2103 Outlook - Indiana

After a 1-11 start to his head coaching career at Indiana, Kevin Wilson has to believe that there is no where to go but up.  Unfortunately, I am not expecting a stellar rise from the Hoosiers in 2013.

On offense, folks in Bloomington are excited about SO QB Tre Roberson.  He is no doubt exciting, but he is more an athlete than a QB.  Watching QBs Gunner and Dusty Kiel has to hurt, and relying on an athlete to be the QB does not spell lots of wins.  If Roberson can develop throwing skills, and can learn to read a defense, he has a chance, but right now it looks to be tough.  JR RB Stephen Houston who transferred into Indiana last year will be the primary ball carrier this year.  He is pretty good, but not stellar.  With a young o-line up front, it could be a long year for him too.  The most talented weapon for the Hoosiers on offense is JR WR Kofi Hughes.  Hughes has the combination of size and speed that NFL scouts look for, and if he finds a QB that can get him the ball, he has the chance to be a standout for this team.

Defensively, the Hoosiers also have some holes.  The defensive line is led by two SR DTs.  Unfortunately neither of these guys projects well at the next level, and against some of the Big 10 talent they will face, may find themselves over matched.  The linebackers will be relying on JUCO transfer, Jacarri Alexander to be their play maker.  He has very good speed, and bring a good "linebacker mentality" to the field with him.  If he can not only make plays, but help raise the level of play of his teammates, the unit may do alright.  Just like the linebackers, the secondary will also rely on a JUCO transfer to set their tone.  Antonio Marshall plays a physical brand of football.  If he can run with the Big 10 receivers is the only question.

Although there are a couple of bright spots on the roster, I see the 2013 Hoosiers being a similar team to last year's squad.  Hopefully they can come out of the gate strong against Indiana State, UMass, and Ball State because the schedule after that looks quite daunting.