Indiana
Indiana

Indiana Team Report

Updated: April 26, 2012 12:39 EST

Indiana's spring football game has historically been an exercise in building some momentum for the season and raising hopes and expectations for the coming year. It was an understandable strategy. For a program that has suffered through so many losing seasons in its history, Indiana has always wanted to focus on the positives and head into the summer with talk of brighter days.

But that isn't the Kevin Wilson Way.

Oh, the Hoosier head coach made it a point to talk up the positives of the spring workouts, and he certainly seemed pleased with the development of some of the players, especially from an attitude standpoint. But he didn't sugarcoat his team's performance, repeatedly calling out players for their lack of consistency from practice to practice.

Even the star of the spring game, RB Isaiah Roundtree, didn't get to bask in the glow of praise from his head coach. Roundtree, a redshirt sophomore who sat out last season following a transfer from Morehead State, showed plenty of explosiveness and agility, and his 50-plus yard TD run during the fourth quarter of the game was the highlight of the spring. Still, Wilson worked to downplay Roundtree's performance immediately after the game.

"It was good to see him show today, because I believe he is capable," Wilson said. "But he hasn't had a consistent spring. It'll be interesting to see if he has the summer to have a foundation, have a great preseason and really start helping our football team in a more positive way."

It might seem like an odd response from the coach considering IU's lack of stars on either side of the ball, but it also showed a continuing effort from the staff to limit the rise of expectations on certain players. All last season Wilson worked to keep his players from enjoying too much hype or receiving too much criticism, and he's looking for consistency above all else. Roundtree is the latest Hoosier to raise some eyebrows, but a solid outing in a spring game doesn't mean much to Wilson even if it has IU fans buzzing.

And that basically was the theme of the spring. Following a 1-11 season, Wilson isn't handing anything to any of his players, and he is looking for consistency from his team from practice to practice. He doesn't want one player or another to feel the warmth of praise for a good practice or two, start to get a little confident then fall back to the pack. He wanted a better effort from everyone every time out to keep players from spinning their wheels on the development curve.

In other words, the spring workouts didn't clarify the picture of the 2012 Hoosiers in the least bit. Just because a player started in the spring game doesn't mean he will be first on the depth chart in August. For instance, QB Tre Roberson, who started five games last season as a true freshman, will head into preseason camp in a pitched battle with junior college transfer Cameron Coffman and freshman Nathan Sudfeld for the starting gig.

Wilson's attitude is that after last season's dismal outing, nobody is owed anything, and he's aiming to not only see improvement in his team over the summer but also set a foundation for a program that can be sustainable for years to come. That said, Wilson wasn't about raining on everybody's parade this spring. Far from it.

Wilson gave his team credit for its recall from last year, and as a result, the team spent far more time working on polishing its skills instead of being taught them. He also said the team is ahead of where it was last season, and he likes the overall effort he received from his players this spring.

Work in the weight room will be critical this summer, and that will help the young Hoosiers improve on the field as well.

"The stronger you are, the faster you are, the bigger you are, the more physically you will play," Wilson said. "The stronger you get, the more confident you get. So we need a great offseason because we're a young football team."

--After enjoying a spring of unseasonably warm weather over the past month, the weather turned on the Hoosiers in a big way on the day of the spring game. A severe thunderstorm blew through Bloomington early in the game, and the weather chased the event from Memorial Stadium after the first quarter. With black skies overhead, the players and fans all moved north to Mellencamp Pavilion where the game resumed using half the field. It marked the third time IU has had to move its spring game inside in the past 15 years. Head coach Kevin Wilson, however, wasn't bothered by move, preferring to take a silver-lining approach.

"We need to (keep playing through adversity) because maybe the bus will pull up two minutes late or we will not get a good escort once or twice -- on the road, that happens -- or when there are games where you've got to go in the locker room because of weather or change venues," Wilson said. "Those are great learning situations."

--The addition of Seth Littrell as new offensive coordinator hasn't given the Hoosier offense a major overhaul, but that could be a positive for the team. Littrell's offense will feature more passing, but it runs on the same basic concepts as the attack used by the Hoosiers last season and merely tweaks some of the plays. The result is an offense that sophomore-to-be QB Tre Roberson is comfortable with and understands, and he can help IU's incoming quarterbacks and other offensive players make a smooth transition to the program.

SPRING MOVERS:

TE Ted Bolser -- Bolser spent most of last season in Kevin Wilson's doghouse and made just 14 catches for 165 yards on the year, but he has stuck with the program and brought a new attitude to the field. He was more involved in the passing game this spring and is starting to emerge as a leader on the field.

