After the 2019 season, it was made clear that Indiana football had found a star at the wide receiver position— Whop Philyor. But what about after him on the depth chart?
The core wide receiving group will be without Nick Westbrook this season, who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Titans. Westbrook caught 42 passes for 572 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns in 2019, including reeling in a 75-yard pass from Michael Penix Jr. in the season opener against Ball State.
Also departing from Indiana’s wide receiving unit this season will be Donovan Hale, who finished with 22 receptions for 373 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Hale saw his production drop in his final season following his 2018 campaign in which he caught six touchdown passes and had over 500 receiving yards.
In this positional preview, I’ll dissect the core projected wide receivers group that the Hoosiers will look to roll with in 2020.
Whop Philyor (Sr.)
This is the obvious, and expected player at the top of the wide receiving depth chart for this upcoming season. After Philyor filled up the stat sheets in 2019, it only took the wideout four days following Indiana’s loss in the Gator Bowl to Tennessee on Jan. 2 to announce he would return for his final season of eligibility.
Last season, Philyor hauled in 70 receptions for 1,002 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. He also rushed for 43 yards.
The Tampa, FL, native broke out against Michigan State on Sept. 28. Philyor recorded 14 catches for 142 receiving yards and two touchdowns. The wideout followed up his performance against the Spartans with an encore presentation against Rutgers the next game— 10 catches for a season-high 182 receiving yards.
Philyor had yet another monster game against Nebraska on Oct. 26, finishing with 14 receptions and 178 receiving yards en route to helping the Hoosiers earn their first bowl appearance since 2016. In the Old Oaken Bucket game against Purdue, Philyor notched 8 receptions on 138 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Philyor’s 70 receptions in 2019 rank fifth all-time among Indiana wide receivers in a single season, and he became the seventh player in program history to record over 1,000 receiving yards in one season— the first since Simmie Cobbs Jr. did so in 2015.
It will be interesting to see how defensive schemes change against Philyor with more scouting tape available on the star receiver this season. Two teams that faced and finished above Indiana in the Big Ten East standings in 2019— Ohio State and Penn State— held Philyor to a combined 5 receptions and 91 receiving yards. In the Gator Bowl, Philyor was contained to one reception for only one receiving yard, both season lows.
Expect Philyor to be used primarily in the slot as he was last season. Philyor has been most effective through the crossing routes implemented by the now-departed offensive coordinator, Kalen DeBoer, last season.
Ty Fryfogle (Sr.)
The other senior leading the wide receivers group in 2020, Fryfogle also saw his statistics climb up from his sophomore year to his junior season.
After bringing in 29 receptions for 381 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2018, Fryfogle finished with 45 catches on 604 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 2019.
Fryfogle’s best game came against Penn State on Nov. 16 last season, finishing with five receptions on 131 receiving yards and a touchdown in Indiana’s loss to the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley.
Expect Fryfogle to be a top-three option in the passing game for Penix next season, with tight end Peyton Hendershot competing for targets as well.
Miles Marshall (R-So.)
Now, things begin to get more interesting. Marshall saw quite a bit of action for the Hoosiers in his redshirt freshman season, finishing with 16 receptions on 196 passing yards.
His lone touchdown reception came against Eastern Illinois early in the season on Sept. 7. Marshall’s best game came against Purdue last season, finishing with 49 receiving yards and four receptions.
Marshall should see an increase in playing time following the departures of both Westbrook and Hale, and should have the opportunity to show first-year offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan what he is capable of in the passing game.
David Ellis (So.)
Ellis is arguably the most intriguing returning player on offense for the Hoosiers heading into the 2020 season, because fans were given just a taste of what he brings talent-wise to the field.
While the second-year wide receiver finished with just 16 receptions and 173 receiving yards in 2019, wide receivers coach Grant Heard expects Ellis to have a breakout season in 2020.
Ellis came out of high school as a running back, but it became more clear Indiana envisioned him as a receiver for the Hoosiers last season. Ellis finished with 53 rushing yards, and was the primary kickoff returner in 2019.
Ellis is most likely in line to see his numbers jump out of any player on offense next season.
Rashawn Williams (Fr.)
Williams comes to Bloomington as one of the top recruits to ever step foot on the IU campus. He is an explosive wide receiver with a great frame and strong build, helping him get off the line against press coverage. Very physical, his strength makes it difficult for defenders to uproot him and push him off his route.
Not known for his breakaway speed, Williams will be a terrific possession receiver across the middle of the field and often times gains a lot of chunk yardage after the catch. He has a great ability to create space within the first few yards off of the line of scrimmage, allowing him to get in the open field immediately.
With Philyor and Fryfogle in front of him, and other talented receivers around him, Williams may not see huge numbers right away but don't be shocked if he is a norm in the wide receiver rotation and even sees some time in the slot in three wideout sets.
Remaining Wide Receivers Group
Out of the remaining names listed as a wide receiver on the 2020 roster, the only player to record any receptions during the 2019 season is Luke Shayotovich— who had just one catch for a loss of three yards.
Other wide receivers on the depth chart include seven other players: Jordan Jakes, Jacolby Hewitt, Cam Wilson, Da’Shaun Brown, Christian Harris, Bryan Parker, and McCall Ray. Wilson is a transfer from FCS school Illinois State of the Missouri Valley Conference, while Harris and Parker formerly played at the College of DuPage in Illinois, a JUCO school.
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