IU Football Media Day News and Notes

Darius Latham, Zeke Walker and Devondre Williams hogged the informational nuggets that IU coach Kevin Wilson shared Saturday during Indiana’s Football Media Day at Memorial Stadium.

Latham, the big 6-5, 305-pound junior defensive lineman from Indianapolis North Central has yet to practice. In fact, he had his knee scoped this week and is out three weeks.

The good news is that Kevin Wilson was minimizing the injury and indicated that Latham would be back shortly. Technically, he could even be back in time for the season opener though Wilson didn’t say that.

Wilson said that Latham had had an unbelievable summer.

“It was hands down the best I’ve ever seen him,’’ Wilson said. “It was his work ethic, body language, buying in, giving it all he’s got, doing it daily and just doing a lot of things that great players do in prep. I think he’s going to have a phenomenal year. He is going to be limited for a few weeks. But he’s still on the 105 and he will be a part of the mix. It’s a very short term deal.’’

Wilson also said that outside linebacker Zeke Walker, a redshirt freshman from Columbia, S.C., is experiencing a back injury, too but it’s not as serious as that of Clark. Wilson expects Walker to be back soon.

Devonte Williams, recruited as a running back out of Columbia, Md., may now be playing corner. Wilson said he has good depth at the running back position and believes has the skill set to be a physical corner. Plus, that’s more of a position of need and it could provide Williams a quicker avenue to get on the field.

Finally, Wilson said that LB T.J. Simmons and TE Anthony Corsaro are both practicing but they’re being monitored closely because both had offseason surgeries. There will be some drills in practice where Wilson puts different colored jerseys on them to prevent them from getting hit. He said they are both practicing but that he’s just doing it as a precautionary measure.

Wilson also said there’s nothing new on WR Camion Patrick and he said it could be another 7-10 days before that situation is resolved.

Here are a couple of other headlines from Saturday’s Media Day.

BATTLE AT LONG SNAPPER

Wilson said the Hoosiers have added freshman long snapper Dan Godsil from Ottawa (Ohio) Glandorf to the mix and now have three players competing for the long snapper spot.

He said he got spoiled in the past because Matt Dooley had been a four-year starter at the position.

Wilson said Godsil will battle Nolan Guedel, a redshirt sophomore from New Palestine (Ind.) and Josh Pericht, a redshirt sophomore from Orland Park, Ill.

“There should be tremendous competition at that position,’’ Wilson said.

LATHAM GETS TO THE POINT

Latham may not be practicing yet but he was one of eight defensive players brought to the room where interviews were being conducted around tables scattered about the room.

And Latham wasn’t holding anything back when he was asked if he thought IU could hang with the better teams in the conference. The three teams mentioned were Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State.

“We have guys who think we can beat those teams, not just hang with them,’’ Latham said.

Latham said that feeling has developed over the years.

“I think it used to be, and I don’t know why, but the older guys thought when we played those teams that it was just going to be an ‘L’. You could mark it up,’’ Latham said. “That isn’t the feeling any more.’’

Latham was asked about IU’s dismal bowl history in the last 20 years, too.

“We’re looking to get way past just a bowl,’’ Latham said. “We’re thinking whatever comes with it. Big Ten championship and even farther than that.’’

WILSON SAID TO EXPECT FRESHMAN CONTRIBUTIONS

In his remarks at Media Day, Wilson was hesitant to say too much about the incoming freshmen because after two practices and no contact, he wanted to make sure he had the right information before making a prediction.

What he did say is that all of IU’s freshmen at both wide receiver and cornerback should be in the mix and several could end up playing right away.

On the offensive line he said that both Brandon Knight and Simon Stepaniak could be in the two-deep as true freshmen. That doesn’t mean that won’t be redshirt but it means they could be counted on to play if needed.

Beyond the freshmen DB’s, who Wilson said could all potentially play, he said Jacob Robinson has stood out the most on the defensive line. But he’s not certain he won’t redshirt either.

The reality is that IU’s depth is better across the board which may not necessitate the number of freshmen that have played in Wilson’s system in the past.

COMING UP THIS WEEK

Wilson said after two days of helmets only, IU would have upper pads on today and Sunday and full pads on Monday. He said two-a-days would begin Tuesday and the first scrimmage would be Saturday, Aug. 15. Generally all scrimmages are closed to the public.

Wilson said there would be mid-week scrimmage next week and another scrimmage on Aug. 22 the weekend before school begins.

@IndySportsHutch