Friday, April 25, 2008

Offensive Skill Position Recruiting so far

I have wanted to get this up for awhile, so once again, I apologize for the delay. Andy Romey of Peegs and Jon Decker have done 2 very good articles this week on QB recruiting, so I won't say too much more. However, there are a couple of names that haven't really been discussed, because they are out of state kids. First is Clayton Moore, 6'2" 205 from Louisville, Misissippi, and the other is Alex Gillett, 6'1" 180 from Clyde, Ohio. Clayton is a long shot to put it mildly, as most of the SEC has offered. As for Alex, I had never heard of him until Peegs mentioned him the other day, but he appears to have a live arm from the video I saw of him. However, I still say that IU will probably land 2 QBs this season and both will be from the State of Indiana.

Here's my own personal rankings of the State of Indiana QBs:
1. Newton
2. Wright-Baker
3. Luallen
4. Kiel/McCarthy tied

Obviously, Newton is the #1 option, and I have been told that right now, it's a 4 team race, with those 4 being (IU, Clemson, South Carolina, and Illinois), but many, many others are trying to get involved, so even if IU were to be the eventual choice, it's going to be interesting to see how this all goes. Next on my list is Wright-Baker. As I've blogged before, I really love this kid. And the tape I've seen of him compared to Newton the only real difference I can find is Newton is 2" taller. On tape, they are mirrors of each other. However, EWB just started coming into his own, where Newton has been very good for a while, but when all is said and done, EWB is going to be a very good QB.

I put Luallen 3rd on my list, only because of production. However, if I'm recruiting at IU and rank the instate kids based on readiness for the spread offense, Luallen isn't my 3rd choice, as that would be Kiel. I'd say Luallen is all but a Yellowjacket at this point, but heck, that type of offense was developed for a QB like Luallen, so you can't blame him for going to a school that fits his skill set.

I'll admit I haven't paid that much attention to Kiel until IU offered, but after rewatching tape on his teammate WR Wilson, I came away pretty impressed. He does remind me of Ben Chappell at the same stage of their careers, and he is a very accurate passer. His feet also seem pretty quick, not that he's real fast, but he fairly nimble. Mechanically, he's the best in the state throwing the ball, but with his blood lines, that shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone at all. The fact that IU is the first real major school to offer is very surprising to me, because I would have figured Ball State or at least another MAC school would have offered by now. Dusty certainly gets attention because of his teammate being a highly sought after WR. Going to be real interesting to see what he does, since he's probably Plan C (behind EWB and Newton) at this point. Not that that's a knock, but those 2, athletically, are a couple steps above, even though Kiel is the best passer of this group.

Finally, McCarthy is still someone that I believe IU will sign. He's 6'6" 200 and Scout clocked him at 4.7, though I don't know how accurate that is. Though that's not greased lightning quick like Newton and EWB (both are low end 4.5s to high end 4.4s) that leaves room for IU to move him if they so desire. His brother signed with Ball State and promptly put on about 50 pounds and became a DL starter, so he has the genes to grow and grow a lot. Though for now, like Kiel, IU has offered at QB.

Okay, I said I wasn't going to say much about QBs, but oh well. Let's see what else IU is up to. I want to give kudos to Coach Springer, because of the job he is doing in the state of Georgia and Florida. IU really won't do a whole lot this recruiting season on the offensive side of the ball, since that was a heavy interest last season, but they still will sign some kids that could go to RB or LB or DB or even WR.

Cory Atkins, 6' 195 from Madison, FL. Cory is extremely athletic and is quite the leaper I'm told. He was offered as a RB, but could switch to DB in the end. Very good looking prospect and his profiles are saying Florida Internation, Florida Atlantic, and IU are his only offers so far.

Mike Gillislee 5'11" 180 from Deland, Fl. Don't know much about this kid other than Rodriquez offered him already for Michigan. His stats say he's probably a RB all the way as he posted 1,200 yards last season. I'm told Coach Springer had very good success at Deland HS in the past at Western Kentucky, so I think that's why we are involved here.

Bud Golden, 6' 190 from Cincinnati, OH. This kid is a pure stud and rated in the Top 250 nationwide. IU has been on him for a couple years now and offered early last season, which I believe was his first. He's being recruited by everyone in the Midwest as well as Stanford, which makes me believe he's a very good student. My guess is he'll hold out for an offer from the O$U before making any kind of decision.

Rolandan Finch 5'10" 205 from St. Xavier in Louisville, KY. He was up for the spring game and though Rivals doesn't mention it, I'm pretty sure he got his offer after the game. Kid is all athlete and could be a DB or RB. Very fast and another very good leaper. We are battling the SEC and of course, hometown Louisville for his services.

Kurt Freytag 6'2" 225 from Carmel, IN. Teammate of Newton and a very versitale prospect that could be a LB, RB, TE, or even one of those hybrid H-backs in the spread. Coach Lynch saw him the other night, when he went to watch Newton practice and he's a kid I hope we offer. Real good kid and a warrior in both heart and spirit. The kind of kid you want on your team. Not sure where IU would put him, but that can all be figured out later.

Rashard Wynes 6' 205 from Warner Robbins, GA. He came to IU for spring practice and has IU leading with Troy running neck and neck, at least that what I was told. He's being recruited by several of the SEC schools as well, but no offers yet. Very good athlete and another one that could move to the other side of the ball when all is said and done.

Toney Williams 6'1" 230 from Alpharetta, GA. This is another big surprise when I had heard he came to spring practice. A real bruising back that obviously could end up at LB in IU's offense, or he could still be a RB, especially with 4.6 speed. IU and KY lead at this point, but the homestate schools haven't offered yet, with an emphasis on yet. Was again told that Coach Springer has had a lot of success at Alpharett HS, so that's why we are sitting in the cat bird's seat at this point and time.

Eric Williams 5'11" 200 from Indy. He is a kid I think will garner a lot of attention once he gets going this season. He plays at Warren Central and IU is aware of him and they are recruiting him, though they won't offer until they see what he does with increased playing time. He's sat behind some really good backs at WC the past 2 seasons, and he's itching to play. The bad thing is, WC will switch to a spread attack from the wing T that they've ran for several season, however, for IU, this a great thing because they'll get to see what he can do in an offense similar to theirs. Eric could end up at RB, WR, or even DB when all is said and done.

