiana became the only team all year that didn’t rip apart the Rebel defense – the offense was fine. It wasn’t anything special, but the offensive line was good in pass protection and there were enough good moments to assume something even bigger is on the way, but …
– Is Michael Penix Jr. healthy? The quarterback who ripped up Ohio State and pulled out the tremendous comeback against Penn State – HE WAS SHORT OF THE GOAL LINE … sorry, I’ll let it go – suffered a knee injury late in the year, but Jack Tuttle was able to step in and pull off a win over Wisconsin. Tuttle has the size and passing ability to be fine, but the big expectations depend on whether or not Penix can be back to form.
Leading receiver Whop Philyor is now a Minnesota Viking, but the rest of the top targets are back starting with the dynamic Ty Fryfogle. He led the way with 721 yards and seven touchdowns – averaging 19 yards per catch, but he’s not alone. Miles Marshall is a deep threat, and Peyton Hendershot is a volume passing catching tight end.
– The running game has been underwhelming over the last few years, averaging fewer than four yards per carry and stalling way too often – the O only got past 170 rushing yards once.
Stevie Scott left for the NFL, but 6-0, 211-pound freshman Tim Baldwin is back after finishing second on the team averaging more than six yards per carry – he’s got the wheels to bring more flash. 220-pound sophomore Sampson James is also back. Helping even more is the addition of USC’s Stephen Carr, a good-sized back who ran for 1,319 yards and 12 scores in his four seasons.
There’s experience on the offensive front, but the production has to be better for the ground game. The pass blocking is fine, but can this group blast away? Overall the line will be a plus if it’s a wee more physical.
– What You Need To Know: Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Indiana Hoosiers Schedule Analysis
