IU football signs transfer running back

It’s been a busy off-season for the IU football team. On July 7, the Hoosiers announced they signed Stephen Houston, a running back from a community college in Kansas. He has three years of eligibility left and will add depth to a position that saw multiple injuries last season.

He rushed for 1,082 yards and five touchdowns on 165 carries. He will be fighting for minutes with rookie Bloomington High School North graduate D’Angelo Roberts, as well as veterans Darius Willis, Nick Turner, Matt Perez and Antonio Banks. A native of Little Rock, Ark., Houston attended Lakota West High School in West Chester, Ohio.

IU has also been busy with the class of 2012. Though they are not allowed to officially comment, there are reports that IU has 11 verbal commitments for the class of 2012 — one of those being another Lakota West grad, Dawson Fletcher. Several of the verbal commits are three-star recruits.

IU will begin its 2011 season on Sept. 3 when it takes on Ball State at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. They ended last year’s season with a 5-7 record and went 1-7 in the Big Ten.