Here's our roundup of IU basketball, football and recruiting news.
Jordan Wells / Basketball Beat & Recruiting News
Still nothing changed with 2018 New Albany five-star guard Romeo Langford (6-3, 185 pounds, No. 6 player nationally). All three schools - IU, Vanderbilt and Kansas - remain on the list. The tea leaves suggest Kansas might be third, as we discussed on a podcast this week (link), but never rule Kansas out.
We caught up with 2019 Center Grove four-star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (6-9, 210 pounds, No. 28 player nationally) this week. You can read that interview here - https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-four-star-forward-trayce-jackson-davis-updates-recruiting
Word on the street at Center Grove was TJD might not be waiting to hear from some new top programs as much as we initially thought. He could be happy with the schools on his current list - IU, Purdue, Michigan State and UCLA among others.
Now sure, if a UNC comes calling this spring, it’s a dream for a kid like TJD to add those offers. But my understanding is he might not be pining for some of those offers as much as we initially thought.
If he truly is fine with the schools that have been recruiting him to-date, you have to feel great about where IU stands. It’s not over - Matt Painter was at the game vs. Brownsburg, so they’re still trying. Michigan State, UCLA also trying.
But you certainly have to like IU’s odds after he visited so much this fall/winter. The only reason he hasn’t been around in the last few weeks is because he was visiting IU so much, other schools were nearly to a “what’s the point” in recruiting him. So he toned it down.
2021 Brownsburg wing Pierce Thomas plans to visit IU with his family for tonight’s game against Ohio State, his father told us earlier this week. Thomas is an incredibly athletic, but raw, freshman - one to absolutely keep an eye on for down the road. He’s averaging around 9 points per game for Brownsburg. Look for new highlights of him in a couple days.
Finally, Archie Miller and Tom Ostrom both watched 2020 Culver Academy four-star guard Trey Galloway (6-3, 180 pounds, No. 75 player nationally) this week, his father told us. Get to know Galloway here - https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2020-guard-trey-galloway-hearing-from-iu-purdue
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Stu Jackson / Basketball Beat & Recruiting News
The consistent theme with freshman forward Justin Smith's late emergence seems to be him having a better feel for the game.
IU assistant coach Bruiser Flint said as much Thursday night during head coach Archie Miller's radio show, noting sometimes it takes players awhile to realize their limitations when they get to the college level.
This made a lot of sense, considering when we watched Smith at Adlai E. Stevenson High School last year, he was the most college-ready athlete on the court because of his size and athleticism. He was able to physically impose his will with ease. But seasoned Big Ten players are faster and stronger, and obviously that took some time for Smith to adjust to.
Nonetheless, it's got to be an encouraging sign for Indiana's coaching staff to see Smith close out his freshman season as strong as he has. He's got tremendous potential and will have a big offseason coming up.
Flint also shared a little bit of insight on IU forward signee Jake Forrester's recruitment.
Flint credited the previous IU coaching staff for the work they did establishing a relationship with Forrester. The pre-existing relationship with Indiana, combined with Flint's pre-existing relationship with Forrester's father, Dwight (the two played against one another when Dwight was at Temple in the late 80s), helped Flint pick up right where the previous staff left off and maintain the connection when the new staff came in.
Flint said he thinks IU fans will enjoy watching Forrester because of the amount of energy he plays with.
Lastly, getting to senior night tonight (8 p.m. ET, FS1), I wouldn't be surprised if the speeches were available for live viewing on BTN2Go, the Big Ten Network's online platform - assuming it's the same as what the network did for Tuesday night when Indiana at Nebraska followed Ohio State's senior night game against Rutgers.
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Taylor Lehman / Football Beat & Recruiting News:
The biggest immediate football recruiting news is that a couple 2019 recruits have told TheHoosier.com that they will be at the IU Basketball game tonight against Ohio State as part of their recruiting visits.
