Indiana University Athletics
Anderson, Hoosiers ‘Dialed In’ To Getting ‘Back on Track’
9/10/2021 1:30:00 PM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Forget gloom and disappointment. Ryder Anderson has no time for that. Neither do the Indiana Hoosiers.
In this what-have-you-done-lately college football world, it's time to make a statement, starting Saturday night against Idaho at Memorial Stadium.
"Everybody is dialed in," Anderson says. "It's all positive. We know we can get this thing back on track."
The 6-6, 266-pound Anderson is a veteran defensive end with just one Cream & Crimson game on his resume (he's an Ole Miss grad transfer), but multiple skills in his arsenal.
It's why IU coaches named him the best defensive player of the spring, why teammates gave him a leadership role shortly after he arrived, why he shared the team lead with seven tackles against Iowa.
He's not a Hoosier to take up space, but to make a difference – immediately.
"I show up every day and work hard," he says. "I try to give this team everything I have.
"I tell the guys they'll get all of me. I'll be the best I can be for them. We all want to count on each other."
It was quickly apparent Anderson was a player to count on.
"He's just a humble guy," head coach Tom Allen says. "He's not coming in with a cockiness or arrogance that he's better than anybody else."
Allen saw something special from the moment Anderson began winter conditioning.
"First of all," Allen says, "any time you come somewhere new, the best thing to do is shut your mouth, work your tail off and prove by your work ethic that you're a guy that should be listened to.
"He did that."
Anderson did more than that.
"Once you get here and you start to get to know the guys," Allen says, "and you start to assert yourself physically, then you start being more apt to verbally hold guys accountable, encourage, and challenge.
"He did that."
Anderson didn't just do that, he excelled at it.
"He's played a lot of football," Allen says. "Our guys knew that. We played against him in (last season's Outback Bowl). He made plays in that game.
"He knew he was coming into a new team, and he was excited and felt blessed to be here, wanted to be here, and chose to be here. I think that matters. I think it's been reflected in how he's handled his teammates.
"He's a great teammate because he practices hard. That's huge because that's how you get the respect of your teammates.
"We had a lot of guys (back on defense), but on the D-line there was not a lot of strong, verbal leadership. I expected that (from Anderson). We talked about that when he got here.
"His maturity and just knowing him a little bit, his personality from those who recruited him and knew him before, I felt he would fit with us, and he has. He's been able to elevate the defensive line play."
Elevation isn't done alone. Anderson has plenty of leadership help.
"Leadership is important," he says. "It's nothing we're searching for. There's a lot in that locker room. We're ready to prove ourselves.
"The focus is on what's next. Bounce back and get on track."
Anderson came out of high-school-talent-rich Texas as a quarterback who switched to defensive end because of team need, and quickly dominated.
This was, in some ways, a family tradition. Older brother, Rodney, played at Oklahoma and then for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals. An uncle, Mark, played at Alabama, and then for seven NFL seasons.
Anderson spent three seasons at Ole Miss before deciding to make a change, become a Hoosier and join an attacking defense geared to forcing takeaways.
The fit couldn't have been any better.
"It's a great defense and a great scheme," Anderson says. "I've played in a lot of them.
"The biggest thing is doing my job and not try to do too much. In a game, sometimes a guy gets out of position and doesn't do his job. That's when you see the bad things. The focus is that everybody is doing his job."
If everyone does, the Hoosiers will get a victory on Saturday, and a lot more.
"I know we're a good team," Anderson says. "The work we put in. The bond we have.
"We have a lot of faith in each other. We count on each other. We love each other. We battle for each other. I know the potential. What we did on Saturday wasn't that. We'll fix all the little things."
*****
Offensive line coach Darren Hiller is clear about what he expects from his linemen, that they "clean up" the mistakes, run, and protect the quarterback better, and eliminate the penalties.
He says the best five offensive linemen will start, although others could see action.
Look for a big boost from Luke Haggard, a 6-7, 305-pound tackle who is back from an injury that sidelined him against Iowa.
"He's back and is good," Allen says. "He's had a really good week. He will be a part of those five guys we will see on offense on game day.
"Bottom line is, it's trying to get our best five guys on the field. We've got other guys back as well that are going to be competing to play and will play on Saturday."
Also back is running back David Ellis, who also missed the Iowa game with an injury.
IU will be without safety Devon Matthews due to an upper body injury suffered against Iowa. Cornerback Jaylin Williams is listed as doubtful for Saturday.
"Other than that," Allen says, "I feel good about our guys."
That includes the way they practiced this week.
"(Practice) was crisp and sharp," Allen says. "It was good. It got better every day during the week.
"It wasn't that we practiced poorly last week either, but at the same time, that preparation didn't show up on game day which is what really matters. The key for us now is to transfer what we're doing in practice so that it shows up on Saturday. That's what I expect."
As for Idaho, which is coming off a 68-0, season-opening victory over Simon Fraser, a Canadian team, Allen says, "They do quite a bit on offense. They score a lot of points, get a lot of yards, and their skill guys are really talented. They've got really good receivers, some big linemen, a huge fullback - 270-plus pounds - that's an All-American at the FCS level, as well as a receiver who is an All-American.
"They have a great understanding of offensive play and how to score points and how to put you in conflict defensively. They do a good job of that.
"They play multiple quarterbacks and create different things there and they all have different skill sets. They are just tough. The toughness of their team shows up on film on both sides of the ball.
