Critics’ Choice – Nick Westbrook ‘Receives’ Rave Reviews

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The American Film Institute got it wrong. Nick Westbrook is convinced of that. He's seen the evidence and rendered a verdict.

Citizen Kane is not the best movie of all time.

"It's terrible," Indiana's fifth-year senior receiver says. "I don't recommend it."

And if that goes against 1,500 film artists, critics and historians, who picked the 1941 Orson Wells-directed movie about the rise and fall of a publishing tycoon No. 1, Westbrook isn't sweating it. His favorite film -- 1997's Goodwill Hunting staring Matt Damon and Robin Williams -- didn't make the Top 100.

"It's a great story," Westbrook says. "It hits all the emotions – laughter, drama. And I like Matt Damon."

When he's not ripping apart defenses (he rates among the nation's best receivers), Westbrook is, among other things, a movie lover. His quest is to view the AFI's Top-100 movies. He estimates he's seen 25 of them, and "Some are kind of boring."

If this talk surprises you, Westbrook takes it a step farther, saying that if he could get a life redo, he'd play soccer instead of football.

"You can be an international star rather than just a U.S. star," he says. "There's a lot more money in soccer. I love the sport."

Love doesn't translate into playing excellence. The thought of kicking balls around with Indiana's soccer powerhouse squad brings out a laugh.

"I'm terrible at soccer and they're a high-level program. I would not attempt to embarrass myself."

Embarrassment isn't part of Westbrook's repertoire. The 6-3, 216-pounder represents the best of college athletics – he's a great player, a three-time academic All-Big Ten performer and a man who refuses to let adversity define him.

Just ask head coach Tom Allen.

"He does a great job in the classroom, on the field and is poised to do a great job on game day."

Westbrook has had to overcome a major knee injury to reach this point.

Set up for a monster junior season (he was coming off a 54-catch, 995-yard, 6-touchdown sophomore effort that earned him Big Ten honorable mention acclaim), Westbrook lasted just one play before tearing his ACL in the season opener against Ohio State in 2017. It took more than a year to regain his old form, and now basically another year to, he hopes, surpass it.

"This is the strongest I've felt. It's the fastest I've felt. My technique is the most sound it's been since I've been here."

Last year it took Westbrook six games -- until an October contest at Ohio State -- before he felt he was back. Catching five passes for 105 yards and a touchdown has a way of doing that.

"It was around that game where I felt my knee wasn't an issue anymore," he says. "It took that long to knock the rust off and it was just me playing. Now I feel even better. I'm making the cuts I wasn't sure I could make after the surgery. I feel more comfortable."

Westbrook wound up with 42 catches for 590 yards and four touchdowns, and is looking for a lot more in his final college season.

He'll team with Donavan Hale (42 catches, 508 yards, 6 TDs) to form one of the Big Ten's best pair of receivers, something he missed out on in 2017 when his injury kept him from playing with Simmie Cobbs Jr.

"I'm super excited," Westbrook says. "The whole summer it was me and (Hale) competing in the weight room. We have similar numbers. I try to see what weight he's at, and then bump him by five pounds. We went back and forth and it's making us both better.

"I love playing with such a great player on the other side of the field. I wasn't lucky enough to play with Simmie, but I get to play with Donavan."

Potentially dynamic receiver play is among the reasons why the offense is expected to take a big jump under new offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer. While the Hoosiers don't have the depth they need, the talent is obvious with Whop Philyor, Ty Fryfogle, Miles Marshall, Jordan Jakes and David Ellis in addition to Westbrook and Hale.

"The sky is the limit for this offense," Westbrook says. "Coach DeBoer will put us in the best possible position. Whether it's me or Whop or D-Hale to make the plays we're best at making, Coach will use every player to his best strength.

"We'll have more opportunities to throw the ball down the field, and also trying to get the ball to guys who can make plays as much as we can."

Philyor, for instance, overcame his own injuries last season to total 23 catches for 235 yards.

"Whop is a dynamic player," Westbrook says. "Let him do what he's good at doing. He'll keep getting better, making people miss, making those big time plays. As we build in the first couple of games and gain that confidence, I'm excited to see that we can really do anything."

That's among the reasons why, after consecutive 5-7 records, Westbrook believes the Hoosiers are ready for a special season. He says Allen compares it to a "Great wheel that keeps moving and grinding."

"At first it goes real slow, but eventually it will take off.

"I'm doing everything I can to have that happen this year. To change the culture of the program, the standard of winning. It's no longer about being close. This is not the same old Indiana. This is a winning program that will consistently get into the postseason."

Hoosiers have expressed those hopes before, but reality keeps getting in the way. IU has had just one winning record since 1994 -- in 2007, when it finished 7-6.

This time, Westbrook insists, it's different. A breakthrough will start with "Paying attention to details and having enough killer instinct.

"It's playing tough. Don't make a mistake at the end of the game. When we're in that position this year, understand this is the moment that will define the rest of the game. Have that mentality on every play. Be laser focused.

"People say whatever team is the biggest, fastest and strongest will win. A lot of times it's whoever has the most confidence. If you really believe you are about to win, it makes it so much easier to block everything out and play the game you're great at playing."

Thanks to strong recruiting, IU has the talent and depth to make it happen. Allen has landed arguably the two best recruiting classes in program history in the last two seasons. There are many reasons for this -- improved facilities (including the Excellence Academy and Terry Tallen Football Complex), aggressive recruiting, caring coaches and decisive schemes among them -- but Westbrook sees something deeper.

"People want to be part of something special. They understand there is a change happening here. We have a lot of Florida guys on the team and a lot of Florida guys keep coming because they understand it's like a second home. If you want to make a difference, if you want to play in a big-time league, this is the place to be."

Westbrook, by the way, is part of that Florida contingent. He was an all-state receiver at Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary.

"The biggest thing is understanding there is change," he says. "We're moving with the right momentum. Don't hop on the bandwagon. Fans should be on before the bandwagon starts."

It starts with Allen, Westbrook adds.

"Coach is a big proponent of saying, regardless of football, you're going to leave here a better husband, a better man.

"The other night he had a meeting at his house for any players who wanted to go. He helped with relationship advice, he and his wife. He's doing anything he can to help us become better people as well as players."

That's not movie myth. That's as real as it gets.