Indiana Quarterback Connor Bazelak to Participate in Manning Passing Academy
Indiana's Connor Bazelak is one of 45 quarterbacks that will participate in the 2022 Manning Passing Academy. This event will take place at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La. from June 23 to June 26.
While there, Bazelak will serve as a camp counselor to younger players, and he'll compete against the fellow collegiate quarterbacks mentioned above in a Friday Night Lights event. According to the Manning Passing Academy website, this competition portion of the event has become a highlight of the weekend.
"Featuring the Riddell Air-It-Out Exhibition and the Nike Quarterback Challenge, the annual Friday Night Lights competition has emerged as the highlight event of the Manning Passing Academy. Former Saints QB Archie Manning calls all the audibles along with All-Pro Eli Manning, Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning with TV and radio personality Cooper Manning serving as MC. Every year, top quarterbacks and wide receivers from both the college and professional ranks square off in a competition underscoring the skills being taught at “THE PREMIER OFFENSIVE SKILLS FOOTBALL CAMP IN THE NATION.”
Bazelak joins an impressive group invited to the Manning Passing Academy this summer, including reigning Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young of Alabama. Bazelak is one of five Big Ten quarterbacks invited to the camp, joining Purdue's Aidan O'Connell, Iowa's Spencer Petras, Ohio State's CJ Stroud and Penn State's Sean Clifford. Other notable quarterbacks include Stetson Bennett of Georgia, Mississippi State's Will Rogers, Wake Forest's Sam Hartman, South Carolina's Spencer Rattler, Kentucky's Will Levis and Virginia's Brennan Armstrong, among others.
Bazelak transferred to Indiana this offseason after spending his first three collegiate seasons at Missouri. In 2019, he appeared in three games for the Tigers, including his first career start in the season finale at Arkansas when he completed 7-of-9 passes for 80 yards. Bazelak tore his ACL in the first half against Arkansas and took a redshirt year for the 2019 season.
In 2020, Bazelak was named SEC Co-Freshman of the Year by the coaches after throwing for 2,366 yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions. He completed 67.3 percent of passes that year and also rushed for two touchdowns.
In 2021, Bazelak started 11 games for Mizzou, throwing for over 300 yards three times. Overall, he threw for 2,548 yards, completing 246-of-377 attempts with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Bazelak is now competing for the starting quarterback position at Indiana with Jack Tuttle, who has appeared in 14 games with four starts in four seasons as a Hoosier. Sophomore Donaven McCulley, who appeared in seven games at quarterback for Indiana in 2021, is reportedly moving to wide receiver ahead of the 2022 season.
Indiana opens its season on Friday, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. ET against Illinois.
Related stories on Indiana football:
- MCCULLEY MOVES TO RECEIVER: Donaven McCulley appeared in seven games at quarterback for Tom Allen and the Indiana football team as a true freshman, but he could be making a positional change ahead of his sophomore season. Indiana play-by-play announcer Don Fischer said McCulley has embraced the move to wide receiver. CLICK HERE
- BREAKING DOWN INDIANA'S BIG TEN WEST OPPONENTS: Indiana football opens its season with a Friday Night Lights matchup against Illinois. The Hoosiers will take on Big Ten West opponent Nebraska in week five, and finish the regular season playing the in-state rival Purdue Boilermakers in Bloomington. CLICK HERE
- AN EARLY LOOK AT INDIANA'S NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Indiana hosts Idaho and Western Kentucky in weeks two and three before completing its home-and-home series at Cincinnati in week four. Here's an early look at each non-conference opponent. CLICK HERE
