Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: Fall Camp Edition - August 27 Update
8/27/2021 1:34:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The final group to meet with the media during fall camp spoke on Friday (Aug. 27) as the tight ends spoke via Zoom inside Memorial Stadium. Tight ends coach Kevin Wright, along with tight ends AJ Barner and Peyton Hendershot and linebacker Cam Jones all answered questions.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conferences from Friday, Aug. 27. Video of the full media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Kevin Wright | Tight Ends
On Peyton Hendershot's progression going into his senior year..
KW: With Peyton, he has had a great offseason. The thing was, with COVID, and he had some surgeries going into last year and he wasn't really able to get himself physically to the point he wanted to be at during the season. He played at 240 last year. This year he is about 252, 253, body percentage is down, and he has had a tremendous camp. Watching him and his development, he has always been able to catch the football and have good ball skills. I think what you will see is one of the better blocking tight ends in the Big Ten. I think that is a byproduct of all the work he has put in this offseason. He is one of our strongest guys on the team in general. Good ball skills, he is stronger, more physical, and he has played like a veteran throughout camp.
On how injuries held back Peyton was last year…
KW: He had foot surgery and he had his shoulder kind of cleaned up and that was right before we went on pause in March. By the time he was able to rehab with our guys, it was July. We were originally hoping that we could get him back by mid-August in a perfect world, so I think you look at the fact that he played at 10-12 pounds less, so you don't have the normal body strength that he had probably the year before. I think he needed to change his composition because, like a lot of our guys you are not able to have that continuous workout cycle from January all the way on. The other thing was not really having the time to throw with [quarterback] Mike [Penix Jr.] and go out and work with your starting quarterback. I think that is something that people take for granted that connection he had with Peyton [Ramsey] the year before, that you are working on to get to with Mike. Those guys have worked really hard all summer, Mike, Peyton, [Ty] Fryfogle, as a unit, so I think that is one reason he is way ahead of where he was this time last year.
On AJ Barner…
KW: I'm really excited about AJ. The tight end position, and we talked about this in our room today, the tight end position is one that you kind of develop into as you get older. A lot of times that is not the position you play in high school, so I think AJ playing linebacker primarily, he was the defensive player of the year in his league, bringing that type of mentality over to the offensive side of the ball, along with his skill set physically, being long, having good ball skills, all those things were an advantage for AJ to start with. I think more than anything he had to learn from a schematic standpoint and from a technique standpoint the blocking component, the route component, so last year we were fortunate Peyton and Matt Bjorson stayed healthy, so he played primarily on special teams, but he was always that guy, we had a couple of games where we would get him in the game with Peyton because those two guys would bring some things as a pair. He is a guy that I think has a high ceiling and I think you will see him more on the field this year, not just on special teams, but in different packages. He is going to be a good football player. I think, and I've told the guys in our room, this is probably the first time in a long time, maybe ever, you can look at the tight end room and say there are a couple potential NFL guys sitting in that room.
Peyton Hendershot | TE | Sr.-R
On how he is physically and what he is excited for the season…
PH: I feel probably the best I've ever felt in my life. My speed, my strength, everything. I feel like for a long time I was trying to figure out a good weight for me. My sophomore year I was 265, last year I was a little too light, this year I'm at 245 and I feel that that is a really good weight for me, especially running routes.
On how held back he was last year…
PH: When it comes down to last year, for everyone it was a lot of unfortunate circumstances. I had shoulder surgery middle of January, I had ankle surgery two weeks later, then COVID happened. I couldn't get really any treatment on my body. Coming into the end of last year, it was kind of a 'am I ready to go' type of thing, [and I was] not confident. This year we have had a good offseason and I've had probably the best offseason I've ever had, and this year is focused on 'I'm ready to go and let's make it a big year.'
On his relationship with quarterback Michael Penix Jr.…
PH: It was kind of a big emphasis for us, because last year you could just tell how we were not on the same page. That is just a bunch of unfortunate circumstances: we didn't get the spring or fall to throw at all, so we made that an emphasis for us this offseason. Any time we could, me and Mike would go throw and catch. It is kind of like we are vibing it this year because there are times when the play gets busted and somehow me and him are on the same page and he finds me. It is a really good feeling and I feel like we have a really good chemistry coming into this year.
AJ Barner | TE | So.
On how fall camp has gone for him...
AB: I would just say from a maturity standpoint, last year not having a full fall camp was difficult, but this year with a full fall camp and having Matt [Bjorson] and Peyton [Hendershot] around me, to have guys like that around me to ask questions if I don't know what I am doing, has been huge for me.
On switching sides of the ball when he got to IU...
AB: I feel like that has been awesome to me. In high school, I was more of a defensive player. Now, transitioning in college and playing tight end, I bring that physicality to the table in blocking and lateral movement, I feel like I have an upper hand in that. It has been a great transition and am really happy I made the switch.
On how much the older tight ends have helped him...
AB: I would say I am extremely fortunate to have those guys in front of me. Peyton, to see him work all offseason and to have a guy like that in front of me is awesome. He is one of the best tight ends in the country. To see him work and be able to ask questions is huge for me, because I always try to apply it to my game. Off the field this week, Peyton has been driving me to class. That off the field stuff makes a big difference. Matt, I would say that he a great leader and brings a lot of toughness to the table. He is always going to do his job and is never looking for attention. He is always there to do his job and he has also been huge for me. He is another person I can go to any time for advice.
Cam Jones | LB | Sr.
On his relationship with Micah McFadden...
CJ: It is crazy the way that we connect, whether it is on or off the field. We have an opportunity to work things out in a way that people normally don't work things out as a linebacker group or as a defense. I remember today during the walk through; we had a problem with a play, and we were able to jog off to the sideline and figure it out right then and there. Now, we are on the same page and know that mistake will never happen again. Having a guy that is as football smart as me and just as talented right next to me is amazing.
On the experience and communication on the defense...
CJ: I think to have a great defense you have to be able to communicate. It is all about communication. When you think about all of the fans that are going to be in the stands, especially when they are not on our side, it is going to be hard to keep them [quite]. So, communicating and everybody being on the same page, whether it is the D-line, linebackers or the backend guys [it is important]. Like you said, we are pretty much all experienced and have played with each other before, so being able to have those conversations without someone getting their feelings hurt or someone getting upset is huge. Being able to communicate like grown men has taken this defense and this team to a whole other level.
On the biggest things he worked on in the offseason...
CJ: Last year was my [first real] year playing linebacker, so I was moving across the field and this offseason I made it an emphasis to learn the linebacker [position]. Taking a few steps back so I can take some extra steps forward, whether it is key steps, or reading certain guards or quarterbacks. I tried to focus on those little things this offseason or spring and we had a competitive offseason and the competitiveness in me has taken me to a whole other level personally.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conferences from Friday, Aug. 27. Video of the full media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Kevin Wright | Tight Ends
On Peyton Hendershot's progression going into his senior year..
KW: With Peyton, he has had a great offseason. The thing was, with COVID, and he had some surgeries going into last year and he wasn't really able to get himself physically to the point he wanted to be at during the season. He played at 240 last year. This year he is about 252, 253, body percentage is down, and he has had a tremendous camp. Watching him and his development, he has always been able to catch the football and have good ball skills. I think what you will see is one of the better blocking tight ends in the Big Ten. I think that is a byproduct of all the work he has put in this offseason. He is one of our strongest guys on the team in general. Good ball skills, he is stronger, more physical, and he has played like a veteran throughout camp.
On how injuries held back Peyton was last year…
KW: He had foot surgery and he had his shoulder kind of cleaned up and that was right before we went on pause in March. By the time he was able to rehab with our guys, it was July. We were originally hoping that we could get him back by mid-August in a perfect world, so I think you look at the fact that he played at 10-12 pounds less, so you don't have the normal body strength that he had probably the year before. I think he needed to change his composition because, like a lot of our guys you are not able to have that continuous workout cycle from January all the way on. The other thing was not really having the time to throw with [quarterback] Mike [Penix Jr.] and go out and work with your starting quarterback. I think that is something that people take for granted that connection he had with Peyton [Ramsey] the year before, that you are working on to get to with Mike. Those guys have worked really hard all summer, Mike, Peyton, [Ty] Fryfogle, as a unit, so I think that is one reason he is way ahead of where he was this time last year.
On AJ Barner…
KW: I'm really excited about AJ. The tight end position, and we talked about this in our room today, the tight end position is one that you kind of develop into as you get older. A lot of times that is not the position you play in high school, so I think AJ playing linebacker primarily, he was the defensive player of the year in his league, bringing that type of mentality over to the offensive side of the ball, along with his skill set physically, being long, having good ball skills, all those things were an advantage for AJ to start with. I think more than anything he had to learn from a schematic standpoint and from a technique standpoint the blocking component, the route component, so last year we were fortunate Peyton and Matt Bjorson stayed healthy, so he played primarily on special teams, but he was always that guy, we had a couple of games where we would get him in the game with Peyton because those two guys would bring some things as a pair. He is a guy that I think has a high ceiling and I think you will see him more on the field this year, not just on special teams, but in different packages. He is going to be a good football player. I think, and I've told the guys in our room, this is probably the first time in a long time, maybe ever, you can look at the tight end room and say there are a couple potential NFL guys sitting in that room.
Peyton Hendershot | TE | Sr.-R
On how he is physically and what he is excited for the season…
PH: I feel probably the best I've ever felt in my life. My speed, my strength, everything. I feel like for a long time I was trying to figure out a good weight for me. My sophomore year I was 265, last year I was a little too light, this year I'm at 245 and I feel that that is a really good weight for me, especially running routes.
On how held back he was last year…
PH: When it comes down to last year, for everyone it was a lot of unfortunate circumstances. I had shoulder surgery middle of January, I had ankle surgery two weeks later, then COVID happened. I couldn't get really any treatment on my body. Coming into the end of last year, it was kind of a 'am I ready to go' type of thing, [and I was] not confident. This year we have had a good offseason and I've had probably the best offseason I've ever had, and this year is focused on 'I'm ready to go and let's make it a big year.'
On his relationship with quarterback Michael Penix Jr.…
PH: It was kind of a big emphasis for us, because last year you could just tell how we were not on the same page. That is just a bunch of unfortunate circumstances: we didn't get the spring or fall to throw at all, so we made that an emphasis for us this offseason. Any time we could, me and Mike would go throw and catch. It is kind of like we are vibing it this year because there are times when the play gets busted and somehow me and him are on the same page and he finds me. It is a really good feeling and I feel like we have a really good chemistry coming into this year.
AJ Barner | TE | So.
On how fall camp has gone for him...
AB: I would just say from a maturity standpoint, last year not having a full fall camp was difficult, but this year with a full fall camp and having Matt [Bjorson] and Peyton [Hendershot] around me, to have guys like that around me to ask questions if I don't know what I am doing, has been huge for me.
On switching sides of the ball when he got to IU...
AB: I feel like that has been awesome to me. In high school, I was more of a defensive player. Now, transitioning in college and playing tight end, I bring that physicality to the table in blocking and lateral movement, I feel like I have an upper hand in that. It has been a great transition and am really happy I made the switch.
On how much the older tight ends have helped him...
AB: I would say I am extremely fortunate to have those guys in front of me. Peyton, to see him work all offseason and to have a guy like that in front of me is awesome. He is one of the best tight ends in the country. To see him work and be able to ask questions is huge for me, because I always try to apply it to my game. Off the field this week, Peyton has been driving me to class. That off the field stuff makes a big difference. Matt, I would say that he a great leader and brings a lot of toughness to the table. He is always going to do his job and is never looking for attention. He is always there to do his job and he has also been huge for me. He is another person I can go to any time for advice.
Cam Jones | LB | Sr.
On his relationship with Micah McFadden...
CJ: It is crazy the way that we connect, whether it is on or off the field. We have an opportunity to work things out in a way that people normally don't work things out as a linebacker group or as a defense. I remember today during the walk through; we had a problem with a play, and we were able to jog off to the sideline and figure it out right then and there. Now, we are on the same page and know that mistake will never happen again. Having a guy that is as football smart as me and just as talented right next to me is amazing.
On the experience and communication on the defense...
CJ: I think to have a great defense you have to be able to communicate. It is all about communication. When you think about all of the fans that are going to be in the stands, especially when they are not on our side, it is going to be hard to keep them [quite]. So, communicating and everybody being on the same page, whether it is the D-line, linebackers or the backend guys [it is important]. Like you said, we are pretty much all experienced and have played with each other before, so being able to have those conversations without someone getting their feelings hurt or someone getting upset is huge. Being able to communicate like grown men has taken this defense and this team to a whole other level.
On the biggest things he worked on in the offseason...
CJ: Last year was my [first real] year playing linebacker, so I was moving across the field and this offseason I made it an emphasis to learn the linebacker [position]. Taking a few steps back so I can take some extra steps forward, whether it is key steps, or reading certain guards or quarterbacks. I tried to focus on those little things this offseason or spring and we had a competitive offseason and the competitiveness in me has taken me to a whole other level personally.
Players Mentioned
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