71 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(04/29/19 10:20pm)
When Dan Godsil first began to learn long snapping, he and his father would often have to go to a warehouse to avoid the cold and snow of Ohio.
Now, he will leave the midwest winters, and will likely never have to worry about snow getting in the way of his practice schedule again.
In the hours following the conclusion of the 2019 NFL Draft, former IU long snapper Dan Godsil signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"Signing that contract was a really cool feeling," Godsil said. "It’s one of those childhood dreams that you’re actually living it now. That was just an amazing feeling."
[embed]https://twitter.com/IndianaFootball/status/1122308144493998081?s=20[/embed]
Godsil had been in touch with the Buccaneers since his Pro Day in Bloomington. Buccaneers Special Teams Coach Keith Armstrong came to IU to watch Godsil work out. Though Godsil never visited the team in Tampa Bay.
Heading into the draft, Godsil and his family had a list of teams that appeared to be possible landing spots. Tampa Bay was one of them. Godsil went unselected in the Draft, but didn't have to wait long to find a home.
“It was basically right after the draft ended, I knew where I wanted to go," Godsil said. "It happened really quick.”
Godsil figures to have a good chance to make the Buccaneers' roster. Greg Auman of The Athletic tweeted that Tampa Bay didn't bring back its long snapper from last season, and the only long snapper currently on the roster has never snapped in a game before.
[embed]https://twitter.com/gregauman/status/1122283916033966080?s=20[/embed]
"I had an idea that Tampa would be my best shot," Godsil said.
Godsil is one of two special teams rookies heading to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers drafted former University of Utah kicker Matt Gay in the fifth round of the Draft. Gay won the 2017 Lou Groza award, given to the best collegiate kicker in the nation.
***
Related: ‘This is just the start’: Dan Godsil didn’t start long snapping until his senior year of high school, now he’s off to the NFL
(04/23/19 6:28pm)
At a football camp hosted by the University of Richmond in 2014, the coaches asked if anyone was able to long snap.
Dan Godsil, a rising high school senior, went to be recruited as a linebacker, but he volunteered. Godsil had never long snapped in a game before.
“The coach there was timing me, and he was really impressed,” Godsil said. “He was like, ‘You can snap anywhere in the country.’”
It was in that moment that Godsil realized his own talent. His size, ability and versatility set him apart from others at the position.
Godsil went on to become the long snapper in his senior year as major conference college programs began to call. Godsil chose IU, and after four years with the Hoosiers he has emerged as one of the best long snappers in the nation. Now Godsil has his sights set on the next step, the NFL.
“You realize all that hard work I’ve done snapping, playing for IU, it’s all paid off,” Godsil said. “This is just the start.”
When Godsil arrived at Ottawa-Glandorf High School in Ottawa, Ohio his coach, Ken Schriner, thought he would be the team’s quarterback. But Godsil struggled and thus became a linebacker, a role where he found success. He thought that would get him to college.
That was all before realizing his potential as long snapper, a role that could get him to a higher level football program.
Godsil stands at 6-foot-4-inches with long arms. Not only does he snap the ball efficiently, but he is able to get down the field to tackle the opposing team’s returner. His experience as a high school linebacker allows him to be a more prolific tackler than other long snappers.
“He’s unique because he’s very athletic,” Schriner said. “I describe him as having the assassin’s mentality.”
(04/13/19 10:17pm)
Cutters senior Noble Guyon came around turn four of the final lap on the wheel of Black Key Bulls senior Xavier Martinez.
As he came into the final straightaway, Guyon burst past Martinez to win the race, throwing his arms up in the air as he crossed the finish line.
When Guyon got back to the pit to celebrate, he found one teammate in particular, junior Greg Huibregtse.
"As he finished the sprint, he told me his sprint was for my dad," Huibregtse said.
In the final days leading up to the race, Huibregtse lost his father, William, after a year long battle with leukemia. The Cutters dedicated its race to him.
"He told me he wanted to 'Win this damn race,'" Huibregtse said.
(04/13/19 2:19am)
IU has just one healthy quarterback. Its top receiver didn't play. Its top running back didn't play in 11-on-11.
Even without key pieces, even without the quarterback competition solved, Head Coach Tom Allen's team showed flashes of what it can be come the fall.
