Bloomington Leader

Quarterback Group Deep in Potential

There is no decision. Not now. Not with these stakes, and so much improvement to make.

Indiana's starting quarterback question will linger until August, and if you see uncertainty, head coach Tom Allen focuses on opportunity.

"It's a very strong group," he says. "We've got good depth there."

For now, with spring practice over and months of behind-the-scenes work looming, Connor Bazelak and Jack Tuttle generate the biggest buzz, but overlook Donaven McCulley, Dexter Williams II, and Grant Gremel at your own risk.

Allen refuses to take that risk. Not after last season.

If you saw the quarterback carnage that took out Tuttle, Williams, and Michael Penix Jr., you understand that today's backup can become tomorrow's starter faster than you can say, "Down goes the quarterback."

Nothing is sure except everybody has to be ready.

"These next several months are going to be critical in their growth," Allen says.

All the quarterbacks understand that, and it's shown in the time they put in during practice, and outside of it.

"I appreciate how hard they've worked," Allen says. "We'll be able to find the best guy that ends up being the one that we think is prepared to lead our team."

Bazelak and Tuttle are starter front runners based on experience and performance.

The 6-3, 222-pound Bazelak arrives from Missouri. In 24 career games, including 20 starts, he threw for 5,084 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions while completing 66.4 percent of his passes.

Last season, he threw for 2,548 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

The 6-4, 217-pound Tuttle is back for his fourth Hoosier season. Injuries limited him to six games last year. He threw for 423 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions.

Then there's McCulley, who played before he was ready. He threw for 475 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also rushed for 135 yards and two TDs.

Gremel, a walk-on, started the season finale at Purdue and went 18-for-30 for 147 yards.

Williams has never thrown a college pass. He missed all of last season with a torn ACL.

"A lot of guys have played a lot of football for us in game situations," Allen says. "Obviously, Connor brings a ton of experience from another school."

Last season  still burns. A preseason Top-20 team fell hard and fast, and these Hoosiers are driven for a redemption season.

It starts at quarterback.

"It's a critical position," Allen says. "Everybody knows that. Their ability to grow, and to develop and to be able to come together as a team is a big part of this.

"They have to lead that group. They have to not only lead themselves, but they have to lead that (locker) room. They've got to be able to put the team on their back and that takes a lot of time, and it takes preparation."

Expectations for quarterback, in Allen's view, starts with two key components.

"To be able to throw the ball accurately and to throw it with decisiveness," he says.

Then, there's leadership.

"Most of these guys are part of our leadership council," Allen says. "It gives them a chance to show them, and grow them as leaders, and what that looks like."

Spring practice under new offensive coordinator Walt Bell created plenty of quarterback opportunities.

What did Allen see?

"The obvious is the growth that you see in learning the system, being able to grow from a fundamental perspective and just kind of working through the guys.

"Looking at Jack, and the way he's been able to grow in his confidence and ability to make the throws he needs to make. I think the big thing is decision-making, in terms of just the speed of that. I've seen that increase in accuracy and throwing with confidence.

"With Connor, as well, it's the same thing. Being here new, and with his work ethic, and all the things that he brings to our team. And even just being able to be more comfortable with his teammates and being able to be with a new group of guys."

Then there's McCulley, who didn't arrive on campus until last summer, not nearly enough time to prepare for elite college football.

Injuries forced him into action before he was ready, but the experience could provide future benefits.

"You think about Donaven, and his growth and development and being able to maximize his skill set to be able to help this team in every way possible," Allen says. "That's the key for him.

"He's such a good athlete. He's big (6-5 and 210) and can run. He's one of our best players. That's a guy that I want to see grow.

"He has so many things to improve on because of having limited time at that position. He has to really be honed in on this off-season.

"This will be his first full off-season with us. The fundamentals that he has and just learning the new system with a new coordinator. Being able to master that is going to be important, just playing with that confidence and being able to throw the football on schedule and maximize the talent that we know that he has."

The 6-1, 217-pound Williams is a dual-threat force. In his final two high school seasons in Georgia, he totaled 5,088 yards and 61 TDs.

"A guy like Dexter definitely has talent," Allen says. "He's a great young man. He has worked extremely hard to come back from his knee injury. It's just learning the system and being able to get out there and play.

"He's very young. He hasn't played a lot of football for us and hasn't played any games, He has to focus on mastering the fundamentals, getting comfortable in the pocket and learning the system and get that ball out fast and be able to help us be very effective."

As for Gremel, who in five games last season was 32-for-58 for 269 yards, one touchdown and one interception, Allen says, "You think about Grant continuing to grow and develop.

"He had a chance to start the final game and played throughout the last part of the season and just continued to grow and get stronger and get faster and get better and improve himself in his fundamentals and being able to run the offense.

"Just an unbelievable kid that's worked extremely hard and has gotten better as we've put him in position to even have a chance to play last year, so that has to continue. He knows that."

Original source can be found here.