Indiana University Athletics
Physicality Amps Up In First Day Of Pads
8/10/2015 3:59:00 PM | Football
Hoosiers put on full pads for the first time
By: Sam Beishuizen | Twitter
IUHoosiers.com
One of Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson's points of emphasis to his players in fall camp is to play more physical.
The Big Ten is a "line of scrimmage league," Wilson said. The Hoosiers can't be afraid to push other teams around or provide heavy hits if they want to have success this season.
Players got their first taste of true physicality Monday. The Hoosiers practiced in full pads for the first time since last spring.
"I don't know what it is, but things change when you put the pads on," sophomore running back Devine Redding said. "I couldn't wait to get back in pads because you can't really do much just practicing in a jersey. Today we were working on exploding through holes, staying low. I'm working on lowering my pads and getting guys off of me."
Indiana linebackers coach William Inge said Saturday that the first day of full pads is the first time he can truly get a sense for his team.
Inge and Wilson have both put an increased emphasis on being the aggressors on defense this season. The coaching staff wants the defense to be the ones dictating what the offense does, which wasn't always the case in previous years.
"This is an attacking sport where you have your structure where you can dictate your opponents," Inge said. "We need to be the ones putting the pressure on the offenses. It's something we're trying to do more and more of, and it's coming."
Redshirt sophomore linebacker Marcus Oliver—who said he's feeling "100 percent" after missing the majority of last season with an injury—said he prefers being the aggressor.
He said he's been making a point to be a more physical player even when he's not in full pads as much as he can. Inge said he's hoping younger players will follow Oliver's lead and feel comfortable taking risks in order to make game-changing defensive plays.
"We're better when we're flying around out there," Oliver said. "We're just out there trying to have fun and get better whether it's pants on, short on or full pads. We're trying to get better consistently and improve while being aggressive."
Oliver and the rest of the Hoosiers will keep the pads on again tomorrow as they prepare to scrimmage later this weekend.
Redding gets a haircut after being brought down by his hair
Indiana running backs coach Deland McCullough got tired of defenders tackling Redding by his hair.
So he asked him to cut it.
Hours after Oliver tackled Redding by his hair on Friday, redshirt freshman running back Alex Rodriguez played the role of team barber.
McCullough even filmed the haircut and posted it on Twitter.
"I told Devine, 'Hey, we need to cut it, so go cut it off for him, A-Rod,'" McCullough recalled Saturday. "A-Rod said, 'Are you serious?' And I said, 'Yeah, let's do it right here, right now.'"
Rodriguez ran and grabbed some scissors and shortened Redding's dreadlocks by a few inches.
Redding was impressed by Rodriguez's work. He said he's been sleeping better with less hair.
"It was a long time coming," Redding said.
He won't be tackled by the hair again any time soon.
IUHoosiers.com
One of Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson's points of emphasis to his players in fall camp is to play more physical.
The Big Ten is a "line of scrimmage league," Wilson said. The Hoosiers can't be afraid to push other teams around or provide heavy hits if they want to have success this season.
Players got their first taste of true physicality Monday. The Hoosiers practiced in full pads for the first time since last spring.
"I don't know what it is, but things change when you put the pads on," sophomore running back Devine Redding said. "I couldn't wait to get back in pads because you can't really do much just practicing in a jersey. Today we were working on exploding through holes, staying low. I'm working on lowering my pads and getting guys off of me."
Indiana linebackers coach William Inge said Saturday that the first day of full pads is the first time he can truly get a sense for his team.
Inge and Wilson have both put an increased emphasis on being the aggressors on defense this season. The coaching staff wants the defense to be the ones dictating what the offense does, which wasn't always the case in previous years.
"This is an attacking sport where you have your structure where you can dictate your opponents," Inge said. "We need to be the ones putting the pressure on the offenses. It's something we're trying to do more and more of, and it's coming."
Redshirt sophomore linebacker Marcus Oliver—who said he's feeling "100 percent" after missing the majority of last season with an injury—said he prefers being the aggressor.
He said he's been making a point to be a more physical player even when he's not in full pads as much as he can. Inge said he's hoping younger players will follow Oliver's lead and feel comfortable taking risks in order to make game-changing defensive plays.
"We're better when we're flying around out there," Oliver said. "We're just out there trying to have fun and get better whether it's pants on, short on or full pads. We're trying to get better consistently and improve while being aggressive."
Oliver and the rest of the Hoosiers will keep the pads on again tomorrow as they prepare to scrimmage later this weekend.
Redding gets a haircut after being brought down by his hair
Indiana running backs coach Deland McCullough got tired of defenders tackling Redding by his hair.
So he asked him to cut it.
Hours after Oliver tackled Redding by his hair on Friday, redshirt freshman running back Alex Rodriguez played the role of team barber.
McCullough even filmed the haircut and posted it on Twitter.
"I told Devine, 'Hey, we need to cut it, so go cut it off for him, A-Rod,'" McCullough recalled Saturday. "A-Rod said, 'Are you serious?' And I said, 'Yeah, let's do it right here, right now.'"
Rodriguez ran and grabbed some scissors and shortened Redding's dreadlocks by a few inches.
Redding was impressed by Rodriguez's work. He said he's been sleeping better with less hair.
"It was a long time coming," Redding said.
He won't be tackled by the hair again any time soon.
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