TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State hit the field on another beautiful morning at Memorial Stadium on Saturday for its first full-contact scrimmage of the fall – a crucial day of action on both sides of the ball heading into the final week of camp and forthcoming final decisions on position battles.
 
For the most part, the Sycamores put on a balanced show for the smattering of fans and alumni in attendance. However, for ISU head coach Curt Mallory, the most impressive group remained the stable of running backs at his disposal.
 
"I still like the way our running backs are running the football," Mallory said. "I thought there were holes opening up, and when there weren't holes and there were bodies and unblocked players, I thought the running backs were able to make guys miss in the hole."
 


Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jeff Hecklinski, meanwhile, was most impressed with what Mallory hinted at above: the holes opening up front from the offensive line and tight ends.
 
"I think from an offensive line and tight end standpoint, you can see it starting to come together," Hecklinski said. "I think (offensive line coach) Darrell and (tight ends coach) Tyler (Funk) have both done a great job in getting those guys ready to go and getting those guys to work as one."
 
It wasn't all offense, though, as the Sycamore defense showed flashes of brilliance as well – particularly late in the scrimmage during some late-game, two-minute drill sessions.
 
"I feel like there is a better understanding of the overall scheme and the big picture defensively than we've had ever since we've been here," said defensive coordinator and secondary coach Brad Wilson.
 
However, a familiar affliction reared its ugly head during Saturday's scrimmage: penalties. Indiana State has finished each of the last three seasons near or at the bottom of the Valley in penalty yards per game, finishing eighth in 2016 (55.8 YPG), 10th in 2015 (68.0 YPG) and 10th in 2014 (65.1 YPG).
 
"I thought we still had too many penalties that we shouldn't be making, and we've got to get that cleaned up," Mallory said. "The intensity in between the whistles I'm fine with; we've got to eliminate what's after. That's the thing we've got to get corrected. We had an ejection, we had some unsportsmanlike – there's no part of that in this program. We're not going to tolerate that."
 
With one scrimmage down and just one week of camp remaining, Coach Mallory and staff now have the tough task of starting to ink in the depth chart heading into ISU's season opener at home against Eastern Illinois on Aug. 31.
 
"We're trying to narrow it down to one to two deep at every position," Mallory said. "Quarterback is a little bit different, we're still working with three. We'll be close to making a decision at quarterback. We've got to for the best of the team. Other positions are starting to solidify, but we'll know more here tonight after we watch the film. We're getting closer, and it's time to start getting ready for Eastern Illinois."
 
"We're going to tell them what they need to know and not what they want to hear for the best of the program," Mallory continued. "That's why we're coaches. We have to make those decisions."
 
Another bit of news coming out of Saturday's scrimmage unfortunately deals with the loss of senior defensive end Justin Hornsby. A key outside linebacker a year ago, Hornsby is hanging his cleats up after a football career that has included six surgeries. Hornsby completed his degree in May.
 
"Justin has done everything we've ever asked," Mallory said. "He represents us in a first-class manner, he's earned his degree, and football is not forever. When we win a championship, it's going to be because of guys like him that have built the foundation and built it the right way."
 
"(Justin)'s had six operations and wanted to be out there," Mallory continued. "And there comes a time in every athlete's career that you've got to retire. He wants to go mentally, but physically with his body it was time."
 
Just five practices and one final scrimmage remain for the Sycamores this training camp. Stay tuned to GoSycamores.com – as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages – for extensive coverage and position previews this season, including video content courtesy of Luke Martin.