Indiana head coach Tom Allen talks about the opening of fall camp through the first four practices.
Above is the full Q&A.
(Video courtesy of IU Athletics)
Below is the full transcript.
On what he has seen at the first couple of fall practices...
TA: We just finished up day four today and I had a chance to be out in the rain, which is invaluable, a chance to be able to have wet ball work for both offense, defense and special teams - especially guys handling the ball on special teams. We were able to work on some good punts during that time, and PAT/field goals, as well. [We also] worked on some two-minute [drill] today and some different situational things in the red zone. I thought it has been good. First two days in spiders and the last two days have been in shells. I love the work ethic of our guys. I am not necessarily surprised by that, because they have had that all offseason and summer, and kind of created that is the expectation every single day in everything we do.
Typical on both sides, we are doing installs every day and still working through that, so we are not really scheming against either side of the ball, you are just working on getting your side of the scheme put in. Sometimes that creates a little bit of working through stuff that you may not use it against, but that is part of the process. I am encouraged by the attitude of guys, the effort that we have seen. I always tell our team that the best way for me to gauge the buy-in of our team, their attitude and where they are at is how hard they go during special teams drill work. I have been really encouraged by that; the intensity of it, the effort given every single rep by a whole slew of guys. I have seen that, and it has been encouraging.
Once again, I did expect that after we saw that during the spring and the guys that are new, they get brought into this culture and that's what they are shown and what is expected. We have a lot of film on that, and I feel like we have had a lot of good reps on both sides of the ball, and we have got some really good special teams work in.
On Tiawan Mullen looking bigger and faster in year three...
TA: He has definitely filed out and gained some weight, gotten stronger, gotten a step quicker and gained a little more burst. It is part of his development. That's the weight room that you rely on. It is a physical game that we play, and you have to be able to take the hits and over time those add up. He is one of several that have gotten bigger and stronger in the last offseason. I think it will help him. He has the same edge and the same mindset: such a great teammate, leader of that group - and we are trying to get him to expand that to the whole defense. We love his attitude. He is always trying to help this team get better. He busted his tail in the weight room [this offseason] and it shows.
On how much he expects to get done in the first seven days of camp...
TA: I think we have been aggressive in our install by what we are putting in each day. I have been around different approaches. Some are a little slower and say you go and put a bunch in the first four or five days and then go back. I have been places where you go the first two days and then day three is nothing new. We have just kept plowing right through it with this group. We feel like we have a lot of maturity out of our team and, as you mentioned, a lot of the work has been done in the play practices. The [groundwork] was installed there, and things from the spring, as well, which was all stuff you missed a year ago.
I feel really good about the aggressiveness of the installs on both sides, and even the special teams. We've got a lot put in and sometimes that causes day four and five, there can be some information overload, especially for the new guys, but we are able to be three-deep [at each position] and have our ones, twos and threes going, and actually up to as many as fours in certain drills. It is obvious that the depth is different than it has been in the past and that helps us practice better and helps us get more guys ready to play.
On when he starts to formulate a depth chart during fall camp...
TA: We want to get to the first scrimmage, which is this Saturday. We call it preseason game No. 1. After that, you will have an idea, but after the second [scrimmage], I would say yes [we will have a good idea on a two-deep]. Right now, we are wide open [in competition]. We have a lot of guys that we see competing. We are not focused on ones and twos at this point. We tell the guys that even if you are a three or four in the rotation, you are competing to play on Saturdays. We are just trying to get guys involved.
On the extra padding players are wearing at practice this season...
TA: The extra padding on the helmets is for concussion prevention. I do think in the future we could see that be mandated for practices, it is not yet, but it has been discussed in the medical world ... We start with everyone [wearing them], but then we might focus on some certain groups that will or won't have them based on a guys history. You could probably see our O-line and D-line keeping those on in practice because they get that constant pounding. I think that anything we can do to make it safer for our guys we're all for. And, we are researching other options, as well. This is something that we have discussed [as a program] and other schools have as well, and we are doing anything we can to keep our guys healthy.
On Donaven McCulley's progression...
TA: We have really been encouraged by his growth. Even some things today, you are able to isolate certain parts of what we do, and you could just see the talent. It has shown up from the beginning, but his comfort level, when you minimize the reads and you're not trying to see everything. Sometimes for a young guy you are trying to see too much and that makes it hard. he is a gifted player, very talented. He is up to 215 pounds, which is a significant difference from when he got here. He is a big frame, close to 6-foot-5. He is a good-looking kid and when you walk out there you notice him: the way he moves, and he's got such a quick release.
He is just trying to learn the offense. Definitely has a long way to go for sure, but the other thing that impresses me about him is his attitude. He is such a sponge. He's so humble, eager to learn and a great listener. I watch him when he interacts with our coaches, and he doesn't ever get defensive. He just has a great demeanor about him, and he wants to learn and grow and get better. that is a good sign for his mental development and how he is going to just keep getting better and better. He is going to be a special one.
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