Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Support the IDS in College Media Madness! Donate here March 24 - April 8.
Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports football

IU looks to improve on kickoff returns, continue punt return success

Receiver Mitchell Paige

IU’s return game in 2015 was successful on punts but disappointing on kickoffs.

The Hoosiers averaged just 19.2 yards per return on kickoffs in 2015, good for 103rd in the nation and 13th in the Big Ten. Seven different players had at least one chance at a return, but none were able to find the end zone.

The only bright spot came with recent graduate Damon Graham.

Graham was IU’s primary return man last season, and averaged 21.1 yards per return on 24 kicks for a total of 506 yards ­— all were team highs. The highlight of his season came in the November loss against Rutgers when he torched the Scarlet Knights for 125 yards on five returns.

The 2016 return group will be led by freshman Devonte Williams and sophomore Mike Majette. Williams returned 10 kicks for an average of 20.4 yards per kick in three games last season before a season-ending injury. Majette had just three returns, but managed a slightly higher average of 21 yards per return.

Both are running backs and, as a result, both spend the majority of their time taking in knowledge from Deland McCullough. McCullough is the special teams coordinator for IU’s return units in addition to serving as IU’s running backs coach.

An improvement on kick returns would help the Hoosiers begin drives with better field position and prove especially beneficial when attempting to answer scoring drives by their opponents.

IU’s punt return game was able to score some points on its own last fall, thanks to now-senior Mitchell Paige. Paige is back returning punts for the Hoosiers after a stellar year in 2015 saw him find the end zone twice.

Paige finished tied for second in the nation in punt returns behind Alabama’s Cyrus Jones. The Carmel, Indiana, native returned one punt 91 yards against Western Kentucky and 51 yards against Michigan.

That and his 11.1-yard average per return helped him become an honorable mention All-Big Ten as a return specialist by the media. He returned 18 punts in 2015, amassing 199 total yards.

He would have been backed up this year by sophomore J-Shun Harris, but Harris suffered an ACL injury Saturday and will likely miss the season.

It’s up in the air who might take Harris’ spot, but the Hoosiers have many athletic options in the secondary as well as at wide receiver and running back. A couple who have taken reps in practice are junior Rashard Fant and freshman Taysir Mack.

Depth Chart

KR

2 Devonte Williams, 5-10, 184, Redshirt Freshman

24 Mike Majette, 5-11, 207, Sophomore

PR

87 Mitchell Paige, 5-7, 180, Redshirt Senior

*5 J-Shun Harris II, 5-8, 170, Redshirt Sophomore

*As mentioned, Harris suffered an ACL injury, his second in as many years. This depth chart was released during Big Ten Media Days, and will feature a different Hoosier when the season opener at FIU takes place.

Get stories like this in your inbox
Subscribe