IU’s Seniors Reflect On Program They’ve Built Before Senior Day
11/13/2015 10:25:00 AM | Football
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –Football programs are more battleship than speedboat. Turning a team around is a process that requires time.
Zack Shaw knew that. Jason Spriggs did, too. So did Jake Reed, Nate Sudfeld and the rest of the players scheduled to graduate.
Indiana's senior class understood what they were signing up for when they faxed in their national letters of intent to join head coach Kevin Wilson's Indiana Hoosiers.
When they committed, Wilson was only beginning to lay the foundation for what he envisioned the program being. They were joining the movement in a new era of
Indiana football that they, along with Wilson, would champion.
"I think there's definitely a lot of pride in this group," Reed said. "It's really weird to think about because it doesn't feel like it's ending. I don't think anyone thought it would be easy. We came in here to help coach and everyone build this team into what we think it can be."
Four years later, Indiana's seniors are nearly out of time. The senior members of Hoosier football will be honored before the start of Saturday's Indiana-Michigan game for their commitment to the program as part of IU's annual Senior Day festivities.
"It's a good group," Wilson said. "There's so much football to play. Not all teary-eyed and emotional…These guys have been unbelievable in what they've done every day."
Ask a senior and he'll likely say everything began in Ashton Residence Center the summer before his freshman year.
The football players took up entire floors in Ashton together during the first month of camp and rarely closed their doors. During those first few weeks, the freshmen did what freshmen do. They got lost. They explored campus. They bonded together doing some things they'd rather not go on record about.
Harmless things, Nick Mangieri was quick to point out. Pranks. Jokes. Things they'd bond over.
Up and down the senior class, players talk about how close they are with their teammates and how much they enjoyed their time from day one in Ashton. Their friendships span further than football.
"I look at all the other guys in my senior class just like my family away from my blood family," Mangieri said. "I don't think people really understand what it's like unless you experience it yourself, just how close you get."
In one sense, an era is ending. For nearly half a decade, this senior class has been on the front line as Wilson rebuilt the program from the ground up.
They played through coaching changes and scheme remodeling. They played through a 4-8 record in their freshman seasons after Wilson's Hoosiers went just 1-11 the year before they arrived in Bloomington.
In the case of the fifth-year seniors, they were even part of Wilson's initial season, opting to stick with Indiana's new coach through the brunt of the change. There's a certain bond between the four remaining members of that first class, Shaw said. They've been with Wilson every step of the way.
"When we first got here with this staff, everything was so different. It's crazy," Shaw said. "We all really talk about it and we all really take pride in seeing where the program is now and thinking that we've been part of that."
Then there was a 5-7 season as sophomores in 2013 that seemingly ended one breakthrough away from an elusive bowl appearance. Then the struggles of a 4-8 season as juniors after Sudfeld, now a senior, was injured.
Now they're sitting 4-5 heading into Senior Day with a winning record still left to be played for.
"I still feel like there's a lot to accomplish for myself and for the team," Sudfeld said. "Ultimately, with the guys I came in with and what the guys on our team want is to get the wins we know we can and finish this season extremely strong."
Indiana's seniors have played through growth and setback. They've won and lost. The Hoosiers may not even see the day where Wilson's vision of excellence—they're vision of excellence—is met.
But that doesn't necessarily matter, Spriggs said. It's not only about them. It's about the program they bought into when not many players would. It's about the program they still buy into when outsiders doubt them.
They're closer this year than they were last. And they're closer today than they were yesterday.
So if he has to watch Indiana win a Big Ten Championship one day from the grandstands or the seat of his couch, he'll be happy just the same knowing he was a part of ushering in a new era of Indiana football.
"Coming in to when I first signed here, I wanted to change the program," Spriggs said. "I think we all did. We wanted to come out being the team that you look at like Michigan State, Ohio State or one of those teams that constantly wins and goes to a bowl game.
"I don't think our record shows that, but I hope that future tams will carry on what we're trying to do here and carry on what we're leaving behind."
When Wilson talks about the importance of winning the three remaining games this season, he's not doing so with only himself in mind. He's doing it for his seniors. He mentions them all the time.
He talked about their hard work Monday, taking only a brief time to reflect on their careers. Wilson isn't in the business of looking backward. He's nearly always looking ahead to the next day, the next game, the next opponent or the next meeting. He wants to move forward.
But he broke his usual character for a few minutes Monday to recognize the work his seniors have done. He had to. As Wilson would say, they're "his guys."
And he's grateful for them.
