Indiana University Athletics
Sudfeld Leading IU In Final Season
9/30/2015 12:04:00 PM | Football
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The twists and turns of Nate Sudfeld's Indiana career have left him in a peculiar spot.
The senior quarterback is the Hoosiers' unquestioned leader. He was predominantly featured on the Big Ten Network Bus as it toured the conference's campuses in preseason camp, represented IU at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago and addresses the media weekly behind a podium. Over time, Sudfeld has gotten used to being a face of the program.
Only, he isn't done yet. He can't afford to get complacent with where he's at because he's never been where he thinks he can go.
"I still feel like I have so much more to do," Sudfeld said.
Despite being named Indiana's starter before the beginning of last season, Sudfeld has yet to complete a full season as IU's starting quarterback. He cracked into the rotation as a true freshman, appearing in 29 total games and making 18 starts up until this point in his career.
In that sense, Sudfeld is a proven veteran. But in another, head coach Kevin Wilson and offensive coordinator Kevin Johns still consider Sudfeld a new starter trying to own the spot for an entire season.
"There's no doubt about it that he has that sense of urgency," Johns said before the season. "He knows he's running out of time. He lost half his junior season (due to injury). He understands he can't take anything for granted. He has 12 guaranteed games left. That's it."
Sudfeld's urgency is evident in the way he carries himself.
In the offseason, he directed player practices with his wide receivers, tight ends and running backs to ensure everyone would be on the same page when they returned to camp. When they weren't on the field, Sudfeld would help cut up game tape to study with his receivers.
In film sessions and on the practice field, Sudfeld is constantly asking his receivers questions, redshirt junior Ricky Jones said. Sudfeld wants to find any advantage he can while making his receivers' jobs as easy as possible.
"Nate works about as hard as anyone I've ever seen," Jones said. "He's always asking us, 'What should I do to help you?' The way he plays, he's just trying to make everyone around him better."
Even when they were apart, Sudfeld and his receivers stayed in near-constant communication.
Jones said he'd always needed to keep an eye on his phone in case he'd get a call or text from Sudfeld wanting to discuss film they'd looked at earlier in the day. No time was off limits.
"Us receivers and Nate, as well as the other quarterbacks, are always talking," Jones said. "When one of us messes up or makes a mistake, he's the first one on you. I like that out of him. He holds you accountable and wants me and the other guys to be great."
It's a reflection of his leadership style, sophomore Simmie Cobbs, Jr., said. Sudfeld treats everyone on the offense as a unit. They're only going to be as strong as their weakest players.
"Nate's really big on just getting everyone prepared," Cobbs said. "When we're watching film or studying tape, he's everyone's biggest critic, but he's also good at complimenting things, too. It sort of works both ways, but you know the quarterback is only trying to make everyone better."
Sudfeld's preparedness is a reflection of the quarterbacks he grew up watching and continues to learn from.
This last summer, he spent time learning from Peyton and Eli Manning at the Manning Passing Academy. He also worked Andrew Luck's Change The Play camp for the second consecutive summer.
When Sudfeld talks about team goals, he doesn't stop at a number of wins. He doesn't want success to be limited to whether or not Indiana qualifies for a bowl.
"I don't think, by any means, that's our ceiling," Sudfeld said. "I think to say 'a bowl team' is really kind of setting ourselves short. Because I think this team has a very high ceiling. I'd be disappointed with just that many wins."
With weapons like junior running back Jordan Howard or an offensive line featuring senior Jason Spriggs and redshirt junior Dan Feeney, Sudfeld has some talented company on the offensive side of the ball.
But he needs to be the team's leader, Wilson said. He needs to set the tone in the locker room and on the field. He's become almost a player-coach in some aspects, helping with weekly game plans and leading the offense vocally and by example.
Sudfeld said he's tried chasing perfection, but it's eluded him. He's since realized the need to find balance between his success and shortcomings, never getting too high or too low.
"He keeps us all under control," Howard said. "He never lets the moment get too big."
Howard, a UAB transfer, spoke highly of Sudfeld. It didn't take him long to realize why his teammates spoke about him with such high praise.
