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Hoosiers Introduce 2008 Signing Class - <blank>

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - A total of 19 student-athletes will continue their football playing careers at Indiana University, head coach Bill Lynch announced on Wednesday. Lynch's first recruiting class includes six players from Indiana, three from Illinois, two each from Florida, Georgia, Michigan and Ohio and single student-athletes from Tennessee and Wisconsin.

The Hoosiers bolstered their depth at both running back and wide receiver, signing a quartet of backs and of wideouts. Indiana also strengthened itself in the trenches, as four linemen on each side of the ball signed on with IU. The Hoosiers also added one quarterback, one linebacker and one defensive back for the incoming class of 2008.

"We are very excited about this class," Indiana head coach Bill Lynch said. "We feel like we addressed our needs and improved ourselves in areas we were hit hardest by graduation. There is no question we have improved our overall athleticism and team speed, which was a goal of ours when we started this recruiting process."

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Willis fits 1 of Hoosiers' big needs | IndyStar.com

Running back scored 28 TDs last season for Franklin Central
By Terry Hutchens
terry.hutchens@indystar.com

It appears to be the perfect fit.

Darius Willis wants to contribute immediately as a running back. Indiana University needs to kick-start its underwhelming rushing attack.

That IU is close to Willis' home is an added benefit.

Willis, the fifth-ranked player in the state by rivals.com out of Franklin Central High School, signed a national letter of intent Wednesday to play at IU. He was one of 19 players to sign in Bill Lynch's first recruiting class as coach.

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• Class size: 19.
• Rivals rank: 76th, 11th in Big Ten.
• Quick assessment: "I think we got better today. We definitely improved our team speed and that's an area we have been striving towards. Just about all of these kids are two-sport athletes and many of them run track. We picked up a lot of versatile, athletic players," said coach Bill Lynch.
• Biggest need filled: Offensive line/defensive line. Eight recruits are linemen, and everyone played offense and defense in high school. That gives the Hoosiers options.
• Biggest need remaining: IU lost its top two cornerbacks to graduation and signed just two defensive backs. One was Cortez Smith, a three-star rivals.com player out of Detroit.
• Step-in starters: Smith could challenge for a spot in the secondary, and Darius Willis could make an immediate impact at running back.
• Keep an eye on: Tyler Adetona, a 6-1, 204-pound receiver from Gainesville, Ga., has the speed and athleticism to challenge for playing time. He caught 75 balls for more than 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.