Indiana University Athletics
No Surprise -- IU’s Receiving Trinity Makes Impact
11/1/2017 8:30:00 PM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's receiving trinity is blessed.
Specifically, Simmie Cobbs Jr., Luke Timian and, now, Whop Philyor are record-setting productive, which in these injury-rocked Cream 'n Crimson times, is huge.
Given IU's recent strong receiving tradition, it's also not surprising.
From Courtney Roby to James Hardy to Tandon Doss to Damarlo Belcher to Cody Latimer to Shane Wynn to Cobbs and Nick Westbrook, the 21st century has been receiving rich for the Hoosiers.
So when Cobbs, Timian and Philyor went where no IU receivers had gone before last Saturday at Maryland (it was the first time 3 Hoosiers had caught at least 10 passes in a game; they combined for 36 catches, 356 yards and 4 touchdowns), well, Cobbs expected it.
"It's a pride we take," he says. "We're counted on to make a bunch of plays. With that on our shoulders, we know we have to come every day to practice and have a focus, make those plays in practice so when we get to games, we've already had those mental reps. It's not as difficult as it would be if we didn't prepare like that. We take pride in that."
Or, as Timian puts it, "It's that next-guy-up attitude. Some guys are probably playing bigger roles than they thought they'd have to coming into the season.
"Whop is a guy everyone will talk about because of his performance (at Maryland) but (redshirt sophomore) Chris Gajcak has to step up. (Redshirt freshman) Jonah Morris has to step up.
"There are some other guys in (the receivers room) that aren't getting the attention, but who are working as hard as anyone else.
"We all have to keep that same competitive nature and do everything we can to win the next game."
Cobbs is the anchor in a play-making receiving trio few saw coming. Why? Because Westbrook and Donavan Hale were supposed to be involved.
Season-ending knee injuries messed that up. Westbrook, basically a 1,000-yard receiver a year ago, went down in the season opener against Ohio State. Hale, who beat Westbrook out for a starting spot, played in just three games, averaging 16.6 yards per catch with a touchdown.
With those veterans gone, receivers coach Grant Heard went to work and found difference-makers, continuing a process that had started under former receivers coaches Billy Lynch and Kevin Johns. Grant got plenty of leadership help from Cobbs, who had missed the previous season with his own knee injury.
However, in 2015, Cobbs caught 60 passes for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns, so the potential was obvious.
This season he rates among the Big Ten's best with 54 catches for 600 yards and five touchdowns.
Then there is Timian, a former walk-on who has emerged as a key possession receiver. He has 49 catches for 359 yards and a touchdown.
Redshirt Taysir Mack showed promise against Charleston Southern (7 catches, 111 yards, 2 touchdowns), but has done little since.
So opportunity found Philyor, who had his break-through game against Maryland with an IU true-freshman-record 13 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. That earned him Big Ten freshman of the week honors.
"Whop played on special teams and had so many reps," coach Tom Allen says. "We have a mileage tracker, and he ran like five miles during the game. I'm just really proud of his effort and toughness."
For the season Philyor, whose nickname comes from his love of Burger King's Whopper hamburger, has 21 catches for 187 yards and two TDs.
Heard had originally planned to redshirt Philyor after an August training camp injury cost him plenty of practice time. But as receiver injuries mounted and Philyor's health improved, opportunity surfaced.
"In camp I got a little frustrated because I couldn't run," he says. "I was like, 'Why can't I do this anymore?'
"Then I started progressing. The trainer said, you'll get through it. You'll be fine. I believed in him and believed in myself."
Even at 5-11 and 180 pounds, Philyor capitalized, in part, because of unshakeable confidence.
"My dad always told me, 'You're the smallest one, so you've got to have confidence," he said. "You've got to have the heart of a lion.
"So I've always had to be tough."
And fast.
"I'm quicker than most guys," he says. "That helps me out a lot. I'm kind of like a mouse."
Call it a mouse that knows how to find the spotlight.
