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 football 2019 season roundtable

spiufbroundtable083019.jpg

IU football is set to begin the 2019 campaign Saturday against Ball State University in Lucas Oil Stadium as it continues its quest to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2016.

With the season kickoff just a few days away, the Indiana Daily Student football reporters share their insights and predictions for the upcoming season. 

Standout newcomer

Will Coleman: When I look at IU’s secondary, I see a unit desperate for a young leader to emerge before the departure of some of the seniors and to me that leader is freshman Tiawan Mullen. Afterall, it’s in his pedigree: Tiawan’s brother, Trayvon, played on national championship teams at Clemson University from 2016 to 2018, and his cousin is Lamar Jackson, a Heisman winner at University of Louisville and current QB for the Baltimore Ravens. When I think of the freshman defenders, Mullen has the best shot at earning play time. 

Caleb Coffman: IU’s defense has a lot of experience so freshman James Miller is one of the few players with four years of eligibility that expects to have an early influence. Miller was the 33rd-ranked inside linebacker in his recruiting class and has shown flashes during practice as a two-time scout team player of the week last season.

Jack Grossman: According to the 247 Sports database, freshman Sampson James is the best recruit IU has landed since 2000. Throw in the fact the Avon native was a top 10 running back in his class and he chose the Hoosiers over Ohio State, and yeah, he’s a big deal. Though fellow backfield mate sophomore Stevie Scott will lead the backfield, James will be a much-needed change of pace that will give the Hoosier offense more versatility that will only grow into a bigger role as the season progresses.

MVP Prediction

WC: Scott exceeded all expectations in his first season and is set to dictate the run game of the new-look Hoosier offense. Scott’s journey to IU’s backfield as a true freshman was overshadowed by Morgan Ellison’s dismissal from the program and university, but he showed he can be as electrifying as Ellison. What’s in store for Scott’s second collegiate season? A balanced offense with a new quarterback and a new offensive coordinator, Kalen DeBoer. I see freshman quarterback Michael Penix Jr. establishing himself as a threat to pass and run and being able to take attention off Scott. Depending on the play-calling balance from DeBoer, we could even see more opportunities for Scott to catch out of the backfield.

CC: I’m going to go outside the box and say junior wide receiver Whop Philyor. Philyor is stepping into the slot-receiving role vacated by Luke Timian and has big play ability that can take over a game. Philyor has roadrunner speed that can break open defenses, as seen in the game against Michigan State last season when he racked up 113 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown. With fifth year wide receivers Nick Westbrook and Donovan Hale lined up on the outside, Philyor will end up being the forgotten wide receiver, and that’s a dangerous player to forget about on the field. 

JG: Throughout his career, junior defensive back Marcelino Ball has been the glue that has held together Tom Allen’s 4-2-5 scheme. Ball led the Hoosiers in tackles for loss, and led the Big Ten in passes defended by a cornerback—Pro Football Focus listed Ball as a corner instead of his Husky position in the statistic. Ball has already had a great career with the Hoosiers, but look for him to try to put an exclamation point on his career with an outstanding senior season and a pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Game to look forward to

WC: Northwestern has not played at IU since Oct. 29, 2011 when the Wildcats edged the Hoosiers 59-38 in the annual Homecoming game. Since then, the two teams have met just twice to the tune of Northwestern home wins. The Wildcats have won five straight contests against the Hoosiers. Northwestern has been victorious in 11 of the last 13 meetings dating back to 2000, but I like IU’s chances in this matchup despite Northwestern's No. 25 preseason ranking in the Coaches Poll. Since the season will be dwindling down once this game comes along will make this one of high stakes, something fans can look forward to.

CC: The home game to circle on your calendar is when Ohio State rolls into Bloomington on Sept. 14th. While I don’t have the most faith that IU will come out of this game with a win, it will be an important indicator of how competitive the Hoosiers will be in the Big Ten. If IU’s new offense is able to move the ball consistently against a Top-5 opponent and the defense can contain the Buckeyes’ offensive weapons, it will give me a lot more confidence in the Hoosiers taking care of business down the road as they push for a bowl game.

JG: Believe it or not, Nebraska has already been in the Big Ten for eight years. But even though the Cornhuskers joined the league in 2011, this will be IU’s first trip to Lincoln as a conference foe. The last time IU traveled to Nebraska was in 1977, when the Hoosiers lost 31-13. IU actually owns a winning record against the Cornhuskers, going 9-8-3 in 20 all time meetings. However, the Hoosiers haven’t beaten Nebraska since winning 23-7 all the way back in 1959. 

Best chance of an upset in Big Ten play

WC: I said it earlier and I’ll say it again: I like IU’s chances at home against Northwestern on Nov. 2. The Wildcats suffered some roster turnover this offseason and brought in former five-star Clemson quarterback prospect Hunter Johnson. Northwestern is coming off a trip to the Big Ten Championship but could easily experience some form of a hangover given how much time this team has had together. 

CC: Lock it in, IU will beat Michigan. Last season, IU gave Michigan the usual scare until finally fading to the background at the end of the third quarter and in the fourth. Two years ago, IU missed a field goal and ended up losing in overtime. Michigan has lost a lot of speed on their defense, including its best player Devin Bush, and I think it will be the signature game that truly kicks off the Penix Jr. era in Bloomington. 

JG: While I do think IU has a legitimate shot to knock off Michigan, I am in no way confident enough to actually pick it to happen. Call me a history buff, but IU is 1-38 against the Wolverines since 1968, so just based on history I’m not picking an upset there. Instead, I’ll say IU’s best chance at an upset will come a few weeks earlier when defending Big Ten West champion Northwestern comes to town. The Wildcats lost 11 starters from last year's team and will be breaking in a new quarterback, three new linemen and almost their entire secondary. With IU’s brutal schedule, they will likely need to win a game as an underdog to become bowl eligible.

Record prediction

WC: A favorable non-conference schedule combined with an always-challenging Big Ten slate leaves me questioning exactly where IU will finish in 2019. The Hoosiers have a great chance to win four of their first six games, but the second half of the season is where we’ll see what this team is really made of. Four of their final six games will come on the road, and five of them come against teams that at least received votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. I see IU’s defense keeping the team in contention in a lot of games, but ultimately the offense is going to click into place and will itself to a postseason-worthy record. I’ve got IU in a bowl game at 6-6. 

CC: IU has the issue once again that they can’t lose any of their “should win” games. That means they need to snag an upset somewhere in their schedule and for the first time in a while, I truly believe they can do it. With the addition of offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer, I believe the offense is going to be leaps and bounds better than it was under Mike DeBord and will find that one successful late game drive to steal a win that has eluded them. Hoosiers go 6-6.

JG: The Hoosiers have the talent to be historically good but face arguably the toughest schedule of any team in the country. By facing five preseason ranked teams, the reigning Big Ten West champs, and an up-and-coming Purdue team, IU will be the favorite to lose in at least seven games. Add in the game at Maryland which is in no way an easy win—a crushing loss in College Park cost another talented Hoosier squad a bowl bid in 2017—and while I’ve been going back and forth for a long time on it, I’m just not comfortable in picking IU to win that sixth game. I think IU will finish 5-7.

Get stories like this in your inbox
Subscribe