Spring Ball Chatter: Outside Linebackers/Special Teams
3/31/2022 1:44:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football special teams coordinator/outside linebackers coach Kasey Teegardin and student-athlete Myles Jackson met with the media on Thursday (March 31).
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference and video of the full media session can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Kasey Teegardin | Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers
Opening Statement
KT: Excited to get another spring practice underway here. We have six specialists right now that are in-house and another guy joining us this summer. TO start with them, the key is always going to be for us, is the talent that we have returning. Obviously, extremely excited about Sean [Wracher] and I stand by my statements that I have always said, I think he is the best long snapper in the country. Really challenging him to take the next step. He was a little inconsistent last year, as we all were, so owning that and trying to give him more leadership within the room. I think Charles [Campbell] has looked really good. Today, he struck the ball really well. He hit a 49-yarder the other day, so excited about him and his leg power. He is also competing for the kickoff job that Jared [Smolar] vacated, competing with Chris Freeman, who has been a pleasant surprise. His leg strength has been tremendous thus far. We have only been outside twice, so we need to get outside and see those guys more in the elements, for sure. Then, Jimmy [James Evans], we are really excited about him coming back. It's going to be monstrous for him coming off a freshman year where he averaged over 41 yards. Excited to have him back, as well.
In the BULL room, talking outside linebackers, Lance [Alfred Bryant] is ready to take the next step. He knows that he is in position, but now he has to finish plays and take that next step with ownership there. Really excited about Myles Jackson, and I know coach [Tom Allen] is too. It is just the element that he brings. He is a different cat and that is the best way I can explain it. He is different and it is what this program needed. He is going to make us a better football team. Then, Andrew Turvey, a walk-on from Indianapolis, is rounding us out right now until we get Richard Thomas here and can start getting him some reps.
Really excited about the group of guys that we have, and we continue to recruit at a high level. We recruited a walk-on to come in and compete for the punting and kickoff job, and I think he will do just that. Then, really excited about the BULLS we have on our board at this point and time. Just trying to recruit at a high level and recruit different style and type of players.
On Myles Jackson early impact on the program...
KT: He is a different cat. With Myles, he is a high attention to detail and a phenomenal rep-based [memory], where I tell him something one time and he is so locked in, so focused and so intense, he is such an intense individual and the way he attacks every drill, every meeting - he is sitting up straight. If I pulled his notebook out, his notes are incredible. Pages and pages and pages of notes. He is so locked in, and I think he is completely bought in to LEO and what our program stands for. He is a perfect fit for us in that sense. I know that Coach Allen alluded to that already, to show you the kind of respect that he has earned in the short amount of time that he has been here, the leadership council vote. When we saw the numbers, everybody looked around the room in our staff room and was like 'Wow.' But you see it out at practice. Cam Jones will be up talking to the group, and he will step by and allow Myles to speak. Even the strength coaches are like, 'look at that, the dudes been here [for just a couple months.' It's because of his work ethic, his body language, his coachability, the intensity and the focus that he brings every single day has been off the charts.
On what the focus of special teams is at this point...
KT: All encompassing. All four of the cores and then obviously being more consistent on PAT/field goal. I know that Charles did not have the year he expected to have, none of us expected to have. He has to be more consistent, for sure, in the way that he approaches things and prepares for when his opportunity is called. We put him in some tough kicks last year, but he had the 55-yarder at Maryland, and we feel like he can handle those situations.
When you look at the entirety of the schematic things, it comes down to our attitude and effort and how we are approaching our individual techniques, our fundamentals that we do every day. This spring, I have completely taken back on the schematic side of things and am really installing the fundamentals and techniques. When you look at our depth chart this spring, so many new faces. We lost a lot of guys that were key special teams players. We are trying to develop those techniques and those fundamentals.
