Ohio State Offensive Lineman Says Indiana Football is Going to a Bowl Game This Year
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Neither Ohio State fans nor Indiana fans seemed pleased with the 23-3 result last Saturday.
Indiana fans wanted coach Tom Allen and the Hoosiers to play more aggressively on offense and go for the win with the defense playing as well as it did.
Ohio State fans wanted their usually elite offense to kick it into fifth gear and light up the scoreboard, not slowly trudge their way to a low-scoring, 20-point victory.
And though players on the Buckeyes' team have said that their performances could have been better, a few have recognized just how well the Indiana defense played.
In particular, starting Ohio State right tackle Josh Fryar spoke to media on Thursday morning and said that he believes the Hoosiers are bowl-bound in 2023.
"I think Indiana is going to a bowl game this year, easily," Fryar said. "I think they're going to be a good team, a really good team, actually."
Fryar, of course, had first hand experience against one of the most improved units on the 2023 Indiana football team — the defensive line.
Revamped with transfers like Andre Carter, Philip Blidi, Marcus Burris Jr. and a whole lot more, IU got significant push against the Ohio State front all game. Several runs were blown up at the line of scrimmage or stopped early on, and unlike in past years, the Buckeyes' quarterback was not able to just set up shop in the pocket on every drop back.
Perhaps Fryar has more kind words for the Hoosiers due to his being an Indiana native himself. Formerly a three-star recruit out of Beech Grove High School in the class of 2020, Ohio State and coach Ryan Day just narrowly beat out Allen and the Hoosiers for the commitment of Fryar. Adding further salt in the wound was Fryar's primary recruiter at Ohio State being former Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson, according to 247 Sports.
Fryar, in all likelihood, has not stayed up all night combing through Indiana's schedule and trying to find a way for the Hoosiers to reach six wins. He also had the benefit of facing the better of IU's two units on Saturday, which likely tilted his view of Indiana's quality to be a bit better than it actually is.
Ohio State offensive players who faced the Indiana defense probably think Allen and Co. can go roughly 7-5 and compete with anyone. Ohio State defensive players probably think Indiana won't win a single game the rest of the year with an offense like that.
But when Indiana football has already been the subject of numerous social media embarrassments (specifically the mystery kicker saga and Allen's rant against Friday night games), it's nice to see someone on the outside with nothing but a glowing review for the Hoosiers.
Related Stories on Indiana Football:
- OFFENSIVE LINE IMPROVING: Indiana's offensive line was vulnerable in recent seasons, but the group held its own Saturday against Ohio State. Under Bob Bostad's no-nonsense leadership, players and coaches agree the offensive line has taken a step forward. CLICK HERE
- IU 4TH-WORST POWER 5 TEAM IN SP+ METRIC: Following Week 1 of the 2023 college football season, the Indiana Hoosiers are ranked very low in the SP+ metric created by ESPN's Bill Connelly, only placing ahead of a select few Power 5 teams. CLICK HERE
- BALLHAWK PHILLIP DUNNAM: Indiana safety Phillip Dunnam intercepted Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord Saturday for the game's only turnover. Coaches Tom Allen and Matt Guerrieri, and other IU defenders, said Dunnam often intercepts passes at practice, and his big play was no surprise. CLICK HERE