Avon running back and No. 2 player in the state of Indiana Sampson James will be in attendance. Stu caught up with the running back earlier this week and wrote a story about him that is linked below. James has several high-quality offers from Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and, of course, Indiana. They’ve landed recruits over similar schools in the 2018 class, but getting James would be an incredible jump for the program. James has made it clear throughout his recruiting process that Indiana is a contender.
Sampson James will visit Indiana this weekend (via Stu Jackson): https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-4-star-rb-sampson-james-to-visit-indiana-on-friday
Also, Ohio 3-star athlete Mershawn Rice will be in town and at the Ohio State game this week, as well. He told me earlier this week that Indiana is in his top three with Syracuse and Pittsburgh. He said he is being recruited as a wide receiver. A story will be posted about Rice on TheHoosier.com shortly.
Rivals recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt also reported that 2019 dual-threat quarterback DeQuan Finn will be in town Saturday for a visit to IU. He lays out some more specifics on Finn here: https://indiana.forums.rivals.com/threads/keep-an-eye-on-this-qb-prospect-this-weekend.164647/
Ohio offensive tackle Jay Amburgey told Stu that he will be visiting Indiana on March 3. Amburgey is a player TheHoosier.com has reported on before, but after his junior season, stands as an even more coveted prospect than before.
Jay Amburgey to visit IU on March 3: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-ohio-ol-jay-amburgey-planning-to-visit-iu-march-3
I was able to get in contact with a few 2019 recruits and write up some stories. Those are linked below.
2019 3-star Kentucky ATH brings size to multiple positions: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-kentucky-athlete-brings-size-to-multiple-positions
2019 Ohio offensive lineman JD Duplain has played one season on offense and already has an IU offer: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-ohio-lineman-gets-iu-offer-after-first-season-on-offense
2019 3-star Miami tight end Gary Cooper brings a lot of athleticism to the position: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-te-gary-cooper-plans-to-visit-indiana-in-march
Indiana also extended offers to two players this week:
2019 Maryland ILB Kameron Blount:
2019 Michigan ATH Jalen Graham:
Jordan Wells / Basketball Beat & Recruiting News
Still nothing changed with 2018 New Albany five-star guard Romeo Langford (6-3, 185 pounds, No. 6 player nationally). All three schools - IU, Vanderbilt and Kansas - remain on the list. The tea leaves suggest Kansas might be third, as we discussed on a podcast this week (link), but never rule Kansas out.
We caught up with 2019 Center Grove four-star forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (6-9, 210 pounds, No. 28 player nationally) this week. You can read that interview here - https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-four-star-forward-trayce-jackson-davis-updates-recruiting
Word on the street at Center Grove was TJD might not be waiting to hear from some new top programs as much as we initially thought. He could be happy with the schools on his current list - IU, Purdue, Michigan State and UCLA among others.
Now sure, if a UNC comes calling this spring, it’s a dream for a kid like TJD to add those offers. But my understanding is he might not be pining for some of those offers as much as we initially thought.
If he truly is fine with the schools that have been recruiting him to-date, you have to feel great about where IU stands. It’s not over - Matt Painter was at the game vs. Brownsburg, so they’re still trying. Michigan State, UCLA also trying.
But you certainly have to like IU’s odds after he visited so much this fall/winter. The only reason he hasn’t been around in the last few weeks is because he was visiting IU so much, other schools were nearly to a “what’s the point” in recruiting him. So he toned it down.
2021 Brownsburg wing Pierce Thomas plans to visit IU with his family for tonight’s game against Ohio State, his father told us earlier this week. Thomas is an incredibly athletic, but raw, freshman - one to absolutely keep an eye on for down the road. He’s averaging around 9 points per game for Brownsburg. Look for new highlights of him in a couple days.
Finally, Archie Miller and Tom Ostrom both watched 2020 Culver Academy four-star guard Trey Galloway (6-3, 180 pounds, No. 75 player nationally) this week, his father told us. Get to know Galloway here - https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2020-guard-trey-galloway-hearing-from-iu-purdue
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Stu Jackson / Basketball Beat & Recruiting News
The consistent theme with freshman forward Justin Smith's late emergence seems to be him having a better feel for the game.
