Indiana University Athletics
Killion's Camp Journal: Day 3
8/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 10, 2005
Linebacker Kyle Killion enters his last preseason camp as a Hoosier. In 2004, Killion was a key component of IU's defense, recording 107 tackles with 16.5 of those for loss. Killion also grabbed a pair of interceptions and five sacks on the season.
This year, Killion moves back to his natural outside linebacker position after John Pannozzo's move to middle linebacker.
The second team All-Big Ten selection is keeping an online journal on IUHOOSIERS.com of his fourth and final preseason camp. Below is his third entry after Wednesday's practice:
It was another early morning for me. I was up again at 6:30 to eat and get treatment, and then headed down to watch film from yesterday's practice. We studied the tape pretty hard. I thought as a whole we looked pretty good yesterday, especially the defense. We want to keep the defense as our strong suit this year.
We looked at some of our mistakes on tape and went over where things went wrong and where we needed to clear them up today. For me, I was able to identify my mistakes a lot better when I actually saw what I was doing wrong. We still have more work to be done, but everyday is an improvement from the one before.
Around nine this morning, we had a defensive walk-through. We put in a few new things that we executed today in practice.
After the walk-though, I hit the books. When I study, I like to put my music on and start crunching numbers to try to get this stuff down. I have a big corporate finance final tomorrow that's worth about 30 percent of my grade, and it's going to be tough. I took a few breaks to stretch and by then it was lunch. After lunch, I got in the warm whirlpool to try to get loosened up for tonight's practice and hung out with the guys in the lockeroom before heading to meetings.
We had another good practice today. We were excited to be in shoulder pads, even though we aren't suppose to be hitting. An offensive lineman got me today. He stepped on my foot and that sat me out a few reps. He got the best of me, but I got back out there. I hit one of our quarterbacks today. I feel bad about it, but those things happen. I split Graeme's (McFarland) chin.
The defense looked good again today. Since it was the first day with pads a lot of guys needed to get used to them. It takes some adjustments once you put them one. You have to get used to running, catching and tackling in them again. We need to stay up more and watch where we are hitting people. I think we have a lot of guys who are going hard and trying to make the play, but we just need to be careful.
I think the team drills went well. I still feel like there is a lot of room where I need to improve. I felt a little rusty because I know what I am capable of doing. I need to come out tomorrow and be ready to go. Once this final is out of the way and my head is clear I'll be set.
I think the coaches are okay with practice today. I think they know we can do better and want us to do better. They keep pushing us everyday and that's what we need to be able to play at the level we are capable of.
Tomorrow is just another. We need to get back out and keep hammering and keep getting better.
