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Indiana offensive coordinator Walt Bell discusses the start of fall camp, offensive improvements and expectations for year one.

Above is the full Q&A.

Below are some key quotes.

On his evaluation of the offense and the quarterbacks to this point…

WB: Overall evaluation, I think our kids have done a phenomenal job through the summer. I think that’s the first thing. From where we left in the spring to where we are now, there’s a big, noticeable difference. Kudos to those guys for how they’ve prepared this summer because we’re in a much better place than we were when we exited the spring. So, they’ve done a lot of really good work.

Really proud of our offensive line, Coach [Tom] Allen, they do a great job putting camp together and making things difficult on us. I think our o-line has done a really nice job in the run game and in a pass protection standpoint. We’ve taken care of the ball relatively well, which is obviously the most important thing you do. Turnovers and explosive plays are going to make the difference in who wins and loses the game, so there’s ball security every day. That’s a huge part of what we do. We’re taking care of the ball pretty well

Then other than that I think our kids from just a mentality standpoint, I think they’re really, really, really hungry to learn, they’re hungry to improve, they’re hungry to be better than we were a year ago, almost to the point of they’re starving. Really enjoy the mentality of this group right now, they’re a joy and blessing to work with every day.

On how much contact has been involved in practice…

WB: We’ve I believe two days in shoulder pads, one day in full pads. It’s been really physical. We’ve had some really physical inside segments. We had short yardage goal line yesterday, so we have been really physical. [We have had some] good perimeter periods between the wideouts and perimeter players and defensive backs that we call little inside drill, so it’s been plenty physical.

Blocking and tackling, those things never change. If you can block and tackle well, you’ve got a chance to win football games. For blocking, tackling, and great eye discipline you know every team if you can do those three things really well you’ve got a chance. Coach Allen has done a great job putting our camp together where we’re able to do those things in a physical way, but also keep our guys healthy.

On what he has seen out of the quarterbacks…

WB: From an overall system knowledge, we’re so much further along. As elementary as this sounds, you kind of talk about the A, B, Cs of certain concepts, and then eventually through repetition you start to learn some D, E, Fs. To be able to start with the D, E, Fs, as we’re on our way to the X, Y, Zs is a nice thing.

They both have done a really nice job, they’re both handling this competition incredibly well. They both help each other, they’re always good teammates because they’re both good human beings on top of being really good football players. The other guy that’s done an incredible job is Dexter Williams II. Dexter is going to be a really good player someday. I’m really impressed with the improvement that Dexter has made between spring and now. So excited about him, but all three of those kids, great teammates, good people, they’re doing everything they possibly can to go win and compete for the job.

On the tight end group and how they’re progressing…

WB: AJ [Barner] is a really good player, another guy who’s improved just in terms of overall system knowledge between the spring and now. James Bomba has done a great job of stepping up and kind of becoming a more physical, in-line grinder who’s also got really soft hands. [Aaron Steinfeldt] has done a really nice job and Brody Foley is a young tight end that’s going to be a really good player. He was an early enrollee that wasn’t healthy in the spring so now he’s back. Sam Daugstrup’s done a nice job. [Ryan Barnes] has done a nice job.

We’ve got some good serviceable depth. The one guy that has really grown and really has started to improve is Trey Walker, who was a walk-on here. He’s a big, long guy, that gives us some value at the point of attack, runs better than a lot of people think he does and has caught the ball really well up to this point in this camp.

So, really excited about the position group even though it’s a young group. Everybody in there is young. Coach Wright is doing a great job with those guys, and so we’re excited about the fact that not only they’re going to add production and value to the offense, but they all have a little bit of a different skillset. We’ve got a really diversified position [at tight end], so excited about that group.

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