Bring It On – Defensive Line Embraces the Pressure
8/8/2019 10:23:00 PM | Football
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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Gavin Everett gets it. The stakes are high; the challenges are many; and the youth is, well, intriguing.
Welcome to the reality of Indiana football progression, where development is an over-riding key. Everett, a fifth-year senior defensive end, knows where the true bullseye lies in the Hoosiers' winning-record quest.
"I think all the pressure is on us," he says about the defensive line.
Everett is one of three returning starting defensive linemen and a key answer in what looms as season-depending questions:
Can Hoosiers big men hold their own and beyond against rugged Big Ten competition? Will they match the more heralded linebackers and secondary in making decisive plays, especially in the fourth quarter?
If so, all things are possible.
If not, well, Everett finds motivation in last year's disappointing defensive line drop off.
"We didn't perform like we should have. Everybody is putting it on us to take that next step. To be a great defense, we need to start up front."
IU has greatness very much in mind, and no one takes that challenge more seriously than defensive line coach Mark Hagen, who also serves as assistant defensive coordinator.
Hagen pushes competitive fire in every second of practice because taking anything off can get you beat.
Hagen, once as fiery a linebacker as the Hoosiers have ever had (see his All-Big Ten status during the Bill Mallory years), is more than ready to beat up on other teams. It starts by winning the practice play – over and over again.
"I think there's been good competition," he says, "but when you actually go against the offense, there's been a high-compete factor on every snap.
"That's what these guys have to realize -- if I want to play, that's what I have to prove. I just can't assume that something's going to happen.
"That's really what every play in a football game is -- you're competing in a one-on-one situation, whether it's defending your gap or working a pass rush on an O-lineman. That's how I try to break it down.
"Every play is a competition. You're either doing your job or you're getting blocked. If we can boil it down to that and guys just hate not winning; I didn't win this rep, I got blocked or I lost my gap or whatever it is, you come back the next play and just keep fighting.
"That's the mentality that we are trying to establish. It carries over to the position battles, but at the end of the day, two of these guys are fighting to help each other, too, because we know we have to have a lot of guys ready to play. I've seen it so far, but we just have to keep it going."
It starts with returning starters Everett, Allen Stallings IV and Jerome Johnson. Each of them showed promise. Each recognizes much more is needed.
Everett had 23 tackles, 5.5 for loss last season. Stallings had 24 tackles, 6.0 for loss. Johnson had 32 tackles, 5.5 for loss with 3.5 sacks in his first significant playing time.
As for the final starting spot, at defensive tackle, the leader is redshirt sophomore Juan Harris, who had 38 tackles, 4.5 for loss, last season at Independence Community College in Kansas in 2018. At 6-3 and 350 pounds, he's IU's biggest defensive lineman. He participated in spring practice after enrolling for the second semester.
"Juan's weight is down," Hagen says. "He knows he has to be ready to play more snaps."
Listed backups are James Head Jr., Demarcus Elliott, Jonathan King and Michael Ziemba.
Elliott, a 328-pound junior college transfer from Garden City Community College in Kansas, and true freshman Sio Nofoagatoto'a have looked solid early in camp. So have King, Shamar Jones, Gavin McCabe and C.J. Person.
"I like what Demarcus has done," Hagen says. "He's a high, high, high effort guy. He's relentless.
"Getting D-Mac (Elliott) here, he's come in and done a good job. I think Sio is learning the system. I feel better about that position than I did back in December when it was, 'Who's going to be there?' There is excellent competition.
"We know what Jerome Johnson can do. You have King, Jones, McCabe and Person. I'm excited to see how that sorts itself out as we move through camp and the early part of the season."
Johnson shares that excitement. Once limited by extra weight and poor conditioning, he's emerged as a major factor. He came on strong last season to record a team-high in sacks. His 32 tackles led all defensive linemen.
"Toward the end (of last season), I just had this focus," he says. "I was trying to get us to a bowl game. I think I worked harder and I'm just trying to keep working harder and keep building on top of that to get myself better and to also help my teammates get better."