"The core of their defense, the front seven, is very physical and very talented. They are hard-nosed kids that play well and play together."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Forget gloom and disappointment. Ryder Anderson has no time for that. Neither do the Indiana Hoosiers.
In this what-have-you-done-lately college football world, it's time to make a statement, starting Saturday night against Idaho at Memorial Stadium.
"Everybody is dialed in," Anderson says. "It's all positive. We know we can get this thing back on track."
The 6-6, 266-pound Anderson is a veteran defensive end with just one Cream & Crimson game on his resume (he's an Ole Miss grad transfer), but multiple skills in his arsenal.
It's why IU coaches named him the best defensive player of the spring, why teammates gave him a leadership role shortly after he arrived, why he shared the team lead with seven tackles against Iowa.
He's not a Hoosier to take up space, but to make a difference – immediately.
"I show up every day and work hard," he says. "I try to give this team everything I have.
"I tell the guys they'll get all of me. I'll be the best I can be for them. We all want to count on each other."
It was quickly apparent Anderson was a player to count on.
"He's just a humble guy," head coach Tom Allen says. "He's not coming in with a cockiness or arrogance that he's better than anybody else."
Allen saw something special from the moment Anderson began winter conditioning.
"First of all," Allen says, "any time you come somewhere new, the best thing to do is shut your mouth, work your tail off and prove by your work ethic that you're a guy that should be listened to.
"He did that."
Anderson did more than that.
"Once you get here and you start to get to know the guys," Allen says, "and you start to assert yourself physically, then you start being more apt to verbally hold guys accountable, encourage, and challenge.
"He did that."
Anderson didn't just do that, he excelled at it.
"He's played a lot of football," Allen says. "Our guys knew that. We played against him in (last season's Outback Bowl). He made plays in that game.
"He knew he was coming into a new team, and he was excited and felt blessed to be here, wanted to be here, and chose to be here. I think that matters. I think it's been reflected in how he's handled his teammates.
"He's a great teammate because he practices hard. That's huge because that's how you get the respect of your teammates.
"We had a lot of guys (back on defense), but on the D-line there was not a lot of strong, verbal leadership. I expected that (from Anderson). We talked about that when he got here.
"His maturity and just knowing him a little bit, his personality from those who recruited him and knew him before, I felt he would fit with us, and he has. He's been able to elevate the defensive line play."
Elevation isn't done alone. Anderson has plenty of leadership help.
"Leadership is important," he says. "It's nothing we're searching for. There's a lot in that locker room. We're ready to prove ourselves.
"The focus is on what's next. Bounce back and get on track."
Anderson came out of high-school-talent-rich Texas as a quarterback who switched to defensive end because of team need, and quickly dominated.
This was, in some ways, a family tradition. Older brother, Rodney, played at Oklahoma and then for the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals. An uncle, Mark, played at Alabama, and then for seven NFL seasons.
Anderson spent three seasons at Ole Miss before deciding to make a change, become a Hoosier and join an attacking defense geared to forcing takeaways.
The fit couldn't have been any better.
"It's a great defense and a great scheme," Anderson says. "I've played in a lot of them.
"The biggest thing is doing my job and not try to do too much. In a game, sometimes a guy gets out of position and doesn't do his job. That's when you see the bad things. The focus is that everybody is doing his job."
If everyone does, the Hoosiers will get a victory on Saturday, and a lot more.
"I know we're a good team," Anderson says. "The work we put in. The bond we have.
"We have a lot of faith in each other. We count on each other. We love each other. We battle for each other. I know the potential. What we did on Saturday wasn't that. We'll fix all the little things."
*****
Offensive line coach Darren Hiller is clear about what he expects from his linemen, that they "clean up" the mistakes, run, and protect the quarterback better, and eliminate the penalties.
He says the best five offensive linemen will start, although others could see action.
Look for a big boost from Luke Haggard, a 6-7, 305-pound tackle who is back from an injury that sidelined him against Iowa.
"He's back and is good," Allen says. "He's had a really good week. He will be a part of those five guys we will see on offense on game day.
"Bottom line is, it's trying to get our best five guys on the field. We've got other guys back as well that are going to be competing to play and will play on Saturday."
Also back is running back David Ellis, who also missed the Iowa game with an injury.
IU will be without safety Devon Matthews due to an upper body injury suffered against Iowa. Cornerback Jaylin Williams is listed as doubtful for Saturday.
"Other than that," Allen says, "I feel good about our guys."
That includes the way they practiced this week.
"(Practice) was crisp and sharp," Allen says. "It was good. It got better every day during the week.
"It wasn't that we practiced poorly last week either, but at the same time, that preparation didn't show up on game day which is what really matters. The key for us now is to transfer what we're doing in practice so that it shows up on Saturday. That's what I expect."
As for Idaho, which is coming off a 68-0, season-opening victory over Simon Fraser, a Canadian team, Allen says, "They do quite a bit on offense. They score a lot of points, get a lot of yards, and their skill guys are really talented. They've got really good receivers, some big linemen, a huge fullback - 270-plus pounds - that's an All-American at the FCS level, as well as a receiver who is an All-American.
"They have a great understanding of offensive play and how to score points and how to put you in conflict defensively. They do a good job of that.
"They play multiple quarterbacks and create different things there and they all have different skill sets. They are just tough. The toughness of their team shows up on film on both sides of the ball.
"The core of their defense, the front seven, is very physical and very talented. They are hard-nosed kids that play well and play together."
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