Sudfeld "Instrumental" in Weekly Game Plan

By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Nate Sudfeld doesn't just build the house. He designs the blueprints.

The senior quarterback is becoming an increasingly prominent face in the war room when Indiana's coaches are developing game plans each week. Head coach Kevin Wilson and offensive coordinator Kevin Johns work closely with Sudfeld to tailor Indiana's offense to fit his needs and preferences.

Indiana's game preparation reflects the coaches' confidence in Sudfeld. Wilson and Johns trust the veteran quarterback with the keys to the offense and allow him to dictate what the Hoosiers will do on the field come Saturdays.

"We work very closely with all our quarterbacks, but specifically with Nate right now to get him the plays that he feels best about," Johns said. "You want to do the plays the quarterback believes in. Obviously, the input he has is very instrumental in what we do."

Sudfeld said he's always had an impact on the game plan to an extent, but his role in developing Indiana's attack has increased in his final season.

By Wednesday or Thursday, Johns will have a pool of plays ready on his play-call sheet that he's considering using. He'll ask Sudfeld for his input on particular plays in drills and in the film room to narrow the playbook down to a more manageable number of plays.

If Sudfeld likes a play, he'll keep it and see it again on Saturdays. If he doesn't, it's thrown out.

"Just kind of having that communication makes me feel a lot better on gameday out there knowing there's a pool of plays he's going to call from I feel great about," Sudfeld said. "That's really been huge for me and given my confidence a boost."

Indiana's developed a three-headed monster of sorts with Wilson, Johns and Sudfeld all grooming the playbook. When they disagree about particular plays or concepts, they're able to discuss their thoughts and resolve any potential conflicts.

Just last week, Sudfeld and Wilson discussed an on-field incident that resulted in Sudfeld adjusting a route when he shouldn't have. Sudfeld changed one of his receiver's routes at the last moment and eventually scored on a scramble in Indiana's win against Florida International.

Sudfeld changed the play because he recalled seeing a defensive look on film, Wilson said. But the play wasn't the same, and Wilson recognized it. In those situations, Wilson said Sudfeld needs to work on trusting his coaches more to make the right decisions.

"Sometimes intelligence can be a hinder," Wilson said. "You can have too much clutter in your mind."

Sudfeld said Indiana (2-0) needs to clear the "clutter" this week to keep up with a high-powered Western Kentucky (2-0) offense Saturday at 4 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.

On between 30-40 plays a game, Sudfeld has the option to select a run or pass play based on what he sees in an opposing defense, Wilson said. He'll survey the field, make a decision and run the play.

"I feel like I know what I like out there a lot more," Sudfeld said. "I know what I'm seeing and what I want to try to exploit."

Sudfeld's confidence has been evident in the red zone where the Hoosiers have scored on all 10 trips, leading the Big Ten. His only complaint was that he'd like to see Indiana's three field goals turn into touchdowns with powerful running backs like junior Jordan Howard and sophomore Devine Redding lined up behind him.

Chasing perfection can be an impossible task, and Sudfeld knows that. There's going to be times where the opposing defense makes a play and forces Indiana to settle.

But Sudfeld doesn't want to settle. He's holding his offense to a high standard because he realizes how much impact he has on its success. And if not being completely perfect is his biggest complaint, Wilson and Johns can walk away happy.

"Every single week we need to be able to play a high level and execute," Sudfeld said. "You're never going to be perfect, like coach says, but we need to strive to be close to it."

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