Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- For Bray Lynch, screaming helps. It’s part of the life of a Big Ten center, certainly Indiana’s center, when game day crowds are large and loud, urgency resonates on every offensive play and communication is the difference between success and failure.
Lynch knew that while starting 29 straight games at right guard. He knows it even more now when, following in the footsteps of Pat Coogan and Mike Katic, he’s the starting center.
“It’s the communication aspect of it,” the 6-foot-5, 298-pound Lynch says. “As an O-lineman, you're always communicating no matter what position you're at. But at center, you've got to be much louder so everyone can hear you, even the backside tight end.”
Lynch’s ability to be heard was tested at Nebraska and at Michigan in recent weeks, and while Saturday’s Homecoming Game against Minnesota (5-2 overall, 3-1 in the Big Ten) at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium won’t be as loudly challenging when the No. 4/4 Hoosiers (7-1, 4-1) are on offense, he still has to speak up.
“That’s one thing that people don't really notice -- having to be very vocal and as loud as you possibly can, especially in a place like the Big House (Michigan Stadium).
“It means screaming. If there’s a call to be made, just scream it. They’ll hear it backside and we’ll have that trust within the offensive line unit that everyone is going to get the job done.”
Lynch, who is in his fifth college season, began working on the transition last spring. That meant taking charge of the offensive linemen as he never had before.
“I definitely had to work on being more vocal, especially with the newer guys I might not know as well,” he says.
Beyond the vocal, he adds his new role involves moving and snapping, “which is always tricky to get used to.”
So is developing the leadership skills every center must master.
“Even as a young kid, what I always enjoyed in sports that I wasn’t afraid to speak up in certain situations. That’s definitely helped. It’s not necessarily coming easy, but all the sports and all the moments in my life leading up to playing center has definitely helped.”
The offensive line, which also features Carter Smith, Joe Brunner, Drew Evans and Adedamola Ajani, is still building to peak form. Focus, Lynch says, starts with “tempo.”
“It’s being up paced and getting as fast as we can. It’s eliminating the mistakes, eliminating the clutter so we can play full speed and be fully decisive on the field.
“I think that from Week One to now, you definitely see improvement, even though we still need more.
“Playing as a group of guys as tight as we all are, you can feel everyone's trust in one another. It’s like, ‘Hey, on this, when they do this, I know you're going to be right there, so I can focus on the next thing.’ That's definitely improved as we've gone along.”
Camaraderie helps. Lynch, Smith, Evans and Ajani have played three years together. Lynch, Smith and Evans are roommates.
“We’ve always had a good relationship with each other,” Lynch says. “It’s a fun time whether it’s watching a movie, going out to eat, or just talking about nonsense and playing video games. Now that we’re roommates and see each other every day, it’s even better.
“We trust each other completely. We know where each one of us is going to be on the field for every play. That allows us to play faster and more decisive, more physical.”
Playing nine straight weeks without a bye, as IU has done, has taken a physical toll on every Hoosier, including quarterback Josh Hoover.
Still, in overtime at Michigan, despite being banged up, Hoover rose to the challenge with a 21-yard pass to tight end Brock Schott that set up his game-winning 4-yard touchdown run.
“It’s the dog mentality,” Lynch says of Hoover’s toughness. “If you had asked me before the season that if Josh would get hurt, would he still play, I would have told you, ‘Hell yeah, he would have.’ He’s a dog. That’s what you saw in spring ball, and in the weight room, and you see it now on Saturdays.
“We have full confidence in him. We knew that when the time arose to make a play (at Michigan), he was going to find a way to get it done.”
IU hopes to get it done offensively as it hasn’t in recent weeks. The Hoosiers, consistently having one of the nation’s best offenses under head coach Curt Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, have scored just 20, 15 and 13 points in their last three games against Nebraska, Ohio State, and Michigan. The passing and running games have not dominated as they previously have.
“I know as the O-line,” Lynch says, “we’re focused on protecting Hoover and running the football. That’s our job. We focus on that.
“Today was a good step in the right direction. We have to have another great day tomorrow. Focus on one day at a time to get the result we want.”
IU is 34-3 under Cignetti with Big Ten and national championships. That’s a huge turnaround from Lynch’s first two Indiana seasons, when the Hoosiers were a combined 7-17, 3-15 in the Big Ten.
“This is my third year with Coach Cignetti,” Lynch says, “and it’s just a mindset, the endless will that this group has. You’re going to tough it out. You’re going to fight to the very last moment no matter what. It’s always 0-0 every play.
“That’s something I didn’t necessarily see before. Sometimes, guys would quit. You don’t see that now with guys on this team. The mindset of doing anything it takes to win is true within every guy in that locker room.”
ESPN’s College GameDay will make its third appearance in Bloomington on Saturday. The show -- featuring Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, and Kirk Herbstreit -- will air from Showalter Fountain.