New season, new approach for Belcher

Damarlo Belcher no longer eats at McDonalds.

The IU senior doesn’t stop for his comfort meal of 10 chicken nuggets, large fries, two cheeseburgers and a large soda like he used to.

He still craves fast food, but Belcher understands a change in diet will only benefit him on the football field next season.

With the help of a new dietitian, Belcher has cut out nearly all junk food — he only eats out on special occasions — and has started choosing healthier items. He even eats fruits now, a food group he admitted to neglecting in the past.

“I love pineapples,” he said. “I’ve been eating a lot more fruit. It’s crazy. I can’t even remember the last time I had an unhealthy meal.”

Belcher’s new diet, combined with coach Mark Hill’s conditioning program, has helped Belcher transform his body.

He’s trimmed some fat and replaced it with lean muscle. He’s gotten faster with change-of-direction drills. He’s gotten bigger and stronger in the weight room.
Belcher now feels ready to lead the Hoosier receivers.

“It’s just me and all the younger guys now,” Belcher said. “I have to do my job and bring those guys along, get those guys ready to play. I can’t catch all the balls myself. I’m going to need those guys to play too.”

With the departure of Terrance Turner and Tandon Doss, Belcher will be responsible for helping sophomores Duwyce Wilson and Kofi Hughes transition under a new coaching staff.

The younger receivers looked to Belcher for guidance when former IU coach Bill Lynch was fired in November and continue to emulate Belcher’s actions on and off the field.

For a while, there was doubt as to whether Belcher would return to school or enter his name in the NFL Draft. Belcher, who led the Big Ten with 78 receptions last season, spent time discussing the decision with his mother before deciding to stay a Hoosier for one more year.

“I was real close to leaving,” Belcher said. “Once I heard coach (Kevin) Wilson was coming, that kind of changed my mind right there. I was excited because I knew he could bring some great things to the table here.

“I definitely still think about getting ready for the draft with those guys. It crosses my mind all the time. But I’m glad I stayed.”

Duwyce Wilson said he was somewhat surprised when he heard Belcher was returning to school.

“He’s a great receiver. I thought he was gone for sure,” Duwyce Wilson said. “It’s a great thing to have him back to lead us and help us win games.”

Coach Wilson sweetened the pot for Belcher when he signed former Northwestern wide receivers coach Kevin Johns to the same position.

Johns was recently named the top wide receivers coach in the Big Ten by Rivals.com and helped develop Northwestern’s Jeremy Ebert, a 2010 first team All-Big Ten selection.

Ebert, though, stands just 6-foot and weighs 195 pounds. Johns said he has yet to work with a receiver the size of Belcher.

“I’ve been impressed,” Johns said of the 6-foot-5-inch, 214-pound Belcher. “His size and speed is a rare combination. Because I’ve never worked with a guy of his size before, I think that will be one of the exciting differences of working with this group.”

Johns said he is still in the process of getting to know his receivers. He said he always has a notebook in hand when he meets with one of his players, jotting down notes about each individual’s personality traits.

To Belcher, that’s a good thing. He said he feels comfortable with his position coach after only a short time because he knows how much Johns cares.

“He’s a great coach,” Belcher said. “He’s just a smart guy, an offensive mastermind.

He’s taught us so much since he’s been here. There’s nothing wrong with learning more than you knew in past years.”

Belcher said he is focused more than ever this spring because so much is different.

He’s now the team’s top receiver, and he knows he must lead by example.

For Belcher, that means hitting the jug machine to make sure he doesn’t drop critical passes. That means running routes hard every time.

And it means cutting out weekend trips to McDonalds, as hard as it may be.

“You just have to watch what you put in your body,” Belcher said. “If we want to win games in the fourth quarter, we’ve got to have the energy to do it.”