Spring game previews fall season

IU’s football team completed its spring practice schedule Saturday afternoon in front of an estimated crowd of 6,500 during the annual Cream and Crimson Spring Game at Memorial Stadium.

In a game that signified the return of sophomore quarterback Tre Roberson and the emergence of several players, the Cream team defeated the Crimson team by a 21-7 margin.

Now that the spring season is finished, coaches will be unable to lead practices until fall practice begins in August.

“It’s been a grind, and for them to have energy and enthusiasm and to wrap it up until fall was good,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said. “We’ve made some strides, and it’s a long way to go, but it was a nice conclusion to what’s been a good spring.”

In Saturday’s game, IU had its three scholarship quarterbacks available for the first time since Sept. 10, 2012, when Roberson broke his leg in the second quarter against Massachusetts.

Roberson went 7-for-18 on pass attempts Saturday afternoon, throwing for a total of 63 yards. Though he ran for a total of -1 yards on three attempts, he did convert an 11-yard scramble in the game.

“I just wanted to come out and make some plays and get into my mode,” Roberson said. “I felt a little overwhelmed a bit, but I feel like I got better as the game went on.”

Junior Cam Coffman completed 17-of-23 passes on the day for 174 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw an interception in the second quarter that was picked off by junior Forisse “Flo” Hardin.

In sophomore quarterback Nate Sudfeld’s first career spring game, the Modesto, Calif. native went 14-for-16 on pass attempts for 187 yards and a 36-yard touchdown completion to junior wide receiver Cody Latimer.

Sudfeld said the work he has put in this spring has paid off in that he feels like the game has slowed significantly for him.

“I think in the fall I wasn’t understanding the plays as much and this spring I’ve really understood the plays a lot more and mentally taken a big leap,” Sudfeld said. “I think I’ve really improved in every aspect of my game.”

On the defensive side of the ball, senior linebacker Jacarri Alexander led the Cream team with 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. On one possession in the second quarter, he recorded a tackle, an assisted tackle and a sack on three consecutive plays.

His teammate on Saturday, freshman linebacker T.J. Simmons, also had two tackles of his own, and postgame, Wilson called Simmons’ performance “dominant.”

Simmons, still technically a high school senior, is an early enrollee and has been with the team since the spring semester started in January.

“He’s very physical and very assertive, helping getting guys lined up out there,” Wilson said. “He has the chance to be a very quality player, and that will help the competition.”

Though IU’s spring may be finished, the next time the team holds an official practice its entire 2013 recruiting class will be members of the squad.

With the group ranked in the top third in the nation, Wilson said he looks forward to having the incoming group on the field to provide depth and help take his team to the next level.

“We’ll be building some depth and it’s exciting to work with,” Wilson said. “But the real deal will be having good weeks off the field as a winning football team.”