Now for WRs, again, like RBs, IU tends to recruit kids that could end up at WR, DB, or even LB, like Issac Price. IU signed a very good group last season, but they'll sign at least 1 or 2 more WRs this year too. Leading the group that IU covets appears to be Duwyce Wilson, 6'4" 190 from Columbus, IN. He's just a very good WR and he's quick as well. Could he be a package deal with HS teammate Dusty Kiel?? Could be, and I certainly wouldn't be disappointed at all. Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Cincinnati have all offered and many more will follow I'm sure. IU has hosted him a few times, so we are right there. Let's hope he desires to stay close to Cbus and play for the Hoosiers!!

Here are the other WRs we've offered so far:

Fritz Rock, 6'1" 200, from Plymouth, Minnesota. Love the name if nothing else, but this kid has some real skills and we are in for a large battle for him. IU and Minny ha ha are the only offers, but he's camping at Notre Dame and he loves Louisville. Miami Fla wants him at CB, so I think he's pretty much a long shot for us, but he's worth a flier for sure.

Patrick White, 5'11' 175 from Pickering, OH. A mega-athlete that could be a WR or CB, but will definitely return kicks whereever he ends up. We offered early, but O$U, Penn State, and Pittsburgh are really getting involved now.

Jammone Chester, 6'2" 190 from Redford, MI. A suburban Detroit kid that has only MAC offers, but IU has just recently offered and the favored Michigan State Spartans appear they will offer very soon as well.

Marlon Anthony, 6'5" 190, from Marietta, GA. Once again, thank you Coach Springer for eyeing this talented kid. The kid will commit to Auburn if they offer, but so far, only IU has. My guess is Auburn will soon enough. Though he needs muscle, the kid is a major talent.

The state of Indiana has several other Division 1 prospects here and I want to quickly mention those. While none have IU or any Big Ten offers, these kids could very well play their way into an offer with a strong senior season.

1. Bobby James, 6'3" 220, from Hobart, IN. This kid is a prospect at WR, TE, and LB. Good quickness
2. Wes Winkle 6'3"170, Yorktown, IN. Probably Ball State bound
3. Demory Lawshe 6'3, 190, from Indianapolis. This kid could very well play his way into an offer. Very good speed/size ratio
4. Luke Swift, 6'1" 175 from Greenwood. A real burner, but he's playing in the wing-T, so his catches are few and far between. However, he could be a DB or a returner.

Finally TE recruiting. Though a forgotten position under Coach Hep, it's seen a bit of a revival with the addition of Max Dedmon, the hybrid H-back, and I think we'll see this position utilized more and more under Coach Lynch who is a little more a traditionalist when it comes to using the TE to actually catch passes.

The best TE in the state is a toss up between Will Saddler, who committed to Cincinnati already and Tyler Eifert from Fort Wayne. Tyler is 6'5" 220 and is being recruited by many. Purdue may lead due to his dad playing bball at Purdue in the 80's. However, if IU can use the TE more this season, we'll still have a shot, but Tyler has to like what Purdue did with Dustin Keller. Tyler reminds me of Todd Yoder who played at New Palestine HS, then Vanderbuilt, and has had a very successful NFL career with several teams.

A couple of other TE prospects in the state of Indiana are Ed Hazlett and Patrick Bade. Mr. Hazlett of Warren Central HS may be listed at TE, but at 6'8" 275, he's going to move to OT or DL when all is said and done. The real scary thing about Ed is he's quick and he ran a 4.8 last year at IU's camp, so he's got quickness. He may very well be the second coming of Ed "Too Tall" Jones, for those that remember him.

Also Patrick Bade is a 6'8" 230 football/basketball player. He's got skills to be very good at each sport, but from what I've read, I think he'll be bball all the way.

Okay, next time I'll dig into recruiting along the offensive and defensive lines.

Take care and God Bless!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Spring wrap up and my opinions on some things

As I was returning home last night from a meeting, I wondered how IU football fans would feel about what they have witnessed and read about the coming season vs. last spring? I wondered how many would questions the offensive strategy, since it's very different that what IU has done lately? I wondered how many would notice improvement players verses the overall out look of things? While I've read many different opinions on what the current state of IU football is this spring, I have to be honest, I can only think of just how far this program has come in the past 4 years. We should expect improvement this season, and I only hope that when we conclude the regular season in November, that we can look back to this time, at the end of Spring practice and see just how far we've come.

I didn't make the trip down on Saturday for several reasons, but I saw enough of practice time to know what needs to improve. Basically, everyone at every position has to get better. I don't mean to sound negative, nor am I trying to spell gloom and doom. Trust me, I saw enough first hand to know this team, as it currently stands now, with the system that is currently in place, is good enough to make it to a bowl game. But we as fans, nor the players or the coaches, should settle for improvement, we must get better and more efficeinct. We have too.

I've read an awful lot of opinions on IU's new offensive scheme. The coaches that post on the boards will tell you they really like it, because if you can reach the objective of gaining 3, 4, or 5 yards on first down, you have opened up your entire playbook and keep the defense guessing. However, those passionate about wide open, big plays, and lots of points, will tell you they hate it. One things is for sure though, there's no way anyone could fairly judge this new scheme by just going to the Spring game, and with all the injuries to key people that are a big part of why this scheme exists, not taking part in the game, it's extremely unfair to garner any solid opinion. In fact, judging by what I've read on the write ups, as well as fan posts, most probably think IU is in huge trouble offensively because this game certainly didn't do much to bolster people's opinions of the new scheme.

