DIPRIMIO NOTEBOOK: ‘Maximizing Roster’ Starts with Do-It-All Cam Jones
4/7/2019 12:14:00 PM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana has no plans to clone do-it-all-defender Cam Jones.
Or does it?
The ultra-athletic Jones has been all over the back half of the defense this spring as a weak-side linebacker, a safety and a hybrid combination of the two. The official terms are stinger, free safety and husky.
For most players, one position is all they can handle, all coaches would want them to handle.
Jones, as we shall see, is not most players.
By any name, the goal is clear – disrupt the offense as much as possible. The more positions Jones plays, the more different areas he starts from, the more likely he is to make a big play.
Why – because he's a 6-3, 218-pound force of defensive nature even with just one year of college on his resume.
"Wherever we put him," head coach Tom Allen said, "he makes plays."
Jones showcased the linebacker side of that during Saturday's practice at Memorial Stadium, just as he did last year as a true freshman, when he totaled 20 tackles at husky with two forced fumbles, an interception and a fumble recovery.
"He's in his linebacker phase of spring ball," Allen said. "He's playing with more confidence. He has a great strike. He's a physical specimen who can really run and finish plays. I love his versatility."
Versatility is a key part of IU's plans for next season.
"We're just doing some things to maximize our roster," Allen said.
Jones is fine with that.
"Being able to learn each of those positions helps me know where everybody is on defense," he said. "When I know that, I can help other players, the other free safeties and huskies. Being all over the place has helped me learn the defense."
When coaches first proposed their three-position-spring plans, Jones wasn't sure.
"At first I was like, man, moving to stinger, I have to learn all this other stuff. Then, man, moving to free safety, I have to learn more other stuff.
"It's about having the right mind set. If you have the right mind set and then attack it every day, the coaches will have your back. (Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack) met with me for two hours, just going over plays. Having that, you feel comfortable and confident."
This isn't Jones' first do-it-all responsibility. He was a one-man team at Saint Benedict at Auburndale High School in Tennessee. In his last two seasons, he totaled 160 tackles, 34 sacks and five interceptions on defense, 1,534 receiving yards, 1,049 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns on offense.
"I played everywhere," Jones said. "In high school, coaches look for guys who play all over the field. I played all over on offense and defense, so I know what the offense will do, what the defense will do. They trusted me to be able to step up and move all over the place."
Even while recruiting him, IU coaches told Jones the same thing could happen in college.
"They told me that they would put pressure on me, but they believe in me. The fact they followed through on what they said, it's love."
Love comes with this extra burden -- speak up.
"The coaches emphasize to me about being a leader every day, being more vocal," Jones said. "If I'm hyped up, everybody else on the defense will be hyped up. That's how we build a great defense. We have some talented young guys, but we all have to step up."
As far as which position he prefers, Jones said, "I just want to be on the field."
INTENSITY MATTERS
Safeties coach Kasey Teegardin shouted from the Memorial Stadium end zone.
"That's what I've been talking about 29. Keep making plays!"
Teegardin referred to defensive back Khalil Bryant, who had just made the offense pay for coming his way during Saturday's practice.
When the offense came back with some red-zone touchdowns a few minutes later, Allen shouted through his bullhorn, "Way to go offense. Way to execute these touchdowns."
Finally, there was cornerbacks coach Brandon Shelby talking trash with running backs coach Mike Hart and anyone else on the offense who would listen.
The message – don't mess with us.
This was a strong finish to what had been a slow practice start. While Allen liked the former, he absolutely had no use for the latter.
"I didn't like the first part of some things. We didn't execute as well on offense, especially the skelly period was sloppy.
"When we got in the red zone and started to go live, the intensity picked up. They had some good jawing back and forth, which is always fun. There was a lot of competition. They've been going against each other for a lot of days in a row. It's been good. It was good intensity for the live parts."
FRYFOGLE READY FOR CHALLENGE
Sometimes a guy just has to trash talk. Case in point, junior receiver Ty Fryfogle.
He's not the Hoosiers' biggest talker, but when the offense and defense scrimmage, silence is not always golden.
