Quoted – Preseason Camp Week One
8/6/2017 1:49:00 PM | Football
By: Charlie Duffy
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana football team wrapped up its first week of preseason camp this afternoon. Practice No. 5 provided the Hoosiers with their first full-padded practice since the Cream & Crimson Spring Game back in April.
Here are six of the top quotes from camp thus far.
"The experience of this team is really good," said senior defensive end Greg Gooch. "We all have chemistry, we fly around and make plays. It is great to have that chemistry and experience coming back."
Experience is exactly what the Indiana defense will bring to the table this season. IU lost just three starters from a defense that made huge strides a season ago. All five starting defensive backs return, All-American Tegray Scales will help to anchor the defense in the middle and a trio of defensive linemen, including Gooch, Nate Hoff and Jacob Robinson will be back in the mix. Head coach Tom Allen hopes the defense will take another jump forward and become a top-25 unit this season.
"I think it has been a confidence boost," junior wide receiver Nick Westbrook said of Richard Lagow. "Last year, coming in, he was just thrown into the fire, but now he has a year under his belt. His one word is confidence. He has become a better leader."
Lagow enters his final season comfortable in his role as the starter. There are plenty of reasons for Lagow to be confident. Simmie Cobbs Jr. returns after missing all but one play of 2016 with an injury. J-Shun Harris II is back after two injury plagued seasons. Westbrook nearly matched Cobbs 2015 1,035-yard season with 995 of his own last year.
All three receivers have had breakout seasons in each of the last three years, but getting them all on the field at the same time will make for a dynamic trio. The emergence of both Luke Timian and Donavan Hale, not to mention a talented, young core champing at the bit for their shot, will give Lagow even more options in the passing game.
"Ian Thomas is a smart football player," offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said. "We do a lot of different things with him in the throw game and the run game. He is smart, he is also very physical. He is 250 pounds and he plays strong that way. But then also he can run, he is a fast tight end. He is one of the fastest guys I have ever coached at tight end, so he is a mismatch problem. A safety should not be able to guard him, a linebacker should not, so that is what he is able to take advantage of."
Thomas will add a new wrinkle into what is expected to be a potent offensive attack for the Hoosiers this season. His chemistry with Lagow grows each day, which was on display at IU's Media Day when the two switched jerseys to speak with the local news outlets. Coach DeBord, who comes from the University of Tennessee by way of the Michigan Wolverines, has seen seven of his tight ends drafted into the NFL. If Thomas can produce at the level he is expected this season, that number will climb.
"The experience in the back end allows us to disguise what we are doing," junior safety Jonathan Crawford said. "We are still able to do our jobs, but we can disguise it a little bit more now."
As a defensive play caller, Allen believes the key to success is to be as multiple as possible. The more looks you are able to throw at an offense the less likely they will be to find a rhythm. Having safeties that are comfortable mixing up coverages, disguising looks and toying with the opposing team will add new wrinkles to an already multiple defense. Plus, the experience in the back end could allow Allen to dial up more exotic blitz packages, knowing he has the confidence in his defensive backs to hold up in one-on-one pass coverage.
"I think this is one of the deepest tight end groups we have had in a while," said fifth-year senior tight end Danny Friend. "Ian knows the playbook better this year having gone through spring practice. Austin Dorris and Shaun Bonner both come back looking very strong. And the addition of Peyton Hendershot, who can hopefully play some substantial plays for us."
In years past the tight end position has been used primarily as an extension of the offensive line. Limited plays were drawn up to get the group involved in the passing game. This season, with the depth and skill of the lineup, the scheme will shift gears. Allen has mentioned the tight end group as the security blanket for the quarterbacks, but they are hoping to take on more of a focal point within the offense this season.
"This freshman class is filled with really good kids that have high character, good talent, some of them have great talent, all of them are going to be great players because they are going to do all of the little things right off of the field, in the weight room and their development is going to be escalated because of all of those attributes," Allen said. "You can win with guys like that. I really love that class."
Allen has been high on his initial recruiting class as head coach. He recruits young men in his mold, high character kids with the work ethic and drive to be something special. Throughout camp five freshmen have been talked about at great length and could provide the Hoosiers with valuable snaps as early as this season.
Harry Crider, an offensive lineman from Columbus, Ind., is a highly-touted prospect with great athleticism. Allen firmly believes he will be in the mix for a spot amongst the starting five this season. Caleb Jones, a lineman from Indianapolis, is a mountain of a man. He stands 6-8 and weighs 370 pounds, yet has the feet of a left tackle. Once he grows into his body he will be a force on the line for years to come. Quarterback Nick Tronti, winner of Florida's coveted Mr. Football award, is a gym rat. He is always in the film room getting extra mental reps or on the field working to polish his game.
Defensively, Juan Harris is the most talked about player. A defensive lineman from Chicago, Harris was a mid-year enrollee, so the coaching staff has had an extended period of time to watch him. His stature (6-3, 360) makes him virtually unmovable in the interior. Finally, Bryant Fitzgerald, a defensive back from Avon, Ind., has the versatility to add depth to a stacked defensive backfield and help in the return game. Allen has referred to him several times as the best prospect out of the state of Indiana last year.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Indiana football team wrapped up its first week of preseason camp this afternoon. Practice No. 5 provided the Hoosiers with their first full-padded practice since the Cream & Crimson Spring Game back in April.
