DII Report: Breaking down the DII football preseason top 25 — UIndy
Let's go team by team and see why each was considered for the preseason top 25.
Welcome back to the DII Report. Today, we continue our deep dive into each DII football team in the Lindy’s preseason top 25 with a look at UIndy.
If you have read some of the previous team roundups, you know it is important to remember how quickly things change in DII football. The transfer portal rages on, and while several players moved on to the FCS or Division I, there were many key in-division transfers. That being said, the preseason top 25 I had to submit back in April for publication is slightly different. So, I circled back with the coaches, got some updates, and present to you the preseason top 25. These won’t necessarily be released in the exact order of rankings (meaning I am not going No. 25 through No. 1 in order), but to be honest, that order can still change before opening kickoff.
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UIndy football 2023: What to know
UIndy, who came in at No. 24 in the preseason rankings, saw a three-year DII football playoff streak broken in 2021 but bounced back in a big way last year. The Greyhounds finished 9-2 (8-2 against DII schools) and were once again selected to the DII football championship bracket.
Despite losing one of the best all-around players in DII football (Toriano Clinton) to graduation, the Greyhounds’ offense should be just fine. That’s mainly because the offense returns 10 starters from a team that scored 35.8 points per game last season. Quarterback Connor Kinnett, whose season ended in October, should be back ready to go and was looking good with 863 yards and 10 touchdowns through six games. His top receiver, Alonzo Derrick is also back, as are several key pieces in the offensive line.
Perhaps the biggest addition will be transfer running back Jon Lewis. Lewis ran for 1,546 yards and 17 touchdowns in an All-American campaign for Division III Birmingham-Southern. We have seen many a running back thrive in the UIndy system, and Lewis could be in store for a huge year in all DII football. You can hear Matt Witwicki of D2football.com talk about Lewis HERE on the D2Football Really BIG Spring Show.
There is plenty of experience on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive back Mike Brown, who was a Lindy’s pre-season All-American, leads a squad with seven returners. Expect a huge season for Brown who had 93 tackles, four interceptions, and seven pass breakups last year. He’s joined in the secondary by Landry Mavungu, who was a pass-break-up machine in 2022. Defensive linemen Aaron Barnett and Dylan Shelton — who tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks each last season — are both back. Third-leading tackler Clay Schulte is back to lead the linebacking corps. Keep an eye on defensive end Keion Willis who transfers in from UT-Martin where he played in 23 games the past two seasons.
UIndy has some interesting non-conference matchups to start the season against Hillsdale, a very new-look Wayne State (MI) team, and on the road at a very good Saginaw Valley State team. It’s a good test for a Greyhounds team that could climb the rankings pretty quickly in 2023.
Freshmen to watch:
Kaleb Carver, WR
Elijah Tyson, WR
Player of the year/All-American watch:
Mike Brown, DB
Alonzo Derrick, WR
Jon Lewis, RB
Dylan Shelton, DL
NFL Draft prospects:
Mike Brown, DB
Landry Mavungu, DB
Dylan Shelton, DL