Indiana University Athletics
Indiana Aims For Better Defense Through Instinct
4/24/2020 9:30:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Here is Kane Wommack, before Covid-19 stopped college football and everything else worldwide, contemplating a difference-making Indiana defense.
"You ask about what we want to improve on," the Hoosiers defensive coordinator says. "It's playing with more instinctive vision so we can make more plays on the backend."
In other words, he wants a rock-somebody's-world secondary, and a lot more.
Wommack is gearing up for his second season in charge of the defense. He wants a unit that will dominate; a group so physically and mentally in tune to what needs to be done that offenses will buckle.
Strong linebacker play is a big key. The good news -- IU has recruited the position extremely well in the last couple of years. It has the kind of talent and leadership crucial to thrive in the brutal Big Ten East.
"The linebacker group, the ownership and control they have taken on, they're like a wolf pack in that weight room," says Wommack, who coaches linebackers in addition to his defensive coordinator responsibilities.
"If you want to work out with those guys, you've got to be on that. The attitude and leadership that's there is something we have not had since I've been here. The way that they look, the presence they give on the field and in the locker room, it's been the missing link the last two years. I'm excited about that group."
Excitement seems part of Wommack's DNA as he contemplates next season's possibilities for a unit that recorded two shutouts and that held two other teams to three points.
Take veteran linebacker Thomas Allen, who is recovering from last season's major shoulder injury. He's playing a big mentor role to young linebackers such as D.K. Bonhomme, Cameron Williams and Ty Wise.
"He's trying to consider what he wants to do after college," Wommack says of Allen, the head coach's son. "I'm going to try to convince that dude to coach. The way he carries himself, the way he knows this defense. He's been around it since he's been an eighth grader.
"To have all those things, the knowledge and understanding and the confidence he has for these young guys. The knowledge that he brings is invaluable."
When it comes to the secondary, look for defensive back Josh Sanguinetti to make a major impact after redshirting last season as a true freshman.
"He's a very instinctive player," Wommack says. "We want to make more plays on the outside. He has to hold more weight if he wants to play safety in the Big Ten.
"He's 172 pounds. He can play corner for us. He has the speed and athleticism. We need the instinctive vision he plays with."
Instinct also sparked Jamar Johnson's move from husky (a hybrid linebacker/safety) to free safety.
"He's one of our more instinctive players," Wommack says. "He's one of our best playmakers. Let's get him in the in the backend more and let him make more plays than you can from the husky position in terms of the vision."
Bryant Fitzgerald is another playmaker who, "Is so good around the box," Wommack says. "We were able to activate him a little more, bring him off the edge, bringing pressure. He's that hybrid safety/linebacker guy that we want to get more active in the run game."
Freshman defensive lineman Damarjhe Lewis made a big spring practice impression, which is what you want from a guy who passed on his final semester of high school to enroll in college early.
"He's a 6-3, 290-pound player who with his get-off, his pop, (was) already making plays (in spring practice)," Wommack says.
"He doesn't know what he's doing yet. I told him, you won't know what's going on, just make plays.
"It's like (linebacker Micah McFadden) his freshman year. I'm not sure he knew half the plays out there that he made. It was, just go make plays.
"Football players can show up and catch a coach's eyes. That's what Damarjhe is doing."
Wommack likes what he's seen with the addition of defensive line coach Kevin Peoples and safeties coach Jason Jones to a staff of cornerbacks coach Brandon Shelby and defensive backs/special teams coach Kasey Teegardin.
"I love what the combination of Jason Jones and Kasey Teegardin has brought to us in the backend and the safety positions. They work well together. There are no egos. They work off of each other. There's great communication back there.
"You can tell by the way guys communicate, line up, execute and play with instinctive vision that they're getting well-rounded coaching.
"And then with Shelby, we have an army (of coaches) back there. It's been really good."
As for Peoples, Wommack likes the fact Peoples once coached under Pete Jenkins, a 54-year defensive coach in the Southeastern Conference and the NFL.
"I've known Peeps for quite a while now. He comes from the Pete Jenkins philosophy, who was the godfather of (an aggressive) style of D-line play. That's something we need in terms of the physicality and the way we play with our hands. We'll make more plays and have more production out of that room with the way we'll teach those guys and from a fundamental standpoint."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Here is Kane Wommack, before Covid-19 stopped college football and everything else worldwide, contemplating a difference-making Indiana defense.
