Senior Adarius Rayner, juniors Ralph Green and Darius Latham and sophomore Nate Hoff are all listed at more than 300 pounds and have gained strength, IU Coach Kevin ?Wilson said.
The added size is a result of offseason work in the weight room, which Wilson said he was pleased with. He tweeted out results of his players the night before the first practice and then praised his players’ work extensively when talking with reporters.
The additional size was by design. IU wanted to get bigger up front in its second year under defensive coordinator Brian Knorr’s 3-4 defensive system.
The Hoosiers lost three players to graduation, the most notable being Bobby Richardson, who has his eyes set on the NFL draft. Richardson had 35 tackles, 9.5 for loss, and 5.5 sacks last season.
A defensive captain last year, Richardson is arguably the biggest loss IU will need to replace this spring. He was the Hoosiers’ most consistent pass-rusher and managed to block three kicks on ?special teams during his time in Bloomington.
The good news for IU is that other than Richardson, just about everyone else is returning. Of the 48 starts available — including the bandit position — in 2014, IU returns 37 of those starts.
The most notable change up front was senior Nick Mangieri moving from the bandit position to the defensive line. He added size since last season and could be an early favorite to fill the void left by Richardson.
Wilson said the move will allow senior Zack Shaw, who split time with Mangieri at bandit last season, the opportunity to get more playing time. He also brought up the possibility of redshirt freshman Nile Sykes getting some time at bandit.
The Hoosiers’ experience will no doubt be a much-needed aid this season. Entering year two of the 3-4 defense with players that have already learned the system, 2015 could be a year for a few new faces on the defensive line to have a breakout ?season.
Being able to generate a pass rush is key for an IU team that has historically struggled at defending the pass. The less time a quarterback has to work, the less likely he is to find an open receiver.
That starts up front with the defensive line, which could help make the lives of the guys in the defensive backfield much easier.
A productive pass rush combined with improved play along the outside could go a long way toward IU’s defense taking another step forward.
