HOOSIER DAILY: Dunbar, Randle El on CFB Ballot, future of IU-UK baseball
FORMER HOOSIERS ON CFB HOF BALLOT
Former Indiana football players Vaughn Dunbar (1990-91) and Antwaan Randle El (1998-01) are on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
Dunbar, a first-team All-American running back in 1991, led the country in rushing yards, totaling 1,805 yards. He finished sixth in the Heisman voting that season while averaging just over 150 yards per game.
In 1991, the Hoosiers won the Copper Bowl 24-0 over Baylor. In the bowl game victory, Dunabr ran for 106 yards and a touchdown, earning team MVP honors.
In 1998 Randle El was the first quarterback to win the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 2001. As a senior, Randle El was also a first-team All-American selection, which helped him finish sixth in the Heisman voting.
The quarterback was the first player in college football history to score at least 40 touchdowns and throw for 40 scores in his career while also recording over 2.500 total yards of offense. He ended his career throwing for 7,469 yards while also rushing for 3,895 yards. He scored a total of 87 touchdowns in his career with Indiana before being drafted in the second round by the Steelers in 2002 where he won the 2005 Super Bowl.
The Hoosiers have six former players in the College Football Hall of Fame. Anthony Thompson, Bo McMillin, Pete Pihos, Zara Clevenger, George Taliferro and John Tavener are former Hoosiers already enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
MERCER CLEAR ABOUT FUTURE OF IU-UK BASEBALL SERIES
Following Indiana's 4-2 loss to Kentucky on Monday night in the Lexington Regional of the NCAA baseball tournament, Indiana's head baseball coach Jeff Mercer was asked about the future of the Indiana-Kentucky baseball rivalry.
"Kentucky canceled the series last year, so Kentucky-Indiana is no longer a series," Mercer said. "They called and canceled it. It's done. It's the last time we're playing unless we're playing in the postseason. They asked if we want to keep coming down here, I'm not coming down here without a return trip, so it's done."
Indiana and Kentucky have played a total of 47 times throughout the history of the two programs. The two teams played four times in 2023, and the Wildcats won three times to take a 27-19 lead in the all-time series lead over Indiana.
The Hoosier's loss to Kentucky on Monday ended Indiana's season. The Hoosiers ended the season with an overall record of 43-20.
TAYRN KERN ENTERS THE TRANSFER PORTAL
On Monday, Big Ten Freshman and Player of the Year Tayrn Kern entered the transfer portal, according to Extra Inning Softball.
Kern had a phenomenal season for the Hoosiers in 2023 batting .404 as a freshman with 23 home runs, 13 doubles, 68 RBI and 68 runs scored. She had a 1.520 OPS this season.
Kern was a top-3 finalist for the NFCA National Freshman of the Year Award following the impressive season.
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