By Andy Graham
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Cronk is not coy.
Well, he is Coy. But Indiana sophomore left tackle Coy Cronk doesn't seem the least bit shy or reticent. He is a ready conversationalist, willing and able to express an opinion, and pretty much gets straight to the point.
As such, it seems natural that he's developing into a leader of IU's offensive line.
And even if it hadn't come naturally, his father Nick ensured that was part of Cronk's upbringing.
"I think it started pretty early, with my dad," Cronk said Monday. "He was a college football coach (starting as a graduate assistant at IU for Bill Mallory). He never allowed me to just sit in the back. He kind of forced me to be a leader in my own right."
Not that Coy tried to force it last fall as a true freshman, despite starting all 13 games at the crucial left tackle spot, protecting "the blind side" of right-handed quarterback Richard Lagow.
"I think it's really hard for a true freshman to go in there and be the rah-rah locker room guy immediately," Cronk said. "I mean, you've got to earn your stripes. I thought, 'If I want these guys to trust me, it's not going to be by buttering them up and telling them what they want to hear. I'm going to prove myself to them that I can work every single day, with a chip on my shoulder, doing my best to battle for this offensive line and this team.' I think I got their respect through that.
"And just to wing it and get in people's faces, I'm not that kind of guy … I think I learned a lot just being around guys like (now-graduated All-American guard) Dan Feeney. It's getting to know your teammates better and how they might react to certain stuff. If I see something, I'll call it out, but I'm not going to be degrading. I think the guys expect it and know, when I'm saying it, I'm not going for their throat or to embarrass them."
Cronk excelled even as a youthful and undersized player amid the rigors of the Big Ten East -- earning Big Ten All-Freshman and 247 Freshman All-America honors -- but feels he had his share of rookie mistakes.
"I watch my film religiously," Cronk said. "I think that's the only way you can get better, in my opinion. I was really fortunate to play last year so I can have 13 games to go back and watch.
"Last year I made some great plays and some cringe-worthy plays … but I knew if I wanted to help this offensive line and help this team grow, I just needed to work on my stuff, work on my footwork."
Darren Hiller, in his first season as IU's offensive line coach, has already seen evidence this fall that Cronk spent much of the offseason doing just that.
"When we were watching game film, and then (watching Cronk) in the spring, just technically he was doing some things that were putting him in a bad position," Hiller said. "He was playing hard and playing tough, but putting himself in some bad situations at times.
"And the thing he did over the summertime – and you can really tell – is that he honed his craft a little bit with the fundamentals, the techniques, the footwork and all that stuff. And it shows up. There are some plays on tape now, still, where I'll say, 'Coy, you're reverting.' And he'll say, 'I know.' And he's got it. He's really conscious of it and it's been very impressive."
Also impressive is how Cronk has reshaped his physique after just a year on campus.
"He's now up over 300 pounds, which is awesome," Hiller said. "Because I think, last year, he came in somewhere in the 250 range. I think they got him to 280 or so, but now he's in that range where he has that mass and that strength.
"He's always been a strong guy and a tough guy, but he's got that mass now, and he's really playing with a physical attitude."
Redshirt junior guard Wes Martin, who plays alongside Cronk on the left side, has also taken note.
"The biggest thing is, through this offseason, comparing his body image from last camp to this camp," Martin said after Monday's practice. "He has a thick neck now, big arms. He's put some good weight on (up to 305 from last year's listed 286). His legs are bigger. So he's got physical stature, a better base.
"The technique is coming, a lot, every day. You see a lot more crispness in his set. He's always been good in the run game, but he's starting to become more of a technician in the pass game, so it's good to see."
Cronk looks to Martin – who had already drawn the attention of pro scouts as a true freshman in 2014 -- as the true heir to Feeney as the offensive line's primary on-field and off-field leader.
"Wes Martin, for sure, not a doubt," Cronk said. "We kind of look to Wes. He's our leader. If you look at him out on the field, he definitely looks like an ox. He's just a rock. So we definitely look up to him. When he's going, we're going.
"And I think the 1s, in general, are helping the 2s a lot (as the units rotate during practice). It's tough, especially with our defense being so good, with all the blitzes and pressures."
