Quotes: Everything IU football’s Lee Beebe Jr., Khobie Martin and Turbo Richard said after Friday’s practice
- Alex Bozich
- 1h ago
IU football running backs Lee Beebe Jr., Khobie Martin and Turbo Richard addressed the media on Friday following practice in Bloomington.
Here’s everything Beebe Jr., Martin and Richard had to say in their press conferences:
Lee Beebe Jr.
On if there’s been a moment in fall camp where he felt like he was back and ready:
“First day, first day for sure. When I first touched the rock, I definitely knew then, like, okay, yeah, cool, I’m back.”
On the rehab process and how he held back to avoid getting re-injured:
“I just try not to think about it a lot. A lot of injuries happen whenever you think about it too much. So, just putting the injury past me, just focusing on what I could do now, continue getting in the treatment room and just keep treating my body right.”
On what he likes about being a running back:
“I love running back because I can hit people. Like, I hit people more. I like running through people’s face.”
On how he would compare and contrast going against this season’s IU defense versus last year’s:
“Between this year and last year, I can say that our defense is still, like, unstoppable. Our defense is still great, but I think I can compare it to … it has the same physicality, if not more.
“And it’s just different. The difference between this year and last year, I’d say, is we got a lot of new guys on the D-line, and they’re all fast, physical and relentless. So, yeah, I’d say that’s the difference.”
On the bond between the running backs:
“Yeah, we have a great bond. All three of us have a great bond. Not even just the three of us. The whole running back room loves seeing all of us. We have a great bond, and when we’re just out there on the field, we feed off each other’s energy and that’s when we do great.”
On how often the coaches stress to the running backs the importance of getting the running game going:
“Very often. They say it very often. They just want us to just get it on our mind that we just have to get the running game going because without a good running game, it’s not going to be a really good day. So, yeah, I’d say that.”
On playing for running backs coach John Miller:
“Coach Miller, he’s great. He’s great. I say Coach Miller, he really breaks down each and every play, so we all just make sure we know what we have, where our assignment is, where we line up, just things like that, just the small and big details.
“So he does a really good job at that. And, yeah, like I said, over in the runnung back room, we all have a great bond, including the coaches. We all have a great bond.”
On the advantage of having an experienced offensive line:
“I say it’s a huge advantage because everything isn’t just black and white. Sometimes things get out of order and just having that veteran on the line, they can just really sort that out. They play the game a lot and they can make the right decisions.”
Khobie Martin
On how he’s a different running back now versus the same time last year:
“Yeah, that’s a great question. I feel like last year I was still trying to just adjust, learn the plays, learn my position, do whatever I can on the field to just make sure the team could benefit in any way. I feel like I was still a little bit young.
And so this year, I feel like I grew up a little bit, matured some more. And so, yes, sir.”
On the physical gains he’s made:
“I feel like, okay, I didn’t … I meal prep, right? So this meal prep has really, I feel like, taken my weight and just my body composition to a different level. And I feel like I got a lot more muscle in my arms, toned down a little bit. I had a little bit of baby fat on me, so we got rid of that. This year, we got more of a grown man body.”
On how Lee Beebe Jr. and Turbo Richard fit into the running back room in terms of replacing Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black:
“Man, well, first off, I want to say that Kaelon and Ro were great leaders, right? And so, Lee, Turbo, they already have a lot of experience. I can look up to them, I can look at them and say, okay, they got some experience, let me learn from what they see on the field, whatever holes they read, how they study and watch film.
“So I look at them almost the same way I look at Roman and KB, guys that, in a running back room, give me great competition. But also at the same time, help me improve my game, so leaders.”
On how he’s improved in pass protection and as a receiver:
“I feel like I improved in a lot of areas. Pass pro and receiving was definitely one of them as well, but I think I grew a lot in that area.”
On watching Hemby and Black and what they’re doing now:
“It lets me know that dreams come true, and just seeing the hard work that they put in at IU. It just lets me know that if I just follow the course and do whatever I can do, I can get to that same level that they are right now, KB. Congratulations to him, married, got a kid on the way, but I see him on the field working hard every day. I see nice clips of him running, you feel me, toting the pill.
