Week one of the 2024 college football season is upon us, as Indiana is set to host Florida International this upcoming weekend to begin the Curt Cignetti era in Bloomington.
The Indiana football program has undergone countless changes this offseason, as Cignetti aims to change the way the Hoosiers are perceived by the national audience.
In week one, Indiana welcomes Florida International to Bloomington following a 4-8 campaign in 2023 for the Panthers.
KEY PLAYERS
- Quarterback Keyone Jenkins: Jenkins is back at Florida International for his sophomore season in 2024. Becoming the first true freshman to startat quarterback for the Panthers in a decade, Jenkins threw for 2,414 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Jenkins completed 58% of his passes and threw 11 interceptions a season ago as well. Jenkins is dangerous with his legs when he manages to escape the pocket -- he rushed for six touchdowns a season ago. Jenkins is still young, but his dual threat ability could prove to be a headache for an Indiana team that struggled against mobile quarterbacks a year ago.
- Running backs Shomari Lawrence and Lexington Joseph: Back in 2022, Joseph led Florida International in rushing, totaling 536 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Joseph missed the entirety of last season due to an ACL injury, leaving Lawrence to pace the Panthers in rushing. Lawrence collected 566 yards on the ground in 2023, finding pay dirt four times a season ago on the ground. Both tailbacks boasts plenty of ability and experience at the collegiate level. Lawrence and Joshpeh should form a formidable one-two punch for FIU in the backfield this upcoming season.
- Wide receivers Nazeviah Burris and Dean Patterson: Florida International's leading receiver from the 2023 season, Kris Mitchell, is now at Notre Dame. Burris and Patterson are both expected to pick up the slack for a Panther receiving room looking for a few guys to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Burris spent the first part of his college career at Stetson, where he caught 21 passes for 308 yards and a touchdown in four appearances last season. Patterson on the other hand is an All-CUSA wideout returning after a 28 catch, 423 yard season in 2023. He also caught a touchdown pass last year. Burris and Patterson are expected to lead the way in the receiving corp for Florida International this season.
Linebacker Reggie Peterson: Peterson was a consensus first team All-CUSA honoree at linebacker last season for the Panthers. He finished second on the team in tackles last year, with 104 -- the 10th best total in program history. Peterson racked up 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks last year as well, while collected a interception too. Peterson's speed and quickness at 6-foot-2 and 229 pounds makes him a player to watch every time he steps on the field.
Safety CJ Christian: Christian is entering his senior season with the Panthers in 2024. After making eight starts at safety a year ago at Florida International, Christian is looking to expand on his excellent 2023 season. Last year, Christian finished the season with 55 total tackles and two tackles for loss. He led FIU and ranked inside the top five of Conference USA with three interceptions last season. Christian is a ballhawk in the secondary for the Panthers, and he's somebody Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke will have to keep an eye on at all times.
KEY STATS
- The Panthers finished the 2023 season inside the bottom 20 of the FBS in scoring, averaging 20.1 points a contest last year.
- Quarterback Keyone Jenkins was sacked nearly four times a game during the 2023 season.
- Florida International averaged less than 100 yards per game on the ground last season.
- The Panthers finished the season as one of the worst defensive units in the nation last season, allowing 31.8 points and 436.7 total yards per game last season. As a team, FIU surrendered 190.8 rushing yards a game last year.
OTHER NOTES
- Florida International has gone 4-8 in each of the first two seasons head coach Mike McIntyre has been at the helm of the Panthers. The last time FIU finished the season with a winning record was in 2018, when the Panthers went 9-4.
- In 2023, Florida International went 3-1 in non-conference play before going 1-7 in Conference USA action.
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