Tom Allen’s message clear to young but talented Indiana wide receivers: ‘Consistency every day’

Spring practice is fully underway for the Indiana football program. With that, provides an opportunity for the coaching staff to start some of the hands-on teaching that can go a long way for some of the early-enrollees.

For Indiana head coach Tom Allen, a lot of his attention will revolve around the playmakers on the outside. Indiana has a young, but talented group of wide receivers. With some players entering their second — or third — session of spring practice, it’s time to see added growth and consistency.

And because of that, Tom Allen’s message has been quite clear.

“Those guys have made progress like they needed to,” Allen told reporters last week. “But it’s just a continual growth that has to be there and I’m looking for consistency every day.”

That incudes guys like Donaven McCulley, Omar Cooper and Kamryn Perry. McCulley is entering his second spring as a wide receiver after playing his first season in Bloomington at quarterback. His size and athleticism has been an exciting skillset for the Indiana offensive coaches, but now it’s time to maximize that potential.

This spring — and leading into the season — is a big offseason for him. With openings in the offense, Indiana needs him to step up and produce. McCulley had 16 catches for 169 yards and one touchdown last year. He also had one rushing touchdown as well. He had at least one catch in nine games.

“He (McCulley) made some more plays today. Every day he’s made plays, and so that’s what I expect,” Allen said. “We’ve had some really good heart to hearts about it, and he knows where he wants to be and where I believe he can be. And just having continued growth at that position and learning and being able to just find a way to get open and make plays and then go score football.”

The departure of DJ Matthews and rehab of Cam Camper (ACL) have given additional reps to redshirt freshmen Cooper and Perry.

Their growth has been a storyline early in spring practice and one that has impressed Tom Allen.

“Omar, he’s been consistent (with making plays) and Kam is so dynamic and explosive, we see him as a guy to be able to be in that slot position there and find multiple ways to get him the ball,” Allen said. “Those guys have made progress like they needed to.”

Not only is it imperative to give some of the younger guys additional reps to improve physically, but the mental aspect is something that is imperative.

“The maturity when you go from a true freshman to a redshirt freshman … so coming to us in the summer last year, that does make a difference. So just learning how to practice in this setting,” Allen said. “You have 15 days you are not preparing for a game. There’s a grind component to it that you have to work through and I have four straight weeks, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday now. You want to stress our guys because you want to be able to expose things in from the mental perspective mostly, and then the physical part as well, but I want those young guys to learn how to do that because if you play a lot of physical long seasons, you got to be able to produce from day one all the way to the finish.”