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In 2018, the Indiana offensive line was pretty well beat around in the passing game. The unit allowed 29 sacks in Indiana’s 12 games, which tied for 90th in the country. But the line helped Stevie Scott and co. gain a respectable number of rushing yards, 1,888, for the season. But in 2019, with an experienced line, this unit could make a leap to become one of the Big Ten’s best.
Players to Watch
Coy Cronk, Senior; Hunter Littlejohn, RS Senior; Simon Stepniak, Senior; Caleb Jones, RS Sophomore
I mention these four together because they account for all of the experience on the offensive line. Cronk, Littlejohn, Stepniak, and Jones have started 36, 24, 20, and 11 games, respectively, for the Hoosiers, and Cronk and Littlejohn have the goods to find themselves on award watch lists late into the season. In all, these four guys get grouped together because they play a mostly forgotten-about position and you shouldn’t have to worry about them one bit.
Harry Crider, Sophomore
This is where things might get sticky. Crider, a former Columbus East Olympian, has played in six games at Indiana, but is the big question mark with this group. He’ll be helped as he’s sandwiched between Cronk and Littlejohn at left guard, and with thanks to Kalen Deboer’s zone blocking scheme. But if there is potential for a weak spot up front, it’s here. And it would not be surprising to see any of the guys who are second on the two-deep at any offensive line position get some non-injury related time at the left guard position.