Quoted: Fall Camp Edition - August 9 Update
8/9/2022 3:36:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Head coach Tom Allen and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Walt Bell met with the media on Tuesday (Aug. 9) inside Memorial Stadium.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the full media session can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Tom Allen | Head Coach
On the quarterback competition between Connor Bazelak and Jack Tuttle…
TA: I'd say continuing to compete, that hasn't changed and that will continue. We have our first scrimmage coming up on Friday and I think that will be pretty telling for us to get the feedback were trying to get. On a daily basis, we're trying to install our system on both sides and so that process continues.
You just see flashes from both guys to be able to run the offense with a commanding mindset, to be able to make all the throws you need to make. Then you think about Jack [Tuttle], just so competitive and such a great preparer and is just really doing a good job of just learning; where to get his eyes, where to make the throws, running the system from the wholistic perspective is where I'm seeing growth there, which is what you want. Being able to move the football down the field as we move through camp we get more and more, what we call move the ball periods which is just playing real football, it's not scripted. The situations are basically you start a certain point, whether it's from the minus 30, minus 40, 2 minute, plus 25, if you're going in to do red zone focus, to just be able to move the football and run the offense.
And with Connor [Bazelak], just the quick release ability. You're seeing the growth in the mastery of the system because he hasn't been here as long as Jack, but bottom line is throwing catchable balls. One thing that sticks out to me about Connor is that he can throw a catchable ball and that is really the key. The completions are what you're looking for. We are charting everything: completion percentage, accuracy, whether it's dropped, all to get a fair assessment of where guys are at.
When you have a competition like this, you don't have one guy that is always addressing the team, they're both doing that in their settings and when practice is over and that's a good balance there. Guys are looking to see to those guys to be those leaders in those situations. I see progress without question but am really anxious to see the first scrimmage. That is to me really where you'll get the most reps of just pure playing football. You'll have the officials here. We had the miniature version of that yesterday, [but it was] very controlled. Only did that for one period but went full bore live yesterday during that one period and continue to build off those reps and that's kind of where we're at right now.
On keeping spring ball and fall camp quite…
TA: I think there's multiple reasons and the most obvious is who our first opponent is. That goes all the way back to the spring and that whole evaluation process. I know the process we go through as a staff and what we're looking for and what we can use to try to find information out. It's multiple reasons but that is the number one and that I just know as a defensive minded person when there's those questions marks there it creates multiple options you have to prepare for which detracts from the focus you really want it to have.
There's just a lot of unknows. Obviously, it works both directions. We have unknowns as well without playing a game against anybody before that first opportunity and before we have a chance to play. It's very driven by that and people may not like it, but it doesn't really matter to me it's what we're going to do. The whole goal is what we feel is best for our team and we feel that's the best for our team and we're going to stick with it.
On Donavan McCulley's move to wide receiver…
TA: It wasn't like 'nah I'm done' kind of thing. He did come to me, that's very accurate. No, it's not like a guy comes to me and says, 'hey I want this spot.' I had another kid come to me, other positions within the last few months about switching and we usually sit down as we do we have a conversation with the staff about it, that are affected by that position and in this circumstance, you contact family and talk to them, and I just think that it's a major shifting in a lot of ways.
I will say this, I understood and had the feelings [to move positions] and with such a talented player that you see has an opportunity to really get on the field sooner and in a different role, you have to have a big picture view of things. You have to go in and evaluate that but there's no doubt that it wasn't done quickly or just a matter of he came to me, and he wanted to do it so it's automatically a given.
I think there was a lot of discussions that went into it. It was a very gradual process for us to go through and just kind of see how things played out from that perspective. Even talking to others, his high school coaches, and just different things. For me, it wasn't a quick decision by any means. [We are] just trying to find the best way to help him and help our football team maximize our roster. To me, that's what I see from him, and I feel like that's going to be a great opportunity for him.
I didn't necessarily disagree with some of the things he was saying and there's no question you have a position like that it takes a lot of time and takes a lot of reps, so I just think that trying to make the best decision for all involved and obviously for him and for our team, that's what we felt it was.
On Shaun Shivers physical running style…
TA: I love it. He's different. He's very compact, very strong and very powerful, but I love his mindset. You take a young man like that has obviously probably never been considered tall [in his life]. Some guys grow really fast and never grow anymore. We've all seen those guys who are the same height in sixth grade as they are when they become a junior in high school, but I can't imagine that being the case. He's probably always been short and undersized and that creates a toughness to him.
