Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: Fall Camp Practice #2
8/7/2020 1:21:00 PM | Football
Below is a partial transcript of Zoom press conferences with Indiana offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Nick Sheridan, QB Michael Penix Jr., WR Whop Philyor and RB Stevie Scott III on Aug. 7.
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Nick Sheridan
Q. On lack of summer work by the offense…
SHERIDAN: I think that is probably an issue that a lot of other teams are dealing with. But we do not make any excuses. We have a talented group of guys that are working hard and have a great attitude. We are just taking it a day at a time and trying to get better each and every day. This has not been typical, but certainly that has been the case for everybody. We are just excited about the opportunities that we do get out on the grass and work and get better. We know that each and every rep that we have and each minute of meetings, walk-throughs and practices are super valuable, and we have to take advantage of those. We have to make the most of them. This is an eager group of guys and a very talented group of guys. I look forward to us getting better each and every day.
Q. On offensive tweaks and terminology changes…
SHERIDAN: We are trying our best to keep the terminology the same for their ability to retain and build off of what we did last year. The biggest change, and the biggest challenge for each coach each year, is that it is not the same group. You have different pieces. Certainly, we have a bunch of guys that are returning, but at the same time there are still new pieces that you are trying to integrate. Guys that had smaller roles last year could have bigger roles this year. We are trying to emphasize what those strengths are, we are trying to highlight those strengths of each player. The guys that had big roles last year, we are looking to push them to improve and expand their roles even more. That is really the challenge. We have to identify what this group of guys is best at and make sure that we highlight those things. Certainly, we have a better idea for the guys that we had the chance to be out on the field with last year and compete with. We did not have the spring practice, obviously, so there are still a lot of question marks for the young players and the position groups that are maybe younger than others. That is probably the biggest thing. Fortunately, we have such a great staff, an experienced staff that has a lot of banked knowledge on different schemes, different techniques and things of that nature. It is our job to identify for this group, this year, what we are going to try to emphasize and the things we are going to highlight to put our guys in the best position to be successful.
Q. On getting Whop Philyor involved…
SHERIDAN: Whop is a guy that has earned touches. He is a guy that is explosive with the football, he loves to play and he is a guy we plan to feature. I think the biggest challenge, and I think everyone knows this, but there are certain ways to take things away. When we are a difficult offense to stop, it is because there are other pieces of our offense that is difficult to stop. That will open things up. If we only have one person that can get open or create a mismatch, there are ways for our opponent to focus in on that. The challenge is for us to develop depth to where if they want to double Whop or tilt the coverage towards Whop, other people have to separate, get open and go get the football. If we do that consistently, then they realize they cannot do that. No doubt, Whop is a guy that has earned touches and we will be looking to get him the ball. We are developing the guys around him. We are expecting big things from Ty Fryfogle. Miles Marshall and some of the other young wideouts are still TBD because we are still so early in practice. Those guys, we fully expect them to step up and create some even distribution on offense so that we are more difficult to defend.
QB Michael Penix Jr.
Q. On being back on the field with the team…
PENIX: It has been great getting back on the field. You know, that is what we have all been waiting for. I feel like we just picked up where we left off. We have still been grinding every day. We have still been going over the plays, making sure we know what we have to do so whenever this time had come, we knew what we were going to do and knew how to execute at a high level. That is what we have been doing these past few days.
Q. On being more of a leader on the field…
PENIX: Basically, just knowing the plays and being ahead of the game. Knowing what the defense is going to do so I can check to a better play if necessary. That is basically it and just continue to lead and continue to motivate the whole offense to go out and work hard. Coach always tells us, it does not matter if the defense, they didn't know the play, we have got to execute. No matter what, we have got to find a way to make it happen and that is what we have been doing.
Q. On what he personally wants to bring to the offense…
PENIX: Consistency, moving the ball and making great reads. Always getting ahead of the chains and putting us in great situations. It makes everybody else's job easier.
WR Whop Philyor
Q. On maintaining chemistry with Michael Penix Jr. in the offseason…
PHILYOR: Me and Mike are both from Tampa so we are always going to see each other. We see each other all the time. Either he is at my house or we are outside throwing the football and we are on the game. We are always together so there is never a time we are not together. Our relationship is always going to be brother and brother. That is my brother. Not much more to explain, we are brothers. We are always going to be together.
Q. On improving his game this fall…
PHILYOR: Aside from football, I really try to focus on being a better leader. I always say I want to be a better leader every year. Working on my leadership, getting my words out so everybody can understand so it will not just be directed to one person so the whole team can hear it. On the football side, probably the main thing for us and me is just getting back and used to it. We did not get much in the spring so, getting back in the flow, getting back used to it. I feel like everything is going to come out and play itself out. So, really just getting used to getting in touch, getting grabs, stuff like that. That is really the main focus right now for us, and me, as well. Just getting back to being normal basically.
Q. On having the support of IU Athletics in speaking out on social justice…
PHILYOR: It was very important to me that I was getting out there letting my voice be heard. I am happy that the staff is behind me because it is not doing anything but educating people. It is just educate, educate. If they see Coach Tom Allen doing it, they are like, maybe it is the right thing to do. Some people do not think it is the right thing to do, being for Black Lives Matter. Not everybody thinks that Black Lives Matter. To see Coach Allen doing it, I am not going to lie, it really made me happy. It made me love him even more. It is just big. So, if they see Coach Allen doing it, maybe the Coach (Ryan) Day will be like, man Coach Allen is on board, let me get on board so I can have my players on board. Then it is going to start a chain reaction. When Ohio State is doing it, Penn State is doing it, and then people in football are just going to educate people because everybody loves football. Everybody loves us, so they will be like man, maybe it is the right thing to do. Maybe it is the right thing to care about somebody other than myself. So, I was really happy that Coach Allen got on board. I was really happy because he let me come in the office and explain to him. I was crying with this man. If I cry in front of a person that means that I love them, I trust them. So, I trust this man with my life. It is big that Coach Allen and the staff are behind us on that. I am so happy that I am part of Indiana, the LEO. It is a brand-new wave, man. We really love each other out here. We do not just love each other, we love others, outside of the building. We love our haters. I am just so happy to be a part of this team and this culture.
RB Stevie Scott III
Q. On improving his performance this year…
SCOTT III: Starting in practice, taking practice as a game, and just try to do things as I would do in a game in practice to try to improve on every little cut, block or catch. So, really it just starts in practice and then once I get everything complete in practice, then it will work my way to the game, to help me improve it.
Q. On David Ellis and his versatility…
SCOTT III: David Ellis is a great player, very versatile. He has great speed, great hands, and he has big thighs, big traps, so you know he can run between the tackles. He can use his speed to get past you. He is definitely one of those playmakers on the team that you can put anywhere and whenever his name is called, you can trust that he can make a play.
Q. On Michael Penix Jr.'s leadership…
SCOTT III: I can tell that he has stepped up just from the offseason. When he stepped on campus and we were able to come together on the campus, he would get all the guys together just to throw. He was trying to keep us together and build that chemistry starting from the offseason. Then as workouts started and things of that nature, he was always in the front of the line. He was trying to help better guys in certain ways and areas. I feel like Mike is, he is still learning, but I feel that by the beginning of the season to the end, I feel like Mike will be where he should be at for a leader.
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach Nick Sheridan
Q. On lack of summer work by the offense…
SHERIDAN: I think that is probably an issue that a lot of other teams are dealing with. But we do not make any excuses. We have a talented group of guys that are working hard and have a great attitude. We are just taking it a day at a time and trying to get better each and every day. This has not been typical, but certainly that has been the case for everybody. We are just excited about the opportunities that we do get out on the grass and work and get better. We know that each and every rep that we have and each minute of meetings, walk-throughs and practices are super valuable, and we have to take advantage of those. We have to make the most of them. This is an eager group of guys and a very talented group of guys. I look forward to us getting better each and every day.
Q. On offensive tweaks and terminology changes…
SHERIDAN: We are trying our best to keep the terminology the same for their ability to retain and build off of what we did last year. The biggest change, and the biggest challenge for each coach each year, is that it is not the same group. You have different pieces. Certainly, we have a bunch of guys that are returning, but at the same time there are still new pieces that you are trying to integrate. Guys that had smaller roles last year could have bigger roles this year. We are trying to emphasize what those strengths are, we are trying to highlight those strengths of each player. The guys that had big roles last year, we are looking to push them to improve and expand their roles even more. That is really the challenge. We have to identify what this group of guys is best at and make sure that we highlight those things. Certainly, we have a better idea for the guys that we had the chance to be out on the field with last year and compete with. We did not have the spring practice, obviously, so there are still a lot of question marks for the young players and the position groups that are maybe younger than others. That is probably the biggest thing. Fortunately, we have such a great staff, an experienced staff that has a lot of banked knowledge on different schemes, different techniques and things of that nature. It is our job to identify for this group, this year, what we are going to try to emphasize and the things we are going to highlight to put our guys in the best position to be successful.
Q. On getting Whop Philyor involved…
SHERIDAN: Whop is a guy that has earned touches. He is a guy that is explosive with the football, he loves to play and he is a guy we plan to feature. I think the biggest challenge, and I think everyone knows this, but there are certain ways to take things away. When we are a difficult offense to stop, it is because there are other pieces of our offense that is difficult to stop. That will open things up. If we only have one person that can get open or create a mismatch, there are ways for our opponent to focus in on that. The challenge is for us to develop depth to where if they want to double Whop or tilt the coverage towards Whop, other people have to separate, get open and go get the football. If we do that consistently, then they realize they cannot do that. No doubt, Whop is a guy that has earned touches and we will be looking to get him the ball. We are developing the guys around him. We are expecting big things from Ty Fryfogle. Miles Marshall and some of the other young wideouts are still TBD because we are still so early in practice. Those guys, we fully expect them to step up and create some even distribution on offense so that we are more difficult to defend.
QB Michael Penix Jr.
Q. On being back on the field with the team…
PENIX: It has been great getting back on the field. You know, that is what we have all been waiting for. I feel like we just picked up where we left off. We have still been grinding every day. We have still been going over the plays, making sure we know what we have to do so whenever this time had come, we knew what we were going to do and knew how to execute at a high level. That is what we have been doing these past few days.
Q. On being more of a leader on the field…
PENIX: Basically, just knowing the plays and being ahead of the game. Knowing what the defense is going to do so I can check to a better play if necessary. That is basically it and just continue to lead and continue to motivate the whole offense to go out and work hard. Coach always tells us, it does not matter if the defense, they didn't know the play, we have got to execute. No matter what, we have got to find a way to make it happen and that is what we have been doing.
Q. On what he personally wants to bring to the offense…
PENIX: Consistency, moving the ball and making great reads. Always getting ahead of the chains and putting us in great situations. It makes everybody else's job easier.
WR Whop Philyor
Q. On maintaining chemistry with Michael Penix Jr. in the offseason…
PHILYOR: Me and Mike are both from Tampa so we are always going to see each other. We see each other all the time. Either he is at my house or we are outside throwing the football and we are on the game. We are always together so there is never a time we are not together. Our relationship is always going to be brother and brother. That is my brother. Not much more to explain, we are brothers. We are always going to be together.
Q. On improving his game this fall…
PHILYOR: Aside from football, I really try to focus on being a better leader. I always say I want to be a better leader every year. Working on my leadership, getting my words out so everybody can understand so it will not just be directed to one person so the whole team can hear it. On the football side, probably the main thing for us and me is just getting back and used to it. We did not get much in the spring so, getting back in the flow, getting back used to it. I feel like everything is going to come out and play itself out. So, really just getting used to getting in touch, getting grabs, stuff like that. That is really the main focus right now for us, and me, as well. Just getting back to being normal basically.
Q. On having the support of IU Athletics in speaking out on social justice…
PHILYOR: It was very important to me that I was getting out there letting my voice be heard. I am happy that the staff is behind me because it is not doing anything but educating people. It is just educate, educate. If they see Coach Tom Allen doing it, they are like, maybe it is the right thing to do. Some people do not think it is the right thing to do, being for Black Lives Matter. Not everybody thinks that Black Lives Matter. To see Coach Allen doing it, I am not going to lie, it really made me happy. It made me love him even more. It is just big. So, if they see Coach Allen doing it, maybe the Coach (Ryan) Day will be like, man Coach Allen is on board, let me get on board so I can have my players on board. Then it is going to start a chain reaction. When Ohio State is doing it, Penn State is doing it, and then people in football are just going to educate people because everybody loves football. Everybody loves us, so they will be like man, maybe it is the right thing to do. Maybe it is the right thing to care about somebody other than myself. So, I was really happy that Coach Allen got on board. I was really happy because he let me come in the office and explain to him. I was crying with this man. If I cry in front of a person that means that I love them, I trust them. So, I trust this man with my life. It is big that Coach Allen and the staff are behind us on that. I am so happy that I am part of Indiana, the LEO. It is a brand-new wave, man. We really love each other out here. We do not just love each other, we love others, outside of the building. We love our haters. I am just so happy to be a part of this team and this culture.
RB Stevie Scott III
Q. On improving his performance this year…
SCOTT III: Starting in practice, taking practice as a game, and just try to do things as I would do in a game in practice to try to improve on every little cut, block or catch. So, really it just starts in practice and then once I get everything complete in practice, then it will work my way to the game, to help me improve it.
Q. On David Ellis and his versatility…
SCOTT III: David Ellis is a great player, very versatile. He has great speed, great hands, and he has big thighs, big traps, so you know he can run between the tackles. He can use his speed to get past you. He is definitely one of those playmakers on the team that you can put anywhere and whenever his name is called, you can trust that he can make a play.
Q. On Michael Penix Jr.'s leadership…
SCOTT III: I can tell that he has stepped up just from the offseason. When he stepped on campus and we were able to come together on the campus, he would get all the guys together just to throw. He was trying to keep us together and build that chemistry starting from the offseason. Then as workouts started and things of that nature, he was always in the front of the line. He was trying to help better guys in certain ways and areas. I feel like Mike is, he is still learning, but I feel that by the beginning of the season to the end, I feel like Mike will be where he should be at for a leader.
Players Mentioned
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