Here's our roundup of IU basketball, football and recruiting news:
Jordan Wells / Basketball Beat & Recruiting News
Stu has a ton of recruit-specific notes from Vegas, so I'll take this opportunity to do more of a state of the union address.
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/185475
I continue to feel IU is in the best shape for five-star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis - nothing new on that front.
Several posters have had questions about Keion Brooks this week. We've had him No. 2 on our hot board for the longest time and there's nothing to suggest that needs to change.
He's always had a lot of ties to IU - some family/friends, dad played for Ed Schilling in college.
Now it seems TJD and him got pretty close playing together in AAU. If you penciled in TJD to IU...well, that obviously wouldn't hurt your chances with Keion.
Two top 20 prospects would obviously be great. If IU did manage to land both these guys, what's your starting lineup next year? A sophomore Phinisee, a combination of Jerome Hunter/Brooks/Justin Smith/TJD?
Exciting to think about.
So, in summary, IU in good shape with these guys - with the obvious caveat nothing is over until it's over.
The main mystery left is trying to find a guard this cycle. Stu has more on some of those options below.
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Stu Jackson / Basketball Beat & Recruiting News
It’s been a busy first couple of days in Las Vegas.
As of Friday morning, we know of two IU targets in the class of 2019 who have their sights set on visiting campus.
Four-star Fairfax (Va.) Paul VI point guard Anthony Harris mentioned Indiana, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Miami (Fla.) and Georgia as core group of schools which are strong contenders for official visits this fall. He does not plan to commit before taking his official visits and plans to use all five, though none are set yet. He was watched by Indiana assistant coach Ed Schilling at Bigfoot Hoops’ The 8 yesterday afternoon.
Four-star Lakeville (Minn.) Hopkins 4-star forward Zeke Nnaji toldTheHoosier.com he’s aiming to visit IU sometime in September. A date has not been set yet, but Nnaji said he and the IU staff have been talking about visiting the weekend of a home football game. Indiana will have three that month, so Nnaji would likely on campus the weekend of Sept. 8, Sept. 15 or Sept. 22.
In the class of 2020, 4-star forward and Top 40 prospect Andre Jackson toldTheHoosier.com he’s aiming to visit IU before the end of July. The final July evaluation period runs through July 29, so if he does end up visiting, it would likely be on either Monday or Tuesday next week.
Meanwhile, the search for a guard in the class of 2019 continues following 5-star D.J. Carton’s commitment to Ohio State earlier this month. Indiana is in good shape with Harris, but the list of guard offers also now includes 2019 4-star shooting guard James Bouknight. Bouknight is friends with Indiana freshman forward and former PSA Cardinals standout Jake Forrester. Bouknight told TheHoosier.com Forrester likes it on campus and has told him IU has been a great experience so far. Bouknight also took notice of how much stronger Forrester looks under the direction of IU’s strength staff. Bouknight does not have any visit plans set yet and likely won’t begin scheduling any until after the final July evaluation period.
2019 5-star forward Trendon Watford and 4-star guard Kira Lewis had strong performances in front of IU associate head coach Tom Ostrom on Wednesday, with Lewis scoring 27 points and Watford chipping in 21, including 13 second-half points. Watford hit the game-clinching free throws then executed a game-sealing block on back-to-back possessions in the final seconds in a 69-66 win over Powerhouse Hoops Nebraska at the Las Vegas Summer Showcase at Findlay Prep.
Earlier this week, Watford told Rivals’ Corey Evans he plans to start scheduling visits after the summer evaluation period is over. Watford has no timetable for a commitment and will likely sign in the spring, according to Evans.
Lewis, on the other hand, is reportedly weighing reclassifying from 2019 to 2018 according to Andrew Slater on Twitter. I’ll catch up with Lewis later today to see where things stand in that regard and with IU. However, it’s been noted already that Indiana is at the NCAA limit of 13 scholarships following Juwan Morgan’s return for his senior season, so unless there was unexpected scholarship roster attrition at the end of the summer, IU would not have room for Lewis if he chose to reclassify.