IU assistant coach Bruiser Flint said as much Thursday night during head coach Archie Miller's radio show, noting sometimes it takes players awhile to realize their limitations when they get to the college level.
This made a lot of sense, considering when we watched Smith at Adlai E. Stevenson High School last year, he was the most college-ready athlete on the court because of his size and athleticism. He was able to physically impose his will with ease. But seasoned Big Ten players are faster and stronger, and obviously that took some time for Smith to adjust to.
Nonetheless, it's got to be an encouraging sign for Indiana's coaching staff to see Smith close out his freshman season as strong as he has. He's got tremendous potential and will have a big offseason coming up.
Flint also shared a little bit of insight on IU forward signee Jake Forrester's recruitment.
Flint credited the previous IU coaching staff for the work they did establishing a relationship with Forrester. The pre-existing relationship with Indiana, combined with Flint's pre-existing relationship with Forrester's father, Dwight (the two played against one another when Dwight was at Temple in the late 80s), helped Flint pick up right where the previous staff left off and maintain the connection when the new staff came in.
Flint said he thinks IU fans will enjoy watching Forrester because of the amount of energy he plays with.
Lastly, getting to senior night tonight (8 p.m. ET, FS1), I wouldn't be surprised if the speeches were available for live viewing on BTN2Go, the Big Ten Network's online platform - assuming it's the same as what the network did for Tuesday night when Indiana at Nebraska followed Ohio State's senior night game against Rutgers.
----------
Taylor Lehman / Football Beat & Recruiting News:
The biggest immediate football recruiting news is that a couple 2019 recruits have told TheHoosier.com that they will be at the IU Basketball game tonight against Ohio State as part of their recruiting visits.
Avon running back and No. 2 player in the state of Indiana Sampson James will be in attendance. Stu caught up with the running back earlier this week and wrote a story about him that is linked below. James has several high-quality offers from Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and, of course, Indiana. They’ve landed recruits over similar schools in the 2018 class, but getting James would be an incredible jump for the program. James has made it clear throughout his recruiting process that Indiana is a contender.
Sampson James will visit Indiana this weekend (via Stu Jackson): https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-4-star-rb-sampson-james-to-visit-indiana-on-friday
Also, Ohio 3-star athlete Mershawn Rice will be in town and at the Ohio State game this week, as well. He told me earlier this week that Indiana is in his top three with Syracuse and Pittsburgh. He said he is being recruited as a wide receiver. A story will be posted about Rice on TheHoosier.com shortly.
Rivals recruiting analyst Josh Helmholdt also reported that 2019 dual-threat quarterback DeQuan Finn will be in town Saturday for a visit to IU. He lays out some more specifics on Finn here: https://indiana.forums.rivals.com/threads/keep-an-eye-on-this-qb-prospect-this-weekend.164647/
Ohio offensive tackle Jay Amburgey told Stu that he will be visiting Indiana on March 3. Amburgey is a player TheHoosier.com has reported on before, but after his junior season, stands as an even more coveted prospect than before.
Jay Amburgey to visit IU on March 3: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-ohio-ol-jay-amburgey-planning-to-visit-iu-march-3
I was able to get in contact with a few 2019 recruits and write up some stories. Those are linked below.
2019 3-star Kentucky ATH brings size to multiple positions: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-kentucky-athlete-brings-size-to-multiple-positions
2019 Ohio offensive lineman JD Duplain has played one season on offense and already has an IU offer: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-ohio-lineman-gets-iu-offer-after-first-season-on-offense
2019 3-star Miami tight end Gary Cooper brings a lot of athleticism to the position: https://indiana.rivals.com/news/2019-te-gary-cooper-plans-to-visit-indiana-in-march
Indiana also extended offers to two players this week:
2019 Maryland ILB Kameron Blount:
2019 Michigan ATH Jalen Graham:
