Indiana University Athletics
Winning the Moment – IU’s Nick Westbrook Builds for Success
3/7/2019 9:27:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For Indiana's Nick Westbrook, healthy and focused on a big spring as he hasn't been in a couple of years, it's all about winning the football moment.
"It's having a 1-0 mindset," the fifth-year senior receiver said. "Something bad might happen, but make sure you are winning every little rep that you can."
Teammates share that mindset. Early in year three of the Tom Allen head coaching era, the Hoosiers seek every victory they can get.
"In a season, it's 1-0," Westbrook said, "it's always the next game, it's always about the next game.
"But taking it to spring ball, it's always about the next rep, the next little drill, the next practice, whatever it is, making sure that we are getting every little small win we can and build those to have great success."
The 6-3, 216-pound Westbrook aims for success to rival, or surpass, that of his break-through 2016 sophomore season, when he caught 54 passes for 995 yards and six touchdowns.
He missed the 2017 season with a knee injury, then came back last year to total 42 catches for 590 yards and four TDs. His 14.0-yards-per-catch average led the team.
One key to a big final season starts with an injury free spring.
So far, so good.
"I think this is the first time in the last two spring balls that I am able to start right off the bat and get rolling full speed," Westbrook said. "This being my fifth year, there's a sense of urgency, making my plays and also leading this receiver group to be great."
Westbrook said he noticed a return to his big-play form midway through last season when, "I picked it back up to where I was beforehand. I noticed that change, and ever since then, it's been rolling, building on top of each other."
A strong winter workout performance accelerated the building, with more hopefully to come.
"My whole mindset going into this year and this past offseason with these winter workouts has been, 'Why not?' Why not do everything you can to make this team better, do everything I can to make myself better and do everything I can to make this team win some ballgames next year?'"
If Westbrook makes that happen, look out.
QUARTERBACK BATTLE
The quarterback competition between returning starter Peyton Ramsey, Utah transfer Jack Tuttle and redshirt freshman Michael Penix Jr. won't have a quick resolution. A final decision likely won't come until fall camp.
No one is more interested in the outcome than new offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer.
"They each will bring something a little different to the table," he said. "Experience, especially out of Peyton. I've been impressed with Jack's arm strength. And then Mike has that 'It' factor as far as how he throws."
Learning a new system adds to the quarterbacks' challenge.
"They all are going to make mistakes," DeBoer said, "but they've all had highlights already. They've made some plays and then you can see how you can tailor the offense to each one of them and be successful."
Westbrook has seen their early success.
"They've been doing great," he said. "They're definitely picking up on a new system really fast.
"When I am in with them, it feels like we've been doing this for at least a season already with the plays that we have in so far. You can tell that they are really getting in depth and detailed in the playbook, making sure they know exactly what they need to do."
Sometimes that need means stretching the defense until it breaks, which is fine with Westbrook.
"Throwing the ball deep down the field, it's great to see that."
For now, it's a two-man quarterback show. Penix only does individual drills. He won't participate in any contact until August. The coaches are closely monitoring how his surgically repaired knee holds up. The emphasis is on technique and execution.
"We talked about that a little bit, watched some clips, just making sure he's aggressive and transferring his weight through his throws," DeBoer said. "It affects the way your shoulders are tilted and all that kind of stuff. We have to make sure we're conscious of that.
"I don't want to over-coach him. He's trying to learn the offense. He knows who he is better than I know who he is right now. We'll work together on it."
BIG-PLAY PUSH
You'd better believe DeBoer wants big plays, explosive plays, from his passing offense.
That doesn't necessarily mean throwing the ball 50 yards down field to get it.
"We've hit some play-action shots in all three practices," he said. "That is part of when you get a run game going.
"To me, the explosive plays aren't always about throwing it all the way down field. It's about timing and accuracy and good protection and everyone just trusting each other.
"If you can hit guys on the run, great yards after the catch can happen. We've had a little bit of both and we have completed some deep balls down the field, which is good to see."
Westbrook hopes to see plenty of it.
"From the first practice we're getting a lot more balls thrown down the field," he said. "I think it is emphasized with the reads for the quarterbacks to look for us early on. We always have that in the back of our heads that we are going to be down there. I definitely noticed more emphasis on that and I caught a few of those. As a receiver group, we are getting a lot more of those opportunities."
As far as what DeBoer's offense brings to the table, Westbrook said, "It's kind of just the procedure of everything. We're a lot more focused on the details of the running to the huddle, in between the huddle, everybody making sure they are getting mental reps on the sideline.
"There's a lot of different terminology. We're trying to get used to that. Just establishing this culture that Coach DeBoer wants to get started here at Indiana and making sure it is going throughout the whole offense and not just with a few guys."
HONING THE EDGE
Hoosier intensity has been reflected in some edgy practice moments.
For Allen, passion is fine.
Fighting -- not so much.
"It's not encouraged," Westbrook said. "It's not something Coach Allen is trying to impose on everybody, but it is showing the intensity that everyone wants to get better and wants to play hard and make sure they are doing everything right.
"You can tell everyone is passionate about what they are doing. That's why it gets so chippy, because we all love to play this game. We don't want to make mistakes and always want to be winners."
TALENTED RECEIVERS
IU should have one of the Big Ten's top receiving corps led by Westbrook and 6-4 Donavan Hale (42 catches, 508 yards, 6 TDs last season), plus veterans Ty Fryfogle (29, 381, 3) and Whop Philyor (23, 235, 1).
"You like our length," DeBoer said. "We've caught some balls down the sideline where you can throw it up and if you get a quarterback to be on the same page with guys there, when you get that look, give them a little nod or hand signal and throw it down the field just like we did at the end of practice, you're going to like that with that height. We have to use that to our advantage.
"I really like what we got. They are competitors. They go for the ball. I like the nature and aggressiveness they all have. I am excited to keep working with them and they'll keep getting better as they get comfortable with everything."
As far as a receiving surprise, consider 6-4, 206-pound redshirt freshman Miles Marshall, a former record-setting high school receiver out of Parkview High School in Lilburn, Ga.
"He's one of the guys who stuck out the most," DeBoer said.
"Watching him run, I knew he had some athleticism and juice to him, but then he went out and competed, caught some balls in traffic and was really locked in.
"There are a lot of guys that I have noticed. With a coaching staff already having been here, they filled me in on what to expect. But a guy like that who hasn't had a lot of reps on game day, I think he has surprised all of us.
"There are other guys who have done a nice job, too."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For Indiana's Nick Westbrook, healthy and focused on a big spring as he hasn't been in a couple of years, it's all about winning the football moment.
"It's having a 1-0 mindset," the fifth-year senior receiver said. "Something bad might happen, but make sure you are winning every little rep that you can."
Teammates share that mindset. Early in year three of the Tom Allen head coaching era, the Hoosiers seek every victory they can get.
"In a season, it's 1-0," Westbrook said, "it's always the next game, it's always about the next game.
"But taking it to spring ball, it's always about the next rep, the next little drill, the next practice, whatever it is, making sure that we are getting every little small win we can and build those to have great success."
The 6-3, 216-pound Westbrook aims for success to rival, or surpass, that of his break-through 2016 sophomore season, when he caught 54 passes for 995 yards and six touchdowns.
He missed the 2017 season with a knee injury, then came back last year to total 42 catches for 590 yards and four TDs. His 14.0-yards-per-catch average led the team.
One key to a big final season starts with an injury free spring.
So far, so good.
"I think this is the first time in the last two spring balls that I am able to start right off the bat and get rolling full speed," Westbrook said. "This being my fifth year, there's a sense of urgency, making my plays and also leading this receiver group to be great."
Westbrook said he noticed a return to his big-play form midway through last season when, "I picked it back up to where I was beforehand. I noticed that change, and ever since then, it's been rolling, building on top of each other."
A strong winter workout performance accelerated the building, with more hopefully to come.
"My whole mindset going into this year and this past offseason with these winter workouts has been, 'Why not?' Why not do everything you can to make this team better, do everything I can to make myself better and do everything I can to make this team win some ballgames next year?'"
If Westbrook makes that happen, look out.
QUARTERBACK BATTLE
The quarterback competition between returning starter Peyton Ramsey, Utah transfer Jack Tuttle and redshirt freshman Michael Penix Jr. won't have a quick resolution. A final decision likely won't come until fall camp.
No one is more interested in the outcome than new offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer.
"They each will bring something a little different to the table," he said. "Experience, especially out of Peyton. I've been impressed with Jack's arm strength. And then Mike has that 'It' factor as far as how he throws."
