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Indiana
vs. Ball State When: 8 p.m. Saturday TV: Big Ten Network Radio: 1250 AM, 102.7 FM |
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FORT WAYNE —
The junior college transfer was ready.
“The coaches were stressing that I need to be ready at any point, and I have been putting just as much pressure on myself during the week as if I were the starter, so I felt prepared,” Coffman told reporters after the game.
Coffman will be the starter going forward for the Hoosiers.
“I thought Cam handled the situation pretty good,” IU coach Kevin Wilson said during his weekly news conference Tuesday. “He’s really good. He was on an undefeated junior college last year. We’re glad he’s here, and there’s a reason we went after him, there’s a reason there was a competition (for the starting quarterback’s position).”
Coffman completed 16 of 22 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown in the 45-6 road victory.
“I don’t know if he has the biggest cannon ever. He has good knowledge, good anticipation,” Wilson said. “The more he plays, the more comfortable he’s getting. … He’s got a little pep in his step.
“At the same time, he’s not a very ‘rah, rah,’ fired-up guy. He’s a very calm guy. It’s his DNA. He won’t get rattled.”
Coffman’s father, Paul, was a tight end for the Green Bay Packers (1978-85) and the Kansas City Chiefs (1986-87). His brother Chase played tight end at Missouri (2005-08) and for the Cincinnati Bengals (2009-10) and is a member of the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad. Another brother, Carson, played quarterback at Kansas State (2007-10).
Wilson said he thought Coffman successfully handled the situation at UMass.
“He’s 16 of 22 and a couple, three in the rain that were tough. It wasn’t a bad start and again, two days of practice he has looked as good as he has, the best that he has all camp.”
Coffman passed for 2,244 yards with 21 touchdowns and six interceptions and completed 61.4 percent of his passes in 2011 at Arizona Western Community College.
“He just needed more time on task, understanding, rhythm,” Wilson said. “He’s a very smart kid. He throws it reasonably accurate.”
Nate Sudfeld takes over as the backup quarterback. The freshman from Modesto, Calif., completed 3 of 4 passes for 28 yards in his debut Saturday at UMass.
Note: Sophomore cornerback Michael Hunter is recovering from a sports hernia surgery. Wilson said Hunter went to Germany for the surgery.
