2019 Indiana Football Fall Camp Report: August 12th
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Image: Andrew Walker Hoosier Huddle
Written by Andrew Walker
The Hoosiers were indoors at Mellencamp Pavilion on Monday, and what started off as a relatively slow practice without helmets, turned into some pretty exciting team drills. The focus today was less about full run throughs and more about the ins and outs of special teams, two-minute offense, and a few other nitty gritty things. Peyton Ramsey ended up taking a majority of the snaps, but Mike Penix and Jack Tuttle looked good in their reps as well.
Observations
Compared to last week’s practices, not a lot of energy
QB’s all looked good, Ramsey took a majority of the snaps
Receivers are playing well
Special teams playing fast
Progress is ahead of expectations, according to multiple coaches
Nick Sheridan
On his rapping performance, “Good laugh, it's always you know, don't take yourself too seriously. So take the players enjoyed it. Hopefully the guys got a good kick out of it. Like I said, it's always good put yourself out there, it's good lesson for players don't take yourself too seriously, No, I haven't got any phone calls yet. So I don't anticipate that happening.”
On how important some lighter moments are in the middle of camp, “It's great. You know, we asked a lot of our players and it's always good to laugh, you know, coaches and players included. And it's good to be vulnerable in front of other, you know, guys on your team. And, and we made fun of I mean, that's what family is all about, you know, I know me, my brothers and I and my dad and mom and my wife, crack jokes all the time and laugh, enjoy each other's company. So I always think that's good to be able to do that, especially right now you're in the thick of camp where it's hard, you know, it's what football is all about, so it's good to have a little bit of a lighter moment or two.”
On how Peyton Hendershot has improved, “Just a maturity, his body's developed, he's bigger, stronger, just more mature, you know, he's understanding the day to day grind of being a Big Ten football player. And so I've been pleased with that.”
On how receivers can feel comfortable with their quarterbacks, “Yeah, quarterbacks, you know, they don't have any biases they are the guys that get open regularly. And there's plenty of opportunities for all five eligible receivers on every time to get the ball. So you gotta do your job, know your assignment, run the right route and create separation. So the quarterbacks feel comfortable to throw it to you. So those opportunities are there for everybody. And ultimately, when you get those chances, you gotta take advantage of em”
On strengths and weaknesses of Hendershot, “I don't think, I mentioned this at the beginning of training camp, you know, there are no physical limitations for Peyton he's big and strong, you can run he can catch I think strength is would just be toughness and competitiveness, you know, shy away from his first go around. And then you know, things to develop and get better at was more preparation how you take care of your body, how you take care of your mind, so that you can be at your best, you know, on Saturdays every fall. So I think that maturity has started to set in, he understands the importance of having his body feel fresh, his mind feel fresh, and he's taking the next step to try to prepare in a more mature and a better way.”
On if Hendershot is a guy that can set the tone of leadership, “I think he's improved at that. I don't think I don't know if in his mind, he ever saw himself as someone that has a lot of influence, even though he does. You know, the guy in our room that as since I've, I've been in the room that's really try to set the tone for my effort and toughness standpoint with Matt Bjorson. And I think Peyton realizes the impact that he can have, and that he has elevated his leadership and his influence on the group and on the team. So I think he's starting to understand that, you know, leadership's best coupled by performance and if you're a good player, you have an opportunity to lead I think it's taken advantage of some of those opportunities”
On what his group can do to help the TE’s get more involved in the offense, “I think he's improved at that. I don't think I don't know if in his mind, he ever saw himself as someone that has a lot of influence, even though he does. You know, the guy in our room that as since I've, I've been in the room that's really try to set the tone for my effort and toughness standpoint with Matt Bjorson. And I think Peyton realizes the impact that he can have, and that he has elevated his leadership and his influence on the group and on the team. So I think he's starting to understand that, you know, leadership's best coupled by performance and if you're a good player, you have an opportunity to lead I think it's taken advantage of some of those opportunities”
Tom Allen
On the scrimmage, “Really good scrimmage on Saturday, very encouraged by overall there's some areas obviously we gotta continue to work really hard at but I just thought the guys competed well. Thought that we had a very good offense vs defense competition part that both sides making plays. Thought we had too many holding calls on the O line so gotta work on that. We have a Big Ten officiating crew here which is great to talk to our team and had a couple pass interference on defense which is good to get those calls but they were costly times both in both sides the ball had some penalties I thought were, took us out of position to make plays. But as an overall evaluation, just talked to the group, competed well. Got a lot accomplished. Really good special teams working with our punt protection going live with that working on that. Haydon can really punt the ball well right now. Thought our kickoff work was really effective, Nate Snyder is really kicking the ball well and getting hang time on his kick offs and distance and Jared Smolar as well as working hard to test some good kicks as well. So pleased with those guys with their work and just felt like that it was a good next step for us, a lot of value a lot to get better at but really felt like that our guys really took that first scrimmage, we call preseason game number one. And it was a good measuring stick to see where we're at and what we got to reevaluate and adjust for this next week that you're ready for preseason number two, which is going to be on Saturday.”
On whether or not he is where he wants to be, talking about the penalties in the scrimmage, “Yeah, I mean, those are kind of typical. If somebody's on beginning, you don't have you know, the officials in practice every single day. You ask the D-Line, the O-Line holds every play, you know, so yeah. It's good for me to get those officials here. So I can just say Heck, that's up to them. Now they either called it or they didn't you know, but you see get that that's typical, the first scrimmage I think so. But yeah, I would say in some ways, in terms of the the knowledge of a new offensive system and in a way to execute it. Maybe a little bit ahead of what I was what I thought we might be, Coach DeBoer and I have talked with both agree with that. And then defensively, just the lack of mental mistakes has been encouraging, you know, guys in the right fits, guys and making the right checks and adjustments and just a lot of guys that are involved that are doing a lot of good things. So probably maybe a little ahead of both of those areas in terms of execution on each side of the ball. Now we just gotta, you know, get to get to where we're doing it at a high level all the time.”
On the quarterback decision, “It's almost harder than ever, because I think all three of them played pretty well, you know? So yeah, it's, it's still open. And they just got to keep doing what they're doing and got to find a way to separate themselves a little bit, I don't know that Saturday made it easier, or clarified things at all. But you see what they can do, and they all do good things. And, and I think which is good. I mean, I want to have a lot of good options and want to have guys that can make plays and, and so I thought our receivers, they're really they're really playing well, right now in regards to catching the football and getting them lined up right and run around. And so it's just a group that kind of sticks out to me and obviously the quarterback play is part of that, you know, and all two quarterbacks are able to do some good things, I think that helps and, but just really thankful that group of guys, quarterbacks, receivers, all the work over the summer, I think it's really paying off.”
On overall team health, “Yeah, that that part's been encouraging, you know, we've got a couple guys and Reese Taylor's got a hand injury, that he should be okay in time. And Gary had a, Gary Cooper a lower leg injury that he has worked on a little bit, so he'll be out a few weeks. But other than that guys are, you know, pretty healthy, and you get your typical hamstrings and, and things like that, but nothing so far that has kept guys out of practice. So and we're trying to manage that. And do a really good job tonight today's was by designed to be able to give our guys rest and recovery days, as well as a really, really effective situational practice to work on some specific things, corrections from the scrimmage, as well as, you know, getting some things squared away there, I'm just glad that we didn't get hit the day, maybe we had a lot of good physical practices so far and, and try and do a great job. I want us to be a really, really good team that practices really well on our feet in shells, that has great tempo, great intensity, great thuds, learn how to tackle that way, learn how to block that way and keep everybody on their feet, I think it's positive for everybody. But just learn to practice that way without taking guys down all the time, we'll have some live videos here and rest of the way. But those will be pretty controlled.”
On whether or not he’s made changes to who’s starting, “Now, I think that as a staff, you know, we had conversations yesterday after the scrimmage just about getting more specific into the ones and the twos, you know, so I think you'll see more of that practice less emphasis on the threes, because we're just ready to get more reps for those guys and and then to the twos will be a combination of certain threes. And then the guys that we're trying to get ready for game game, you know, so still not in, you know, game prep mode yet. But this this next week, leading up to preseason game number two is going to be a big emphasis on getting the guys ready, that we think are going to be playing for us on Saturday. So maybe we'll see a little shift in that for sure.”
On the physicality in the scrimmage, “It was good. You know, we've we've tackled well throughout fall camp, which needs to continue to keep working on that. But I think that this is that balance between the two, Of how how many live goes, do you go? How much is enough? How much is not enough? How much is too much? So, really in that mode right now. And we got certain guys on offense that I know what they can do. So getting them, you know, tackled or receivers going to the ground doesn't make a lot of sense, probably for certain ones. So I think we gotta start managing that for sure. But at the same time, you know, those guys are we still got a lot of youth, you know, those those running backs, gotta take those hits, so they can get ready to secure the ball and, and be able to be effective on gameday. So yeah, that's that's just kind of find yourself in a situation every, every, every year at this time of the year. But so far, we just got to keep making good decisions.”
On his confidence that he’s getting the right guys enough reps, “Yeah, I think so. And that's where we have to do a really good job with those. And that that's why, you know, the sooner the better to make a decision for that for sure. But we're just not ready to make that call yet. But I do think that this part of the thought process as well. And that's why we did practice longer and may do that for a little bit, but not much longer. We gotta get get the guys honed in on who's going to be be the one out there on on Saturdays.”
