Milestone Maker -- Robert McCray III Hits Another Level
11/9/2017 10:07:00 AM | Football
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
Bloomington, Ind. - Robert McCray III's football eureka moment, the time when Indiana's senior defensive end felt it finally coming together, was not his Wisconsin break-through performance.
Instead, flash back to August camp, and even before that, when defensive line coach Mark Hagen, who radiates intensity just by saying hello, set McCray straight.
"Coach Hagan has definitely been on me to push me hard and harder," McCray says. "We set goals before the season and he's made me accountable for those goals."
In McCray's case, accountability breeds success.
Case in point – last Saturday's Wisconsin game.
The 6-2, 270-pound McCray was a force of defensive nature with two sacks – the first multi-sack game of his career – and four overall tackles. He also forced a fumble.
Coach Tom Allen noticed.
"He probably played his best game I believe since I've been here," Allen says. "He had a couple of sacks; caused one of the fumbles and several hurries. I thought he was very physical in the run game, which we have to have that from him.
"I really challenged him. I applaud his effort and how well he played. We need that in the final stretch from him."
The hope is that the best is still ahead for a guy who has totaled six tackles for loss, including 4.5 sacks, second-best on the team behind All-America linebacker Tegray Scales. The understanding is that individual success comes from collective effort.
"It doesn't feel I hit another level," McCray says, "but you could see the defense as a whole was clicking. I wouldn't be able to get a sack if (defensive backs) Rashard Fant and Jonathan Crawford, if (linebackers) Chris Covington and Tegray Scales weren't back there holding out the receivers and running backs coming out of the backfield.
"You just have to beat your one-on-one blocks. At the same time, you can never forget what the guys in the (defensive) backfield are doing for you."
The size, strength and power of the Badgers' offensive line made McCray's performance even more impressive.
"It was just playing hard," McCray says. "Wisconsin had real big guys. But they're the same as us. They train the same. They sleep the same. They eat the same. It comes down to who's more relentless. Who's more violent on the play.
"It's a milestone for me, my first multi-sack game. It shows what the coaches are telling us, what the strength coaches are telling us and making us do, you see it working. It makes you want to go harder, to buy in more."
This reflects his passion for a sport that demands it.
"It's the violence, just performing your task. You're trying to stop somebody. You want to be on the attack. You're not just trying to stop somebody.
"It forces you to think while taking action. You see what the offense is doing, while at the same time you have your own task and the defense has its task. You're playing individually together."
Injuries cost McCray four games last year after a promising sophomore season in which he totaled 17 tackles, including 5.5 for loss. He arrived in fall camp in the best shape of his life, then set a tone in the opener against Ohio State with four tackles. He seemed poised for a monster season.
And then he wasn't.
"I had a decent first game," he says, "and then the next few games, I started to level out. (Hagen) got back in my head to go harder, push harder and remember your goals. He holds me accountable for my goals."
These last three games could show that accountability, and perhaps help push the Hoosiers (3-6) to a third straight bowl.
Why not, teammates say, in so many words.
"Rob is a high motor guy," quarterback Richard Lagow says. "He has all the physical tools you could want. He's fast. He's a big guy. He's strong, lanky and tall.
"He did a great job (against Wisconsin). That was an awesome game for him, but it's something we see all the time, so it wasn't a surprise."
Adds senior safety Chase Dutra: "He's really versatile. He's a big dude. He has a long reach. He can pressure the quarterback. He can stop the run. He's quick. He's fast. He's just a good D-linemen.
"He's also a good dude off the field. He holds the D-line to a good standout with (fellow defensive end Greg Gooch). They set the standard high. They are elevating everyone else's play. They're bringing people with them. That's key for this season and for seasons to come."
Now the focus turns to Saturday and a trip to Illinois (2-7), which is battling a seven-game losing streak.
"Illinois is really good with their backs," McCray says. "With their offensive line they try to confuse you by adding another O-lineman like a tight end. They try to catch you off guard.
"There's a lot of misdirection. They want you to line up real heavy up front and they can hit you in the back. They've got a quarterback who can run and another who can pass."
In the end, McCray said, it's about winning. For him, whether he plays defensive end or defensive tackle, that's all that matters.
"You've got to think about the team over yourself. Where you get the action, inside or outside, it doesn't matter to me. I just want to win."
