Improved Running Game Top Spring Offensive Priority
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Jaylin Lucas will get a ton of touches.
You know that, right?
Indiana’s do-it-all All-American is poised for a monster second season, and Walt Bell can’t wait to help make it happen.
Spring practice is the first indication of where it could lead.
“Jaylin Lucas has to become an absolute multi-purpose tool that can never come off the field,” Bell says.
Last season as a 5-9, 185-pound true freshman, Lucas was sometimes a pass-protection liability not ready for full-game Big Ten physicality.
But get him in space, and his sprinter’s speed and elusiveness shredded defenses and special teams. The All-America accolades proved that.
On kickoffs, he averaged 28.1 yards a return, with two touchdowns and a long of 93 yards.
As a runner, he had 49 carries for 271 yards and two touchdowns.
As a receiver, he had 16 catches for 82 yards, with a long of 25 yards.
Now, he’s a little lighter (170 pounds), a lot stronger, and more in tune with what needs to be done.
“Last year, you had an 18- year-old, brand new freshman learning about pass protection and the college game,” Bell says. “Now that we feel great about his preparation, it’s how many places can we possibly put him so we can get his hands on the football.”
A bigger workload has its own challenges.
“That's a lot of mental stress,” Bell says. “It will be the first time in his life where he's really been a position-plus player.”
Getting Lucas more touches is one of three key spring-practice offensive areas for Bell as he hopes to build a more consistent and explosive offense. The top priority is achieving a strong rushing attack. Josh Henderson is the leading returning rusher with 398 yards and four touchdowns. Last year, IU averaged just 110.8 yards per game and 3.4 yards per carry.
That’s not good enough, and the Hoosiers know it.
“We’ve got to run the ball better,” Bell says. “We’re already starting to see some inklings of that. We've got to be much more explosive running the football.”
Settling on a starting quarterback is also crucial. Dexter Williams II, who had emerged as last season’s starter until suffering a season-ending knee injury, likely won’t be back until midseason.
That leaves returner Brendan Sorsby, Tennessee transfer Tayven Jackson, and true freshman Broc Lowry from Ohio.
Sorsby played in just one game last year as a true freshman, against Penn State. He was 3-for-6 for eight yards.
Jackson played in three games. He had one rushing touchdown and 37 passing yards.
Lowry is a three-star prospect who threw for 4,967 yards and 40 touchdowns for his high school career.
“We're going to have an unbelievable competition at quarterback,” Bell says. “All three of them are really good football players. All three of them have different skills. All of them are athletic.
“We’re going to do everything we can to prepare them.”
Bell wants to see more from a receiver group led by Cam Camper (46 catches, 569 yards, 2 touchdowns), Andison Coby (18, 237, 1), and Donaven McCulley (16, 169, 1).
Injuries limited Camper to seven games. He’s still recovering from knee surgery, which will give more reps to the other receivers.
“We’ve got to take the next step as a wideout group,” Bell says. “With Cam’s injury situation, it’s going to force more development from the others. That's really going to help this group.”