"If I'm in a room and I want to have a god time, I'll put Whop in it," Cobbs says with a smile.
"Right off the bat he came in confident. You normally don't see it from that transition to college. When I came here as a freshman, I felt I had to relearn everything. He came in acting like he knew what to do and how to do it, when to do it.
"I tell him, keep the confidence, make the plays you have to make, make sure when you do, stay level-headed. Play with confidence, not cockiness."
This is just what Allen had hoped to get from Philyor, an all-state high school player out of Tampa.
"He has an unbelievable energy level," Allen says. "We call him the Energizer Bunny. He just keeps going and going and doesn't seem to get tired.
"I've seen that in the past when he was in high school and played both ways. He just ran all over the field and, there was never a drop-off. Some guys have that ability and some don't.
"Now that he's learned what he's doing, his confidence level has increased highly in the area of his execution just because he knows where he's supposed to be and the routes, where the ball is coming. He's been able to get open. He has that ability to separate. He can put his foot in the ground and change direction.
"I thought he was going to be one of our better players, and it's proven to be true. It just took a little time."
Adds offensive coordinator Mike DeBord: "Whop was not here last spring. It takes time to develop technique and learn the system.
"He's stayed the course. He has so much energy all the time. He's fun to be around. Grant has done a great job in bringing him along. He continues to work at the fundamentals and continues to get better."
The plan is for that to continue on Saturday, when the Hoosiers (3-5) host No. 4/4 Wisconsin (8-0). Strong receiver play is crucial to IU success, especially against a team that has won the last nine meetings.
"Our biggest emphasis as a receiver is to win 1-on-1 battles," Cobbs says. "We take pride, when the ball is in the air, to make plays. It's basically who wants it more. I feel, with my confidence, I'll take that battle."
He's not the only IU receiver who does. That could make all the difference.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana's receiving trinity is blessed.
Specifically, Simmie Cobbs Jr., Luke Timian and, now, Whop Philyor are record-setting productive, which in these injury-rocked Cream 'n Crimson times, is huge.
Given IU's recent strong receiving tradition, it's also not surprising.
From Courtney Roby to James Hardy to Tandon Doss to Damarlo Belcher to Cody Latimer to Shane Wynn to Cobbs and Nick Westbrook, the 21st century has been receiving rich for the Hoosiers.
So when Cobbs, Timian and Philyor went where no IU receivers had gone before last Saturday at Maryland (it was the first time 3 Hoosiers had caught at least 10 passes in a game; they combined for 36 catches, 356 yards and 4 touchdowns), well, Cobbs expected it.
"It's a pride we take," he says. "We're counted on to make a bunch of plays. With that on our shoulders, we know we have to come every day to practice and have a focus, make those plays in practice so when we get to games, we've already had those mental reps. It's not as difficult as it would be if we didn't prepare like that. We take pride in that."
Or, as Timian puts it, "It's that next-guy-up attitude. Some guys are probably playing bigger roles than they thought they'd have to coming into the season.
"Whop is a guy everyone will talk about because of his performance (at Maryland) but (redshirt sophomore) Chris Gajcak has to step up. (Redshirt freshman) Jonah Morris has to step up.
"There are some other guys in (the receivers room) that aren't getting the attention, but who are working as hard as anyone else.
"We all have to keep that same competitive nature and do everything we can to win the next game."
Cobbs is the anchor in a play-making receiving trio few saw coming. Why? Because Westbrook and Donavan Hale were supposed to be involved.
Season-ending knee injuries messed that up. Westbrook, basically a 1,000-yard receiver a year ago, went down in the season opener against Ohio State. Hale, who beat Westbrook out for a starting spot, played in just three games, averaging 16.6 yards per catch with a touchdown.
With those veterans gone, receivers coach Grant Heard went to work and found difference-makers, continuing a process that had started under former receivers coaches Billy Lynch and Kevin Johns. Grant got plenty of leadership help from Cobbs, who had missed the previous season with his own knee injury.
