COLLEGE

2017 season preview: Indiana state colleges

Dakota Crawford
IndyStar

Football Subdivision Championship

Butler 

Last season: 4-7, 2-6 in Pioneer Football League

Coach: Jeff Voris (64-60 in 11 years at Butler; 79-94 in 16 years overall)

Key returners: RB Sam Schrader (94 yards, 1 TD in four games); RB Anthony Scaccia (375 yards, 3TDs); WR Pace Temple (978 yards, 5TDs); QB Will Marty (664 yards, 4 TDs); LB Ethan Brunhofer (75 total tackles, 7 tackles for loss).

Outlook: Once again, a stacked backfield will drive Butler’s offense. Schrader, a fifth-year senior, is healthy along with Scaccia. The offense loses quarterback Malcolm Weaver, who took the Bulldogs’ starting gig last season. The defense loses its top two tacklers from last season, David Starkey and Sean Horan.

Schedule: Sept. 2 at Illinois State, 7:30; Sept. 9 at Franklin, 6 p.m.; Sept. 16 vs. Taylor, 6:30 p.m.; Sept. 23 at San Diego, 5 p.m.; Sept. 30 vs. Drake, 1 p.m.; Oct. 7 at Morehead St., 1 p.m.; Oct. 14 vs. Jacksonville, 1 p.m.; Oct. 21 vs. Campbell, 1 p.m.; Oct. 28 at Dayton, 1 p.m.; Nov. 4 at Stetson, 2 p.m.; Nov. 11 vs. Valparaiso, 11 a.m.

• MORE: Butler football rallies around ailing 8-year-old

Indiana State

Last season: 4-7, 2-6 in Missouri Valley Conference

Coach: Curt Mallory (first year as head coach)

Key returners: QB Isaac Harker (2,559 yards, 19 TDs); RB Dimitri Taylor (486 yards, 1 TD); WR Bob Pugh (276 yards, 1 TD); LB Katrell Moss (45 total tackles)

Outlook: The Sycamores have a first-year head coach, but return their quarterback and one of their top two running backs. They lose their top two receivers and their top three tacklers from last season. They play a tough schedule, too, with early stops at Tennessee and Illinois State.

Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Eastern Illinois, 7 p.m.; Sept. 9 at Tennessee, 4 p.m.; Sept. 16 at Liberty, 6 p.m.; Sept. 30 at Illinois State, 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 7 vs. North Dakota State, 1 p.m.; Oct. 14 at South Dakota, 3 p.m.; Oct. 21 vs. Southern Illinois, 3 p.m; Oct. 28 at Missouri State, 3 p.m.; Nov. 4 vs. Youngstown State, 1 p.m.; Nov. 11 vs. Western Illinois, 1 p.m.; Nov. 18 at Northern Iowa, 5 p.m.

Division II

University of Indianapolis

Former Cardinal Ritter standout and 2013 Indiana Mr. Football runner-up Jake Purichia will again lead the Greyhounds at quarterback.

Last season: 6-5, 5-3 in Great Lakes Valley Conference

Coach: Bob Bartolomeo (58-23 in seven seasons at UIndy, 72-30-1 in nine seasons overall)

Key returners: RB Andrew Walker (829 yards, 10 TDs); QB Jake Purichia (1,481 yards, 9 TDs in six games); LB Aaron Bruning (77 total tackles, 1 INT); DT Lucas Rice (8 sacks)

Outlook: Quarterback Purichia got off to a hot start last season, completing 59 percent of his passes and averaging 246.83 yards per game through six weeks. Then he suffered an injury, which set up Bryce Stancombe to start in his place. Still, the Greyhounds completed a school record seventh straight winning season. Purichia is back and healthy, along with the team’s top rusher. Though it didn’t receive any first-place votes in the GLVC coaches preseason poll, UIndy was picked to finish fourth. And it was only a point shy of third-place McKendree University.

