2024 Position Preview: Running Backs

As the 2024 season inches closer, let's take a closer look at the RB position, an entirely new group of Hoosiers.

In the last few seasons and recruiting cycles within the Tom Allen Era, the running back position had been a bit of an afterthought for Indiana – even though, yes, they wanted to be a run-first team in 2023 for some reason. The Hoosiers landed Tim Baldwin in 2020, Trent Howland and David Holloman in 2021, and Jaylin Lucas in 2022 (missing out on Gi’Bran Payne, the only big recruiting swing taken at the position since Sampson James in 2019). And in the meantime, IU added transfers like Stephen Carr, Shaun Shivers, Josh Henderson, and Christian Turner to lead the backfield revolving door-style until those RBs developed – not a bad strategy if there is follow-through in RB scouting and development. Eventually, Trent Howland appeared to be the only light at the end of this tunnel. The last time IU fans enjoyed a backfield led by a homegrown RB was 2020, Stevie Scott’s last season, with Sampson James, Tim Baldwin, and David Ellis backing him up. It should also be noted that much of this is thanks to some terrible offensive line play under Darren Hiller and corrosion in offensive scheme since Kalen DeBoer’s departure after 2019.

In 2023, it became strikingly clear that the IU regime couldn’t scheme for Jaylin Lucas – who ended the year with the 3rd-worst PFF rushing grade among the 293 FBS RBs to rush at least 50 times – so the talent they did have was relegated to special teams (and struggling there too, to be honest). Christian Turner flashed but struggled with injuries, as did Josh Henderson, who had seemingly hit his ceiling in 2022 anyway. Indiana’s best rushing option became Howland but was also QB Brendan Sorsby for a bit. This was all three years into the perceived RB development strategy. 

It was certainly headed in a better direction for 2024, with an improved Bob Bostad OL and a presumed lead back in Howland, but the recent dissociation at the position is tough to swallow for a fanbase that just recently enjoyed Stephen Houston, Tevin Coleman, Jordan Howard, and Stevie Scott. Not to mention Kevin Wilson’s offensive lines.

Will that change with the Curt Cignetti administration? That’s to be determined, but what is true is that plenty has changed at the position so far. Cignetti named his JMU RB coach John Miller as the next RB coach and completely turned over the RB roster. Henderson (none), Howland (Oklahoma State), Holloman (Grand Valley State), and Lucas (Florida State) all departed and were replaced by Kaelon Black (JMU), Ty Son Lawton (JMU), Justice Ellison (Wake Forest), and Elijah Green (North Carolina). In-state 2024 RB Khobie Martin (recruited by the Allen staff) joined the program too, and Florida 2025 RB Sean Cuono, who would be the highest-rated RB signing (outside of Payne’s escaped NLI) to come to Indiana since Sampson James, committed to Miller and Pat Kuntz. 

That brings us to Summer 2024.

Anticipated depth chart:

1. Kaelon Black – at least 2 years remaining

2. Justice Ellison – 1 year remaining

3. Ty Son Lawton – 1 year remaining

4. Elijah Green – 2 years remaining

5. Khobie Martin – 4 years remaining (excluding redshirt)

[Indiana 2024 Scholarship Chart]

[Indiana 2024 Projected Depth Chart]

Experience

Cignetti pushed his staff to bring in proven producers through the portal, rather than potential producers, which means – if you read about Kurtis Rourke’s experience compared to other Big Ten QBs and IU’s substantial WR targets lead on the Big Ten – the Hoosiers have one of the most experienced offenses in the conference, maybe even the nation. The RBs room contributes to that, as Indiana’s incoming career FBS rushing attempts from its RBs is second to Ohio State. Justice Ellison is 4th in the conference, with 427 FBS carries. 

Note: If FCS snaps are included, Indiana is off this chart (1400+ attempts) and Ty Son Lawton (drawing from his Stony Brook days) leads the conference with 585 attempts. But the FBS distinction is important.

The entire room shakes out as follows:

• Kaelon Black: 262 (211 FBS; 51 FCS)

• Justice Ellison: 427

• Ty Son Lawton: 585 (126 FBS; 459 FCS)

• Elijah Green: 156

• Khobie Martin: 0, obviously

In comparison, Stephen Carr had 264 carries, Shaun Shivers had 201, Josh Henderson had 41, and Christian Turner had 318 before arriving in Bloomington.