Indiana University Athletics
Johns: Offense Will be Prepared for FIU
8/31/2016 6:58:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Offensive coordinator Kevin Johns is ready for anything on Thursday night.
The Hoosiers have spent the last month training for this day, the season opener at Florida International, and the coaching staff has prepared for whatever comes its way.
That includes inclement weather, which has a chance of greeting the Hoosiers on Thursday evening. The Indiana quarterbacks and receivers have capitalized on the rainfall in Bloomington, intentionally throwing passes in the downpour to acclimate the Hoosiers on both ends of the connection.
"As a wide receivers coach, one of the things you put on your list during preseason is to make sure that we get some wet ball drills," Johns said. "I feel as comfortable as I've ever been going into the first game knowing that we've had those experiences. It's not going to be perfect, but we've felt it, dealt with it, and learned how to manage it in a practice situation."
The Indiana offense has been battle-tested from the first day of fall camp. Their teammates on the defensive side, under first-year coordinator Tom Allen, have risen to the challenge in the preseason. The defense's hunger for takeaways and relentless speed gave the offense a series of adverse situations and obstacles to overcome.
It has little to do with a new playbook strategy, and nearly everything to do with the culture change on Allen's side of the ball.
"Coach Allen has his own scheme, but to me it's not about the new scheme," Johns said. "I think they have bought in with everything that Coach Allen is trying to get those guys to do. They're playing harder, playing with more focus, and their eyes are a lot more disciplined than they were a year ago."
The majority of Johns' optimism heading into the 2016 season stems from the leadership of his seniors. In his time with the receivers, Ricky Jones has stood out more than most.
"On the practice field, he just doesn't get tired," Johns said. "I can see something going on in his mind, saying, 'This is my time, this is my year, and my group, and I'm going to show these guys how to do it.' He comes to work with a great attitude every day."
Jones returns to Indiana after placing second on the team, and sixth in the Big Ten, in receiving yards (906), along with five touchdowns. The confidence from his performance last year has turned Jones into a receiving machine on the practice field and in the film room, leading by example and instruction.
"Ricky's a soft-spoken young man, but when he's around the younger guys he's been a great mentor," Johns said. "When we step on the field, there's no doubt who's going to work the hardest amongst the receivers."
Another senior answering the call, according to Johns, is fifth-year lineman Wes Rogers. The Indianapolis native will line up at center for his final collegiate season, a fitting summit for his improvement through the seasons.
"Wes has developed in the time that he's been here, and now it's his time," Johns said. "He has done a phenomenal job with Coach Frey learning the ins and outs of playing center, making the protection calls and fixing some problems when you're down there with the big guys. He has accepted the challenge and that role, he's worked hard at it, and I know as a senior it's an important year for him."
Johns sees this senior class as a true testament to the culture change that began six years ago, when Kevin Wilson first set foot on the field at Memorial Stadium. The "standard", as the team puts it, has been set, and players are holding each other accountable for maintaining their expectations.
"As coaches, that's a great thing, because now they know exactly what we want, and our players don't feel like they're receiving unfair criticism," Johns explained. "It's a credit to Coach Wilson and what he's done with this program, and a credit to our kids for buying in. You look at a lot of these fourth- and fifth-year seniors; they're a product of doing this year after year. We're getting the results that we want."
The Hoosiers have spent the last month training for this day, the season opener at Florida International, and the coaching staff has prepared for whatever comes its way.
That includes inclement weather, which has a chance of greeting the Hoosiers on Thursday evening. The Indiana quarterbacks and receivers have capitalized on the rainfall in Bloomington, intentionally throwing passes in the downpour to acclimate the Hoosiers on both ends of the connection.
"As a wide receivers coach, one of the things you put on your list during preseason is to make sure that we get some wet ball drills," Johns said. "I feel as comfortable as I've ever been going into the first game knowing that we've had those experiences. It's not going to be perfect, but we've felt it, dealt with it, and learned how to manage it in a practice situation."
The Indiana offense has been battle-tested from the first day of fall camp. Their teammates on the defensive side, under first-year coordinator Tom Allen, have risen to the challenge in the preseason. The defense's hunger for takeaways and relentless speed gave the offense a series of adverse situations and obstacles to overcome.
It has little to do with a new playbook strategy, and nearly everything to do with the culture change on Allen's side of the ball.
"Coach Allen has his own scheme, but to me it's not about the new scheme," Johns said. "I think they have bought in with everything that Coach Allen is trying to get those guys to do. They're playing harder, playing with more focus, and their eyes are a lot more disciplined than they were a year ago."
The majority of Johns' optimism heading into the 2016 season stems from the leadership of his seniors. In his time with the receivers, Ricky Jones has stood out more than most.
"On the practice field, he just doesn't get tired," Johns said. "I can see something going on in his mind, saying, 'This is my time, this is my year, and my group, and I'm going to show these guys how to do it.' He comes to work with a great attitude every day."
Jones returns to Indiana after placing second on the team, and sixth in the Big Ten, in receiving yards (906), along with five touchdowns. The confidence from his performance last year has turned Jones into a receiving machine on the practice field and in the film room, leading by example and instruction.
"Ricky's a soft-spoken young man, but when he's around the younger guys he's been a great mentor," Johns said. "When we step on the field, there's no doubt who's going to work the hardest amongst the receivers."
Another senior answering the call, according to Johns, is fifth-year lineman Wes Rogers. The Indianapolis native will line up at center for his final collegiate season, a fitting summit for his improvement through the seasons.
"Wes has developed in the time that he's been here, and now it's his time," Johns said. "He has done a phenomenal job with Coach Frey learning the ins and outs of playing center, making the protection calls and fixing some problems when you're down there with the big guys. He has accepted the challenge and that role, he's worked hard at it, and I know as a senior it's an important year for him."
Johns sees this senior class as a true testament to the culture change that began six years ago, when Kevin Wilson first set foot on the field at Memorial Stadium. The "standard", as the team puts it, has been set, and players are holding each other accountable for maintaining their expectations.
"As coaches, that's a great thing, because now they know exactly what we want, and our players don't feel like they're receiving unfair criticism," Johns explained. "It's a credit to Coach Wilson and what he's done with this program, and a credit to our kids for buying in. You look at a lot of these fourth- and fifth-year seniors; they're a product of doing this year after year. We're getting the results that we want."
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