Published: August 03, 2008 11:59 pm            

ISU football coaches in teaching mode

Miles and staff try to hone young Sycamores

TERRE HAUTE — The Indiana State football team is still trying to crest the apex of a steep learning curve and four days of practice aren’t nearly enough to straighten the Sycamores out.

ISU coach Trent Miles is cognizant of this, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to tolerate mental lapses.

A few Sycamores, including a handful of veterans, made the concrete trek up the Memorial Stadium steps during Sunday’s practice as Miles tries to instill mental discipline into his Sycamores.

“We were sloppy. A lot of young guys made mental mistakes. The energy’s good, but we’re still not running to the ball the way we need to. There’s still a lot of balls on the ground, especially [Saturday],” Miles said.

One assignment that seems to catching some Sycamores out hustle-wise is on the offensive side. Be it a 7-on-7 or full offense-defense drill, when a ball-carrier goes upfield, Miles wants all of the other offensive players, especially other backs and receivers, to accompany the ball-carrier downfield until the whistle is blown.

The penalty for not doing it is a trip up the steps and several Sycamores have been caught out.

It’s all part of the teaching process Miles and his staff expected at this early stage of training camp.

With 42 players metaphorically fresh off the bus, teaching has been a priority in the first couple of practices. At one quick pan across the field during Sunday’s practice, offensive line coach Ted Unbehagen was working hard with ISU’s inexperienced offensive linemen, secondary coach Edmund Jones worked with the special teams defense, while Miles and special teams/linebackers coach Trent Johnson critiqued technique for the remaining special teamers. All of the coaches elsewhere on the field were doing the same.

“For half the team, it’s the first time they’ve ever done it at this level. The other half was to pick them up to get them to step up to their level in a hurry. It isn’t going to happen in just three days, but we have to keep expecting them to do it,” Miles said.

The development of the Sycamores has been helped by a relative lack of injuries. Kye Butler’s knee sprain and Jesse Wright’s groin injury are the only injuries to date and neither is believed to be serious.

Miles said Ray Byers, a running back from Fort Wayne, should join the team shortly after he passes his physical.

ISU has four practices under its belt. The Sycamores practice every day this week and will have a scrimmage at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

“I want to see pick up what we’re doing mentally. I want to see guys start to cut out mistakes. I want to see guys flying to the football, playing fast and physical,” Miles said.

        

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