A few weeks ago IU football head coach Tom Allen said he intended to find a transfer quarterback to add to the competition for the starting job for the 2022 season.
Since then Indiana fans have been anxiously awaiting who the program would identify and bring in for a visit.
Kevin Brockway of CNHI Sports Indiana is reporting on Twitter that two former high-profile recruits with Power Five experience will be on campus this week.
One is former Missouri quarterback Connor Bazelak. The Daily Hoosier confirmed with Bazelak he completed a visit at IU on Wednesday.
A Dayton, Ohio product, this year Bazelak threw for 2,540 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. In 2020 he was the SEC’s co-freshman of the year. In two-plus seasons at Missouri, Bazelak threw for 5,058 yards with 25 total touchdowns (two rushing) and 17 interceptions.
A centerpiece in Missouri’s 2019 recruiting class, the 6-foot-3 Bazelak was a four-star recruit and ranked No. 210 (nation’s No. 10 QB) in the 2019 signing class by ESPN. He was the No. 5 recruit at any position to come out of the state of Ohio as part of the 2019 class, and a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com. Rivals rated him as the nation’s No. 21 quarterback.
A prototypical pocket passer, on film Bazelak gets the ball out quick, is accurate in the short to intermediate range, and he has good pocket presence. The potential drawbacks are that he doesn’t have a big arm and his accuracy wanes on deep balls.
Also expected this week according to Brockway is Clemson transfer quarterback Taisun Phommachanh. The 6-foot-3 and 225 pounder should also have three years of eligibility remaining at his next stop.
Phommachanh tore the Achilles’ tendon in his left heel in April and was expected to miss his sophomore season, but he healed quickly and played in 2021. For his career he has appeared in 12 games during his three seasons with the Tigers. He is 22-of-48 for 204 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions for his career. A dual-threat quarterback, he added 150 rushing yards and a touchdown.
A Bridgeport, Conn. product, Phommachanh was among the top quarterbacks in the nation in the recruiting class of 2019. He was ranked as 166th-best overall player in the nation by ESPN.com, who also call him the No. 1 player in Connecticut and eighth-best pocket passing quarterback in the nation. Rivals.com listed him as best player in Connecticut and fifth best quarterback in the nation. 247Sports ranked him as the fifth-best player in Connecticut and third-best quarterback in the nation. He was a consensus four-star prospect.
Phommachanh is known for his big arm and ability as a runner. His struggles to this point in his career have centered on his inaccuracy as a thrower.
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