Indiana University Athletics
Setting the Tone - Lance Bennett
7/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 18, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - College football coaches decide to redshirt freshmen for a variety of reasons - an injury, an abundance of depth at that particular position or an opportunity for the student-athlete to best adapt to the rigors of academics and athletic life. Indiana head coach Terry Hoeppner was able to preserve a year of eligibility for 19 first-year scholarship players last fall, and that decision is already paying dividends.
"It is great to see some of the younger guys taking leadership roles," senior wide receiver and kick returner Lance Bennett said. "The younger guys are acting like veterans, they know their role."
Linebacker/safety Matt Mayberry is one of several 2006 true freshmen who are on campus working out with the team, and they are looking to maximize this opportunity.
"The conditioning, lifting and 7-on-7 drills are going well," the 6-2, 212-pounder said. "It is such a huge advantage to be able to develop this rapport with the coaches and players and learning the ins and outs from guys like Will Meyers and the other veterans,"
The Hoosiers are enjoying a productive summer, and Bennett is feeding off his teammates' energy.
"All I'm thinking about is ending with a bang," Bennett said of his upcoming fourth and final season in Bloomington. "I have not had the chance to really prove myself to this coaching staff. Off the field, I am proving myself as a leader, a character guy, but on the field, I need to do that."
While the coaches and players set the tone in the preseason, Bennett is counting on Hoosier fans to do their part in a 2006 schedule that includes seven home games. IU also plays four of its first five games at Memorial Stadium.
"That is real important. We play four of our first five games at home, and momentum is everything," Bennett said. "Momentum can give a team more confidence that it has ever had, or it can shoot the confidence out of them. If we can get that momentum going, that would be huge."
Bennett is quite adept at setting the tone. He and his older brothers, Lennie and Lemar, are accomplished songwriters who have written the Super Bowl theme song for the Baltimore Ravens as well as some hit songs for Will Smith. Of course, the Brooklyn, N.Y. native wrote theme songs for the 2005 Indiana football and 2005-06 basketball teams, and he is continuing to balance his football and music pursuits.
"I have something in the works for this (IU) season," Bennett said. "But I want to keep it a surprise until then."