Schedule: Aug. 31 vs. Grand Valley State, 7 p.m.; Sept. 9 at Wayne State, 6 p.m.; Sept. 16 vs. Southwest Baptist, 6 p.m.; Sept. 23 vs. Hillsdale, 6 p.m.; Sept. 30 vs. Truman, 6 p.m.; Oct. 7 at McKendree, 2 p.m.; Oct. 14 vs. Quincy, 6 p.m.; Oct. 21 at Lincoln, 6 p.m.; Oct. 28 at William Jewell, 1 p.m.; Nov. 4 vs. Missouri S&T, 6 p.m.; Nov. 11 vs. Notre Dame College (Ohio), 1 p.m.

Division III

DePauw 

Last season: 8-2, 7-2 in North Coast Athletic Conference

Coach: Bill Lynch (35-15 in five years at DePauw, 127-110 in 22 years overall)

Key returners: DB Brooks Hepp (Led DIII with 2.5 passes defended per game); WR: Andy Hunt (686 yards, 10 TDs); RB Ramon Lopez (220 yards, 2 TDs)

Outlook: Though the Tigers are coming off three straight winning seasons, they graduate starting quarterback Matt Hunt. Beech Grove product Chase Andries is one of 12 quarterbacks on the roster that could replace Hunt. They will retain their top receiver and two experienced running backs that helped produce 40.4 points per game last season. DePauw tied for second with Denison and Wabash in the coaches preseason poll.

Schedule: Sept. 9 at Mt. St. Joseph, 6:30 p.m.; Sept. 16 at Hiram, 1 p.m.; September 23 vs. Wooster at 1 p.m.; Sept. 30 at Ohio Wesleyan, 2 p.m.; Oct. 7 vs. Oberlin, 1 p.m.; Oct. 14 at Denison, 1 p.m.; Oct. 21 vs. Wittenberg at 1 p.m.; Oct. 28 vs. Allegheny, 1 p.m.; Nov. 4 at Kenyon, 1 p.m.; Nov. 11 vs. Wabash, 1:09.

Franklin

Deontez Alexander hauls in one of his three touchdown receptions Saturday against Anderson. The Grizzlies won 55-34.

Last season: 8-2, 7-1 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

Coach: Mike Leonard (96-27 in 13 seasons, 108-45 overall)

Key returners: QB Chase Burton (3,761 yards, 42 TDs, 8 INTs); WR Deontez Alexander (996 yards, 15 TDs); WR Lee Wroblewski (822 yards, 10 TDs)

Outlook: The Grizzlies have won their conference every year since 2010. There’s no reason they can’t do it again this fall. The offense, which produced 572 yards and 39 points per game, returns all key skill players other than rusher Ty’Ronte Files.

Schedule: Aug. 26 vs. DePauw, 2 p.m.; Sept. 2 at Thomas More, 1 p.m. Sept. 9 vs. Butler, 6 p.m.; Sept. 16 vs. Definace, 1:30 p.m.; Sept. 23 at Bluffton, 1:30 p.m.; Sept. 30 vs. Manchester, 1:30 p.m.; Oct. 7 at Earlham, 1:30 p.m.; Oct. 21 at Rose-Hulman, 1:30 p.m.; Oct. 28 vs. Mt. St. Joseph, 1:30 p.m.; Nov. 4 vs. Anderson, 1:30 p.m.; Nov. 11, at Hanover, 1:30 p.m.

Wabash

Last season: 8-2, 7-2 in North Coast Athletic Conference

Coach: Don Morel (8-2 with Wabash, 56-61 overall)

Key returners: RB Matt Penola (690 yards, 10 TDs); WR Oliver Page (727 yards, 9 TDs); LB Evan Hansen (64 tackles, 4.5 sacks)

Outlook: Wabash loses quarterback Connor Rice, who completed 63.3 percent of his passes and averaged 176 yards per game. But the bulk of the offense came from a whopping 507 rush attempts spread across several backs, including returning Penola. The defense that allowed just 16.4 points per game and helped maintain a strong turnover ratio is largely intact, too. The Little Giants tied with DePauw for second in the NCAC preseason poll.

