BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For the past two Indiana football seasons, when you looked back to see who was returning kicks? You saw No. 12 in a Hoosier uniform ready to go to work.
Jaylin Lucas handled kick returns almost exclusively in 2022 and 2023 and then added punt return duties in 2023.
He was explosive too. Lucas scored three kick return touchdowns, one of them kick-starting a comeback in 2022 as the Hoosiers overcame a 31-14 second-half deficit at Michigan State to eventually earn a 39-31 victory in overtime.
Lucas, however, was part of the exodus when Curt Cignetti replaced Tom Allen as head coach. Lucas will ply his trade for Florida State in 2024.
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Along with Lucas, every other Hoosier who had multiple returns also left the team or ran out of eligibility after the 2023 season. So get used to some new faces.
Personnel
#18 Solomon Vanhorse: graduate student, 5-foot-8, 185 pounds, played seven games at James Madison.
#4 Myles Price: senior, 5-foot-9, 183 pounds, 42 games at Texas Tech.
#5 Ke’Shawn Williams: senior, 5-foot-9, 189 pounds, 46 games at Wake Forest.
Top expected contributors: Myles Price, Sean Vanhorse, Ke’Shawn Williams.
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Contributors who departed from the 2023 team: Jaylin Lucas (to Florida State).
Transfer infusion
Myles Price, Ke’Shawn Williams and Solomon Vanhorse.
What do they have in common? Those three Hoosiers are the only ones on the roster with five career returns or more – and they all come to Indiana from different places.
Of the trio, the most intriguing is wide receiver Myles Price, a transfer from Texas Tech. Price will have an impact on Indiana’s passing game, but he is also explosive as a punt returner.
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Price returned nine punts for Texas Tech in 2023. He was below the minimum NCAA standard to qualify for the punt return average crown.
That’s a shame for Price, because his average of 21.8 yards in nine punt returns would have put him a yard ahead of Southern California’s Zachariah Branch, the NCAA punt return leader.
As is common in 2020s football, many teams kicked away from Price in 2023. He played in 10 games in 2023 for the Red Raiders, but only returned punts in six of them. In just one of those games did he return more than one punt.
Given that he broke punt returns of 43, 33 and 29 yards, it’s no wonder opponents wanted no part of him. However, Price remains determined to get his first career punt return touchdown.
“I need to get some touchdowns,” Price said during a spring press conference. “I think that’s the biggest thing. I’m doing a good job fielding the punts and getting a lot of yards, but I don’t have a touchdown yet.”
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Indiana wide receiver Ke’Shawn Williams runs a drill during a practice. / Indiana athletics
On the kick return side, Wake Forest transfer Williams averaged 19.8 yards on 33 career kick returns for the Demon Deacons.
Williams returned kicks in all four of his seasons at Wake Forest. He averaged 23.4 yards in 2023, though with only eight returns to his credit.
Cignetti signaled that he wants competency on kick returns.
“Not many kicks get returned,” Cignetti said. “When you look at it, it’s some 30%. But we’ve got guys that are good with a ball in their hand. The most important thing to me is at the end of the play, we have possession of the ball.”
Indiana running back Solomon Vanhorse takes part in a practice drill. / Indiana athletics
Vanhorse came from James Madison, where he returned three kicks and two punts over two seasons for the Dukes. He had punt returns of 35 and 25 yards against Bucknell in 2023.
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A running back in a crowded backfield, Vanhorse’s path to the field might be via return duties. Cignetti said all three were good punt and kick return candidates.
Four other players – Miles Cross, Kaelon Black, Elijah Green and Justice Ellison – all have either a kick or a punt return on their career ledger, but none are expected to be part of the return mix in 2024.
Returning talent
As mentioned, Indiana doesn’t return any of its return crew from 2023. Omar Cooper Jr. does have four career kick returns, but they occurred in 2022. Camden Jordan returned one punt for the Hoosiers in 2023.