In the 2019 Cream and Crimson game, both the offense and defense showed flashes of the changes the new coordinators plan to implement. Though with a 48-33 victory over the defense in the spring game, it will be the offense enjoying a steak dinner with Allen.
The passing game of new Offensive Coordinator Kalen DeBoer showcased how it will differ from the offense of the last two seasons led by Mike DeBord.
Quarterback Peyton Ramsey stretched the field more than he had at any point last season. DeBoer's offense put wide receivers in space deep over the middle of the field as well as outside the numbers, creating simple throws for Ramsey. A 39-yard touchdown pass from Ramsey to wide receiver Ty Fryfogle showcased the new system.
"I think the bottom line is we definitely want to do a great job of creating more explosive plays." Allen said. "I do see us throwing the ball down the field more, and that's by design."
[embed]https://twitter.com/grifgonzo/status/1116877104002543617[/embed]
Ramsey threw for over 200 yards in the spring game, a total that featured yards after the catch from a variety of different receivers.
"As spring practice has gone on, we've progressively gotten better and more comfortable in the offense," Ramsey said. "Day one it was all new. Here we are on day 15 feeling a lot more comfortable."
DeBoer utilized the team's bigger receivers like Fryfogle and Donovan Hale, getting them in space. Ramsey was able to utilize all parts of the field in a way that DeBord's offense didn't allow him to.
Michael Penix did get into the game on seven-on-seven play. He didn't run with the ball, but did throw downfield, not being limited to dump-offs, despite inconsistently.
Defensive Coordinator Kane Wommack is leading a unit headlined by its speed. That speed was evident during the spring game, especially in the secondary.
(04/12/19 5:47am)
IU football Head Coach Tom Allen said there is a lot at stake in the 2019 spring game.
What’s on the line? Steaks.
The 2019 spring game will kick off at 7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium. The winning team will earn the prize of a steak dinner. With just one healthy quarterback on the roster, it won’t be a game of cream versus crimson, but instead, offense versus defense.
When Peyton Ramsey, IU’s lone healthy quarterback, is on the field, the game will be complete 11-on-11 with full contact. The game will change to a seven-on-seven with Michael Penix taking the snaps as he continues to rehab from his torn ACL during the 2018 season.
For the offense, scoring will be standard as if it was a typical game. Though the defense will be able to score as well.
The defense can get two points for a stop, three for a three-and-out as well as fourth down stop. A missed field goal by the offense means three points for the defense.
A takeaway will count for five points and so will a safety. A defensive touchdown is worth seven points, meaning a fumble recovery or interception returned for a touchdown will be worth 12.
“Try to make it as equitable as we can,” Allen said. “I’ve used this system in the past at the places I’ve been and when we go offense versus defense its been very effective.”
Allen said that the game will feature 15 minute quarters with a running clock.
With keeping the team healthy of utmost importance to Allen, offensive lineman Coy Cronk and Simon Stepaniak will be held out of the game. Running back Stevie Scott will be limited to just the seven-on-seven play.
“We’ve seen what we need to see from those guys,” Allen said. “And we’ve got a lot of young guys we need to get a lot of good reps.”
Right tackle Caleb Jones has stepped into a starting role this spring, and has impressed Allen and the coaching staff throughout spring practice. Jones brings size to the right side of IU’s offensive line, looming over opposing pass rushers with a 6-8, 360 pound frame.
“Caleb Jones is really starting to come on,” Allen said. “I’m really pleased with his maturity and the way he has gone about his business this spring.”
With a deep offensive line group, Allen mentioned getting younger players snaps that they haven’t gotten in a game-like situation before. Aidan Rafferty has been one of the younger lineman Allen has consistently praised for his growth both from a physical standpoint, having gained 50 pounds in the weight room, and a football one showing improvement through spring practice.
The quarterback competition won’t see much, if any, changes during the game with just Ramsey healthy. Instead the game may provide a better look at both the potential of the offensive line that Allen mentioned, but also what the defense can be.
IU’s defense brings many of its key pieces from last season as part of what was already a young group. With a of game action and spring ball now under their belts, Allen is expecting his defense to take the next step from where it was last season.
It may not be a true game setting to which judgements can be made about the defense, or most positions on the field for that matter. But it does give coaches as well as fans to get even a glimpse of what steps this team has taken since it season ended with a loss to Purdue in Bloomington.
Though no matter what happens, Allen is eating steaks with the winner.
“That’s what comes with the position,” Allen said.