We've got a couple guys like that. As a matter of fact, it came up in practice the other day. We have several guys on our team that we'd put in that category, they've got a special edge about them because of their size, and they've been small their whole lives and they've had to learn to fight, to be tough, physical and they have to be mean and nasty in their mindset in order to be able to compete against bigger guys when they were younger.
That's never left him. It's made him who he is. He has a tremendous edge about him, very physical, very tough kid. I think he's already infected our whole offense with that mindset and to me that's a really big deal to have a guy like that and the ability to have a positive impact on his entire team. That's a toughness that you have to have and that mindset to try to run somebody over regardless.
The other thing about him, which is awesome as a coach, is he also has the ability to make you miss and that's what he can do really well. He's not looking for the sideline, he's looking for somebody to physically run over and you saw it on film, that's what he did and did it in some really big games against some really high-caliber opponents. When I actually talked to some other coaches from down that way, that was the first thing they commented on was his power and how much of an explosive and physical runner that he is. He brings that with his mindset as we always say your mindset drives your expectations and beliefs and that's case with Shaun Shivers for sure.
Walt Bell | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
On his evaluation of the offense and the quarterbacks to this point…
WB: Overall evaluation, I think our kids have done a phenomenal job through the summer. I think that's the first thing. From where we left in the spring to where we are now, there's a big, noticeable difference. Kudos to those guys for how they've prepared this summer because we're in a much better place than we were when we exited the spring. So, they've done a lot of really good work.
Really proud of our offensive line, Coach [Tom] Allen, they do a great job putting camp together and making things difficult on us. I think our o-line has done a really nice job in the run game and in a pass protection standpoint. We've taken care of the ball relatively well, which is obviously the most important thing you do. Turnovers and explosive plays are going to make the difference in who wins and loses the game, so there's ball security every day. That's a huge part of what we do. We're taking care of the ball pretty well
Then other than that I think our kids from just a mentality standpoint, I think they're really, really, really hungry to learn, they're hungry to improve, they're hungry to be better than we were a year ago, almost to the point of they're starving. Really enjoy the mentality of this group right now, they're a joy and blessing to work with every day.
On how much contact has been involved in practice…
WB: We've I believe two days in shoulder pads, one day in full pads. It's been really physical. We've had some really physical inside segments. We had short yardage goal line yesterday, so we have been really physical. [We have had some] good perimeter periods between the wideouts and perimeter players and defensive backs that we call little inside drill, so it's been plenty physical.
Blocking and tackling, those things never change. If you can block and tackle well, you've got a chance to win football games. For blocking, tackling, and great eye discipline you know every team if you can do those three things really well you've got a chance. Coach Allen has done a great job putting our camp together where we're able to do those things in a physical way, but also keep our guys healthy.
On what he has seen out of the quarterbacks…
WB: From an overall system knowledge, we're so much further along. As elementary as this sounds, you kind of talk about the A, B, Cs of certain concepts, and then eventually through repetition you start to learn some D, E, Fs. To be able to start with the D, E, Fs, as we're on our way to the X, Y, Zs is a nice thing.
They both have done a really nice job, they're both handling this competition incredibly well. They both help each other, they're always good teammates because they're both good human beings on top of being really good football players. The other guy that's done an incredible job is Dexter Williams II. Dexter is going to be a really good player someday. I'm really impressed with the improvement that Dexter has made between spring and now. So excited about him, but all three of those kids, great teammates, good people, they're doing everything they possibly can to go win and compete for the job.
On the tight end group and how they're progressing…
WB: AJ [Barner] is a really good player, another guy who's improved just in terms of overall system knowledge between the spring and now. James Bomba has done a great job of stepping up and kind of becoming a more physical, in-line grinder who's also got really soft hands. [Aaron Steinfeldt] has done a really nice job and Brody Foley is a young tight end that's going to be a really good player. He was an early enrollee that wasn't healthy in the spring so now he's back. Sam Daugstrup's done a nice job. [Ryan Barnes] has done a nice job.
We've got some good serviceable depth. The one guy that has really grown and really has started to improve is Trey Walker, who was a walk-on here. He's a big, long guy, that gives us some value at the point of attack, runs better than a lot of people think he does and has caught the ball really well up to this point in this camp.
