Fant, Shelby Impressed with Depth at Cornerback Position
8/14/2017 7:42:00 PM | Football
By Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The word came just before Indiana took on No. 19 Utah in the 2016 Foster Farms Bowl:
IU freshman cornerback A-Shon Riggins was ruled out via concussion protocol.
That meant Rashard Fant and primary reserve Tyler Green would play every defensive snap against the Utes. And play on more than their share of special teams.
They played well. Fant supplied an interception. Green had a career-high seven tackles, including five solos, and forced a fumble.
But it was still hardly an optimal situation heading into a winnable high-profile game, in which the Utes prevailed, 26-24.
Fortunately for the Hoosiers, it's a situation unlikely to be repeated in 2017, because IU cornerback coach Brandon Shelby feels this is clearly the deepest unit he's mentored during seven seasons in Bloomington.
"For the time in a long time, we have some depth," Shelby said after practice Monday. "We have a lot of guys with a lot of playing experience.
"Thus far, they've done a good job of coming back in and knowing the defense, playing hard and playing well. So, right now, I'm excited about what we've got going on. No issues at this point."
Fant – Second-Team All-Big Ten last year as junior – returns as the NCAA active career and IU's all-time leader in passes broken up (44) and defended (48) during 38 career games.
Riggins, who emerged as a true freshman as last season unfolded, was sixth in league games with 10 passes defended.
Green, who has shown he can play the position at 6-foot-3, is back as a junior. Andre Brown, who started eight times as a true freshman in 2015 before missing all of last season as a medical redshirt, is now healthy.
Then there are true freshmen Raheem Layne and Ladamion Hunt, the latter of whom had an interception in Monday's practice, who have seemingly already worked their way into the potential playing rotation.
"Raheem Layne and Ladamion Hunt are both guys who you're going to see this season," Shelby said. "They're going to be great players for us. There is kind of a learning curve. They got a lot of stuff thrown at them the first week and a half. But they've adapted well.
"They play hard. Sometimes they don't know where they're going, but they're going 100 miles (per hour), which I'll take. At the end of the day, they're giving great effort. They're 'yes, sir' type of young men, raised right. And I'm just really excited to coach them."
And Shelby is pleased to have Fant in the role of senior leader, on the field and off, for the freshmen to follow.
"He's a very intelligent young man off the field, too," Shelby said of Fant. "He does a great job of studying the play book …and I think it'll do wonders for those two (freshmen) to learn under him."
The freshman "came in making plays" according to Fant, who elaborated about both a bit after Monday's session.
"I always tell Raheem that he reminds me of me, because he's so fast," Fant said. "But he's bigger than me. He's a little more physical at the line than I am, and he's taller (at 6-1, 190), He definitely has speed and utilizes it. So we've been working on the same thing, working on our technique, shoring that up.
"Ladamion is real 'handsy,' physical, wants to get his hands on you at the line – he utilizes that really well. They're both aggressive and are confident in what they do, so I'm excited. I've been enjoying watching them play. They've been holding their own, whether it's going against the 1s, 2s or 3s."
Fant feels that going against IU's entire receiving corps – perhaps the team's other deepest unit, on paper, in addition to the secondary – provides great daily preparation for the upcoming campaign.
Citing by name 6-4 juniors Simmie Cobbs, Nick Westbrook and Donavan Hale, juniors Luke Timian and J-Shun Harris in the slot, redshirt-freshman Taysir Mack and senior tight end Ian Thomas, Fant noted that IU has "so many weapons" in the receiving arsenal and a senior quarterback, Richard Lagow, to help unleash them.
"We have Nick and Simmie, who everybody knows, in the Big Ten and around the country," Fant said. "And then D-Hale, Ian Thomas, Luke, and J-Shun is back … then you have Taysir Mack coming in and he hasn't even really played yet. So many weapons.
"And we have a veteran quarterback back there, one we trust and who can get the job done. So the offense is looking great. Coach (Mike) DeBord and all the other offensive coaches are doing a great job coaching them up. It's been a joy going against them every day and they're definitely making me better, keeping me on my toes, and preparing me for all the other great receivers in the Big Ten we'll have to go against this year."
Fant and Shelby both noted that the Indiana offense under new coordinator DeBord resembles those Kevin Wilson showcased during the past six seasons as Hoosier head coach -- and those of many Big Ten teams – in terms of tempo and spread formations.
"With so much hurry-up, and those offenses leaving those guys on the field and running 'go' balls all over the place," Shelby said, "you've got to have (several) corners who can come on the field and play.
"Over the years, we haven't had that, and you see it toward the end of the season when people wear down. Hopefully, this year, we can keep guys healthy and we can get a rotation going where everybody can get in there and help us and we can be fresh going into the fourth quarter."
With Fant, Riggins and Green playing the vast majority of the snaps at cornerback last fall – and with new IU head coach Tom Allen taking over as defensive coordinator -- the Hoosiers allowed 94.1 fewer passing yards per game than in 2015, the best such improvement nationally.
Fant doesn't want to rest upon those laurels.
"Last year was last year," Fant said. "In order to be what we want to be this year, we have to take our game to a whole new level. That goes from older guys such as myself and Tegray (Scales, the senior All-American linebacker) down to a freshman who might have to come in and play. You never know who will get thrown out there.
"It's really good (at cornerback). We're really talented. There won't be a drop off, anywhere, in our rotation. We'll keep coming on, keep coaching each other up, but now with the depth we have we can all be fresher as the season goes along, and for each game."
Including another bowl game, the Hoosiers hope, which would mark the first time since 1988 IU went to one of those in three straight seasons.
