Indiana University Athletics
Teegardin: "This is Home"
3/5/2018 5:07:00 PM | Football
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The sun shined from a cloudless blue sky.
Of course, it did. Kasey Teegardin's first-kiss-good football coaching life was rolling to a Cream 'n Crimson high, and clouds had no place above Indiana's practice fields.
"I'm excited for this opportunity," he said with a smile.
Teegardin had just completed his second spring practice as Indiana's new safeties coach. He was 24 hours removed from a practice interception, fresh off a high-energy session that included a drone buzzing courtesy of the latest high-tech creativity from the Mark Cuban Center for Sports Media and Technology, and eager to embrace a promising future.
"This is home," he said. "My wife is from here. This place means a lot.
"Being here for four years and being invested in the guys, believing in the program, the university, and what we're selling, I'm buying. I'm all in."
Teegardin had spent the four previous seasons on the Indiana staff, but never as an assistant coach. In three of those years, he was a defensive graduate assistant.
What will he add to head coach Tom Allen's staff?
"The passion and love for the game," Teegardin said. "The players know I'm invested in their lives. This is more than just football. I'm invested in them as individuals.
"I want them to call me no matter what. Even after they graduate, I want them to call me. I want to go to their weddings and celebrate the births of their children. It's important that they know that."
Former Hoosier defensive back Tony Fields knows it. In a university release Fields said, "From day one being around Coach Teegardin, I knew that he was a great coach and deserved an opportunity to show what he could do.
"Coach has always been someone who the players could trust and has always been a reliable source when it comes to football questions. He is a great man, a great coach and a great hire for Indiana. I am proud to see him get this chance."
When the safeties position opened up, Allen considered his options and quickly realized the best one had spent the past season working for him as director of on-campus recruiting.
"He's a really good coach," Allen said. "He understands the game. He's a really good teacher.
"When you hire a coach, so much is about fit with your philosophy, your staff, the way you want to do things. He's the perfect fit for us."
Before coming to Indiana, Teegardin had spent a year as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach at Valparaiso. In 2011, he coached the secondary at Northwood University. And in 2010, at age 24, he became the nation's youngest defensive coordinator at the University of Charleston, where he had once starred as a linebacker.
Teegardin wasn't just a fresh face on the Charleston staff. That 2010 defensive unit ranked 19th nationally in rushing defense.
That resonated with Allen, whose own defensive coaching prowess had helped him rise to running a Big Ten program.
"He's a guy who has coordinated," Allen said. "I really wanted to have that at that position because we have so much scheme thoughts that involve our safeties.
"Even though he's young, his time here gave us a chance to get to know him. You know the person you're getting.
"He brings great energy, great passion. He loves Indiana. He loves the people who are here. I know he's going to work his tail off for the guys around him, and for the players in his room."
Former Hoosiers Jordan Howard and Shane Wynn shared that optimism, as did current defensive back Jonathan Crawford.
"The biggest thing was the outgoing support from guys like Jordan Howard and Shane Wynn vouching for you," Teegardin said.
"Jon Crawford gave me a big hug. He knows what I'm about. I'm not going to change.
"The younger guys see that and relate to that."
No one saw this coming. Teegardin had recently accepted another position at another school. He was living in a dorm learning new players and planning for a new future with his wife, Monica. He was on the road recruiting when Allen called.
The future had taken a big -- and rewarding -- twist.
"It was like a Friday night," Teegardin said. "(Allen) asked me if I was interested. I immediately turned around in my car and started driving back. Before I said I'm in, I'd already U-turned.
"It was a nice, easy call."
That soon became a nice, easy decision.
Yes, of course.
"He jumped in his car pretty quick to come to the interview," Allen said with a smile. "There wasn't any arm twisting."
Teegardin's familiarity with Allen's system -- "I worked with the coverage checks, a lot of motion and shifts and different looks we get and how we react to it, the individual work and the technique we use" -- should make for a smooth transition.
"The players know me. They know my personality. I walked into the first meeting on Thursday morning and I told them, 'You know who I am and you know what I'm about.' The (safeties) room had already bought in. They know the hard work."
They also relate to Teegardin's youthful energy, although it apparently has running limits.
He picked off a deflected pass during Saturday's spring-opening practice, catching it with one hand while holding on to notes with the other hand, ran a few steps and skipped on making it a pick-6 adventure.
"(The end zone) was 70 yards down field," Teegardin said with a smile. "Come on. I can't run 70 yards. I had to save my legs for the after-practice running.
"But I got it. I didn't drop the papers. And it was one-handed. You've got to show off for the young guys."
IU's secondary will have plenty of talent led by veterans Crawford, Marcelino Ball, Andre Brown Jr. and A'Shon Riggins, and newcomers such as Brant Fitzgerald and Juwan Burgess.
"I'm extremely optimistic about the guys we have," Teegardin said. "We're a very talented group.
"Those young guys are hungry. That's what I love about it. I've been recruiting Bryant Fitzgerald since he was a sophomore at Avon. It was my first year here, and I had him in camp. I know what he's about.
"The young guys are buying in. It's exciting to watch. The recruits we have coming in will be explosive."
Of course, it can never be explosive enough, which is why the quest for better talent is never-ending.
Teegardin, a Florida native, will recruit the eastern half of Florida. His hiring is already having an impact.
"Being from the Treasure Coast, I've already had several coaches reach out," Teegardin said. "Guys I know from when I played there. They've been awesome."
Teegardin will also recruit the Columbus, Ohio, area.
The recruiting results will show up later. For now, it's about developing a group of safeties who can help lead the Hoosiers to a third bowl game in the last four years.
"I'm excited for him," Allen said about Teegardin. "I'm excited for the opportunity he's been given."