Schedule: Sept. 2 vs. Albion, 1 p.m.; Sept. 16 vs. Kenyon, 1 p.m.; Sept. 23 vs. Hiram, 2 p.m.; Sept. 30 at Wooster, 1 p.m.; Oct. 7 vs. Denison, 1 p.m.; Oct. 14 vs. Ohio Wesleyan, 1 p.m.; Oct. 21 at Oberlin, 1 p.m.; Oct. 28 vs. Wittenberg, 1 p.m.; Nov. 4 at Allegheny, 1 p.m.; Nov. 11 at DePauw, 1:07 p.m.

NAIA

Saint Francis

Quarterback Nick Ferrer, who played at Westfield, has been one of the country's best in NAIA.

Last season: 13-1, 5-1 Mid-States Football Association (NAIA National Champions)

Coach: Kevin Donley (175-43 in 18 years at USF, 289-128 in 37 seasons overall)

Key returners: QB Nick Ferrer (4,046 yards, 51 TDs, 9 INTs); RB Justin Green (1,407 yards, 12 TDs); DB Spencer Cowherd (106 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT)

Outlook: The Cougars were voted No. 1 in NAIA in the preseason by coaches. On their way to winning the national title last postseason, they beat the No. 11 team 79-20, No. 5 team 42-35, No. 3 team 42-24 and No. 2 team 38-17. Though the Cougars give up half of their receiving production in Seth Coate (1,693 yards and 25 touchdowns!), they return quarterback Ferrer along with 12 other starters. They bring back six on offense and defense. Ben Davis' Sean Boswell is the team’s top returning wideout.

Schedule: Sept. 2 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.; Sept. 9 vs. Saint Francis (Illinois), 12 p.m., Sept. 16 at Saint Ambrose, 2 p.m.; Sept. 23 vs. Saint Xavier, 6 p.m.; Sept. 30 at Marian, 6 p.m.; Oct. 7 vs. Concordia, 12 p.m.; Oct. 14 at Siena Heights, 7 p.m.; Oct. 21 at Missouri Baptist, 1 p.m.; Oct. 28 vs. Lindenwood, 12 p.m.; Nov. 11 vs. Taylor, 12 p.m.

Marian

Quarterback Luke Johnston, who played at Southport High School, is coming off one of the most efficient seasons in Marian University history.

Last season: 11-1, 6-0 in Mid-States Football Association

Coach: Mark Henninger (40-11 in four seasons at Marian; 66-36 in eight seasons overall)

Key returners: QB Luke Johnston (2,508 yards, 31 TDs, 2 INTs); TE Brandon Dillon (390 yards, 4 TDs); DB JaRon Clark (4 INT)

Outlook: The Knights open the season ranked fifth in NAIA, as voted by coaches. Last season they were dominant, outscoring opponents 567-126 in the regular season. They return quarterback Johnston, who completed 68 percent of his passes and averaged 313 passing yards per game before being sidelined with an injury late in the season. The Knights lose their top receiving threat (Krishawn Hogan), but have plenty of pieces to keep the offense ticking. The defense should be one of the country’s best, too.

Schedule: Aug. 31 at Saint Xavier, 7 p.m.; Sept. 9 vs. Robert Morris, 1:05 p.m.; Sept. 23 at Olivet Nazarene, 2 p.m.; Sept. 30 vs. Saint Francis, 6:05 p.m.; Oct. 7 vs. Saint Ambrose, 1:05 p.m.; Oct. 14 vs. Taylor, 1:05 p.m.; Oct. 21 at Concordia, 1 p.m.; Oct. 21 vs. Siena Heights, 1:05 p.m.; Nov. 4 vs. Missouri Baptist, 1:05 p.m.; Nov. 11 at Lindenwood-Belleville, 2 p.m.

Follow IndyStar sports producer Dakota Crawford on Twitter at @DakotaCrawford_.