IU QB Nate Sudfeld readies for the spotlight

BLOOMINGTON — Nate Sudfeld’s Indiana career is about to touch its final base.

He began as the early-arriving freshman, both to campus and then to the quarterback rotation after Tre Roberson’s injury in 2012. He has shared that position, held it by himself and lost it to injury.

Now, Sudfeld is spending his final collegiate summer not only preparing as Indiana’s incumbent No. 1 quarterback, but also as the face of his program, and soon, the Big Ten.

Speaking with the media Sunday at Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck’s “Change The Play” camp in Bloomington, Sudfeld said he has enjoyed preparing for his keynote speech at Big Ten media days later this month. He’s having a little trouble with brevity, though.

“As I’m writing the speech, it’s kind of difficult to keep it all concise, within a five-ish minute speech,” Sudfeld said.

Sudfeld will join Ohio State’s Joshua Perry at the podium during the conference’s annual kickoff luncheon, with each player making a brief speech.

Being handed one of those slots is considered a high honor within the league.

“I’m looking forward to it, to get the chance to not just represent IU, but the Big Ten Conference,” Sudfeld said.

He has already carried both of those banners informally this summer, participating in the annual Manning Passing Academy, organized and run by the famous family of quarterbacks.

Alongside contemporaries like Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg, Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott and TCU’s Trevone Boykin, Sudfeld served as a counselor at the event, where he also got to measure himself up against his peers.

According to Hugh Kellenberger of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, Sudfeld showed some of the best arm strength of college quarterbacks in attendance. Indiana’s senior quarterback also flashed excellent timing, hitting a golf cart from more than 30 yards away as it moved up the sideline.

“I was really looking forward to that, stacking myself up to the other premier quarterbacks in college,” Sudfeld said. “I felt like I did really well. It was a lot of fun. Very fun to compete with those guys.”

The camp also gave Sudfeld the chance to work with several NFL dignitaries, including quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, and New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton.

“I just tried to soak up as much as I could,” Sudfeld said. “It was incredible.”

Sudfeld spent Sunday working with campers at Luck’s event, helping put them through stations designed to promote regular exercise and better nutrition.

It was Sudfeld’s second consecutive summer working the camp, and a second opportunity to quiz a quarterback whose film he said he studies regularly.

“I talked to (Luck) a little last year and a little bit today,” Sudfeld said. “He’s just a class act, does everything the right way. … He just keeps it simple, lives a pretty simple life, which I really appreciate and look up to.”

Soon, Sudfeld will take center stage at the kickoff lunch, where he will help write the prologue to the college football season expected to be his last.

Between now and then, he has some editing to do.

“I’ve really got about 30 ideas that I’m trying to fit in,” Sudfeld said of his speech, cracking a thin smile.

Follow Star reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman.