The Yeagley Bunch: A new era of IU men's soccer

There’s a story of a man named Yeagley who began building a soccer legacy all on his own.

Yeagley’s son watched him coach to six national titles, but the future of the son was not known.

’Til this one day last December when the son of Yeagley became the coach at B-town in a crunch.

Now Todd Yeagley and his team are a soccer family; that’s the way they all became the Yeagley Bunch.

On a field just north of campus, a new era of IU soccer begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Eighteen returning faces, two transfers and 10 true freshmen will have a new start but will be on a quest for an old title.

Big Ten Champions. College Cup Qualifiers. National Champions.

A season after one of the worst finishes in the program’s history with a final record of 12-10-1, the IU men’s soccer team kicks off its season against California. But the field and the sideline will be stocked with 10 new freshmen and one new coach that the Hoosier Nation is about to meet.

IDS: Of the entire team, who would you say is the comedian?
Kerel Bradford: Tyler McCarroll. He says funny stuff, but he has a serious face on all the time.

IDS: If the whole team were to go on a vacation together, where would you go and why?
Harrison Petts: The Bahamas to visit Ambry’s (Moss) hometown.

IDS: What’s something random about Coach Yeagley that nobody knows about?
Taylor Reeves: He’s a big fan of Glee — the TV show.

IDS: Does the team ever give him any crap?
Reeves: I don’t think really anyone knows.

IDS: What’s one thing that your teammates would be surprised to know about you?
Dylan Lax: I have a pet ferret named Mia. It’s a girl. I’ve had it for about five or six years.

IDS: Who’d you say is the big brother of the team?
Nikita Kotlov: I guess Harrison because he’s my roommate, and he’s like a girl, so he doesn’t really do anything.

IDS: What’s your favorite meal to grab with your teammates?
Ambry Moss: Anything at the Yeagley house is amazing.

IDS: If you had to pick two members of the team that you had to spend a month with just living in a house, who would it be?
Blake Wise: Kerel Bradford because he always makes me laugh. He’s a goofy kid. Then Ryan (Bristol) because he’s the ice breaker with the ladies. Anybody a really good cook besides cereal or Pop-tarts or Easy Mac? I make a mean Easy Mac.

IDS: Is there a show that you and your teammates ever watch when you’re hanging out?
Ryan Bristol: Children’s Hospital on Adult Swim because it’s just awesome. It’s boss.

IDS: If the team were to all go out and get a pet, what would the pet’s name be?
Jacob Bushue: Nikita. Because Nikita is like our little pet on the team. We have to groom him, keep him in shape, get him to class, get him a suitcase.

IDS: Of your teammates, who most reminds you of one of your siblings or who would you consider most like a sibling?
Matt McKain: I’d say Kerel. He’s always got your back. He’s just a real nice guy.

IDS: What kind of genre would you put this team under if it were a TV show?
YEAGLEY: I think it would be like a hospital drama with some good comedy in there. I think that would be the feel of it.

IDS: If the freshman all had to live together in one house – would it be like the Brady Bunch or MTV Real World?
YEAGLEY: I think it would be a little bit more like MTV Real World. Not a wild bunch, but a pretty ecletic group I think is the best way to describe it. I’d say personality wise, this is about as diverse of a group as you’re gonna find – in a good way. The real World I don’t watch to much, but it’s a pretty interesting group of personalities, but we definitely have some that would star in the Brady Bunch.