Indiana University Athletics
Westbook's Return, Pitchers, and Protecting the Pitchers
3/6/2018 8:45:00 PM | Football
By Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com
The opening kickoff.
Of the opening game.
And what was essentially a non-contact injury.
Nick Westbrook's 2017 season was over before it truly began. He got to run down the field once, and that was it.
So Indiana's Hoosiers were suddenly and stunningly deprived of their leading returning receiver.
Westbrook is still wearing a blue jersey in practice these days, signifying a no-contact player, but he's back.
Back from his ACL tear, ahead of schedule, and looking ready to step back into the lead receiver role vacated by Simmie Cobbs Jr. -- who spent much of his week up at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Cobbs stopped by IU's opening spring practice Saturday and saw Westbrook looking spry, looking like the guy who caught 54 passes for 995 yards (18.4 average) and six TDs as a sophomore in 2016.
"I'm feeling pretty much like myself," Westbrook said post-practice Tuesday. "I'm not completely 100 percent, yet, but I feel fast. I feel like I'm getting out of my breaks decently fast.
"It feels good to be able to run and jump again, honestly. There are no restrictions as far as running and jumping … I'm really grateful for being back out here right now. It's been a long time (after) just sitting and waiting and watching my brothers, my teammates, play. It feels great to be back out there, running around with them."
Whatever encouragement Westbrook needed while rehabilitating his injury was readily found among his teammates. And he didn't need to ask.
"I wouldn't say I leaned on them – they just kind of came to my aid," Westbrook said. "I didn't really have to go ask them what I needed to do or ask them for advice.
"They knew what I was going through and they took it as a mentoring opportunity, took me under their wing, and helped me through the process."
J-Shun Harris II was already a walking-talking inspiration. The fifth-year senior slot receiver is currently rehabbing his third ACL injury in as many years.
"The main thing was knowing I was not the only one who has been through it," Westbrook said. "Looking at J-Shun, he's been through it and is going through it again … he has incredible heart. I really don't know how he does it, but it's an inspiration for me to see him going through it.
"Chris Covington, too. All these players on the team who have been through it. And looking at NFL guys. All they did was take a year off and there were right back into it. So my main mindset was knowing that it's not impossible, that it's just kind of part of the game now, and to take it on as well as I could and just roll with it."
IU offensive coordinator Mike DeBord feels Westbrook is providing some reciprocal inspiration now.
"He's such a great person and the players have great respect for him," DeBord said of Westbrook. "When he's out there, he's going 100 miles-per-hour, and he's done a nice job catching the ball."
STARTING PITCHERS
Guys throwing the ball have made some impressions through three spring practices, too.
Redshirt sophomore Peyton Ramsey, who played in nine games and started four last fall, has started hot this spring.
"Peyton Ramsey, in Sunday's practice, was 21-of-24 with two drops," DeBord said. "That's pretty good, right? He's really taking what the defense is giving. He's not forcing the ball. You see where last year's experience is really helping him right now.
"Nick (Tronti, a redshirt freshman) hasn't had a lot of reps. Even though he was here, he didn't get a lot of reps. He's learning, as well, as Mike (Penix Jr., a true freshman and January enrollee) is. I like where our quarterbacks are right now."
Penix is seemingly a quick study.
"Mike … I'm pleasantly surprised by how fast he's learned, as a quarterback," DeBord said. "We do a lot of different things that he has to be aware of, protection-wise, and progression throwing, and things like that. I, we, are really happy with where he is right now.
"And he has got to get better, but I'm talking about a guy who just went through practices without knowing (much) before he started. So, you know, I like that."
So does fifth-year senior tight end Ryan Watercutter, who said:
"Mike Penix, an early enrollee guy, should still be in high school but doesn't look that way at all. You just look at him, physically, and he does not look like a high school kid. Very strong arm. Been pretty impressed with him.
"So I'm pretty interested to see where it goes when he picks up the playbook more, and we'll see what he can do as spring football moves forward."
Westbrook, citing good competitiveness among the QBs, joined the chorus.
"That's one thing I've noticed is the competition," Westbrook said. "Peyton, I like how he has kind of stepped up as a leader. He has the most experience in that group right now, so he knows he's the leader of that group. So he's kind of taken that to his
advantage while helping out the younger guys.
