Indiana Football: Stevie Scott, Sampson James headline Hoosiers backfield

Who’s Incoming?

Sampson James (Fr.), Ivory Winters (Fr.), Kristian Pechac (RS Fr.)

One of the best recruits to enter the Indiana football program, Sampson James comes in as a four-star recruit ranked No. 181 in the 247Sports Composite rankings.

Originally an Ohio State commit, James flipped his commitment to Indiana in October and looks to be an impact player right away.

Rushing for 3,451 career yards on 573 carries (6.0 average) with 38 rushing touchdowns and 41 total scores in his Avon HS career, James is a versatile back that will bring a new kind of fight to the Hoosiers program.

A 6-foot-1, 212-pound back, James is a powerful runner who always looks to run downhill, using his strength and agility to make it difficult for defenders to get him down.

Another name that may compete for carries is Ivory Winters. The Missouri native is a three-star prospect who overwhelms with his athleticism.

With a 4.45 40-yard dash time and a 35-inch vertical, Winters makes up for his lack of size, being just 5-foot-11. Rushing for 59 touchdowns and over 2,700 yards in high school, Winters showcased that athleticism game in and game out.

Though Winters may not be much of a factor his freshman season, he looks to be someone who will be a great addition to the backfield, eventually becoming a solid rotational player down the line.

Finally, another running back who will join the roster this fall will be walk-on Kristian Pechac.

Finishing his career at Bloomington South HS with 3,293 yards and 45 touchdowns, both of which ranked second in program history, Pechac was named scout team player of the week twice last season during his redshirt year.

Injuries at the running back position are very common so having the depth and versatility that Indiana will have in 2019 is crucial in having a successful season. Now it’s just a matter of if the offensive line can hold up and be a force in the Big Ten to allow all of these running backs to run wild.