Indiana University Athletics
DiNardo, Players Meet Media
8/11/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Below are some excerpts from coach DiNardo:
On conditioning drills:
GD: "We had all kinds of records broken in the shuttle and conditioning drills. Most of the guys had personal bests, which was good to see. Leonard Bryant set the cornerback record and program record in the shuttle. He broke the old record by more than two seconds."
On the running back position:
GD: "We have three guys right now who will split the number of carries in practice. If we have 60 plays, each will get 20 carries. We want one running back this season, not running back by committee. We will find one player who will run a majority of the plays until he is tired."
On the true freshmen:
GD: "After conditioning drills and one practice, I see a few freshmen who are physically ready to play in the fall. The camp is a long haul for them both physically and mentally, so we will have to wait and see. The cornerback position is still a possibility for one of them to make a run at."
On the offensive side of the ball this summer:
GD: "A good number of the players were around this summer and I feel that they got a lot accomplished. These players were able to pick-up where they left off this past spring."
On the overall improvement of the team:
GD: "We are the most conditioned team that I have had in the three years here. We have improved on both sides of the ball. The running game has improved a great deal."
On areas that need improvement:
GD: "We made strides in many categories last year and from the 2002 season, but we still need to improve on our rushing defense, securing the ball and our punting."
On if the fans will notice the improvement:
GD: "The fans judge a team on wins and losses and that is how I ultimately judge the team. For a fan winning and losing is a fair way to judge a team. If you saw the spring game, you have reason to be excited if you are an IU fan. You will see more of what you saw in the spring."
On the full allotment of scholarship players in camp:
GD: `We have more people at practice. It is a great benefit for the younger players because it gives them time to develop. You are not in a position to have to play them as soon as possible. The ideal situation is that if you lose a player, because of graduation, now with a full roster you can upgrade to someone who is ready to step in."
On James Hardy:
GD: "He was one of the few freshmen to pass the conditioning test and being here this summer, on campus, really helped him. It helps all the freshmen when they have a chance to be here earlier. James has a lot of raw talent."
