Seniors making strides under new coach’s high-energy style defense

Mike Ekeler walked around the Memorial Stadium field before practice, interacting with his new players.

He fist bumped some, high fived others.

“Run through people today,” he told one player.

“High energy practice,” he yelled to another.

As soon as Ekeler’s linebackers heard his name, they couldn’t help but smile. They were excited about what the new linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator is trying to build.

“I sometimes wondered ‘What are the top schools doing that makes them better than us?’” senior linebacker Leon Beckum said. “We got a coach from a top school, so now we’re doing what they’re doing. We’re confident right now.”

Ekeler left his job coaching the linebackers at Nebraska to branch away from coach Bo Pelini. He wanted to prove that he could do it on his own.

Ekeler understood the challenge in front of him. He knew the Hoosiers’ defense was ranked 102nd in points against last season, allowing 34 per game.

But Ekeler was confident he could help turn it around.

His players saw that from their new coach, and they bought into Ekeler almost immediately.

“A lot of his techniques should make us unblockable this season,” senior Jeff Thomas said. “He’s a great coach. I feel like he’s one of those guys who likes a new challenge, and he’s getting one with Leon, me and all the other linebackers.”

Like many of the IU players, Thomas and Beckum have lost weight since winter. Thomas said he lost 16 pounds and is down to 240, while Beckum dropped eight or 10 pounds and is down to 215.

“The name of the game is speed,” Ekeler said. “If you’re a linebacker and you’re weighing 255 pounds — and I’m not a genius — but if you get down to 235, you’re probably going to be a little faster now. That’s kind of what our guys are starting to see.”

The Hoosiers are still in the early stages of spring practice, but Beckum and Thomas already said they feel like Ekeler understands them as players and human beings.

It started the night Ekeler accepted the IU job when he called each of his linebackers individually and talked to each of them for almost an hour.

He told them it would take a lot of work to accomplish their goals but that they could have fun along the way. He told them he was going to push them to their limits and make them the best players they can be.

“I had no idea who he was when he called,” Thomas said. “I had never heard of him.”
Four months later, Thomas knows exactly who he is.

“Getting off blocks,” Thomas said when asked in what area he needs to improve. “Not running straight up into the line, holding depth.

“It’s taken me time to get used to (Ekeler’s) stuff because I’ve never done that sort of stuff before.”

Ekeler admitted his linebackers have “many needs” to address before they open next season in September.

He plans to address a need every day until then — with a few fist bumps in between.

“You can’t accomplish anything without enthusiasm,” Ekeler said. “You’ve got to go out there and bust your tail, but you can do it with a smile on your face.”