(04/02/19 10:01pm)
On his 23rd birthday, slot receiver J-Shun Harris II posted one final IU picture. For him, it was time for something new.
Harris’ journey to his Pro Day has been anything but typical. Standing at 5 feet 8 inches, Harris was already one of the smallest players at his position.
Then Harris tore his ACL in 2015. He tore it again in 2016, and again in 2017.
During his IU career, Harris has been faced with hardship time after time. And every time, he came back.
Harris’ birthday post marked the beginning of a new chapter in his life as he works to become a professional football player.
“A lot of people probably looked at the situation and probably wrote me off,” Harris said. “Being able to come out here and perform like I wanted to, hopefully that got a couple guys attention, a couple team’s attention.”
In front of scouts from over 25 NFL teams, Harris turned heads during IU’s Pro Day. Harris posted a 35.5 inch vertical leap and 17 lifts at the 225 lb. bench press. On the broad jump, Harris had a leap of 10 feet 1 inch. In the all important 40-yard dash, IU football Athletic Performance Coach Matt Rhea clocked Harris at 4.37 seconds.
It was a performance that Harris felt good about.
“The standards that I set for myself, I reached all of them so can’t me more than happy about that,” Harris said. “The 40 cleats helped me out a lot, felt like I had nothing on my feet. Felt like I was moving.”
Before Pro Day, Harris hadn’t met with any NFL teams. He’s hoping that scouts just needed to see more from him, and his Pro Day performance showed what they were looking for.
Harris has limited film with all the time he missed with injuries, but Harris has shown throughout his IU career that he can make an impact on special teams as a returner.
Harris never had three months to focus on training before, a process that Harris wanted to end faster. Though being able to talk to and work out with former IU players in Shane Wynn and Tegray Scales helped Harris through the process and helped him get ready for his Pro Day.
“Those guys just helped us, all of us with the mindset that we needed to come in here and attack everything because again it’s like a job interview. That’s basically what we’ve been doing, getting our resume together.”
Scales and Wynn told Harris and the other players to focus on doing what they do best. It was that advice that brought Harris back to his track days in high school, an experience that helped him prepare for the 40-yard dash.
The football future of Harris is uncertain. He is not projected to be selected in the NFL draft. It isn’t easy for a wide receiver of his stature to make it in the NFL. Harris doesn’t know what his future is going to hold, whether it be on or off the football field, and he doesn’t necessarily care.
“I want to exercise this opportunity and see how far I can go with it,” Harris said. “If it’s years that would be awesome, if not I’m on to the next phase. But I’m not worried about it. Some people have anxiety around this time, you feel like you need to have some answer, or people ask you ‘What’s next?’ But I’ve learned to just say, ‘I’m not sure,’ and whatever it is I’ll be ready for it.”
(03/30/19 8:23pm)
The first step is the concepts for new IU offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer.
Now through five install days for his offense, DeBoer has been patient, though seen the growth in his personnel.
"The install days are always a bit rougher, and the follow up days are usually cleaner and better execution," DeBoer said.
DeBoer said that he wants his offense to be multiple, and to have balance.
"Balance doesn't mean we have to at the end of the game 50-50," DeBoer said. "It just means that we need to have the ability to run the ball when people are forcing us to do that, and pass that ball when they're loading the box."
? @Steviescott8_ on the RB Room...
"I love the competition because it allows us to push each other and allows us to come to our best ability to play." pic.twitter.com/TaKekIQ3ll
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) March 29, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Ultimately, once DeBoer's players know the concepts, he wants to be able to adjust to the personnel that he has in the program, and build with what he has. The install is far from complete. DeBoer said that he has yet to work on tempo, redzone, goal line and short yardage type plays.
DeBoer's most important decision will be determining the starting quarterback come the fall. Though at this point in the process, it's nearly impossible to put a make a clear picture of what the competition looks like.
Peyton Ramsey has gotten the majority of his practice time with last season's starters. DeBoer has quickly seen the amount of respect that players on the team have for Ramsey.
"No one's perfect, but he does a lot of things really well," DeBoer said.
Jack Tuttle doesn't just have to learn an entirely new offense. DeBoer said that he also is still in the process of learning how to read collegiate defenses. Some inconsistencies have come as a result of that.
This week's Rockast guest is @P_Rams12.