The bottom line
It will be interesting to see what Big Ten opponents do with Price. Given his explosiveness, enemy punters might avoid him entirely. If that equates to positive field position for the Hoosiers, his presence is worth it even if he doesn’t get to show his stuff.
Lucas will be missed on kick returns. Williams was serviceable at Wake Forest and Vanhorse could be good, but until proven otherwise, those two will have to show they can match Lucas’s standard of recent seasons.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Following a four-game home stand to open up the 2024-25 season, the Louisville men’s basketball program is heading back to The Bahamas to participate in the Battle 4 Atlantis, and will kick off the event against regional rival Indiana.
The Pat Kelsey era of the Cardinals is off to solid start, although they have played imperfect basketball during their 3-1 start to the season. They’re averaging 81.0 points per game and have a 18.3 scoring margin, but have shot just 29.4 percent from deep on the year, and lost by 22 to Tennessee in their lone game vs. a power conference team.
As for the Hoosiers, they’re off to an undefeated start in year four under head coach Mike Woodson. All of their games have been won by at least double figures, including an 87-71 victory over South Carolina. Mackenzie Mgbako is leading the charge for IU with 18.8 points per game.
This will be the 22nd all-time regular season meeting between Louisville and Indiana, with the Hoosiers owning a 12-9 advantage. IU has won the last two matchups against UofL, including a 74-66 decision back on Nov. 20, 2023 in their last matchup in the Empire Classic.
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(Photo of Chucky Hepburn: Jamie Rhodes – Imagn Images)
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New Orleans Pelicans (4-13, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (7-10, ninth in the Eastern Conference)
Indianapolis; Monday, 7 p.m. EST
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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pacers -5.5; over/under is 228
BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans heads into the matchup against Indiana as losers of four straight games.
The Pacers are 5-2 in home games. Indiana ranks fifth in the league with 17.0 fast break points per game led by Bennedict Mathurin averaging 4.5.
The Pelicans have gone 1-7 away from home. New Orleans averages 14.2 turnovers per game and is 3-4 when turning the ball over less than opponents.
The Pacers are shooting 48.7% from the field this season, 0.2 percentage points higher than the 48.5% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pacers average 103.8 points per game, 14.3 fewer points than the 118.1 the Pacers allow to opponents.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Pascal Siakam is averaging 20.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists for the Pacers.
Brandon Ingram is scoring 22.9 points per game and averaging 5.8 rebounds for the Pelicans.
LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 4-6, averaging 111.7 points, 38.9 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 9.0 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.5 points per game.
Pelicans: 1-9, averaging 100.2 points, 42.7 rebounds, 23.0 assists, 7.8 steals and 4.5 blocks per game while shooting 42.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.7 points.
INJURIES: Pacers: Aaron Nesmith: out (ankle), Andrew Nembhard: out (knee), Isaiah Jackson: out for season (calf), James Wiseman: out for season (calf), Ben Sheppard: out (oblique).
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Pelicans: Zion Williamson: out (hamstring), Yves Missi: day to day (shoulder), CJ McCollum: day to day (thigh), Herbert Jones: out (shoulder ), Dejounte Murray: day to day (hand), Jose Alvarado: out (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
The Washington Wizards are still in the loss column after falling to the Indiana Pacers 115-103 inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Sunday evening.
The Wizards remained competitive throughout the game, especially after the first half when they led by two points going into halftime.
However, the Pacers pulled ahead in the second half and were able to cruise to a double-digit victory.
The Pacers had seven players scoring in double figures, including a team-high 22 points from Pascal Siakam. Myles Turner had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
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The Wizards were sorely missing their leading scorer in Jordan Poole, who was ruled out prior to the game with a hip injury. That put Kyshawn George into the starting lineup, where he scored 15 points while grabbing five rebounds and dishing out five assists.
All five starters scored in double figures with Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr scoring 17 points apiece for the team-high.
With 11 consecutive losses, the Wizards remain at the bottom of the NBA standings, but there are some positives that the team will walk away with.
The Wizards will look to snap their losing streak back at home on Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls.
Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!
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