Indiana University Athletics
Quoted: Roman Hemby, Isaiah Jones & D'Angelo Ponds
10/14/2025 6:00:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– As Indiana Football's Week 8 matchup against Michigan State on Saturday (October 18) approaches, senior Roman Hemby and juniors Isaiah Jones and D'Angelo Ponds addressed the media inside the Don Croftcheck Football Team Room.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Roman Hemby | RB | R-Sr.
On the comfort level going back to the west coast…
RH: It was definitely something I was used to, just being able to take the trip before, being able to go to the west coast and have a feel of their stadium. During the week, I was able to kind of be a resource to some of my teammates, letting them know what the atmosphere was like, but everything kind of topped what I had experienced in the past. It was kind of new for me as well, and it was something that was good. I think it was a way better experience than what I experienced last time.
On maintaining consistency and intensity…
RH: I think it's just approaching every game the same way. I feel like we're in the business where we know Big Ten football is Big Ten football and everyone is capable of beating everybody. We'd be doing a disservice to ourselves, I say that all the time, we'd be doing a disservice to ourselves if we kind of got up for certain opponents and treated different opponents lightly. We're attacking this game as if it's our Super Bowl because it's the next game and it's the next opportunity to showcase our talents.
Who leads the team mindset…
RH: I think it's player led. I feel like it's a good combination of a lot of things. Coach Cig (Cignetti) definitely doesn't miss those meetings when we say those types of things. He preaches that message to us. We have a veteran group where a lot of us have been in this situation before. A lot of us have played in big games, we've played in the Big Ten or in conference games in the past. We know what it takes, we know what we're capable of and we know we have to put that product on the field every time.
Isaiah Jones | LB | R-Jr.
On what makes Coach Haines schemes work…
IJ: A lot of things… those guys work really hard up in the film room and break down a lot of film. They break down film from the opponent when we're in the summer and spring as well, so they have a lot of cut-ups. Really, it's just by using angles and attacking the offense. We don't want to sit back and kind of react to the offense; we want to get after them, get after the quarterback, and kind of get them off schedule.
On his back injury and recovery…
IJ: Yeah, so that was something I kind of started with coming out of high school. It was just a little bit of a bulging disk, and it progressively got worse. I kind of played through it my freshman year and then had a microdiscectomy after the season. After that, I took the spring to recover and felt like new after… (after the procedure) I was able to do stuff toward the end of spring ball. No contact, but I was able to go out there and move and run. It's just [the doctors] go in there, they shave out a little bit of the disk that's pushing on the nerve. It was my L5 S1. It's minimally invasive and once its done, for me it was a game changer. I felt completely different.
On "Bones Jones" nickname…
IJ: That's Coach (Bryant) Haines all the way, big UFC guy. I don't really know when it started. It probably started the first year at the end of the spring. He kind of started calling me bones, and I thought it was just a linebacker thing- like we were just using it in the linebacker room. In the Summer, I was walking through the weight room, and Coach (Pat) Kuntz came walking through and was like "Bonesssss Jonessssssss," and I was like "Where did you hear that?" He goes, "Oh, that's all Haines refers to you in the meeting rooms." I was like, "Alright, Bones Jones it is."
D'Angelo Ponds | DB | Jr.
On dealing with recent injury before Oregon…
DP: It definitely was tough on me, not being able to be out there with my guys ––– especially the work we put in together. I feel like it was tough for me, but I was there to be a leader and guide the guys through the win.
On Oregon being a "measuring stick" game…
DP: It wasn't really a measuring stick. Obviously, me knowing what I can do, I feel like I've always been a confident guy. Just raising up the competition. So, it wasn't really a measuring stick; it was just competing. Going out there and competing.
On being a better leader this season…
DP: I feel like I definitely progressed and have done that. Just being more vocal in my room and towards the team. I feel like I definitely got better at that.
On having fun in Coach Haines System…
DP: It's very fun. Our DC (Defensive Coordinator) Bryant Haines has a good scheme. He schemes up every team very well. I feel like it's very fun just to see the guys up front go eat. They have a sack almost every drive. I feel like that's very fun to watch.
