Notebook: Indiana Introduces QB Coach Nick Sheridan and OL Coach Darren Hiller

Nick Sheridan is excited to be coaching the quarterbacks in Bloomington Image: Sammy Jacobs HoosierHuddle.com

Written By Sammy Jacobs(@Hoosier_Huddle)

The Indiana Hoosier Football Program welcomed their two newest coaches, Nick Sheridan (QBs) and Darren Hiller (OL), in an introductory press conference before the men's basketball team took the floor at Assembly Hall Sunday afternoon. New offensive coordinator Mike DeBord introduced the two new members of the offensive staff.

Coach DeBord first introduced new quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan:

We have great excitement in the football program right now with the two new additions on our coaching staff. The first one that I’ll introduce is Coach Seridan, my left. Nick was a player for me at Michigan his freshman and sophomore year during my last two years at Michigan. He was under our system as a player and our quarterbacks system there. Then these last two years, Nick was our Graduate Assistant at Tennessee. I had the title of coordinator and quarterbacks, but what I did those two years, I really worked with the front. The offensive line, the tight ends, that group up there and Nick took over the quarterbacks. He had them in meetings. He had them in game preparation. He had them in practice. And then he was there with me when I was calling the game on game day, in a very critical role. So, he was actually was the quarterback (coach) at Tennessee these last two years. When Tom (Allen) and I first talked about me coming here, Nick was one of the first guys I talked to him about and all the things that he would bring. So, I am really excited to have him here. I’m excited we worked together in the past and what he did for me and Josh Dobbs at Tennessee.

Sheridan has a blue print of what he wants out of Indiana's quarterbacks in 2017 and beyond. "That’s one great thing with Coach Allen is his vision for the position. His vision and mine really align." Seridan said.  "The first thing is we are looking for a winner. I think we are just trying to accumulate players with a winning mentality and are accustomed to winning. The second part from the quarterback position is just accuracy. The ability to place the football where you want it to be. Then the last piece is just escapability. I think when you go across the National Football League and across college football the sizes and shapes and skill sets of quarterbacks are different, but when you really put those three things together, winning, accuracy, and escapability, I think you can put a really quality product on the field. When we are evaluating and developing quarterbacks, those are the things we look for."

The Hoosiers were plagued by turnovers, especially in the interception department, in 2016. When asked about how he will fix the issue Sheridan responded, " It’s the most important piece of playing football. As the quarterback position we are the caretakers of the ball for the entire team, the entire university, the entire state. So it’s something we emphasize each and every day. There are some things you can do schematically to try and help the kid out, put him in some better situations to where he has outlets to get rid of the football to where he doesn’t feel like he’s forcing the football downfield. That’s the number one deciding factor in winning or losing and that has no change and never will. So, certainly from a staff stand point that will be, definitely, enforced and emphasized."

Darren Hiller will take over for Greg Frey. Image: Sammy Jacobs HoosierHuddle.com

The second coach introduced Sunday was Darren Hiller who will be replacing Greg Frey as the offensive line coach and the run game coordinator. Hiller has a vision for his position group as well. He said, " Number one, we have to have a group of guys that will come together and play as a unit and play together. I am going to be under the deal with the offensive line that we are the engine of the car. Nick talked about the quarterbacks and you can talk about the quarterbacks, the receivers, the running backs and tight ends, but the car is not going to move without the engine. The offensive line has to be the engine. Nastiness, some physicality, in the group has to be of the utmost importance, then athletic ability some guys that can get out and do some things in space and can bend."

Video courtesy of Ken Bikoff and Peegs.com