Quoted: Roman Hemby & Elijah Sarratt
9/9/2025 6:00:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– As Indiana Football's Week 3 matchup versus Indiana State on Friday (September 12) approaches, seniors Roman Hemby and Elijah Sarratt addressed the media inside the Don Croftcheck Football Team Room.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Roman Hemby | RB | R-Sr.
On what on-field performance says for the group…
RH: I feel like it definitely reflects the work we've put in. It's still early, there's still a lot of things we haven't been able to do that we're still working to get. It shows the grit and the resilience that we kind of have as a room. We put one each other in positions to be successful. We kind of compete with one another to make sure that everyone has their best foot forward. I think the last two weeks we've been able to show a little bit of a glimpse of what we're able to do if we keep attacking the weight room and stacking days.
Trick to absorbing contact and forcing missed tackles…
RH: It's definitely something that's still a work in progress. Coach (John) Miller has been helping me tremendously since I've been here, giving me little tools in the toolbox to kind of make those guys miss. (It's) really more simple than it seems, it's honestly just running and trusting my ability that I can make those guys miss and having an eye to the end zone and not really worrying about those defenders kind of helps them to kind of roll off in a sense. Obviously, I have some things I still need to work on. I feel proud of myself on making those guys miss and turning those little games into bigger games to kind of help the team.
On specific tools from Coach Miller…
RH: Honestly, just getting the legs out of there. You see a lot of times when those DBs and secondary players, they go for your legs. If you can kind of find a way to take them away or you know, get up out of there where they're you know grabbing your legs you can kind of make it hard for them to grab you, it kind of helps you to get out of tackles.
Elijah Sarratt | WR | Sr.
On adjusting to a brand new QB every year…
ES: It has definitely gotten easier for me, going into freshman and sophomore year you kind of get frustrated if you're open and it doesn't hit you on the route, and then now (I) just learn that it's a process, and it's a quarterback that's seeing a new offense just like I am. I don't get frustrated and it's a process so [we are] continuing to get better as the days go by.
On how the defense has played him differently since he arrived…
ES: I mean in the beginning of my career it was like oh you will be one on one or whatever and we will see if you do good. Now I see more of a cloud over me to do a corner or hard press safety over top so little stuff like that. It's a blessing that it's happening and it means I am doing something right so I just have to find ways on how to attack that and watch film and see what they are doing differently.
On when the safety changes on defense and how he reacts…
ES: Sometimes they put a safety over top of me, but they are really bluffing and they get back to the middle of the field. So, knowing what defenses they like to run and then just putting me in different spots and running certain routes to attack that coverage.
#NeverDaunted
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Roman Hemby | RB | R-Sr.
On what on-field performance says for the group…
RH: I feel like it definitely reflects the work we've put in. It's still early, there's still a lot of things we haven't been able to do that we're still working to get. It shows the grit and the resilience that we kind of have as a room. We put one each other in positions to be successful. We kind of compete with one another to make sure that everyone has their best foot forward. I think the last two weeks we've been able to show a little bit of a glimpse of what we're able to do if we keep attacking the weight room and stacking days.
Trick to absorbing contact and forcing missed tackles…
RH: It's definitely something that's still a work in progress. Coach (John) Miller has been helping me tremendously since I've been here, giving me little tools in the toolbox to kind of make those guys miss. (It's) really more simple than it seems, it's honestly just running and trusting my ability that I can make those guys miss and having an eye to the end zone and not really worrying about those defenders kind of helps them to kind of roll off in a sense. Obviously, I have some things I still need to work on. I feel proud of myself on making those guys miss and turning those little games into bigger games to kind of help the team.
On specific tools from Coach Miller…
RH: Honestly, just getting the legs out of there. You see a lot of times when those DBs and secondary players, they go for your legs. If you can kind of find a way to take them away or you know, get up out of there where they're you know grabbing your legs you can kind of make it hard for them to grab you, it kind of helps you to get out of tackles.
Elijah Sarratt | WR | Sr.
On adjusting to a brand new QB every year…
ES: It has definitely gotten easier for me, going into freshman and sophomore year you kind of get frustrated if you're open and it doesn't hit you on the route, and then now (I) just learn that it's a process, and it's a quarterback that's seeing a new offense just like I am. I don't get frustrated and it's a process so [we are] continuing to get better as the days go by.
On how the defense has played him differently since he arrived…
ES: I mean in the beginning of my career it was like oh you will be one on one or whatever and we will see if you do good. Now I see more of a cloud over me to do a corner or hard press safety over top so little stuff like that. It's a blessing that it's happening and it means I am doing something right so I just have to find ways on how to attack that and watch film and see what they are doing differently.
On when the safety changes on defense and how he reacts…
ES: Sometimes they put a safety over top of me, but they are really bluffing and they get back to the middle of the field. So, knowing what defenses they like to run and then just putting me in different spots and running certain routes to attack that coverage.
#NeverDaunted
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