Indiana University Athletics
Rayner Eyeing Successful Senior Season
9/17/2015 2:22:00 PM | Football
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
Adarius Rayner, a fifth-year defensive lineman, was named Hoosier Football's most improved defensive player by head coach Kevin Wilson at the conclusion of spring practice.
The offseason honor was humbling, Rayner said, but being named most improved only means he's getting better. It doesn't mean it's where he wants to be.
"To me, that means I need to keep working harder," Rayner said. "Most improved is just what it sounds like—most improved. I've got a lot to keep working on to get to the next level and keep playing."
Rayner's aspirations of playing professionally after college highlight how far he's come in his eight years of playing organized football.
A basketball player growing up in Largo, Fla., Rayner didn't pick up football until prompted by one of his aunts as a sophomore in high school. She thought his size and athleticism would give him a chance to be pretty good.
Her intuition paid off.
Rayner was a four-year basketball letterwinner, but his versatility and skillset on the gridiron ultimately brought him to Indiana to play football. In his time since, he's gone from being relatively new to the game to earning a spot in the rotation on a deep, experienced defensive line.
"Even in some high school camps, I felt like I was a little behind just because I started playing late," Rayner said. "I feel like now I've learned all of that and just need to make plays this year to where I can be able to take it to the next level and help this team as well."
Rayner built on his strong spring with another fall camp he said was productive. He's keying in on being a more consistent playmaker in what will be his final season with the Hoosiers.
In years past, Rayner has had his fair share of highlight plays, but he's expecting more out of himself and his teammates this season. With a group of young defensive backs playing behind him, Rayner said it's more important now than ever to pressure opposing quarterbacks and make the defensive backs' jobs easier.
At the same time, Rayner said it's been enjoyable working with new players lined up behind him. He's liked their eagerness and willingness to ask him for help.
"Having a young defensive backfield is good for an older front because the defensive backs listen more and are sometimes more eager to take our advice," Rayner said. "It actually helps us as a defense, and it should help us with our pass rush."
The Hoosiers ranked 82nd in the country with 23 sacks last year. Just more than half of those sacks (12.5) came from the defensive line.
Rayner is part of the group looking to replace graduated defensive end and current New Orleans Saint Bobby Richardson's production. He led the team with 5.5 sacks.
Rayner's been studying off the field, watching film to where he said he has a much stronger conceptual understanding of what second-year defensive coordinator Brian Knorr is trying to do. At this point, it's a matter of going out on the field and making the plays he's capable of.
"Adarius has been very, very good for us," Knorr said at Indiana's media day. "He's one of those guys for us that I think hasn't shown his full potential just yet, and that can be good. Adarius is expected to be a good player for us."
There hasn't been any shortage of veteran leadership in Rayner's defensive lineman room. Veterans like himself and Mangieri have stressed the importance of chemistry between themselves and the new additions on the team.
"He's done a good job," Mangieri said. "He's more of a vocal guy now and kind of brings the younger guys along."
Players young and old are learning each other's physical limits and personalities. Rayner said it's important for teammates to know these things so they can lift each other up and perform better during games the rest of the season.
From what he's seen so far, Rayner likes where the Hoosiers are at.
"With the way that everybody's coming along, I feel like we can be as good as we want to be," Rayner said.
Of course, it's only natural that Rayner sets the expectations high. But just how good can IU's defense?
Rayner senses another case of being most improved.
"I feel like this year, we should be one of the top defenses in the Big Ten," Rayner said. "We just need to attack every day."
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