Indiana Football Position Preview: Wide Receiver Room Returns Camper, Adds Impact Transfers
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana's receiving corps took a major hit on Oct. 22 last season, when leading pass-catcher Cam Camper went down with a torn ACL against Rutgers.
Camper has worked tirelessly throughout the spring and fall, with a goal in mind to return for the 2023 season opener against Ohio State. And to complement Camper and fellow returners Donaven McCulley and Andison Coby, Indiana added transfers E.J. Williams (Clemson) and DeQuece Carter (Fordham) to the mix.
Early on in fall camp, new wide receivers coach Anthony Tucker and Camper have been impressed with the group's depth.
"Everybody is just bringing their own juice to the game," Camper said Monday. "You've got Donaven [McCulley], who can take the top off, big dude. [Andison] Coby is explosive, KP [Kamryn Perry] is explosive. Everybody's just got their own little thing that they do and it all contributes to the team."
Next up in our Indiana football position preview series, let's dive into the wide receivers.
Personnel
- #4 DeQuece Carter: senior, 6-foot, 200 pounds, 38 games at Fordham
- #6 Cam Camper: senior, 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, seven games at IU, one season at Trinity Valley Community College
- #7 E.J. Williams Jr.: senior, 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, 32 games at Clemson
- #10 Derin McCulley: redshirt junior, 6-foot, 170 pounds, three seasons at Ball State
- #0 Andison Coby: junior, 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, 12 games at IU, five games at Tennessee
- #1 Donaven McCulley: junior, 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, 12 games as WR at IU, seven games as QB at IU
- #8 Jaquez Smith: redshirt sophomore, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds
- #83 Eli Jochem: redshirt sophomore, 6-foot-1, 190 pounds
- #89 Camden Jordan: redshirt sophomore, 6-foot, 185 pounds
- #3 Omar Cooper Jr.: redshirt freshman, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, four games at IU
- #13 Kamryn Perry: redshirt freshman, 5-foot-9, 165 pounds, one game at IU
- #24 Jackson Wasserstrom: redshirt freshman, 6-foot, 170 pounds
- #81 Brady Simmons: redshirt freshman, 6-foot-1, 165 pounds
- #29 Reece Bellin: freshman, 6-foot, 200 pounds
- #40 Orlando Greenlow: freshman, 6-foot-5, 220 pounds
- #80 Derrick Bohler: freshman, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds
Top expected contributors: Cam Camper, E.J. Williams, Donaven McCulley, Andison Coby, DeQuece Carter, Kamryn Perry, Omar Cooper Jr.
Returning talent
JUCO transfer Cam Camper had a breakout year in 2022, leading Indiana with 46 receptions for 569 yards despite playing just seven games. His season was cut short after tearing his ACL in Week 8, but he said Monday that he expects to play in the Hoosiers' season opener against Ohio State on Sept. 2.
"Cam's been a great, great leader, a great model in our room," Tucker said Monday. "Obviously he's made his way back and worked really, really hard. He's looked great. I've been really pleased with Cam."
Emery Simmons and D.J. Matthews, Indiana's second and fifth-leading receivers in 2022, are gone, but Andison Coby and Donaven McCulley return in 2023 after playing complementary roles last season. In the spring, McCulley discussed changes in his workout routine and diet that have helped him create more of a wide receiver build in his 6-foot-5 frame after beginning his college career as a quarterback. Clearly one of Indiana's best athletes, McCulley just needs him to refine his skills and technique as a wide receiver entering his junior season.
Kamryn Perry and Omar Cooper Jr. used redshirt seasons in 2022, but they've popped throughout spring practice and fall camp, displaying speed and quickness that could help Indiana create explosive plays and replace D.J. Matthews. Perry is a 5-foot-9 slot receiver from Georgia, and Cooper was a four-star recruit out of Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis, per 247 Sports.
Impact transfers set for big roles
Tom Allen made two important additions through the transfer portal this offseason, landing Clemson transfer E.J. Williams and Fordham transfer DeQuece Carter.
Williams posted 306 receiving yards as a freshman at Clemson, but his role decreased during his sophomore and junior seasons. He's hungry to get back to his freshman-year form, and said Monday that Indiana gave him the best opportunity while in the transfer portal.
"[Williams] has had a great summer and he's somebody that's really come along," Tucker said. "Again, somebody that fits really well into who we are as a program. Really excited about E.J. and where he is in his development now and what I think his ceiling is."
Carter had an ultra-productive career at Fordham, hauling in 1,166 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in 2022 and totaling 3,035 yards and 13 touchdowns across his four-year career. Carter said Monday that he's eager to prove to people that he can compete at the Big Ten level.
"[Carter's] got a great, mature presence about him," Tucker said. "He's a really positive guys. He's really kind of fit in with our team really fast. He's really smart, obviously coming from Fordham you'd assume that. He's really kind of picked up what we're doing, how we do things. He's perfect for what our culture is here, and he's fit in our locker room really well."
The bottom line
Behind the running back room, Indiana's wide receiving corp is arguably the second-most talented group on the Indiana roster. Camper, McCulley and Williams give Indiana three long, athletic options on the outside, and Carter appears to be a reliable option on the inside. Though Perry didn't play much as a freshman, he's been one of the most impressive players in spring and fall practices. Jaylin Lucas has been mixing in at slot receiver, as well.
But what will ultimately determine the groups success is the quarterback position, which remains a major question heading in to the season.
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- OFFENSIVE LINE PREVIEW: First up in our Indiana football position previews, the offensive line. This unit has struggled in the last two seasons, and is perhaps the most important position group heading in to 2023. On Wednesday, we talked with new offensive line coach Bob Bostad, as well as linemen Matt Bedford, Mike Katic, Kahlil Benson and Max Longman following the first day of fall camp. CLICK HERE