"These guys have given a lot," Wilson said. "I've tried to take the greedy part out of things. But I want these kids to experience success because I know the effort, energy, true energy they've given our program. It's been very impressive. Very proud of that group."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –Football programs are more battleship than speedboat. Turning a team around is a process that requires time.
Zack Shaw knew that. Jason Spriggs did, too. So did Jake Reed, Nate Sudfeld and the rest of the players scheduled to graduate.
Indiana's senior class understood what they were signing up for when they faxed in their national letters of intent to join head coach Kevin Wilson's Indiana Hoosiers.
When they committed, Wilson was only beginning to lay the foundation for what he envisioned the program being. They were joining the movement in a new era of
Indiana football that they, along with Wilson, would champion.
"I think there's definitely a lot of pride in this group," Reed said. "It's really weird to think about because it doesn't feel like it's ending. I don't think anyone thought it would be easy. We came in here to help coach and everyone build this team into what we think it can be."
Four years later, Indiana's seniors are nearly out of time. The senior members of Hoosier football will be honored before the start of Saturday's Indiana-Michigan game for their commitment to the program as part of IU's annual Senior Day festivities.
"It's a good group," Wilson said. "There's so much football to play. Not all teary-eyed and emotional…These guys have been unbelievable in what they've done every day."
Ask a senior and he'll likely say everything began in Ashton Residence Center the summer before his freshman year.
The football players took up entire floors in Ashton together during the first month of camp and rarely closed their doors. During those first few weeks, the freshmen did what freshmen do. They got lost. They explored campus. They bonded together doing some things they'd rather not go on record about.
Harmless things, Nick Mangieri was quick to point out. Pranks. Jokes. Things they'd bond over.
Up and down the senior class, players talk about how close they are with their teammates and how much they enjoyed their time from day one in Ashton. Their friendships span further than football.
"I look at all the other guys in my senior class just like my family away from my blood family," Mangieri said. "I don't think people really understand what it's like unless you experience it yourself, just how close you get."
In one sense, an era is ending. For nearly half a decade, this senior class has been on the front line as Wilson rebuilt the program from the ground up.
They played through coaching changes and scheme remodeling. They played through a 4-8 record in their freshman seasons after Wilson's Hoosiers went just 1-11 the year before they arrived in Bloomington.
In the case of the fifth-year seniors, they were even part of Wilson's initial season, opting to stick with Indiana's new coach through the brunt of the change. There's a certain bond between the four remaining members of that first class, Shaw said. They've been with Wilson every step of the way.
"When we first got here with this staff, everything was so different. It's crazy," Shaw said. "We all really talk about it and we all really take pride in seeing where the program is now and thinking that we've been part of that."
Then there was a 5-7 season as sophomores in 2013 that seemingly ended one breakthrough away from an elusive bowl appearance. Then the struggles of a 4-8 season as juniors after Sudfeld, now a senior, was injured.
Now they're sitting 4-5 heading into Senior Day with a winning record still left to be played for.
"I still feel like there's a lot to accomplish for myself and for the team," Sudfeld said. "Ultimately, with the guys I came in with and what the guys on our team want is to get the wins we know we can and finish this season extremely strong."
Indiana's seniors have played through growth and setback. They've won and lost. The Hoosiers may not even see the day where Wilson's vision of excellence—they're vision of excellence—is met.
But that doesn't necessarily matter, Spriggs said. It's not only about them. It's about the program they bought into when not many players would. It's about the program they still buy into when outsiders doubt them.
They're closer this year than they were last. And they're closer today than they were yesterday.
So if he has to watch Indiana win a Big Ten Championship one day from the grandstands or the seat of his couch, he'll be happy just the same knowing he was a part of ushering in a new era of Indiana football.
"Coming in to when I first signed here, I wanted to change the program," Spriggs said. "I think we all did. We wanted to come out being the team that you look at like Michigan State, Ohio State or one of those teams that constantly wins and goes to a bowl game.
"I don't think our record shows that, but I hope that future tams will carry on what we're trying to do here and carry on what we're leaving behind."
When Wilson talks about the importance of winning the three remaining games this season, he's not doing so with only himself in mind. He's doing it for his seniors. He mentions them all the time.
He talked about their hard work Monday, taking only a brief time to reflect on their careers. Wilson isn't in the business of looking backward. He's nearly always looking ahead to the next day, the next game, the next opponent or the next meeting. He wants to move forward.
But he broke his usual character for a few minutes Monday to recognize the work his seniors have done. He had to. As Wilson would say, they're "his guys."
And he's grateful for them.
"These guys have given a lot," Wilson said. "I've tried to take the greedy part out of things. But I want these kids to experience success because I know the effort, energy, true energy they've given our program. It's been very impressive. Very proud of that group."
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