benfaunce

  The defense is never gets a breather because of the up tempo offense. They are constantly huffing and puffing

Ugh.

  Same story as last season. They just can't get open. The group doesn't seem to get the concept of coming back to the ball, they all just sit and wait for it.

  Fairly good. They have a good line and a versatile playmaker at QB.

I'm liking what I see from Shaw at the Bandit Linebacker position.

That drive looked so easy. Sudfeld looks confident. Mitchell Paige looks like he's been here before (even though he hasn't). Howard appears to be a very good back. And we even saw some versatility in formation with some two TE sets.

  That is really interesting. Big blow to not have Scales and Latham playing today. Hopefully it won't make much of a difference against SIU.

Phil Benker had an impressive senior opener in a Sandalwood (Jacksonville, Fla.) 24-17 victory. The receiver scored on a 28-yard reception. He also set up another touchdown on a bizarre 61-yard reception that ended with a defender slide tackling Benker on the 16-yard line. Local news outlets suggested Benker would have scored otherwise, but Sandalwood took the penalty and scored on the next play. Another impressive play by Benker was a downfield block that sparked a 55-yard touchdown run by Sandalwood’s quarterback. It’s plays like these that coaches like to see from high school receivers. It shows Benker is a hard worker who understands there is more to being a stud receiver than catching footballs. Peyton Ramsey won LaRosa’s MVP in week 1, a weekly award given to the top player in the Cincinnati area. The senior quarterback led Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio) to a 56-14 victory. Ramsey marched down the field and scored on all seven first half possessions. Ramsey was an efficient 10-for-14 for 159 yards and two touchdowns, while carrying the ball six times for 78 yards and another score. Ramsey’s rushing touchdown came on an impressive 29-yard draw, juking three defenders on his way to the end zone. Cole Gest dealt with cramping in his season debut, resulting in a mediocre 56 yards on 11 carries. Cole did manage to reach the end zone from the one-yard line, which helped lift St. Edward (Cincinnati, Ohio) to a 14-13 win. It is noteworthy that Cole was up against a tough defense led by a Penn State four-star commit Ellison Jordan. Tyus Flakes still hasn’t returned from a torn ACL injury he suffered in the spring. Updates on the running back from Alabama will come as he continues to recover from the injury. Jayme Thompson recorded seven tackles, five solo, in Western Iowa Community College’s 48-42 overtime loss against Coffeyville. Allen Cater recorded three tackles for a loss in Friday’s opener. The defensive end helped lead Mount Paran (Kennesaw, Ga.) to a dominating defensive performance in a 35-0 victory. A’shon Riggins recorded four receptions for 30 yards and a touchdown in a Hamilton (Cincinnati, Ohio) 34-14 victory. Riggins’ 14-yard touchdown reception came on a short slant in the third quarter, putting the game out of reach. Despite Riggins’ successful start on offense, he is expected to come to IU as a defensive back. Chris Henderson forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown, which put Lovejoy (Ga.) on the board and cut the difference to seven. The defensive end got in on two additional tackles for a loss, helping lead Lovejoy to a 22-20 victory.

  Yes, a lot of outlets have Kentucky as the leaders for Alkins. However, it's still very early in his process. Alkins has said that he doesn't plan to commit anywhere until the spring, and he will be visiting plenty of schools this season. My gut says Alkins won't go to Kentucky because he wants to be the best player on his team. Crean & co. have the ability to show Alkins he can take over for Yogi as the team star from day one. Also, Alkins and Thomas Bryant also have a good relationship and Alkins has said that he and TB have talked about playing together before.    Until Alkins cuts his list to two or three schools, it is pretty much all speculation.    I'm curious where you saw Villanova, though. Alkins took to twitter earlier this month, naming 10 schools, and Nova wasn't on it. His schools were IU, UK, UNC, St. John's, Kansas, Texas, Maryland, Louisville, N.C. State and UNLV. 

