Sheridan and Hiller Adjusting to Coaching From a Distance

Written by Evan McShane (@very_reasonable)

Newly minted offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan and offensive line coach Darren Hiller sat down for a Q&A to share how the Hoosiers are navigating spring ball during the pandemic. Social distancing requirements have posed numerous challenges in the college football universe, forcing teams to innovate on the fly.

Without live practice, coaches are shifting their focus to the individual health of their players. Sheridan explains, “I think we've been productive and trying to make the most of it. Our care has been focused on our players well-being and their health and their safety. While we're still teaching football and trying to implement some things schematically, our primary focus has been academics and the health and well-being of our players.” Not to worry, coaches are still able to teach football. “We're able to, just like the kids are learning in school with Zoom meetings, we are able to use a lot of the same technology. We have continued to have position meetings under the direction of Coach. I think it's been productive.”

Sheridan understands nothing can replace face-to-face interaction, but the IU football staff is doing their best to compensate.

Thanks to technology, the team is able to maintain a connection throughout the offseason. Sheridan stressed the togetherness of Indiana’s coaching staff has made the transition to remote work easier for everybody.

“I think continuity on our staff and with the players is important and has been beneficial for sure. As I mentioned after the first couple of days of spring practice, the staff I've been fortunate enough to work with has been fantastic from the top down. That has without a doubt been beneficial and helpful for me,” Sheridan told reporters. “It's always a collaboration. It's always a group effort in all areas, recruiting, game planning, play calling. We all work together and we communicate very well. It gives me a lot of confidence because of the quality of staff that Coach Allen has assembled.”

Image: Amanda Pavelka, Hoosier Huddle

In addition to his new title as the offensive coordinator, Sheridan was also assigned as the quarterbacks coach, a role he fulfilled for the Hoosiers in 2017 and 2018. In 2020, all eyes are on Indiana’s gunslinger, Mike Penix Jr. Hoosier fans have all seen the young quarterback’s potential and coach Sheridan has been tasked with helping Penix unlock it. “We tried to approach this as an opportunity to create an edge, to create an advantage,” Sheridan explained. “With Mike and the rest of our players, certainly encouraging them to use this time to separate themselves from their competition, to improve themselves in a better manner than the guys we're going against.” Indiana football has become a tight-knit group under Tom Allen’s leadership, and that togetherness is proving fruitful during a time like this. 

O-line coach Darren Hiller, who was also tapped as Indiana’s run game coordinator, says the Hoosiers haven’t missed a beat. “Our days haven't changed in a dramatic way. We are still having staff meetings and position meetings on Zoom. We're still having our offensive staff meetings and the defensive staff is meeting.” Film study is the one thing Hiller misses most. Recruiting is another challenge, but instead of hitting the road, Hiller is spending more time on the phone. “Talking to prospects, trying to get parents on the phone and doing all those kinds of things as we're rolling.”

With the linemen isolated and on their own, Hiller is looking for a leader to step up to the plate. Harry Crider and Mackenzie Nworah are the elder statesmen of the group, but both guys have a quiet demeanor. “Harry Crider is a guy that will [lead by example], but Harry's not a real vocal guy. Caleb Jones is a guy that has a great personality and will talk and all those things. Mackenzie Nworah is a fifth-year senior, but a quiet guy a lot like Harry Crider.” Hiller has turned his attention to Matthew Bedford as someone who might fill the role of vocal leader. Bedford is coming off a stellar season as a true freshman and is set to be the starting left tackle in 2020. “We know who the leaders are from a work prospective, so it's now who is going to be that vocal guy.” Time will tell who emerges as the offensive line’s mouthpiece. 

Hiller maintains his focus on the day-to-day, moment-to-moment attitude required to stay sharp. It’s not necessarily about learning new things, it’s more about staying hungry. “They know the footwork they're supposed to use, same from a pass protection standpoint, the different protections that we use and the sets, we have a set system that I teach. I just keep challenging them, that's the hard part. When you wake up in the morning and brush your teeth and look at yourself in the mirror, are you to a man getting out and doing the best you can do from a preparation standpoint?”

The most important thing for Hiller is, upon returning to practice, making sure his players don’t have to play catch-up. “We just have to keep stressing to them the importance of what they're doing right now is going to be a telltale sign for when we do get the opportunity to come back.” Perhaps the most daunting obstacle to social distancing is the absence of a personal connection between players. The offensive line operates as one cohesive unit, and that chemistry is impossible to build in isolation. “The communication from the time a play is called and the togetherness of the unit, it's not there right now.”

The uncertainty of it all may be the most frustrating aspect of social distancing. Coaches and players aren’t sure when they’ll be able to return, so they have to prepare for various scenarios. “It's hard now for these guys. They're itching to get back, but I told them we are where we are and everybody's in the same situation, we've all been dealt the same hand and we have to be smart, continue to work and be as prepared as possible for when we do get the opportunity to come back.”

As Hiller mentioned, these obstacles aren’t unique to Indiana. The college football world is collectively learning how to navigate this unprecedented situation. The goal remains to stay conditioned and mentally sharp for the moment practice opens back up. In Bloomington, the coaches and players are on the same page. Only when football reconvenes will we know who stayed ahead of the curve.