?: https://t.co/P1o5LHseVv pic.twitter.com/IEssGwwDvc
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) March 25, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Michael Penix has had limited practice time, especially when the team has put on pads. Though DeBoer has certainly kept him involved as much as possible. Penix has had on a headset throughout era
"I always look at him when we're scrimmaging and watch him," DeBoer said. "I can hear him, I know he's on the headphones listening. I'm trying to use teaching moments to him as well even though he's not on the field so that he knows what I'm thinking. Peyton's going through those situations, I'm talking to Mike to let him know what I'm thinking in that situation."
Wide receiver Donovan Hale has lost weight over the offseason according to wide receivers coach Grant Heard and has looked smoother in practice. DeBoer said all the key wide receivers -- Hale along with Nick Westbrook and Ty Fryfogle -- have been as good as he expected coming in. Even Miles Marshall has gotten time with some of the projected starters, and has stood out to DeBoer.
"He was one of the guys that stood out to me the first two practices," DeBoer said. "You watch the one on ones, you watch some of the routes he caught in seven-on-seven and your like 'Wow, he's got some range, he's long, goes up and gets it.' He really played fearless."
DeBoer still has more of his offense to install, and just two weeks before the spring game. It won't be a finished product at that point. The concepts DeBoer has may be installed by that point, but that's just step one.
(03/02/19 6:01pm)
Welcome to our first spring notebook for what should be a very busy spring. Indiana has endless competition at many positions, and for Tom Allen's staff, that's a welcomed aspect of this offseason. The Hoosiers also have many players returning from serious injures and freshmen who are here to challenge their upperclassmen teammates.
Spring football only tells so much, but it's our first tangible glance at what exactly this roster has. Is it faster and stronger? Is the offense more aggressive? Is the defensive more experienced? Welcome to the first day of the rest of our lives.
Familiar faces in new places
Spring football provides a chance for head coach Tom Allen to experiment with his roster.
Allen talked about players that would be playing in different roles, though none was more intriguing than rising sophomore Reese Taylor.
In the spring, Allen will have Taylor move over to the defensive side of the ball. Taylor will likely be playing cornerback, lacking the size to play elsewhere on defense. Allen said that he wanted to get Taylor on the field however possible, as a result of the playmaking ability that former offensive coordinator Mike DeBord attempted to use last year.
“Reese Taylor will be focusing on defense and he'll be a return guy for sure but want to be able to get himself on grounded,” Allen said. “He spent a lot of time on offense in the fall and want to get him on defense and see how that plays out. I just want him to feel comfortable and confident in a position. We bounced him around different times in the fall and I think for his future benefit, and his development, I think it will be able to get grounded there. He'll be excited. That's what he wants to do. So we're getting the best players on the field.”
Though defense isn’t the only place where Allen wants Taylor to make plays, as Allen will also use Taylor in the return game. IU returned just 18 total kickoffs last season, consistently opting for a touchback rather than returning the ball.
By trying to put the ball in the hands of Taylor more often, Allen will be looking to create a more explosive return game.
Allen also mentioned Marcelino Ball and Whop Philyor as options who could also factor into the return game, and will get an opportunity this spring. Philyor must get healthy first, as he continues to recover from offseason surgery.
“Reese has a great shot to be able to give us dynamic plays there,” Allen said. “Whop is another guy what will be returning punts, as well, several other guys, we're going to give him some opportunity for kickoff returns. I think that can be an area where he can really give us some explosion. All of our running backs, we'll use back there, we'll use Reese back there for kickoff returns.”
Kalen DeBoer’s offense will have similarities to Mike DeBord’s
Kalen DeBoer hasn’t coached a snap for the Hoosiers yet, but he has quickly become well liked among the offensive players on the team.
“The system that he’s brought in, we all like it,” freshman quarterback Michael Penix said. “It’s real good. It’s kind of similar to last year. It’s just a few things different.”
Penix said learned the new scheme wasn’t a steep learning curve. Redshirt sophomore Peyton Ramsey echoed a similar message.
Ramsey said that verbiage is a big different between the two systems, but that many similar concepts apply to the new system.
“He gives us a little bit more freedom to do certain things as we see it,” Ramsey said.
According to Ramsey, in DeBoer’s system will give the quarterbacks more freedom to make their own calls, as well as create explosive plays. In DeBoer’s offense, explosive plays may not necessarily just be coming from throwing the ball deep, but instead creating space.