So what exactly is IU trying to do on offense compared to last season?
Well, with the spread, you can do a number of things. Last season, IU chose to run a zone option spread, with Lewis making the decisions based on what he read from the line of scrimmage pre-snap. A zone spread allows for the QB to get one and one match ups and use his speed and allusiveness to gain yardage. If the QB is being zoned, as in contained, then a pass is thrown, usually to a WR that is 10 to 15 yards down the field. With defenses "cheating" (bringing up a spy so to speak for Lewis) that would open up things for Hardy and Means to work 10 to 15 yards down the field in 1 on 1 situations, which in Hardy's case, he usually won. The zone spread offense requires 4 things. First, a running QB that is both very quick and very elusive. The QB doesn't have to be a good thrower, but he has to be able to get the ball down the field. The QB must also be smart and know when to run and then when to throw. Second, a big time WR that can catch the ball in 1 on 1 situations. Third, a game breaking running back. Finally, an offensive line that can block in one on one situations. The times that IU's offense really moved the ball was when Lewis was on top of his game and the OL sustained there blocks long enough to allow him some space to move around or get the ball to Hardy.

This season, with Hardy gone and Lewis suspended indefinitely, Coach Lynch and Coach Canada went back to the drawing board with the spread. This time, they chose an offense that is pass-friendly, so as to take advantage of their new QB, Ben Chappell. Ben isn't a runner. Oh he can side step a little bit, but he ran his 40 this spring at 5.1, so he's not going to get much done on the ground. Where Ben is head and shoulders above any QB IU currently has is with his accuracy underneath. Ben is extremely accurate and puts pretty good zip on the ball. Lewis has a strong arm, but he's not accurate whatsoever. So Coach Canada did his best to design an offense that will work with what personnel was available to work with, and in my opinion, he gets an A+.

What is IU is trying to do is (let me borrow Bligedy's words here if I can) "dink and dunk" it's way down the field. Purdue has ran this type of spread offense for several years, so this is kind of what IU will do. This offense will require the QB to throw it 30 times or so per game. It's also designed to get the ball to the Fisher and Thigpen in space, so they can take advantage of their speed and quickness. It might be a 5 or 10 yard pass, but it could very well end up a 30 yard gain by the time either one of these guys are done. Also, IU currently has a lot of possession receivers on the roster with Earnest, Taylor, Turner, and Walker-Roby, so these guys will go "sit" in the zones so speak, which are usually 5 to 8 yards off the line of scrimmage and wait for Chappell to run his options and find them. This offense requires 3 basic things. First, a QB that is an accurate passer, but smart enough to understand pass coverages to find the holes. Second, it requires some small, but quick receivers that are sure handed. Finally, and probably most important, the OL must be able to pass block and sustain their blocks long enough for Chappell to go through his reads, because if he's given time, he'll pick apart the opposing defense no matter how good they are. IU also throws in the no huddle into the mix, which gets DLs and LBs winded and thus not as mentally sharp. IU can simply throw a quick 5 to 7 yard pass to Fisher and the defender will "whiff" or miss him on his move and then he's off. The Colts have done this for years, hurrying to the line of scrimmage and taking advantage of a defensive player that is trying to catch his breath and thus not as mentally sharp.

Again, the spring game was not a good way to judge this offense, because of all the injuries and key players being out due to other committments. Also, when all the new WRs arrive in the fall, you will see some guys play early from that group, especially those that can get down the field and be that vertical threat. However, the spring game proved that lots of work needs to be done in several areas, before anyone can even begin to feel comfortable.

Now for my opinions: (Caution, some of you will not agree with me)
Now, I've had several emails and questions about Kellen Lewis and his status. I'm going to caution those that watched the spring game and left thinking that the only thing that is going to save IU's season is Kellen Lewis. First, this offense is not Kellen Lewis friendly. Now it can certainly be modified or even switched back to a more of a zone spread look, but Kellen's strengths do not include standing in the pocket and checking down to option #3 or #4 and completing the pass. His strength is getting out of the pocket and becoming a run first, pass second QB. So if you are of the belief that KL will thrive in this type of scheme, you may want to go back and watch some film on him from the past couple of seasons. James Hardy bailed KL out multiple times. KL would throw it up there and James would simply catch it. Pretty basic stuff. Also, there are several of the opinion that KL will just be automatically reinstated and named the starting QB from the get go. I can pretty much guarentee you this will not happen. IF he's reinstated, he needs to earn his way back to being the starter.

I don't know if anyone else is a draft junkie like me, but if you want some really good first hand information on players, go to either draftdaddy.com/blog/nfldraft.cfm or tyfdraft.com
Both are excellent sites and gives you an idea of what teams are talking with what prospects and plenty of "inside information". However, there is certainly a topic that I'd like to discuss, since it really hits close to the IU program and that is the amount of positive drug tests that seem to be going unpunished and/or completely ignored. Now, many people tell me that in college you "dabble" with things, and while I personnally have never smoked or injected anyting like that into my body, I certainly didn't shy away from alcohol back in my college years, so I can see that point.

Recently, draftdaddy pointed out that Mario Manningham failed several (some reports I've read, as many as 10) drug tests in his years at Michigan. Aquib Taliq of Kansas, and several other high draft eligible players have admitted to failing multiple tests during their tenures. Obviously, IU isn't alone in this matter either. Currently at least 1 high profile student athlete is suspended indefinitelybecause of multiple, and I mean multiple, failed drug tests, which of course leads to not going to class or flunking classes all together. So where does it all end? Or maybe the question is, where do you draw the line?

Even if you suspend these kids, do you let them come back, just so you have a better chance to win? The obvious answer would be no way, but I have a hunch that winning is the most important thing and therefore kids get away with failed tests because suspending them, could cost a coach his job. Do you let them try and go through rehab? Do you just cut them off? So many questions, but I've got to be honest, reading what I have about the problems with drug activity among college athletes leads me to say this: The NCAA should be far less worried about illegal phone calls, and instead worry about how many of their member schools are allowing their student athletes to get "laced", and caught mind you, on a regular basis and do nothing about it.

While I'm sure to be blasted for even writing this blog (remember, it's my opinion), I will say that in all cases, except IU's, I'm reading these things, instead of knowing first hand. However, I'm pretty sure this won't come as a shock to many of you that read this on a regular basis. In fact, I'm sure this is not a new problem either, but it does raise the question of when will the NCAA make their member schools crack down on this activity? It seems only fair to me that if you are going to make a school perform well in the classroom or face some sort of penalty, you should also hold them accountable when players fail multiple tests and yet are still allowed to participate on a regular basis. To me, it's a no brainer, but I think it's high time (no pun intended) the NCAA step in here and hold these coaches and schools accountable. Sure, players are being suspended for failed tests, but it's usually failed test number 5 or 6 or 7. If Manningham is telling the truth in interviews to teams that he failed 10 times and narry a suspension (why would you even tell a team this in the first place), then what else did Lloyd Carr allow to go on up there? I find it quite humorous that people blast Rich Rodriquez and his "lack of morals", yet hearing from Manningham, it almost certainly needs to be applied to Coach Carr as well, and I don't care how "nice of a guy" he is. Okay, I'll get off my soap box now.

