Indiana Hoosiers Offensive Players To Watch vs. Ohio State

The Indiana Hoosiers first- and second-string quarterbacks to the transfer portal last season, as their leading running back graduated.

The Indiana Hoosiers had one of the worst offenses in the country last season.

Their 23.3 points and 328.3 yards per game ranked 99th and 110th, respectively, in the Football Bowl Subdivision. 

Indiana will look to a new quarterback and a pair of two new feature tailbacks in 2023, needing a complete 180-degree turnaround on the offensive side of the ball to compete with its opponents.

See the three players to watch for when the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Hoosiers Saturday.

QB Tayven Jackson

Head coach Tom Allen was not ready to officially announce the Hoosiers' starting kicker earlier this week, let alone their lead man under center.

However, amidst an injury to Dexter Williams II, all signs point to Tennessee transfer Tayven Jackson, the younger brother of Hoosiers basketball legend Trayce Jackson-Davis, to be the starter next season.

The redshirt freshman comes from an athletic family, obviously, and he'll have to use that athleticism against the Buckeyes Saturday.

Toledo quarterback Dequan Finn used his athleticism in the read option to freeze Ohio State's linebackers keeping them honest.

Now, it's unclear if Jackson has the same arm talent as Finn displayed on his 40- and 50-yard touchdown passes, but if he can put the ball on his receivers, the Hoosiers' offense won't be held to the 14 points they were last year against the Buckeyes.

RB Josh Henderson

In five of Ohio State's six losses in the Day era, opponents averaged at least five yards per carry. In the three more demoralizing, grind-it-out losses against Oregon and Michigan twice, the Ducks and Wolverines averaged at least seven yards per carry in every contest.

In both games that Indiana averaged five yards per carry as a team, it won against Idaho and upset Michigan State.

Josh Henderson is the returning tailback with some of the most college football experience under his belt. He played three seasons at North Carolina before transferring to Indiana in 2022.

Last season, he rushed for 390 yards and four touchdowns on 90 carries, which were all career highs. Henderson also caught 24 passes for 274 yards and four scores.

Running back Christian Turner transferred to Bloomington, IN. from Wake Forest, where he rushed for 1,022 yards and 12 touchdowns, catching nine passes for 68 yards and a score the past two seasons. He will provide a nice one-two punch in the Hoosiers' backfield.

Before that, the Buford, GA. native played three seasons at Michigan where he averaged 4.2 yards per carry.

Last season, Ohio State's defense allowed 121 rush yards per game, which ranked 26th in the FBS last season. The Buckeyes will return run stuffers Mike Hall Jr., Ty Hamilton and Tyleik Williams on the defensive line, as well as both starting linebackers from 2022 in Tommy Eichenberg and Steele Chambers.

WR Donaven McCulley

Wide receiver Donaven McCulley's role has evolved since he was recruited.

Four-star McCulley was class of 2021's No. 24 quarterback and the third-best player in Indiana, ranking as the Hoosiers' fourth-best recruit since 1999, according to 247Sports.

Under center, McCulley had 64 rushing attempts and 83 passing attempts before making the transition to wide receiver.

If the Hoosiers utilize his athleticism in an H-back role like Buckeyes did with Braxton Miller in 2015, the Indianapolis native could be a dangerous weapon for Indiana's offense.

Last season, he caught 16 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown, adding a score on the ground as well. Having worked on his route-running and pass-catching abilities in the offseason, McCulley could see an increase in touches and be a viable asset in 2023.

At 6-5, 198 pounds, McCulley has four inches of height on the Buckeyes' two tallest cornerbacks in Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock.