Competition Heating Up Along the Defensive Line as Fall Camp Rolls On

The defensive line gets physical at practice. Image: Indiana Athletics

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The Indiana Hoosiers got to put on the shoulder pads on Friday in Bloomington as they conducted their third practice of the fall and the physicality and competition was heating up. The Hoosiers have revamped their defensive line via the transfer portal and players are competing for three starting roles.

“There is a lot of competition. That’s the best part of it. We got guys competing with each other. I think the best part of them competing with each other is that they have grown into a really close brotherhood.” Indiana defensive line coach Paul Randolph said after practice on Friday.

Randolph is looking for certain characteristics in his players during the early stages of fall camp.

“Attitude and effort early and just trying to be the standard.” Randolph said. “We call it break to stack. When the ball is outside of my area, I am breaking the stack. I am going to the ball. Energy, effort, physicality. We still can get that in the way we practice which is who and what we want to be. But to me, the finish, the burst, and break the stack to the ball and just being explosive in those things.”

The hope is that the intense competition in fall camp will forge depth at the position. The talent and body types are in place, it is time for it to be cultivated and developed.

“LeDarrius Cox has done a really good job since the end of last season. Patrick Lucas, Phillip Blidi and Marcus Burris are doing a really good job right now. I got (Venson) Sneed, a young fella coming up. I am really excited. Of course, Nick James, who got a little bit of playing time last year is doing really good job. He is one who is in the mix. What you are hearing is that I am excited about the depth that we have and the competition that we have going every single day.” Randolph said of his group.

Big Ten games are won in the trenches and the Hoosiers are looking to build the kind of defensive line that can be a difference maker in games against other Power Five competition.