There’s the quicker pass rush, the deep linebacking corps and the young secondary that has talent and potential.
These narratives may be true, but the continued mention of the offseason improvements only means so much until spectators can see IU on the field. The first test will be Southern Illinois on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
There has not been any game competition since November, but live practice competition against a Maxwell Award-candidate quarterback and a well-respected offensive line can be an indication of progress in the coaches’ minds.
IU Coach Kevin Wilson said the front seven has been standing out more than usual over the past week.
“I thought the first two weeks our offense was really good,” he said. “I thought the last week the defense made a huge jump and really challenged the offense. It was great to see.”
There have been questions surrounding the secondary, but the front seven has been a point of confidence for the staff. They speak highly about the large and athletic defensive line and the linebackers that possess experience and upside.
The pass rush was 11th in the Big Ten last season in sacks, but Wilson said he had seen much more pressure in that area as of late.
“Last week our defense did — it’s the best I’ve seen us playing downhill, pin your ears back, 11 buzzing bees, flying around,” Wilson said.
The pressure in practice has actually made the quarterbacks happy. It allows them to work on dealing with defenders in the backfield and moving around to make more difficult throws they might need to make in a Big Ten game.
Sophomore linebacker Greg Gooch recently moved from inside linebacker to the pass-rushing bandit position, giving defensive coordinator Brian Knorr a three-man rotation he said he likes in senior Zack Shaw, freshman Nile Sykes and Gooch.
However, it is the defensive backfield that provides concern to the public. Star safety Antonio Allen was dismissed from the team in June, and other rotation players graduated or transferred.
Now the backfield will be occupied by all freshmen and sophomores, according to the most recent depth chart.
Sophomore Chase Dutra is being pushed into a larger role at free safety, and fellow sophomores like Tony Fields, Rashard Fant and Noel Padmore round out the other three starting spots. Wilson said the secondary is a talented group that needs experience.
One day after practice, coaches named parts of the team that impressed them. Wilson said many coaches brought up the progress the defensive backs are making.
“And the same with those DBs,” Wilson said. “Your defensive front seven has a lot of experience, but your DBs don’t, so there’s a little bit of give and take there.”
Knorr likes to talk about continuity. Aside from the defensive backs, he now has a group that was primarily playing in the fall and spring and knows the system. The entire coaching staff is also back.
This continuity means that the coaches can worry more about coaching football instead of coaching the scheme, Wilson said.
He said he thought the coaching staff and players are on the same page more than before.
Saturday will be the first chance to see if that is the case, but Wilson said he stood by his statements.
“I think there’s a lot more trust,” he said.
