Bloomington Leader

Indiana Hoosiers Football recently issued the following announcement.

Quoted: Spring Practice Two

After two spring practices, Indiana head football coach Tom Allen provided an update on the program on Tuesday (March 8) inside Memorial Stadium.

Tom Allen | Head Coach

Opening Statement

TA: Good afternoon. We just finished up practice number two and just really feel our guys had a really good day today. We had a lot of energy and made a lot of progress from day one to day two. A little bit of a different format, in the past we have always gone back-to-back days, the Saturday-Sunday to start spring ball, but did a little bit of a different format and thought it really helped us a lot. I thought we got a lot of things corrected and cleaned up from day one and then actually added more from day one to day two because of that. Just thought it was a really good next step for us.

Excited about that progress and love the way our guys are working. The buy-in is really high and a lot of new faces, but a lot of great energy and we just have to get better every single day. We are focused on fundamentals, like I have said, and that is a high priority. Modification of our schemes and just getting our guys identified, their strengths and weaknesses on a daily basis and keep seeing who makes plays. That is what we saw on both sides of the ball today, stepping up and making plays. We are excited about that.

We have one more practice this week, on Thursday, and then we will take a break for spring break.

Ready for questions.

On how the staff has handled the wide receivers coach opening at practice...

TA: It has been pretty seamless, kind of shockingly, I think the big reason for that is that Walt [Bell] is really a receivers guy, as well as a quarterbacks guy. He played the position, knows it inside and out, and is extremely gifted in that area, more so than guys I have worked with. He has been meeting with [quarterbacks and receivers] together. It has been a combined [meeting]. Kyle [Schmidt], our graduate assistant at that position was already going to be working with them, so he is with them and kind of their technical coach right now until we get that decision made here.

It hasn't been made yet, but hopefully by the time we come back from spring break that person, whoever that is, will be in place and coaching those guys in practice number four. They will not be here until then, but bottom line is that is how it is being handled. Coach Bell has done an excellent job with that. The quarterbacks and receivers are meeting together and then he does some extra time with the quarterbacks one-on-one to work through that and get those guys ready.

From an organizational perspective, that is how it is being done. Just making the use of our coaching staff and letting these young guys get a chance, which is good for them, too.

On what he and Walt Bell talk about coming out of spring practice with...

TA: Probably all of the things you just mentioned. You know, everything starts with quarterback play. So, them being comfortable with the verbiage and the reads and the ability to work through that process, which is a daily thing and a lot of extensive film sessions. You really can't do it to the high level until you start practicing, so now that we have two practices under our belt and the film that is going to come because of that, and the evaluation with the players after your break it down as a staff, that is where the growth comes.

And, just putting his entire personality on our run game. I have not had a coordinator since I have been here that has been this involved in the run game. In just the way he approaches it and teaches everything. It has been really good. He is super involved on inside run, he has a high level of energy and attention to detail. He is extremely bright and just understands [the whole offense]. He could coach every position on that side of the ball, which is a really rare thing to have. I have really been impressed with that.

I think that vision that he has for what we are trying to do on that side of the football, it is multiple things he is trying to get accomplished. Overall, you are trying to get the guys -- it is really, I think the difference between day one and day two was obvious. The speed with which we were doing things and the execution on offense and the knowledge they have gained in the last 48 hours, because we didn't practice the next day, I thought was huge.

He was one of the ones, and Coach [Darren] Hiller, that came to me and said it would be wise if we did it this way this year because of some of the things we are doing different. I think that was good and I think he has a vision for that. And, with him being able to be so involved with the receivers right now has kind of sped up their learning curve and the things he wants to see them do and their reads and different things we are doing with that, which has been really super positive. Then, obviously, with the running backs and a new coach there, it has been pretty seamless.

There is a whole checklist of things that we are going through, and we have an install that we are working through and there is a whole lot of details or everything through the process of learning the offense. It's the verbiage and the ways we are going to make adjustments and how we are going to communicate with those adjustments. I think we are working our way through that checklist of items and after two days -- I haven't watched the film yet, so I'll have a better feel in about three or four hours -- but from seeing it live in person [today] it was obvious we made some real growth from one to two.

[Walt] is a huge part of that, and every single coach on that side of the football. We just have to keep working and just keep getting a little bit better every day.    

On who the new leaders on the team are...

TA: I will kind of mention some new guys because the guys that are supposed to [have been doing that]. A guy that has been here is Jaylin Williams. He is a guy that has continued to elevate his ability to not just do what he is supposed to do the right way - which he did a lot of a year ago and led to him having such a good 2021 season, even though he had to play too many snaps because of the injuries - but he has grown into a verbal leader. That is a big part of this.

I think Devon Matthews continues to grow in those areas. Those are names you are familiar with and not surprised by. I think Cam Jones continues to elevate his leadership and that has been huge.

JH Tevis is one that sticks out to me. Even though he is new, he is very articulate, a very bright young man, and he knows how to play the game. You can tell pretty quickly how much football he has played by how he plays in practice and the technique that he plays with and the effort and understanding of how you practice.

Myles Jackson is another one that has been a pleasant surprise to me to be able to say, 'hey, this guy isn't afraid to speak.' He has earned respect, as i mentioned before, with our leadership council and being placed on there. Both those guys [Tevis and Jackson] have been placed on there. That is pretty impressive. I think the way they both practice is leadership in action, which has been awesome.

Offensively, I think AJ Barner is one. There was a void left in that room when Peyton [Hendershot] graduated and is moving on to the NFL. It has been really great to see him step up as a leader and we need him to. D.J. Matthews Jr. has really changed his whole approach to being a leader on that side of the ball. Obviously, he is now the veteran guy. Didn't play a lot of snaps last year because of his injury but was obviously playing very well when he did get hurt. Just seeing him lead and taking these guys under his wing and the things he's doing with those guys has been a major encouragement to me on that side of the football.

Jack [Tuttle] has continued to elevate his leadership. Connor [Bazelak] is quieter by nature, but as every practice happens and each day that goes by he is more comfortable with that part. There is a special dynamic with that as a guy that comes in new. Matthew Bedford is one that has really elevated his leadership, and needed to, and he is responding to a challenge that we have given him as a staff. We need him to be that guy for us.

I am really encouraged by the growth of some of these key guys that need to step up, with some guys that have moved on or graduated, and fill those voids. We still have a lot of new faces in the running backs room, but there is some talent there that is really encouraging. Shaun Shivers is a guy that I watch a lot and he has something to him, more than just being a gifted athlete and running back. His leadership and the way he effects the guys around him [is great].

Guys like that have been huge. You bring them in new and you see them already being extremely positive and strong in leadership -- because those things are necessary. With all of these new faces, everything we do is critical as we build this team. That is our focus, to build the best football team and finish spring a better team than when we stated, and after today I feel like we are moving in the right direction.

Original source can be found here.