2019 Indiana Football Fall Camp Report: August 7th
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Image: Andrew Walker Hoosier Huddle
Written by Andrew Walker
In the midst of a scorching day, the Hoosiers excelled on the practice field. That was apparent as the practice went on. Earlier, however, there didn’t seem to be much energy around the Hoosiers’ Wednesday practice. This all changed once team drills started. Donovan Hale leaped into the air for a jump ball and got called for offensive pass interference. From then on out, the focus and energy were turned to 11. All three QB’s had their ups and downs on Wednesday, but Mike Penix made the spectacular plays during the two-minute drills at the end of practice.
Observations
Energy was extremely low to begin with, but ended high
Penix played QB2 most of today, but he showed great consistency and the ability to get the ball out quick
Defense started hot in team drills but lost focus as practice went on with a few pass interference calls and missed coverage
Ty Fryfogle was flat out dominant catching the ball today.
Kalen DeBoer
On QB performance, “I think all the quarterbacks in a really good job of knowing situations today, two minute drill. Second time we've done it. And we learned some very favorite positions at times, but we found ways to, you know, move the sticks, make aplay, puts pressure on the defense and get some field goals to win it They're huge. And, you know, what you're seeing is you're seeing receivers and quarterbacks gelling, like knowing based on where the defenders at where the quarterback might try to throw the ball, when they're down going down the field when they should turn and look at the timing of when the ball is going to be thrown. It happened one time where we were on time. But there was so many days where we did a great job and that timing is coming together. You know, again, I can tell the guys worked their tails off this summer. All the positions were focused on the quarterbacks right now. Coach Michael senior school comfortable with throwing those out rounds, two fumbles.”
On Mike Penix ability to throw over the middle, “Yeah, I think so. I mean, you know, those are late or the middle, you know, but when he's on time, he does a great job. With completion percentages, right where I'd like it to be at this point. He didn't take any reps team-wise is the spring, you know, so where he's at and progressing. He has the direction he's going. It's it's, it's really exciting. I mean, is that is it been tougher different for him in terms of getting used to certain things, because he wasn't able to do some of the really live stuff with his bringing yourself? I think that biggest thing is just, you know, there's a pressure check, let's check or you know, some of those a check, actually, you know, he, he was never in that situation. So more of the mental is not so you can just play ball. All those things take over. It's more of the checking communication with the offensive line and be changing, something's gotta let the receivers know, it's that person, that process that procedure that we have of going through a play. Yeah, I mean, the fundamental things, okay.”
On how he grades/measures QB’s, “So you know, throw the football stuff, but it's just team believing it, you know, and it's, it's a matter of just doing it over and over and over again, and being consistent. You know, Peyton's got that, that work ethic, he's got that, that tough minded mentality that they are seeing Mike develop that. And Jack's the same way. I mean, they know that I'm loving him up, and I'm in their corner, and I'm fighting with them locking arms with them. But also, there's many times where I try to put pressure on, you know, because when they're in a stadium with 100,000, fans, you know, it's them, and I'm in the press box, I can't be out there holding their hand. And, and so I try to put them in those adverse situations. And so to me, that's a big part of what you look for in a quarterback that Moxie, just that feel the games online, yeah, there's pressure, but belief in yourself that you can get it done. You know, just as you do that, the teams that buy into you, that's when you have great teams, great defenses, great quarterback playoff time, I mean, you gotta let it play out a little bit, I just, I don't want to stick to something and not be able to hold to it and, you know, make a bad decision and things like that.”
On a timeline for announcing the starting QB, “So we talked, you know, we're talking about it. Be honest with you, we want to let the first five, six practices happen here, kind of see where we're at, we track everything. Back see it all? You know, we're very, we're communicating with them. We're not, you know, it's not secret. We're all in this together. And so, right now, you know, this is good to get six practices under our belt. And so we can we can kind of evaluate where we're at not just a quarterback, but all the other positions as well. You know, Scott's done a really nice job, you know, and we've been very consistent. Yeah, they know, the correction is they know, their completion percentages that every single day, and then we do it evaluation for the full offerings to turnovers, sacks, drops, explosive plays, you know, all of that, penalties.
On how he feels the offense looks, “I tell you, if you told me, the practices that we had, if you're six practices have been excited, just feel like and I don't like to sugarcoat things, but, I just feel like there's a mindset right now. And we're going this way, I told the guys after day three, you know, we've had three back to back practices. First, of course, the first two was no pads, right? So there's not a much but day three, we got out there. And I can tell that they put a lot of time in the summer. And that things were naturally running the offense. And there was a rhythm to us. And then I was like, Can you do a day four, and they came out and they they brought the energy and the focus, and then execute it. Now it's not. It's not perfect by any means. But you know, there's a mindset that we can be really good. They're going this direction, when something at first happens, we're responding. Practice five, we came out here. And I like where I can just be honest with them. I don't feel the energy. But there's great folks. So let's just leave the energy a little bit. Yesterday, you know, and then today, another very solid practice. So I'd rather be here, you know, and be this. I feel like that's what we've done. You want to step on the field and know what you got each and every day.”
On the depth at RB, “Yeah, that position group is, is really interesting, is strong. It's very diverse, Cole Gest with the speed, that's kind of a combination of both. You got got Sampson James who came in yesterday. The physical aspect of it and in between every guy is kind of had their time to shine. And Stevie's was today, I was really interesting to see in a live setting, he had one guy to beat to finish. And you know, he beat that guy. You know, he didn't let him get him at the legs. It was right along the sideline. And it was really cool to see him finish that play. I was anxious to you know, see to be out he got it in finishers and just got to get there and go down. Gotta go play and play. Those explosive plays are big. Big difference makers last week inside that 10 all those running backs done Nice job.
On who else is going to play besides Stevie Scott, “They all got a little something different. We're still evaluating that there's a couple things and if each guy that I still don't really have a great field, you know, who was really good at catching the ball out of the backfield. You know, I think, you know, you kind of work in different I'll front. I know, you knew what you got was boy, he's been super solid. Especially Caleb, because he's, he's just a much different player. And Caleb fans on the offensive line. And then it's just a surprising it's just I got a chance to see guys like practicing practices from the spring I got to see Cole play. So I've seen two and a half Cole when he gets out space. And so using the speed, it's been fun to see that. So the receiving Corps has been super solid yesterday as a whole skill group, you know, one drop the entire day. And that's, I'm talking I'm talking to you. So that consistency we have from football right now is guy and miles. We've been moving them around, you know, this spring, he was in the inside a little bit. And we were just our personnel was bigger, you know, it'd be better to get him outside and he's no better team player that I think he can be super special as an outside receiver. And that was that was a big win for us. You know, you competed. That's the biggest thing.”