However, in 2015, Cobbs caught 60 passes for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns, so the potential was obvious.
This season he rates among the Big Ten's best with 54 catches for 600 yards and five touchdowns.
Then there is Timian, a former walk-on who has emerged as a key possession receiver. He has 49 catches for 359 yards and a touchdown.
Redshirt Taysir Mack showed promise against Charleston Southern (7 catches, 111 yards, 2 touchdowns), but has done little since.
So opportunity found Philyor, who had his break-through game against Maryland with an IU true-freshman-record 13 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. That earned him Big Ten freshman of the week honors.
"Whop played on special teams and had so many reps," coach Tom Allen says. "We have a mileage tracker, and he ran like five miles during the game. I'm just really proud of his effort and toughness."
For the season Philyor, whose nickname comes from his love of Burger King's Whopper hamburger, has 21 catches for 187 yards and two TDs.
Heard had originally planned to redshirt Philyor after an August training camp injury cost him plenty of practice time. But as receiver injuries mounted and Philyor's health improved, opportunity surfaced.
"In camp I got a little frustrated because I couldn't run," he says. "I was like, 'Why can't I do this anymore?'
"Then I started progressing. The trainer said, you'll get through it. You'll be fine. I believed in him and believed in myself."
Even at 5-11 and 180 pounds, Philyor capitalized, in part, because of unshakeable confidence.
"My dad always told me, 'You're the smallest one, so you've got to have confidence," he said. "You've got to have the heart of a lion.
"So I've always had to be tough."
And fast.
"I'm quicker than most guys," he says. "That helps me out a lot. I'm kind of like a mouse."
Call it a mouse that knows how to find the spotlight.
"If I'm in a room and I want to have a god time, I'll put Whop in it," Cobbs says with a smile.
"Right off the bat he came in confident. You normally don't see it from that transition to college. When I came here as a freshman, I felt I had to relearn everything. He came in acting like he knew what to do and how to do it, when to do it.
"I tell him, keep the confidence, make the plays you have to make, make sure when you do, stay level-headed. Play with confidence, not cockiness."
This is just what Allen had hoped to get from Philyor, an all-state high school player out of Tampa.
"He has an unbelievable energy level," Allen says. "We call him the Energizer Bunny. He just keeps going and going and doesn't seem to get tired.
"I've seen that in the past when he was in high school and played both ways. He just ran all over the field and, there was never a drop-off. Some guys have that ability and some don't.
"Now that he's learned what he's doing, his confidence level has increased highly in the area of his execution just because he knows where he's supposed to be and the routes, where the ball is coming. He's been able to get open. He has that ability to separate. He can put his foot in the ground and change direction.
"I thought he was going to be one of our better players, and it's proven to be true. It just took a little time."
Adds offensive coordinator Mike DeBord: "Whop was not here last spring. It takes time to develop technique and learn the system.
"He's stayed the course. He has so much energy all the time. He's fun to be around. Grant has done a great job in bringing him along. He continues to work at the fundamentals and continues to get better."
The plan is for that to continue on Saturday, when the Hoosiers (3-5) host No. 4/4 Wisconsin (8-0). Strong receiver play is crucial to IU success, especially against a team that has won the last nine meetings.
"Our biggest emphasis as a receiver is to win 1-on-1 battles," Cobbs says. "We take pride, when the ball is in the air, to make plays. It's basically who wants it more. I feel, with my confidence, I'll take that battle."
He's not the only IU receiver who does. That could make all the difference.
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
WR
/ FootballFB: Under the Hood with Indiana Football - Week 9 (UCLA)
Wednesday, October 22
FB: Omar Cooper Jr. Media Availability (10/21/25)
Tuesday, October 21
FB: Stephen Daley Media Availability (10/21/25)
Tuesday, October 21
FB: Carter Smith Media Availability (10/21/25)
Tuesday, October 21