Indiana University Athletics
Thigpen, Means Shine in as Dual-Sport Athletes
3/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
March 29, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - As most of the Indiana football team eagerly took the field for spring football's first practice on March 21, sophomore Marcus Thigpen and freshman Andrew Means were already in season. Both Hoosiers took on the immense undertaking of playing two varsity sports at IU.
Thigpen makes the move to running back for his second campaign as a Hoosier. Thigpen has been doing a lot of running since the conclusion of the football season last Nov. The Detroit, Mich., product completed his second indoor track and field season and for the season straight year, Thigpen turned in the fastest time of any Hoosier in the 60m. At the Big Ten meet in March, Thigpen placed seventh in the 60m and sixth in the finals of the 200m.
On the football field, Thigpen started all 11 games for Indiana last season at wide receiver. Thigpen gained 432 yards and two touchdowns on 32 receptions in 2005. Moreover, the 5-8 running back nearly recorded a trio of 100-yard receiving games with 92 yards and a touchdown against Central Michigan.
Although football and track are obviously different in nature, Thigpen found that track has helped in the move to running back.
"Track has helped my explosiveness, which is something a good running back must possess," Thigpen said. "Along with getting in shape, track has helped in my endurance and that will carry over to football as well."
Thigpen believes that hard work and excellent time management skills are crucial in his success.
"It's not hard playing two sports once you get in shape," Thigpen said. "I go to football conditioning in the morning and track practice in the afternoon. You have to be in shape to do both and playing both has helped do that. Hard work and time management are also key in playing two varsity sports and being successful in athletics and in the classroom."
Indiana director of track and field Randy Heisler is one of Thigpen's biggest fans in both track and football.
"Marcus is at Indiana to play football, and we are thrilled he has taken the opportunity to run track here as well," Heisler said. "Throughout the indoor season, Marcus has gotten faster and faster. I've seen him run a lot, and if he has the ball and an open field, I can't image anyone running him down. We are all for Marcus doing both. He has demonstrated he can be successful at both. Once spring football ends, we are eager to get him back so he can help us as the Big Ten meet."
In Heisler's opinion, Thigpen possesses characteristics that enable him to be successful on the track and on the field.
"Marcus is an incredibly focused young man," Heisler said. "He is quiet but a great leader, and has tremendous work ethic. He leads his teammates by setting a good example and doing what he is suppose to do and doing it well. I believe that if we had a whole team of Marcus Thigpens we could do a lot of great things."
Like Thigpen, Means will suit up for two varsity sports this spring. Means will double as the starting right fielder for the baseball team, while simultaneously playing wide receiver for the spring football season.
In the Hoosiers' home opening series against Hartford (3/24-26), Means arrived late for the second game and left the third game early for football. Despite his hectic schedule, Means has been an integral part of the Hoosier offensive attack. Starting in right field, the Avon Lake, Ohio native is a perfect 9-for-9 in the stolen base department, good for third on the team and in the Big Ten, in addition to posting a .294 batting average with eight RBI and seven runs as of March 28.
Means, who redshirted the 2005 football season, boasted an illustrious career prior to coming to Indiana that included leading his high school team to an impressive 15-0 record and a state championship as a junior. As a senior, Means recorded 24 receptions for 597 yards en route to being named first team All-Lorian County and All-District.
Means concurs with Thigpen that time management is key in balancing two full loads.
"So far, playing both sports hasn't been too tough," Means said. "People always ask me how I can do all that work in one week. I think I've been able to because of good time management skills and a lot of hard work. As of now, there hasn't been too much overlap, and I have been able to balance both. Overall, the key to balancing two sports and academics is without a doubt time management."
Both head football coach Terry Hoeppner and wide receivers coach Billy Lynch, along with head baseball coach Tracy Smith and Means' teammates on both the football and baseball teams have made his undertaking possible.
"My coaches and teammates have been the biggest influence in both football and baseball," Means said. "I didn't know anyone on the baseball team when I first went over there. They were really welcoming and are all a big family, just like on the football team. So far, we have made it work, and I am enjoying it. "
Means credits Hoeppner and Smith's Miami (Ohio) connection and relationship as keys in making his dual-sport endeavor work.
"It may help a little that both coaches know each other and have a tremendous amount of respect for one another after coaching at Miami (Ohio) at the same time. There were a couple kids there that played both, and they know how to make it work," Means said.
Lynch, who works closely with Means on a daily basis as his position coach, supports his standout athlete and his quest to be successful in two Indiana sports.
"It's great for Andrew to have the opportunity to play both sports," Lynch said. "I think he has the chance to be really successful at both football and baseball. From the football end, he has a lot of potential and is improving. I understand he is a talented baseball player as well. When you are playing two sports, the main thing is that you have to have dedication and be willing to give it your all at both. It becomes a year-round job."
Lynch believes that the hardworking Means has the right qualities to make an impact in both football and baseball.
"Andrew is a very dedicated young man," Lynch said. "He has outstanding time management skills that allow him to not only be successful in two very demanding sports, but also in the classroom. He has a lot on his plate, and he is doing a great job at making it all happen."
Smith, in his first season at the helm of the IU baseball program, echoes Lynch's sentiments on Means.
"Andrew is a special athlete," Smith said. "He is the fastest player I have ever coached. What makes it even more unbelievable is how big and strong he is to go with his incredible speed. It is hard enough to play one sport at the college level, let alone two. It takes extreme discipline and dedication, both qualities Andrew possesses."
Smith expects big things out of his right fielder as he takes on the challenge to playing two sports.
"For us, he is a difference maker," Smith said. "We would not be the same team without him in the line-up defensively and offensively. It is so rare to have someone of his abilities walk up to you at the semester break and say, `I want to try baseball', and to have known nothing about him. He is a special athlete, and a special kid. He has a bright future ahead of him as a baseball player. Once again, I have got to thank Coach Hoeppner for finding one of my best players."
Thigpen and Means will take the field in the football team's first scrimmage on April 1 to gear up for the Pancakes'n'Pigskins Scrimmage on April 8 and the Spring Game on April 15 at 4 p.m.