While it’s not as if DeBoer will be running the same offense as DeBord, carrying over some elements will be beneficial to the offense in the sense that there isn’t a need to learn a completely new scheme. Learning the terms and concepts of DeBoer’s system appears to be the biggest leap.
“All your verbiage and communication,” Allen said. “There will be some carry over, for sure, there will be somethings we may call it differently, but it will look similar to the outside eye.”
To me, that gives a slight disadvantage to Jack Tuttle in the quarterback competition. Ramsey and Penix will have a clear head start on whatever is carried over from DeBord, even though Penix will be participating in, at most, just 7-on-7s. That won’t be anywhere near the difference between Tuttle winning and losing the job, but it just might help Penix from falling too far behind while he isn’t able to take full team reps.
There will be more players competing for offensive line spots than first thought
IU has three spots on the offensive line written in sharpie. Coy Cronk, Simon Stepaniak and Hunter Littlejohn will start, pending a late addition through the transfer market.
That leaves two spots up for grabs, and there will be a large contingent of players competing for those roles.
In his press conference, Allen mentioned Aidan Rafferty, Caleb Jones, Nick Mazoras, Michael Katic and Matthew Bedford as players who have excelled in the weight room, and thus players he expects to be in the mix for the final spots. Except for Jones, all will have freshman eligibility next season.
Allen specifically mentioned Jones as a player who has excelled in the weight room over the winter, and as a player who he expects to be part of the five starters.
"He's got the power and development we're looking for, and the expectation is for him to step up and elevate his game and be a guy we can count on and be one of our starting offensive lineman," Allen said.
Rafferty, a freshman, has bulked up from 265 to 310 pounds. Early enrollees Katic and Bedford have both been impressive according to both Allen and Director of Athletic Performance David Ballou.
Returning players Harry Crider, DaVondre Love and Mackenzie Nworah will also be in the mix, and probably have a better chance of getting a starting job. Of that group, Crider may be the favorite to take the final spot on the offensive line -- as he and Nworah have experience in Big Ten games.
If the younger players give Jones and Crider competition for a starting job, then all the better. The IU coaches have embraced competition as a means to make everyone better.
Is it possible Allen just mentioned a group of players who probably won't make an impact this year just to give them some attention? Sure. I guess it worked. But Rafferty, Katic and Bedford are players who will likely have starting jobs on this team in years to come -- and their development is crucial with more holes to fill before 2020. Cronk, Littlejohn, Stepaniak and Love all graduate after this season.
While the young offensive lineman will likely not be playing much in 2019, if at all, this spring is imperative to their development. They certainly will be needed in years to come.
(02/28/19 11:01pm)
As spring practice begins Saturday, the Indiana quarterback room can be characterized by its uncertainty.
For the second consecutive offseason, IU head coach Tom Allen will oversee a quarterback competition. For the second consecutive offseason, there will be three major players.
"It's a highly competitive room right now," Allen said. "Based on what happens, we expect Michael (Penix) to be back to 100 percent and Peyton (Ramsey) to stay 100 percent, and what happens with Jack (Tuttle), for him to be ready to go for the fall, we'll see."
Though of those three, only incumbent Peyton Ramsey is both healthy and eligible for now.
While listed on the spring roster, the eligibility of Utah transfer Jack Tuttle is still a question mark looming over the quarterback room. On Thursday at his press conference, Allen had no update on the status of Tuttle's NCAA waiver to allow him to avoid the required year a player must sit out following a transfer. There is optimism, though, due to the waiver approval of Georgia transfer and Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields -- who was in Tuttle's identical situation.
Tuttle will practice during the spring, getting a chance to learn the offensive scheme being installed by new offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer.
Meanwhile, Michael Penix Jr., has been in the weight room throughout the winter, continuing to rehab from the torn ACL he suffered against Penn State during the 2018 season. Both Allen and Director of Athletic Performance David Ballou said that they have been impressed with the work the Penix has done in the weight room, and how he has simultaneously grown into a more vocal leader.
Penix will not be practicing in full during the spring. The freshman will still get the chance to throw during the spring, but not with the full team. Penix talked about taking mental reps in the offense in order to keep pace with Tuttle and Ramsey.
"I just want to get to know the offense the best I can," Penix said. "Take a lot of mental reps. Even though I'm not in, at least try to take mental reps to make sure that I know what's going on so that whenever I'm back I know everything."
