Quotes: Everything IU football’s Rolijah Hardy and Charlie Becker said after Thursday’s practice

• Alex Bozich

• 1h ago

 

IU football linebacker Rolijah Hardy and wide receiver Charlie Becker addressed the media on Thursday following IU’s second practice of fall camp in Bloomington.

Here’s everything Hardy and Becker had to say in their press conferences:

Rolijah Hardy

On receiving preseason recognition:

“Yeah, I appreciate the recognition, but I mean, it’s all preseason and stuff, so you just try to take that, use it as confidence, knowing you’ve got the ability, and then just going from there for the season.”

What he and Isaiah Jones have taken on this year with the graduation of Aiden Fisher:

“Yeah, he’s a great player. We definitely learned a lot from him the past two years I’ve been here. He’s a great leader. So, I mean, that leadership role between me and Isaiah has to be bigger this year. Also, making more plays without him being out there, I mean, somebody’s got to be in the place and they’ve got me and Bones at that linebacker position.”

On how the young talent is developing at linebacker:

“Yeah, they’re definitely getting way better. They’re definitely good learners. We’ve been at them hard this summer, getting them ready for the fall camp of the season. Our coaches do a really good job teaching. I think that’s one of the best things about our coaches is production, being able to teach the playbook and everything.”

On Isaiah Jones:

“He’s definitely one of the smartest players I ever played with. On and off the field, he’s like a brother to me, just someone you could definitely learn from on and off the field. He’s definitely really good at leading. So, I mean, between those three things, I feel like Isaiah is going to be really good for us this year.”

On Stephen Daley:

“Yeah, Stephen Daly is a very big and athletic. I mean, it’s unreal to see somebody that big and that strong move like that. You know, that’s going to bring us depth into that defensive line room, which is going to make the linebackers be able to perform and also the back end.”

On what he’s seen from the defensive line through the first two practices:

“They definitely make the linebacker job easier. Definitely moving, strong, really good d-line play I’ve seen so far. I mean, we’re going to continue to get better.
It’s only been practice two, but, I mean, so far it’s been really good with that d-line room.”

On the moments that were key to becoming an elite player:

“I mean, I always try to stay level-headed, try to stay humble. I appreciate the recognition, but I try to just go day by day with how I do things. You know, try to be that same person that I came in as, just someone that’s going to work hard, stay level-headed and just put in work.”

On if there was a moment that stands out in his progression as a player:

“I would say my freshman year, about, I mean, that second game I think I had a good game. I mean, it was around, like, and then Michigan State, I think, and things started coming around for me. But, I mean, that’s just Coach Haines’ coaching. I feel like any time, any player, you’ve got to be ready to step up.

On his relationship with Coach Haines and if things have changed at all:

“I don’t think it really changed. I think we always had a good relationship. I think he’s a really good coach, one of the best coordinators in the world, I mean, the country. So, I mean, my relationship really didn’t change itself for me. It’s more of family, you know, trying to learn and see what he sees as a D coordinator.”

On what excites him about being a part of a group that can get after the quarterback:

“Yeah, like you said, getting after the quarterback, I think that’s one of the best things about our defense, trying to help back end, the DBs with getting out there so you don’t got that much time. So, I think returning us five is really big for us.”

Charlie Becker

On if he feels different than he did a year ago in terms of confidence:

“Yeah, absolutely. I think as I get older and as I continue to grow and know more about the offense and able to read defenses and just seeing kind of how I’ve improved, I think my confidence has also gone up and just being able to trust myself and trust my teaching.”

On his role with building chemistry with the wide receiver room and Josh Hoover:

“Yeah, I’ll tell you what, it’s weird. I feel like yesterday I was sitting there with Elijah and EJ and Coop and all these guys that were teaching me how to become a leader and just kind of getting bits and pieces from each one of them. And they were such great leaders and they taught me so much.

“So just being able to take pieces from them and put it into my own leadership and kind of help out these younger guys and try to make them as good, the best man that they can be.”

On his relationship with Josh Hoover and how it’s grown:

“Josh is one of the hardest workers. He texts me all the time, like every weekend, during the weekdays. He says, ‘hey, you want to throw up, work on this connection?’ He takes it out to all of our wide receivers. We’re out there just doing spot catches, making sure our legs aren’t dead.

“But Josh just really wants to see all of us succeed and he wants to build connections with all of us because you never know what could happen. And that’s a testament to how much of a hard worker Josh is.”

On how his life has changed with all of the success of the last year:

“I wouldn’t say my life has necessarily changed. I think I’ve always been the same person before or after football. I think I always will be the same person.
I’m extremely blessed that I’ve been put in this position. I actually have to remember that I’m one of 11 out there.”

On where he feels he’s most improved as a player over the last year to 18 months:

“I wouldn’t say there’s – I think there’s all areas. I couldn’t probably pin out three or four things. I just think that with learning from EJ, Coop and Elijah, I think like what we were saying earlier, the leadership aspect, I think that’s something that I’ve taken a pretty big step in.”

“I think that I’m nowhere close to being where I want to be in that aspect. I want to continue to be a leader and continue to be a role model.”

On getting an opportunity and what he would say to the younger guys who are in a similar position to him on the depth chart to where he was a year ago:

“Last year I put in the work, and I’m just happy that I was able to get that opportunity. Coach Shanahan does such a great job of making sure that everyone in the receiving room knows what to do at every single position so that when their number does get called, they’ll be able to go out there and make plays. I’m super thankful to Coach Shanahan for that.

“Just to those younger guys, I’d say just keep grinding, keep working. Eventually, your number will get called. Just keep the faith. The Lord knows the way. Just stay on that path.”

On Nick Marsh:

“He’s a beast. We’ve got weapons all over now. With Turbo, Khobie, and Lee, our running backs, I mean, shoot, those guys are some studs. Our O-line, just a bunch of dogs, ballers. Josh is a beast. I mean, really look at our offense. Where do you see a hole? We’ve got receivers. We’ve got depth there. We’ve got dogs all over the field, and adding Nick Marsh just adds another layer to that. He’s worked his butt off this offseason and I can’t wait to see what he does on Saturdays.”

On Tyler Morris and having him around last season:

“Yeah, even though Tyler got hurt very unfortunate last year, he was with us the whole way. I mean, that’s what a leader is. Things might not go your way, but you always have to keep the faith and just be sure to teach and coach as much as you can, even though you’re not the one getting the recognition for it.

“So Tyler was a big role last year for all of us. He did a great job of making sure everyone knew what to do, and he was helping out the younger guys, just like Elijah and Coop and EJ. I’m really, really excited for what he’s going to bring to the table this year.”

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

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