IU football will rely on group effort at tight end this season

Jordan Guskey | IndyStar

Show Caption Hide Caption IU offensive coordinator Mike DeBord talks quarterbacks and more The quarterback decision will be made soon, as should other close position battles.

BLOOMINGTON – Ian Thomas is Austin Dorris’ benchmark.

Well, not just Dorris’, but all the tight ends’ on Indiana's football roster. Thomas hauled in 28 receptions for 404 yards and five touchdowns in two seasons with the Hoosiers before the Carolina Panthers selected him in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft. He wowed scouts and teammates alike with his 6-5, 248-pound frame and athletic prowess, and could have accomplished more and come off the draft board earlier if he’d avoided injuries.

More: These freshmen might benefit from new NCAA rule, make impact in 2018

Insider: Why Peyton Ramsey won IU's starting QB job

IU in your inbox: Sign up for our Hoosiers sports newsletter

If Dorris and his fellow tight ends want to find success in 2018, they know they have to emulate Thomas.

“You’re always going to aspire to be the best that there is and he’s definitely one of the best out there,” Dorris said. “Sometimes we’ll watch old film and we see the way that he ran. You’ve just got to keep telling yourself how you want to do this like Ian and you want to do that. If you want to be the best you’ve got to do what they do.”

IU coach Tom Allen plans to rotate three or four tight ends at the position this fall and maximize what’s possible with their varying skillsets. He mentioned after Monday’s practice redshirt freshman Peyton Hendershot and true freshman Matt Bjorson have been impressive, while redshirt senior Ryan Watercutter will miss an unknown amount of time with an undisclosed injury.

Watercutter is the only returning member of the position group with at least a catch — he caught 12 balls for 69 yards in 2017.

“I hate it for him, just because he’s one of those guys that does everything you ask and has been such a great teammate, a hard, hard worker and a good player for us,” Allen said of Wattercutter.

Offensive coordinator Mike DeBord echoed Allen on Hendershot, Dorris and Bjorson and added praise for redshirt sophomore Shaun Bonner and freshman TJ Ivy, although Ivy appears to be on the outside looking in. Bonner’s main role will likely come in goal-line situations, so IU can benefit from the 6-3, 253-pounder’s blocking ability.

It’s unlikely Allen or DeBord ask any tight end to shoulder the load Thomas carried last year, and those still with the program are excited to see each other contribute.

“It’s good to see more than just one guy out there because we’d have Ian coming off the field last year and he was just toasted because he’d been out there for four-straight quarters,” Dorris said. “It definitely gives you a level of confidence to know that you’re not going to have 90 plays a game, you could have the 20 to 30 range and you’re going to be full speed running as hard as you can, fresh mind out there.”

When Hendershot is on the field, though, Allen hopes he heeds the advice of his coaches and goes up for passes with two hands and not with one as the Tri-West product did recently in practice with a touchdown on the line.

“I think Odell Beckham has been like a poison,” joked Allen, referencing the play-making New York Giants receiver. “Everybody wants to make one-hand catches now ever since he’s made that a big deal. I’m like, ‘The good Lord gave you two hands, use them.’”

Dorris thinks Hendershot could send a few less Snapchat selfies to the rest of the tight ends, too. The group talks all the time, whether it’s on Snapchat, in texting groups or through playing Fortnite. It’s helped build a camaraderie both on and off the field or a group that, for now, is Dorris’ to lead.

He’s excited to step into that larger role, and whether it’s on special teams or offense, will do what he can to help.

“My individual goals, they kind of fall second to me compared to the team goal because coach always says, ‘Don’t care who gets the credit,’ which is so important because it could be a group of tight ends playing,” Dorris said. “So, if Hendershot catches a touchdown, I’m not going to be mad that I didn’t catch a touchdown. Same thing for all the guys on defense, no one complains, everyone has to get their job done and that’ll lead to us getting more wins in the win column.”

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Jordan Guskey on Twitter at @JordanGuskey or email him at jguskey@gannett.com.

Podcast: IU Football Season Preview Spectacular, pt. 1

Podcast: IU Football Season Preview Spectacular, pt. 2