Suddenly for the first time, Ramsey is now the oldest member of his quarterback room.
Whereas he was the young guy learning from older players like Zander Diamont, Richard Lagow, and Brandon Dawkins in the past, Ramsey is now the player that coaches and players expect leadership from. Like Penix, Ramsey is a player that Allen initially considered to be quiet, but has made a jump as a vocal leader.
"I just think that to have three that we believe that can lead us on game day and let the competition bring out the best in each one of them," Allen said. "As they encourage each other, yeah, they are competing for a position, but they are also teammates, and I want to see how they handle that because I want guys that love Indiana Football and they want Indiana Football to be very successful, and I get it."
Without getting a full look at Penix, and without knowing the eligibility status of Tuttle, uncertainty grows among the IU quarterback competition. Ramsey is the only quarterback that Allen knows exactly what he has, and knows will be available in the fall.
Except for the second consecutive year, Indiana has went out of its way to find competitors for Ramsey. The Hoosiers worked late to secure the commitment of Penix in its 2018 class, and even then, brought in an experienced power-conference quarterback in Dawkins. Ramsey won the competition, against some odds, but was still substituted in games until Penix's season-ending injury.
Ramsey is a gamer, though. He continues to welcome the competition and echoes the words of his coaching staff: success is bred from competition -- the more, the better. The Hoosiers have also recently added multiple walk-on quarterbacks.
"We needed it for sure," Ramsey said. "If you look at last year, me being the only healthy scholarship quarterback on our roster for the last couple weeks of the year, you need scholarship quarterbacks on the roster to be able to compete in case something like that does happen. There's no bad feelings, no bad blood at all that we brought in a new guy because it was much needed."
Tuttle will be able to practice with the team despite the unknown surrounding his waiver request. He will get the chance to battle with Peyton Ramsey directly, with Penix in the picture, but not to the same extent, during the spring as he continues to get back to full strength. All three quarterbacks bring various strengths, but all thing bring their questions. Penix is known for his arm strength, but can he return to form after a torn ACL? Ramsey his leadership and experience, but can he make the necessary throws to win Big Ten games? Tuttle could very well be the most accurate, but will he be eligible and experienced enough?
An answer to the status of Tuttle should come soon. An answer to the quarterback competition certainly will not. Indiana opens with Ball State at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(02/01/19 2:31pm)
There is one high school in Milbank, South Dakota, a town of just over 3,000 people nestled in northeast South Dakota.
In the early 1990s, IU offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer walked the halls of Milbank High School, a star on the small school’s football team.
Bob Young, the head coach at Sioux Falls (NAIA), met DeBoer on the recruiting trail. South Dakota told DeBoer he would need to become a linebacker. Young told him he could play receiver for Sioux Falls.
“He selected USF over University of South Dakota,” Young said. “They wanted to make a linebacker out of him, and I told him he could play wide receiver or basically any position he wanted to just to get him in our program. He chose USF.”
The Cougars finished 2-8 in DeBoer’s first year as a player, though Sioux Falls would never have a losing record again with DeBoer in the program. Sioux Falls went 8-3 in 1994, 11-1 in 1995 and won the national championship in 1996 with an unblemished 14-0 season.
DeBoer was a key piece to that success, forming a dominant trio on offense with quarterback Kurtiss Riggs and running back David Ruter. DeBoer finished with 234 receptions, 3,400 yards and 33 touchdowns in his career. He was an All-American in 1996.
Sioux Falls also gave DeBoer the chance to play college baseball, where he was equally excellent at the NAIA level. DeBoer hit .520 in his senior season with ten home runs and 34 RBIs. His career batting average was .492.
DeBoer’s collegiate numbers led to him getting a chance to play with the Canton Crocodiles (now Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League) for one season in 1998. DeBoer hit .272 in 81 at-bats with the Crocodiles, according to Baseball-Reference.
The stint for playing baseball in Ohio lasted just one year. DeBoer headed back to Sioux Falls, and became an assistant coach at Washington High School.
“He went on to coach in Sioux Falls as an assistant coach at Washington High,” Young said. “Didn’t take me long to get ahold of him and get him over to USF to help out on offense.”
DeBoer came back to Sioux Falls after two years at the high school level to coach under Young, who quickly became a mentor to DeBoer.