A pause.
"I know he's going to make the most of it."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The sun shined from a cloudless blue sky.
Of course, it did. Kasey Teegardin's first-kiss-good football coaching life was rolling to a Cream 'n Crimson high, and clouds had no place above Indiana's practice fields.
"I'm excited for this opportunity," he said with a smile.
Teegardin had just completed his second spring practice as Indiana's new safeties coach. He was 24 hours removed from a practice interception, fresh off a high-energy session that included a drone buzzing courtesy of the latest high-tech creativity from the Mark Cuban Center for Sports Media and Technology, and eager to embrace a promising future.
"This is home," he said. "My wife is from here. This place means a lot.
"Being here for four years and being invested in the guys, believing in the program, the university, and what we're selling, I'm buying. I'm all in."
Teegardin had spent the four previous seasons on the Indiana staff, but never as an assistant coach. In three of those years, he was a defensive graduate assistant.
What will he add to head coach Tom Allen's staff?
"The passion and love for the game," Teegardin said. "The players know I'm invested in their lives. This is more than just football. I'm invested in them as individuals.
"I want them to call me no matter what. Even after they graduate, I want them to call me. I want to go to their weddings and celebrate the births of their children. It's important that they know that."
Former Hoosier defensive back Tony Fields knows it. In a university release Fields said, "From day one being around Coach Teegardin, I knew that he was a great coach and deserved an opportunity to show what he could do.
"Coach has always been someone who the players could trust and has always been a reliable source when it comes to football questions. He is a great man, a great coach and a great hire for Indiana. I am proud to see him get this chance."
When the safeties position opened up, Allen considered his options and quickly realized the best one had spent the past season working for him as director of on-campus recruiting.
"He's a really good coach," Allen said. "He understands the game. He's a really good teacher.
"When you hire a coach, so much is about fit with your philosophy, your staff, the way you want to do things. He's the perfect fit for us."
Before coming to Indiana, Teegardin had spent a year as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach at Valparaiso. In 2011, he coached the secondary at Northwood University. And in 2010, at age 24, he became the nation's youngest defensive coordinator at the University of Charleston, where he had once starred as a linebacker.
Teegardin wasn't just a fresh face on the Charleston staff. That 2010 defensive unit ranked 19th nationally in rushing defense.
That resonated with Allen, whose own defensive coaching prowess had helped him rise to running a Big Ten program.
"He's a guy who has coordinated," Allen said. "I really wanted to have that at that position because we have so much scheme thoughts that involve our safeties.
"Even though he's young, his time here gave us a chance to get to know him. You know the person you're getting.
"He brings great energy, great passion. He loves Indiana. He loves the people who are here. I know he's going to work his tail off for the guys around him, and for the players in his room."
Former Hoosiers Jordan Howard and Shane Wynn shared that optimism, as did current defensive back Jonathan Crawford.
"The biggest thing was the outgoing support from guys like Jordan Howard and Shane Wynn vouching for you," Teegardin said.
"Jon Crawford gave me a big hug. He knows what I'm about. I'm not going to change.
"The younger guys see that and relate to that."
No one saw this coming. Teegardin had recently accepted another position at another school. He was living in a dorm learning new players and planning for a new future with his wife, Monica. He was on the road recruiting when Allen called.
The future had taken a big -- and rewarding -- twist.
"It was like a Friday night," Teegardin said. "(Allen) asked me if I was interested. I immediately turned around in my car and started driving back. Before I said I'm in, I'd already U-turned.
"It was a nice, easy call."
That soon became a nice, easy decision.
Yes, of course.
"He jumped in his car pretty quick to come to the interview," Allen said with a smile. "There wasn't any arm twisting."
Teegardin's familiarity with Allen's system -- "I worked with the coverage checks, a lot of motion and shifts and different looks we get and how we react to it, the individual work and the technique we use" -- should make for a smooth transition.
"The players know me. They know my personality. I walked into the first meeting on Thursday morning and I told them, 'You know who I am and you know what I'm about.' The (safeties) room had already bought in. They know the hard work."
They also relate to Teegardin's youthful energy, although it apparently has running limits.
He picked off a deflected pass during Saturday's spring-opening practice, catching it with one hand while holding on to notes with the other hand, ran a few steps and skipped on making it a pick-6 adventure.
"(The end zone) was 70 yards down field," Teegardin said with a smile. "Come on. I can't run 70 yards. I had to save my legs for the after-practice running.
"But I got it. I didn't drop the papers. And it was one-handed. You've got to show off for the young guys."
IU's secondary will have plenty of talent led by veterans Crawford, Marcelino Ball, Andre Brown Jr. and A'Shon Riggins, and newcomers such as Brant Fitzgerald and Juwan Burgess.
"I'm extremely optimistic about the guys we have," Teegardin said. "We're a very talented group.
"Those young guys are hungry. That's what I love about it. I've been recruiting Bryant Fitzgerald since he was a sophomore at Avon. It was my first year here, and I had him in camp. I know what he's about.
"The young guys are buying in. It's exciting to watch. The recruits we have coming in will be explosive."
Of course, it can never be explosive enough, which is why the quest for better talent is never-ending.
Teegardin, a Florida native, will recruit the eastern half of Florida. His hiring is already having an impact.
"Being from the Treasure Coast, I've already had several coaches reach out," Teegardin said. "Guys I know from when I played there. They've been awesome."
Teegardin will also recruit the Columbus, Ohio, area.
The recruiting results will show up later. For now, it's about developing a group of safeties who can help lead the Hoosiers to a third bowl game in the last four years.
"I'm excited for him," Allen said about Teegardin. "I'm excited for the opportunity he's been given."
A pause.
"I know he's going to make the most of it."
Players Mentioned
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