Indiana University Athletics
DIPRIMIO NOTEBOOK: Hoosiers Closing In On Season Opener
10/13/2020 8:13:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Sometimes young guys, true freshman guys, get it. They just do. Age becomes irrelevant. Talent and attitude top experience, at least in limited doses.
So here is Javon Swinton, a 6-2, 170-pound bundle of youthful potential who has generated plenty of Indiana football buzz in practice and scrimmages.
Will it surface on Oct. 24, when the Hoosiers open their delayed season against No. 9 Penn State?
Head coach Tom Allen likes what he's seen.
"He came here with an extremely mature mindset of doing what he was asked to do, always being where he supposed to be and has never had any issues."
This is especially impressive given Swinton didn't get to Bloomington until June. He stayed at Virginia's North Stafford High School through the second semester, and then had to wait through pandemic uncertainty before getting the green light to come to campus
"He was not a mid-year guy," Allen says, "so he came in the summer and it was a very unique summer. Everything he did academically was all remotely done and on Zoom with very little in person. That is hard for the new guys. He showed so much maturity through all that process, always doing everything he was supposed to do, learning the playbook, which is big.
"That is a hard thing for guys, especially offensively at that position. There is a lot going on. You are trying to find the signal. You are trying to find this, get the call, learn where you are supposed to line up.
"Every call has adjustments to it based on splits and the route you are running. There are a lot of things you have to process quickly. He has been able to do that. Obviously, at the end of the day he is making plays."
That's no surprise given Swinton made so many plays in high school. As a senior receiver, he caught 48 passes for 858 yards and 13 touchdowns. He added 46 tackles, two interceptions, seven pass breakups and one forced fumble as a cornerback.
Beyond that, he's North Stafford's all-time leading basketball scorer, and averaged 27.0 points as a senior.
"He is very talented in the ball-skill area," Allen says. "He is able to make difficult catches and consistent catches. Sometimes guys can make those tough catches and then drop the ones that are right there, but he has been very consistent in all those areas.
"His mindset and preparation, as he has tried to do everything right off the field, has led to him knowing what to do on the field. When he has had those opportunities, he continues to come up against (IU's best defensive backs) and make plays."
Receiver is a loaded position with Whop Philyor and Ty Fryfogle leading the way, but Swinton is moving up the depth chart.
"What I always tell my receivers is your job in the pass game is pretty simple: get open and catch football," Allen says. "I do not care how fast you are. It does not matter how high you can jump."
Actually, it matters a little.
"(Swinton) obviously has natural talent," Allen says. "As a receiver, you have to catch the ball. He has been doing that well. Getting open is a big part of this, too."
Swinton projects as a key backup who will benefit from receivers coach Grant Heard's play-a-lot-of-guys approach.
"He's been running with the twos a lot," Allen says. "He is in that next wave of guys that are going to get in there. He is going to play. He will play the more he learns and is able to physically handle the physicality of this game and the perimeter blocking that is required of our guys of that position. Those are things he is going to have to continue to work on.
"In this 2020 season, we know we need depth and have a number of guys who can help us. He played on both sides of the ball in high school. Those kind of guys give you valuable special teams, too, because they can usually tackle and be on the cover units as well as return units. He gives us a lot of value there. We are trying to get him on the field. I am excited for Javon."
*****
Swinton isn't the only young receiver pushing for playing time. Allen mentions Luke Shayotovich, Jacolby Hewitt and David Baker as standing out.
"Luke catches the ball extremely well and consistently, and he gets open," Allen says.
"Those young guys are coming along, developing, learning the offense and making plays."
Veteran offensive lineman Harry Crider continues his strong play at center. Offensive linemen Dylan Powell, Mackenzie Nworah and Mike Katic "are battling every day."
"They are all going to play," Allen says, "but I like the way they are competing. It gives us a chance to get the best guys on the field."
On defense, lineman Jovan Swann, a Stanford transfer, has played well. Allen is high on defensive back Devon Matthews and all the linebackers, including Aaron Casey.
