BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- When an All-American returns for a true sophomore season after a late breakout the season before, it's only natural for there to be marked excitement for such an individual. That individual for Indiana is running back Jaylin Lucas.
Yet, IU isn't building their 2023 rushing attack entirely around Lucas in 2023. Instead, the Hoosiers are going to rely on a three-man attack. Lucas will bring the speed and his sub-4.3 second 40-yard dash. Josh Henderson brings the thud. And Wake Forest transfer Chrisitan Turner brings a just right combination of the two.
"I like that all of our guys can play multiple positions," Indiana running backs coach Craig Johnson said. "We don't really keep them from one position or another. We try to have some one back sets. Try to have some two-back sets. Our guys try to every position."
Lucas is the unquestioned star. His speed helped him return two kicks for touchdowns last season and he averaged 5.5 yards per carry in close to 50 opportunities last season. He had 271 yards and two rushing scores last season. His best game of the season came in the finale vs. Purdue when he had nine carries for 100 yards -- his first 100-yard rushing performance at Indiana.
"He plays a lot like a second-year player," Johnson said. "He's understanding the game, the pace of the game and practices at a really high level. Football is important to him and he works on his craft really hard. I like what I have seen so far."
Lucas gets most of the attention in IU's rushing attack as the Hoosiers prepare for the 2023 season. But Henderson had more yards -- 398 -- last season while averaging close to 4.5 yards per carry.
"I'm always going to say I learned a lot from Josh," Lucas said. "Taking reps, getting mental reps and knowing what he is going to do when he is out there. Josh Henderson, man, he is an all-out guy. And he's a great brother to have on the side of you."
Shaun Shivers, Indiana's leading rusher last season, departs after totaling just shy of 600 yards and a team-high six touchdowns. But Turner's injection into the position is significant after back-to-back seasons of at least 500 yards and five touchdowns at Wake Forest while averaging 4.0 yards per carry each season.
"Very good short area quickness," Johnson said of Turner's strengths. "He's a very good pass protector. He's shown a lot in his snaps. I'm very excited about what he's doing."
Turner comes from a trademarked slow-developing offense Dave Clawson's Demon Deacons have timed perfectly the last two seasons. It's unique, and few -- if any -- college programs are running the "slow mesh." But Turner -- who started his career at Michigan in 2018 -- is hoping to bring some of his previous experiences in Wake Forest's offense to Indiana.
"The experience I had at Wake Forest," Turner says, "definitely helped me with things that are going on here. With the slow mesh being about reading defenses and seeing how the safety rotates. So I think I can take that from my time at Wake Forest.
"At the end of the day, you just have to trust your movements and trust what you have been taught. Moving keys and everything you have to slow the game down here and there and just play football. Not too difficult."
In 2022, offensive coordinator Walt Bell was in his first season calling the Indiana offense. Known mostly for his affection towards the passing game, Bell's stereotypes held true for Indiana.
Despite having the eighth-best passing offense in yards per game in the Big Ten last season, the only school that threw the ball more than Indiana in the conference was Purude. The Boilermakers attempted 100 more passes (583) than Indiana did last season. Last season's starting quarterback Connor Bazelak had three games with at least 50 passing attempts.
With high passing attempt numbers, Indiana's rushing offense naturally lagged behind. The Hoosiers had the No. 13 rushing offense in the Big Ten last season -- ahead of only Iowa. Only Michigan State ran the ball less a year ago in the Big Ten than Tom Allen's IU team.
Now entering 2023, Indiana's offensive scheme seems to have developed a different primary goal. They want to run the football more this season and they're going to do it using more multi-back formations and naturally calling more running plays with the potential of Tennessee transfer quarterback Tayven Jackson -- a skilled running quarterback who was ranked among the top-100 prospects nationally in the 2022 class -- winning the starting quarterback job.
"Got to run the football," Allen said. "We've said that. We know that. we made the change there."
Indiana has a star in their rushing attack this season in Lucas. But it's not all about Lucas' rushing abilities in 2023. What Indiana is hoping for is the dynamics of Henderson and Turner's inclusion in the running back room makes for a deeper, more potent ground game.
"We have a lot of good players that I believe could start anywhere in the country," Turner said. "So this offense is just going to be the best players making plays."
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