Indiana University Football: 2013 Season Preview

Oct 6, 2012; Bloomington, IN, USA; Indiana Hoosiers coach Kevin Wilson congratulates his team after scoring against the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

For years, the IU football program has been somewhere between mediocre and just plain awful. The Hoosiers last went to a bowl game in 2007, but hadn’t been to one since 1993 before that.

The Hoosiers enter their third season under head coach Kevin Wilson who is 5-19 in two season. Last year saw a marked improvement in a number of areas, most notably the offense. 

Last year, the offense averaged nearly 31 points per game, good enough to be ranked 51st in the country. The problem was that the defense gave up 35 points a game (including surrendering 62, 56, and 52 points to Wisconsin, Purdue, and Ohio State, respectively).

It didn’t help that IU lost its starting quarterback, Tre Roberson, in the second game of the season to a broken leg. There was never any real consistency from the QB position following his loss. Backups Nate Sudfeld and Cam Coffman did an admirable job, but neither one stood out enough to claim ownership of the starting spot.

Offense

Quarterback

Currently, the Hoosiers don’t have a number one quarterback. Coach Wilson has yet to name a starter mainly due to the fact that all three were outstanding in the spring and its continued into camp. Roberson, Coffman, and Sudfeld each bring something different to the table. Wilson has suggested that he isn’t averse to having a “quarterback by committee” but if history is any indication, that won’t end well for IU. Coach also suggested that he may redshirt Coffman or Sudfeld (Roberson was redshirted last season) to preserve a year of eligibility.

Each QB brings something different to the table:

• Sudfeld. He is the youngest of the three, playing as a true freshman last season. He is the most prototypical QB of the bunch. He has a strong arm and is accurate from the pocket. He isn’t a threat to run the ball, and sometimes he gets nervous in the pocket. He doesn’t have the dynamic x-factor that screams starting quarterback. That, coupled with a lack of experience, puts him at the bottom of the pack.
• Coffman. He took the bulk of the snaps last season. While he was solid, he had a tendency to turn the ball over or simply miss the open throw in big moments. Games against Ball State and Navy were lost due to his inability to lead a final drive (the defense didn’t help either). He has the most experience and has a good understanding of the position.
• Roberson. Before his injury, Roberson was looking like a dynamic passer. Against two admittedly inferior opponents, he had five touchdowns (two passing, three rushing) to one interception and was completing 66-percent of his passes. He is still shaking off the rust and appears to be a bit gun shy. A year of watching games from the press box has given him a better understanding of defenses but he still needs to fine-tune his passing skills.

Wide Receiver

IU is deep at the receiver position. The teams top three receivers are returning and a year of experience has served them well. Junior Cody Latimer will line up out wide with senior Kofi Hughes while junior Shane Wynn returns in the slot. Expect these three to move around a lot in Wilson’s hurry-up offense.

Also back is tight end Ted Bolser. Bolser is a matchup nightmare as he has the size and speed to beat most defenders. If used correctly, he could find his way into the NFL after this season.

Running Back

The Hoosiers have starter Stephen Houston back as well as the other change of pace backs that saw significant time on the field last season. Last year, there was a competition in camp for the top spot but Houston pulled away. He proved that he isn’t just a one trick pony and was able to successful in the passing game as well with 37 receptions and four receiving touchdowns. He rushed for 749 yards (a 4.7 average) and 12 touchdowns.

Backing up Houston will likely be Tevin Coleman, who has really been pushing Houston in camp. D’Angelo Roberts was considered second on the depth chart last season, but the sophomore Coleman has shown that he is ready for a bigger workload. There is a lot of talent at this position.

Offensive Line

Four starters were set to return on the line this season, but sophomore right guard Dan Feeney will sit out the season with a foot injury. Feeney was a starter all last season and a All-Big Ten Team Honorable mention. That is a huge blow to the interior of the line. The line was solid last season, and appears to be solid once again. When watching camp, the lines on both sides of the ball simply look larger, more like a traditional Big Ten team. Improved play here, especially in the run game, will go a long way towards improving this Hoosiers squad. 

Defense

The defense is returning nine starters from last season but no one’s job on defense is safe. It might not be much a stretch to say that being a starter last season isn’t exactly a good thing. The bulk of the 2013 recruiting class play on the defensive side of the ball. This team will go as far as the defense lets it. 

Defensive Line

Defensive tackles Adam Replogle and Larry Black have graduated, leaving a large hole in the middle of this unit. IU brought in two juco transfers in Jordan Heiderman and Christopher Cormier. Freshman Darius Latham, a four-star recruit, is a stud and should start right away. The keys for this line will be stopping the run and consistently generating pressure on opposing QBs. Too often the Hoosiers were manhandled at the line, allowing running backs to tear apart the defense.

Linebacker

This position struggled with consistency last season. MLB David Cooper is the leader on defense and is very solid. The outside positions are big question marks. Forisse Hardin and Griffen Dahlstrom both showed flashes last season, but couldn’t string together good plays. IU will be without Chase Hoobler for up to four months with a stress fracture.

The entirety of the defense has been focused on getting bigger in the off season. There was plenty of speed last season, but players lacked the size to fend off blocks and make clean tackles. This emphasis has led to a defense that actually looks like it belongs in the Big Ten.

Secondary

The defensive backfield is returning a number of starters and a lot of experience, but not very much production. Safety Greg Heban is back and last season led the team in tackles with 91. But even with that level of experience, he is still being pushed by underclassmen for the starting spot. Mike Murphy returns at the other safety position and corners Antonio Marshall and Brian Williams are back as well. IU will need more production from this unit, specifically in the form of turnovers. Overall, the defense forced just 13 turnovers all season long. 

IU should be in the hunt for a bowl game this season. We’ll have more on this team before the season kicks off.

Don’t forget to follow us on twitter, @InkOnIndy.