"Even though Nick was here last year, (Peyton) is kind of helping him out and coaching him. And it's great to see Mike. He's not stepping down from the challenge. He knows he just came in, but he doesn't care. He's still fighting for that spot, as well … he's got a pretty nice arm on him."
DeBord's only expressed qualm with his quarterbacks through three practices is ball security. Sunday's session produced five picks and a lost fumble.
"First three days, I like our players' attention to detail," DeBord said. "Doing the little things within the scheme, and the fundamentals.
"Where we've got to get better is protecting the ball right now. We've got to catch the ball better and hang onto it. We've only had one fumble (running the ball) but we still can't have any."
PROTECTING THE PITCHERS
Every single IU offensive lineman returns from 2017 with eligibility to play in 2018.
Stalwart fifth-year senior guard Wes Martin isn't sure if he's seen that sort of thing before.
"I don't think I've been a part of something like that, but it's awesome," Martin said Tuesday. "We have a lot of chemistry built from last year, and I think it's going to be huge going through this spring and into the fall.
"We've been playing with good tempo. The first few practices, you've got to knock the rust off a little bit. It's been awhile since we've been going in that kind of mode. But I think it's been pretty good. A lot of young guys maturing. You can really see a lot of the strength and conditioning gains we made over the winter months."
That augurs well for the protection of IU quarterbacks and running opportunities for IU's backs.
So does the January arrival of former Miami (Fla.) starting center Nick Linder, who joined the Hoosiers in January as a graduate transfer.
"The best of it is that he really gets along with all of us," Martin said of Linder's addition. "He really meshes with the O line. He's a great dude. That's been the easiest part. A lot of times what makes that situation hard is if there is a class of personalities, but he's a great dude and has been fitting in well."
Martin also took note that Harry Crider, who played in eight games as a true freshman center last fall, is showing he can handle any of the interior line positions.
"He'll play both, guard and center, getting ready for whatever role he needs to play … guys need to know multiple positions," Martin said of Crider. "You never know when it's going to be your time to step in and you have to be ready for any position that kind of opens up."
Martin is fully ready for the first full-pad practice of the spring, which comes Thursday afternoon.
"That's when you really start to see," Martin said, "if guys can play the real ball or not."
IUHoosiers.com
The opening kickoff.
Of the opening game.
And what was essentially a non-contact injury.
Nick Westbrook's 2017 season was over before it truly began. He got to run down the field once, and that was it.
So Indiana's Hoosiers were suddenly and stunningly deprived of their leading returning receiver.
Westbrook is still wearing a blue jersey in practice these days, signifying a no-contact player, but he's back.
Back from his ACL tear, ahead of schedule, and looking ready to step back into the lead receiver role vacated by Simmie Cobbs Jr. -- who spent much of his week up at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Cobbs stopped by IU's opening spring practice Saturday and saw Westbrook looking spry, looking like the guy who caught 54 passes for 995 yards (18.4 average) and six TDs as a sophomore in 2016.
"I'm feeling pretty much like myself," Westbrook said post-practice Tuesday. "I'm not completely 100 percent, yet, but I feel fast. I feel like I'm getting out of my breaks decently fast.
"It feels good to be able to run and jump again, honestly. There are no restrictions as far as running and jumping … I'm really grateful for being back out here right now. It's been a long time (after) just sitting and waiting and watching my brothers, my teammates, play. It feels great to be back out there, running around with them."
Whatever encouragement Westbrook needed while rehabilitating his injury was readily found among his teammates. And he didn't need to ask.
"I wouldn't say I leaned on them – they just kind of came to my aid," Westbrook said. "I didn't really have to go ask them what I needed to do or ask them for advice.
"They knew what I was going through and they took it as a mentoring opportunity, took me under their wing, and helped me through the process."
J-Shun Harris II was already a walking-talking inspiration. The fifth-year senior slot receiver is currently rehabbing his third ACL injury in as many years.
"The main thing was knowing I was not the only one who has been through it," Westbrook said. "Looking at J-Shun, he's been through it and is going through it again … he has incredible heart. I really don't know how he does it, but it's an inspiration for me to see him going through it.
"Chris Covington, too. All these players on the team who have been through it. And looking at NFL guys. All they did was take a year off and there were right back into it. So my main mindset was knowing that it's not impossible, that it's just kind of part of the game now, and to take it on as well as I could and just roll with it."
