Indiana University Athletics
Social Media, Texting Enhance Football Workouts
6/8/2015 10:18:00 AM | Football
Team returns to Bloomington for summer workouts
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
Sophomore tight end Jordan Fuchs keeps sending his teammates pictures of his food.
He's not being funny or bragging about his diet, either. He's actually training.
The sophomore tight end wants to add some weight during the offseason, which means taking in more calories. To make sure he's getting his fill, Fuchs has been texting pictures of his meals to his fellow tight ends in a group chat.
"It's actually really funny, but at the same time, it's a serious deal for him," senior tight end Anthony Corsaro said. "Stuff like that is good for our team. It shows that we have a pretty tight team that he's willing to do that."
Fuchs texting habits were all about accountability during May, which offensive coordinator Kevin Johns said is one of the most important times of the year. Without official practices with coaches, it's up to the players to hold one another accountable in their training.
In the modern world where just about every student-athlete has a smart phone, it has become increasingly easy for teammates to stay in contact with one another.
On any given day, Hoosiers football players can check in with one another through group messages, even when they're hundreds of miles away.
"I can remember talking with (former Hoosier) David Cooper last year, saying `Listen, you're going home, but every day you can send a message,'" Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson said. "`What are you doing? I'm in the weight room. Here's my picture. Where are you?' So you can motivate."
Wilson said started asking his players to keep tabs on one another during the offseason about two years ago. It mostly started with players texting one another, but it has since evolved to include players posting pictures of themselves training on social media like Twitter and Instagram as well.
Just the other week, sophomore quarterback Zander Diamont posted an Instagram photo of himself, senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld and a group of receivers after a training session at Memorial Stadium.
Corsaro said that type of post wouldn't have happened when he was a freshman or sophomore. Now, it's keeping teammates motivated and connected through the Internet.
"It's kind of interesting because as the evolution of social media has happened, it's kind of changed that month of May," Corsaro said. "As more of that keeps happening, you stay more in contact with kids. It becomes an underlying thing that people want to show the work they're putting in, and it's kind of funny sometimes, too."
While Corsaro was one of the players working on location in Indianapolis, Wilson said that more than 50 players were training together in Bloomington on their own doing voluntary workouts led by the players themselves.
The turnout is a large welcome increase from the 10 or 20 players that used to stay on campus to work during Wilson's previous years as head coach.
Senior offensive lineman Ralston Evans, junior safety Antonio Allen and sophomore safety Chase Dutra are among just some of the players who have been working together at IU.
They each said it helps to see the commitment the entire team has to getting stronger together day in and day out.
"The work, it never stops," Evans said. "We're just constantly pushing each other. Guys will check in on everybody and just let you know that they're out there working...There's a different vibe around it. You don't have to force anybody to work anymore because they're doing it already and are excited about it."
Corsaro said the eagerness to work is a product of just how close the players are both on and off the field. Wilson went as far as to say the seniors are the closest group he's had.
The players and coaching staff will see just how much of a gain they've made as a team in a few weeks or so. The players returned to practice with coaches today for the first time since spring football ended.
"I'm just really excited to start because I know we've been working," Corsaro said. "We've been all putting in a ton of work on our own. We just need to put it together and get back at it. We all feel really good and know the potential of this team. We all know we've got a chance to do something really special."
