Indiana University Athletics
Dutra Learned From Time Away, Making An Impact Again
10/21/2015 2:08:00 PM | Football
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Chase Dutra's role was evolving.
At the beginning of the season, the redshirt sophomore was expected to be a leader in an IU secondary without much experience. He moved from strong safety to free safety in the spring, taking on the responsibility of lining up his defense according to what he saw pre-snap and trusting all the film he's watched.
Dutra wasn't, and still isn't, close to being finished learning the game himself. Regardless, he dove head first into a leadership role his coaches say he's embraced from the beginning, even sacrificing his off time in the summer to help catch teammates up to speed.
Then he got hurt.
Just days before Indiana's season-opening win against Southern Illinois, Dutra suffered an injury that left him sidelined for two games and limited him for two more. His football responsibilities immediately changed, but his leadership role didn't. Indiana's newly-found anchor in the secondary was forced to lead from off the field.
And it worked.
"I think seeing things from the sidelines probably helped him in a weird way," defensive backs coach Noah Joseph said. "I think him just seeing what we're seeing as coaches and how we're trying to get it corrected gave him that aspect that coach isn't just nagging or anything like that. It's all part of the process."
Standing on the sidelines with copies of the play sheets in hand, Dutra studied his teammates just as his coaches did. He saw at practice and in games what Joseph saw and analyzed his own team's play like an outsider.
Dutra couldn't participate himself, but he said his injury couldn't be an excuse to take time away from the freshmen and sophomores who needed him.
"Without him, I can honestly say I wouldn't be where I am today," true freshman safety Jonathan Crawford said. "If I'm hesitant on a play, I'll look at him and he'll give me a call and I'm just comfortable."
Comfort is hard to teach, Joseph said, but Dutra instills it.
The calmness in his voice and the thoroughness of his explanations make understanding the game easier, Crawford said. Dutra's experience is a rare commodity in a secondary that at times rotated in four first-year players during the time he was limited.
"I've done a lot of teaching this year," Dutra said. "They've all had a lot of questions, and I would talk with Coach Joseph about them and all of us would be sharper. Especially in those two weeks I was out, I got to talk to the younger guys and prepare them for what's to come."
Healthy again, Dutra's role as a teacher really hasn't stopped.
At free safety, Dutra is in many ways as valuable to the defense as the quarterback is to the offense. In most formations, he sees more of the field than any of his teammates and has the freedom to float around to wherever he deems necessary.
Before the snap and as plays develop, Dutra will yell out orders in the same calm, thorough way he teaches at practice. An extension of defensive coordinator Brian Knorr on the field, Dutra keeps everyone in check and is there to clean up any messes left uncleaned.
"I'm still teaching and working just as much in that aspect as I was," Dutra said. "I have a little more space to play in and talk where I don't have to be dialed in on one specific person on the field. It just gives me a little more range to talk and communicate and get everyone on the same page."
Dutra said he's been full-go since the start of Big Ten play after taking a couple of weeks to get his strength back. Before making his season debut against Western Kentucky, he only had two days of practice under his belt and wasn't yet comfortable playing as fast as he's needed to.
In the weeks since, he's regained his form and is second on the team averaging 6.4 tackles per game and a forced fumble. Joseph said Dutra is playing some of the best football he's played, and it's exciting for him to think that he still has two full seasons ahead of him.
"I think he understands that people listen to him," Joseph said. "He's done a good job with that and can do better still, but he's played really good football for us. I think he's played really well and has been good as far as bringing the emotion and leadership we need from him."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Chase Dutra's role was evolving.
At the beginning of the season, the redshirt sophomore was expected to be a leader in an IU secondary without much experience. He moved from strong safety to free safety in the spring, taking on the responsibility of lining up his defense according to what he saw pre-snap and trusting all the film he's watched.
Dutra wasn't, and still isn't, close to being finished learning the game himself. Regardless, he dove head first into a leadership role his coaches say he's embraced from the beginning, even sacrificing his off time in the summer to help catch teammates up to speed.
Then he got hurt.
Just days before Indiana's season-opening win against Southern Illinois, Dutra suffered an injury that left him sidelined for two games and limited him for two more. His football responsibilities immediately changed, but his leadership role didn't. Indiana's newly-found anchor in the secondary was forced to lead from off the field.
And it worked.
"I think seeing things from the sidelines probably helped him in a weird way," defensive backs coach Noah Joseph said. "I think him just seeing what we're seeing as coaches and how we're trying to get it corrected gave him that aspect that coach isn't just nagging or anything like that. It's all part of the process."
Standing on the sidelines with copies of the play sheets in hand, Dutra studied his teammates just as his coaches did. He saw at practice and in games what Joseph saw and analyzed his own team's play like an outsider.
Dutra couldn't participate himself, but he said his injury couldn't be an excuse to take time away from the freshmen and sophomores who needed him.
"Without him, I can honestly say I wouldn't be where I am today," true freshman safety Jonathan Crawford said. "If I'm hesitant on a play, I'll look at him and he'll give me a call and I'm just comfortable."
Comfort is hard to teach, Joseph said, but Dutra instills it.
The calmness in his voice and the thoroughness of his explanations make understanding the game easier, Crawford said. Dutra's experience is a rare commodity in a secondary that at times rotated in four first-year players during the time he was limited.
"I've done a lot of teaching this year," Dutra said. "They've all had a lot of questions, and I would talk with Coach Joseph about them and all of us would be sharper. Especially in those two weeks I was out, I got to talk to the younger guys and prepare them for what's to come."
Healthy again, Dutra's role as a teacher really hasn't stopped.
At free safety, Dutra is in many ways as valuable to the defense as the quarterback is to the offense. In most formations, he sees more of the field than any of his teammates and has the freedom to float around to wherever he deems necessary.
Before the snap and as plays develop, Dutra will yell out orders in the same calm, thorough way he teaches at practice. An extension of defensive coordinator Brian Knorr on the field, Dutra keeps everyone in check and is there to clean up any messes left uncleaned.
"I'm still teaching and working just as much in that aspect as I was," Dutra said. "I have a little more space to play in and talk where I don't have to be dialed in on one specific person on the field. It just gives me a little more range to talk and communicate and get everyone on the same page."
Dutra said he's been full-go since the start of Big Ten play after taking a couple of weeks to get his strength back. Before making his season debut against Western Kentucky, he only had two days of practice under his belt and wasn't yet comfortable playing as fast as he's needed to.
In the weeks since, he's regained his form and is second on the team averaging 6.4 tackles per game and a forced fumble. Joseph said Dutra is playing some of the best football he's played, and it's exciting for him to think that he still has two full seasons ahead of him.
"I think he understands that people listen to him," Joseph said. "He's done a good job with that and can do better still, but he's played really good football for us. I think he's played really well and has been good as far as bringing the emotion and leadership we need from him."
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