Meanwhile, one name to keep an eye on in the class of 2020 is four-star Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep shooting guard Nimari Burnett. Considered the No. 62 player nationally in his class by Rivals.com, he has just four offers at the moment but that could change after his strong start this week. Playing a year up with Russell Westbrook’s Team Why Not, Burnett scored 21 points by hitting six threes - all contested, challenging shots - and sinking three free throws in front of IU assistant coach Ed Schilling against Bouknight and PSA Cardinals at The 8. At the very least, Burnett could be due for a rise in the 2020 rankings if he continues to play like that in Vegas.
Football
In team news, Big Ten media days was held in Chicago earlier this week. There, IU head coach Tom Allen provided a slew of roster updates, including sophomore cornerback LaDamion Hunt leaving the team for personal reasons and linebacker Kiante Walton taking a medical hardship and not playing this fall as a result.
Injury-wise, Allen said redshirt junior wide receiver Nick Westbrook is at "100 percent" and redshirt junior wide receiver Donavan Hale is “progressing” in their rehabilitations from their respective knee injuries. That’s good news for an Indiana team that had thin depth at that position last year following Westbrook and Hale’s setbacks.
Specific to incoming freshmen, the new redshirt rule could make for a very intriguing fall camp and season. Allen said the coaching staff plans to evaluate and compile a pool of candidates who could benefit from the rule over the course of fall camp. Allen also admitted there will be a select few who will play right away and won’t be a part of that conversation, though he didn’t specify which players. Allen said he’s noticed the freshmen are much more engaged already and will remain more engaged throughout fall camp as a result of this new rule, a contrast to previous years where, prior to the new rule, some freshmen could see the writing on the wall and realize if they were headed for a redshirt year.
This rule also will result in seeing several new faces on defense since Allen wants to target a snap count between the fifties and sixties to keep defensive starters fresh.
In recruiting, Indiana extended offers to the following players recently:
2019 3-star Georgia CB Dequan Watts
2019 4-star Arizona safety Noa Poly-Gates
2019 3-star Florida OT Antoine Whitner
2019 3-star Texas Athlete Ainias Smith
Jordan Wells / Basketball Beat & Recruiting News
Stu has a ton of recruit-specific notes from Vegas, so I'll take this opportunity to do more of a state of the union address.
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/185475
I continue to feel IU is in the best shape for five-star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis - nothing new on that front.
Several posters have had questions about Keion Brooks this week. We've had him No. 2 on our hot board for the longest time and there's nothing to suggest that needs to change.
He's always had a lot of ties to IU - some family/friends, dad played for Ed Schilling in college.
Now it seems TJD and him got pretty close playing together in AAU. If you penciled in TJD to IU...well, that obviously wouldn't hurt your chances with Keion.
Two top 20 prospects would obviously be great. If IU did manage to land both these guys, what's your starting lineup next year? A sophomore Phinisee, a combination of Jerome Hunter/Brooks/Justin Smith/TJD?
Exciting to think about.
So, in summary, IU in good shape with these guys - with the obvious caveat nothing is over until it's over.
The main mystery left is trying to find a guard this cycle. Stu has more on some of those options below.
-------
Stu Jackson / Basketball Beat & Recruiting News
It’s been a busy first couple of days in Las Vegas.
As of Friday morning, we know of two IU targets in the class of 2019 who have their sights set on visiting campus.
Four-star Fairfax (Va.) Paul VI point guard Anthony Harris mentioned Indiana, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Miami (Fla.) and Georgia as core group of schools which are strong contenders for official visits this fall. He does not plan to commit before taking his official visits and plans to use all five, though none are set yet. He was watched by Indiana assistant coach Ed Schilling at Bigfoot Hoops’ The 8 yesterday afternoon.
Four-star Lakeville (Minn.) Hopkins 4-star forward Zeke Nnaji toldTheHoosier.com he’s aiming to visit IU sometime in September. A date has not been set yet, but Nnaji said he and the IU staff have been talking about visiting the weekend of a home football game. Indiana will have three that month, so Nnaji would likely on campus the weekend of Sept. 8, Sept. 15 or Sept. 22.
