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The Indiana basketball program needed to change a few parts of its roster when Mike Woodson took over the program two years ago. One of them was the talent from top to bottom on the roster. In just two short years, he's done so.

A huge reason for that is the freshman class he brought in this season. It was a four-man class, headlined by two five-star prospects. One in point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, and the other in forward Malik Reneau. Additionally, Woodson added four-star forward Kaleb Banks and three-star wing CJ Gunn.

With Hood-Schifino and Reneau expected to play significant roles on the team this year and Banks and Gunn fighting for minutes to round out Woodson's rotation, the talent level across the roster reflects that of the expected top-20 team Indiana is projected to be.

While the freshmen will all have different roles this season, one thing is for certain; they will be ready when their name is called, and they will be some of the most competitive players on the floor at any given moment.

"Well, they've had their ups and downs," Woodson said at IU media day. "They've gotten a whiff of who I'm about a little bit. But the beauty about the four freshmen that we brought in, is they're very, very competitive, and that's a big part of growing as an individual player."

All four of Indiana's freshmen come from a different playing background. For Reneau and Hood-Schifino, both played at powerhouse prep school Montverde Academy. For Gunn and Banks, both come from a more traditional high school, albeit both programs extremely successful in their own right.

Each of them come in with numerous awards and recognition to their name. But, making the jump from being the 'go-to' guy as a senior in high school to a freshman at the power-five level with Sweet 16 and Final Four aspirations is a different type of level of basketball.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Gunn said. "The biggest adjustment is just getting comfortable. Being in a different environment and a different space. But once you get that comfort level, it clicks . . . It's a different level of intensity.

"The speed of the game. Everyone is smart. Everyone has a high IQ," Banks added. "You can't really take a play off. That's been the biggest adjustment so far . . . watching film has really been helping me out a lot. Seeing what I could've done better, a spot I could've been at. It's been really helpful."

"I've had my ups and downs," Reneau said. "Going up against those guys, I've learned a lot. It's been really good (for me)."

Regardless of how they've played in practice, one thing remains consistent - their competitive nature.

"If they were non-competitive, boy, I would be very disappointed," Woodson said. "But they are competitive. They don't like to lose . . . I like how they're competing, and that's what makes coaching fun for me."

While Indiana has had depth in the past, the amount of 'talented depth' hasn't always been there. Rotations have been short, strings even shorter for certain players. This year, however, there is a different vibe around the roster and a lot of that has to do with the four newcomers.

That depth, and moreover talented depth, has already been on full display this summer.

"I shared this story with you when we first started. They couldn't beat the first unit that I had out on the floor. They would go home with their heads hung and down and disappointed," Woodson said. "And I called them in after one practice, and I said listen, there's going to come a time where you're going to beat that unit."

Woodson added, "Well, it's been kind of back and forth ever since those first two weeks. So they've been very, very competitive. They're trying to do all the necessary things on and off the court in terms of school, which is first and foremost."

Indiana finished 21-14 last season and returned back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016. The Hoosiers won their First Four matchup before a loss to St. Mary's in the Round of 64. With the amount of experienced players returning from that team and the new faces on the roster with the freshmen, there is a certain level of expectation, confidence, and swagger that Indiana hasn't had in some time.

On Nov. 7, the next chapter of Indiana basketball will begin and the one part of the team that will never be taken into question will be the competitive nature of every player on the roster.

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