Top 5 Reasons Gunner Kiel Commited to Indiana

If you're an IU fan or a college football fan you probably know that Gunner Kiel, the nation's top ranked QB prospect, stunned everyone and committed to the Hoosiers on July 27. Everything I've read lately bashed him for making that decision. Now I'm here to tell you why Kiel made the best possible decision in going to Bloomington.

5. That's Where His Brother Goes

Dusty Kiel is a redshirt sophomore for the Hoosiers, and if Gunner Kiel had any type of relationship with his older brother he had an impact.

Not only has Dusty been training at IU's state of the art facility, he has also got the chance to practice under the new coaching staff at IU. So Dusty defiantly had good things to say about the two or Gunner would have picked one of the many other school's that offered him a scholarship.   

4. He Will Stay Close to Home

Kiel is coming out of Columbus East High School which is just east of Bloomington. It is about an hour drive between Columbus (Indiana not Ohio) and Bloomington which means family could reasonably go to the majority of home games. If he had picked Oklahoma it would have been about a 13 hour drive or many expensive flights. 

Not to mention the short drive probably meant the Kiel family went to a couple Hoosiers games. 

3. Could Turn a Program Around

Right now when you think of Indiana University you think of it's rich basketball history, the 5 national championships, Steve Alford, Kent Benson, and Bob Knight. You don't think of the 9 bowl games the football team has been to in their existence or the 3 bowl games that they have actually won. 

If Kiel could step up and lead them to a major bowl game twice and at least win one of those games, that could completely turn around a program that has been swimming in mediocrity lately. If you're not from Indiana you would not even believe the buzz the Hoosiers were getting for making the Insight Bowl. Could you imagine what would happen if they made the Rose Bowl. 

2. He Will Stand out

At University's with a deep running football tradition Kiel may have to compete to get the starting position and even if he get's the job he will have to deal with the press saying that it's the line doing all the work or it's the receivers making great catches not Kiel making great throws.

If we're being honest with ourselves Kiel will probably have good talent around him at best at IU. So the spotlight will be on him not the running back with 150 rushing yards. He will get all the credit when they beat Purdue or win a bowl game. 

1. Has a Chance to Become the Best Ever in IU History

Now I'm not saying he is not talented enough to become a legend at a big school but he won't have to win a BCS National Championship and win a Heisman to become one at IU. Indiana's best player is unanimously Anthony Thompson, who is in my opinion one of the best player's of all time to not win a Heisman. Thompson was a running back who won the Walter Camp Award, the Maxwell Award, finished second in Heisman voting and broke the NCAA record for most rushing touchdowns in a career.

Kiel could certainly take his place by leading IU to BCS bowl game or winning the Heisman, which is defiantly a possibility with his talent's. To put it in simpler term's, Oklahoma has 5 Heisman winners and has made it to an impressive 8 BCS bowl games while IU has a big goose egg in both of those categories.    

Closing

Gunner Kiel is the biggest step in the right direction for IU even if he flops, but he won't. IU is the perfect college for him and Kiel will have a chance to prove that to all the haters starting in 2012. Be sure to watch the Hoosiers when he plays because I will guarantee the first year he starts they will make a bowl game.

Be sure to comment on your thoughts of him and this article below. Like me, Sam Orrell, on Facebook for new article posts on Bleacherreport and my blog, and follow me on twitter @slorrell for up-to-date news on the Hoosiers