Lots of things to look forward to, as I'm going to begin to dig into recruiting now and try and get some updates going. I will say that I really believe that Edward Wright-Baker, the QB from Jeffersonville will be a Hoosier, and I'm hearing that will happen sometime very soon. However, there are many, many offers and previews to do, so as time allows, I'll dig into those.

Take care and as alway, may God Bless you and yours!!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

DBs, 50 days, and who's got some work to do

Wanted to start of this blog entry with an quick update on my friend, Drew Christy that was injured 53 days ago in a car accident. Since my last update, Drew was moved from Methodist's neuro-critical care unit to Seton Rehab Hospital, and will soon be moving to Hook Rehabilitation Center at Community East hospital. While Drew is still fighting his way out of the coma that he's been in, he has opened his eyes, stuck out his tongue, moved around a lot, and so on. His mom taught him how to sign "I Love You" and he makes that sign a lot. The biggest miracle yet was on the 50th day, he said "mom" twice! We all continue to pray for our friend and we know that even though the road is long, we believe he will recover. If you would like to check out Drew's site, please visit caringbridge.org and type in drewchristy at the prompt. His mother has updated her journal constantly and just tonight, the website has been viewed by 181,000 people. For those that read this blog and are of the Christian faith, you will certainly be touched and uplifted by what you read. Either way, it's very encouraging to read the guestbook and celebrate the victories that God has given Drew's family and friends during his recovery.

Okay, now for the DBs. In 2007, the defensive backfield of the Hoosiers was a work in progress to say the least. The year before, the DBs made the majority of the plays for the Hoosiers, with Will Myers leading the team in tackles and INTs. Depending upon the "scheme" of the defense, it's not entirely unusual for a Strong Safety to lead the team in tackles, the problem IU had was Myers was making the majority of his tackles 5, 6, even 7 yards from the line of scrimmage every time. Also, IU was just getting constantly burned deep, and it was obvious that something had to change, and change quickly.

Last season brought a lot of improvement on the run defense, as IU only gave up 160 yards/game, compared with 175 yards/game the year before. However, the pass defense was a little worse as IU gave up 244 yards/game last season, compared to 228 in the 2006 season. Last season, IU was very experienced in cover corners, but very raw at Safety, also, with the improved run defense, teams passed more against the Hoosiers to move the ball, so that's part of the reason why there is an increase as well. Porter and Majors were both fast cover guys, but neither were very aggressive in the run game. Each were very fast, but they played off their men a lot, because they weren't physical enough for bump and run, nor where they good enough tacklers for Cover 2, so they sat in zones most of the time, about 5 to 7 yards from their assignments, then played the ball when it was thrown. The staff attempted to use their athleticism and speed, rather than raw strength and aggression. For the most part, it worked out, but they are gone, and now we have some youngin's that play a whole lot differently than Porter and Majors.

As for the Safeties, IU has experience in both starters, Thomas and Polk, but depth is young and inexperienced, and one is playing QB this spring, so some redshirts are getting a real opportunity to show the staff what they have, and from what I have witnessed, I think this is going to be a real area of strength in the coming years, much like it appears the LB positions will be as well.

The real key for IU this season is the corners and safeties will do a whole lot more Cover 2 as a pass defense scheme. What allows them to do this is 2 fold: First and foremost, IU has probably the deepest DL they have EVER had in the history of the school. In the Cover 2, the biggest key is pressure, pressure, pressure the QB from both ends and the tackles. IU can do this, and they can rotate in bodies to keep people fresh. The second big key is Matt Mayberry and Austin Thomas. Much like the Colts, the key to their defense starts with pressure from the DL, then Brackett and Sanders make the majority of the plays. Last season, IU had McClurg a witty, but not that athletic MLB that got by on smarts and a warrior-like mentality. Mayberry has the makings of a star and has a real chance to be the best MLB IU has produced in years. Strong words, but he's got some real ability. Mix him with Thomas's run defense ability and you have the ability to be a Cover 2 team. Finally, to be an effective Cover 2 team, your corners HAVE to be good tacklers and physical. Enter Chris Phillips and Donnell Jones and Chris Adkins and Richard Council. These 4 guys are bigger and as physical as any corners IU has had in awhile. While I will breakdown each player in a minute, these guys can hit you and they are physcial off the line of scrimmage and they have extremely good closing speed. I really like where IU's pass defense is headed, and the staff spent quite a bit of time with Colts and learned a lot from them in terms of using the principles of this defense. I think IU finally has the athletes they need to make this type of defense work, and this position will only get better as these kids mature and get experience.

Also, I quickly want to say that if you add these 4 corners that I mentioned previous with Cortez Smith and the possibility of adding DJ Hunter to the mix next season, these 6 kids are just stud athletes that will bring a new dimension to the IU defensive backfield. Hunter is down to IU and the O$U. His HS coach is Ron Johnson, who coached with Hep at Miami of Ohio, and he also coached along side IU recruiting coordinator and safeties coach, Mike Yeager. I really believe IU will end up with this kid in the end, but I don't know when he'll commit. IU will also allow him to run track, and he's the type of kid that can come in and play at IU as TR FR, but won't have the opportunity at the O$U.

Okay, let's look at all the DBs:

Chris Adkins: 6'1" 185 CB from Indy; RS FR
Chris is another of those Warren Central kids that came to IU as a tall, lanky CB with little fanfare. Over the course of his RS season, he added 10 pounds and has performed very well. I've listed him in my top 4 and he'll see a lot of time this season. What the staff really likes about him is his height vs physical nature. He'll come up and pop you and he plays the ball pretty darn well. Taller corners are kind of unusual and Chris has very good athletic ability and can jump well. As he gains experience, he'll more than likely start opposite Jones, as early as next season, but for now, he's battling Council for that 3rd CB spot along with Adrian Burks.

