Learning a New Offense is a Process, but All Three Quarterbacks are Enjoying the Ride
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Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle
Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)
Spring practice is nearly over for the Indiana Hoosiers as the enter the final week prior to the annual spring game. All spring the Hoosiers have been installing a new offense un coordinator Kalen DeBoer. It’s been a process according to DeBoer and the quarterbacks and the process seems to be going well.
“Everything I have asked of the guys they’ve come through with.” DeBoer said after practice last Saturday. “They’re a great group of guys. The coaches are selling out to it, I love the way we all come together and it’s a process. You want to focus on results and that’s important, we have got to have production.”
DeBoer has three quarterbacks, Michael Penix, Peyton Ramsey and Jack Tuttle who are all trying to put in the work to be the man behind center when the Hoosiers kickoff against Ball State at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 31st.
“It’s definitely been a process.” Ramsey, who started all 12 games in 2018, told IUHoosiers.com. Every process has its ups and downs and this is no different according to Ramsey. “Guys are learning, guys are making mistakes, but that’s all part of it and we are getting better every single day. We just finished up practice 11, so it’s been a process and it’s been a lot of fun.”
Freshman Jack Tuttle, who recently was granted a waiver from the NCAA to play in 2019, agrees with Ramsey about the process. “It has it’s hiccups sometimes. Like I said before, it’s a process, but it’s gone really well.”
Fellow freshman quarterback Michael Penix, who played in three games last season and is recovering from knee surgery, said, “It’s been going (well). It’s not too much different. It’s like different play calls. We do a lot of the same things and everyone is doing their best to pick up on that, so it’s been going real good.”
QBs Supporting and Pushing Each Other
With the news of Jack Tuttle being eligible to play in games in 2019, the quarterback situation became both clearer and muddier at the same time. While the Hoosiers were confident he would be cleared there was always a bit of angst as the wait dragged out. Now that he is cleared two of the three competitors for the starting job can go forward full speed ahead. However, the competition cannot truly start until Michael Penix can be at 100-percent the competition cannot be decided.
Tuttle told IUHoosiers.com that his competitors are “two great guys. All I can tell you is that we are pushing each other. We are having fun and competing and we are supporting each other as well.”
Penix echoed Tuttle’s sentiments saying, “we are all going out there just doing the best we can for the team and not for ourselves. If you ask me, Peyton (Ramsey) or Jack (Tuttle) we are all going to say the same thing. We are all just coming out here to do our best for the team and have a good season this year.”