Indiana University Athletics
‘Wake-Up Call’ Has Sharpened Offensive Lineman’s Focus
11/27/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Luke Haggard didn't see this coming.
The junior offensive lineman arrived at Indiana from California thinking redshirt. Ease into Big Ten playing time.
Instead, he got starting opportunity, including at No. 3 Ohio State.
He handled it, with more to come.
"His best football is ahead of him," head coach Tom Allen says.
Without left tackle Caleb Jones, a 6-8, 362-pound force of nature, the 6-7, 275-pound was Haggard into the spotlight.
Well, as much of the spotlight an offensive lineman can generate.
"Having my number called up, and getting the starting spot was definitely a big wake-up call for me," he says. "Knowing that I really need to focus on the film study and also the weight factor."
Yes, weight matters when you're trying to protect quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and blast open running back holes. Haggard can't gain 100 pounds in a couple of weeks, but he can improve technique, awareness and attention to detail.
"He does need to continue to get bigger and stronger," Allen says. "He will. He works extremely hard in the weight room.
"He had the opportunity with Caleb Jones unable to go, and he took advantage of it.
Haggard already has the athleticism and quickness IU coaches want in their offensive linemen.
"His athleticism is one of his strengths, that is for sure," Allen says. "He is a really tough kid. He cares a bunch and he works extremely hard. I talked to our strength staff and since the first day that he got here, they have loved him in the weight room and the way he approaches everything that he does.
"When you get guys that are long and lean like he is, it is the kind of body type that we are looking for to put good weight on. I am really pleased with him and he needs to keep developing."
Adds Haggard: "(Coaches) were not too concerned about my weight redshirting, but now that all this has gone on, I really had to step it up and focus in."
A former high school lacrosse, rugby and football player in California, Haggard spent two years at Santa Rose Junior College in California. While there, he was named team captain and earned all-conference and all-region honors.
"I stuck with it and trusted the process," he says, "and eventually all of this happened."
Haggard came to IU last winter for the second semester, got a dose of IU's strength and conditioning program, a couple of spring practices, a blast of pandemic-caused separation and near canceled season, and then a chance to start against the likes of Ohio State.
It was a big adjustment, he says, aided by teammates' help.
"Especially when I first got here, I never felt like I was an outsider coming from a JC," he says. "They were right there with me to help along.
"Then at the games, they are always, no matter what happens on the field, they are always cheering me on and supporting me. They have been great the whole time."
Adds Allen: "He does not have a long history of playing offensive tackle or offensive line at all. I do believe that he is going to be a really good football player. He has already done a very, very good job for us. I expect him to keep improving as he gets stronger, bigger and understands the position better."
Improvement should continue on Saturday, when No. 12 IU (4-1) hosts Maryland (2-1).
Haggard and the offensive line were big reasons why the Hoosiers generated nearly 500 total yards last Saturday against the Buckeyes thanks to big passing plays.
They hope to duplicate that against Maryland. Receiver Whop Philyor is among those likely to reap the benefits.
"That is what our mind set is," Philyor says about producing big plays. "Medium passes to long balls. We work on long balls a lot.
"It is going to be big for us this year, the years to come. That is going to be a big thing for us because we know we have got a gunslinger back there."
That would be Penix.
"He can throw it anywhere," Philyor says. "He is just a gunslinger. He can throw it perfectly down the field, medium routes, he can put anything on the money. That is our main focus. Down the field or medium passes."
Philyor, as you can tell, is a big Penix fan.
"He will do anything to try and give me the ball, and I love that about him. He is doing anything to get the ball out. He is doing anything for us to make a play.
"He is making plays for us while we are making plays for him in the open field and down the field. We have got to do everything we can to make a play, just like he is doing everything he can to get the ball out."
Philyor, a 1000-yard receiver last season, is also a big fan about teammate Ty Fryfogle's recent hot streak (25 catches, 560 yards and 7 touchdowns in the last 3 games).
"We knew Ty could do this," Phylor says. "We knew he could do this when he first came in. They used to call him on (official visits) 'Jump Ball', and when I looked up his highlights, I saw him bombing people, coming over people's heads.
"We knew he could do this. He just had to gain the confidence in himself to do it. And look at him now. He is doing it right now. He is getting more confident as he goes, and his swag is out of this world. You see it on the field and off. He is just doing everything."
Fryfogle leads IU in catches (31), receiving yards (642) and receiving touchdowns (7). Philyor has 30 catches, 343 yards and two touchdowns.
"He is a great player and I love that guy," Philyor says about Fryfogle. "I knew he could do that. I was just waiting for the flash out and start doing everybody dirty, like he has been doing."
IU also is hoping for a breakthrough from David Ellis, a sophomore running back, receiver and kicker returner rounding into form after injuries. In two games, he has six catches for 94 yards and a touchdown.
"Dealing with an injury is not something a player wants to go through," he says, "but there is a great support system around me with my coaches, my teammates and training room. People that helped me with rehab and everything, they made it a lot easier for me."
Ellis says he did a lot of film watching and taking "mental reps" while he was sidelined. Having played running back as well as receiver has helped accelerate his improvement.
