Marcus Oliver couldn’t help but crack a smile.
For the redshirt junior linebacker, last year’s defensive performance was nothing to be happy about – the numbers speak for themselves.
He was just asked if the defense has come up with a nickname yet for their unit.
“It’s in the process,” Oliver said. “It will come to you guys soon.”
IU’s new defensive coordinator Tom Allen previously coached at Ole Miss, where during his tenure the defensive wrecked havoc and received the nickname “Landsharks.”
The Hoosiers’ nickname, like the defense, is a work in progress. At Big Ten Media Days, IU Coach Kevin Wilson said he’s encouraged by what he has seen so far from Allen and the defense.
Wilson admitted the defense needed fixing when he fired Brian Knorr and said he likes the culture Allen is creating. Oliver does too.
“Some guys might go here it goes again, but that’s where the mindset has to be changed,” Oliver said. “That’s what Coach Allen has done. He really gels with the players.”
What might come across as media day hyperbole seems genuine. Allen has at least tried to change the culture with the defenders. Oliver, the lone defensive representative for the Hoosiers in Chicago, appeared more confident in what they were doing.
Confidence is everything.
The offense has it, and the defense is trying to build it.
“We need to build that kind of confidence because we have the same talent as they do on offense,” Oliver said. “The confidence is the separator. Now that we have that or are going to, we are gaining that, it will be a great thing to see this year.”
The relationship Allen has with his players shows what Oliver and Wilson are selling is true — the culture is shifting.
“It’s not just him getting on you in football at football, but he checks up on you,” Oliver said. “He had a sit-down meeting with everyone as soon as he got here. It wasn’t football talk … It’s a frequent thing and I think him building the relationships is what allows players to know that he means and has the best interests for us.”
Those relationships give the players the confidence to go make plays. Allen has implemented a new culture, and brought along a new scheme as well. The 4-2-5 is aggressive and the perfect compliment to Wilson’s offense.
Redshirt senior offensive lineman Dan Feeney agrees.
“Coach Allen pretty much lets them play,” Feeney said. “I’m no defensive mindset but from what I’ve seen, Coach Allen lets these guys loose and he lets them be athletic and lets them make the plays.”
Every new defensive coordinator sells change and aggressiveness, but this seems like a real concrete change for the Hoosiers.
The progress might not be immediately seen on the field, as IU is replacing the majority of their defensive linemen and doesn’t have the talent Allen had in the SEC. But, if he can figure out how to harness the defense’s potential, it should perform well.
The Hoosiers aren’t going to be Landsharks anytime soon, but remodeling the defense by combining stronger culture and scheme should yield a huge step forward.
