Hoff Bringing Leadership to Defensive Line
8/9/2017 8:38:00 PM | Football
By Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Nate Hoff spent part of Wednesday's Indiana football practice ramming a blocking sled while, simultaneously, a hand-held pad was slammed into his side.
That simulated much of what Hoff experiences in the middle of IU's defensive line, often occupying multiple blockers, which allows teammates – especially linebackers – more open lanes to the ball.
"Nate was arguably our top (defensive line) player a year ago … and a lot of what he does goes unseen at times," IU defensive line coach Mark Hagen said after practice. "He's a hammer right in the middle of our defense. He's very powerful.
He knocks people back.
"And as I said, sometimes he's an unsung hero in there. He takes on two, sometimes three, guys, and now (linebacker) Tegray Scales or Chris Covington is unblocked and able to make plays."
All-American Scales led the nation in solo tackles and tackles-for-loss last fall, but Hoff made his share of plays, too, even while occupying blockers – leading the Hoosiers defensive line with 38 tackles, including 23 solos. Hoff added 2.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a blocked extra point.
And that was also while playing for a deep unit that routinely rotated players.
"At the end of the day, our backups get almost as many reps, as many snaps, as our starters," Hagen said. "That's what we're all about.
"Go back to last season and we played a lot of guys. And we've got to develop that depth in order to be able to do that again this season."
Hoff is working on his own technique and getting in "game shape," but also is trying to help the younger players along during camp.
"The biggest thing, teaching the young kids right now, is just being mentally tough and physically tough," Hoff said. "It's a violent sport, and you have to be a tough dog to be out here.
"(True freshmen) Tramar (Reece), LeShaun (Minor Jr.) … very fast, tough, physical kids, and also Juan Harris. They're all coming through really well right now. We start off here real quick Aug. 31 (with Ohio State), have to get ready to play, so it is real important to get all these reps."
That Aug. 31 date is a big one for the program, with a national ESPN broadcast and a College GameDay pregame part of the package, but means just that much more to guys such as Hoff.
Because before Hoff headed off to the Naval Academy Prep School and then played nose tackle for all 12 games as an IU freshman in 2014, he hailed from Solon, Ohio.
"You grow up over there, everybody talks about Ohio State," Hoff said. "So I'm ready to go (play) them.
"It's usually a pretty athletic front with them, and a high-tempo offense."
OSU scored 38 points on IU last season (the most for a foe except for Penn State's 45, with the Nittany Lions getting a pair of TDs in the final 1:07 to secure a close game). But the Hoosiers defense seemed to just keep getting stronger down the stretch. Including up front.
Over the final seven games last fall, IU totaled 71 tackles for loss with 30.5 supplied by the defensive line.
Keeping fresh legs on the field had a lot to do with that. And depth was also revealed by the fact five defensive linemen collected at least five tackles for loss apiece last fall, and nine registered at least one sack.
IU finished with 30 sacks in 2016 while allowing just 13. But Hagen wants to see more of that from his front four this fall.
"Our guys work well together, work in tandem, but I felt that last year we had to blitz too much, had to run too many twist games in there," Hagen said. "We need to be able to line up four guys and get to the quarterback better.
"I thought Greg (Gooch) was a really good run defender for us last year and he, again, needs to add to that pass rush. I know he had one (sack) late in the season and he's more confident about that."
And Hagen sees sophomore Allen Stallings IV, who was limited to last year's opener versus Florida International, as the main man who needs to step into Nile Sykes' role.
"Even though he played a little bit last year for us, I think the light has started to shine a little bit brighter for him," Hagen said of Stallings. And we need him to do that, with Nile being down. We need Allen to step up and be a strong player for us.
"I know when Tom (Allen) and the previous staff recruited him, right before I came back that February, they thought Allen could be that weak-side defensive end who was a tenacious pass rusher (and) he's had a good camp so far. I think he's more comfortable with the system, which allows him to play faster and to play to his strengths."
The quarterback the Hoosiers defensive front will rush Aug. 31 is Buckeye fifth-year senior J.T. Barrett, who will be the first three-year captain in OSU history and whose record as a starter is 26-4.