As far as the offense, the quarterback competition remains intense with returning starter Peyton Ramsey, redshirt freshman Michael Penix Jr. and Utah transfer Jack Tuttle.
"Peyton showed great poise there at the end (of Monday's practice) manufacturing that drive to get down the field in two minutes," head coach Tom Allen said. "I thought Michael made some good throws. I thought Jack had some good throws, as well.
"Jack's the youngest in the group in regard to the system and just being here, and being comfortable here. He did some good things. We did blitz period to get him recognizing the protection and how to get set and adjusted.
"Peyton probably has the upper hand on that because of his experience, but I think the two other guys have grown in that area, so we are going to keep emphasizing that.
"Each one had some good things. We've got to protect the football all the time."
Protection isn't easy against a defense driven to take at every opportunity.
"I know we emphasize takeaways to a large, over-the-top degree here defensively," Allen says, "so we really ball hawk them a lot. We got some takeaways. (Cornerback) A'Shon Riggins got a big pick during the team period that really changed the momentum.
"Overall, we have protected the ball well, but the defense is swarming."
Passing drills have showcased that swarming.
"There are more contested throws out there, more now that we have our pads on," Allen says. "We have more of a thud tempo that we use. You get to see who can make those tough catches and break on the ball. We've had a lot of tipped balls by the defense, which is good. It shows our athleticism and burst to the ball, and I also thought we made some good catches with the offense coming up with some tight windows. We're definitely making progress."
Progress includes the two-minute drill.
"I thought the offense had some good poise moving up and down the field, and getting in position for a field goal," Allen says. "Just a lot of good work."
That reflects IU's key-word-of-the-day emphasis. On Monday, it was "focus."
"The guys continue to give great effort," Allen says. "I love their work mindset. They show up and work hard. They are a rah-rah group in some ways, which I'm fine with.
"They have a very systematic approach, a business approach in terms of their mindset towards the work, but they also have a good energy. They work well together."
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Gavin Everett gets it. The stakes are high; the challenges are many; and the youth is, well, intriguing.
Welcome to the reality of Indiana football progression, where development is an over-riding key. Everett, a fifth-year senior defensive end, knows where the true bullseye lies in the Hoosiers' winning-record quest.
"I think all the pressure is on us," he says about the defensive line.
Everett is one of three returning starting defensive linemen and a key answer in what looms as season-depending questions:
Can Hoosiers big men hold their own and beyond against rugged Big Ten competition? Will they match the more heralded linebackers and secondary in making decisive plays, especially in the fourth quarter?
If so, all things are possible.
If not, well, Everett finds motivation in last year's disappointing defensive line drop off.
"We didn't perform like we should have. Everybody is putting it on us to take that next step. To be a great defense, we need to start up front."
IU has greatness very much in mind, and no one takes that challenge more seriously than defensive line coach Mark Hagen, who also serves as assistant defensive coordinator.
Hagen pushes competitive fire in every second of practice because taking anything off can get you beat.
Hagen, once as fiery a linebacker as the Hoosiers have ever had (see his All-Big Ten status during the Bill Mallory years), is more than ready to beat up on other teams. It starts by winning the practice play – over and over again.
"I think there's been good competition," he says, "but when you actually go against the offense, there's been a high-compete factor on every snap.
"That's what these guys have to realize -- if I want to play, that's what I have to prove. I just can't assume that something's going to happen.
"That's really what every play in a football game is -- you're competing in a one-on-one situation, whether it's defending your gap or working a pass rush on an O-lineman. That's how I try to break it down.
"Every play is a competition. You're either doing your job or you're getting blocked. If we can boil it down to that and guys just hate not winning; I didn't win this rep, I got blocked or I lost my gap or whatever it is, you come back the next play and just keep fighting.
