Despite Postponement, IU Football Glory Is There For the Taking
8/14/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Imagine an alternate universe where there is no COVID-19, no shutdown of the world order, no postponement of college fall sports, no bitter disagreement over what to do.
Imagine that this Indiana football team, built by head coach Tom Allen and his staff in a four-year labor of love, tenacity and dedication, will get the chance to show what it can do against a Big Ten schedule.
In fact, there has never been a Hoosier squad better equipped to deal with a run of No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 7 Penn State, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 18 Minnesota and No. 15 Michigan in its first six games, but then, perhaps no team has ever faced such an opening challenge.
And now, it seems, never will.
Imagine, in this case, a defense rich in talent, caring players, dedicated players who have bought into Allen's we-will-do-this dream, who work and learn and push until 3- and 4-star accolades deliver 5-star results.
Imagine DB Marcelino Ball, a 6-foot, 220-pound testament to athleticism, development and character who understands that great things don't come from individual effort as much as from collective will.
Ball took this pandemic summer to show -- really show – another strong group of Hoosier freshmen what it means to work for the common good.
Talking wouldn't do it, not after away-from-campus uncertainty. So on the return to IU after two-and-a-half months, this fifth-year senior, a man capable of bench pressing more than 400 pounds and running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, worked out with the freshmen rather than his veteran counterparts, not to show off what he could do, but emphasize what they could become.
It was a real-world example, one of the last Ball will deliver as a college athlete, and he wanted to do it right.
"It was like a giving-back thing," he says. "Trying to show them the way."
The way starts with consistent effort no matter what.
"One morning they came in sluggish and I had to lovingly tell them how it is, and open their eyes to what is going on," Ball says, with "loving" taking on a tough tone.
"How there is talk of no season, talk of a season, and how serious it is and how serious you have got to be no matter what the circumstances."
A serious Ball is an extraordinary difference maker. He plays a hybrid safety-linebacker position, which means he's positioned to make plays all over the field if he is fully in tune with what needs to be done. It demands athleticism, speed, discipline and awareness of the highest order.
Last year Ball delivered with 47 tackles, two sacks, two pass breakups and six quarterback hurries to help the Hoosiers go 8-5 and earn a TaxSlayer Gator Bowl berth.
This season, he wanted more, victories over personal numbers, and in this alternate university, opportunity is there if everyone does his part. Youth is no excuse, so there was Ball, working with the freshmen.
"There are two guys from Detroit, a guy from Texas. I came from Georgia and it is like, you did not come 13 hours, eight hours, you did not come so far away from home just to mess around."
And then Ball gets real.
"No matter what the circumstances or what the situation is, you came to play. When it comes to the weight room, you have got to get bigger. They had to get things done, get their muscles up."
As for the upperclassmen he wasn't around, Ball adds, "(They) were with each other. I am sure they were pushing themselves and going hard. It showed throughout the first (few) days of official fall camp. They were running around, flying around. The offense was doing their thing; the defense was doing their thing."
Few defensive Hoosiers fly better than sophomore DB Tiawan Mullen, who is driven to improve on a freshman All-American season, pandemic stoppage be darned, without forgetting what's really important.
"Before I set my personal bar or goals for myself, I am going to set the team goals first. Make sure that I play for the team goals.
"Whatever comes after, that is what I receive."
As for specifics, Mullen adds, "Team goals for the defense are we want to hold guys to, less explosive plays, and just keep flying around playing fast. As for myself, I accept whatever comes with the defensive accolades and I will play it like that."
So will -- again in this alternate universe -- a solid group of linebackers highlighted by Micah McFadden, Cam Jones, James Miller, Thomas Allen, D.K. Bonhomme. They represent the heart of this defense.
"I think we have grown tremendously," McFadden says. "We have got a good three-deep that can all play anywhere. We are really communicative out there. Everybody is vocal.
"It is good to see that everybody is learning the defense and coming to fruition. I think we have a good core of guys that are all being great leaders out there and showing the defense, setting the example for everybody. We are looking good."
So are their youthful backups.
"I feel great about them," McFadden says. "It just feels so great to have depth behind you. If one person comes out, you are going to have somebody right behind them that is going to make the same play that the number one guy did or the number two did.
"It is really good to see guys stepping up and learning the defense. I think Coach Kane has done a great job in just making sure everybody is on point and making sure that the older guys are holding everybody accountable."
That would be defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, who has the talent, experience and scheme to shut down the Big Ten's best, even if the opportunity won't come this fall.
