Quotes: Everything IU football’s Amare Ferrell and Jamari Sharpe said after Thursday’s practice

• Alex Bozich

• 29m ago

 

IU football defensive backs Amare Ferrell and Jamari Sharpe addressed the media on Thursday following practice in Bloomington.

Here’s everything Ferrell and Sharpe had to say in their press conferences:

Amare Ferrell

On the development of Byron Baldwin:

“I definitely think he’s going to be a big-time player for us this year. We’re still working on some things, you know, like Coach Cig said.

“We’re still working on, like, day-in, day-out consistency. But he definitely has done a great job of showing us what he can do.”

On being converted into a leadership role in the defensive backfield:

“I feel like that’s what the coaches expect me to do. You know, just being in this system for like I said, three or four years. You know, being able to help the new guys come in and be comfortable and learn the defense and stuff like that.

“They know I’m a guy that’s going to help the new guys and make sure they’re on top of their stuff.”

On his chemistry with Preston Zachman and what Zachman can bring to the position:

“I feel like our chemistry is great. He brings a lot to the table. I always ask him questions about how he’s thinking about the game. He’s real smart.

“I’m just finding the things that pick off him to add to my game. And he picks off things that add to his game and make each other better.”

On who has caught his eye among the young guys at safety other than Byron Baldwin:

“I feel like all those guys, but, you know, guys like Jamar Owens, guys like that. Wth him, he’s just a young guy still trying to catch on to things. But I feel like the talent over there, we just got to follow and be consistent every day.”

On how his preparation has changed and evolved from his freshman year until now:

“I would definitely say it improved a lot. Just maturing and understanding the game more. And then the game just slows down and then just knowing the preparation. It also just helps when the game comes.

“So I feel like preparation is a big thing when it comes down to playing great on Saturday.”

On what he was focused on going into fall camp:

“Really just all the smaller details that I really didn’t do this past season. I really feel like communication, just making everybody else better around me, just flying around, playing fast and just doing those things.”

On what makes Byron Baldwin the player he is:

“He’s very energetic. He’s very physical. He’s very fast. We like guys like that, definitely at that position. He can run. He can blitz. He can tackle. He does all the things that we need him to do.

On his relationship with Jamari Sharpe and the improvements he’s seen him make:

“Me and Sharpe’s relationship is great. I mean, that’s really like my brother. The improvements I’ve seen, I mean, he was here in 2023 when I got here.

“So, I feel like he has come a long way, made the game-winning pick for us last year in the national championship. I feel like he doesn’t worry about that. He just continues to build off that and just tries to get better.”

On why he decided to come back and what he needs to work on to get to the NFL:

“Just like I said, I feel like it’s just the small things that I really didn’t correct this past year. For emphasis, I would definitely say my tackling. I feel like my tackling was one of the big things that I feel like I didn’t do a great job of last year that I want to come back this year and make sure it’s something I can do.”

On how going up the receiver group in practice makes him a better player:

“It makes us great. Going against Charlie Becker, Nick Marsh, Tyler Morris, guys like that, and then especially going against Coach Shanahan, they’re making us better and we’re making them better every single day.”

Jamari Sharpe

On what’s different being the player who has to set the example to teammates:

“What’s been different for me these last few months is I have to step in and lead a role and show the young guys and the transfers how this program is working and how we run a defense.”

On whether he was under the radar last year and whether he’s excited to be one of the faces of the defense:

“I would say, yeah, I felt like I did go under the radar before that play. But after that play, my name started ringing bells. But my head was always down, even though I was under the radar. I just stayed focused and continued to do my job for the team.”

On the competition for the open spot to replace D’Angelo Ponds:

“Those guys over there, they’re competing very well right now for that spot over there. It comes down to the coach’s decision on who’s going to get that spot.”

On the key for him to take the next step as a player:

“The key for me is to be more consistent and be more physical to take that next step.”

On how going against great receivers every day makes him better:

“That’s getting me better because, you know, there’s probably a lot of good Big Ten receivers that we’re facing. But the receivers we have now, they’re getting me better prepared for what I’m going to see down the line during the season.”

On balancing making the interception last season against Miami last season against preparing for a new season where last season doesn’t matter anymore:

“At first, I was taking it all in. But later down the line, I had to put everything behind me because I had a season, I got a season ahead of me, so I had to stay focused and keep working and let that interception be last year.”

On what he’s seeing from Byron Baldwin and what makes him the player he is:

“I have seen Byron improve a lot. He’s been learning. He’s matured a lot and that’s helping him so far now and being consistent as well.”

On what the focus has been for the defensive backfield:

“So, you know, like we have transfers and younger guys playing with us now. Some of the returners coming back. So we all got to be on the same page and we all got to be consistent. Everybody has to do their one-of-eleven.”

On what kept him around after losing his starting spot in 2024:

“That year, I know that I lost my spot. So I was just, working, working hard, putting my head down. I learned from the guy that was in front of me. I learned the defense because that was my first year with the coaching staff. So I put my head down, I worked and I learned the defense and I’m here now.”

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

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