Adrian Burks: 6' 180 CB from Pheonix, Arizona; RS Junior
Adrian is the twin brother of Aaron and both came to IU toward the end of Coach Hep's first class and both are very athletic kids. The only big issue with them both is neither has really been able to gain body mass, but Porter and Majors weighted less than 180 pounds last season, so that's not a negative. Adrain is battling Council and Adkins for that 3rd CB spot, and though he's a little shorter than those 2, he's still has some very good skills that IU will tap into as the season progresses. Last season, Adrian saw action in 5 games and registered 2 solo tackles. He will see a lot more action this season.

Rayshun Calhoun: 5' 10" 215 Safety from Atlanta, GA; RS Senior
Rayshun has been buried on the depth chart at Corner his entire career at IU, and he was injured much of last season and only played in 1 game, but didn't record any tackles. During the off season, he was moved to safety, when JT Owens was moved to RB. It's possible we will see Rayshun on special teams, but he's buried on the depth chart at safety now.

Richard Council: 6'1" 190 CB from Carrollton, TX; RS Junior
Richard came to IU as a raw Corner, then destroyed his knee toward the end of his RS FR year. Last season, he struggled getting back into form after missing so much time, and he only saw action in a couple of games. However, he has put on about 15 pounds of mass since he came to IU, so he's used his rehab time to his advantage and he came into the Spring as the starter opposite Phillips on the first team defense. He's done very well this spring and will probably leave camp as the 3rd corner, behind Phillips and Jones. He's a taller corner, much like Adkins and has speed and can jump, though he lost a little bit with the knee injury, he's still a pretty good athlete.

Jarrell Drane: 6'2" 185 S from Plantation, FL; RS FR
Jarrell is the son of Dwight Drane, who played at Oklahoma and for the Buffalo Bills and was part of 2 Super Bowl runner up teams. Jarrell is alot like his dad and he's got some big play potential. He'll see time this season and has had a pretty good spring so far working on the 2nd and 3rd team defense. What I've noticed about him is his tackling ability, as he wraps up well and uses very good technique. Tough he's a little light, he can still bring a pop of the shoulder pads on his hits and he loves to nail the WRs going over the middle.

Bruce Hampton: 5'10" 195 from University Heights, OH; RS Junior
Much like Council, Hampton's career was interupted by a pretty significant knee injury, and it's taken him until this spring to look completely healthy. Last season, he saw action in only 2 games and had 1 solo tackle. Bruce came to IU as a real cover corner prospect, but the knee injury really derailed that. He's still got very good cover skills and I've noticed this spring that his lateral movement seems much better. He's competing mostly with the 2nd/3rd team defense, and I expect we will see him mostly on special teams this season.

Donnell Jones: 5'10" 205 from St. Pete, FL; RS FR
Okay, so I'm a believer in this kid. He came to IU at 190 and promptly put on 15 pounds of muscle and got faster, yeah, faster from fall practice to spring ball. If it wasn't for Porter and Majors and Phillips last season, this kid would have come and played a whole bunch, but thankfully, he was about to RS, and IU is going to reap the benefits of his. This kids is fast, and he'll hit you big time. He'll leave spring ball as the starter opposite Phillips and he's going to be a fixture at CB for the next 3 or 4 years. This kid will get tested this season and get some bumps and bruises, but he's got a chance to be a real star for IU. Other than Ben Chappell, I've been the most impressed with Donnell the times I've been to practice this season.

Joe Kleinsmith: 5'11" 195 Safety from Lakewood, OH; Senior
Joe came to IU as a kicker and wound up being a Safety, a very unique thing for sure. Not only did he switch positions, he's contributed a lot, and last season, he saw action in 12 games and had 19 tackles, 1/2 tackle for loss, 1 INT, 1 fumble recovered and 1 fumble forced. Pretty good stats, and this season, he'll be the 3rd safety and see a lot of time in the nickle defense.

Matt Kurz: 6' 200 Safety from Glenview, IL; RS Junior walkon
Matt came to IU from one of the best football factories in the state of Illinois. He has yet to see any time on the field as a Hoosier, but he comes to practice and puts his time in. If we see him this season, it will be on special teams.

Andre LaGrone: 6' 190 Safety from Fort Wayne, IN; RS FR Walkon
Andre played at Fort Wayne South Side and redshirted last season as a walkon.

Brandon Mosley: 5'8" 205 Safety from Merrillville, IN: RS Senior
Brandon has spent much of his career as a special teams player and back up, but he always seems on the cusp of a staring position. He entered spring ball on the first team, since Evans is at QB, but he will not leave that way, has he's back to the 2nd team. Last season, Brandon made 8 tackles. Again, I expect to see Brandon in a special teams and back up defensive role.

Chris Phillips: 6' 195 Corner from Atlanta, GA; RS Senior
The most experienced member of the cornerback position will be the main guy for IU this season. Last season, Chris played in 12 games recording 12 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 3 INTs with 1 returned for a TD, 4 pass break ups and 3 forced fumbles. Chris is VERY aggressive and in the past, that has sometimes gotten him in trouble, but with IU switching over to more of a Cover 2 scheme, if ever there was a player that fit the mold of that defense as a Corner, Chris is it. I expect him to have a very big Senior season and he's done nothing in my eyes to disspell my opinion each time I've seen him this spring.

Nick Polk: 6' 215 Safety from Milwaukee, WI; RS JR
Nick made the switch to Free Safety just about a year ago, and he went from a guy that looked absolutely lost the first day he made the switch to a 13 game starter last season. When he made the switch, he was all athlete playing in a fairly strange position and asked to play the "centerfield" position of the defense. Certainly not an easy task for some to do, especially mentally, but Nick did it, and he did it very well. He posted 74 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 INTs, 5 pass break ups, 1 fumble recovered and 2 fumbles forced. Also, he saw some time at WR, but didn't catch a pass. I've tried to pay a lot of attention to Nick and I've really liked what I saw. He's been criticized for not tackling well last season, and that's understandable, he was raw at it, but he's doing a much better job this season, and he's added 15 pounds of muscle to his frame and kept his 4.5 speed, which has scouts talking already. Since he was a very good WR, he understands routes, and he can cheat a little bit on those routes, because he knows what to look for to decipher what receivers are doing, yet he has the speed to regain his positioning, if he doesn't make the read right. He's another budding star for IU on defense.