"Sometimes I talk a little bit because some of my best friends are over there and it makes it more interesting whenever everybody is all into it, challenging each other," he said.
There's been plenty of spring challenges as IU learns a new offense under new offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer.
"It's about getting the plays down with the new offense, being in the playbook," Fryfogle said. "Whenever you're on the sideline, taking mental reps and being involved with everything. That's how you learn the quickest."
As far as how long the playbook is, Fryfogle said, "It's not 100 pages. We do one install a week -- that's 10 to 12 plays. We focus on those plays every week and fill them in. It's not as hard as it seems, but you definitely have to be in the playbook and study a lot."
Fryfogle looks to make an even bigger jump that he did last season, when he went from a one-catch-for-13-yards freshman year to a 29-catch-for-381-yards-and-three-touchdowns sophomore effort.
"Coaches want me to be an accountable guy," he said. "Dependable when the ball is in the air. They're looking for me to make the play."
DeBoer's offense will help him do that.
"This new offense opens this up for everybody," Fryfogle said. "Everybody is involved. It's great. I like it a lot."
THE TOTAL PICTURE
This is Allen's first IU spring practice without being the defensive coordinator. He's given that role to Wommack so he can concentrate on his head-coaching duties.
"I have a much bigger awareness of everything," Allen said. "I intentionally don't wear a headset during the live (practice) periods. I don't want to hear the calls. I want to see the team. I want to be the head coach of both sides of the ball and not just the defensive coordinator first, which is what you often do when you go live.
"I want to be able to do a better job with special teams and how that's being done. I sit in all those meetings. I sit in all the offensive meetings, which I had never done. It has a completely different feel.
"It empowers me to get more on the offense. Being more involved, I know exactly what they're going to be doing. It's a different feel for me. The offense might wish I was back on the defense because I will be on them a lot more. That's good. I want to bring that intensity and toughness to the offensive side. That's my personality and that's what we have to be as a football team."
IMPROVING OFFENSE
Overall the offense executed better on Saturday. One big reason -- players are becoming more familiar with the plays.
"We've had so much emphasis on the red zone in terms of getting stops on defense and improving our touchdowns on offense, and I thought (the offense) did a great job," Allen said.
"As far as the offense, it takes time. First, it's a new system. Second, the defense is always ahead of the offense. You let your ears back and go, and you can make some good things happen if there's a mistake.
"On offense everybody has to be executing together to make it work. You saw some of that (on Saturday). Guys were making plays. The receivers caught the ball better as a group. They were making some of those contested catches. We had a couple of drops, so we'll keep working on that. The offense did a much better job in the live (periods). That's what you want to see, that progress."
Patience, Allen added, is the key.
"It takes time. Offense is about timing and execution. Emotionally, you've got to take that out of it. You have to play hard and be physical, yes, but you have to execute. You saw that done much better (Saturday) by our offense."
A BIG FINISH
IU has two practices left before Friday's Cream & Crimson finale.
What does Allen want to accomplish?
"I really want to polish everything up. There are things we want to be able to do extremely well in the spring game.
"You have two more (practice) opportunities. We don't get these chances in the summer -- we can't work with them like that at all -- so you want to really take advantage of that."
As far as Thursday's practice, Allen said, "We'll just have helmets only. We want to get a lot of quality reps. From what we've installed in the spring, I want to feel good about the execution on both sides of the ball. That will be our emphasis. Also a couple days of blocking technique and tackling technique."
NO TUTTLE
Allen said illness will sideline quarterback Jack Tuttle for this final week.
"He has a short-term sickness. He'll be 100 percent and recover from it, but he'll be done the rest of the spring."
That leaves Peyton Ramsey as the only healthy quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. is off limits as far as contact as he recovers from knee surgery, although he did participate in passing drills on Saturday.
What will this mean for the spring game?
"We'll still have the game as always," Allen said. "The format might change a little bit as far as the offense vs. the defense and the 1s vs. the 2s like we've done in the past. We have to evaluate that. We're still looking at all those options. We'll still have a full-bore live spring game."
Does that mean a heavy work load for Ramsey?
"We'll do some creative things to get Mike Penix out there," Allen said. "He got involved (on Saturday) in some team periods and some skelly periods. That was important for him.