And if they do, chances are good they'll have more than just two capable cornerbacks
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The word came just before Indiana took on No. 19 Utah in the 2016 Foster Farms Bowl:
IU freshman cornerback A-Shon Riggins was ruled out via concussion protocol.
That meant Rashard Fant and primary reserve Tyler Green would play every defensive snap against the Utes. And play on more than their share of special teams.
They played well. Fant supplied an interception. Green had a career-high seven tackles, including five solos, and forced a fumble.
But it was still hardly an optimal situation heading into a winnable high-profile game, in which the Utes prevailed, 26-24.
Fortunately for the Hoosiers, it's a situation unlikely to be repeated in 2017, because IU cornerback coach Brandon Shelby feels this is clearly the deepest unit he's mentored during seven seasons in Bloomington.
"For the time in a long time, we have some depth," Shelby said after practice Monday. "We have a lot of guys with a lot of playing experience.
"Thus far, they've done a good job of coming back in and knowing the defense, playing hard and playing well. So, right now, I'm excited about what we've got going on. No issues at this point."
Fant – Second-Team All-Big Ten last year as junior – returns as the NCAA active career and IU's all-time leader in passes broken up (44) and defended (48) during 38 career games.
Riggins, who emerged as a true freshman as last season unfolded, was sixth in league games with 10 passes defended.
Green, who has shown he can play the position at 6-foot-3, is back as a junior. Andre Brown, who started eight times as a true freshman in 2015 before missing all of last season as a medical redshirt, is now healthy.
Then there are true freshmen Raheem Layne and Ladamion Hunt, the latter of whom had an interception in Monday's practice, who have seemingly already worked their way into the potential playing rotation.
"Raheem Layne and Ladamion Hunt are both guys who you're going to see this season," Shelby said. "They're going to be great players for us. There is kind of a learning curve. They got a lot of stuff thrown at them the first week and a half. But they've adapted well.
"They play hard. Sometimes they don't know where they're going, but they're going 100 miles (per hour), which I'll take. At the end of the day, they're giving great effort. They're 'yes, sir' type of young men, raised right. And I'm just really excited to coach them."
And Shelby is pleased to have Fant in the role of senior leader, on the field and off, for the freshmen to follow.
"He's a very intelligent young man off the field, too," Shelby said of Fant. "He does a great job of studying the play book …and I think it'll do wonders for those two (freshmen) to learn under him."
The freshman "came in making plays" according to Fant, who elaborated about both a bit after Monday's session.
"I always tell Raheem that he reminds me of me, because he's so fast," Fant said. "But he's bigger than me. He's a little more physical at the line than I am, and he's taller (at 6-1, 190), He definitely has speed and utilizes it. So we've been working on the same thing, working on our technique, shoring that up.
"Ladamion is real 'handsy,' physical, wants to get his hands on you at the line – he utilizes that really well. They're both aggressive and are confident in what they do, so I'm excited. I've been enjoying watching them play. They've been holding their own, whether it's going against the 1s, 2s or 3s."
Fant feels that going against IU's entire receiving corps – perhaps the team's other deepest unit, on paper, in addition to the secondary – provides great daily preparation for the upcoming campaign.
Citing by name 6-4 juniors Simmie Cobbs, Nick Westbrook and Donavan Hale, juniors Luke Timian and J-Shun Harris in the slot, redshirt-freshman Taysir Mack and senior tight end Ian Thomas, Fant noted that IU has "so many weapons" in the receiving arsenal and a senior quarterback, Richard Lagow, to help unleash them.
"We have Nick and Simmie, who everybody knows, in the Big Ten and around the country," Fant said. "And then D-Hale, Ian Thomas, Luke, and J-Shun is back … then you have Taysir Mack coming in and he hasn't even really played yet. So many weapons.
"And we have a veteran quarterback back there, one we trust and who can get the job done. So the offense is looking great. Coach (Mike) DeBord and all the other offensive coaches are doing a great job coaching them up. It's been a joy going against them every day and they're definitely making me better, keeping me on my toes, and preparing me for all the other great receivers in the Big Ten we'll have to go against this year."
Fant and Shelby both noted that the Indiana offense under new coordinator DeBord resembles those Kevin Wilson showcased during the past six seasons as Hoosier head coach -- and those of many Big Ten teams – in terms of tempo and spread formations.
"With so much hurry-up, and those offenses leaving those guys on the field and running 'go' balls all over the place," Shelby said, "you've got to have (several) corners who can come on the field and play.
"Over the years, we haven't had that, and you see it toward the end of the season when people wear down. Hopefully, this year, we can keep guys healthy and we can get a rotation going where everybody can get in there and help us and we can be fresh going into the fourth quarter."
With Fant, Riggins and Green playing the vast majority of the snaps at cornerback last fall – and with new IU head coach Tom Allen taking over as defensive coordinator -- the Hoosiers allowed 94.1 fewer passing yards per game than in 2015, the best such improvement nationally.
Fant doesn't want to rest upon those laurels.
"Last year was last year," Fant said. "In order to be what we want to be this year, we have to take our game to a whole new level. That goes from older guys such as myself and Tegray (Scales, the senior All-American linebacker) down to a freshman who might have to come in and play. You never know who will get thrown out there.
"It's really good (at cornerback). We're really talented. There won't be a drop off, anywhere, in our rotation. We'll keep coming on, keep coaching each other up, but now with the depth we have we can all be fresher as the season goes along, and for each game."
Including another bowl game, the Hoosiers hope, which would mark the first time since 1988 IU went to one of those in three straight seasons.
And if they do, chances are good they'll have more than just two capable cornerbacks
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