Austin Thomas: 6' 200" Safety from Woodstock, GA; RS Junior
Austin started at strong safety last season and put up the following numbers: 112 total tackles (led team), 1 INT, 3 passes broken up, and 1 fumble forced. Austin is really a very good run defender, and then when passing downs come up, Mitch Evans comes in. Austin again will more than likely be the starter, and play mostly on running plays where he is one of IU's best run defenders.

Coming this fall:
Peter St. Fort: 6' 2" 180 FS from Naples, FL
Cortez Smith: 5'10" 195 CB/Strong Safety from Detroit, MI
Also, I believer that one of the WR or RB commits will be over here in the end as well, but for now, these are the only 2 official.

Also, I want to say that I have read a couple accounts on Cortez Smith possibly being the best athlete in the entire city of Detroit last season. While that's awful hard to judge for sure, you have to remember his teammate, Boubacar Cisso, signed with Michigan and was a first team All American. Too even say that Smith was more athletic than this kid is say a LOT. Great job by the IU staff to land this kid.

Now, I've been to a few practices, read all the camp stories, talked with some people that have attended every practice and I'm going to list a couple guys that I feel needs to pick it up a little bit in the spring game and through the summer. By no means am I criticizing these kids, but I think they have ability to do a little better than they are showing.

First is Jeff Boyd, DT. Boyd came into Spring ball hyped by me and several others as a potential starter along the DL. He has been given a lot of opportunity due to injuries, but he's disappointed some and has't really blossomed like I thought he would. He's been pretty easily blocked and not shown the ability that I saw him use during the season as a redshirt. He came to came about 310 pounds, and I think that's a little too heavy for him. Would like to see him get back to around 300 and use that quickness. He's got loads of time, and hopefully, he can pick it up and be part of the deep DL rotation.

Second is Justin Carrington, OLB. Justin started the bowl game and did pretty well last season in back up duty. While he's done okay this spring, the RS FR have come in and just done better. Right now, Justin is fighting to keep that 2nd team spot, and he needs to pick it up a little or he's going to get buried behind some young and aggressive kids that are real hungry for playing time.

Third is Cody Faulker, RG; Cody came to IU pretty hyped because of family bloodlines. He's not progressed as many hoped and while he's still first team on offense, James Brewer may be moved over there to see what he can do. Cody has done pretty well on run blocking, but Brewer is bigger and has very good feet for a 6'8" 350 guy. Cody needs to pick it up a little bit, or he's going to be back on the 2nd team.

Who's Hot:

A couple of new kids to add to the list from the previous blog.

First is Eric Thomas, DT; While Boyd hasn't impressed has much as some thought, this kid really has impressed and shown he's got a lot of ability. He needs more mass, but he's going to be a true player and a true pass rusher from the DT position.

Next is Jarrod Smith, OL; Jarrod was one of the "7 Blocks of Limestone", yet he didn't really do a whole lots season and the staff was kind of at a loss where to put him. HOWEVER, as spring practice has went along, he's really improved and began to show the ability that Coach Johnson knew he possessed. It's feasible that by the first game, he could be backing up both Guards and at Center, or he may be starting at RG is Brewer doesn't move there and Faulkner continues to slip.

Overall, IU has done very well despite all the injuries. Progress has been made everyday and that's all you can ask for. Let's hope we can get through this weekend with no more injuries and head into summer ball with a lot of positive momentum.

Take care and God Bless!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Linebackers, Greenspan, Who's hot, and Bailey's departure:

Well, today has certainly been eventful on the bball side, and yet the fball side of Indiana University continues on in their preparations of learning new schemes and adapting to new players due to injuries. First let's look at the LBs and see where we are at with these kids.

Going into last season, IU had experience in starters MLB in Adam McClurg, an all-heart, tough guy but just didn't give you the athleticism at the position that it really needed. He played well his senior season and performed extremely well against Purdue. His experience and leadership will be missed, but those behind him offer his strength with a lot more athletic skills and quickness. At OLBs last season, you had Johnson and Patterson, again 2 guys that had experience, but were learning to harness their athleticism into their positions. While Patterson was the 2nd leading tackler on the team last season, I felt that Johnson underachieved and really needs to step it up this season. He's uber athletic, but he's a thinker instead of a reactor, and that's not good for an OLB with low 4.6 speed. IU brought in 4 LBs last season and all redshirted, got bigger and stronger, and appear to have kept their speed and athleticism, which is always the key. All appear to be smart kids that will push for field time this season.


Leon Beckum 5'10" 210 OLB walk-on from Bloomington, IN; RS FR
Leon redshirted last season

Justin Carrington 6' 220 OLB from Leesburg, VA; RS Junior
When you are buried on the depth chart as a 215 pound or so RB, what do you do, well Justin switched to OLB, and though he's only been at the position right at a year, he's climbed to 2nd team, started one game last season, and performed way better than expected. He saw action in every game last season and contributed 37 tackles with 2 more tackles for loss. He's very quick and once he diagnoses what is going on, he's very quick to the ball, actually, he's probably the quickest in that department on the team. Being a RB helps him a lot in that aspect, as he understands how to read OL guys and decipher where the play is going. His one biggest problem, understandably, is diagnosing the play. He needs to be more reactive, but that will come with experience. Also, he's learning coverages. He understands routes from a RB prospective, but he's learning to do everything backwards. Once he retrains his mind to do that, he's going to be a very good player. Also, he was very good on the coverage teams last season, and I expect that to continue into this season as well.

Dane Conwell 6' 230 OLB from Uper St. Clair, PA; RS FR
Dane came to IU last season and redshirted. He came in at 220, so he's put on about 1o pounds of muscle and has performed pretty well so far this spring. He's probably 3rd team right now, but he's hitting hard and learning. He's part of the 4 LBs that were brought in last year that the coaches are really excited about. This season, I expect we'll see Dane on kick and punt coverage teams and mop up time, but don't fret, this kid is going to produce down the road for us.

