As the IU offense lined up inside the red zone during Saturday's scrimmage, a loud, raspy voice rose above the chatter and shouts of practice.
"Here I go!"
Junior college transfer linebacker Jacarri Alexander then smacked his helmet with both hands just prior to the ball being snapped. With the snap, Alexander dropped back into coverage before charging at the ball carrier.
"That's Jacarri," rising sophomore linebacker Chase Hoobler said. "He will be outspoken anywhere he goes. He'll let you know it, too."
Hoobler said the outspoken nature of Alexander has helped give the Hoosiers a "hype man" to bring the energy to sluggish practices in scorching heat.
Defensive tackles coach Mark Hagen said the intangibles brought by junior college transfers such as Alexander or fellow linebacker David Cooper have already been evident.
"When you're a 1-11 football team, you're just not getting it done," Hagen said. "We brought those guys in for all those things: for swagger, for some confidence, for some physicality, for some instincts. They haven't disappointed so far."
The vocal nature of Alexander comes to a team that has had issues with communicating on defense. Hoobler said besides playing physically, communicating on defense is paramount in the mind of the defenders.
Hoobler, who has moved between all three linebacker positions in the spring after the departure of seniors Jeff Thomas and Leon Beckum, said he has become more aware of the defense around him.
"Last year, I was just worried about my job," Hoobler said, "but this year going through it again, I know what the safeties are doing behind me and what the (defensive line) is doing in front of me."
New Defensive Line Coach Jon Fabris said he wants his players to communicate, but stay focused on their own personal assignments.
"They forget it's just a one-on-one game," Fabris said. "All we are is just me and you, and there's 20 other guys out here. I've got to whip your rear end."
Fabris said the defensive players are making progress, but he would like to see it more consistently.
"There's a light bulb that flickers and then goes out again," Fabris said. "The key is, will the light bulb stay on longer before it goes out?"
