Two Times Two-Deep Equals...
8/24/2018 9:24:00 PM | Football
By: Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Four-deep.
Yes, the traditional two-deep chart times two.
Indiana football feels it has quality along its offensive line in 2018.
It sure as heck has quantity.
"As far as depth goes, we've got a four-deep right now," IU junior left tackle Coy Cronk said Wednesday. "That's my first time, ever, that I've ever played on a team that's got 20 offensive linemen that are all healthy at the same time."
That includes the entire 2017 starting line and its back-ups.
Cronk, left guard Wes Martin and center Hunter Littlejohn started all 12 games last fall. Simon Stepaniak and Mackenzie Nworah split starts at right guard as injuries dictated, and the same was true of Brandon Knight and Delroy Baker at right tackle.
Among the returnees is redshirt-soph tackle Davondre Love, who played in the final 11 games last year, and center/guard Harry Crider, called into service as a true freshman last fall as injuries hobbled the Hoosiers up front.
Those Hoosiers, almost all of them, are hale and hearty right now.
"Feeling really good," IU offensive line coach Darren Hiller said this week. "Having everybody back this year has been huge for us as an offense, as a football team.
"And then (there is) the development of the young guys – with some of the valuable experience gained by Mackenzie Nworah, Harry Crider and some of those guys who got the opportunity last year to get in and get their feet wet.
"(IU director of athletic performance David) Ballou and his staff did a great job from January till now to really kind of hone in on some of those young guys and get them stronger."
However good the conditioning, nagging injuries are endemic to offensive line play, given the nature of what transpires in the trenches. Cronk, for one, played hurt much of last season.
But if and when injuries hit this fall, Indiana perhaps has the depth and versatility to absorb them better.
Nick Linder has arrived as a graduate transfer from Miami (Fla.) and can capably play center or guard. Redshirt freshman tackle Caleb Jones is, well, he is 6-foot-8 and 360 pounds.
Add redshirt freshmen Ryan Smith and Britt Beery to the mix, too. Add true freshmen Nick Marozas and Aidan Rafferty. Add walk-ons Tommy Greene, Nick Ramacca, Dominic Altimari, Zenden Dellinger and Charlie O'Connor.
That's 20, not counting Grayson Stover, who had to take a medical hardship this year to conclude his IU playing career while continuing as a student.
And the returnees had their bodies reshaped by Ballou and crew since January. Ballou and speed specialist Dr. Matt Rhea have repeatedly said the offensive line progressed perhaps more than any other unit.
Littlejohn is an individual case in point. His height and weight listings are almost exactly the same as last year (6-3, 304), but his power number sure have shifted.
"I think he had a really good offseason from a strength and conditioning standpoint," Hiller said of Littlejohn. "Some of his lower body stuff was a little bit deficient last year. You've really seen (the improvement), even through spring practice, and through camp now."
Even so, Littlejohn remains in a good tussle with Linder for the starting center roll – and either can readily shift to guard.
"If I had to say one real big battle we've got going on right now that's going to be one of those play-it-out situations, it's the center position," Hiller said. "But the great thing about Nick is that he's so experienced and knows so much football that he's going to play and play, probably, multiple positions. And he can fill in and he can play those spots and he knows what everybody is doing."
Hiller naturally relishes the versatility at his disposal. He wants players who become expert at playing a specific position, but well-versed enough to shift to other spots as needed.
"Yeah, that's the whole key, to try to juggle the reps (and) to make sure they're honed in on their craft at certain positions," Hiller said. "Delroy Baker is another guy. He's a tackle, but we can bump him inside.
"Actually, today, Simon (Stepaniak) and Wes (Martin) flipped sides. Wes went over and played some right (guard). Not trying to over-do it, but just making sure – because it's a long football season and it's the Big Ten. People are going to get banged up. We know that.
"Last year, we saw that first-hand and we were a little bit thin. I feel much better where we are now, with guys that have some experience and can play some different spots."
Knight, a standout senior from Noblesville who had the past two seasons truncated by injury, was always the sort of athlete who could play multiple spots – he played tight end as a freshman and caught a TD pass to help beat Purdue in the 2015 Old Oaken Bucket Game. And he could play the interior line spots, now, if called upon.
"In the meeting room, you're looking at different positions and what they're doing, so it's not really too hard of a transition to go inside if you need to," Knight said. "Delroy Baker is actually really good at doing that. He can transition to guard, to left tackle, whenever need be.
"I think we're pretty confident in what we can do. Run the football. Passing. Getting perimeter runs."
Getting the running game going amounts to a chip on the line's collective shoulder, according to Cronk.
"I think you know, if you want to be a successful team, you've got to be able to run the ball – which I didn't think we did a good enough job of last year, and that starts with us up front," Cronk said. "So that's kind of a chip on our shoulder heading into this season, and especially during this offseason, which is why we worked so hard.
"Big men lead the way. If you want to protect the quarterback, it starts up front. If you want to run the ball, it starts up front. We realize that. And that's been our main focus (through) camp."
To that end, Cronk wants to see the physicality maintained at practice even as preparations continue for the Sept. 1 opener at Florida International, just a week away.
"As game prep approaches, you've got to keep your physicality up," Cronk said. "Just because you're not going against the No. 1 defense or anything like that doesn't mean you can lose your edge when it comes to that sort of thing.
"You have to keep finishing your blocks, running your feet and that sort of thing. And you've got to look at the film and try to understand what they do that's different from our defense, from what we've seen over the last month or so. We've seen the exact same defense, and now that it'll be switching up, we have to make those adjustments.
"We have to identify linebackers (blitzing). We have to work through our kids and reads that are completely different from the previous month … but I think the biggest thing is just keeping our physicality up."
Cronk is confident that the coaches and Ballou will see to that.
"I remember we had a full-padded day for like the third day in a row and Coach Ballou said, 'We're lifting,' " Cronk said. "And I said, 'Man, no way we're lifting today.'
"And we ended up lifting. And at the end of the lift, my body felt tremendously better. I had more energy and more blood flowing through there, loosening up some of my muscles … so you've just got to trust them 100 percent.
"Every time I've questioned something … it's always worked out for me 100 percent. They know exactly what they're doing and we have full faith in them. They work us hard, just like they did during the offseason, but it's something that we need."
Hiller and other coaches have noted they need veterans such as Cronk to lead. And they're seeing it.
"Yeah, he's really stepped it up in that area," Hoosier head coach Tom Allen said of Cronk. "Before, he's always just played (but now) I've seen him take younger guys under his wing and challenge them and encourage them and correct him. He'll pull guys aside, and he continues to lead in a great way by how hard he practices, how hard he plays – his effort, his toughness, his grit has always been there.
"So now it's about bringing guys with you. We have a lot of young linemen who need to be brought along. Coy is a special player, a special person, and I love that he's part of our program."
Hiller is seeing different veterans leading in their own ways.
"Coy is one of our more vocal guys," Hiller said. "He's a passionate football player … he's been in the fire and he's a passionate guy. He's a little bit on the edge, sometimes. So it's awesome to have him.
"Today at practice, he got in a little scuffle … the first day of scouts, first day of prep for FIU, and he didn't like what one of them young guys did and he told them about it. You know, it's good.
"You have different kinds of styles. You have Wes Martin who is probably and naturally the undisputed leader of the group, but he's a more quiet guy. So to me, if guys are working and doing their job and producing, I think others will follow those guys, whether
they're vocal or non-vocal guys. The work shows up in practice and in the weight room and in all phases."
Cronk sees those younger guys stepping up. He sees the 2s pushing the 1s. He sees depth.
"I think we've stayed a lot more healthy than we did last year during camp," Cronk said. "No significant injuries. And we've got a lot of people coming back, so that helps. You've got a lot of people jelling together, because we've had a whole season (together) under our belts.
"So I'm looking forward to the season. We're going to need guys to step up because you never know if somebody's going to get banged up. So we're taking practice very seriously – especially our 2s, who are definitely pushing our 1s right now."
Hiller is liking what he sees. "Looking forward," he said, "to having a great season."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Four-deep.
Yes, the traditional two-deep chart times two.
Indiana football feels it has quality along its offensive line in 2018.
It sure as heck has quantity.
"As far as depth goes, we've got a four-deep right now," IU junior left tackle Coy Cronk said Wednesday. "That's my first time, ever, that I've ever played on a team that's got 20 offensive linemen that are all healthy at the same time."
That includes the entire 2017 starting line and its back-ups.
Cronk, left guard Wes Martin and center Hunter Littlejohn started all 12 games last fall. Simon Stepaniak and Mackenzie Nworah split starts at right guard as injuries dictated, and the same was true of Brandon Knight and Delroy Baker at right tackle.
Among the returnees is redshirt-soph tackle Davondre Love, who played in the final 11 games last year, and center/guard Harry Crider, called into service as a true freshman last fall as injuries hobbled the Hoosiers up front.
Those Hoosiers, almost all of them, are hale and hearty right now.
"Feeling really good," IU offensive line coach Darren Hiller said this week. "Having everybody back this year has been huge for us as an offense, as a football team.
"And then (there is) the development of the young guys – with some of the valuable experience gained by Mackenzie Nworah, Harry Crider and some of those guys who got the opportunity last year to get in and get their feet wet.
"(IU director of athletic performance David) Ballou and his staff did a great job from January till now to really kind of hone in on some of those young guys and get them stronger."
However good the conditioning, nagging injuries are endemic to offensive line play, given the nature of what transpires in the trenches. Cronk, for one, played hurt much of last season.
But if and when injuries hit this fall, Indiana perhaps has the depth and versatility to absorb them better.
Nick Linder has arrived as a graduate transfer from Miami (Fla.) and can capably play center or guard. Redshirt freshman tackle Caleb Jones is, well, he is 6-foot-8 and 360 pounds.
Add redshirt freshmen Ryan Smith and Britt Beery to the mix, too. Add true freshmen Nick Marozas and Aidan Rafferty. Add walk-ons Tommy Greene, Nick Ramacca, Dominic Altimari, Zenden Dellinger and Charlie O'Connor.
That's 20, not counting Grayson Stover, who had to take a medical hardship this year to conclude his IU playing career while continuing as a student.
And the returnees had their bodies reshaped by Ballou and crew since January. Ballou and speed specialist Dr. Matt Rhea have repeatedly said the offensive line progressed perhaps more than any other unit.
Littlejohn is an individual case in point. His height and weight listings are almost exactly the same as last year (6-3, 304), but his power number sure have shifted.
"I think he had a really good offseason from a strength and conditioning standpoint," Hiller said of Littlejohn. "Some of his lower body stuff was a little bit deficient last year. You've really seen (the improvement), even through spring practice, and through camp now."
Even so, Littlejohn remains in a good tussle with Linder for the starting center roll – and either can readily shift to guard.
"If I had to say one real big battle we've got going on right now that's going to be one of those play-it-out situations, it's the center position," Hiller said. "But the great thing about Nick is that he's so experienced and knows so much football that he's going to play and play, probably, multiple positions. And he can fill in and he can play those spots and he knows what everybody is doing."
Hiller naturally relishes the versatility at his disposal. He wants players who become expert at playing a specific position, but well-versed enough to shift to other spots as needed.
"Yeah, that's the whole key, to try to juggle the reps (and) to make sure they're honed in on their craft at certain positions," Hiller said. "Delroy Baker is another guy. He's a tackle, but we can bump him inside.
"Actually, today, Simon (Stepaniak) and Wes (Martin) flipped sides. Wes went over and played some right (guard). Not trying to over-do it, but just making sure – because it's a long football season and it's the Big Ten. People are going to get banged up. We know that.
"Last year, we saw that first-hand and we were a little bit thin. I feel much better where we are now, with guys that have some experience and can play some different spots."
Knight, a standout senior from Noblesville who had the past two seasons truncated by injury, was always the sort of athlete who could play multiple spots – he played tight end as a freshman and caught a TD pass to help beat Purdue in the 2015 Old Oaken Bucket Game. And he could play the interior line spots, now, if called upon.
"In the meeting room, you're looking at different positions and what they're doing, so it's not really too hard of a transition to go inside if you need to," Knight said. "Delroy Baker is actually really good at doing that. He can transition to guard, to left tackle, whenever need be.
"I think we're pretty confident in what we can do. Run the football. Passing. Getting perimeter runs."
Getting the running game going amounts to a chip on the line's collective shoulder, according to Cronk.
"I think you know, if you want to be a successful team, you've got to be able to run the ball – which I didn't think we did a good enough job of last year, and that starts with us up front," Cronk said. "So that's kind of a chip on our shoulder heading into this season, and especially during this offseason, which is why we worked so hard.
"Big men lead the way. If you want to protect the quarterback, it starts up front. If you want to run the ball, it starts up front. We realize that. And that's been our main focus (through) camp."
To that end, Cronk wants to see the physicality maintained at practice even as preparations continue for the Sept. 1 opener at Florida International, just a week away.
"As game prep approaches, you've got to keep your physicality up," Cronk said. "Just because you're not going against the No. 1 defense or anything like that doesn't mean you can lose your edge when it comes to that sort of thing.
"You have to keep finishing your blocks, running your feet and that sort of thing. And you've got to look at the film and try to understand what they do that's different from our defense, from what we've seen over the last month or so. We've seen the exact same defense, and now that it'll be switching up, we have to make those adjustments.
"We have to identify linebackers (blitzing). We have to work through our kids and reads that are completely different from the previous month … but I think the biggest thing is just keeping our physicality up."
Cronk is confident that the coaches and Ballou will see to that.
"I remember we had a full-padded day for like the third day in a row and Coach Ballou said, 'We're lifting,' " Cronk said. "And I said, 'Man, no way we're lifting today.'
"And we ended up lifting. And at the end of the lift, my body felt tremendously better. I had more energy and more blood flowing through there, loosening up some of my muscles … so you've just got to trust them 100 percent.
"Every time I've questioned something … it's always worked out for me 100 percent. They know exactly what they're doing and we have full faith in them. They work us hard, just like they did during the offseason, but it's something that we need."
Hiller and other coaches have noted they need veterans such as Cronk to lead. And they're seeing it.
"Yeah, he's really stepped it up in that area," Hoosier head coach Tom Allen said of Cronk. "Before, he's always just played (but now) I've seen him take younger guys under his wing and challenge them and encourage them and correct him. He'll pull guys aside, and he continues to lead in a great way by how hard he practices, how hard he plays – his effort, his toughness, his grit has always been there.
"So now it's about bringing guys with you. We have a lot of young linemen who need to be brought along. Coy is a special player, a special person, and I love that he's part of our program."
Hiller is seeing different veterans leading in their own ways.
"Coy is one of our more vocal guys," Hiller said. "He's a passionate football player … he's been in the fire and he's a passionate guy. He's a little bit on the edge, sometimes. So it's awesome to have him.
"Today at practice, he got in a little scuffle … the first day of scouts, first day of prep for FIU, and he didn't like what one of them young guys did and he told them about it. You know, it's good.
"You have different kinds of styles. You have Wes Martin who is probably and naturally the undisputed leader of the group, but he's a more quiet guy. So to me, if guys are working and doing their job and producing, I think others will follow those guys, whether
they're vocal or non-vocal guys. The work shows up in practice and in the weight room and in all phases."
Cronk sees those younger guys stepping up. He sees the 2s pushing the 1s. He sees depth.
"I think we've stayed a lot more healthy than we did last year during camp," Cronk said. "No significant injuries. And we've got a lot of people coming back, so that helps. You've got a lot of people jelling together, because we've had a whole season (together) under our belts.
"So I'm looking forward to the season. We're going to need guys to step up because you never know if somebody's going to get banged up. So we're taking practice very seriously – especially our 2s, who are definitely pushing our 1s right now."
Hiller is liking what he sees. "Looking forward," he said, "to having a great season."
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