Indiana University Athletics
O-Line Q&A: Part II
4/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Bobby Johnson
Offensive Line/Running Game Coordinator
On the importance of the veterans passing on their knowledge to the newcomers:
BJ: "The veterans spend a lot of time grabbing a young guy and telling them that this is what Coach is looking for and this is how you do it. In a game, a guy might do this, so you have to be prepared for it and don't get caught. They are starting to coach, which is something I like my older guys to do. Once you get to the point where you understand, I want you to start coaching. I think if you can coach a younger player, you learn in the process. You are saying some things and reinforcing some things. You are actually seeing it from my perspective and getting a true understanding of what we are trying to get done."
What are your thoughts on Isaac Sowells?
BJ: "Isaac is a kid that I heard a lot about once we got here. He is a great kid. Isaac has the potential to be as good as there is. He has all the physical tools. He is a big, strong kid. Just by looking at him, you can see he is what they are supposed to look like. For a guy his size, it is almost scary how athletic he is. I think for Isaac being a senior, he just needs to take that next step. He is a guy, that once he realizes his potential, the sky is the limit. He is a young man that could be playing on Sundays at some point in time. Isaac has a lot of football smarts. Isaac understands the game. He always asks the right questions and always wants to get better. I expect great things out of Isaac Sowells."
What are your thoughts on Brandon Hatcher?
BJ: "Brandon Hatcher is a kid who is brains on top of brains. He is a microbiology major. Hatch has played a couple of positions in his time here. I just need to find a position that puts Brandon in a position to succeed and contribute as much as possible. Hatch is a guy who is going to be a valuable part of this line because of his versatility."
What are your thoughts on Justin Frye?
BJ: "Mr. Frye has been the jokester since I got here. We have hit it off pretty well. Unfortunately, he has had a little bit of an injury. He is still a little bit of an unknown. Based on his attitude in the classroom when we are talking about football and some of the questions he has asked of me and the times he has come in on his own, I think he has a good grasp of the game. But as far as how he plays the game, I haven't really seen enough to really pass judgment. Just based on last year's film, he would probably be one of my top six linemen. I just have to see how he adjusts to the new system. I think he is going to be fine, but it is still a little bit early to tell on him."
With such a spread out offense, how important are a lineman's agility and knowledge of his particular assignment on each play?
BJ: "There is a premium on athleticism in this offense. The good thing about this offense, everyone is saying spread out and everyone's impression is that we are going to throw the ball around 50, 60, 70 times a game. Really, what we are going to do is spread the field and we are going to be balanced. The linemen have to be athletic because they are going to have to pass protect, of course, and run block in space. The one thing I always tell them is in football, speed kills. Defenses want to get as fast as possible. With that, everyone on offense wants to get as fast as possible. Everyone thinks, offensive line, you don't need to be fast. You don't have to be fast, but you have to be athletic. I think our advantage is that we are bigger than everyone else on the field, but we need to get out in space and be an athlete. We need to reduce the space between the defender and ourselves. If we reduce the space between ourselves and the defender as much as possible, we can use our size to our advantage. Athleticism is a premium, especially in zone run blocking, blocking in space and pass protection. I'd rather recruit a tall, thin athletic offensive lineman or tight end and get him bigger with athleticism, as opposed to getting a big kid in high school that might lose that athleticism."
The linemen have a talented group of backs to block for this season, Are they looking forward to helping them churn out the yards for the Hoosiers?
BJ: "Without a question. The offensive line is the one position on the field that doesn't have a statistical category. We have to take pride in what the skill players on our offense do. Our goal is to have a 1,000-yard rusher; a 1,000-yard receiver and a quarterback pass for over 3,000 yards. In order for those positions to do those things, we have to do our jobs. Once those kids start to get those goals, then we have done our job. We are excited about it. We know that our running backs are going to run hard. When it is their job to pass protect, they are going to pass protect. Anytime you have guys behind you that you know are going to battle just as hard as you, it makes you want to battle even harder. The offensive line understands that and they are excited about it."
In recent years, the NFL has changed over from a bunch of huge linemen into more agile and intelligent blockers. Has that change made its way to the collegiate level?
BJ: "I think so. My background at Miami University, we had to do that. We couldn't go out and get those 6'7", 300-pound kids from high school that had good athleticism. The Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference were taking those kids. We had to go out and develop those players. What you are finding is more and more schools are doing that. We found ourselves at Miami competing against Boston College and Purdue. Some of those other mid-level major conference teams have now pushed themselves into the Top 25 by recruiting those athletes. I think it is a trickle-down effect. The NFL is looking for those players. A lot of those top programs are running NFL-type offenses, so they are going to get those kids. Very few schools in the country can get those real big linemen coming out of high school that are athletic. I have found myself in recruiting looking for those players. I have done that in the past and I will continue to do that because we have had success with those kids. I know what I know and I have had success with what I know."
How important is the development of the offensive line in helping the rest of the offense feel comfortable with the new system?
BJ: "It is crucial. If the offensive line can't grasp the system and can't do the things that we are asking of them, then the offense goes nowhere. You can have a great quarterback, but if the offensive line doesn't understand the protection scheme, it doesn't matter. If you have a great running back, the same thing is going to happen in run blocking if you don't understand the running schemes. If you can't get it done, the running back isn't going to go anywhere. I think the development of the offensive line as a unit is absolutely crucial to spring practice. I think we have taken some good steps in the right direction. By no means, however, are we finished practicing. My goal is to come out of spring with seven-to-eight guys I feel I can go into a game with and play. Not go into a game and once we get a lead, put them in. I want to go into a game and in a crucial situation; I need guys that I can count on to get those important yards and to block on an obvious passing down. That is my goal for the spring is to find eight of those guys and hopefully more. If I find less, then I know who I have to go into a game with. My goal in the spring is to have a corps of guys that are ready to go into the season."
Justin Frye
On adjusting to being back in the pads during spring practice:
JF: "Right now, it is all about getting used to the new names and numbers on the squad, but in the end, you just have to remember it is still football. Football is football. It is all about accountability and knowing the guy next to you is doing what he needs to be doing and that you are doing what you need to be doing."
On the importance of the offensive line improving during spring ball to develop the rest of the offensive unit:
JF: "It is a big thing. The offensive line is where the play starts, and sometimes where the play ends with the quarterback on his back. With us gelling, we have nobody new coming in, and it is the same guys. That can be a big benefit getting a new offense in during the spring and doing everything we do together over the summer. We can then come into the fall with everyone clicking. That will be a big benefit for us."
Isaac Sowells
On adjusting to being back in the pads during spring practice:
IS: "We still have a little ways to go. It is still spring ball. We are going to get better."
On whether the offensive line is healthy right now:
IS: "The best thing right now for us is that everyone is healthy. We had a few injuries awhile back, but we are 100 percent right now."
Brandon Hatcher
On adjusting to being back in the pads during spring practice:
BH: "We just got to come together and have everyone knowing what everyone else is doing. We need to be tuned into what everyone else is doing."
On the offensive line's responsibilities being simplified:
BH: "We are just able to play really fast now. You are able to just key in and tee off the ball and do what you have to do."
