INDIANAPOLIS — Football is here. While the Indianapolis Colts are up at Grand Park, Lucas Oil Stadium serves as the site for Big Ten Football Media Days.
Both Indiana and Purdue universities took the podium on Thursday as sights are set on a new season of football. It's a chance to hear from Tom Allen and first-year head coach Ryan Walters on what we can expect from the Hoosiers and Boilermakers during the 2023 football season.
The always energetic Tom Allen started things off on Thursday. The Hoosiers are coming off a 4-8 campaign in 2022. Allen made a point to say all eight IU losses a year ago happened in the fourth quarter. The word for the Hoosiers in 2023 is toughness, as Allen noted the ability to finish games this season will be imperative.
"We have a strong nucleus returning, and we had great success in the portal. We were very focused on identifying young men across this country that were the best football players, that fit our culture, and that wanted to be at Indiana," Allen said. "I'm excited about this program. Obviously, we have a challenging schedule ahead of us. I'm very excited about the future, have to build it and keep growing every single day."
Joining Allen at Media Day was All-Big Ten linebacker Aaron Casey, defensive back Noah Pierre, and running back Jaylin Lucas who – as a freshman in 2022 – was named Big Ten return specialist of the year, as well as First Team All-America as a returner.
IU brought on three new position coaches throughout the offseason looking to turn a new page. Bob Bostad comes from Wisconsin as the Hoosiers' new offensive line coach, Matt Guerrieri will serve as the safeties coach/co-defensive coordinator after most recently coaching at Ohio State, and Anthony Tucker will be the new wide receivers coach coming in from Utah State, where he served as co-offensive coordinator.
The Hoosiers begin their season for a fifth time in seven years against a Big Ten opponent – this time, Ohio State at home on Sept. 2.
"Challenging? Yes. I would say it forces you to grow up really fast," Allen said. "There's an urgency that our staff has because of it, and fall camp is affected by that in a very positive way. So, it's a challenge we embrace without question."
As for Purdue, the Boilermakers are fresh off a Big Ten Championship appearance after securing the Big Ten West a year ago. With it, Jeff Brohm left for his alma mater in Louisville, and a new head coach stepped in. Defensive guru Ryan Walters comes to Purdue by way of Illinois, where the Fighting Illini featured one of the best defenses in college football in 2022. Walters' first order of business was immersing himself in his team and West Lafayette.
"When I first arrived, my message to them was that I need to learn what it's like to be a Purdue Boilermaker," Walters said. "It was my job to get to know them and to build trust with them. In turn, I think they recognized the authenticity. They recognized the genuine approach, and as a result' they've embraced us and done everything that we've asked them to do."
Purdue ranked sixth in the country last year in offensive efficiency. Losing guys like Charlie Jones and Aidan O'Connell certainly is tough to overcome. That's why Walters will rely heavily on new and highly sought after offensive coordinator Graham Harrell.
"I knew it was important for me to be able to hire an offensive coordinator that could track quarterbacks and offensive skill guys, so Graham was a no-brainer, and he's been a homerun so far," Walters said. "I've been really impressed with his approach to teaching and to motivating and holding everyone accountable on the offensive side."
These are two teams with drastically different seasons in 2022. Even so, both have clean slates and different looks in 2023.
Both IU and Purdue's 2023 football season schedules are below.
Indiana Football 2023 (Home games in bold)
9/2 - Ohio St., 3:30 p.m.
9/8 (Fri.) - Indiana St., 7 p.m.
9/16 - Louisville, Noon - *Lucas Oil Stadium
9/23 - Akron, TBA
9/30 - Maryland, TBA
BYE
10/14 - Michigan, TBA
10/21 - Rutgers, Noon - *Homecoming
10/28 - Penn St., TBA
11/4 - Wisconsin, TBA
11/11 - Illinois, TBA
11/18 - Michigan St., TBA
11/25 - Purdue, TBA - *Old Oaken Bucket
Purdue Football 2023 (Home games in bold)
9/2 - Fresno St., Noon
9/9 - Virginia Tech, Noon
9/16 - Syracuse, 7:30 p.m.
9/22 (Fri.) - Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
9/30 - Illinois, TBA
10/7 - Iowa, TBA
10/14 - Ohio St., TBA
BYE
10/28 - Nebraska, TBA
11/4 - Michigan, TBA
11/11 - Minnesota, TBA
11/18 - Northwestern, TBA
11/25 - Indiana, TBA - *Old Oaken Bucket