Indiana’s 2012 recruiting class was supposed to be a special group. The quintet, which included Yogi Ferrell, Ron Patterson, Peter Jurkin, Hanner Mosquera-Perea, and Jeremy Hollowell, had been dubbed ‘The Movement’ by Patterson, and coach Tom Crean’s remarks upon receiving their letters of intent confirmed the group’s significance: “We believe this is a class that has an opportunity to develop into a very special group ... who [will] bring explosiveness and energy immediately to the program.”
Other than Ferrell, however, it is still debatable whether the other three will positively contribute to the Hoosiers’ stat sheet (Patterson failed to meet Indiana’s enrollment requirements, enrolled at Brewster Academy for a year, and now dots Syracuse’s roster). Due to various injuries, Jurkin has barely stepped onto the court, playing just eighteen minutes in his IU career, and following his arrest this weekend on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, Mosquera-Perea has been suspended indefinitely. Hollowell has shown flashes -- he has upped both his offensive efficiency rating and attempted shots percentage as a sophomore -- but the 6-foot-8 forward hasn’t played twenty or more minutes since early January.
On Monday, Crean took to the airwaves (specifically his weekly radio show) and was asked whether the 2012 class is a disappointment. According to a recap from InsidetheHall.com, Crean mentioned the group was not saddled with “unrealistic expectations” by the IU coaching staff, but he did note that Hollowell has “not played to the level of his abilities”.
The silver lining, of course, is Ferrell. The guard has quietly turned in an outstanding sophomore performance, and one could make a case that Ferrell is underrated nationally. Ferrell has noticeably tightened his handle, and despite the Hoosiers’ three-game losing streak, Ferrell become a frequent presence at the free throw strip, posting a free throw rate of 46 percent.
It was likely unfair to assume ‘The Movement’ would lead the program to its first title in over 25 years, but it is also worth noting that the group simply hasn’t progressed to the level their recruiting rankings suggested. Only three other Big Ten squads depend on their bench more than Indiana, and the sophomores’ slow growth has largely contributed to Crean’s reliance on his frosh. Noah Vonley, Troy Williams, and Stanford Robinson might seen significant minutes because of IU’s lack of upperclassmen, but one has to wonder if they would have used as much if the majority of ‘The Movement’ could have been effective on the court.