Indiana quarterback Jack Tuttle (14) is stopped by the Michigan State defense during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)AP

Note: This is the ninth part of a series previewing Michigan State football’s 2022 schedule. Previously: Nonconference games | Minnesota | Maryland | Ohio State | Wisconsin | Michigan | Illinois | Rutgers

Nov. 19 vs. Indiana (Time TBA)

Coach: Tom Allen, sixth season (26-32 career record as a head coach at Indiana since making debut in 2016 Foster Farms Bowl)

Offensive player to watch: QB Connor Bazelak

Bazelak, an offseason transfer from Missouri, still has to win a quarterback competition. But, given his veteran experience and that Indiana lost its top offensive players – including quarterback Michael Penix Jr. – Bazelak is a good choice to keep an eye on heading into the fall.

A former four-star prospect from Ohio, Bazelak competed 66.4 percent of his passes (479-for-721) for 5,084 yards, 23 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 24 games with 20 starts over three seasons at Missouri. After being named the SEC Co-Freshman of the Year in 2020, he threw for career highs of 2,574 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 11 games last year before entering the portal and transferring to Indiana.

Defensive player to watch: CB Tiawan Mullen

Mullen is coming off a season in which he was limited to only seven games with four starts due to injury and posted 19 tackles and three pass break-ups. He’s now back for his senior year and brings veteran experience and talent to the secondary.

After a standout true freshman season while making eight starts and playing all 13 games, Mullen was named a first team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America in 2020. He was the first cornerback in program history to earn that honor and selected as the team’s defensive player of the year. Mullen has 86 career tackles, including eight for a loss, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions, 20 pass break-ups, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

All-time series: Michigan State leads 49-17-2. After being shut out 24-0 in 2020, the Spartans won 20-15 at Indiana last year. Michigan State has won 19 of the last 23 matchups dating back to 1995.

Key storyline: Can Indiana rebound after massive collapse last year?

After posting a 5-7 record in each of his first two seasons leading the program, Allen guided Indiana to an 8-5 finish in 2019, followed by 6-2 in 2020. He was named national coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Association in 2020 and that was followed by signing a new seven-year contract with a raise.

With the spotlight on the Hoosiers and expectations ramped up, they collapsed last fall. Indiana lost all nine Big Ten games in a 2-10 finish with the lone wins coming against Idaho and Western Kentucky. There were a slew of injuries that contributed to the steep decline and the program regressed significantly on both sides of the ball.

Allen is now tasked with pulling his team back off the mat and made notable changes in the offseason. There are five new assistant coaches, including new coordinators, and Allen is going back to calling plays on defense.

There were notable roster losses for the Hoosiers, who added 13 players from the transfer portal and signed a 2022 recruiting class that ranked 26th in the nation in the 247Sports Composite.

Now coming off its worst season since 2011, outside expectations for Indiana are much different than a year ago. However, Allen is confident changes made in the offseason will help the Hoosiers bounce back.

Indiana ranked 123rd in the nation in scoring (17.2) and 124th in total offense (290.0) last season and that led to a change. Allen fired offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan and took a $200,000 pay cut for the next three seasons to make a new hire. He replaced Sheridan with Walt Bell, who spent the previous three years as the head coach at Massachusetts.

Bell will first need to settle on a quarterback after the position was a mess last year. Penix struggled early in the year before suffering his fourth straight season-ending injury and then transferring to Washington. Bazelak brings experience to the room and his top competition for the job appears to be fifth-year senior Jack Tuttle, who completed 51.7 percent of his passes (45-for-87) for 423 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions in six games with two starts. Donaven McCulley started four games as a true freshman but has reportedly moved to wide receiver.

Top receiver Ty Fryfogle used his final season of eligibility last year while fellow starter Miles Marshall transferred out. D.J. Matthews, a former transfer from Florida State, is recovering from a torn ACL that limited him to 13 catches for 165 yards in four games last season. Transfers additions will help fill out the room as Emery Simmons had 30 catches for 516 yards and three touchdowns in 30 games over three seasons at North Carolina and Andison Colby arrives after one season at Tennessee. Cam Camper, a JUCO addition, could also make an immediate impact.

The Hoosiers also need to replace starting tight end Peyton Hendershot, who led the team in receiving last year with 46 catches for 543 yards and four touchdowns. A.J. Barner could take over as the starter after posting 14 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown last season.

Leading rusher Stephen Carr (155 carries, 600 yards, six touchdowns) used his final season of eligibility last year while Davion Ervin-Poindexter (44 carries, 226 yards, one touchdown) transferred out. The Hoosiers followed by rebuilding their backfield with the help of the portal. Shaun Shivers had 201 carries for 1,020 yards and eight touchdowns in 43 games over four seasons at Auburn while Josh Henderson had 41 rushes for 209 yards in 23 games over three years at North Carolina.

The offensive line returns a trio of regular starters in left tackle Luke Haggard, left guard Mike Katic and Matthew Bedford, who started at right guard, right tackle and left guard last season while being named an All-Big Ten honorable mention. Former Michigan transfer Zach Carpenter made three starts at right guard in five games last year and also has experience at center.

Defensive coordinator Charlton Warren left after only one season for North Carolina and Allen filled the spot by hiring Chad Wilt, who coached the defensive line at Minnesota the last two years. With a new voice in the room and Allen calling the plays, the Hoosiers will attempt to improve a group that ranked 71st in the nation total defense (384.6) last year and 109th in scoring defense (33.2).

Linebacker Micah McFadden, who led the team in tackles (77), tackles for a loss (15.5) and sacks (6.5) last year was picked in the NFL draft and leaves a major void. Cam Jones, a two-time team captain, returns for a fifth year and the linebacker finished with 64 tackles and one sack last season. Aaron Casey brings veteran experience to the position and the Hoosiers added from the portal, including Bradley Jennings Jr., who had 68 tackles, including nine for a loss, in 35 games over five years at Miami.

Starting defensive tackle Demarcus Elliott (29 tackles) is back, as is Alfred Bryant (26 tackles), who started all 12 games at the bull position. Defensive end James Head is coming off an injury-shortened season but has 58 tackles, including 10 for a loss, and four sacks in 39 career games. The Hoosiers also added JH Tevis, a defensive end transfer from Cal who was named an All-Pac 12 honorable mention last year and could also play inside this year.

Allen believes the secondary is the strength of the team and he has veteran experience returning at the back end. In addition to Mullen, fellow cornerbacks Jaylin Williams and Noah Pierre bring starting experience. Williams had 41 tackles and 11 pass break-ups last season and is the team’s active leader with six career interceptions while Pierre posted 36 tackles, one interception and four pass break-ups. Indiana lost starting safety Raheem Layne but Devon Matthews returns after recording 55 tackles, including four for a loss, one sack, one interception and four pass break-ups while being named the team’s defensive player of the year. Bryant Fitzgerald had 41 tackles, including 5.5 for a loss, and has experience at both safety and the husky position.

On special teams, punter James Evans returns after the New Zealand native averaged 41.9 yards per attempt with 12 of at least 50 yards and 13 downed inside the 20 as a true freshman. Veteran kicker Charles Campbell is 25-for-31 on field goal attempts in his career with a long of 55. Prior to suffering the torn ACL, D.J. Matthews had an 81-yard punt return touchdown.

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Football, women’s basketball standouts among those joining Draymond Green in Michigan State’s 2022 Hall of Fame class

Tailgating to start earlier at some Michigan State football games this fall

4-star Clarkston OL Cole Dellinger commits to Michigan State

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