Bulls To Bring ‘Attack Mindset’
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Anthony Jones is not wired to play passive.
For this, Indiana outside linebackers coach Kasey Teegardin gives thanks.
“He's going to play a bunch of different spots,” Teegardin says. “He's just more physically gifted and just the mindset. He has an attack mindset that you want.”
The 6-4, 255-pound Jones is an intriguing prospect. He transferred to Indiana after one season at Oregon, where he played in two games and recorded one tackle.
At Liberty High School in Nevada, Jones was a two-way standout, playing outside linebacker and tight end. ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports all rated him as the state’s top athlete.
Those attributes quickly got Hoosier coaches’ attention after Jones entered the transfer portal.
“He's physical and he's versatile,” Teegardin says. “At his high school in Las Vegas, he played tight end and then he was also a defensive guy. We were able to see his athleticism in space catching the ball. He's a natural athlete.”
At Oregon, his physicality stood out.
“That’s something we have to have at that bull (outside linebacker) spot,” Teegardin says.
Jones wants to play free. IU coaches also want him to play free, with this caveat -- he has to play within the defensive structure. Be aggressive, but be aware.
When done correctly, it frees up linebackers to make plays.
“That’s what training camp is for,” Jones says. “Learning the certain plays where I can be a little more flexible and the times when I’ve got to stick more to the defense.”
IU’s defense will allow him to rush the quarterback as well as drop back into pass coverage.
“It allows me to show a lot of different skills sets of mine. I get the best of both worlds.”
Jones will join with 6-2, 242-pound Myles Jackson and 6-1, 240-pound Lanell Carr Jr. in a formidable outside linebacker rotation of size, speed, and athleticism.
“I feel good about them,” Teegardin says. “You’ll see a heavy dose of those three.”
And when only one is on the field, the understanding is clear:
Do your job.
“If you just see one out there, he represents the room,” Teegardin says. “Each one has taken that challenge personally.
“That has to be a weapon for us. Get after the quarterback. We have to use that.”
IU also has get-after-the-quarterback weapons on the defensive line with Andre Carter and Philip Blidi, plus linebacker Aaron Casey and husky Noah Pierre.
“There are a lot of things offenses will have to worry about,” Teegardin says.
As far as Carr, Teegardin praised the way the West Virginia transfer attacked summer conditioning.
“He changed his body. He’s down in weight, but up in muscle mass. He’s lean and explosive. His first step is as good as anyone on the team who rushes the passer.”
Besides outside linebackers, Teegardin also coaches special teams. That means he works with Jaylin Lucas, who might be the most dangerous returner in all of college football. Lucas returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last season and averaged 28.1 yards per attempt en route to earning All-America honors as a true freshman.
Opponents know this. They will do everything they can to neutralize him.
The Hoosiers will do everything they can to neutralize the neutralizers. After all, it’s not like they haven’t faced this challenge before.
“Even last year, we tried to manufacture ways toward the end of the season to get him the ball because teams kicked away from him,” Teegardin says. “We have to expect teams to do different things and try to manipulate him not touching the ball. We have to be creative on our side and make sure we use him at the right times in the right moments.”
Creativity will include punt returns as well as kickoff returns, plus running and catching on offense.
“There are a variety of things schematically that we're working on to make sure that he's in a position to field the football, whether it be a kick return or punt return and obviously, offensively,” Teegardin says. “He's a dangerous weapon. There's a reason he was a first team All-American last year. We've got to find ways to get him the ball and get him returns.”
That includes blocking to get Lucas into open space, because once he’s there, good luck catching him.
“When those opportunities come, the other 10 guys on the field have to do their jobs because he is so explosive,” Teegardin says. “You can't relax when he's out there. You've got to get the other 10 guys blocking for him and using their techniques and making sure they're giving him time to field the kicks and the punts.
“That's really what it comes down to because we know what he can do with the ball in his hands. It's going to come down to the other 10 guys being able to out-execute our opponent.”
IU is working in a new kicker. True freshman Nicolas Radicic is battling veterans Chris Freeman and Alejandro Quintero.
Radicic is a five-star prospect out of Texas. He was rated the nation’s No. 3 kicker by 247Sports and No. 4 by ESPN. He participated in the 2023 Army All-American Bowl.
“He's got a chip on his shoulder,” Teegardin says of Radicic. “He’s an extremely confident young man. I’m very pleased with him.”
Teegardin says the fact Radicic thrived at the 6-A level in Texas as well as in the All-American Bowl helps prepare him for college pressure.
“He’s a freshman, so you try to build it and bring him along slowly and adapt him into the (college) environment because it's going to be different.
“He comes from a big-time high school (Coppell) that plays some really good football down in Texas. He's kicked in the All-American game so he's been in pressure situations, which you love.
“We're going to put him in pressure situations (during practice). We put him in one (on Monday) and he answered the call, which is what you expect.”
In three seasons, Freeman has a pair of extra points and no field goal attempts. He’s averaged 61.9 yards on 46 kickoffs.
Quintero has one 65-yard kickoff as a Hoosier.
“Chris has done a much better job in the past week and a half,” Teegardin says. “Alex has been serviceable, as well. I feel really good about where we're at moving forward with those three guys. It's exciting to see.”