BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana is doubling up at quarterback in the 2024 class and is staying in-state to do so.
2024 Center Grove (IN) standout signal caller Tyler Cherry committed to Indiana on Tuesday night. Cherry announced his decision via his social media.
A former Duke commit, Cherry reopened his commitment following the Blue Devils' head coach Mike Elko's move to Texas A&M. The new Indiana staff, spearheaded by head coach Curt Cignetti, moved quickly upon taking the reins in Bloomington. IU offered Cherry, visiting him and his family in-home and hosting them on campus for visits all within the span of a couple weeks.
In the end, Cherry chose Indiana over Michigan State, who also pushed hard for the Hoosier state's best quarterback in this year's recruiting class.
Standing 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, Cherry was the Indiana Mr. Football winner at the quarterback position, tossing for 3,156 yards and 34 touchdowns in 13 games for the Trojans this past season, completing 218-of-305 passing attempts (71.5%). For his career in Greenwood spanning two seasons as the Trojan's starter, Cherry threw for 5,461 yards and 56 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions.
His career numbers for passing yards, passing touchdowns, total completions and completion percentage are all Center Grove records. Now, in Bloomington, he becomes the second consecutive Trojan quarterback to become a Hoosier.
Cherry took control of Center Grove's quarterback position after Tayven Jackson, the now-redshirt sophomore QB with Indiana, departed high school for Knoxville and handed the keys to Cherry. Having made the most of the opportunity two years later, the pro-style QB heads to Bloomington – where early inklings suggest a similar pro-style offense will be the philosophy – as one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
He joins former JMU pledge and Florida-based QB Alberto Mendoza, who committed to Indiana on December 11. Come next fall, the quarterback position group for Indiana will feature five scholarship players in Ohio transfer Kurtis Rourke, Jackson, returning rising sophomore Broc Lowry, Mendoza and Cherry.
Indiana's staff moved quickly on Cherry and was opportunistic in doing so. His commitment is a significant early statement that Cignetti's staff will be proficient in recruiting the state, and the continually impressive adjustments that Indiana has made this offseason is paying dividends on the recruiting trail.
When Indiana wanted a new coach, one of the specific job requirements athletic director Scott Dolson and company implemented was someone that had worked with quarterbacks before. Under Cignetti and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri, who have been together in tandem over the previous three seasons, IU brass hopes that the standard of success will continue.
It also will hope to bring more recruiting victories like this one.
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