Some of Indiana's most significant playmakers Saturday in West Lafayette were true freshmen. After the game, Indiana head coach Tom Allen addressed the importance of recruiting success in the face of Indiana program history.

After Indiana’s 44-41 win at Purdue on Saturday, the Hoosier freshmen got together, freshman running back Sampson James said.

“‘This is why we came here, to win big games like this, get to a big bowl game,’” James said about what was said to each other. “Looking to win that for sure. I’m just so excited for the future of the program.”

It’s been well-documented that Indiana is a young team, has seen its youthful talent surpass some experience on the field and has been driven by two of the best recruiting classes ever secured by the Hoosiers (2018 and 2019).

But perhaps what has been most surprising is the early rise of some of the 2019 prospects in their first years in the program. Cornerback Tiawan Mullen has drawn national attention for his success on the field and internal attention for his leadership. But CJ Person was in the Penn State game late, Sean Wracher has been the starting long-snapper all season, Matt Bedford has been slotted in at left tackle for most of the season and David Ellis has worked himself into a gadget role behind Whop Philyor. That’s not mentioning Beau Robbins, Sio Nofoagatoto'a, or Gary Cooper.

Saturday’s rivalry game was dominated, in terms of attention, by two true freshmen on both sides of the ball for the Hoosiers – Mullen at cornerback on defense and James at running back.

“Coming in here, the older guys were talking about the Bucket,” said Mullen, who hails from Pompano Beach, Florida. “Coming in, it didn’t have much meaning, the Bucket. But I knew that it meant a lot to my big brothers. Whatever they fight for and believe in, I’m fighting for with them.”

Fight is exactly what Mullen did Saturday. Because of injuries, Purdue has needed to feature true freshman wide receiver and former top 2019 Indiana recruiting target David Bell as its No. 1 receiver for a majority of the season. Mullen was tasked to – for the most part – match up with Bell and limit him as much as he could.

Somehow, Mullen, with the help of some teammates, allowed Bell to catch nine balls for 136 yards and a touchdown, yet was considered to have a good day because of how many one-on-ones he won against the rival freshman.

“Mono-a-mono. I have a great coach in Brandon Shelby,” Mullen said. “We just get down, we compete. You win some, you lose some. He made some great catches. I made some great plays.”

On the other side, James filled in for sophomore running back Stevie Scott, who missed Saturday’s game because of an injury sustained during the loss to Michigan last week. He backed up the praise that had repeatedly been given to him by Tom Allen throughout the season despite lackluster performances in garbage time this season.

Before halftime, James had already amassed 89 yards against the second-worst rushing defense in the Big Ten. By the end of his day, James had bullied his way toward 118 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, including a 30-yard carry and a phenomenal push through a pile for his score.

At times, it seemed like James was the only offense Indiana had in the second half, particularly when he left the game with a minor lower leg injury, leaving Ronnie Walker and Ahrod Lloyd in the backfield with Peyton Ramsey.

“That’s why recruiting is so big. Him believing in us,” Allen said about James, who flipped his commitment from Ohio State to Indiana before signing. “He was an Indiana kid and came to play for us. Stevie went down and next man up. Those guys didn’t even blink, they just kept fighting.”

The talent of the lower classmen and the inexperience of that same group have shone brightly through Indiana’s play and did again Saturday, in ways good and bad.

When kicker Logan Justus missed three field goals after coming into the game as one of three perfect kickrs in 2019, it was sophomore kicker Charles Campbell who came in to hit a 36-yard field goal and then a 41-yard field goal after a delay of game penalty negated the first one.

It was also sophomore linebacker and the young safeties that allowed a 72-yard touchdown to Purdue tight end Brycen Hopkins – Purdue’s longest play from scrimmage this year – and the entire defense that crumbled once the lead grew to 18 points in the third quarter.

Indiana, in what has come to be known as a year earlier than anticipated, has lived and died by the talent and inexperience of those young classes in 2019. But, as Allen has noted in the past, the leadership from the older players has been a guide to create leaders out of the young players.

That was evident when Mullen was speaking on finishing games and Indiana’s history in doing – or not doing – so.

“It showed people that we know how to finish,” Mullen said about the win. “I guess in the past, these games were weren't able to be finished. But this season, we’ve shown that we’re able to finish. The close games, we’re able to finish. That’s the definition of grit.”

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