Darius Johnson 6' 245 OLB from Highland Park, MI; RS FR
Darius came to IU last season and redshirted and boy did he put on the muscle. When he reported last August, he was 220 pounds, so he had great year in the weight room. Darius was a very decorated RB in HS and some thought maybe that would be his college position, but his 4.6 speed hurts him as a Big Ten RB, so now he's switched to OLB and he's already earning a big reputation in early spring ball as a collider. In other words, he'll meet you in the hole and you go backwards, not him. Will be interesting to see what happens when he and Darius Willis meet each other on an off tackle run come fall practice. You may be able to hear the collison in Elletsville. At this point, Darius is 2nd team, backing up Will Patterson at strong side LB.

Geno Johnson 6'2" 230 OLB from Bartow, FL; Senior
An uber-athletic OLB that came to IU as a 210 athelete that was forced to the field to learn on the fly and he's done fairly well, but hopefully, as a Senior, he'll step up his game, as well as provide the leadership for these young guys. He started all 13 games last season and provided 58 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 INT, and 1 pass breakup. Pretty decent numbers, but with his speed (low end 4.6) those numbers have to come up. He's getting pushed a lot by Carrington and even Johnson right now, so that's a very good thing. If he wants to keep his starting spot, he'll need to continue to get better.

Jaime Lukaszewski 5'9" 200 OLB from Mishawaka, IN; RS Junior walk-on
Even Jaime put weight on this off season, as last year he was listed at 185. Jamie got into 1 game last season (Indiana State) but didn't record a tackle.

Matt Mayberry 6'2" 235 MLB from Darien, IL; RS Junior
Matt was at 222 pounds last season so he's added some muscle, which shouldn't be suprising, since Bryan Payton's blog says he's a "weight room junkie". Matt is a lot quicker than McClurg and now that he's put the muscle on, he should be able to fly around to the ball a little more, as well as shed blockers to get in there and make the tackle. Also, with more beef in front of him (Brown and Boyd or Mack), this should engulf more OL, to let Matt use that quickness too. Matt will be our starter at MLB this season. Last season, Matt produced 42 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 1 pass breakup.

Brandon McGee 6'1" 235 MLB from Jeffersonville, IN; RS TR walk-on
Brandon walked on after a very good career at Jeffersonville HS where he recorded 60 tackles and 8 INTS his senior season.

William Patterson 6'1" 235 OLB from Indianapolis, IN; RS Junior
Will has been a starter since his freshman season. He settled in pretty well at strong side LB and produced 104 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 3 pass break ups, 3 fumbles caused, and 3 fumbles recovered. Yeoman's work for him and his experience and leadership will be counted greatly this season, but doesn't mean he won't have to work. He, like Johnson, is getting pushed by our youngins'!. I expect Will to be name pre-season first or second team big ten and a lot will be expected of him this season.

Issac Price 6'2" 250 MLB from Detroit, MI; RS Senior
Issac came to btown, along with James Bailey as a 3-star WR, yet he chose Indiana mainly because they gave him the opportunity to play defense. He came in at 6'1" 210, and looking back, the decision to switch to defense was probably a mistake. He's bounced between LB and DE and now has settled in at MLB. He's fairly quick, but he's really behind the 8-ball experience wise and injuries continue to hurt his development. Last season he was only able to play in 6 games, but did produce 4 tackles on special teams. He'll be looked upon to again be a special teams guy this season.

Ian Reeves 6' 245 OLB from Ferndale, MI; RS FR
Like Johnson, Reeves came to IU at 220 and yet has managed to put on 25 pounds of muscle and he's looking like another of the quad youngsters at LB that is going to push to see the field this season in more than just special teams role. He's battling for 2nd/3rd teamer right now with Johnson and Carrington, and it's a very spirited battle. Ian seems to have pretty good field awareness as he's picking off passes some this spring and he had a knack for that on the scout team last season as well.

Tyler Replogle 6'2" 235 MLB from Centerville, OH; Sophmore
When Tyler came to IU last fall, it was pretty obvious he was going to play as a true frosh and until he tore his ACL in the middle of the season, Tyler really was pushing for more than special teams field time. Now, the injury has done 2 things: first, he's moved back to MLB from the outside and will back up Matt Mayberry this season, and second, it's stunted his development a little bit. But this kid is a beast. A true Ohio born, bred, tough as nails MLB that will produce at IU and is going to be awful hard to keep off the field once he gets that knee closer to 100%. He's limited to basically cardio right now, but he's itchin' to get back out there and buy the end of the season, I expect him to really be pushing Matt.

Jerry Williams 5'9" 230 OLB from Merrellville, IN; RS Senior walk-on
After spending 4 years at safety for the Hoosiers, Jerry has put on 10 pounds and was moved to OLB for depth purposes. Jerry played in 12 games last season and recorded 9 tackles exclusively on special teams.

Coming this fall:
Chad Sherer 6' 200 OLB from Cicero, IN, will redshirt due to knee injury suffered back in December playing basketball and he will not be 100% by August.

Rick Greenspan has certainly not made many friends on the message boards lately, but I wanted to take a little closer look at this guy, not to defend him, but to take just a few paragraphs to look into what he's done while he's been here and the hires he's made. Since he was hired in September of 2004, he's had a very interesting tenure at IU.

Rick came to IU from West Point and was known for generating profit margins and building facilities. He has shown that he tends to like coaches that are a little older with experience, instead of up and comers, which has drawn both criticism and praise from his peers and fans. Here are some highlights of what he's done so far in about 3.5 years at IU where he oversees 24 sports programs:

1. Captured 6 individual or team national titles
2. IU has ranked 3rd in the league in academic all-league selections since his arrival
3. The football program has seen a 39% increase in home attendance, 46% increase in season ticket sales, and 110% increase in season ticket sales for students. This alone is a major accomplishment for anyone.
4. Hired Coaches: Football: Terry Heoppner (probably the best of his hires so far) and Bill Lynch; Men's bball: Kelvin Sampson and Tom Crean (as of tomorrow anyway vbg!); Women's bball: Felisha Legette-Jack; and Baseball Tracy Smith (probably his second best hire, though IU baseball isn't followed that closely)
5. Saw an 8.3% increase in Varsity Club annual giving and a record 11.5 million dollars in gifts and pledges to the Endowment Fund.
6. Overseen the installation of 2 million dollar scoreboard/video board, new field hockey field in 2006, and new, banked indoor track, as well as the new Athletic's Center currently under construction.
7. He's also primarily respossible for getting "money donors" involved in the 2 bball hires and getting them to donate planes and other means of transportation, as well as people ponying up money for buyouts.

