First-year Indiana head football coach Kevin Wilson is already winning. On an unofficial visit Wednesday, Columbus East quarterback Gunner Kiel gave Indiana his verbal pledge. He was also considering Oklahoma and Alabama.
At 6-4, 220, Kiel is the top-ranked quarterback in the 2012 class. Last season, he threw for roughly 2,700 yards and 36 touchdowns. A versatile QB, Kiel also rushed for 600 yards and eight touchdowns.
Gunner Kiel plans on graduating a semester early, and enrolling at IU in January.
ESPN’s Pat Forde tweeted that “I heard Sam Bradford called Kiel to vouch for Wilson as a QB coach. That’s not a bad endorsement to have.”
Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated tweeted “The power of Kevin Wilson. Turned Sam Bradford into a No. 1 pick. If I’m a QB, Bloomington suddenly very attractive.”
Gunner is the brother of redshirt-sophomore Dusty Kiel (who has a chance to start this year at IU), and the nephew of former Notre Dame QB Blair Kiel.
Kevin Wilson now has the state’s top quarterback and receiver, with Kiel and Warren Central’s Kevin Davis. Should be a fun tandem to watch in the future. Wilson has 14 verbal commitments for 2012.