IUHoosiers.com
Bloomington, Ind. - Robert McCray III's football eureka moment, the time when Indiana's senior defensive end felt it finally coming together, was not his Wisconsin break-through performance.
Instead, flash back to August camp, and even before that, when defensive line coach Mark Hagen, who radiates intensity just by saying hello, set McCray straight.
"Coach Hagan has definitely been on me to push me hard and harder," McCray says. "We set goals before the season and he's made me accountable for those goals."
In McCray's case, accountability breeds success.
Case in point – last Saturday's Wisconsin game.
The 6-2, 270-pound McCray was a force of defensive nature with two sacks – the first multi-sack game of his career – and four overall tackles. He also forced a fumble.
Coach Tom Allen noticed.
"He probably played his best game I believe since I've been here," Allen says. "He had a couple of sacks; caused one of the fumbles and several hurries. I thought he was very physical in the run game, which we have to have that from him.
"I really challenged him. I applaud his effort and how well he played. We need that in the final stretch from him."
The hope is that the best is still ahead for a guy who has totaled six tackles for loss, including 4.5 sacks, second-best on the team behind All-America linebacker Tegray Scales. The understanding is that individual success comes from collective effort.
"It doesn't feel I hit another level," McCray says, "but you could see the defense as a whole was clicking. I wouldn't be able to get a sack if (defensive backs) Rashard Fant and Jonathan Crawford, if (linebackers) Chris Covington and Tegray Scales weren't back there holding out the receivers and running backs coming out of the backfield.
"You just have to beat your one-on-one blocks. At the same time, you can never forget what the guys in the (defensive) backfield are doing for you."
The size, strength and power of the Badgers' offensive line made McCray's performance even more impressive.
"It was just playing hard," McCray says. "Wisconsin had real big guys. But they're the same as us. They train the same. They sleep the same. They eat the same. It comes down to who's more relentless. Who's more violent on the play.
"It's a milestone for me, my first multi-sack game. It shows what the coaches are telling us, what the strength coaches are telling us and making us do, you see it working. It makes you want to go harder, to buy in more."
This reflects his passion for a sport that demands it.
"It's the violence, just performing your task. You're trying to stop somebody. You want to be on the attack. You're not just trying to stop somebody.
"It forces you to think while taking action. You see what the offense is doing, while at the same time you have your own task and the defense has its task. You're playing individually together."
Injuries cost McCray four games last year after a promising sophomore season in which he totaled 17 tackles, including 5.5 for loss. He arrived in fall camp in the best shape of his life, then set a tone in the opener against Ohio State with four tackles. He seemed poised for a monster season.
And then he wasn't.
"I had a decent first game," he says, "and then the next few games, I started to level out. (Hagen) got back in my head to go harder, push harder and remember your goals. He holds me accountable for my goals."
These last three games could show that accountability, and perhaps help push the Hoosiers (3-6) to a third straight bowl.
Why not, teammates say, in so many words.
"Rob is a high motor guy," quarterback Richard Lagow says. "He has all the physical tools you could want. He's fast. He's a big guy. He's strong, lanky and tall.
"He did a great job (against Wisconsin). That was an awesome game for him, but it's something we see all the time, so it wasn't a surprise."
Adds senior safety Chase Dutra: "He's really versatile. He's a big dude. He has a long reach. He can pressure the quarterback. He can stop the run. He's quick. He's fast. He's just a good D-linemen.
"He's also a good dude off the field. He holds the D-line to a good standout with (fellow defensive end Greg Gooch). They set the standard high. They are elevating everyone else's play. They're bringing people with them. That's key for this season and for seasons to come."
Now the focus turns to Saturday and a trip to Illinois (2-7), which is battling a seven-game losing streak.
"Illinois is really good with their backs," McCray says. "With their offensive line they try to confuse you by adding another O-lineman like a tight end. They try to catch you off guard.
"There's a lot of misdirection. They want you to line up real heavy up front and they can hit you in the back. They've got a quarterback who can run and another who can pass."
In the end, McCray said, it's about winning. For him, whether he plays defensive end or defensive tackle, that's all that matters.
"You've got to think about the team over yourself. Where you get the action, inside or outside, it doesn't matter to me. I just want to win."
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