In the class of 2020, 4-star forward and Top 40 prospect Andre Jackson toldTheHoosier.com he’s aiming to visit IU before the end of July. The final July evaluation period runs through July 29, so if he does end up visiting, it would likely be on either Monday or Tuesday next week.
Meanwhile, the search for a guard in the class of 2019 continues following 5-star D.J. Carton’s commitment to Ohio State earlier this month. Indiana is in good shape with Harris, but the list of guard offers also now includes 2019 4-star shooting guard James Bouknight. Bouknight is friends with Indiana freshman forward and former PSA Cardinals standout Jake Forrester. Bouknight told TheHoosier.com Forrester likes it on campus and has told him IU has been a great experience so far. Bouknight also took notice of how much stronger Forrester looks under the direction of IU’s strength staff. Bouknight does not have any visit plans set yet and likely won’t begin scheduling any until after the final July evaluation period.
2019 5-star forward Trendon Watford and 4-star guard Kira Lewis had strong performances in front of IU associate head coach Tom Ostrom on Wednesday, with Lewis scoring 27 points and Watford chipping in 21, including 13 second-half points. Watford hit the game-clinching free throws then executed a game-sealing block on back-to-back possessions in the final seconds in a 69-66 win over Powerhouse Hoops Nebraska at the Las Vegas Summer Showcase at Findlay Prep.
Earlier this week, Watford told Rivals’ Corey Evans he plans to start scheduling visits after the summer evaluation period is over. Watford has no timetable for a commitment and will likely sign in the spring, according to Evans.
Lewis, on the other hand, is reportedly weighing reclassifying from 2019 to 2018 according to Andrew Slater on Twitter. I’ll catch up with Lewis later today to see where things stand in that regard and with IU. However, it’s been noted already that Indiana is at the NCAA limit of 13 scholarships following Juwan Morgan’s return for his senior season, so unless there was unexpected scholarship roster attrition at the end of the summer, IU would not have room for Lewis if he chose to reclassify.
Meanwhile, one name to keep an eye on in the class of 2020 is four-star Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep shooting guard Nimari Burnett. Considered the No. 62 player nationally in his class by Rivals.com, he has just four offers at the moment but that could change after his strong start this week. Playing a year up with Russell Westbrook’s Team Why Not, Burnett scored 21 points by hitting six threes - all contested, challenging shots - and sinking three free throws in front of IU assistant coach Ed Schilling against Bouknight and PSA Cardinals at The 8. At the very least, Burnett could be due for a rise in the 2020 rankings if he continues to play like that in Vegas.
Football
In team news, Big Ten media days was held in Chicago earlier this week. There, IU head coach Tom Allen provided a slew of roster updates, including sophomore cornerback LaDamion Hunt leaving the team for personal reasons and linebacker Kiante Walton taking a medical hardship and not playing this fall as a result.
Injury-wise, Allen said redshirt junior wide receiver Nick Westbrook is at "100 percent" and redshirt junior wide receiver Donavan Hale is “progressing” in their rehabilitations from their respective knee injuries. That’s good news for an Indiana team that had thin depth at that position last year following Westbrook and Hale’s setbacks.
Specific to incoming freshmen, the new redshirt rule could make for a very intriguing fall camp and season. Allen said the coaching staff plans to evaluate and compile a pool of candidates who could benefit from the rule over the course of fall camp. Allen also admitted there will be a select few who will play right away and won’t be a part of that conversation, though he didn’t specify which players. Allen said he’s noticed the freshmen are much more engaged already and will remain more engaged throughout fall camp as a result of this new rule, a contrast to previous years where, prior to the new rule, some freshmen could see the writing on the wall and realize if they were headed for a redshirt year.
This rule also will result in seeing several new faces on defense since Allen wants to target a snap count between the fifties and sixties to keep defensive starters fresh.
In recruiting, Indiana extended offers to the following players recently:
2019 3-star Georgia CB Dequan Watts
2019 4-star Arizona safety Noa Poly-Gates
2019 3-star Florida OT Antoine Whitner
2019 3-star Texas Athlete Ainias Smith
