Indiana University Athletics
Spring Ball Chatter: Defensive Line
4/7/2022 3:46:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football defensive line coach Paul Randolph and student-athletes JH Tevis met with the media on Thursday (April 7) to give an update on spring practice.
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.
Paul Randolph | Defensive Line Coach
On how his defensive line unit has progressed this spring...
PR: I will tell you that the group of guys I've got is a great group of guys. I'm really enjoying the room, first and foremost, the character, the people, the energy that they have, the brotherhood that they have started forging already. They really take care of each other, coaching, teaching different techniques. The maturity in the room, for me, is really 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 a little fun. 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.
On how his coaching style fits into what IU does defensively...
PR: I have always been an 'I'll show you' [coach], or now an 'I'll try to show you' kind of guy. I am not as young as I used to be. I will show you what run to the football looks like. I will show you once or twice what coming out of your stance looks like. The hip, hands and feet -- things of that nature technique wise. Then just running to the ball, chasing the ball with high energy. That is what we want to be about, that fanatical effort. Just coaching with a passion and a purpose with energy. I think that is my biggest asset and 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.
On JH Tevis...
PR: His maturity. He has played a lot of football. His knowledge off the field. The way he carries himself as a leader. Then, 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 coming in and fitting into the group and then exercising the leadership and things of that nature within the group. I am really pleased with that. His work ethic is off the chart. He loves playing football, that is evident when you see him in practice every day. His thing, also, is I am going to be high energy, practice hard, work hard and I will show you how we do things.
JH Tevis | DL | R-Sr.
On his approach to leadership...
JT: There has been two sides to my approach. 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 both the coaches and players that I am here to win, work hard and play hard. That was one aspect. And the other aspect is how can I bring my past experiences with me 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. In just 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 wright room.
On what made Indiana the right place for him...
JT: I had a really great experience at Cal and had a great relationship with the coaching staff. It really came down to I had two years left of eligibility and I didn't have a graduate program that was right for me at Cal. So, I made the decision that given I had two years left, I wanted to continue pursuing an education while I played football. Indiana was on my list already before they even reached out. They were already 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 just felt like I was a great fit. It was really a no brainer from the beginning when I got here to Bloomington, I really felt like this was a great match for me football wise, socially and academically.
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.
Paul Randolph | Defensive Line Coach
On how his defensive line unit has progressed this spring...
PR: I will tell you that the group of guys I've got is a great group of guys. I'm really enjoying the room, first and foremost, the character, the people, the energy that they have, the brotherhood that they have started forging already. They really take care of each other, coaching, teaching different techniques. The maturity in the room, for me, is really 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 a little fun. 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.
On how his coaching style fits into what IU does defensively...
PR: I have always been an 'I'll show you' [coach], or now an 'I'll try to show you' kind of guy. I am not as young as I used to be. I will show you what run to the football looks like. I will show you once or twice what coming out of your stance looks like. The hip, hands and feet -- things of that nature technique wise. Then just running to the ball, chasing the ball with high energy. That is what we want to be about, that fanatical effort. Just coaching with a passion and a purpose with energy. I think that is my biggest asset and 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.
On JH Tevis...
PR: His maturity. He has played a lot of football. His knowledge off the field. The way he carries himself as a leader. Then, 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 coming in and fitting into the group and then exercising the leadership and things of that nature within the group. I am really pleased with that. His work ethic is off the chart. He loves playing football, that is evident when you see him in practice every day. His thing, also, is I am going to be high energy, practice hard, work hard and I will show you how we do things.
JH Tevis | DL | R-Sr.
On his approach to leadership...
JT: There has been two sides to my approach. 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 both the coaches and players that I am here to win, work hard and play hard. That was one aspect. And the other aspect is how can I bring my past experiences with me 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. In just 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 wright room.
On what made Indiana the right place for him...
JT: I had a really great experience at Cal and had a great relationship with the coaching staff. It really came down to I had two years left of eligibility and I didn't have a graduate program that was right for me at Cal. So, I made the decision that given I had two years left, I wanted to continue pursuing an education while I played football. Indiana was on my list already before they even reached out. They were already 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 just felt like I was a great fit. It was really a no brainer from the beginning when I got here to Bloomington, I really felt like this was a great match for me football wise, socially and academically.
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