"So we'll adapt and press on. That's what you have to do."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana has no plans to clone do-it-all-defender Cam Jones.
Or does it?
The ultra-athletic Jones has been all over the back half of the defense this spring as a weak-side linebacker, a safety and a hybrid combination of the two. The official terms are stinger, free safety and husky.
For most players, one position is all they can handle, all coaches would want them to handle.
Jones, as we shall see, is not most players.
By any name, the goal is clear – disrupt the offense as much as possible. The more positions Jones plays, the more different areas he starts from, the more likely he is to make a big play.
Why – because he's a 6-3, 218-pound force of defensive nature even with just one year of college on his resume.
"Wherever we put him," head coach Tom Allen said, "he makes plays."
Jones showcased the linebacker side of that during Saturday's practice at Memorial Stadium, just as he did last year as a true freshman, when he totaled 20 tackles at husky with two forced fumbles, an interception and a fumble recovery.
"He's in his linebacker phase of spring ball," Allen said. "He's playing with more confidence. He has a great strike. He's a physical specimen who can really run and finish plays. I love his versatility."
Versatility is a key part of IU's plans for next season.
"We're just doing some things to maximize our roster," Allen said.
Jones is fine with that.
"Being able to learn each of those positions helps me know where everybody is on defense," he said. "When I know that, I can help other players, the other free safeties and huskies. Being all over the place has helped me learn the defense."
When coaches first proposed their three-position-spring plans, Jones wasn't sure.
"At first I was like, man, moving to stinger, I have to learn all this other stuff. Then, man, moving to free safety, I have to learn more other stuff.
"It's about having the right mind set. If you have the right mind set and then attack it every day, the coaches will have your back. (Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack) met with me for two hours, just going over plays. Having that, you feel comfortable and confident."
This isn't Jones' first do-it-all responsibility. He was a one-man team at Saint Benedict at Auburndale High School in Tennessee. In his last two seasons, he totaled 160 tackles, 34 sacks and five interceptions on defense, 1,534 receiving yards, 1,049 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns on offense.
"I played everywhere," Jones said. "In high school, coaches look for guys who play all over the field. I played all over on offense and defense, so I know what the offense will do, what the defense will do. They trusted me to be able to step up and move all over the place."
Even while recruiting him, IU coaches told Jones the same thing could happen in college.
"They told me that they would put pressure on me, but they believe in me. The fact they followed through on what they said, it's love."
Love comes with this extra burden -- speak up.
"The coaches emphasize to me about being a leader every day, being more vocal," Jones said. "If I'm hyped up, everybody else on the defense will be hyped up. That's how we build a great defense. We have some talented young guys, but we all have to step up."
As far as which position he prefers, Jones said, "I just want to be on the field."
INTENSITY MATTERS
Safeties coach Kasey Teegardin shouted from the Memorial Stadium end zone.
"That's what I've been talking about 29. Keep making plays!"
Teegardin referred to defensive back Khalil Bryant, who had just made the offense pay for coming his way during Saturday's practice.
When the offense came back with some red-zone touchdowns a few minutes later, Allen shouted through his bullhorn, "Way to go offense. Way to execute these touchdowns."
Finally, there was cornerbacks coach Brandon Shelby talking trash with running backs coach Mike Hart and anyone else on the offense who would listen.
The message – don't mess with us.
This was a strong finish to what had been a slow practice start. While Allen liked the former, he absolutely had no use for the latter.
"I didn't like the first part of some things. We didn't execute as well on offense, especially the skelly period was sloppy.
"When we got in the red zone and started to go live, the intensity picked up. They had some good jawing back and forth, which is always fun. There was a lot of competition. They've been going against each other for a lot of days in a row. It's been good. It was good intensity for the live parts."
FRYFOGLE READY FOR CHALLENGE
Sometimes a guy just has to trash talk. Case in point, junior receiver Ty Fryfogle.
He's not the Hoosiers' biggest talker, but when the offense and defense scrimmage, silence is not always golden.
"Sometimes I talk a little bit because some of my best friends are over there and it makes it more interesting whenever everybody is all into it, challenging each other," he said.
