JH Tevis was Drawn to IU by Academics, but is Here to Help Win Football Games

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The Indiana Hoosiers welcomed in 20 new faces for spring football practice in 2022 with one of them being defensive lineman JH Tevis who transferred in from the University of California this winter. Tevis was an All-Pac-12 selection during the 2021 season for the Bears. He posted 37 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. The Hoosiers are hoping Tevis can add more production to the defensive line.

So after starting in all of Cal’s 12 games a season ago and earning all conference honors, why would Tevis head east to IU? Well, it came down to a graduate program in education.

“It really came down to I had two years left of eligibility and I didn't have a graduate program that was right for me at Cal. So, I made the decision that given I had two years left, I wanted to continue pursuing an education while I played football. Indiana was on my list already before they even reached out. They were already on my radar academically, then Coach Allen with his energy and his coaching style and just the rest of the staff and the players, I just felt like I was a great fit.” Tevis explained.

The Hoosiers lost plenty of production up front and Tevis will be counted on to be a leader due to his experience and success in the Pac-12.

“He has played a lot of football. His knowledge off the field. The way he carries himself as a leader. Then, he has been leading long enough where he understands when it is time to get on his teammates, but also when it is time to build them back up.” Indiana defensive line coach Paul Randolph said of Tevis. “He does a tremendous job of coming in and fitting into the group and then exercising the leadership and things of that nature within the group. I am really pleased with that. His work ethic is off the chart. He loves playing football, that is evident when you see him in practice every day. His thing, also, is I am going to be high energy, practice hard, work hard and I will show you how we do things.”

Tevis has taken a two-sided approach to entrenching himself as a leader despite being one of the newer players in the room.

“On the one hand, I am in a new place and a new environment, and no one knows -- besides the coaching staff recruiting me -- who I was or what i was about or how I was as a player or as a guy. One aspect was proving myself to both the coaches and players that I am here to win, work hard and play hard.” Tevis said. “And the other aspect is how can I bring my past experiences with me and what I have learned from the other side of the country or my life in general to try to help improve whatever I can around here in terms of what I can control. In just bringing energy and working hard and pointing things out that I think we should work on or overall bringing energy to the field and the wright room.”

Tevis has two years of eligibility left to help Indiana get up off of the mat after a 2-10 season. His is not only in Bloomington for a graduate program in education, but to get IU back to the postseason.