You mentioned the coverage units, which was probably what I was most disappointed in. James averaging over 41 [yards per punt] was solid for him and it was the second-best average for a freshman in the country according to PFF. He is right where he needs to be now, but he has to be more consistent. When you look at him and how we punted last year, when we needed it, it wasn't what we needed. That's the biggest thing for him. When we are backed up and we are punting out of our end zone, he has got to get a good ball off. That is going to be key for him that we continue to put him in those pressure situations and understand the elements that he is kicking in. Outside of that, our gunner play on the outside was so depleted that we have to find guys to step up. I have to do a better job, personally, of making sure those guys are ready to go every single week. Then, on Hammer Team, our kickoff unit, we had the one big one that we let up that cost us the game in my opinion, and that starts with me. To me, that is an attitude and effort play and those guys have to understand the situation that we are in. I have to coach that better to get them to understand the situation that you only get one shot at this and when that ball is kicked you are flying down the field and wrecking anything that comes in your path and making plays. We have shown to do that at time, as well. So, we can do it, but to do it consistently is going to be critical for us.
I feel really good about our depth at punt returner, however, I felt really good about it a year ago. Then, in a week's span we lost three punt returners. In a week's span, D.J. [Matthews Jr.] we down, Reese [Sharp] was already down and David Ellis was already out. Those were our top three punt returners, and it happens just like that. So, we put a guy back there that wasn't as comfortable, so we started attacking protections a little bit more and I thought that was good for us. It was a positive that we need to build off of. We have shown the ability to make game changing plays, block some punts and score some touchdowns on special teams.
We have to continue to build off those positives while reinforcing the consistency of what we are trying to do in those coverage units.
Myles Jackson | OLB | R-So.
On what has allowed him to move into a leadership role quickly...
MJ: One thing I have learned through my career and my experiences is that no matter who you are, if you know what the right things and what the standards for the program are, you can come in and help, make an impact and hold everybody else to the same standard. I know everyone is trying to win, so I am just trying to help my teammates meet the standard.
On what he likes about the BULL position...
MJ: At UCLA, they had me at a bunch of different spots. They had me at edge rusher, sometimes at the inside linebacker and sometimes I would play their version of the BULL position. What I really like here is the versatility of the position. I feel very comfortable in my role and what I am asked to do. It has pretty much been making a lot of sense to me and that is credit to Coach Teegardin and the way he teaches everything. He teaches it very clearly and makes it so that we can understand it the best way possible.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference and video of the full media session can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Kasey Teegardin | Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers
Opening Statement
KT: Excited to get another spring practice underway here. We have six specialists right now that are in-house and another guy joining us this summer. TO start with them, the key is always going to be for us, is the talent that we have returning. Obviously, extremely excited about Sean [Wracher] and I stand by my statements that I have always said, I think he is the best long snapper in the country. Really challenging him to take the next step. He was a little inconsistent last year, as we all were, so owning that and trying to give him more leadership within the room. I think Charles [Campbell] has looked really good. Today, he struck the ball really well. He hit a 49-yarder the other day, so excited about him and his leg power. He is also competing for the kickoff job that Jared [Smolar] vacated, competing with Chris Freeman, who has been a pleasant surprise. His leg strength has been tremendous thus far. We have only been outside twice, so we need to get outside and see those guys more in the elements, for sure. Then, Jimmy [James Evans], we are really excited about him coming back. It's going to be monstrous for him coming off a freshman year where he averaged over 41 yards. Excited to have him back, as well.
In the BULL room, talking outside linebackers, Lance [Alfred Bryant] is ready to take the next step. He knows that he is in position, but now he has to finish plays and take that next step with ownership there. Really excited about Myles Jackson, and I know coach [Tom Allen] is too. It is just the element that he brings. He is a different cat and that is the best way I can explain it. He is different and it is what this program needed. He is going to make us a better football team. Then, Andrew Turvey, a walk-on from Indianapolis, is rounding us out right now until we get Richard Thomas here and can start getting him some reps.
Really excited about the group of guys that we have, and we continue to recruit at a high level. We recruited a walk-on to come in and compete for the punting and kickoff job, and I think he will do just that. Then, really excited about the BULLS we have on our board at this point and time. Just trying to recruit at a high level and recruit different style and type of players.
On Myles Jackson early impact on the program...