IU's defense took major strides last fall and the Hoosiers have proven perimeter players on offense, so Cronk and his O-line cohorts are well aware of the crucial role they are likely to play this fall.
"Being an O-lineman, you take pride in playing in the trenches," Cronk said. "Getting the backs going, keeping the quarterback safe and, just as important, giving the defense time to rest.
"I played both ways in high school and I know how much energy you can use playing defense. So it's good, after they make a big stop for us, if we can give them time to rest. As offensive linemen… we take a lot of pride in what we do."
Cronk only played offensive line for two seasons at Lafayette Central Catholic, but even at his size was a star linebacker. And he was the catcher for LCC's baseball team. Cronk's teams won state titles in both sports.
"He's a great athlete," Hiller said of Cronk. "He just hasn't played a whole lot of offensive line over the years. He played linebacker for his high school team – at that size, which is fun."
The catching in baseball lent itself to a leadership role, too.
"You're handling the pitching staff and leading," Cronk said. "I think if you're playing right field and get maybe one or two chances a game, that'd be pretty boring. When you're catching, you're right in the middle of things all the time.
"(Here at IU, leadership) I think it's more a maturity thing and growing up a little bit. You've got to stand up and do your job every day to the best of your abilities … so I take great pride in doing that. To me, it's just an honor to go out there in a Hoosiers uniform and play offensive line for us."
And no excuses if and when things sometimes go awry. He's a true freshman no longer.
"I can't say, 'This is my first time doing this.' " Cronk said. "That kind of takes away any sort of excuse I could possibly have. I realize it's on me. Blame nobody else. It's my time to do it."
Nothing coy about that.
CRONK OPINES FURTHER:
IU sophomore tackle Coy Cronk expounded upon an array of topics in the Hoosiers' Team Room Monday. Here is a sample of his thoughts on a quartet of topics:
ON OPENING THE SEASON BY HOSTING OHIO STATE, AUG. 31:
"Looking back at last year's (Ohio State) game, you can definitely tell they play with an attitude – they play whistle to whistle – and how hard they play. They're a pretty relentless group. And they always have talent.
"I think it's a great thing we're playing them right out of the gate. We know, right from week one, that we can't slip up. We have to push ourselves, because we know what we're going to face when we face Ohio State. All four downs in your face. Every snap. As hard as they can possibly play. If we can do that all the way through practice ourselves, that gives us a chance on Aug. 31 to go out and compete."
ON ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY DEBUTING FOR 2017 IN BLOOMINGTON FOR THE OHIO STATE GAME:
"As a little kid you wanted to play in front of College GameDay. That's going to be huge. That definitely adds to it. But it doesn't really change the ballgame itself. That's a lot of awesome stuff before the first whistle, but as soon as that first whistle hits, it's football.
"But it'd be an absolute lie to say you don't hear about it or you don't get a little fired up for it because that's why you do it … you want to play big games. That's why you schedule Ohio State for the first game of the season. You just relish those opportunities."
ON WATCHING 6-FOOT-8, 370-POUND TRUE FRESHMAN CALEB JONES TAKE ON THE CHALLENGING LEFT TACKLE POSITION:
"It's remarkable. It really is. That dude is enormous. I mean, wow. That's a massive human being. He moves great. He can bend when he wants to bend. And he plays with an attitude out there. There's not a doubt – he's going to be a special ballplayer.
"There's not a doubt in my mind. He's got a good head on his shoulders. He loves the game. He shows up and works every day. I'm really, really excited to see where his future lies in football."
ON HEP'S ROCK
"Having that Rock there and knowing what (late IU coach Terry Hoeppner) battled through every single day, never giving up, just being a total warrior, I think it means a lot. I think we should take a lot of pride in that.
"What he did for the program was nothing short of remarkable and how he went out, nobody deserves to go that way (with brain cancer) … we've had people come in and talk about Coach Hep and his passion and love for the game. I really wish I could have met the man himself."
http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2017/8/8/football-cronk-looks-to-take-next-step-in-year-two.aspx
Go Hoosiers!