Learning a new system adds to the quarterbacks' challenge.
"They all are going to make mistakes," DeBoer said, "but they've all had highlights already. They've made some plays and then you can see how you can tailor the offense to each one of them and be successful."
Westbrook has seen their early success.
"They've been doing great," he said. "They're definitely picking up on a new system really fast.
"When I am in with them, it feels like we've been doing this for at least a season already with the plays that we have in so far. You can tell that they are really getting in depth and detailed in the playbook, making sure they know exactly what they need to do."
Sometimes that need means stretching the defense until it breaks, which is fine with Westbrook.
"Throwing the ball deep down the field, it's great to see that."
For now, it's a two-man quarterback show. Penix only does individual drills. He won't participate in any contact until August. The coaches are closely monitoring how his surgically repaired knee holds up. The emphasis is on technique and execution.
"We talked about that a little bit, watched some clips, just making sure he's aggressive and transferring his weight through his throws," DeBoer said. "It affects the way your shoulders are tilted and all that kind of stuff. We have to make sure we're conscious of that.
"I don't want to over-coach him. He's trying to learn the offense. He knows who he is better than I know who he is right now. We'll work together on it."
BIG-PLAY PUSH
You'd better believe DeBoer wants big plays, explosive plays, from his passing offense.
That doesn't necessarily mean throwing the ball 50 yards down field to get it.
"We've hit some play-action shots in all three practices," he said. "That is part of when you get a run game going.
"To me, the explosive plays aren't always about throwing it all the way down field. It's about timing and accuracy and good protection and everyone just trusting each other.
"If you can hit guys on the run, great yards after the catch can happen. We've had a little bit of both and we have completed some deep balls down the field, which is good to see."
Westbrook hopes to see plenty of it.
"From the first practice we're getting a lot more balls thrown down the field," he said. "I think it is emphasized with the reads for the quarterbacks to look for us early on. We always have that in the back of our heads that we are going to be down there. I definitely noticed more emphasis on that and I caught a few of those. As a receiver group, we are getting a lot more of those opportunities."
As far as what DeBoer's offense brings to the table, Westbrook said, "It's kind of just the procedure of everything. We're a lot more focused on the details of the running to the huddle, in between the huddle, everybody making sure they are getting mental reps on the sideline.
"There's a lot of different terminology. We're trying to get used to that. Just establishing this culture that Coach DeBoer wants to get started here at Indiana and making sure it is going throughout the whole offense and not just with a few guys."
HONING THE EDGE
Hoosier intensity has been reflected in some edgy practice moments.
For Allen, passion is fine.
Fighting -- not so much.
"It's not encouraged," Westbrook said. "It's not something Coach Allen is trying to impose on everybody, but it is showing the intensity that everyone wants to get better and wants to play hard and make sure they are doing everything right.
"You can tell everyone is passionate about what they are doing. That's why it gets so chippy, because we all love to play this game. We don't want to make mistakes and always want to be winners."
TALENTED RECEIVERS
IU should have one of the Big Ten's top receiving corps led by Westbrook and 6-4 Donavan Hale (42 catches, 508 yards, 6 TDs last season), plus veterans Ty Fryfogle (29, 381, 3) and Whop Philyor (23, 235, 1).
"You like our length," DeBoer said. "We've caught some balls down the sideline where you can throw it up and if you get a quarterback to be on the same page with guys there, when you get that look, give them a little nod or hand signal and throw it down the field just like we did at the end of practice, you're going to like that with that height. We have to use that to our advantage.
"I really like what we got. They are competitors. They go for the ball. I like the nature and aggressiveness they all have. I am excited to keep working with them and they'll keep getting better as they get comfortable with everything."
As far as a receiving surprise, consider 6-4, 206-pound redshirt freshman Miles Marshall, a former record-setting high school receiver out of Parkview High School in Lilburn, Ga.
"He's one of the guys who stuck out the most," DeBoer said.
"Watching him run, I knew he had some athleticism and juice to him, but then he went out and competed, caught some balls in traffic and was really locked in.
"There are a lot of guys that I have noticed. With a coaching staff already having been here, they filled me in on what to expect. But a guy like that who hasn't had a lot of reps on game day, I think he has surprised all of us.
"There are other guys who have done a nice job, too."
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