Indiana football freshman left tackle Matthew Bedford met with the media for the first since arriving on campus in January to discuss his experience as an early enrollee, learning from IU's veteran offensive linemen and more.
Watch his full comments in the embedded media player below, with a complete transcript beneath it.
Left tackle seems to be the position you're focusing on. What kinds of things have you picked up from Coy Cronk, a senior and four-year starter there? What do you want to emulate or learn from him?
"Just the technique. The guy is real smooth as an offensive tackle. His technique is amazing. When we're in practice, I'm sitting there, just watching him, taking in everything. Everything he says, everything he does. In the weight room, I'm trying to match his weight, honestly, which is obviously a challenge, but just take everything he does and try to bring it to myself to do it."
As more of your classmates arrive on campus, what are you telling them about the experience having done this for 5-6 months now as an early enrollee?
"You can't be afraid to compete. You can't be afraid to push yourself. You can't be afraid to grow, honestly. That was the main thing, coming in with the early guys, we've got to compete with the guys that are next to us, and if we're not, what are we doing?"
Thoughts on the freshmen as a group now that you've spent time with them?
"A lot of guys that want to eat. A lot of guys that are hungry. A lot of guys that want to develop. Each guy in our class has a mindset that they want to contribute a lot to this team, and I'm glad to see that because in high school it wasn't like that at all. Glad to actually to be a part of that."
Is that something that's impressed you during your short time here, the amount of people that are so driven?
"Oh, I mean everybody here is driven. That was one thing when I first got here, just being an o-lineman we could see that there was a standard that you're going to produce, that you're going to be able to make plays. That was the main thing. That hasn't changed, especially with my class. Guys want to compete, guys want to play."
Coach Allen said he wants to build depth on the offensive and defensive line. Do you see that as an opportunity for you to step in and play and contribute?
"Yes sir, everybody. Especially new guys, Ricky Tamis, Tim Weaver, myself, we all want to come in and produce. We want to be able to get into the rotation, get into plays, get that play time."
Cam (Williams) was telling me the defensive linemen seem to have the best sense of humor. Is that something you'd agree with?
"(Laughs). Yeah, I'd say that. Those guys are pretty funny. Sio and C.J. and Jeramy Passmore, those guys are really fun. We're all in Ashton right now, so it's kind of funny going into a room and watching them play video games and joke around and stuff. The dorms are pretty funny."
You mentioned video games. Jordan (Jakes) said during your free time outside of workouts and class, a lot of you guys are playing Madden. Who's the best Madden player of the group?
"I would say myself, now, but I'd say somebody who kind of matches me is C.J. C.J.'s a little good with the sticks, but I'm better."
The lynchpin of the new offense is going to be the offensive line. What are you expecting out of the group?
"We're going to produce. We have a group of guys that want to be better and want to develop. It all starts up front, obviously. We have that mindset that we're going to make things hard right now so when we get into the season, it's going to be something for us to be able to work for. Honestly, we want to produce. We want it to be hard."
What can you guys do quickly and how much help have you gotten from the veterans?
"It's a whole lot of mental stuff. They've really helped beat it into our brains that we're going to develop, we're going to work hard and we're going to be able to produce. That's one thing that Coy and Simon and Hunter have beaten into each position, the guards, the tackles, the centers: You're going to produce, you're going to work, you're going to get this down, because if you don't, you're not going to play and everybody wants to play. It's very competitive in that room, so we're going to compete."
How much do you feel like coming here early has helped you, now that you've been here for 5-6 months and had the chance to reflect a little bit?
"I feel like I'm a whole a lot stronger. I feel like I'm a whole lot faster than when I came in. I feel like I'm an entirely different person, honestly. Seeing the guys that came in, I feel like I'm able to compete with the older guys now and I feel like I'm able to carry my own weight. It helped a lot."
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