DeBoer had spent so much time with Young over his four years playing at Sioux Falls, now he got to work with his coach. Though this time, DeBoer worked as an offensive assistant along with Riggs at Sioux Falls. Young wasn’t just a coaching mentor for DeBoer while he was in Sioux Falls, he was also a father figure that DeBoer didn’t really have growing up.
“He and his dad had a different relationship for quite awhile,” Young said. “I think they are closer now than they were back in those days. When you’re a head coach, I think this happens with a lot of players and coaches, you kind of become their dad in a lot of ways. You spend more time with them at that phase of their life to guide them more than their parents do almost for about four years there. You’re with them so much. I guess probably that I had a pretty good influence on him from the standpoint of being the moral standpoint.”
Link: 'We've got to compete': Indiana makes historic investment in hiring Kalen DeBoer as offensive coordinator
From 2000-2004, DeBoer worked as Young’s offensive coordinator. With DeBoer as Young’s offensive coordinator, Sioux Falls won less than 11 games only once.
When Young retired after the 2004 season, Young was promoted to head coach. After going 11-2 and losing in the NAIA semifinals in his first year at the helm, DeBoer would lose just one game from the 2006 season through 2009. DeBoer won national championships in 2006, 2008 and 2009. In each of those three seasons, DeBoer was named the AFCA NAIA Coach of the Year. During his five seasons as a head coach at Sioux Falls, DeBoer had a 67-3 record.
“I really felt like they were ready to take over the program, and move it to a higher level than I had.” Young said of DeBoer, Riggs, and defensive staff members including Chuck Morrell. “While we certainly experienced some success together, I certainly felt like they were the four guys that really stepped up. They had such a great chemistry, the four of them, and that just kind of carried over on the team. They were tough. They were young guys who had a whole other level of enthusiasm than the old coach had.”
Young joked that when watching DeBoer’s offensive, it isn’t hard to tell he was a wide receiver. DeBoer uses the pass to set up the run, Young said. Throughout his coaching career, DeBoer has benefited from strong quarterback and wide receiver duos, which has been a key to the productive offenses he has led throughout his career. At Fresno State, DeBoer had Marcus McMaryion at quarterback, who DeBoer turned into an extremely productive player, and a major factor in the turnaround DeBoer engineered on offense after the Derek Carr era in central California.
“I think he’s definitely a receiver. He likes to throw the ball,” Young said.
Though Young also emphasized that even though DeBoer likes to throw the ball, his personal scheme will likely not be forced. DeBoer has had the luxury of coaches giving him the freedom to do what he wants with an offense throughout his career. Where DeBoer gets freedom from the coaches, he also gives freedom to his players.
“You can see some of the same plays he’s running out there at Fresno, he’s just running them at the right time,” Young said. “We started them when he was at USF and he still uses a lot of that same philosophy that he just expanded on from what he learned when he was at USF that made him so successful there. Freedom for players to play the game on the field, and not to restrict them by overseeing them too closely, just really giving them freedom on the field to make decisions. Seeing what he’s doing right now, it doesn’t surprise me.”
At IU, DeBoer will get that freedom, as head coach Tom Allen will be largely focused on assisting first-year IU defensive coordinator Kane Wommack and focusing on day-to-day oversight of the program. Throughout the hiring process, Allen was determined to find the ‘head coach of the offense.’ Someone who can work with personnel without the head coach looking over his shoulder.
The success DeBoer has had implementing his system is something Young attributes to his preparation. Young said DeBoer would spend hours watching film, something Young never had time to do at the same level while teaching a class.
“If you spend a little time with him in preparation, it’s hard to imagine how much film he watches. How he just watched defenses. He’ll come up with certain plays at the right time. He’s just so well prepared. He does so much film watching of the opposition, and he’s just really creative. The motions, and he’ll move players around and I think this is what helped. We started doing some of that in ’96 when we won the national championship, there were certain things we did that create mismatches. I think he just built on that.”
DeBoer comes to Indiana after spending time at various levels of college football. After leaving Sioux Falls, DeBoer went to Southern Illinois, followed by Eastern Michigan and Fresno State respectively. DeBoer was the offensive coordinator at each of those schools, and had a high level of success wherever he went.
In Bloomington, DeBoer will be taking the next step in his journey as the offensive coordinator and associate head coach of the Hoosiers. Like it was for Allen, Indiana will be DeBoer’s first power conference job. Young and DeBoer discussed the Indiana job when DeBoer went home to South Dakota over Christmas. Young said from a football perspective, DeBoer had no question it was the right move, but it came down to moving his family across the country, including his daughter who, according to Young, is a very talented softball player.
