Indiana’s tight ends did not prominently feature in its offense last season.
None of those players finished with more than 100 receiving yards last season, and none played particularly significant roles outside of pass-catching, either. That could change this year, with a new offensive system in place that appears more favorable to tight ends. The Hoosiers saw some roster turnover at the position, but bring back two of their primary tight ends from last season and two players with encouraging potential. But it’s the one transfer portal addition that will lead the way for the tight end room.
Prior previews:
Roster turnover — who’s gone
- Bradley Archer (exhausted his eligibility)
- Aaron Steinfeldt (transfer — Albany)
- Bryce Hendershot
- Anthony Miller Jr. (transfer — Tulane)
- Zac Scott (exhausted his eligibility)
Roster turnover — who’s back
- Trey Walker (sixth-year senior)
- James Bomba (redshirt junior)
- Brody Foley (redshirt sophomore)
- Sam West (redshirt freshman)
Roster turnover — who’s new
- Zach Horton (transfer — James Madison)
- Brody Kosin (3-star, Davisburg, Mich.)
Projected depth chart
Here’s our best estimate of Indiana’s tight end starters and who the other key players will be.
- Zach Horton, senior, 6-foot-4, 252 pounds (11 career starts at JMU)
- James Bomba, redshirt junior, 6-foot-6, 253 pounds (10 career starts)
- Trey Walker, sixth-year senior, 6-foot-6, 253 pounds (seven career starts)
Horton, a John Mackey Award preseason watch list selection, will be IU’s main starter at tight end. He’s a stronger blocker than receiver, but his 275 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season exceeded the combined production from all of IU’s tight ends. Bomba and Walker are more blocking-oriented tight ends who will see plenty of action but may not rack up stats. Don’t be surprised if West or Foley also see the field in reserve roles as bigger receiving threats at the position.
Quotable
Zach Horton on his goals for the year:
“First off, stay healthy. That’s my number one. But try to be first team (all-conference) again. Set the bar high. I feel like I believe in myself I can do that. And obviously, try to help the team to get in a winning position.”
Zach Horton on the tight end room:
“They’re great guys, first off, they’re really great. They’re really physical, and for their size, I believe they’re really athletic. That’s what I’ve noticed. Really strong, too, and the fact that they can learn this offense very fast is quite impressive, because I know it took me a while to learn it.”
Why it will work
Per Pro Football Focus, Horton played the seventh-most snaps of any tight end in the country last season. He was a reliable player for JMU in the volume of action he handled, and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan clearly trusted him to be on the field that much. He offers more size than most of the wide receiver room can match, which could make him a big target in the red zone. It feels unlikely that Horton and IU’s other tight ends will provide much star power for the Hoosiers this year, but there are plenty of outcomes for this season that see them play important roles more under the radar. But if Kurtis Rourke regularly looks for Horton in the end zone, he could quickly become a higher-profile player for Indiana.
Why it won’t
Horton’s output at JMU last season was good enough for first-team All-Sun Belt honors, but the competition will be stiffer in the Big Ten. That goes equally for the other tight ends around the conference and the defenses he’ll go up against. Horton graded in the middle of the pack in run blocking and pass blocking last season, on PFF, and that could become tougher against Big Ten opponents. Walker and Bomba graded even lower than him — if they don’t improve this year, IU may be lacking in quality tight end depth. Additionally, if Horton’s value becomes centered on his capabilities in the red zone, he could become a very boom-or-bust player for IU — which could see him fade into the background when he isn’t scoring touchdowns.
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