What we learned from Indiana football’s first week of fall camp

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football was back on the practice field this week for the start of fall camp.

Veteran linebacker Aiden Fisher told reporters after Thursday’s practice that the continuity on IU’s coaching staff and experienced roster has made this a “seamless” offseason for the Hoosiers as they eye a return to the College Football Playoff.

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“We are way further ahead than we have been in the past,” Fisher said, after Thursday’s practice.

Indiana retained all but one assistant coach from last year’s staff while bringing back a veteran-laden squad that includes seven players who earned All-Big Ten honors last season.

“I think the staff, we know what to expect from one another,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. “The experienced guys that we have a long history with, the same. To bring in experienced guys from other programs is good.”

Here’s what stood out during the first week of camp:

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Indiana offensive linemen Drew Evans and Kahlil Benson were full participants at practice on Wednesday and Thursday. They are looking to make up for lost time having missed spring camp while recovering from injuries.

The Hoosiers didn’t disclose Benson’s injury, but Evans returned to action less than nine months after suffering an achilles injury.

“It is a credit to them and their hard work to get back on the field,” IU center Pat Coogan said, after Thursday’s practice. “During the spring they were there mentally and physically watching everything — obviously they couldn’t do much skill-wise and football-wise.”

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Coogan, who exited spring as the starting center on the first-team offense, told reporters that he’s been working alongside Evans to open fall camp. The former Wisconsin walk-on started nine games for the Hoosiers last season at left guard.

“Super strong guy and he knows his stuff really well,” Coogan said. “Excited to keep growing that relationship with those interior guys.”

Can Indiana defensive back Byron Baldwin Jr. follow in D’Angelo Ponds’ footsteps?

Baldwin is doing all the right things to earn early playing time.

The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder looks the part, but his off the field approach is similar to the one Ponds relied on to win a starting role as a true freshman for Cignetti’s staff at JMU in 2023.

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“He brings a lot of energy,” Ponds said. “He’s a young guy, he’s wanting to learn. He reminds me of myself kind of, he asks questions about everything, and he wants to learn. I see he’s got a lot of potential in himself. I definitely see a little bit of myself in him.”

He’s in the mix at safety where the Hoosiers are trying to build around returning starter Amare Ferrell. Baldwin is looking to jump over some experienced names in the secondary that include Bryson Bonds along with sixth-year transfers Devan Boykin (NC State) and Louis Moore (Ole Miss).

Bonds has played in 47 career games, but he’s had a more prominent role on special teams than on defense, but Boykin and Moore both have starting experience.

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Indiana offensive line coach Bob Bostad’s success explained

Coogan offered an interesting perspective on what helps Indiana offensive line coach Bob Bostad get the most from his players. The fifth-year senior played for three different offensive line coaches (Jeff Quinn, Harry Hiestand and Joe Rudolph) during his time at Notre Dame.

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“He’s very intentional with his work,” Coogan said. “He’s very intentional with what he wants to see out of his guys. There’s no real gray area. He’s detailed, he’s very detail-orientated, his meetings are set up that way.”

Bostad helped IU’s offense make major strides over the past two seasons. The Hoosiers only gave up 21 sacks last year and averaged more than 150 rushing yards per game for the first time since 2018.

They lost an expected starter (Nick Kidwell) before the season even started and had to replace Evans just days before facing Michigan.

“He knows how to work guys on the field as well,” Coogan said. “The drills we do are very purposeful and they translate directly into how the defense is going to play in practice or a game. Everything has a purpose, I think that’s why we see success at the line of scrimmage.”

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Bostad rivals defensive tackles coach Pat Kuntz as the most vocal of IU’s assistant coaches at practice. He doesn’t hesitate to stop the proceedings if he sees something he doesn’t like, and a sternly-worded message is sure to follow.

Two-minute drill

• Redshirt freshman Quentin Clark is now listed on the IU’s roster as a defensive end. The former linebacker committed to the Hoosiers as a 3-star linebacker out of West Laurens High School in Georgia. He dealt with injuries last season, but provided depth at his former position during the spring. The move leaves IU thin at linebacker with only five scholarship players. The most prominent position changes Cignetti made last season was moving Jacob Mangum-Farrar from linebacker to defensive end and Nic Toomer from cornerback to safety. Mangum-Farrar didn’t play a ton of snaps, but forced a key fumble in a win over Michigan State.

• The position battle at the field corner spot opposite Ponds still has a long way to go. Cignetti told reporters Wednesday that Ryland Gandy and Jaylen Bell are pushing Jamari Sharpe for the starting spot. “He (Sharpe) has a couple of guys breathing down his neck that have a chance to be good players too,” Cignetti said. Sharpe started three games last season backing up Ponds and Jamier Johnson while Gandy was a full-time starter for Pitt.

• Coogan regularly faced off at practice against talented defensive tackles while he was at Notre Dame from the likes of Howard Cross III to Rylie Mills. He identified Western Kentucky transfer Hosea Wheeler as a name to watch on Thursday. “Super strong, knows his rushes really well,” Coogan said. “He’s going to be great.” He had nine quarterback pressures and tied for the 11th most defensive stops (27) in the country.

Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana football: What we learned from the first week of fall camp