KT: He is a different cat. With Myles, he is a high attention to detail and a phenomenal rep-based [memory], where I tell him something one time and he is so locked in, so focused and so intense, he is such an intense individual and the way he attacks every drill, every meeting - he is sitting up straight. If I pulled his notebook out, his notes are incredible. Pages and pages and pages of notes. He is so locked in, and I think he is completely bought in to LEO and what our program stands for. He is a perfect fit for us in that sense. I know that Coach Allen alluded to that already, to show you the kind of respect that he has earned in the short amount of time that he has been here, the leadership council vote. When we saw the numbers, everybody looked around the room in our staff room and was like 'Wow.' But you see it out at practice. Cam Jones will be up talking to the group, and he will step by and allow Myles to speak. Even the strength coaches are like, 'look at that, the dudes been here [for just a couple months.' It's because of his work ethic, his body language, his coachability, the intensity and the focus that he brings every single day has been off the charts.
On what the focus of special teams is at this point...
KT: All encompassing. All four of the cores and then obviously being more consistent on PAT/field goal. I know that Charles did not have the year he expected to have, none of us expected to have. He has to be more consistent, for sure, in the way that he approaches things and prepares for when his opportunity is called. We put him in some tough kicks last year, but he had the 55-yarder at Maryland, and we feel like he can handle those situations.
When you look at the entirety of the schematic things, it comes down to our attitude and effort and how we are approaching our individual techniques, our fundamentals that we do every day. This spring, I have completely taken back on the schematic side of things and am really installing the fundamentals and techniques. When you look at our depth chart this spring, so many new faces. We lost a lot of guys that were key special teams players. We are trying to develop those techniques and those fundamentals.
You mentioned the coverage units, which was probably what I was most disappointed in. James averaging over 41 [yards per punt] was solid for him and it was the second-best average for a freshman in the country according to PFF. He is right where he needs to be now, but he has to be more consistent. When you look at him and how we punted last year, when we needed it, it wasn't what we needed. That's the biggest thing for him. When we are backed up and we are punting out of our end zone, he has got to get a good ball off. That is going to be key for him that we continue to put him in those pressure situations and understand the elements that he is kicking in. Outside of that, our gunner play on the outside was so depleted that we have to find guys to step up. I have to do a better job, personally, of making sure those guys are ready to go every single week. Then, on Hammer Team, our kickoff unit, we had the one big one that we let up that cost us the game in my opinion, and that starts with me. To me, that is an attitude and effort play and those guys have to understand the situation that we are in. I have to coach that better to get them to understand the situation that you only get one shot at this and when that ball is kicked you are flying down the field and wrecking anything that comes in your path and making plays. We have shown to do that at time, as well. So, we can do it, but to do it consistently is going to be critical for us.
I feel really good about our depth at punt returner, however, I felt really good about it a year ago. Then, in a week's span we lost three punt returners. In a week's span, D.J. [Matthews Jr.] we down, Reese [Sharp] was already down and David Ellis was already out. Those were our top three punt returners, and it happens just like that. So, we put a guy back there that wasn't as comfortable, so we started attacking protections a little bit more and I thought that was good for us. It was a positive that we need to build off of. We have shown the ability to make game changing plays, block some punts and score some touchdowns on special teams.
We have to continue to build off those positives while reinforcing the consistency of what we are trying to do in those coverage units.
Myles Jackson | OLB | R-So.
On what has allowed him to move into a leadership role quickly...
MJ: One thing I have learned through my career and my experiences is that no matter who you are, if you know what the right things and what the standards for the program are, you can come in and help, make an impact and hold everybody else to the same standard. I know everyone is trying to win, so I am just trying to help my teammates meet the standard.
On what he likes about the BULL position...
MJ: At UCLA, they had me at a bunch of different spots. They had me at edge rusher, sometimes at the inside linebacker and sometimes I would play their version of the BULL position. What I really like here is the versatility of the position. I feel very comfortable in my role and what I am asked to do. It has pretty much been making a lot of sense to me and that is credit to Coach Teegardin and the way he teaches everything. He teaches it very clearly and makes it so that we can understand it the best way possible.
Players Mentioned
OLB
/ Football
RB/KR
/ Football
P
/ Football
K
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
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