"You ask about what we want to improve on," the Hoosiers defensive coordinator says. "It's playing with more instinctive vision so we can make more plays on the backend."
In other words, he wants a rock-somebody's-world secondary, and a lot more.
Wommack is gearing up for his second season in charge of the defense. He wants a unit that will dominate; a group so physically and mentally in tune to what needs to be done that offenses will buckle.
Strong linebacker play is a big key. The good news -- IU has recruited the position extremely well in the last couple of years. It has the kind of talent and leadership crucial to thrive in the brutal Big Ten East.
"The linebacker group, the ownership and control they have taken on, they're like a wolf pack in that weight room," says Wommack, who coaches linebackers in addition to his defensive coordinator responsibilities.
"If you want to work out with those guys, you've got to be on that. The attitude and leadership that's there is something we have not had since I've been here. The way that they look, the presence they give on the field and in the locker room, it's been the missing link the last two years. I'm excited about that group."
Excitement seems part of Wommack's DNA as he contemplates next season's possibilities for a unit that recorded two shutouts and that held two other teams to three points.
Take veteran linebacker Thomas Allen, who is recovering from last season's major shoulder injury. He's playing a big mentor role to young linebackers such as D.K. Bonhomme, Cameron Williams and Ty Wise.
"He's trying to consider what he wants to do after college," Wommack says of Allen, the head coach's son. "I'm going to try to convince that dude to coach. The way he carries himself, the way he knows this defense. He's been around it since he's been an eighth grader.
"To have all those things, the knowledge and understanding and the confidence he has for these young guys. The knowledge that he brings is invaluable."
When it comes to the secondary, look for defensive back Josh Sanguinetti to make a major impact after redshirting last season as a true freshman.
"He's a very instinctive player," Wommack says. "We want to make more plays on the outside. He has to hold more weight if he wants to play safety in the Big Ten.
"He's 172 pounds. He can play corner for us. He has the speed and athleticism. We need the instinctive vision he plays with."
Instinct also sparked Jamar Johnson's move from husky (a hybrid linebacker/safety) to free safety.
"He's one of our more instinctive players," Wommack says. "He's one of our best playmakers. Let's get him in the in the backend more and let him make more plays than you can from the husky position in terms of the vision."
Bryant Fitzgerald is another playmaker who, "Is so good around the box," Wommack says. "We were able to activate him a little more, bring him off the edge, bringing pressure. He's that hybrid safety/linebacker guy that we want to get more active in the run game."
Freshman defensive lineman Damarjhe Lewis made a big spring practice impression, which is what you want from a guy who passed on his final semester of high school to enroll in college early.
"He's a 6-3, 290-pound player who with his get-off, his pop, (was) already making plays (in spring practice)," Wommack says.
"He doesn't know what he's doing yet. I told him, you won't know what's going on, just make plays.
"It's like (linebacker Micah McFadden) his freshman year. I'm not sure he knew half the plays out there that he made. It was, just go make plays.
"Football players can show up and catch a coach's eyes. That's what Damarjhe is doing."
Wommack likes what he's seen with the addition of defensive line coach Kevin Peoples and safeties coach Jason Jones to a staff of cornerbacks coach Brandon Shelby and defensive backs/special teams coach Kasey Teegardin.
"I love what the combination of Jason Jones and Kasey Teegardin has brought to us in the backend and the safety positions. They work well together. There are no egos. They work off of each other. There's great communication back there.
"You can tell by the way guys communicate, line up, execute and play with instinctive vision that they're getting well-rounded coaching.
"And then with Shelby, we have an army (of coaches) back there. It's been really good."
As for Peoples, Wommack likes the fact Peoples once coached under Pete Jenkins, a 54-year defensive coach in the Southeastern Conference and the NFL.
"I've known Peeps for quite a while now. He comes from the Pete Jenkins philosophy, who was the godfather of (an aggressive) style of D-line play. That's something we need in terms of the physicality and the way we play with our hands. We'll make more plays and have more production out of that room with the way we'll teach those guys and from a fundamental standpoint."
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