VIDEO: Meet Indiana Freshman Defensive Tackle Jeramy Passmore
Indiana freshman defensive tackle Jeramy Passmore met with the media for the first time Wednesday afternoon to discuss joining Miami (Fla.) Christopher Columbus teammate Gary Cooper at IU, his transition from high school to college and more.
Watch his full comments in the embedded media player above, with a complete transcript available below.
How much does it help going through this process and getting acclimated when you have a good friend like Gary (Cooper) also going through it?
"It means a lot because I see him as a brother so it’s like bringing a family member along with you to the university that you’re going to. So you feel like you’re still at home and you’re not missing anything."
After being more of a d-end in high school the plan is to move you inside to d-tackle. How much weight have you been able to put on? Is adding weight to your frame been the main goal this summer?
"I have put on a lot of weight since the season ended. I have put on roughly 30-pounds. I kind of got acclimated and used to playing inside a little bit because my senior year I actually moved inside and played three-technique. Sometimes I would move to end, but it was kind of getting me ready for this moment right here."
What’s it been like and what have you learned from some of the older guys that are here already. What have they told you to look for and how to prepare yourself?
"The main thing is consistency. Just go out and learn the playbook and show up every day ready to work and good things will happen."
What has surprised you the most about workouts or academics or anything like that?
"I would say mainly workouts. I knew everybody said college workouts were tough, but I didn’t realize that until I actually got into it. But I’m getting acclimated and used to them now."
How do you like working with Coach (Dave) Ballou? He is a guy that is really intense and guys swear by him. How’s it gone for you with him?
"It’s going really well. He’s the coach that not only gets on you, but you can really tell he cares about you personally. When someone cares about you on a personal level you’ll run through a wall for them."
How much did playing at the level that your school played at in Florida (Class 8A) help prepare you for this?
"I feel like it translated really well because in Florida and the class that I played in we played against tough, difficult teams each week and every week. So when you come here you see a lot of talented guys around and I’m used to being around that type of atmosphere, so I’m still motivated and I’m still gonna keep going."
How has the weather been for you up here? Different than back home?
"It’s been good."
Today feels hot to me. Is this hot for you?
"Nah, it's not. It feels good. I could put on a hoody right now. Yeah, it’s not hot. But I like this nice cool weather every now and then that we get sometimes because in Miami it’s all- the-time hot."
We don’t get those ocean breezes up here.
"Yeah, for sure, for sure."
Speaking of Florida, how much did those connections play a role in you coming to Indiana?
"It didn’t make a big factor in it because I knew I wanted to be here for me and my family, but it still made it a little more easier for me to transition because I knew I had guys coming from the same area I came from. When our parents left you get a little teary and stuff, but you’re all going through it together and we’re from the same place so we all helped each other out."
Were there any guys already here at IU that you were already familiar with from playing down in Miami?
"Yes, I knew James Head. We used to work out together back when I was in high school. We used to work out together and stuff. We almost had a chance to play against each other in the playoffs before they got knocked out."
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