  I've seen a few things on ND having interest in Thon Maker right now. I don't think there's any legitimacy to it, but I don't have anything to back that up - just a gut feeling.    Mike Brey is just doing what any good coach should be doing: getting his name out there as a contender for some top prospects. If a program can be continuously "in the mix" for top prospects, then there's the chance that program can start landing some of them.    End of the day, it's probably either IU or Arizona St. for Thon, and my crystal ball prediction is ASU. He knows the staff well, and it's a place where Thon has the opportunity to cement his own legacy while also staying out of the scope of harsh media critics (both locally and nationally) due to being at a program like Kansas, Kentucky and even IU. 

  This is Crean's top priority for the 2016 class. As I just said, it likely comes down to the hometown St. John's squad and IU. My prediction is IU for two main reasons: 1. (as mentioned on the previous post) he can be the top dog at IU, and 2. Crean and IU gives Alkins the best opportunity to thrive as a college player and - most importantly - develop into an NBA prospect.

Alkins can really play. He reminds me a lot of another NYC native - Lance Stephenson. He gets to the hoop at a tremendous rate, and he finishes with a fantastic combination of power and finesse. If Alkins ended up at IU, he could end up being one of Crean's next NBA products.   Although there are a lot of schools still on his list, I get the feeling he ends up choosing between IU and St. John's. He's the type of guy who needs to be the go-to player on his team, and those two schools fit the bill.    I'll have more on Alkins and a few other top prospects in an article later this week.

Another solid transfer for Wilson. Bowen is a former three-star out of high school. IU will lose a lot of experience on the offensive line in 2016, so adding a guy who has two years of college practice is very valuable.

In order for Wilson to keep his job, I think he needs to start proving that he can finish the 'should win' games. Each season he has failed to win a key game in the 4th quarter. Bowling Green last season. Minnesota and Navy in 2013. Ball State, Michigan State, and again Navy in 2012. Virginia, North Texas and Penn State in 2011.    While winning each of those games should not be an expectation, dropping every single one of them is borderline unacceptable. When looking back over the last three seasons, only three times was Wilson able to pull out a close game. In 2012, Indiana State (which shouldn't have been close) and a below average Iowa team. And then, of course, Wilson's only good win of his career at a ranked Missouri team last season.   So looking at this year's schedule, Wilson needs to win some key home games when recruits are visiting. This will both keep his job and help bring in some better talent. I see Rutgers and Iowa as the two big must-win games for Wilson this season in order to get that extension and help sign an extra four or five higher rated recruits. 

So, you guys have had an opportunity to get a sneak peak at the crop of early commitments to the 2016 class. Granted, they still have an entire senior season of football to play, and like we saw last season - with Tommy Stevens (QB) flipping to Penn State and Titus Booker (RB) to Wisconsin after huge senior years - we don't know what we have quite yet.   But with what we know now, who are you guys most excited to see as future Hoosiers? Where do you think Wilson needs to focus on over the next five months of recruiting?    I think the two most exciting verbals so far are the JUCO safety Jayme Thompson (the former four-star prospect and Ohio State player) and running back Cole Gest. I think Thompson has a chance to push for playing time right away, and I see Gest as being a great fit for Kevin Wilson's zone blocking scheme, which attracts the big play backs.    So let's hear what you all think.     Here's links to the three articles on the 10 early commits:   Offensive Skill: https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/football/recruiting/early-look-at-2016-iufb-commits-offensive-skil-r170   Secondary: https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/football/recruiting/early-look-at-2016-iufb-commits-secondary-r174   Defensive Line: https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/football/recruiting/early-look-at-2016-iufb-commits-defensive-line-r176       I'll continue to give updates on this current crop of committed players throughout the entire season. There's still a lot of development to be made with these players in their final high school seasons.