RB Isaiah Roundtree -- Roundtree earned the praise of the coaching staff last fall when he was working with the scout team, and he showed solid skills as a runner during the spring. He is quick, has a great burst out of the backfield and has the kind of moves that leave defenders flat-footed. Roundtree will have to battle his way up the depth chart, but he has the potential to be a solid runner if he continues to develop.

LB Jacarri Alexander -- The JUCO-transfer has quickly become one of the leaders of the defense both on and off the field with his physical play, and his nose for the ball makes him a player to watch. He will still have to adjust to the speed of the game, but his strength stood out during the spring.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's voluntary, but you voluntarily win and lose, too." -- Head coach Kevin Wilson on the Hoosiers' upcoming voluntary workouts over the summer.

2012 OUTLOOK: Indiana's lack of success during its 1-11 2011 campaign means the Hoosiers' fortunes can pretty much only go one direction in 2012, and it seems like head coach Kevin Wilson has the program pointed in the right direction. Fans shouldn't expect a drastic turnaround, but the players who have stuck it out are committed to what the coaching staff is selling, and an influx of new talent on both sides of the ball should make the Hoosiers more dangerous. IU faces a difficult schedule that includes a pair of road games in the first five weeks of the season, and the Hoosiers should get an early measuring stick in the Big Ten opener at Northwestern Sept. 29.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Indiana's offense was a bright spot last season, especially with the versatility of QB Tre Roberson. Roberson has a long way to go to develop as a passer, but he is solid enough to move the ball and uses his legs well. That said, Roberson will be pushed in fall camp to improve his consistency, and he isn't guaranteed the starting spot. Running back will be IU's deepest position, with Stephen Houston and D'Angelo Roberts returning. Both showed plenty of promise, and redshirt sophomore Isaiah Roundtree will figure into the mix as well. WRs Kofi Hughes, Cody Latimer and Duwyce Wilson boast good skills but need to be bigger playmakers this season.

IU's biggest question on offense comes along the offensive line. C Will Matte is the O-line's anchor, and there are a lot of young guys who gained experience last season.

Look for IU to be a bit more pass-happy this season as Wilson and new offensive coordinator Seth Littrell aim to add some explosiveness to Indiana's attack this year.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The Hoosier defense was downright terrible last season, and there figures to be wholesale changes this year. The majority of the recruiting class of 2012 was dedicated to defense, and a number of junior college transfers will make an impact on the defensive side. Jacarri Alexander and David Cooper are two players who will make their presence felt early, and returner Chase Hoobler enjoyed some moments during the spring.

Along the defensive line, DTs Adam Replogle and Larry Black, Jr., figure to be stalwarts inside, but the Hoosiers will need more of a pass rush on the edges from Bobby Richardson and Javon Cornley. That said, there will be plenty of competition at the position and nobody is promised anything. The same goes in the secondary, where IU's pass defense was a huge issue last year. S Mark Murphy has shown promise, and CB Kenny Mullens made some big hits during the spring, but the secondary will be IU's biggest question mark on defense heading into the season.

SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: Indiana went through the spring without finding an answer at punter, and that position will be wide open in the fall. At placekicker, Mitch Ewald showed some positives last season, but he was inconsistent at best during the spring workouts. He will have to regain the coaching staff's confidence in fall camp to keep his position. The return and coverage teams are a work in progress with few solid answers at any position.

TOP NEWCOMERS:

LB Jacarri Alexander -- Alexander has made an impact during spring ball and has all the tools to be a quality Big Ten linebacker. His speed and nose for the ball should quickly make him a leader for IU's defense.

LB David Cooper -- Cooper is another JUCO-transfer linebacker who has shown promise, and head coach Kevin Wilson has been impressed with his ability to quickly transition to the college game. Cooper tweaked a hamstring and has missed a few practices midway through the workouts.

RB Tevin Coleman -- Coleman won't arrive on campus until this summer, but head coach Kevin Wilson is excited about his prospects. He has already tabbed Coleman as being as good as any running back on IU's roster, and he will face big expectations in the fall.

ROSTER REPORT:

--CB Alexander Webb suffered a broken arm during the workouts and didn't participate in the spring game, but he did take part in a number of practices and showed some toughness along the way.

--RB D'Angelo Roberts battled through a wrist injury in the spring, but he wasn't limited much and didn't want to fall behind his teammates by resting. That kind of toughness is exactly what Kevin Wilson and his staff have been looking for since they arrived.

--RB Matt Perez, who rushed for 195 yards and four touchdowns last season, missed the entire spring with a back injury, and there are some concerns that he might be out on a long-term basis.