Indiana Punter James Evans Adjusting to American Football Little by Little
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Image: Indiana University Athletics
Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)
The Indiana Hoosiers have some big shoes to fill on special teams as IU has to find a replacement for All-Big Ten punter Haydon Whitehead who is preparing for the NFL Draft. After having great success with Whitehead and ProKick Australia, Allen and his staff reached back down under for punter James Evans.
Evans has never played American football before and is still learning the very basics of the game.
“James is doing a great job. He is taking everything day by day right now. It's interesting when you get a guy like that. The first time he ever wore pads was practice three.” Special teams coach Kasey Teegardin explained. “You kind of take it for granted. The dude is out there, taking his helmet off before he even gets off the field. You have to tell him, that is a penalty. He is very raw. He is new to a lot of this. We are having to take him day by day, step by step. He is learning a ton. This spring is so important and valuable to get him to mid-year is a huge deal.”
The Hoosiers open their season with a likely top-15 matchup in Iowa City so there is no real time in Fall Camp to be messing with the rules of the game. Evans has to be ready and that is what the IU staff is trying to do, even if it catches the punter tying his shoe on the sideline.
“You don't have a lot of time, if he is going to be the guy day one at Iowa. You can't take time to, hey man you can't take your helmet off before you are off the field. He is tying his shoe and coach is calling an emergency put. I love when Coach Allen does that, to keep everyone on their heels in the flow of the game and James is out there tying his shoe. You don't have time to tie your shoe. The play clock is running. It has been a learning curve for him, but he has taken everything in stride.” Teegardin said.
If he can keep his helmet on and shoes tied, Evans has a good chance to follow in Whitehead’s footsteps as an All-Big Ten punter.
“He comes in and has a big leg and we expect a lot out of him.” Teegardin said. The videos of Evans kicking show that he is a two-step punter and can boom the ball down field, or into the nets on the ceiling of Indiana’s indoor facility.