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Cronk is not coy.
Well, he is Coy. But Indiana sophomore left tackle Coy Cronk doesn't seem the least bit shy or reticent. He is a ready conversationalist, willing and able to express an opinion, and pretty much gets straight to the point.
As such, it seems natural that he's developing into a leader of IU's offensive line.
And even if it hadn't come naturally, his father Nick ensured that was part of Cronk's upbringing.
"I think it started pretty early, with my dad," Cronk said Monday. "He was a college football coach (starting as a graduate assistant at IU for Bill Mallory). He never allowed me to just sit in the back. He kind of forced me to be a leader in my own right."
Not that Coy tried to force it last fall as a true freshman, despite starting all 13 games at the crucial left tackle spot, protecting "the blind side" of right-handed quarterback Richard Lagow.
"I think it's really hard for a true freshman to go in there and be the rah-rah locker room guy immediately," Cronk said. "I mean, you've got to earn your stripes. I thought, 'If I want these guys to trust me, it's not going to be by buttering them up and telling them what they want to hear. I'm going to prove myself to them that I can work every single day, with a chip on my shoulder, doing my best to battle for this offensive line and this team.' I think I got their respect through that.
"And just to wing it and get in people's faces, I'm not that kind of guy … I think I learned a lot just being around guys like (now-graduated All-American guard) Dan Feeney. It's getting to know your teammates better and how they might react to certain stuff. If I see something, I'll call it out, but I'm not going to be degrading. I think the guys expect it and know, when I'm saying it, I'm not going for their throat or to embarrass them."
Cronk excelled even as a youthful and undersized player amid the rigors of the Big Ten East -- earning Big Ten All-Freshman and 247 Freshman All-America honors -- but feels he had his share of rookie mistakes.
"I watch my film religiously," Cronk said. "I think that's the only way you can get better, in my opinion. I was really fortunate to play last year so I can have 13 games to go back and watch.
"Last year I made some great plays and some cringe-worthy plays … but I knew if I wanted to help this offensive line and help this team grow, I just needed to work on my stuff, work on my footwork."
Darren Hiller, in his first season as IU's offensive line coach, has already seen evidence this fall that Cronk spent much of the offseason doing just that.
"When we were watching game film, and then (watching Cronk) in the spring, just technically he was doing some things that were putting him in a bad position," Hiller said. "He was playing hard and playing tough, but putting himself in some bad situations at times.
"And the thing he did over the summertime – and you can really tell – is that he honed his craft a little bit with the fundamentals, the techniques, the footwork and all that stuff. And it shows up. There are some plays on tape now, still, where I'll say, 'Coy, you're reverting.' And he'll say, 'I know.' And he's got it. He's really conscious of it and it's been very impressive."
Also impressive is how Cronk has reshaped his physique after just a year on campus.
"He's now up over 300 pounds, which is awesome," Hiller said. "Because I think, last year, he came in somewhere in the 250 range. I think they got him to 280 or so, but now he's in that range where he has that mass and that strength.
"He's always been a strong guy and a tough guy, but he's got that mass now, and he's really playing with a physical attitude."
Redshirt junior guard Wes Martin, who plays alongside Cronk on the left side, has also taken note.
"The biggest thing is, through this offseason, comparing his body image from last camp to this camp," Martin said after Monday's practice. "He has a thick neck now, big arms. He's put some good weight on (up to 305 from last year's listed 286). His legs are bigger. So he's got physical stature, a better base.
"The technique is coming, a lot, every day. You see a lot more crispness in his set. He's always been good in the run game, but he's starting to become more of a technician in the pass game, so it's good to see."
Cronk looks to Martin – who had already drawn the attention of pro scouts as a true freshman in 2014 -- as the true heir to Feeney as the offensive line's primary on-field and off-field leader.
"Wes Martin, for sure, not a doubt," Cronk said. "We kind of look to Wes. He's our leader. If you look at him out on the field, he definitely looks like an ox. He's just a rock. So we definitely look up to him. When he's going, we're going.
"And I think the 1s, in general, are helping the 2s a lot (as the units rotate during practice). It's tough, especially with our defense being so good, with all the blitzes and pressures."
