‘Whistle While You Work’ – Defensive Line Finds Fun
4/11/2022 12:00:00 PM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana isn't messing around with this attack-defense stuff. Not after last season. Not when putting offenses in harm's way is so difference-making good.
And fun.
JH Tevis couldn't ask for more, and Paul Randolph couldn't be more pumped.
"As a defensive scheme," says Tevis, Indiana's new defensive lineman via transfer from California, "we're really aggressive."
Adds Randolph, IU's new defensive line coach: "I have always been a, 'I'll show you coach,' and now I'm a, 'I'll try to show you' kind of guy."
A smile.
"I am not as young as I used to be."
Young or old, it's all about dominating defense, and it starts up front. Tevis and Randolph are veteran additions designed to help produce it.
Given this is a Tom Allen-run unit, there's no bend-don't-break in sight. It's all about getting after offenses until they break.
"I like that style," Tevis says. "I like going after big plays."
You'd expect that from a guy who once totaled 22.5 sacks as a California high school junior, and two against Stanford in a 2020 game.
Plenty of Hoosiers share his big-play affection.
"Our DBs are super aggressive," Tevis says. "Our linebackers are good at communicating and are leading the defense. I enjoy working with this group and the way the defense is schemed up."
Tevis is a 6-4, 281-pounder seeking to make his Hoosier mark on the field (he totaled 60 tackles, 3 sacks and 3 pass breakups in 20 games at Cal, and earned honorable-mention All-Pac-12 last season) and in the classroom (he's an All-Academic Pac-12 student-athlete who became a Hoosier in part because of his drive to earn a master's degree).
His impact, Randolph says, is already making a difference.
"His work ethic is off the chart. He loves playing football. That's evident when you see him in practice every day. His thing is, I am going to be high energy, practice hard, work hard and show you how we do things."
Transitioning from California cool to Midwest practical has been fine, Tevis adds.
"At the end of the day, it's playing football. There are subtle differences, but I've played a lot of football. That makes it easier to transition. It's the same game."
As for blending in with his new teammates, Tevis says, "Everyone is learning together. There's no division between new and old guys. We're all becoming a nice D-line unit. The chemistry is strong."
Being a new Hoosier doesn't limit his leadership role.
"There are two sides to my (leadership) approach," he says. "On the one hand, I am in a new place and a new environment, and no one knows -- besides the coaching staff recruiting me -- who I was or what I was about or how I was as a player or as a guy. One aspect was proving myself to coaches and players that I am here to win, work hard, and play hard.
"The other aspect is how can I bring my past experiences and what I have learned from the other side of the country or my life in general to try to help improve whatever I can around here in terms of what I can control. It's bringing energy and working hard and pointing things out that I think we should work on or overall bringing energy to the field and the weight room."
Tevis has done that, Randolph says, and more.
"It's his maturity. He has played a lot of football. It's his knowledge off the field. The way he carries himself as a leader.
"He has been leading long enough where he understands when it is time to get on his teammates, but also when it is time to build them back up. He does a tremendous job of fitting into the group, and then exercising leadership within the group. I am really pleased with that."
Tevis once figured he'd be a California Bear until his college football days were over. Then transferring became necessary when Tevis realized Cal didn't offer the graduate program he wanted.
IU did.
"I wanted to continue pursuing an education while I played football," he says. "Indiana was on my list already before they even reached out. They were on my radar academically, then Coach Allen with his energy and his coaching style, and just the rest of the staff and the players, I felt I was a great fit.
"It was really a no-brainer when I got to Bloomington. This was a great match for me football-wise, socially, and academically."
Randolph has had his own great-match Hoosier experience. He was hired to boost the defensive-line impact -- including the never-ending quest to pressure and sack quarterbacks without blitzing.
And while he lacks the explosiveness that once made him an all-conference college linebacker good enough to play 10 years in the Canadian Football League, Randolph still brings a hands-on approach.
"I will show you what run to the football looks like," he says. "I will show you once or twice what coming out of your stance looks like. The hips, hands, and feet -- things of that nature, technique-wise.
"It's about running to the ball, chasing the ball with high energy. That is what we want to be about, that fanatical effort."
Randolph has the coaching chops to get that out of guys. His 24 years of experience includes stops at Alabama, Pitt, Arizona State, West Virginia, and Texas Tech. He's coached in 17 bowls.
"Coaching with a passion and a purpose with energy is my biggest asset," he says. "I think the guys tend to do what you do. So, if my energy level is high and I am having a great day, which I do every day, then they are going to do the same thing. Then, I am really excited because they try to emulate me."
Tevis is among the Hoosiers motivated by that passion.
"The chemistry we have with him as a coach is really strong," he says. "He has the plays and techniques down. He's adjusted fast.
"He's very upbeat and positive. He's hard on you when he needs to be, but also has that side to him, that if you have a bad rep, dust it off and move on to the next one. That's helpful as a player because you can get in your own head.
"Even as an old guy, and I've been playing for four years, if I have a bad rep, I will get down on myself. Coach Randolph will pick me up. He does the same with the other guys. He's been great. It's fun playing under him."
As for how the defensive line is progressing, Randolph says, "I've got a great group of guys. I'm enjoying the room -- the character, the people, the energy that they have, the brotherhood that they have started forging. They really take care of each other, coaching, teaching different techniques.
"The maturity in the room is exciting. Then, their work ethic. Once you take everything we do in the classroom, we go out on the field, and they are executing at a high level. They have energy, they have passion, and they like to have a little fun. That is part of it, too.
"It is a tough game, especially in the trenches in this league, and the guys still have to have fun."
And then Randolph taps into Snow-White-and-the-Seven-Dwarfs magic.
"I tell them all the time, 'Whistle while you work.' We have extreme focus and are executing at a high level, but you've got to make it fun and have fun with your brothers."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana isn't messing around with this attack-defense stuff. Not after last season. Not when putting offenses in harm's way is so difference-making good.
And fun.
JH Tevis couldn't ask for more, and Paul Randolph couldn't be more pumped.
"As a defensive scheme," says Tevis, Indiana's new defensive lineman via transfer from California, "we're really aggressive."
Adds Randolph, IU's new defensive line coach: "I have always been a, 'I'll show you coach,' and now I'm a, 'I'll try to show you' kind of guy."
A smile.
"I am not as young as I used to be."
Young or old, it's all about dominating defense, and it starts up front. Tevis and Randolph are veteran additions designed to help produce it.
Given this is a Tom Allen-run unit, there's no bend-don't-break in sight. It's all about getting after offenses until they break.
"I like that style," Tevis says. "I like going after big plays."
You'd expect that from a guy who once totaled 22.5 sacks as a California high school junior, and two against Stanford in a 2020 game.
Plenty of Hoosiers share his big-play affection.
"Our DBs are super aggressive," Tevis says. "Our linebackers are good at communicating and are leading the defense. I enjoy working with this group and the way the defense is schemed up."
Tevis is a 6-4, 281-pounder seeking to make his Hoosier mark on the field (he totaled 60 tackles, 3 sacks and 3 pass breakups in 20 games at Cal, and earned honorable-mention All-Pac-12 last season) and in the classroom (he's an All-Academic Pac-12 student-athlete who became a Hoosier in part because of his drive to earn a master's degree).
His impact, Randolph says, is already making a difference.
"His work ethic is off the chart. He loves playing football. That's evident when you see him in practice every day. His thing is, I am going to be high energy, practice hard, work hard and show you how we do things."
Transitioning from California cool to Midwest practical has been fine, Tevis adds.
"At the end of the day, it's playing football. There are subtle differences, but I've played a lot of football. That makes it easier to transition. It's the same game."
As for blending in with his new teammates, Tevis says, "Everyone is learning together. There's no division between new and old guys. We're all becoming a nice D-line unit. The chemistry is strong."
Being a new Hoosier doesn't limit his leadership role.
"There are two sides to my (leadership) approach," he says. "On the one hand, I am in a new place and a new environment, and no one knows -- besides the coaching staff recruiting me -- who I was or what I was about or how I was as a player or as a guy. One aspect was proving myself to coaches and players that I am here to win, work hard, and play hard.
"The other aspect is how can I bring my past experiences and what I have learned from the other side of the country or my life in general to try to help improve whatever I can around here in terms of what I can control. It's bringing energy and working hard and pointing things out that I think we should work on or overall bringing energy to the field and the weight room."
Tevis has done that, Randolph says, and more.
"It's his maturity. He has played a lot of football. It's his knowledge off the field. The way he carries himself as a leader.
"He has been leading long enough where he understands when it is time to get on his teammates, but also when it is time to build them back up. He does a tremendous job of fitting into the group, and then exercising leadership within the group. I am really pleased with that."
Tevis once figured he'd be a California Bear until his college football days were over. Then transferring became necessary when Tevis realized Cal didn't offer the graduate program he wanted.
IU did.
"I wanted to continue pursuing an education while I played football," he says. "Indiana was on my list already before they even reached out. They were on my radar academically, then Coach Allen with his energy and his coaching style, and just the rest of the staff and the players, I felt I was a great fit.
"It was really a no-brainer when I got to Bloomington. This was a great match for me football-wise, socially, and academically."
Randolph has had his own great-match Hoosier experience. He was hired to boost the defensive-line impact -- including the never-ending quest to pressure and sack quarterbacks without blitzing.
And while he lacks the explosiveness that once made him an all-conference college linebacker good enough to play 10 years in the Canadian Football League, Randolph still brings a hands-on approach.
"I will show you what run to the football looks like," he says. "I will show you once or twice what coming out of your stance looks like. The hips, hands, and feet -- things of that nature, technique-wise.
"It's about running to the ball, chasing the ball with high energy. That is what we want to be about, that fanatical effort."
Randolph has the coaching chops to get that out of guys. His 24 years of experience includes stops at Alabama, Pitt, Arizona State, West Virginia, and Texas Tech. He's coached in 17 bowls.
"Coaching with a passion and a purpose with energy is my biggest asset," he says. "I think the guys tend to do what you do. So, if my energy level is high and I am having a great day, which I do every day, then they are going to do the same thing. Then, I am really excited because they try to emulate me."
Tevis is among the Hoosiers motivated by that passion.
"The chemistry we have with him as a coach is really strong," he says. "He has the plays and techniques down. He's adjusted fast.
"He's very upbeat and positive. He's hard on you when he needs to be, but also has that side to him, that if you have a bad rep, dust it off and move on to the next one. That's helpful as a player because you can get in your own head.
"Even as an old guy, and I've been playing for four years, if I have a bad rep, I will get down on myself. Coach Randolph will pick me up. He does the same with the other guys. He's been great. It's fun playing under him."
As for how the defensive line is progressing, Randolph says, "I've got a great group of guys. I'm enjoying the room -- the character, the people, the energy that they have, the brotherhood that they have started forging. They really take care of each other, coaching, teaching different techniques.
"The maturity in the room is exciting. Then, their work ethic. Once you take everything we do in the classroom, we go out on the field, and they are executing at a high level. They have energy, they have passion, and they like to have a little fun. That is part of it, too.
"It is a tough game, especially in the trenches in this league, and the guys still have to have fun."
And then Randolph taps into Snow-White-and-the-Seven-Dwarfs magic.
"I tell them all the time, 'Whistle while you work.' We have extreme focus and are executing at a high level, but you've got to make it fun and have fun with your brothers."
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