Can Tom Allen lead Indiana Football back to a bowl game in 2022?

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BLOOMINGTON, UNITED STATES – 2021/11/20: Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Grant Gremel (16) throws a pass against Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive lineman Thomas Rush (8) during an NCAA football game at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind. IU lost to Minnesota 35-14. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) /

3. The Hoosiers have to get better offensively.

The offense was flat-out awful last season. Indiana was 124th in total offense last season, averaging 290 yards per game and turning the football over 22 times. Nothing the Indiana offense did work, which cost Nick Sheridan his job. Michael Penix suffered a third season-ending injury at quarterback, and the offensive line was a wreck.

USC transfer Stephen Carr could never get going because of the problems in the trenches. The Hoosiers missed Whop Philyor as Ty Fryfogle struggled as the top receiver. Matters were not helped by D.J. Matthews suffering a season-ending injury.

As a result, the offense was 123rd in scoring offense, throwing just four touchdown passes in nine Big Ten games. Big Ten defenses held the offense under 10 points six times (all conference games), including a shutout.

Penix is off to Washington, and QB1 comes down to Missouri transfer Connor Bazelak, Jack Tuttle, and Donaven McCulley. The Hoosiers lose their top four running backs but bring Shaun Shivers (Auburn) and Josh Henderson (North Carolina).

Ty Fryfogle and Peyton Hendershot seemed like they were at Indiana for a decade; they are both gone. Matthews showed promise before the knee injury, and Emory Simmons followed Henderson from North Carolina.

None of the talent matters if the offensive line is as bad as it was last season. The offensive line blocked for a ground game that averaged 3.2 yards per carry and allowed 29 sacks last season. It returns three starters but has to play better.

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