In the final addition to the early look at the current crop of 2016 commits, I take a look at the three defensive linemen that have verbally committed to the Hoosiers. All three of them have different playing styles, but they all have one important element in common: versatility. Allen Cater – 6-4/240 – Kennesaw, Ga. Playing Style: Run Stopper IU Comparison: Bobby Richardson (2011-14) Cater is the highest ranked defensive commit in the 2016 class according to ESPN. His biggest asset for the Hoosier defense is his ability to play multiple positions. He can play on the edge in a three-point stance and as a stand-up rusher, which is valuable in a 3-4 defense. But already at 240 pounds with a long body, Cater has plenty of room to grow and move to the outside. By the time Cater is seeing playing time for the Hoosiers, he could be closer to 260 pounds or more, which likely puts him at the strong-side defensive end position that Bobby Richardson owned last season. Cater has a similar run stopping play style to Richardson – who also moved all around the defensive front in his Indiana playing days. Cater’s combination of strength and quickness could get him some snaps early in his career. Where Cater needs to improve his game is staying low off the snap and leveraging blockers’ pads. He also must add pass rush to his repertoire. He already possesses a solid bull rush that simply overpowers weaker linemen at the high school level. It’s all mechanical work that needs improvement, but Cater certainly has the size, strength, speed and motor to be successful at the Big Ten level. Chris Henderson – 6-4/230 – Hampton, Ga. Playing Style: Pass Rush IU Comparison: Flo Hardin (2011-14) Henderson currently lines up as a defensive end in a 5-2 scheme at the high school level, which can essentially be considered a 3-4 outside linebacker. Henderson’s skill set will allow Coach Brian Knorr to play around with his position. Henderson should have no problem sliding in at the “Bandit” linebacker/end position once he gets to Bloomington. Henderson is a fantastic edge rusher. He’s quick off the snap and with his hands, but sometimes he relies too much on his first step and will overcommit. That could come back to bite him against athletic quarterbacks at the next level. Learning patience in containing scrambling quarterbacks will be a key development point. Henderson’s burst gives him the ability to fly to the flats to attack screens and flare-routes, similar to the plays that Flo Hardin made for Indiana. Henderson has the potential to succeed as a rush linebacker, but that could be the extent of his game. Henderson fits the mold of a third down blitz specialist, but he could be a very good one. Ryan Smith – 6-5/280 – Cincinnati, Ohio Play Style: Run Stopper IU Comparison: Adarius Rayner (2011- ) Ryan Smith is an interesting prospect. Scouting services list different positions for the versatile lineman. Here at btownbanners.com, we list Smith as a defensive end. Rivals.com also has Smith playing the end position. But ESPN and Scout.com pin Smith as a defensive tackle, while 247sports.com lists him as an offensive tackle (although I don’t see Smith playing offense for the Hoosiers). There isn’t a lot of information on the two-star prospect, but based on the tape Smith profiles as a weak-side defensive end in Knorr’s 3-4 scheme. This means he’s lining up closer to the inside– the position that Adarius Rayner and Darius Latham currently platoon. Smith’s frame and run-focused play style mimics Rayner. Smith will likely be redshirted as a freshman, giving him the ability to add strength and speed for a season or two before he earns playing time. He already displays good athleticism and a nose for the ball carrier. If he hits the weight room with aggression, Smith could even slide to nose tackle. You can follow Ben Faunce on Twitter: @ben_faunce.

On Tuesday, I took a look at the 2016 offensive skill position commits to IU football. In this second addition, I go in-depth on the three secondary commits: Safety Jayme Thompson – 6-2/194 - Iowa Western (JUCO) Style: Hard Hitting IU Comparison: More athletic Mark Murphy (2011-14) A former four-star prospect out of Toledo, Ohio, Thompson committed to Ohio State back in 2013. But before playing a single snap in Columbus, Thompson broke his ankle and missed his entire freshman season. He then decided to head to the JUCO ranks in search of playing time in 2014. A year later, Thompson has committed to Indiana, where he expects to compete for a starting job right out the gate next season. He possesses the ability to defend the run with the best of them. Thompson has a nose for finding the football, fearlessly attacking the flats like a linebacker and closes on ball carriers with tremendous speed and power, which resembles Murphy. His combination of size and speed will give him an ability to run through any back or receiver in the Big Ten. Thompson also drops back into coverage well. His range may need to be improved some, but if Thompson can work on quickening his hips to close on deep balls, he could prove to be one of the best all-around safeties in the conference. Coming in as a junior, Thompson will certainly give Chase Dutra a run for his money at strong safety next season. Khalil Bryant – 6-0/190 – Jacksonville, Fla. Style: Hard Hitting IU Comparison: Tegray Scales (2014- ) I understand that the Scales comparison may confuse you, but after watching Bryant on tape I couldn’t help but feel like I was watching the sophomore IU linebacker. Bryant is basically a linebacker in a safety’s body. If he is able to put on some pounds, I could see him making the switch to weak-side linebacker for Defensive Coordinator Brian Knorr. Bryant is a pure tackler, and he can bring down ball carriers in any fashion. He wraps up incredibly well, pursues the flats with aggression, and runs through backs and receivers with tremendous power. Bryant plays a lot of linebacker in high school, which has limited his practice in coverage. It will be interesting to see how he translates to the college level. He is a gifted enough athlete to play strong safety, but if he can pack on 20 pounds in the next two or three years, we could see Bryant moving down to linebacker. Don’t forget, Scales came into Bloomington around 205 pounds last summer. Cornerback A’Shon Riggins – 6-0/160 – Hamilton, Ohio Style: Coverage IU Comparison: Tracy Porter (2004-07) Riggins is an athlete who has been utilized all over the field at the high school level. He plays quarterback and receiver on offense, while being moved all over the secondary defensively. However, at the college level he profiles as a coverage corner. Riggins’ time at quarterback is used mostly as a runner, where he displays incredible agility. He translates his skills with the ball in his hand to cornerback as well. His quick hips help him turn with receivers that are faster than him. He also has good jumping abilities and the awareness to find the ball in the air. His coverage skills are on par with the Porter comparison, and so is his quickness with the ball in his hands. If you remember, Porter was once a great punt returner for the Hoosiers. When Riggins tucks the ball as a quarterback, he looks the returner part, and I could see Wilson utilizing his versatility on special teams. The area that Riggins is going to need to work on is his backpedal, where he tends to look a little lazy. He is able to get away with it now, but he is susceptible to being burned by Big Ten caliber receivers. The potential to be a future Hoosier starter is certainly there, but I see him as a nickelback and return specialist at the next level.

Haha good to hear from you man. Check out my football recruiting content here.

Is this Tavierne by chance?

I was a sophomore and at the game against Wisconsin in 2012. If you recall, IU was in a position to actually make a run at the division title with a win. In my four years that was easily the most anticipated game and excited crowd. And then we got STOMPED on by the Wisco rush attack. Over 600 rush yards if I recall. That one stung, but wow was that first 5 minutes a buzz.

I played against Ryan Boatright. My football list is the longer one, where I played with two Michigan starters: Graham and Ryan Glasgow, and guarded Nebraska WR Jordan Westerkamp. I also played IU QB Nate Boudreau in a 7-on-7

In the first installment of a three part series, Ben Faunce takes a look at the offensive skill players that have committed to Kevin Wilson and the IU football program in the 2016 class. Read on to learn about the four prospects. It’s still very early in the 2016 recruiting process for Kevin Wilson and his coaching staff, but the class is already starting to take form.   Wilson has managed to earn at least one verbal commitment from each offensive skill position. He’s also grabbed a pair of versatile defensive linemen, added an offensive tackle, and filled three out of four secondary spots.   All together, Wilson has 10 commitments from the 2016 class, the majority of which are rated three stars by multiple major recruiting outlets. That’s a good start, and it gives Wilson the ability to build around an early core to bring in even better talent, a task that the fifth year Indiana head coach continues to improve on with each recruiting season.   In a three-part overview, I will take a look at the various position groups that make up the first 10 commits in the 2016 class. To start, let’s look at the offensive skill positions:   Quarterback   Peyton Ramsey – 6-2/190 - Cincinnati, Ohio Style: Pocket Passer IU Comparison: Cameron Coffman (2012-13)   Ramsey is the quarterback of the class, and he reminds me a lot of former IU quarterback Cameron Coffman in a lot of ways. The skill set is nearly identical.   Ramsey displays simply average arm strength, however he has good touch and accuracy on the ball, even if it doesn’t always look pretty. While he isn’t a dynamic scrambling quarterback, he has solid footwork and pocket mobility to help escape pressure.   What makes him a good fit for Wilson’s offense is his decision-making and quick release. He will be the type of quarterback who will have no problem hitting the underneath and short, outside routes that offensive coordinator Kevin Johns loved to run last season.   Running Back   Tyus Flakes – 5-9/200 - Auburn, Ala. Style: Balanced IU Comparison: D’Angelo Roberts (2011-14)   Between skill set and size, the comparison between Flakes and Roberts is spot on. Flakes is the type of back that can do a little bit of it all, but doesn’t have a tool that stands out over the rest.   Flakes can run between the tackles like a bulldozer, he can bounce it outside to reach the first down pylon and he can lower his shoulder to gain an extra yard or two. Flakes’ high running style is reminiscent of Roberts, and it gives him that extra strength in order to break through arm tackles.   Flakes’ versatility makes him a good fit for Wilson’s air raid offense. Not every running back has the ability to take handoffs in a shotgun heavy scheme, but Flakes’ ability to bounce to the outside then aggressively cut up field will do well with a zone-blocking scheme. I like Flakes to be a potential three down back due to his combination of size and skill.   Cole Gest – 5-7/191 - Lakewood, Ohio Style: Speed IU Comparison: watered-down Tevin Coleman (2012-14)   Now hold on a second, don’t get TOO excited about the Tevin Coleman comparison. While Gest plays a similar game to Coleman, by no means do I expect Gest to become as good – or even close to as good – as one of the greatest football players in IU history.   Gest’s best quality is his quick burst. This gives him the ability to both explode through the line of scrimmage and separate from trailing defenders. He also is good at cutting up field when running to the outside. That’s where most of his yards will be gained at the college level. He also displays good hands and route running ability out of the backfield.   Similar to Coleman, Gest won’t wow you with one-on-one juke moves or cut backs, but in Wilson’s zone blocking scheme, Gest will be a big play candidate every time he touches the ball. I could see Gest and Flakes eventually giving Wilson a similar one-two punch that Coleman and Roberts supplied the Hoosiers last season.   Wide Receiver   Phil Benker – 6-2/195 - Jacksonville, Fla. Style: Possession IU Comparison: Kofi Hughes (2010-13)   Remember in 2013 when Hughes made that ridiculous jumping catch over a Michigan defender, then took the ball 67 yards for a touchdown? And the countless other times Hughes made seemingly impossible jump ball catches look easy?   Well that’s Benker’s bread and butter. That also happens to be the biggest weakness in IU’s current crop of receivers, so Benker may have an opportunity to step in and make big plays early in his college career.   Benker shows weakness in his flat-line speed and burst. There isn’t a cornerback in the Big Ten that Benker can outrun. But if a future IU quarterback puts Benker in a jump ball position, he should be able to out-jump, out-muscle and out-will defenders to make spectacular catches.   He will be most dangerous in the red zone. If Benker can bring his ball skills to the next level, Wilson will love calling his number inside the 10-yard line.   Look for the second installment of this three part series on the three secondary commitments later in the week.   You can follow Ben Faunce on Twitter @ben_faunce. [url=https://btownbanners.com/page/index.html/_/football/recruiting/early-look-at-2016-iufb-commits-offensive-skil-r170]Click here to view the article[/url]