"That (linebacker) group is very solid," Allen says, "but Casey stuck out to me. He did a great job of getting his run fits, making his reads, being very decisive, making tackles and doing some really good things.
As for the other veteran linebackers (Micah McFadden, Thomas Allen, James Miller and Cam Jones), Allen says, "Those guys give us the most experience. That is going to be competitive and continue to be. Their attention to detail, how well they run the defense, how well they hit the run fits… they are all going to have to play."
*****
Tackling in the age of COVID-19 is a problem. Combined with 21st Century offenses that feature the run-pass option that stretches defenses to the breaking point and it's no wonder you're seeing scoreboard-busting point totals.
See Alabama's 63-48 win over Ole Miss last Saturday as the biggest example.
"We have talked about the challenges of getting teams ready during COVID-19," Allen says. "Defensively, it is the physicality part of it, it is hitting both sides of the ball."
Allen says he got a text Saturday night about defenses struggling all over the country, and not just in college.
"It is definitely real," Allen says. "It is real on Sundays, real on Saturdays and you can see it unfolding in front of us."
Unfolding made a big impact during IU's Saturday scrimmage. Allen says Hoosier tackling regressed from their first scrimmage.
"It was not bad, but it was definitely something we worked on (Monday). We are going to work on it every day, like we have been. That is always a concern."
Scrimmages are not as long and as intense as games. Allen says he's seeing defenses wear out.
"It becomes so difficult to be able to concentrate, make checks, communicate with the guys and get in good position when your body is worn down. Making critical stops and tackles in space and all those kinds of things.
"I think the nature of offenses continues to get harder and harder. The way they read everything with the triple option mindset of everything from (run-pass options) to where everything is read and react offensively to what you are doing, defensively. From an offensive perspective, they always feel like they have the extra answer to the equation."
In preparation, IU is lifting more than it normally does as the season approaches, "trying to get our bodies ready."
"They just have to go do it," Allen says. "There are no ramp-up games. The one advantage we have is we have had a chance to watch some of these games and try to use those mistakes others have made and help prevent our guys from making the same mistakes."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Sometimes young guys, true freshman guys, get it. They just do. Age becomes irrelevant. Talent and attitude top experience, at least in limited doses.
So here is Javon Swinton, a 6-2, 170-pound bundle of youthful potential who has generated plenty of Indiana football buzz in practice and scrimmages.
Will it surface on Oct. 24, when the Hoosiers open their delayed season against No. 9 Penn State?
Head coach Tom Allen likes what he's seen.
"He came here with an extremely mature mindset of doing what he was asked to do, always being where he supposed to be and has never had any issues."
This is especially impressive given Swinton didn't get to Bloomington until June. He stayed at Virginia's North Stafford High School through the second semester, and then had to wait through pandemic uncertainty before getting the green light to come to campus
"He was not a mid-year guy," Allen says, "so he came in the summer and it was a very unique summer. Everything he did academically was all remotely done and on Zoom with very little in person. That is hard for the new guys. He showed so much maturity through all that process, always doing everything he was supposed to do, learning the playbook, which is big.
"That is a hard thing for guys, especially offensively at that position. There is a lot going on. You are trying to find the signal. You are trying to find this, get the call, learn where you are supposed to line up.
"Every call has adjustments to it based on splits and the route you are running. There are a lot of things you have to process quickly. He has been able to do that. Obviously, at the end of the day he is making plays."
That's no surprise given Swinton made so many plays in high school. As a senior receiver, he caught 48 passes for 858 yards and 13 touchdowns. He added 46 tackles, two interceptions, seven pass breakups and one forced fumble as a cornerback.
Beyond that, he's North Stafford's all-time leading basketball scorer, and averaged 27.0 points as a senior.
"He is very talented in the ball-skill area," Allen says. "He is able to make difficult catches and consistent catches. Sometimes guys can make those tough catches and then drop the ones that are right there, but he has been very consistent in all those areas.
"His mindset and preparation, as he has tried to do everything right off the field, has led to him knowing what to do on the field. When he has had those opportunities, he continues to come up against (IU's best defensive backs) and make plays."
Receiver is a loaded position with Whop Philyor and Ty Fryfogle leading the way, but Swinton is moving up the depth chart.
"What I always tell my receivers is your job in the pass game is pretty simple: get open and catch football," Allen says. "I do not care how fast you are. It does not matter how high you can jump."
Actually, it matters a little.
"(Swinton) obviously has natural talent," Allen says. "As a receiver, you have to catch the ball. He has been doing that well. Getting open is a big part of this, too."
Swinton projects as a key backup who will benefit from receivers coach Grant Heard's play-a-lot-of-guys approach.
"He's been running with the twos a lot," Allen says. "He is in that next wave of guys that are going to get in there. He is going to play. He will play the more he learns and is able to physically handle the physicality of this game and the perimeter blocking that is required of our guys of that position. Those are things he is going to have to continue to work on.
"In this 2020 season, we know we need depth and have a number of guys who can help us. He played on both sides of the ball in high school. Those kind of guys give you valuable special teams, too, because they can usually tackle and be on the cover units as well as return units. He gives us a lot of value there. We are trying to get him on the field. I am excited for Javon."
*****
Swinton isn't the only young receiver pushing for playing time. Allen mentions Luke Shayotovich, Jacolby Hewitt and David Baker as standing out.
"Luke catches the ball extremely well and consistently, and he gets open," Allen says.
"Those young guys are coming along, developing, learning the offense and making plays."
Veteran offensive lineman Harry Crider continues his strong play at center. Offensive linemen Dylan Powell, Mackenzie Nworah and Mike Katic "are battling every day."
"They are all going to play," Allen says, "but I like the way they are competing. It gives us a chance to get the best guys on the field."
On defense, lineman Jovan Swann, a Stanford transfer, has played well. Allen is high on defensive back Devon Matthews and all the linebackers, including Aaron Casey.
"That (linebacker) group is very solid," Allen says, "but Casey stuck out to me. He did a great job of getting his run fits, making his reads, being very decisive, making tackles and doing some really good things.
As for the other veteran linebackers (Micah McFadden, Thomas Allen, James Miller and Cam Jones), Allen says, "Those guys give us the most experience. That is going to be competitive and continue to be. Their attention to detail, how well they run the defense, how well they hit the run fits… they are all going to have to play."
*****
Tackling in the age of COVID-19 is a problem. Combined with 21st Century offenses that feature the run-pass option that stretches defenses to the breaking point and it's no wonder you're seeing scoreboard-busting point totals.
See Alabama's 63-48 win over Ole Miss last Saturday as the biggest example.
"We have talked about the challenges of getting teams ready during COVID-19," Allen says. "Defensively, it is the physicality part of it, it is hitting both sides of the ball."
Allen says he got a text Saturday night about defenses struggling all over the country, and not just in college.
"It is definitely real," Allen says. "It is real on Sundays, real on Saturdays and you can see it unfolding in front of us."
Unfolding made a big impact during IU's Saturday scrimmage. Allen says Hoosier tackling regressed from their first scrimmage.
"It was not bad, but it was definitely something we worked on (Monday). We are going to work on it every day, like we have been. That is always a concern."
Scrimmages are not as long and as intense as games. Allen says he's seeing defenses wear out.
"It becomes so difficult to be able to concentrate, make checks, communicate with the guys and get in good position when your body is worn down. Making critical stops and tackles in space and all those kinds of things.
"I think the nature of offenses continues to get harder and harder. The way they read everything with the triple option mindset of everything from (run-pass options) to where everything is read and react offensively to what you are doing, defensively. From an offensive perspective, they always feel like they have the extra answer to the equation."
In preparation, IU is lifting more than it normally does as the season approaches, "trying to get our bodies ready."
"They just have to go do it," Allen says. "There are no ramp-up games. The one advantage we have is we have had a chance to watch some of these games and try to use those mistakes others have made and help prevent our guys from making the same mistakes."
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