"He ranks at the top," Howard said. "He's a great quarterback."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The twists and turns of Nate Sudfeld's Indiana career have left him in a peculiar spot.
The senior quarterback is the Hoosiers' unquestioned leader. He was predominantly featured on the Big Ten Network Bus as it toured the conference's campuses in preseason camp, represented IU at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago and addresses the media weekly behind a podium. Over time, Sudfeld has gotten used to being a face of the program.
Only, he isn't done yet. He can't afford to get complacent with where he's at because he's never been where he thinks he can go.
"I still feel like I have so much more to do," Sudfeld said.
Despite being named Indiana's starter before the beginning of last season, Sudfeld has yet to complete a full season as IU's starting quarterback. He cracked into the rotation as a true freshman, appearing in 29 total games and making 18 starts up until this point in his career.
In that sense, Sudfeld is a proven veteran. But in another, head coach Kevin Wilson and offensive coordinator Kevin Johns still consider Sudfeld a new starter trying to own the spot for an entire season.
"There's no doubt about it that he has that sense of urgency," Johns said before the season. "He knows he's running out of time. He lost half his junior season (due to injury). He understands he can't take anything for granted. He has 12 guaranteed games left. That's it."
Sudfeld's urgency is evident in the way he carries himself.
In the offseason, he directed player practices with his wide receivers, tight ends and running backs to ensure everyone would be on the same page when they returned to camp. When they weren't on the field, Sudfeld would help cut up game tape to study with his receivers.
In film sessions and on the practice field, Sudfeld is constantly asking his receivers questions, redshirt junior Ricky Jones said. Sudfeld wants to find any advantage he can while making his receivers' jobs as easy as possible.
"Nate works about as hard as anyone I've ever seen," Jones said. "He's always asking us, 'What should I do to help you?' The way he plays, he's just trying to make everyone around him better."
Even when they were apart, Sudfeld and his receivers stayed in near-constant communication.
Jones said he'd always needed to keep an eye on his phone in case he'd get a call or text from Sudfeld wanting to discuss film they'd looked at earlier in the day. No time was off limits.
"Us receivers and Nate, as well as the other quarterbacks, are always talking," Jones said. "When one of us messes up or makes a mistake, he's the first one on you. I like that out of him. He holds you accountable and wants me and the other guys to be great."
It's a reflection of his leadership style, sophomore Simmie Cobbs, Jr., said. Sudfeld treats everyone on the offense as a unit. They're only going to be as strong as their weakest players.
"Nate's really big on just getting everyone prepared," Cobbs said. "When we're watching film or studying tape, he's everyone's biggest critic, but he's also good at complimenting things, too. It sort of works both ways, but you know the quarterback is only trying to make everyone better."
Sudfeld's preparedness is a reflection of the quarterbacks he grew up watching and continues to learn from.
This last summer, he spent time learning from Peyton and Eli Manning at the Manning Passing Academy. He also worked Andrew Luck's Change The Play camp for the second consecutive summer.
When Sudfeld talks about team goals, he doesn't stop at a number of wins. He doesn't want success to be limited to whether or not Indiana qualifies for a bowl.
"I don't think, by any means, that's our ceiling," Sudfeld said. "I think to say 'a bowl team' is really kind of setting ourselves short. Because I think this team has a very high ceiling. I'd be disappointed with just that many wins."
With weapons like junior running back Jordan Howard or an offensive line featuring senior Jason Spriggs and redshirt junior Dan Feeney, Sudfeld has some talented company on the offensive side of the ball.
But he needs to be the team's leader, Wilson said. He needs to set the tone in the locker room and on the field. He's become almost a player-coach in some aspects, helping with weekly game plans and leading the offense vocally and by example.
Sudfeld said he's tried chasing perfection, but it's eluded him. He's since realized the need to find balance between his success and shortcomings, never getting too high or too low.
"He keeps us all under control," Howard said. "He never lets the moment get too big."
Howard, a UAB transfer, spoke highly of Sudfeld. It didn't take him long to realize why his teammates spoke about him with such high praise.
"He ranks at the top," Howard said. "He's a great quarterback."
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