IU's defense took major strides last fall and the Hoosiers have proven perimeter players on offense, so Cronk and his O-line cohorts are well aware of the crucial role they are likely to play this fall.
"Being an O-lineman, you take pride in playing in the trenches," Cronk said. "Getting the backs going, keeping the quarterback safe and, just as important, giving the defense time to rest.
"I played both ways in high school and I know how much energy you can use playing defense. So it's good, after they make a big stop for us, if we can give them time to rest. As offensive linemen… we take a lot of pride in what we do."
Cronk only played offensive line for two seasons at Lafayette Central Catholic, but even at his size was a star linebacker. And he was the catcher for LCC's baseball team. Cronk's teams won state titles in both sports.
"He's a great athlete," Hiller said of Cronk. "He just hasn't played a whole lot of offensive line over the years. He played linebacker for his high school team – at that size, which is fun."
The catching in baseball lent itself to a leadership role, too.
"You're handling the pitching staff and leading," Cronk said. "I think if you're playing right field and get maybe one or two chances a game, that'd be pretty boring. When you're catching, you're right in the middle of things all the time.
"(Here at IU, leadership) I think it's more a maturity thing and growing up a little bit. You've got to stand up and do your job every day to the best of your abilities … so I take great pride in doing that. To me, it's just an honor to go out there in a Hoosiers uniform and play offensive line for us."
And no excuses if and when things sometimes go awry. He's a true freshman no longer.
"I can't say, 'This is my first time doing this.' " Cronk said. "That kind of takes away any sort of excuse I could possibly have. I realize it's on me. Blame nobody else. It's my time to do it."
Nothing coy about that.
CRONK OPINES FURTHER:
IU sophomore tackle Coy Cronk expounded upon an array of topics in the Hoosiers' Team Room Monday. Here is a sample of his thoughts on a quartet of topics:
ON OPENING THE SEASON BY HOSTING OHIO STATE, AUG. 31:
"Looking back at last year's (Ohio State) game, you can definitely tell they play with an attitude – they play whistle to whistle – and how hard they play. They're a pretty relentless group. And they always have talent.
"I think it's a great thing we're playing them right out of the gate. We know, right from week one, that we can't slip up. We have to push ourselves, because we know what we're going to face when we face Ohio State. All four downs in your face. Every snap. As hard as they can possibly play. If we can do that all the way through practice ourselves, that gives us a chance on Aug. 31 to go out and compete."
ON ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY DEBUTING FOR 2017 IN BLOOMINGTON FOR THE OHIO STATE GAME:
"As a little kid you wanted to play in front of College GameDay. That's going to be huge. That definitely adds to it. But it doesn't really change the ballgame itself. That's a lot of awesome stuff before the first whistle, but as soon as that first whistle hits, it's football.
"But it'd be an absolute lie to say you don't hear about it or you don't get a little fired up for it because that's why you do it … you want to play big games. That's why you schedule Ohio State for the first game of the season. You just relish those opportunities."
ON WATCHING 6-FOOT-8, 370-POUND TRUE FRESHMAN CALEB JONES TAKE ON THE CHALLENGING LEFT TACKLE POSITION:
"It's remarkable. It really is. That dude is enormous. I mean, wow. That's a massive human being. He moves great. He can bend when he wants to bend. And he plays with an attitude out there. There's not a doubt – he's going to be a special ballplayer.
"There's not a doubt in my mind. He's got a good head on his shoulders. He loves the game. He shows up and works every day. I'm really, really excited to see where his future lies in football."
ON HEP'S ROCK
"Having that Rock there and knowing what (late IU coach Terry Hoeppner) battled through every single day, never giving up, just being a total warrior, I think it means a lot. I think we should take a lot of pride in that.
"What he did for the program was nothing short of remarkable and how he went out, nobody deserves to go that way (with brain cancer) … we've had people come in and talk about Coach Hep and his passion and love for the game. I really wish I could have met the man himself."
http://iuhoosiers.com/news/2017/8/8/football-cronk-looks-to-take-next-step-in-year-two.aspx
Go Hoosiers!