It’s still very early in the 2016 recruiting process for Kevin Wilson and his coaching staff, but the class is already starting to take form. Wilson has managed to earn at least one verbal commitment from each offensive skill position. He’s also grabbed a pair of versatile defensive linemen, added an offensive tackle, and filled three out of four secondary spots. All together, Wilson has 10 commitments from the 2016 class, the majority of which are rated three stars by multiple major recruiting outlets. That’s a good start, and it gives Wilson the ability to build around an early core to bring in even better talent, a task that the fifth year Indiana head coach continues to improve on with each recruiting season. In a three-part overview, I will take a look at the various position groups that make up the first 10 commits in the 2016 class. To start, let’s look at the offensive skill positions: Quarterback Peyton Ramsey – 6-2/190 - Cincinnati, Ohio Style: Pocket Passer IU Comparison: Cameron Coffman (2012-13) Ramsey is the quarterback of the class, and he reminds me a lot of former IU quarterback Cameron Coffman in a lot of ways. The skill set is nearly identical. Ramsey displays simply average arm strength, however he has good touch and accuracy on the ball, even if it doesn’t always look pretty. While he isn’t a dynamic scrambling quarterback, he has solid footwork and pocket mobility to help escape pressure. What makes him a good fit for Wilson’s offense is his decision-making and quick release. He will be the type of quarterback who will have no problem hitting the underneath and short, outside routes that offensive coordinator Kevin Johns loved to run last season. Running Back Tyus Flakes – 5-9/200 - Auburn, Ala. Style: Balanced IU Comparison: D’Angelo Roberts (2011-14) Between skill set and size, the comparison between Flakes and Roberts is spot on. Flakes is the type of back that can do a little bit of it all, but doesn’t have a tool that stands out over the rest. Flakes can run between the tackles like a bulldozer, he can bounce it outside to reach the first down pylon and he can lower his shoulder to gain an extra yard or two. Flakes’ high running style is reminiscent of Roberts, and it gives him that extra strength in order to break through arm tackles. Flakes’ versatility makes him a good fit for Wilson’s air raid offense. Not every running back has the ability to take handoffs in a shotgun heavy scheme, but Flakes’ ability to bounce to the outside then aggressively cut up field will do well with a zone-blocking scheme. I like Flakes to be a potential three down back due to his combination of size and skill. Cole Gest – 5-7/191 - Lakewood, Ohio Style: Speed IU Comparison: watered-down Tevin Coleman (2012-14) Now hold on a second, don’t get TOO excited about the Tevin Coleman comparison. While Gest plays a similar game to Coleman, by no means do I expect Gest to become as good – or even close to as good – as one of the greatest football players in IU history. Gest’s best quality is his quick burst. This gives him the ability to both explode through the line of scrimmage and separate from trailing defenders. He also is good at cutting up field when running to the outside. That’s where most of his yards will be gained at the college level. He also displays good hands and route running ability out of the backfield. Similar to Coleman, Gest won’t wow you with one-on-one juke moves or cut backs, but in Wilson’s zone blocking scheme, Gest will be a big play candidate every time he touches the ball. I could see Gest and Flakes eventually giving Wilson a similar one-two punch that Coleman and Roberts supplied the Hoosiers last season. Wide Receiver Phil Benker – 6-2/195 - Jacksonville, Fla. Style: Possession IU Comparison: Kofi Hughes (2010-13) Remember in 2013 when Hughes made that ridiculous jumping catch over a Michigan defender, then took the ball 67 yards for a touchdown? And the countless other times Hughes made seemingly impossible jump ball catches look easy? Well that’s Benker’s bread and butter. That also happens to be the biggest weakness in IU’s current crop of receivers, so Benker may have an opportunity to step in and make big plays early in his college career. Benker shows weakness in his flat-line speed and burst. There isn’t a cornerback in the Big Ten that Benker can outrun. But if a future IU quarterback puts Benker in a jump ball position, he should be able to out-jump, out-muscle and out-will defenders to make spectacular catches. He will be most dangerous in the red zone. If Benker can bring his ball skills to the next level, Wilson will love calling his number inside the 10-yard line. Look for the second installment of this three part series on the three secondary commitments later in the week. You can follow Ben Faunce on Twitter @ben_faunce.