Five Takeaways From Indiana Spring Football Practices

Indiana had its 15th and final practice of the spring on Saturday, providing another look into coach Tom Allen's 2023 Hoosiers, which includes plenty of new faces. Here are my five takeaways from watching Indiana practice this spring.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football concluded spring practice on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. 

The 15th and final spring session was open to fans and included positional drills, a modified team scrimmage and an on-field meet and greet for fans with Indiana players and coaches. Different from a traditional spring game, Indiana scrimmaged for two quarters without live tackling. It's been an offseason of significant roster turnover, and Saturday was a chance for players up and down the roster to make an impression. 

A lot can change in the 140 days until the season opener against Ohio State on Sept. 2, especially with the college football transfer portal re-opening on Saturday, but these spring practices gave a first look into coach Tom Allen's 2023 Hoosiers. 

Here are five takeaways from Indiana's spring practices.

Quarterback questions continue into summer

Tayven Jackson and Brendan Sorsby have been competing for the starting job this spring, and Allen said Saturday that he will not name a starter at this time. Both players will be redshirt freshmen when the 2023 season starts and have a combined 10 pass attempts at the college level.

For what it's worth, Sorsby took the first snap at quarterback during Saturday's scrimmage, and Allen mentioned he'd sit down with both players for open and honest conversations heading into a crucial summer.

"I think they've got a lot of work ahead of them," Allen said Saturday. "I know the summer's going to be huge. Fall camp is massive any time you've got two young, talented quarterbacks. They both have skills. They can both throw it and they can both run it, so that's going to be a big part of what we want to be able to do, take advantage of their skillsets and maximize the run game and throw game. So the bottom line is going to be who is able to do that at the highest level, protect the football and move our team down the field."

Andre Carter to anchor defensive line

Andre Carter transferred to Indiana from Western Michigan this offseason and was a consistent standout in spring practice. Along with senior defensive back Noah Pierre, Carter was named one of Indiana's MVPs of spring practice, and he has one year of remaining eligibility. 

Carter said earlier this spring that he has the versatility to play multiple positions across the defensive line. At 6-foot-5, 273 pounds, Allen expects Carter to play a big role when the season begins.

"He's the biggest, most physical one we've had here since I've been here and very, very disruptive," Allen said. "We've got to get him in elite shape, he's not there yet. Just really excited about him. He's a great kid. He's bought into everything we're about here ... You can tell what he can do, and so it's about the details of his technique that he'll improve on this summer as well. He's a very good football player, and I'm glad he's with us. Now he's got a chance to prove he belongs in the Big Ten."

McCulley, Williams provide mismatch potential

With leading receiver Cam Camper still working his way back from a torn ACL suffered in Week 8 at Rutgers, Donaven McCulley and E.J. Williams have stood out as two of Indiana's top wide receivers on the outside this spring. 

Williams transferred from Clemson to Indiana this spring, and he used his 6-foot-3 frame to haul in a contested touchdown on a jump-ball pass from Brendan Sorsby during Saturday's spring scrimmage. Entering his second season at wide receiver after playing quarterback as a freshman, the 6-foot-5 McCulley has changed his diet this offseason to become more lean and improve his quickness. He made an impressive one-handed catch along the sideline on Saturday, and Allen had high praise for McCulley's potential after practice.

"No one should be able to guard him," Allen said. "He's 6-foot-5. He's a 200-pound guy that can run and jump, and I feel that he has a tremendous ceiling and I'm never going to quit saying it. He can be as good as he wants to be. I do think that he has now figured out that this isn't just a show up and practice hard. This is 24-7, 365. That's my sleep habits, my diet, what I put in my body, to lead myself up so I can be more explosive, faster, get out of my breaks better and allow him to be a better receiver."

Big-play threats with Lucas, Perry

Jaylin Lucas made an immediate impact at Indiana last season, earning first-team All-American honors after leading the nation with two kick-return touchdowns. Despite his 5-foot-9 stature, Lucas will draw full attention from every opponent in 2023, boasting elite speed and quickness. Entering his sophomore year, Lucas is expected to be a major focal point for Indiana in the run game, as a slot receiver and returning kickoffs and punts.

Similar in size to Lucas is Kamryn Perry, a 5-foot-9 wide receiver who will be a redshirt freshman in 2023. Perry, a three-star recruit from Marietta, Ga., only played in one game last season, but he's played with the first-team offense as a slot receiver throughout the spring. Also like Lucas, Perry has impressive agility and break-away speed in the open field. 

Whether it be in the run or pass game, Indiana offensive coordinator Walt Bell is excited about using Lucas and Perry in a variety of ways.

"They can kind of mix and match because they're both really good ball-in-hand players," Bell said. "They're very bouncy, twitchy, great short-area quickness, so it's just again elevating both their skills where they can be really productive players in the fall."

Offensive line growth crucial to success

Offensive line play has been a struggle for Indiana in recent years, and Allen hired Bob Bostad in an effort to change that. Bostad brings experience producing All-Americans at Wisconsin and coaching in the NFL. So far, Allen has been thrilled with Bostad's work.

"I love his approach," Allen said. "He's a no-nonsense guy. Doesn't smile a whole lot and that's okay. He never cracks too many jokes, and it's all ball. It's all business, our guys understand that. So I really appreciate his approach, and I think we're going to be a lot better because of it."

Allen also commented on several Hoosiers competing for playing time along the offensive line.

"I love what I see," Allen said. "It's the cumulative effect of just all the pod work, all the reps over and over again, the physicality just over and over and over. I think Kahlil Benson has probably made the most growth. Zach [Carpenter] was having a great spring, then he got a lower leg injury that's not going to be long-term but we sat him out the last couple weeks. He's progressing at a high level. Obviously getting Matt [Bedford] back [from a torn ACL] is going to be huge. I would say [UMass transfer] Max Longman is one that's going to have a chance to help us. Michael Katic coming in and adapting to a new coach and being able to elevate his game and continue to get better is going to be huge. Josh Sales, we're going to continue to challenge him to take the next step up. I want him to, and I believe he can. Carter Smith's another one we expect to compete to start and battle for those spots."

Related stories on Indiana football

• BEDFORD AND CAMPER WORKING BACK FROM INJURIES Indiana offensive lineman Matthew Bedford and wide receiver Camp Camper tore their ACL's during the 2022 season. The duo has been lightly participating in spring practice, but are unsure of their return to action. CLICK HERE
• MCCULLEY ENTERS YEAR TWO AT RECEIVER: Donaven McCulley transitioned from quarterback to wide receiver before the 2022 season, and now, with a year under his belt and some physical adjustments, McCulley feels more comfortable and ready to contribute to Indiana's offense. CLICK HERE
• JACKSON, SORSBY COMPETING FOR QB1: A pair of redshirt freshmen, Brendan Sorsby and Tennessee transfer Tayven Jackson, are competing to be Indiana's starting quarterback during spring practice. Indiana football coach Tom Allen expects the competition to extend into fall camp. CLICK HERE
• KOBEE MINOR JOINS INDIANA: Cornerback Kobee Minor transferred from Texas Tech to Indiana this offseason, and he discussed the transition on Thursday after spring practice. CLICK HERE
• CARTER, MANGUM-FARRAR JOIN INDIANA: Western Michigan defensive lineman transfer Andre Carter and Stanford linebacker transfer Jacob Mangum-Farrar are adjusting to new and versatile defensive roles ahead of the 2023 season. CLICK HERE