So, really excited about the position group even though it's a young group. Everybody in there is young. Coach Wright is doing a great job with those guys, and so we're excited about the fact that not only they're going to add production and value to the offense, but they all have a little bit of a different skillset. We've got a really diversified position [at tight end], so excited about that group.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the full media session can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Tom Allen | Head Coach
On the quarterback competition between Connor Bazelak and Jack Tuttle…
TA: I'd say continuing to compete, that hasn't changed and that will continue. We have our first scrimmage coming up on Friday and I think that will be pretty telling for us to get the feedback were trying to get. On a daily basis, we're trying to install our system on both sides and so that process continues.
You just see flashes from both guys to be able to run the offense with a commanding mindset, to be able to make all the throws you need to make. Then you think about Jack [Tuttle], just so competitive and such a great preparer and is just really doing a good job of just learning; where to get his eyes, where to make the throws, running the system from the wholistic perspective is where I'm seeing growth there, which is what you want. Being able to move the football down the field as we move through camp we get more and more, what we call move the ball periods which is just playing real football, it's not scripted. The situations are basically you start a certain point, whether it's from the minus 30, minus 40, 2 minute, plus 25, if you're going in to do red zone focus, to just be able to move the football and run the offense.
And with Connor [Bazelak], just the quick release ability. You're seeing the growth in the mastery of the system because he hasn't been here as long as Jack, but bottom line is throwing catchable balls. One thing that sticks out to me about Connor is that he can throw a catchable ball and that is really the key. The completions are what you're looking for. We are charting everything: completion percentage, accuracy, whether it's dropped, all to get a fair assessment of where guys are at.
When you have a competition like this, you don't have one guy that is always addressing the team, they're both doing that in their settings and when practice is over and that's a good balance there. Guys are looking to see to those guys to be those leaders in those situations. I see progress without question but am really anxious to see the first scrimmage. That is to me really where you'll get the most reps of just pure playing football. You'll have the officials here. We had the miniature version of that yesterday, [but it was] very controlled. Only did that for one period but went full bore live yesterday during that one period and continue to build off those reps and that's kind of where we're at right now.
On keeping spring ball and fall camp quite…
TA: I think there's multiple reasons and the most obvious is who our first opponent is. That goes all the way back to the spring and that whole evaluation process. I know the process we go through as a staff and what we're looking for and what we can use to try to find information out. It's multiple reasons but that is the number one and that I just know as a defensive minded person when there's those questions marks there it creates multiple options you have to prepare for which detracts from the focus you really want it to have.
There's just a lot of unknows. Obviously, it works both directions. We have unknowns as well without playing a game against anybody before that first opportunity and before we have a chance to play. It's very driven by that and people may not like it, but it doesn't really matter to me it's what we're going to do. The whole goal is what we feel is best for our team and we feel that's the best for our team and we're going to stick with it.
On Donavan McCulley's move to wide receiver…
TA: It wasn't like 'nah I'm done' kind of thing. He did come to me, that's very accurate. No, it's not like a guy comes to me and says, 'hey I want this spot.' I had another kid come to me, other positions within the last few months about switching and we usually sit down as we do we have a conversation with the staff about it, that are affected by that position and in this circumstance, you contact family and talk to them, and I just think that it's a major shifting in a lot of ways.
I will say this, I understood and had the feelings [to move positions] and with such a talented player that you see has an opportunity to really get on the field sooner and in a different role, you have to have a big picture view of things. You have to go in and evaluate that but there's no doubt that it wasn't done quickly or just a matter of he came to me, and he wanted to do it so it's automatically a given.
I think there was a lot of discussions that went into it. It was a very gradual process for us to go through and just kind of see how things played out from that perspective. Even talking to others, his high school coaches, and just different things. For me, it wasn't a quick decision by any means. [We are] just trying to find the best way to help him and help our football team maximize our roster. To me, that's what I see from him, and I feel like that's going to be a great opportunity for him.
I didn't necessarily disagree with some of the things he was saying and there's no question you have a position like that it takes a lot of time and takes a lot of reps, so I just think that trying to make the best decision for all involved and obviously for him and for our team, that's what we felt it was.
On Shaun Shivers physical running style…
TA: I love it. He's different. He's very compact, very strong and very powerful, but I love his mindset. You take a young man like that has obviously probably never been considered tall [in his life]. Some guys grow really fast and never grow anymore. We've all seen those guys who are the same height in sixth grade as they are when they become a junior in high school, but I can't imagine that being the case. He's probably always been short and undersized and that creates a toughness to him.
