Indiana University Athletics
Hoosiers Offense Coming Together Following Cream & Crimson Game
4/15/2016 10:33:00 PM | Football
By: Tori Ziege | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Three plays into the Cream & Crimson Game, fans at Memorial Stadium feasted on a familiar sight.
A streaking Simmie Cobbs. Jr., hauled in a deep pass in stride down the sideline for a 46-yard gain. Pretty, but nothing the IU football faithful hasn't seen before.
What was new was the person throwing it to him — junior college transfer Richard Lagow. He was the first quarterback to take the field for the Hoosiers on Friday evening, and in his debut appearance before an eager fan base, he wasted no time showing off his cannon of an arm.
"That's just a preview of what we're going to do this season," said fifth-year senior wide receiver Ricky Jones. "That's awesome that he can show that on camera."
It's been a short but accelerated spring for an offense who is still searching for an answer at quarterback. Jones laughed when reflecting back to day one with the new quarterback group, describing it in a word as "horrible."
But a lot can and has changed in six weeks, as evidenced by the rapport Lagow established with players such as Cobbs, fifth-year senior wide receiver Mitchell Paige and junior running back Devine Redding.
His 46-yarder to Cobbs resulted in three points for the offense on the game's first drive, but the real show took place in the game's fourth quarter, when the offense set up inside the 10 for red zone drills. Lagow was 2-for-2, connecting both times with Paige for touchdowns.
"I was very pleased with his poise and a couple times with pressure getting rid of the ball," head coach Kevin Wilson said. "I didn't think he forced a lot of things.
Lagow and redshirt sophomore quarterback Danny Cameron traded back and forth in the shotgun for the first several series and seem to be the cream rising to the top of the quarterback battle. But all of Indiana's quarterbacks eventually saw playing time, including redshirt freshman Austin King, sophomore Donavan Hale and redshirt freshman Mike Fiacable.
A couple non-quarterbacks also took snaps as Paige nearly connected with Jones on a 40-yard bomb and redshirt freshman running back Devonte Williams converted a touchdown to sophomore Nick Westbrook on a fan-called play.
At running back, Redding looked sharp on the first team offense returning from a 1000-yard season, and sophomore walk-on Mike Majette broke away for the longest run of the game.
"(Last season) told me I can do a lot more for myself," Redding said. "Be a leader, a better leader, a better role model, a better person. I'm looking forward to it."
The Indiana defense walked away with three takeaways and its head held high as it limited the offense to just three points before red zone drills. That confidence is a testament to the offense's skill, redshirt junior linebacker Marcus Oliver said, as the units have pushed each other to improve throughout spring ball.
As a whole, Wilson said the team still has a long way to go, but the Spring Game showed obvious signs of improvement and talent that players will look to refine in the summer months ahead.
"You can see the offense starting to click more and more," Redding said. "It feels great coming off a great spring ball."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Three plays into the Cream & Crimson Game, fans at Memorial Stadium feasted on a familiar sight.
A streaking Simmie Cobbs. Jr., hauled in a deep pass in stride down the sideline for a 46-yard gain. Pretty, but nothing the IU football faithful hasn't seen before.
What was new was the person throwing it to him — junior college transfer Richard Lagow. He was the first quarterback to take the field for the Hoosiers on Friday evening, and in his debut appearance before an eager fan base, he wasted no time showing off his cannon of an arm.
"That's just a preview of what we're going to do this season," said fifth-year senior wide receiver Ricky Jones. "That's awesome that he can show that on camera."
It's been a short but accelerated spring for an offense who is still searching for an answer at quarterback. Jones laughed when reflecting back to day one with the new quarterback group, describing it in a word as "horrible."
But a lot can and has changed in six weeks, as evidenced by the rapport Lagow established with players such as Cobbs, fifth-year senior wide receiver Mitchell Paige and junior running back Devine Redding.
His 46-yarder to Cobbs resulted in three points for the offense on the game's first drive, but the real show took place in the game's fourth quarter, when the offense set up inside the 10 for red zone drills. Lagow was 2-for-2, connecting both times with Paige for touchdowns.
"I was very pleased with his poise and a couple times with pressure getting rid of the ball," head coach Kevin Wilson said. "I didn't think he forced a lot of things.
Lagow and redshirt sophomore quarterback Danny Cameron traded back and forth in the shotgun for the first several series and seem to be the cream rising to the top of the quarterback battle. But all of Indiana's quarterbacks eventually saw playing time, including redshirt freshman Austin King, sophomore Donavan Hale and redshirt freshman Mike Fiacable.
A couple non-quarterbacks also took snaps as Paige nearly connected with Jones on a 40-yard bomb and redshirt freshman running back Devonte Williams converted a touchdown to sophomore Nick Westbrook on a fan-called play.
At running back, Redding looked sharp on the first team offense returning from a 1000-yard season, and sophomore walk-on Mike Majette broke away for the longest run of the game.
"(Last season) told me I can do a lot more for myself," Redding said. "Be a leader, a better leader, a better role model, a better person. I'm looking forward to it."
The Indiana defense walked away with three takeaways and its head held high as it limited the offense to just three points before red zone drills. That confidence is a testament to the offense's skill, redshirt junior linebacker Marcus Oliver said, as the units have pushed each other to improve throughout spring ball.
As a whole, Wilson said the team still has a long way to go, but the Spring Game showed obvious signs of improvement and talent that players will look to refine in the summer months ahead.
"You can see the offense starting to click more and more," Redding said. "It feels great coming off a great spring ball."
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