“Same with Roman, I see him on TV. It’s just great to see those boys out there competing, successful in the league, so it’s amazing.”
On the biggest advantage of having three high level running backs:
“Well, I feel like, first off, it keeps everybody fresh. You can beat and bruise a defense. You got somebody running through everybody, somebody like Turbo, he can do everything on the field.
“Defenses don’t know what to watch for when we get in the game. So at the same time, we got three deadly weapons in the backfield. Everybody could do something, so everybody stays fresh. It just leaves defenses tired and not knowing what to do.”
On the running back depth and if there’s enough room for everybody to contribute:
“Yes, sir, absolutely, for sure. And I feel like Coach Cig and Coach Shanahan do a great job of making sure that everybody gets some playing time as well. They do a great job of making sure that we all are getting in, benefiting the team, doing whatever we can to make sure we win.
“Last year, not even last year, the year with Justice Ellison, Kaelon Black, everybody was getting a rotation in, doing something on the field to make sure we can win the game. So we’re gonna do the same thing this year, for sure.”
On if there are noticeable changes with the meal prep:
‘Yeah, I definitely feel like a different player. I feel like my body just feels a little lighter on me, for sure. My legs, I feel like I can pick them up quicker. I feel faster, I feel twitchier.
“I feel like I didn’t …I grew in a lot of areas just off my meal prep. I think eating was one of the things that, like I was gonna say earlier, I was a little child, it’s not childish, but you know what I’m saying? I matured some more.
“And so eating definitely was one of the ways that I matured.”
On how the running backs stand out individually:
“Well, I feel like everybody, we all got different skill sets. And for me personally, I feel like I’m more of an elusive back. I feel like I can weave in and out of tackles. I got some speed to me as well. Receive, I can catch, I can do a lot of things on the field. So, yeah.”
Turbo Richard
On the impact of shorter practice and if he feels fresher than he has in past seasons:
“Yeah, just being in practice and having those shorter practices gives us time to recoup, just making sure we’re on top of everything at game rep, game speed and being as consistent as we can. I’m treating every practice rep like a game rep. When you get to the game, you play with the winning habits you build in practice.”
On the focus on ball security:
“Yeah, just working after practice, before practice on ball security, making sure that doesn’t happen again. Taking all the reps I can, doubling trouble, high and tight, just building those winning habits to take it into the game. But it all starts in practice.”
On if his role changes in this offense:
“Yeah, at the end of the day, I’m just grateful to take on the role of doing what I can in this offense. I feel like Coach Shanahan, I love his offense, he runs a great offense, playing us in the situations that we need to be in to execute our job. And I just feel like, just playing in the role that I am, I just feel like I can do everything I can to help win championships and win games.”
On his nickname:
“When I was younger, I was about nine years old. We would race after practice on my little league team, and I would just win all the races. And my coach just gave me the nickname, Turbo, and I just took it around with me.”
On choosing a school with competition at running back:
“Yeah, I feel like Indiana was the right place for me because I love the way Coach Cignetti coaches and his standard that he has on the team, how every rep is important, how we do everything, how we do anything is how we do everything. I just love his standard, and I’m grateful to the coaches for bringing me in, giving me this opportunity. So I’m just here to do what I can to contribute to win.”
On how attractive IU was as a running back in the portal:
“Yeah, just the way the O-line gets in the trenches, them boys blocking up front, me running the ball. It was something that really just caught my eye. How much we run the ball, and the RPO system, team can’t really just play the line fully, because we got a run pass offense.”
On adjusting to the culture at IU:
“I always feel like I’ve always been comfortable with it. IU has a winning mentality. I feel I always had that mentality since I was younger, from little league, middle school, high school, and now into college. And when I just came in, it just felt like I fit right in with the culture.”
On what a successful practice looks like for him:
“Yeah, I’d say, first and foremost, being consistent. Not just doing anything just one time, just doing it over and over and over, every practice, playing clean football. Just what I try to mainly focus on, and just being great, doing whatever I can. So do those things, but most importantly, be consistent.”
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
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