"That's the mentality that we are trying to establish. It carries over to the position battles, but at the end of the day, two of these guys are fighting to help each other, too, because we know we have to have a lot of guys ready to play. I've seen it so far, but we just have to keep it going."
It starts with returning starters Everett, Allen Stallings IV and Jerome Johnson. Each of them showed promise. Each recognizes much more is needed.
Everett had 23 tackles, 5.5 for loss last season. Stallings had 24 tackles, 6.0 for loss. Johnson had 32 tackles, 5.5 for loss with 3.5 sacks in his first significant playing time.
As for the final starting spot, at defensive tackle, the leader is redshirt sophomore Juan Harris, who had 38 tackles, 4.5 for loss, last season at Independence Community College in Kansas in 2018. At 6-3 and 350 pounds, he's IU's biggest defensive lineman. He participated in spring practice after enrolling for the second semester.
"Juan's weight is down," Hagen says. "He knows he has to be ready to play more snaps."
Listed backups are James Head Jr., Demarcus Elliott, Jonathan King and Michael Ziemba.
Elliott, a 328-pound junior college transfer from Garden City Community College in Kansas, and true freshman Sio Nofoagatoto'a have looked solid early in camp. So have King, Shamar Jones, Gavin McCabe and C.J. Person.
"I like what Demarcus has done," Hagen says. "He's a high, high, high effort guy. He's relentless.
"Getting D-Mac (Elliott) here, he's come in and done a good job. I think Sio is learning the system. I feel better about that position than I did back in December when it was, 'Who's going to be there?' There is excellent competition.
"We know what Jerome Johnson can do. You have King, Jones, McCabe and Person. I'm excited to see how that sorts itself out as we move through camp and the early part of the season."
Johnson shares that excitement. Once limited by extra weight and poor conditioning, he's emerged as a major factor. He came on strong last season to record a team-high in sacks. His 32 tackles led all defensive linemen.
"Toward the end (of last season), I just had this focus," he says. "I was trying to get us to a bowl game. I think I worked harder and I'm just trying to keep working harder and keep building on top of that to get myself better and to also help my teammates get better."
As far as the offense, the quarterback competition remains intense with returning starter Peyton Ramsey, redshirt freshman Michael Penix Jr. and Utah transfer Jack Tuttle.
"Peyton showed great poise there at the end (of Monday's practice) manufacturing that drive to get down the field in two minutes," head coach Tom Allen said. "I thought Michael made some good throws. I thought Jack had some good throws, as well.
"Jack's the youngest in the group in regard to the system and just being here, and being comfortable here. He did some good things. We did blitz period to get him recognizing the protection and how to get set and adjusted.
"Peyton probably has the upper hand on that because of his experience, but I think the two other guys have grown in that area, so we are going to keep emphasizing that.
"Each one had some good things. We've got to protect the football all the time."
Protection isn't easy against a defense driven to take at every opportunity.
"I know we emphasize takeaways to a large, over-the-top degree here defensively," Allen says, "so we really ball hawk them a lot. We got some takeaways. (Cornerback) A'Shon Riggins got a big pick during the team period that really changed the momentum.
"Overall, we have protected the ball well, but the defense is swarming."
Passing drills have showcased that swarming.
"There are more contested throws out there, more now that we have our pads on," Allen says. "We have more of a thud tempo that we use. You get to see who can make those tough catches and break on the ball. We've had a lot of tipped balls by the defense, which is good. It shows our athleticism and burst to the ball, and I also thought we made some good catches with the offense coming up with some tight windows. We're definitely making progress."
Progress includes the two-minute drill.
"I thought the offense had some good poise moving up and down the field, and getting in position for a field goal," Allen says. "Just a lot of good work."
That reflects IU's key-word-of-the-day emphasis. On Monday, it was "focus."
"The guys continue to give great effort," Allen says. "I love their work mindset. They show up and work hard. They are a rah-rah group in some ways, which I'm fine with.
"They have a very systematic approach, a business approach in terms of their mindset towards the work, but they also have a good energy. They work well together."
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