Here are six of the top quotes from camp thus far.
"The experience of this team is really good," said senior defensive end Greg Gooch. "We all have chemistry, we fly around and make plays. It is great to have that chemistry and experience coming back."
Experience is exactly what the Indiana defense will bring to the table this season. IU lost just three starters from a defense that made huge strides a season ago. All five starting defensive backs return, All-American Tegray Scales will help to anchor the defense in the middle and a trio of defensive linemen, including Gooch, Nate Hoff and Jacob Robinson will be back in the mix. Head coach Tom Allen hopes the defense will take another jump forward and become a top-25 unit this season.
"I think it has been a confidence boost," junior wide receiver Nick Westbrook said of Richard Lagow. "Last year, coming in, he was just thrown into the fire, but now he has a year under his belt. His one word is confidence. He has become a better leader."
Lagow enters his final season comfortable in his role as the starter. There are plenty of reasons for Lagow to be confident. Simmie Cobbs Jr. returns after missing all but one play of 2016 with an injury. J-Shun Harris II is back after two injury plagued seasons. Westbrook nearly matched Cobbs 2015 1,035-yard season with 995 of his own last year.
All three receivers have had breakout seasons in each of the last three years, but getting them all on the field at the same time will make for a dynamic trio. The emergence of both Luke Timian and Donavan Hale, not to mention a talented, young core champing at the bit for their shot, will give Lagow even more options in the passing game.
"Ian Thomas is a smart football player," offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said. "We do a lot of different things with him in the throw game and the run game. He is smart, he is also very physical. He is 250 pounds and he plays strong that way. But then also he can run, he is a fast tight end. He is one of the fastest guys I have ever coached at tight end, so he is a mismatch problem. A safety should not be able to guard him, a linebacker should not, so that is what he is able to take advantage of."
Thomas will add a new wrinkle into what is expected to be a potent offensive attack for the Hoosiers this season. His chemistry with Lagow grows each day, which was on display at IU's Media Day when the two switched jerseys to speak with the local news outlets. Coach DeBord, who comes from the University of Tennessee by way of the Michigan Wolverines, has seen seven of his tight ends drafted into the NFL. If Thomas can produce at the level he is expected this season, that number will climb.
"The experience in the back end allows us to disguise what we are doing," junior safety Jonathan Crawford said. "We are still able to do our jobs, but we can disguise it a little bit more now."
As a defensive play caller, Allen believes the key to success is to be as multiple as possible. The more looks you are able to throw at an offense the less likely they will be to find a rhythm. Having safeties that are comfortable mixing up coverages, disguising looks and toying with the opposing team will add new wrinkles to an already multiple defense. Plus, the experience in the back end could allow Allen to dial up more exotic blitz packages, knowing he has the confidence in his defensive backs to hold up in one-on-one pass coverage.
"I think this is one of the deepest tight end groups we have had in a while," said fifth-year senior tight end Danny Friend. "Ian knows the playbook better this year having gone through spring practice. Austin Dorris and Shaun Bonner both come back looking very strong. And the addition of Peyton Hendershot, who can hopefully play some substantial plays for us."
In years past the tight end position has been used primarily as an extension of the offensive line. Limited plays were drawn up to get the group involved in the passing game. This season, with the depth and skill of the lineup, the scheme will shift gears. Allen has mentioned the tight end group as the security blanket for the quarterbacks, but they are hoping to take on more of a focal point within the offense this season.
"This freshman class is filled with really good kids that have high character, good talent, some of them have great talent, all of them are going to be great players because they are going to do all of the little things right off of the field, in the weight room and their development is going to be escalated because of all of those attributes," Allen said. "You can win with guys like that. I really love that class."
Allen has been high on his initial recruiting class as head coach. He recruits young men in his mold, high character kids with the work ethic and drive to be something special. Throughout camp five freshmen have been talked about at great length and could provide the Hoosiers with valuable snaps as early as this season.
Harry Crider, an offensive lineman from Columbus, Ind., is a highly-touted prospect with great athleticism. Allen firmly believes he will be in the mix for a spot amongst the starting five this season. Caleb Jones, a lineman from Indianapolis, is a mountain of a man. He stands 6-8 and weighs 370 pounds, yet has the feet of a left tackle. Once he grows into his body he will be a force on the line for years to come. Quarterback Nick Tronti, winner of Florida's coveted Mr. Football award, is a gym rat. He is always in the film room getting extra mental reps or on the field working to polish his game.
Defensively, Juan Harris is the most talked about player. A defensive lineman from Chicago, Harris was a mid-year enrollee, so the coaching staff has had an extended period of time to watch him. His stature (6-3, 360) makes him virtually unmovable in the interior. Finally, Bryant Fitzgerald, a defensive back from Avon, Ind., has the versatility to add depth to a stacked defensive backfield and help in the return game. Allen has referred to him several times as the best prospect out of the state of Indiana last year.
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