‘Coming Closer’ – Progress Continues as IU Builds Toward Season Opener
By Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Football practice is over, work is not. Charlie Becker catches passes from a jugs machine in the Mellencamp Pavilion, ignoring the distraction efforts of fellow Indiana receiver Tyler Morris.
Balls are fired at Becker from close range. Each time, Morris flashes a white towel across his face just as the ball arrives. Becker catches everything, sometimes even parts of the towel.
Later, another receiver works on his one-hand catching skills, because you never know when that might play a crucial role as IU prepares for its quest to repeat as national champion.
A few minutes later, head coach Curt Cignetti addresses the media in the Don Croftcheck Team Room on Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Shortly after that, the Associated Press preseason poll is released, listing the Hoosiers at No. 6, the same position as the earlier coaches’ poll.
Weeks away from the Sept. 5 season opener against North Texas and Cignetti remains focused on achieving top offensive and defensive form.
“As a team, we’re making progress,” he says. “Every practice is a little cleaner. Guys are coming closer to meeting the bar play in and play out from an assignment-effort standpoint. They’re finishing plays, but still a way to go.
“We’re not completely done with our installation. We still have a number of situations to practice before the first game, but we’re on track.”
The defense had the edge over the offense last spring, and in some ways, still does.
“It’s gone back and forth,” Cignetti says. “It’s been pretty good competition. They’ve both had their moments.
“One thing about the defense, because we’re deep on the defensive line, when the twos (reserves) go, we’ve got young (offensive) linemen against older guys, but that’s going to happen during the season if one of those guys has to step in.
“I’d give defense the edge, but that’s been pretty much the case every year I’ve been a head coach since 2019 on. The defense has been ahead of the offense.”
Receiver looms as a team strength with Becker and Nick Marsh, a Michigan State transfer, leading the way. The 6-foot-4, 207-pound Becker’s strong final two months last season left with him 34 catches for 679 yards and four touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 213-pound Marsh totaled 100 catches for 1,311 yards and nine touchdowns in two Spartan seasons.
“Marsh has made some really nice plays in fall camp,” Cignetti says. “He made a great catch in the scrimmage. He’s a big, long, strong guy. He’s good after the catch.
“Him and Becker are two long guys who have a good track record. Now it’s developing No. 3, 4 and 5 in that receiver room.”
That would include Morris, a Michigan transfer who missed all of last season with a knee injury, Tulane transfer Shazz Preston, second-year players Davion Chandler and Lebron Bond, and fifth-year player Jackson Wasserstrom.
“Tyler Morris had a family situation and missed the scrimmage,” Cignetti says, “but he has had his moments. He can play inside and outside.
“Davion has made good progress recently. He’s got a lot of talent. He can play inside and outside.
“After that, we have to figure it out. Shazz Preston has talent, but he has to be locked in assignment wise and do the right thing, play in, play out. He can help us if he can do that. He missed the first three to four practices with a hip. He’s gotten on the field recently. He’s made some nice plays, but we have to eliminate the (missed assignments) with him.
“Lebron Bond and Jackson Wasserstrom pretty much round out the group.”
Last Saturday’s first camp scrimmage delivered “some good, bad and ugly” moments, Cignetti says.
“There weren’t quite as many penalties as there normally are or turnovers, but still a lot to clean up in terms of assignments and getting guys to do what they're supposed to do.”
Overall, Cignetti adds, the Hoosiers have more depth than last year, impressive given their final 16-0 record, “but still, there are areas where we have to develop players. We might be counting on some younger guys at certain spots to fill in depth.”
That includes the offensive line, with players such as Adedamola Ajani, Austin Leibfried, Matt Marek, Baylor Wilkin and Sam Simpson positioned for significant action.
“Those young guys like Ajani, who has started a game or two and probably played in five to seven games in competitive situations,” Cignetti says, “and then Leibfried, Marek, Wilkin and Simpson, a true freshman who has done a nice job. I’m probably forgetting somebody, but those are the guys next in right now.”
Fifth-year player Bray Lynch has taken over the center position from the departed Pat Coogan, now a rookie with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, although fellow veteran Drew Evans also has taken snaps there as well as others as offensive line coach Bob Bostad works to develop depth.
“Bray has been taking 90 percent of the reps with ones (starters) at center,” Cignetti says. “Evans has played left guard.
“Bob is always moving guys around because you can never have enough guys who can snap the ball. We probably work four or five guys at the center position because you can’t get a play off if you can’t snap the ball. Bray has done a nice job and so has Drew playing left guard.”