"You just learn the entire offense in different ways, learn protections and concepts at the same time. It is a lot faster paced, but it is what I asked for. I came here to do it, so it is what I love to do."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Luke Haggard didn't see this coming.
The junior offensive lineman arrived at Indiana from California thinking redshirt. Ease into Big Ten playing time.
Instead, he got starting opportunity, including at No. 3 Ohio State.
He handled it, with more to come.
"His best football is ahead of him," head coach Tom Allen says.
Without left tackle Caleb Jones, a 6-8, 362-pound force of nature, the 6-7, 275-pound was Haggard into the spotlight.
Well, as much of the spotlight an offensive lineman can generate.
"Having my number called up, and getting the starting spot was definitely a big wake-up call for me," he says. "Knowing that I really need to focus on the film study and also the weight factor."
Yes, weight matters when you're trying to protect quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and blast open running back holes. Haggard can't gain 100 pounds in a couple of weeks, but he can improve technique, awareness and attention to detail.
"He does need to continue to get bigger and stronger," Allen says. "He will. He works extremely hard in the weight room.
"He had the opportunity with Caleb Jones unable to go, and he took advantage of it.
Haggard already has the athleticism and quickness IU coaches want in their offensive linemen.
"His athleticism is one of his strengths, that is for sure," Allen says. "He is a really tough kid. He cares a bunch and he works extremely hard. I talked to our strength staff and since the first day that he got here, they have loved him in the weight room and the way he approaches everything that he does.
"When you get guys that are long and lean like he is, it is the kind of body type that we are looking for to put good weight on. I am really pleased with him and he needs to keep developing."
Adds Haggard: "(Coaches) were not too concerned about my weight redshirting, but now that all this has gone on, I really had to step it up and focus in."
A former high school lacrosse, rugby and football player in California, Haggard spent two years at Santa Rose Junior College in California. While there, he was named team captain and earned all-conference and all-region honors.
"I stuck with it and trusted the process," he says, "and eventually all of this happened."
Haggard came to IU last winter for the second semester, got a dose of IU's strength and conditioning program, a couple of spring practices, a blast of pandemic-caused separation and near canceled season, and then a chance to start against the likes of Ohio State.
It was a big adjustment, he says, aided by teammates' help.
"Especially when I first got here, I never felt like I was an outsider coming from a JC," he says. "They were right there with me to help along.
"Then at the games, they are always, no matter what happens on the field, they are always cheering me on and supporting me. They have been great the whole time."
Adds Allen: "He does not have a long history of playing offensive tackle or offensive line at all. I do believe that he is going to be a really good football player. He has already done a very, very good job for us. I expect him to keep improving as he gets stronger, bigger and understands the position better."
Improvement should continue on Saturday, when No. 12 IU (4-1) hosts Maryland (2-1).
Haggard and the offensive line were big reasons why the Hoosiers generated nearly 500 total yards last Saturday against the Buckeyes thanks to big passing plays.
They hope to duplicate that against Maryland. Receiver Whop Philyor is among those likely to reap the benefits.
"That is what our mind set is," Philyor says about producing big plays. "Medium passes to long balls. We work on long balls a lot.
"It is going to be big for us this year, the years to come. That is going to be a big thing for us because we know we have got a gunslinger back there."
That would be Penix.
"He can throw it anywhere," Philyor says. "He is just a gunslinger. He can throw it perfectly down the field, medium routes, he can put anything on the money. That is our main focus. Down the field or medium passes."
Philyor, as you can tell, is a big Penix fan.
"He will do anything to try and give me the ball, and I love that about him. He is doing anything to get the ball out. He is doing anything for us to make a play.
"He is making plays for us while we are making plays for him in the open field and down the field. We have got to do everything we can to make a play, just like he is doing everything he can to get the ball out."
Philyor, a 1000-yard receiver last season, is also a big fan about teammate Ty Fryfogle's recent hot streak (25 catches, 560 yards and 7 touchdowns in the last 3 games).
"We knew Ty could do this," Phylor says. "We knew he could do this when he first came in. They used to call him on (official visits) 'Jump Ball', and when I looked up his highlights, I saw him bombing people, coming over people's heads.
"We knew he could do this. He just had to gain the confidence in himself to do it. And look at him now. He is doing it right now. He is getting more confident as he goes, and his swag is out of this world. You see it on the field and off. He is just doing everything."
Fryfogle leads IU in catches (31), receiving yards (642) and receiving touchdowns (7). Philyor has 30 catches, 343 yards and two touchdowns.
"He is a great player and I love that guy," Philyor says about Fryfogle. "I knew he could do that. I was just waiting for the flash out and start doing everybody dirty, like he has been doing."
IU also is hoping for a breakthrough from David Ellis, a sophomore running back, receiver and kicker returner rounding into form after injuries. In two games, he has six catches for 94 yards and a touchdown.
"Dealing with an injury is not something a player wants to go through," he says, "but there is a great support system around me with my coaches, my teammates and training room. People that helped me with rehab and everything, they made it a lot easier for me."
Ellis says he did a lot of film watching and taking "mental reps" while he was sidelined. Having played running back as well as receiver has helped accelerate his improvement.
"You just learn the entire offense in different ways, learn protections and concepts at the same time. It is a lot faster paced, but it is what I asked for. I came here to do it, so it is what I love to do."
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