There's been plenty of spring challenges as IU learns a new offense under new offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer.
"It's about getting the plays down with the new offense, being in the playbook," Fryfogle said. "Whenever you're on the sideline, taking mental reps and being involved with everything. That's how you learn the quickest."
As far as how long the playbook is, Fryfogle said, "It's not 100 pages. We do one install a week -- that's 10 to 12 plays. We focus on those plays every week and fill them in. It's not as hard as it seems, but you definitely have to be in the playbook and study a lot."
Fryfogle looks to make an even bigger jump that he did last season, when he went from a one-catch-for-13-yards freshman year to a 29-catch-for-381-yards-and-three-touchdowns sophomore effort.
"Coaches want me to be an accountable guy," he said. "Dependable when the ball is in the air. They're looking for me to make the play."
DeBoer's offense will help him do that.
"This new offense opens this up for everybody," Fryfogle said. "Everybody is involved. It's great. I like it a lot."
THE TOTAL PICTURE
This is Allen's first IU spring practice without being the defensive coordinator. He's given that role to Wommack so he can concentrate on his head-coaching duties.
"I have a much bigger awareness of everything," Allen said. "I intentionally don't wear a headset during the live (practice) periods. I don't want to hear the calls. I want to see the team. I want to be the head coach of both sides of the ball and not just the defensive coordinator first, which is what you often do when you go live.
"I want to be able to do a better job with special teams and how that's being done. I sit in all those meetings. I sit in all the offensive meetings, which I had never done. It has a completely different feel.
"It empowers me to get more on the offense. Being more involved, I know exactly what they're going to be doing. It's a different feel for me. The offense might wish I was back on the defense because I will be on them a lot more. That's good. I want to bring that intensity and toughness to the offensive side. That's my personality and that's what we have to be as a football team."
IMPROVING OFFENSE
Overall the offense executed better on Saturday. One big reason -- players are becoming more familiar with the plays.
"We've had so much emphasis on the red zone in terms of getting stops on defense and improving our touchdowns on offense, and I thought (the offense) did a great job," Allen said.
"As far as the offense, it takes time. First, it's a new system. Second, the defense is always ahead of the offense. You let your ears back and go, and you can make some good things happen if there's a mistake.
"On offense everybody has to be executing together to make it work. You saw some of that (on Saturday). Guys were making plays. The receivers caught the ball better as a group. They were making some of those contested catches. We had a couple of drops, so we'll keep working on that. The offense did a much better job in the live (periods). That's what you want to see, that progress."
Patience, Allen added, is the key.
"It takes time. Offense is about timing and execution. Emotionally, you've got to take that out of it. You have to play hard and be physical, yes, but you have to execute. You saw that done much better (Saturday) by our offense."
A BIG FINISH
IU has two practices left before Friday's Cream & Crimson finale.
What does Allen want to accomplish?
"I really want to polish everything up. There are things we want to be able to do extremely well in the spring game.
"You have two more (practice) opportunities. We don't get these chances in the summer -- we can't work with them like that at all -- so you want to really take advantage of that."
As far as Thursday's practice, Allen said, "We'll just have helmets only. We want to get a lot of quality reps. From what we've installed in the spring, I want to feel good about the execution on both sides of the ball. That will be our emphasis. Also a couple days of blocking technique and tackling technique."
NO TUTTLE
Allen said illness will sideline quarterback Jack Tuttle for this final week.
"He has a short-term sickness. He'll be 100 percent and recover from it, but he'll be done the rest of the spring."
That leaves Peyton Ramsey as the only healthy quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. is off limits as far as contact as he recovers from knee surgery, although he did participate in passing drills on Saturday.
What will this mean for the spring game?
"We'll still have the game as always," Allen said. "The format might change a little bit as far as the offense vs. the defense and the 1s vs. the 2s like we've done in the past. We have to evaluate that. We're still looking at all those options. We'll still have a full-bore live spring game."
Does that mean a heavy work load for Ramsey?
"We'll do some creative things to get Mike Penix out there," Allen said. "He got involved (on Saturday) in some team periods and some skelly periods. That was important for him.
"So we'll adapt and press on. That's what you have to do."
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