Indiana football is back on the field.
The Hoosiers begin fall camp on Wednesday, kicking off their preseason with one month until the first game of the Curt Cignetti era in Bloomington. Cignetti’s fire and confidence have generated plenty of buzz and excitement for IU’s season, both inside and outside of the program.
As camp gets going, here are two big questions worth watching.
How will wide receiver shake out?
Indiana’s wide receiver room is deep. The group that Cignetti and his staff assembled may be the deepest and most talented of any position on the team.
Junior James Madison transfer Elijah Sarratt was selected to the preseason All-Big Ten fourth team by Phil Steele, and is very likely to be a big factor in IU’s offense. He finished 11th in the country last season with 1,191 receiving yards.
But there are very few certainties in the wideout room, with so many options. Fifth-year senior Texas Tech transfer Myles Price appeared to have early chemistry with quarterback Kurtis Rourke in spring, and he posted multiple productive seasons with the Red Raiders. Senior Miles Cross was Rourke’s second-leading receiver last year at Ohio, and fifth-year senior Ke’Shawn Williams had some success at Wake Forest.
Senior Donaven McCulley led the Hoosiers with 48 receptions for 644 yards and six touchdowns in 2023, and displayed high potential in the second half of the season. Cignetti expressed some frustration with McCulley during spring ball, and later seemed more pleased with the way the quarterback-turned-receiver responded. Redshirt sophomore Omar Cooper Jr. showed promise last season. Fifth-year senior E.J. Williams Jr. was hampered by injuries last season and could be capable of a bigger output if healthy. And fifth-year senior Andison Coby was one of the biggest standouts of the spring game.
There are only so many targets to go around between all those receivers — not to mention IU’s tight ends and running backs who will also catch passes. The pecking order will start to become more clear as camp gets going.
Who steps up in pass rush?
Indiana’s pass rush last season was rough. The Hoosiers finished with the fourth-worst team pass rush grade in Pro Football Focus. They weren’t able to generate pressure with any level of consistency.
Fortunately for IU, a new defensive scheme and some new faces up front could help turn things around. But the Hoosiers will need people to step up as playmakers in the pass rush to make the new system shine.
Redshirt junior JMU transfer Mikal Kamara is a strong candidate. He was a force in 2023, with 7.5 sacks and five QB hurries — with four forced fumbles for good measure. Kamara would’ve led IU in all three statistics last season, and he’ll likely start at defensive end this year. Fifth-year senior Lanell Carr Jr. had some positives and some negatives in his 2023 season at IU, but he may be a good fit at stud. Graduate student Jacob Mangum-Farrar looked good in spring after switching to stud, putting him in a bigger role in pass rush. Mangum-Farrar was one of IU’s best defensive players last season, and it’s easy to see him being a key part of the defense again.
Improved push in the middle from JMU transfer James Carpenter and Kent State transfer CJ West could also help IU’s pass rush improve, whether directly or indirectly.
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