IU offensive coordinator Mike DeBord feels Westbrook is providing some reciprocal inspiration now.
"He's such a great person and the players have great respect for him," DeBord said of Westbrook. "When he's out there, he's going 100 miles-per-hour, and he's done a nice job catching the ball."
STARTING PITCHERS
Guys throwing the ball have made some impressions through three spring practices, too.
Redshirt sophomore Peyton Ramsey, who played in nine games and started four last fall, has started hot this spring.
"Peyton Ramsey, in Sunday's practice, was 21-of-24 with two drops," DeBord said. "That's pretty good, right? He's really taking what the defense is giving. He's not forcing the ball. You see where last year's experience is really helping him right now.
"Nick (Tronti, a redshirt freshman) hasn't had a lot of reps. Even though he was here, he didn't get a lot of reps. He's learning, as well, as Mike (Penix Jr., a true freshman and January enrollee) is. I like where our quarterbacks are right now."
Penix is seemingly a quick study.
"Mike … I'm pleasantly surprised by how fast he's learned, as a quarterback," DeBord said. "We do a lot of different things that he has to be aware of, protection-wise, and progression throwing, and things like that. I, we, are really happy with where he is right now.
"And he has got to get better, but I'm talking about a guy who just went through practices without knowing (much) before he started. So, you know, I like that."
So does fifth-year senior tight end Ryan Watercutter, who said:
"Mike Penix, an early enrollee guy, should still be in high school but doesn't look that way at all. You just look at him, physically, and he does not look like a high school kid. Very strong arm. Been pretty impressed with him.
"So I'm pretty interested to see where it goes when he picks up the playbook more, and we'll see what he can do as spring football moves forward."
Westbrook, citing good competitiveness among the QBs, joined the chorus.
"That's one thing I've noticed is the competition," Westbrook said. "Peyton, I like how he has kind of stepped up as a leader. He has the most experience in that group right now, so he knows he's the leader of that group. So he's kind of taken that to his
advantage while helping out the younger guys.
"Even though Nick was here last year, (Peyton) is kind of helping him out and coaching him. And it's great to see Mike. He's not stepping down from the challenge. He knows he just came in, but he doesn't care. He's still fighting for that spot, as well … he's got a pretty nice arm on him."
DeBord's only expressed qualm with his quarterbacks through three practices is ball security. Sunday's session produced five picks and a lost fumble.
"First three days, I like our players' attention to detail," DeBord said. "Doing the little things within the scheme, and the fundamentals.
"Where we've got to get better is protecting the ball right now. We've got to catch the ball better and hang onto it. We've only had one fumble (running the ball) but we still can't have any."
PROTECTING THE PITCHERS
Every single IU offensive lineman returns from 2017 with eligibility to play in 2018.
Stalwart fifth-year senior guard Wes Martin isn't sure if he's seen that sort of thing before.
"I don't think I've been a part of something like that, but it's awesome," Martin said Tuesday. "We have a lot of chemistry built from last year, and I think it's going to be huge going through this spring and into the fall.
"We've been playing with good tempo. The first few practices, you've got to knock the rust off a little bit. It's been awhile since we've been going in that kind of mode. But I think it's been pretty good. A lot of young guys maturing. You can really see a lot of the strength and conditioning gains we made over the winter months."
That augurs well for the protection of IU quarterbacks and running opportunities for IU's backs.
So does the January arrival of former Miami (Fla.) starting center Nick Linder, who joined the Hoosiers in January as a graduate transfer.
"The best of it is that he really gets along with all of us," Martin said of Linder's addition. "He really meshes with the O line. He's a great dude. That's been the easiest part. A lot of times what makes that situation hard is if there is a class of personalities, but he's a great dude and has been fitting in well."
Martin also took note that Harry Crider, who played in eight games as a true freshman center last fall, is showing he can handle any of the interior line positions.
"He'll play both, guard and center, getting ready for whatever role he needs to play … guys need to know multiple positions," Martin said of Crider. "You never know when it's going to be your time to step in and you have to be ready for any position that kind of opens up."
Martin is fully ready for the first full-pad practice of the spring, which comes Thursday afternoon.
"That's when you really start to see," Martin said, "if guys can play the real ball or not."
Players Mentioned
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WR
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