“The journey for me and why I'm coming here,” DeBoer explained at his introductory press conference. “I think that the Big Ten challenge -- just like a player wants to compete at the highest level, you want to get to that highest level and show what you can do, prove it, prove it to yourself, prove it to others, whatever it might be. But you want those challenges.”
While coming to a power conference school may have been the logical next step for DeBoer, it won’t come without challenge. But Young believes that is a challenge DeBoer is prepared for.
“This is a dream for him to get to this level of football, and be able to really apply himself,” Young said. “I guess that’s really the way it is for all coaches trying to climb that ladder to the highest level, and take a program. He saw what we did as USF starting way back then, and developed it into what people really never expected to happen to a national level. We were one of the small schools in the country and he saw what happened there when he did a lot of things the right way. When you have the right personnel and you fit the program to the personnel you have, I think that’s what he’ll do at Indiana.”
(01/16/19 11:20pm)
As the highest rated quarterback out of high school to ever attend Indiana, Jack Tuttle is adjusting to life in Bloomington as any IU student would.
Through meeting classmates, learning bus routes, and going to Mother Bear’s for the first time, Tuttle has begun the assimilation process after redshirting his first collegiate season at Utah.
Based on an Alabama offer, 4-star rating, and time on a PAC-12 campus, Tuttle will have high expectations under center with the Hoosiers. On Wednesday, he met with the IU media for the first time.
“First and foremost, I was looking for where could I continue my academic career, where can I continue just being happy, and playing ball. It worked out with Coach Sheridan and Coach Allen and I decided to come to IU,” Tuttle said.
Despite being with the team for about two weeks now, Tuttle’s adjustment to football in Bloomington has been slowed by Indiana’s offensive coordinator opening. Mike DeBord retired on December 30th after two seasons calling the plays on offense. Head coach Tom Allen has begun the interview process, but is still searching for his next offensive scheme.
For a new quarterback, or any quarterback for that matter, beginning preparations for the 2019 season without an offensive system is challenging.
“In many cases for players it would be,” Tuttle said of the difficulties of adjusting to a new team without knowing the offensive coordinator. “But here it’s not just because we trust Coach Allen and I know we trust Coach Sheridan and the rest of the coaching staff that they’ll make the right choice. We’re behind each other no matter what. Just being here for two weeks I can already tell that all the players on board.”
IU quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan played the largest role in recruiting Tuttle to Bloomington, along with head coach Tom Allen.
“First I communicated with Coach Sheridan and Coach Allen,” Tuttle said. “Those guys had the same attitude I did. They want to win, really bad. They’re really down to earth, great guys. When I came here for my visit, I talked to Coach Ballou, Coach Rhea, those guys are on point. Like I said before those guys are phenomenal coaches, and they’re getting us right. I can tell you that right now.”
The first visit Tuttle took to IU after announcing he would transfer out of Utah came in November for the Hoosiers’ season finale against Purdue. According to Tuttle, visiting for the Purdue game came almost spur of the moment. Tuttle said he and his family didn’t know where they would be going each weekend as they visited schools.
Under NCAA transfer policy, players must sit out a year before being eligible to play. Tuttle did not throw a single pass at Utah, and is thus applying for a waiver to become immediately eligible. Both Tuttle and IU have not provided any update to his waiver status.
Tuttle arrived to Bloomington on January 2nd to get settled in, and his first task, like other students, “was just about learning everyone’s name,” Tuttle said. He’s quickly learned not just their names, but about his teammates on and off the field.
Tuttle’s father went to IU, and played on the football team under the late Bill Mallory. Tuttle wore a hat featuring a patch that read “Coach Mallory” honoring the former Hoosiers’ head coach.
If he is able to play in 2019, Tuttle will be thrust into a quarterback competition including incumbent starter Peyton Ramsey and redshirt freshman Michael Penix, who took a redshirt for the 2018 season after tearing his ACL against Penn State. Penix is still recovering from the injury and is not expected to be 100 percent until summer practice.
“I’m going to give this team everything I’ve got,” Tuttle said. “I hate losing. I absolutely hate losing. I hate it more than I love winning. I think that’s the kind of attitude I bring here. I think a lot of guys are onboard with that idea.”