On the status of Freshman OL Matthew Bedford, “Well, you know, there's no question. I mean, if you could redshirt them all that's ideal, you know that to get us to develop them. It's just not gonna be reality, you know, so I just, he's, he's really progressed. You know, there's no question being here in the spring was huge for him. And I think that, that, you know, he's behind Coy (Cronk) right now on the depth chart. But we talked about having, you know, who's your next best offensive lineman that you have to serve somewhere, you know, and so, right now, he's that guy, you know, and so, but he's still, you know, even today, you know, he was, his head was spinning on some things, you know, so when when you start being there all the time, you know, that which we try to give some more reps on Saturday. Yeah, I don't I don't think we are gonna redshirt him. He's gonna have to play.”
On Caleb Jones’ improvement, “Yeah, you know, you go through and you like you said, you sit the young man down at the beginning of spring, and you see what you think he can become, and you know what you recruited him to come here to do, and you set that out and you challenge the guys around you have a Coy and that whole group. And he's responded, I was positive about him after spring and into the summer and continued to do what he's done before and even probably take it to another level for summer work goes and, and he just continued, so he's playing his best football right now, since he's been here. And I think everyone on staff would agree with that. So he's just got to keep climbing. So very proud of him. He can't let up you know, he's where he's at for a reason. And he's, he's really accepted the challenge of being a Big Ten starter, you know, now he's got to do that every single day, you can't just, we're all, all of us have to get better. And that's where the, the depth behind him and the guy like Matthew Bedford, hey, guys read waiting to chomping at the bit to play too you know, so, but at the same time, Aiden Rafferty's really come along and made a lot of progress as well. So I just feel like that, you know, we needed Caleb to step up and he has and so I'm happy for him happy for us. He's got continue.”
On how he’s seeing his role in special teams more, “Well, you know, the big part of special teams is recruiting depth and speed and athleticism. And that, to me is where we have been hurt in past, you know, where we got exposed a little bit. And guys, we have to be in those situations and all that open space, it happens on special teams, and we got hurt us, you know, so having a lot of these young defensive players, it's an easy place for them to get reps. They don't take as much time to learn as a defense might learn, or even skill guys on offense, you know, so I expect that to be better. Recovery specialist themselves, the Kickers and punters. Hayden's having a great camp and I really encouraged by his progress in his pocket plans. He's always been good. Really good job. We call them goal punts, where you're trying to pin people inside the ten and he's done a great job of that. And obviously Logan is doing okay. Charles is right there. And we told him, the best kicker kicks, you know, I know Logan was the kicker last year and I'm not trying to put any pressure on everybody. But Charles Campbell has kicked extremely well in fall camp. So those guys are competing. Charles is already redshirted. So he'll get a chance to give some of you guys some live game kicks, you know, as as the season unfolds. And so. But I'm encouraged by that. And I think that you said are tough on me. And Jared Smolar for the kickoff there, they're battling, they're competing for that, that job, you know, so I like the competition that we have going on there. And like how Hayden's turned into a leader? You know, I mean, we, we, if you ask our strength staff, and they're like, he's he leads with the level of the captain, you know, there's the effort and toughness and work ethic in the weight room and just the mindset that he has, which usually they have specialists in those roles, but he's put himself in that position and these be considered so but that's, that's when he leads a hell of a group, you know, and so that's, that's exciting. He's on our leadership council and he's really taken take charge of that. So he is you want to see it in all three phases. You know, we got to get better on special teams and I believe that we have a chance to be better.”
Logan Justus
On how his confidence is going early in the season, “It's been like really high. So preseason, got some awards. It's really like big to me and means a lot but it's also made me like work a lot harder. So I've had to prove myself.”
On confidence the special teams unit can flip the field effectively this year, “I feel really good about it. We have a lot of experience and like a lot of talent in that room.”
On how his leg is feeling this year, “It’s doing really good, so, it’s a lot stronger now.
On the BTN trick with the nose holding the ball, “I told him I wouldn’t (hit him) and we trust each other. That was the first time we’ve done that.”
On confidence as a kicker when starting this season, “Like my mental toughness has gone up a lot. And then obviously with the experience that helps a lot so like I'm able to stay more calm and situations and know what to do with everything.”
On the Maryland game last year, “I usually don't get nervous and those I just kind of like blackout. Really like don't think of anything.”
On if there are any situations in which he gets nervous, “No.”
On the competition at the kicker position, “So he's really good. And he always make sure to push me and I push myself so we're really close together.”
On things he wants to improve this year, “Just like little details, the same consistent. I really want to shoot for perfection, obviously. So just staying calm and things like that.”
On blocked kicks and whether or not he trusts his O-Line, “Not really so the blocks like, I always trust my line. So I find that like, if I didn't trust them, then I'd be kind of a headcase. So I trust them and they trust me.”
On any personal goals for the season, “Just really a staying consistent and being a better leader, making sure like every specialist is along and helping out in any way.”