Doss, Belcher hope to prove doubters wrong

IU wide receiver Tandon Doss said this year’s receiving corps might be one for the ages.

“Everybody’s always talking about how good our receivers are,” Doss, a sophomore who garnered 107 yards receiving in IU’s win over No. 22 Northwestern last year, said. “I think we probably have the best receiving corps right now Indiana’s ever had.”

This year’s group of wide receivers, led by Doss and fellow sophomore Damarlo Belcher, have an edge over other groups of Hoosier receivers in recent history because of the battles for starting spots, Belcher said.

“There’s a lot of competition,” Belcher said. “Everybody’s fighting for their spot.”

Despite the loss of their leading receiver from last year, Ray Fisher, Doss said he expects this year to be big for the Hoosiers, especially with he and Belcher as double threats, both in the short- and long-range passing game.

“(Belcher is) a big receiver,” Doss said. “He has some speed on him. He has great hands. So, corners are going to expect to go deep with him and I get more short, intermediate routes.”

That double threat isn’t the only weapon the Hoosiers must be able to effectively utilize, however. Both of these playmakers agreed the running game needs to pick up after last year’s struggles.

“You have to have a running game to throw the ball,” Doss said. “That opens up a lot of opportunity for us to get the ball when the defenses have troubles holding down our run game.”

Belcher said he is looking to prove doubters wrong this season, and he uses their words for extra motivation.

“I’ve been on the computer a lot,” Belcher said. “I read a lot of articles. I get articles off the computer and I hang them up on my locker and just read them before practice.”

He uses this motivational strategy to lead the younger receivers through practice and insiper them to perform.

“If the youngers guys see me working hard, they’re going to start working hard,” Belcher said. “You just have to bring that intensity.”

Consistency was one of the issues the Hoosiers dealt with last year, Belcher said, and he has taken steps to remedy that problem.

“This year, I’m working on it,” he said. “And I’m getting better.”