Bad Memories a Good Thing for Young Defensive Backs
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Sometimes to rise, you have to fall. You sometimes win by losing.
Case in point -- Indiana defensive backs Jamari Sharpe and Phillip Dunnam.
Both are young. Both made mistakes that resulted in big Louisville pass plays last Saturday. Both responded with strong performances.
That matters now, and for the future, starting with Saturday night’s home game against Akron (1-2).
“To be able to come back from that is important,” head coach Tom Allen says. “You've got to flush it and press on and have a really bad memory in playing the secondary at this level. (The other team is) going to make some plays, but you can’t give up explosive plays.”
After giving up a 43-yard, first-quarter pass catch, Dunnam finished with seven tackles and an interception. After allowing an 85-yard, first-quarter touchdown pass, Sharpe had three tackles, including one for a four-yard loss, and a pass breakup.
“Ten guys can do their jobs,” Allen says, “but if one guy doesn't, it's a negative play. We’ve got to do our jobs. We've got to trust the guys around us to do theirs; you've got to trust the fitters on the run to do theirs, so you can stay back and play top-down per the coverage.
“That's a growth opportunity for those young guys. I expect them to be better because of it.”
Sharpe is a redshirt freshman seeing his first significant college action. Dunnam, a sophomore, was a reserve last season.
“You’ve got two young players who had bad eyes,” Allen says.
In other words, they were looking in the wrong place, got out of position and got burned.
“Jamari is a very talented player,” Allen says, “but that was really his first game of that magnitude where you've got two teams that are very equal. Every play is going to be (important) in the outcome.
“It’s the same with Phillip. Getting his eyes off his man and giving up a double move. He’s played more football for us than Jamari has, but he's still young.
“Those are critical opportunities to learn from.”
Co-defensive coordinator Matt Guerrieri is at the forefront of that learning.
“There were mistakes, but those guys didn’t flinch,” Guerrieri says. “It goes back to mentality. They’re young guys. It’s our job, my job, to get them ready so mistakes don’t happen.
“I am pleased with their mentality, with their response, with their taking the coaching, and applying it. That’s a positive.”
Hard coaching doesn’t always include hugs and high fives. Mistakes can cause doubt. Rising above it all, Guerrieri says, is crucial.
“A lot of guys go the other way. They don’t have a short-term memory. That crushes them, especially young players. Fortunately, that was not the case.”
In the end, it’s about responding positively to challenges. And IU (1-2) will face pass-coverage challenges Saturday night against an Akron team that averages 283.3 passing yards per game.
“It starts with mentality,” Guerrieri says. “It's a fighter mentality, taking pride in the fight of every single rep no matter what the situation is. That's first. Our guys respond from that standpoint.
“Then, our guys believe in what we are doing and they believe in each other. When you have belief and a fighting mentality, that always gives you a chance.”