The senior wideout and the rest of the IU wide receivers regularly watch film with offensive coordinator Kevin Johns in the wide receivers room at Memorial Stadium.
They analyze their routes in practices and games, looking for ways to improve.
It isn’t that uncommon for the Hoosier pass catchers to learn from one another. They’ll talk about their running patterns and dissect what allowed them to get open, each trying to add a wrinkle to their own games.
But when highlights of Stoner get shown, there isn’t much Johns or the other receivers can say.
“Coach Johns is just like, ‘That’s nice,’” senior Isaiah Roundtree said, only half-joking. “He’s not going to say, ‘Try this move,’ because Stoner just moves a certain way. He’s like, ‘That’s impressive. Next.’”
Stoner, a two-sport athlete between football and running track, has made a name for himself for having unique routes.
His moves off the line of scrimmage and unique routes often leave his teammates and coaches dumbfounded.
But this is the first year he’s really had the chance to show off his uncanny ability to ?create space.
Stoner spent the last three seasons stuck behind the likes of Cody Latimer, Kofi Hughes, Duwyce Wilson and a handful of other former Hoosier receivers, limiting his playing time.
The former defensive back has caught 26 passes for 353 yards in just more than two seasons on offense for IU. His lone touchdown was a 44-yard score against Indiana State to begin the 2013 season.
Despite an underwhelming aerial attack in week one, junior quarterback Nate Sudfeld said he expects Stoner to be a staple of the Hoosier offense this season, including Saturday when the Hoosiers play against Bowling Green.
“I’m excited about him,” Sudfeld said. “Stoner runs prenominal routes ... He’s a good security blanket to have because I know where he’ll be on every play.”
The 6-foot-1-inch, 190-pound Stoner doesn’t fit the stereotypical outside receiver build. He knows he isn’t going to be able to muscle past defensive backs, so he doesn’t bother trying.
Instead, Stoner preaches an emphasis on footwork and “mind games” with opposing cornerbacks.
After all, he was one.
“I know some of their tricks,” Stoner said, smiling.
Like a cunning poker player, Stoner knows ?defensive backs are looking for tells in a receiver’s body language. That’s where the mind games come in.
If his route has him going to the outside, he contorts his body in a way to make it look like he’s going inside.
If IU’s in a tight split, the corner might think out route. Stoner will run an in or drag.
“What helps me as a receiver is knowing what the cornerback’s thinking and what he’s doing,” he said. “He sees a certain split or my body leaning a certain way, a trigger is going off in his head. So it lets me screw with him a bit and put them in bad situations.”
Stoner looks at suggested routes in the playbook as just that — suggestions.
If a route calls for him to go eight yards and then cross the middle of the field, he will. He just doesn’t always do it in a like the playbook suggests.
Roundtree said watching Stoner is sometimes more like watching a dancer than a football player with the way he runs.
“His hips and feet, man,” he said. “Stoner just moves. He can dance, and how he runs his routes, there’s a rhythm to it. When he comes off the line, the DB’s not expecting Stoner to move the way he moves.”
Stoner is a member of what has become an increasingly rare group of two-sport college athletes.
The heavily tattooed wideout has run track for IU during the spring.
He redshirted last season to add weight to ensure his body survives the rigors of Big Ten football.
Although the added weight might slow his 400-meter time down, Stoner said running track has been beneficial for his football career.
He said teammates ?sometimes think he’s jogging when he’s at full speed.
He added that it’s easy to underestimate how important the fundamentals behind running can be.
“Your running form actually plays a big role in how fast you can run,” he said. “I think track has done a tremendous job in helping me.”
The quicker Stoner gets up the field, the less time opposing defenses can get to his quarterback.
The sooner Stoner gets in open space, the sooner Sudfeld can get the ball to him.
Although Johns and the other receivers may not be able to copy Stoner’s routes, the wideout who plans to attend seminary school after graduating has made the most of his skillset.
The run game dominated IU’s season opener against Indiana State, but Johns said he expects the passing game to be tested Saturday.
“He’s kind of the standard route running that I like to see,” Sudfeld said. “They can do whatever they want. Make all the moves they want. But as long as they’re at point A when I expect them to be in point A, no matter how they get there is good for me.”
Stoner agreed. Even if it does look like he’s “dancing” down the sidelines.
“As long as I’m open,” Stoner said. “It doesn’t matter how I get there.”