When Rick arrived, IU's athletic department was broken both financially and down trodden by a poor football program, an underachieving basketball program, and no real facility upgrades to speak of. One thing people will never be able to criticize Rick for, at least fairly, is that he's come in and gotten his hands dirty and worked to improve the athletic department from top to bottom and he's done that. Personally, I've met the guy, and he's personable from what I've seen of him and he really does always seem to have the student-athletes interest at the forefront. And while the Kelvin Samspon hire was NOT a good move, overall, he's gotten things done at IU so far in his short tenure. He's not a fan favorite, because he's a guy that tends to go for experience and enthusiam, over young and flashy. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but for Rick's sake, I hope Tom Crean pans out, because if for some reason he doesn't, Rick will be shown the door.

Rick certainly has injected a lot of time and effort in the football side of things and for us football fans, that's enough to hope he sticks around, it really is one reason he was hired as well. Rick was also a guy that came in and really got the Big Ten Network to become a reality. It was discussed for years, but when Rick got involved, many people associated with the deal credited him for really being the final piece of the puzzle. IU, as well as all the conference schools, are going to greatly benefit from this historic venture.

So, who's hot so far this spring? I know we are only a few days into spring practice, but I'm going to give some kids some kudos here. This is certainly just my opinion based on what I've heard and witnessed so far.

First, Ben Chappell has really impressed me. It's too bad the only memory fans have of him so far is that picked off pass at Northwestern, but for anyone that watches this kid, after a couple of practices, I think you will really like him. He's a passer, not a runner. He's accurate, and what I really like about him is he's a technician QB, and by that I mean, he gets his footwork right, he's on his toes (ala Peyton Manning), does his mechanics right and then really gets some zip on the ball. I like his passes and I like the rappaport he's developing already with Ray Fisher. That's going to be a very good combo for us in the future.

Next, as a group, the LBs are really impressing me, especially the 3 RS FR. This group has really dedicated themselves to improving in the weightroom, as well as on the field and it's paying off already.

Another person that has impressed me is Chris Hagerup. For a guy that was a Punter all season, he's shown me some things early. While I don't think he'll unseat Ben, he's a kid that I'd like to stay at QB, as well as be the main punter. Also, you are going to witness a much more relaxed punter this season, than what you saw of him in fall ball. Chris is also a born leader, and you can see that though he's young (RS FR), he's going to develop into a real leader of the entire program in a year or two. I know the coaches, especially Coach Canada have really been impressed with him so far this spring.

I'm also impressed with the DL, and I'm going to predict that the DL will be even deeper than last season, especially at DT and be able to run some real bigguns in there. Also, Emile Bass was back at DT today, so I don't know if the OL experiment is over, but for today he was back at DT and will only help the rotation if this is permanet, which I'm going to assume it is. I've also enjoyed watching Boyd and Fred Jones. These 2 RS FR are going to be MAJOR contributors to our program in a year or so and maybe even this season for Boyd.

Donnell Jones is a kid that I really paid a lot of attention to today as well and I liked what I saw. he's really quick and he's pretty well built. He looks about Porter's height from what I remember, but he's much thicker and he's not afraid to stick his nose in there. Right now, he's the 3rd corner and I'll be interested to see what he does more and more when the turn the lights on.

I will have to say that the OL is a patch work bunch of projected starters, 2nd and 3rd teamers, but they haven't done badly either. Of course, I really like Coach Johnson and feel he could get me ready to play the OL in a week if had to. VBG! I will say also that Ziegler is one big guy, and I thought he looked pretty good at RT from what I saw. For such a big guy, his feet are probably the best on the team, he's nimble, if that's possible for a guy that probably weights 340.

From what I've heard there's been a lot of kids in for the practices so far and many more expected in over the next couple of weeks as well. Nothing appears to be coming down the line for a committment, but the real hot name right now is Edward Wright-Baker a 6'2" 200 QB from Jeffersonville, IN. This kid is a real sleeper, but the staff absolutely loves him and believes his ceiling is higher than Newton's and Luallen's. At this point, IU appears to be heavily involved with 6 QBs that I know of and they really would like to take 2 for the upcoming class. Baker is a true runner/passer. He's been a sleeper but last season he really came into his own and put up 1,467 yards rushing and 15 TDs and 1,333 passing yards and another 18 TDs. He also had 5 tackles and an INT on defense. He's a kid I can see IU really putting at the top of their wish list, especially if Newton and Luallen go elsewhere.

A couple of other quick notes:

James Bailey is transferring and going to a D 1-AA program. Bailey had pretty much been relagated to kickoff return duty and spot time at WR, so look for him to end up in a pass-happy program somewhere near Michigan.

With Bailey's ship open, it's conceivable that we could see another committ for this class, but nothing really concrete to point to anyone. I had an email about a possible Florida LB commit, but haven't found anyone that could confirm that. I know the staff was following a couple of kids down there that were waiting on test scores, so it's always a possibility, but with the plethora of the HS class instate next season, smart money says they will give the opening to a deserving walk on for a year and then try and bring in an early enrollee next season.

Nothing much on the KL situation as opinions vary widely on what is going to happen. Coach Lynch is being very "PC" about it all to the media, but the coaches were pretty disappointed in what took place with him over spring break. I'm really beginning to question whether the kid really "gets it" or not. We'll see and I hope I'm wrong, but after witnessing Chappell first hand, if KL doesn't come back, IU will be okay, and I really believe that.

Well, next time, we'll take a look at the Corners and Safeties for this season as well as update anything new on the recruiting front and what's up in spring ball.

Take care, be safe, and God Bless all of you!!