No Bull –Defense Looking for the Edge
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Tom Allen seeks a defensive edge, something for offenses to, if not fear, certainly focus on, and game plan for.
And that’s no Bull.
We refer, of course, to Indiana’s Bull position. It’s a hybrid linebacker/defensive end who can do almost everything except throw passes. He has to rush the passer, stuff the run, cover running backs, tight ends, and certain receivers. He has to be fast, strong, smart, fit, and aggressive.
“The thing we're trying to get more out of it is the pass rush and the guy who has the flexibility to do multiple things,” Allen says.
“It’s the kind of person to rush the passer, drop in coverage, play some man, do different things with that and per the call. That’s what we’re looking for it. That's where the linebacker part comes in with that ability to track the running back. It’s different things that he does more than just a traditional defensive end.”
Veterans Alfred Bryant and Myles Jackson, plus true freshman Dasan McCullogh, set the tone.
“(Bryant) is playing his best since he's been here,” Allen says, “and it needs to continue.
“You add Myles Jackson to that spot, which is really more of an outside linebacker body type, 250-pound guy that's strong and athletic and really can give us a real presence in the run game and also the pass rush ability.
“Dasan also is playing there in situational things. I think that’s a real strength of his without question.”
The role has evolved since Allen came to IU in 2016.
“There's no doubt it's something that we've really expanded,” Allen says. “When I first got here, we called it by that same name, but really recruited more of a defensive end guy in high school to play that position. Now, we've really transitioned into recruiting more of a linebacker guy to play that position, a longer, taller linebacker from high school.
“It's not an easy position to recruit to, but it's one that we're excited about. The key is to find those elite guys to be game changers.”
IU’s starting quarterback battle is basically over.
Who won?
Official word won’t come until the Sept. 2 season opener against Illinois. Either Hoosier veteran Jack Tuttle or Missouri transfer Connor Bazelak will start. Dexter Williams II also is in the competition.
Allen says a final decision will come once preparation for the Illini begins.
Allen and offensive coordinator Walt Bell continue to stress command of the offense, limiting turnovers, and winning the locker room as the top three quarterback priorities, with the overall objective being who gets the ball in the end zone the most consistently.
“Step one is having great command of the offense, and that continues to grow,” Allen says.
“Also, the ability to protect the football. That's going to be a big variable in this decision. You know how much peril you put your whole team in when you don't protect it and when you make poor decisions.
“I'm continuing to see those. I think that's becoming a little clearer with each one of those guys and where they're at. That's got to be a huge priority.
“Number three is winning the confidence of the locker room. That happens on a consistent basis. It happens just from having interactions, happens on how you play every day, the trust that's built over time.
“Both of those guys continue to grow and execute our offense, both continue to do some good things in moving the ball down field and getting the ball in the end zone, which is huge.”
Allen has ratcheted up the defensive complexity to see how Tuttle and Bazelak handle it.
“I feel like the last couple of days, we’ve been able to do a lot of things to get our offense more comfortable with what we are doing,” Allen says. “Being able to execute and play at a high level and be able to play with confidence and clarity.
“That’s what it's going to come down to. Whoever we feel has those three qualities and is able to do that consistently well.
“There is no question defensively we do enough things to make that challenging for them. Make them have to be able to do a lot of things and allow them to execute the offense at a high level, which is not easy to do because of the multiplicity of things we present with them.
“The progress has been good. We're anxious to get to make a decision and move forward.”
Improved defensive line play is a top priority.
Veterans Demarcus Elliott and Sio Nofoagatoto’a lead the way.
The 6-3, 315-pound Nofoagatoto’a has made the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award preseason watch list. It goes to the best player of Polynesian ancestry who epitomizes great ability and integrity.
Nofoagatoto’a, who was born in New Zealand and later moved to American Samoa, totaled 13 tackles while playing in all 12 games last season. In 2020, he had 12 tackles and one pass breakup.
The 6-3, 315-pound Elliott has 78 total tackles in three Hoosier seasons. He’s earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten once, and is a two-time academic all-conference selection.
“They continue to play really hard,” Allen says.
University of California transfer JH Tevis, and Ole Miss transfers Patrick Lucas Jr. and LeDarrius Cox are expected to make instant impact, as is Florida true freshman Nick James. All have been at IU since January.
The 6-2, 295-pound James was a four-star prospect.
“(James) has been really impressive,” Allen says. “He keeps getting better and better every time we practice.
“You expect that. He did the same thing in the spring once he started figuring it out, getting more comfortable. (He did it) in fall camp, when it can be a little information overload sometimes.”
The 6-4, 283-pound Tevis earned honorable-mention All-Pac-12 honors last season at Cal. In 20 career games and 15 starts, he totaled 60 tackles and three pass breakups.
Lucas Jr. (6-3, 322 pounds) and Cox (6-4, 320) saw limited action at Mississippi.
“JH continues to be a really strong leader,” Allen says. “Productive, really understands football, a smart guy.
“LeDarrius and Lucas give us some big bodies in there that have some mass that we haven't had in the past. Both are working hard, doing a good job, learning all the time. Learning the system.
“I’m excited about the group. They’ve got to play well for us. We plan to play a bunch of them and rotate them to allow us to stay fresh and play hard and physical.”
The depth chart is set as far as starters and backups, Allen says, with everyone getting a chance to prove himself.
“Probably of all the fall camps I've been a part of, we've played more guys and (given) more reps for multiple groups of guys than we ever have. We've done that consistently.”
Camp has provided about “850 snaps” for evaluation via scrimmages and practices sessions – contact and non-contact.
“All those things combined together make a pretty good, accurate (evaluation of) guys,” Allen says. “As we tell them, it's their responsibility to prove to their position coach they deserve to play. That's how we present the idea of how the depth chart is created.”
Friday’s scrimmage -- the second of fall camp -- was the last big opportunity.
“The scrimmage was targeted as a time to say, ‘Okay, we're going to start setting our depth chart and really say who's going to be the guys that that are going to be playing on game day,’” Allen says.
“That would be your ones and your twos and a few threes that are in that rotation, as well.”