Below is a partial transcript of the press conference, while video of the media sessions can be found on the right sidebar at IUHoosiers.com.
Roman Hemby | RB | R-Sr.
On the comfort level going back to the west coast…
RH: It was definitely something I was used to, just being able to take the trip before, being able to go to the west coast and have a feel of their stadium. During the week, I was able to kind of be a resource to some of my teammates, letting them know what the atmosphere was like, but everything kind of topped what I had experienced in the past. It was kind of new for me as well, and it was something that was good. I think it was a way better experience than what I experienced last time.
On maintaining consistency and intensity…
RH: I think it's just approaching every game the same way. I feel like we're in the business where we know Big Ten football is Big Ten football and everyone is capable of beating everybody. We'd be doing a disservice to ourselves, I say that all the time, we'd be doing a disservice to ourselves if we kind of got up for certain opponents and treated different opponents lightly. We're attacking this game as if it's our Super Bowl because it's the next game and it's the next opportunity to showcase our talents.
Who leads the team mindset…
RH: I think it's player led. I feel like it's a good combination of a lot of things. Coach Cig (Cignetti) definitely doesn't miss those meetings when we say those types of things. He preaches that message to us. We have a veteran group where a lot of us have been in this situation before. A lot of us have played in big games, we've played in the Big Ten or in conference games in the past. We know what it takes, we know what we're capable of and we know we have to put that product on the field every time.
Isaiah Jones | LB | R-Jr.
On what makes Coach Haines schemes work…
IJ: A lot of things… those guys work really hard up in the film room and break down a lot of film. They break down film from the opponent when we're in the summer and spring as well, so they have a lot of cut-ups. Really, it's just by using angles and attacking the offense. We don't want to sit back and kind of react to the offense; we want to get after them, get after the quarterback, and kind of get them off schedule.
On his back injury and recovery…
IJ: Yeah, so that was something I kind of started with coming out of high school. It was just a little bit of a bulging disk, and it progressively got worse. I kind of played through it my freshman year and then had a microdiscectomy after the season. After that, I took the spring to recover and felt like new after… (after the procedure) I was able to do stuff toward the end of spring ball. No contact, but I was able to go out there and move and run. It's just [the doctors] go in there, they shave out a little bit of the disk that's pushing on the nerve. It was my L5 S1. It's minimally invasive and once its done, for me it was a game changer. I felt completely different.
On "Bones Jones" nickname…
IJ: That's Coach (Bryant) Haines all the way, big UFC guy. I don't really know when it started. It probably started the first year at the end of the spring. He kind of started calling me bones, and I thought it was just a linebacker thing- like we were just using it in the linebacker room. In the Summer, I was walking through the weight room, and Coach (Pat) Kuntz came walking through and was like "Bonesssss Jonessssssss," and I was like "Where did you hear that?" He goes, "Oh, that's all Haines refers to you in the meeting rooms." I was like, "Alright, Bones Jones it is."
D'Angelo Ponds | DB | Jr.
On dealing with recent injury before Oregon…
DP: It definitely was tough on me, not being able to be out there with my guys ––– especially the work we put in together. I feel like it was tough for me, but I was there to be a leader and guide the guys through the win.
On Oregon being a "measuring stick" game…
DP: It wasn't really a measuring stick. Obviously, me knowing what I can do, I feel like I've always been a confident guy. Just raising up the competition. So, it wasn't really a measuring stick; it was just competing. Going out there and competing.
On being a better leader this season…
DP: I feel like I definitely progressed and have done that. Just being more vocal in my room and towards the team. I feel like I definitely got better at that.
On having fun in Coach Haines System…
DP: It's very fun. Our DC (Defensive Coordinator) Bryant Haines has a good scheme. He schemes up every team very well. I feel like it's very fun just to see the guys up front go eat. They have a sack almost every drive. I feel like that's very fun to watch.
#NeverDaunted
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