Wilson looks for improvement from wide receivers
When asked about what he is seeing out of his receiving corps after the first five days of Fall practice, IU Coach Kevin Wilson responded with quite a critical remark.
"Not very much," Wilson said. "They're not very good. It's the worst part of the offense."
Wilson noted much of the receivers' struggles thus far has come with catching the ball in competitive plays. He proceeded to singled out wide receivers sophomore Cody Latimer, junior Duwyce Wilson and junior tight end Ted Bolser as capable of stepping up, however expressed the need for them to compete.
"I'm not down on them; they have a chance to be good," Wilson said. "But for us to be where we want in our passing game, I expect those guys to really keep coming through, and they need to. And they should."
IU is coming off of a 2011 campaign where the Hoosiers put up the fifth most receiving yards per game in the entire Big Ten (199.4). However, heading into 2012, the Hoosiers lost two of it's four leading receivers in Damarlo Belcher (dismissal) and Dre Muhammad (graduation). Coupled with the recent dismissal of sophomore Jay McCants and the suspension of junior Kofi Hughes, the receiving corps has not gotten off to a strong start to the 2012 campaign.
Wilson however denies that is having an effect on their preseason play.
"It has nothing to do with suspensions or who's not here," Wilson said. "The guys that left would not be in the mix either. They need to be a lot better because that's a part of the quarterback looking good."
Quarterbacks to get hit in preseason action
As any football season nears for a team, there is always a rocky subject of whether or not their quarterbacks should get hit during preseason practices.
For Wilson, there is a limit on how much his quarterbacks should get hit before any games are actually played.
"They'll be hit some, but at the same time you've only got three (quarterbacks)," Wilson said. "You don't want to go to two. There's a fine line there."
Wilson said he is hesitant for his quarterbacks to be hit below the waist during the preseason due to the potential of injury, however wants them to learn to take care of the ball as well. IU lost seven fumbles last season, including one that cost the Hoosiers a potential win against Virginia.
IU returns only one quarterback from last year's entire roster, making this situation that much more delicate.
"We'll hit them, I just don't know if it will be an all out full-go assault," Wilson said. "When he scrambles and he gets going, we'll probably say you're dead right there, just so we don't have somebody get rolled up and get a cheap, cheap lower body injury."
Other Notes:
- Monday's practice was the fifth for the Hoosiers, and their first in full pads.
- Wilson said he is looking for a more balanced passing game this year. He hopes to have five or six players earning anywhere from 30-50+ receptions in 2012.
- According to Wilson, freshman Ricky Jones will be "in the mix" for getting playing time returning on the special teams unit.
- Two-a-day practices begin tomorrow for IU Football. They will take place this Fall on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