He shifted personnel for maximum impact, a benefit of depth rarely scene in Cream & Crimson circles.
"I think the move of Jamar Johnson to the back end has helped us tremendously," Wommack says. "I think putting Raheem Layne at the field safety along with the guys that were already there helps.
"Monster (Devon Matthews) is playing at a different level. Juwan Burgess is doing a really good job. (Bryant Fitzgerald) looks really promising. He looks more natural at the husky position along with (Ball). (Fitzgerald) being there allows us to do some different things with (Ball)."
Allen arrived five years ago with turn-the-defense-around focus and did. Now Wommack has the chance to take it to a new level.
"As we get to third down, we are able to utilize some of those sub-packages because of the speed of the back end (secondary)," Wommack says. "They are experienced and their bodies are built.
"They look better as they get older. I'm not sure the rest of us do.
"With those corners, their speed, athleticism and experience, it's a promising backfield that we are able to do multiple things with."
It's a defense built to withstand the rigors of Big Ten battles, enough to make one wonder what if ….
And then this alternate universe morphs back to the current one and the frustrating irony that Allen's best team won't get the chance to prove it.
The Big Ten voted to postpone all fall sports.
It came this week -- the push to try to play colliding with the drive to stop it. It was centered on themes of safety, science, economic devastation, lost opportunities, liability.
Allen supported the decision with a statement that started, "My heart breaks for our players."
He knew players, coaches, staff and medical personnel had done everything possible to save the season, but in the end, the decision was not theirs to make.
Allen offered perspective.
"I couldn't be prouder of the commit and focus (players) have demonstrated from the start of this pandemic. I love each of them. We will continue to support them and prepare them for what the future holds."
Allen praised his staff, IU president Michael McRobbie, new director of athletics Scott Dolson and so many more.
"The No. 1 priority always has been, and will continue to be, the health and well-being of our players.
"Our staff has been phenomenal. I couldn't be prouder to work with these men. Our team is in great hands."
And then came this final thought:
"While this is difficult, the decision is in the best interests of our players. The future is bright for Indiana football, and we will continue the RELENTLESS pursuit of our goals. L-E-O."
To take it a step further, Allen never intended to build for one great season when a decade or more was there for the taking.
One way or another, this season or the next and a bunch after that, it will be taken.
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Imagine an alternate universe where there is no COVID-19, no shutdown of the world order, no postponement of college fall sports, no bitter disagreement over what to do.
Imagine that this Indiana football team, built by head coach Tom Allen and his staff in a four-year labor of love, tenacity and dedication, will get the chance to show what it can do against a Big Ten schedule.
In fact, there has never been a Hoosier squad better equipped to deal with a run of No. 12 Wisconsin, No. 7 Penn State, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 18 Minnesota and No. 15 Michigan in its first six games, but then, perhaps no team has ever faced such an opening challenge.
And now, it seems, never will.
Imagine, in this case, a defense rich in talent, caring players, dedicated players who have bought into Allen's we-will-do-this dream, who work and learn and push until 3- and 4-star accolades deliver 5-star results.
Imagine DB Marcelino Ball, a 6-foot, 220-pound testament to athleticism, development and character who understands that great things don't come from individual effort as much as from collective will.
Ball took this pandemic summer to show -- really show – another strong group of Hoosier freshmen what it means to work for the common good.
Talking wouldn't do it, not after away-from-campus uncertainty. So on the return to IU after two-and-a-half months, this fifth-year senior, a man capable of bench pressing more than 400 pounds and running a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, worked out with the freshmen rather than his veteran counterparts, not to show off what he could do, but emphasize what they could become.
It was a real-world example, one of the last Ball will deliver as a college athlete, and he wanted to do it right.
"It was like a giving-back thing," he says. "Trying to show them the way."
The way starts with consistent effort no matter what.
"One morning they came in sluggish and I had to lovingly tell them how it is, and open their eyes to what is going on," Ball says, with "loving" taking on a tough tone.
"How there is talk of no season, talk of a season, and how serious it is and how serious you have got to be no matter what the circumstances."
A serious Ball is an extraordinary difference maker. He plays a hybrid safety-linebacker position, which means he's positioned to make plays all over the field if he is fully in tune with what needs to be done. It demands athleticism, speed, discipline and awareness of the highest order.
Last year Ball delivered with 47 tackles, two sacks, two pass breakups and six quarterback hurries to help the Hoosiers go 8-5 and earn a TaxSlayer Gator Bowl berth.
This season, he wanted more, victories over personal numbers, and in this alternate university, opportunity is there if everyone does his part. Youth is no excuse, so there was Ball, working with the freshmen.
"There are two guys from Detroit, a guy from Texas. I came from Georgia and it is like, you did not come 13 hours, eight hours, you did not come so far away from home just to mess around."
And then Ball gets real.
"No matter what the circumstances or what the situation is, you came to play. When it comes to the weight room, you have got to get bigger. They had to get things done, get their muscles up."
As for the upperclassmen he wasn't around, Ball adds, "(They) were with each other. I am sure they were pushing themselves and going hard. It showed throughout the first (few) days of official fall camp. They were running around, flying around. The offense was doing their thing; the defense was doing their thing."
Few defensive Hoosiers fly better than sophomore DB Tiawan Mullen, who is driven to improve on a freshman All-American season, pandemic stoppage be darned, without forgetting what's really important.
"Before I set my personal bar or goals for myself, I am going to set the team goals first. Make sure that I play for the team goals.
"Whatever comes after, that is what I receive."
As for specifics, Mullen adds, "Team goals for the defense are we want to hold guys to, less explosive plays, and just keep flying around playing fast. As for myself, I accept whatever comes with the defensive accolades and I will play it like that."
So will -- again in this alternate universe -- a solid group of linebackers highlighted by Micah McFadden, Cam Jones, James Miller, Thomas Allen, D.K. Bonhomme. They represent the heart of this defense.
"I think we have grown tremendously," McFadden says. "We have got a good three-deep that can all play anywhere. We are really communicative out there. Everybody is vocal.
"It is good to see that everybody is learning the defense and coming to fruition. I think we have a good core of guys that are all being great leaders out there and showing the defense, setting the example for everybody. We are looking good."
So are their youthful backups.
"I feel great about them," McFadden says. "It just feels so great to have depth behind you. If one person comes out, you are going to have somebody right behind them that is going to make the same play that the number one guy did or the number two did.
"It is really good to see guys stepping up and learning the defense. I think Coach Kane has done a great job in just making sure everybody is on point and making sure that the older guys are holding everybody accountable."
That would be defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, who has the talent, experience and scheme to shut down the Big Ten's best, even if the opportunity won't come this fall.
He shifted personnel for maximum impact, a benefit of depth rarely scene in Cream & Crimson circles.
"I think the move of Jamar Johnson to the back end has helped us tremendously," Wommack says. "I think putting Raheem Layne at the field safety along with the guys that were already there helps.
"Monster (Devon Matthews) is playing at a different level. Juwan Burgess is doing a really good job. (Bryant Fitzgerald) looks really promising. He looks more natural at the husky position along with (Ball). (Fitzgerald) being there allows us to do some different things with (Ball)."
Allen arrived five years ago with turn-the-defense-around focus and did. Now Wommack has the chance to take it to a new level.
"As we get to third down, we are able to utilize some of those sub-packages because of the speed of the back end (secondary)," Wommack says. "They are experienced and their bodies are built.
"They look better as they get older. I'm not sure the rest of us do.
"With those corners, their speed, athleticism and experience, it's a promising backfield that we are able to do multiple things with."
It's a defense built to withstand the rigors of Big Ten battles, enough to make one wonder what if ….
And then this alternate universe morphs back to the current one and the frustrating irony that Allen's best team won't get the chance to prove it.
The Big Ten voted to postpone all fall sports.
It came this week -- the push to try to play colliding with the drive to stop it. It was centered on themes of safety, science, economic devastation, lost opportunities, liability.
Allen supported the decision with a statement that started, "My heart breaks for our players."
He knew players, coaches, staff and medical personnel had done everything possible to save the season, but in the end, the decision was not theirs to make.
Allen offered perspective.
"I couldn't be prouder of the commit and focus (players) have demonstrated from the start of this pandemic. I love each of them. We will continue to support them and prepare them for what the future holds."
Allen praised his staff, IU president Michael McRobbie, new director of athletics Scott Dolson and so many more.
"The No. 1 priority always has been, and will continue to be, the health and well-being of our players.
"Our staff has been phenomenal. I couldn't be prouder to work with these men. Our team is in great hands."
And then came this final thought:
"While this is difficult, the decision is in the best interests of our players. The future is bright for Indiana football, and we will continue the RELENTLESS pursuit of our goals. L-E-O."
To take it a step further, Allen never intended to build for one great season when a decade or more was there for the taking.
One way or another, this season or the next and a bunch after that, it will be taken.
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