"It comes down to the guys they have on the field," Hoff said
And Hoff plans on keeping two or three of those Buckeyes occupied much of the time on the field, all the better to help IU pass rushers roam free.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Nate Hoff spent part of Wednesday's Indiana football practice ramming a blocking sled while, simultaneously, a hand-held pad was slammed into his side.
That simulated much of what Hoff experiences in the middle of IU's defensive line, often occupying multiple blockers, which allows teammates – especially linebackers – more open lanes to the ball.
"Nate was arguably our top (defensive line) player a year ago … and a lot of what he does goes unseen at times," IU defensive line coach Mark Hagen said after practice. "He's a hammer right in the middle of our defense. He's very powerful.
He knocks people back.
"And as I said, sometimes he's an unsung hero in there. He takes on two, sometimes three, guys, and now (linebacker) Tegray Scales or Chris Covington is unblocked and able to make plays."
All-American Scales led the nation in solo tackles and tackles-for-loss last fall, but Hoff made his share of plays, too, even while occupying blockers – leading the Hoosiers defensive line with 38 tackles, including 23 solos. Hoff added 2.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a blocked extra point.
And that was also while playing for a deep unit that routinely rotated players.
"At the end of the day, our backups get almost as many reps, as many snaps, as our starters," Hagen said. "That's what we're all about.
"Go back to last season and we played a lot of guys. And we've got to develop that depth in order to be able to do that again this season."
Hoff is working on his own technique and getting in "game shape," but also is trying to help the younger players along during camp.
"The biggest thing, teaching the young kids right now, is just being mentally tough and physically tough," Hoff said. "It's a violent sport, and you have to be a tough dog to be out here.
"(True freshmen) Tramar (Reece), LeShaun (Minor Jr.) … very fast, tough, physical kids, and also Juan Harris. They're all coming through really well right now. We start off here real quick Aug. 31 (with Ohio State), have to get ready to play, so it is real important to get all these reps."
That Aug. 31 date is a big one for the program, with a national ESPN broadcast and a College GameDay pregame part of the package, but means just that much more to guys such as Hoff.
Because before Hoff headed off to the Naval Academy Prep School and then played nose tackle for all 12 games as an IU freshman in 2014, he hailed from Solon, Ohio.
"You grow up over there, everybody talks about Ohio State," Hoff said. "So I'm ready to go (play) them.
"It's usually a pretty athletic front with them, and a high-tempo offense."
OSU scored 38 points on IU last season (the most for a foe except for Penn State's 45, with the Nittany Lions getting a pair of TDs in the final 1:07 to secure a close game). But the Hoosiers defense seemed to just keep getting stronger down the stretch. Including up front.
Over the final seven games last fall, IU totaled 71 tackles for loss with 30.5 supplied by the defensive line.
Keeping fresh legs on the field had a lot to do with that. And depth was also revealed by the fact five defensive linemen collected at least five tackles for loss apiece last fall, and nine registered at least one sack.
IU finished with 30 sacks in 2016 while allowing just 13. But Hagen wants to see more of that from his front four this fall.
"Our guys work well together, work in tandem, but I felt that last year we had to blitz too much, had to run too many twist games in there," Hagen said. "We need to be able to line up four guys and get to the quarterback better.
"I thought Greg (Gooch) was a really good run defender for us last year and he, again, needs to add to that pass rush. I know he had one (sack) late in the season and he's more confident about that."
And Hagen sees sophomore Allen Stallings IV, who was limited to last year's opener versus Florida International, as the main man who needs to step into Nile Sykes' role.
"Even though he played a little bit last year for us, I think the light has started to shine a little bit brighter for him," Hagen said of Stallings. And we need him to do that, with Nile being down. We need Allen to step up and be a strong player for us.
"I know when Tom (Allen) and the previous staff recruited him, right before I came back that February, they thought Allen could be that weak-side defensive end who was a tenacious pass rusher (and) he's had a good camp so far. I think he's more comfortable with the system, which allows him to play faster and to play to his strengths."
The quarterback the Hoosiers defensive front will rush Aug. 31 is Buckeye fifth-year senior J.T. Barrett, who will be the first three-year captain in OSU history and whose record as a starter is 26-4.
"It comes down to the guys they have on the field," Hoff said
And Hoff plans on keeping two or three of those Buckeyes occupied much of the time on the field, all the better to help IU pass rushers roam free.
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