We've got a couple guys like that. As a matter of fact, it came up in practice the other day. We have several guys on our team that we'd put in that category, they've got a special edge about them because of their size, and they've been small their whole lives and they've had to learn to fight, to be tough, physical and they have to be mean and nasty in their mindset in order to be able to compete against bigger guys when they were younger.
That's never left him. It's made him who he is. He has a tremendous edge about him, very physical, very tough kid. I think he's already infected our whole offense with that mindset and to me that's a really big deal to have a guy like that and the ability to have a positive impact on his entire team. That's a toughness that you have to have and that mindset to try to run somebody over regardless.
The other thing about him, which is awesome as a coach, is he also has the ability to make you miss and that's what he can do really well. He's not looking for the sideline, he's looking for somebody to physically run over and you saw it on film, that's what he did and did it in some really big games against some really high-caliber opponents. When I actually talked to some other coaches from down that way, that was the first thing they commented on was his power and how much of an explosive and physical runner that he is. He brings that with his mindset as we always say your mindset drives your expectations and beliefs and that's case with Shaun Shivers for sure.
Walt Bell | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
On his evaluation of the offense and the quarterbacks to this point…
WB: Overall evaluation, I think our kids have done a phenomenal job through the summer. I think that's the first thing. From where we left in the spring to where we are now, there's a big, noticeable difference. Kudos to those guys for how they've prepared this summer because we're in a much better place than we were when we exited the spring. So, they've done a lot of really good work.
Really proud of our offensive line, Coach [Tom] Allen, they do a great job putting camp together and making things difficult on us. I think our o-line has done a really nice job in the run game and in a pass protection standpoint. We've taken care of the ball relatively well, which is obviously the most important thing you do. Turnovers and explosive plays are going to make the difference in who wins and loses the game, so there's ball security every day. That's a huge part of what we do. We're taking care of the ball pretty well
Then other than that I think our kids from just a mentality standpoint, I think they're really, really, really hungry to learn, they're hungry to improve, they're hungry to be better than we were a year ago, almost to the point of they're starving. Really enjoy the mentality of this group right now, they're a joy and blessing to work with every day.
On how much contact has been involved in practice…
WB: We've I believe two days in shoulder pads, one day in full pads. It's been really physical. We've had some really physical inside segments. We had short yardage goal line yesterday, so we have been really physical. [We have had some] good perimeter periods between the wideouts and perimeter players and defensive backs that we call little inside drill, so it's been plenty physical.
Blocking and tackling, those things never change. If you can block and tackle well, you've got a chance to win football games. For blocking, tackling, and great eye discipline you know every team if you can do those three things really well you've got a chance. Coach Allen has done a great job putting our camp together where we're able to do those things in a physical way, but also keep our guys healthy.
On what he has seen out of the quarterbacks…
WB: From an overall system knowledge, we're so much further along. As elementary as this sounds, you kind of talk about the A, B, Cs of certain concepts, and then eventually through repetition you start to learn some D, E, Fs. To be able to start with the D, E, Fs, as we're on our way to the X, Y, Zs is a nice thing.
They both have done a really nice job, they're both handling this competition incredibly well. They both help each other, they're always good teammates because they're both good human beings on top of being really good football players. The other guy that's done an incredible job is Dexter Williams II. Dexter is going to be a really good player someday. I'm really impressed with the improvement that Dexter has made between spring and now. So excited about him, but all three of those kids, great teammates, good people, they're doing everything they possibly can to go win and compete for the job.
On the tight end group and how they're progressing…
WB: AJ [Barner] is a really good player, another guy who's improved just in terms of overall system knowledge between the spring and now. James Bomba has done a great job of stepping up and kind of becoming a more physical, in-line grinder who's also got really soft hands. [Aaron Steinfeldt] has done a really nice job and Brody Foley is a young tight end that's going to be a really good player. He was an early enrollee that wasn't healthy in the spring so now he's back. Sam Daugstrup's done a nice job. [Ryan Barnes] has done a nice job.
We've got some good serviceable depth. The one guy that has really grown and really has started to improve is Trey Walker, who was a walk-on here. He's a big, long guy, that gives us some value at the point of attack, runs better than a lot of people think he does and has caught the ball really well up to this point in this camp.
So, really excited about the position group even though it's a young group. Everybody in there is young. Coach Wright is doing a great job with those guys, and so we're excited about the fact that not only they're going to add production and value to the offense, but they all have a little bit of a different skillset. We've got a really diversified position [at tight end], so excited about that group.
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