5 Indiana players to watch in Week 1 vs. Iowa Hawkeyes

IOWA CITY — They say to know your enemy better than you know yourself, which is why each week Iowa football fans can check The Gazette for five key players to watch from the opposing team.

Indiana is ranked just one spot above No. 18 Iowa in the Associated Press’ preseason poll at No. 17, setting the stage for a key Big Ten matchup right out of the gate.

“I know last year was an exception for all this but I think you have to go back, I believe in 1980, Coach (Hayden) Fry was just getting started and we opened with Indiana, ironically,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said at Big Ten Media Days. “And then the next week we play another team that’s going to be nationally ranked (Iowa State). We know (we have) to be at our best right off the bat or at least attempt to be.”

According to Indiana head coach Tom Allen, this is the third time in his five years at Indiana his team has kicked things off with a conference opponent.

“I love the way that it creates a sense of urgency with your team,” Allen said at Big Ten Media Days. “To go and play in that venue to start the season is going to be very challenging, but I love the way the preparation process is at such a high level.”

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Since this is the opener, the only information to go off of is preseason and last season, no previous games.

1. QB Michael Penix Jr.

The only question with Penix is whether or not he would start against Iowa, and according to Allen, Penix’s second ACL surgery rehab is right on schedule for him to start against the Hawkeyes.

Penix missed the final two games last season, but still threw for 1,645 yards through six games, leading the Big Ten with 274.2 yards passing per game and finishing off the season with a pass efficiency rating of 136.5.

As a starter at Indiana, Penix is 10-2 and was one of the 17 finalists for the Davey O’Brien award last year and has made the 2021 watch list for the award.

During his freshman year in 2019, Penix set a school record for completion percentage at 68.8 percent, which is sixth in Big Ten history.

2. WR Ty Fryfogle

Fryfogle is shattering school records and collecting his first accolades at Indiana, which may not hold much clout to the Hawkeye fan base, but his numbers are cause for concern.

As the first Big Ten Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year out of Indiana and the program’s first first-team All-America wideout since James Hardy in 2007, Fryfogle became the first wide receiver in Big Ten history to tally back-to-back 200-yard receiving games last year against Michigan State and Ohio State.

Fryfogle concluded the season with 721 yards receiving.

3. LB Micah McFadden

The senior team captain was recently named to the 2021 Butkus Award watch list, which honors college football’s best linebacker. He joins teammate Tiawan Mullen as one of 11 Big Ten players on the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, which honors the nation’s top defensive player.

McFadden earned first-team all-Big Ten honors last year as the Hoosiers’ leading tackler with 58 total tackles, including 27 solo.

He led the Big Ten’s defensive backs with six sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. He also tallied two interceptions and three quarterback hurries.

4. CB Tiawan Mullen

According to Phil Steele’s 2021 College Football Preview, Indiana is projected to have the No. 7 secondary in the country after finishing last year with 17 interceptions. Mullen was second on that list with three last year, and previously led the Big Ten in 2019 with 13 passes defended.

As Indiana’s first cornerback to receive first-team All-America honors, Mullen is the team leader in active takeaways with eight: three interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

He joins McFadden on Bednarik watch list and tallied 37 total tackles last year, including 4.5 for loss and 3.5 sacks.

5. CB Jaylin Williams

As a second-team all- Big Ten cornerback last year, Williams snagged four interceptions for 93 yards and has the most career picks on the roster with six.

Williams had 30 tackles last year and 26 of them were solo. He also tallied one pass breakup, one sack and two tackles for loss.

Comments: (319)-398-8387, leah.vann@thegazette.com