When Steve Spinks arrived as the new football coach at Indian Creek, he brought a motto with him: “We feed beasts.”
Turns out the Braves had one waiting to get fed.
Connor Fruits, who ran for nearly 150 yards per game after transferring in from Center Grove a month into last season, is primed to put together a big senior year — and Spinks is all too willing to help him do it.
“If you’re a beast, and you’re somebody that’s putting in the work in the weight room in the offseason, we’re going to follow you,” the coach said. “He’s going to be a beast that’s going to get fed.”
Fruits had gotten a taste during his time with the Trojans — he ran for nearly 100 yards during a win over Spinks’ alma mater, Ben Davis, in Week 4 before enrolling at Indian Creek just days later. He started getting the full meal there right away, carrying the ball 23 times in his debut against Triton Central and totaling 106 totes in his six games with the Braves.
Having to learn yet another new set of plays this fall after just half a season under former coach Brett Cooper has been tough on Fruits, but he’s trying his best to adjust and continue to plow forward as he would in any backfield.
“It’s been a lot,” Fruits said. “Like Center Grove’s offense, perfect example — 1 is on the right in their offense, 1 is on the left in our offense. You hear 1, and you’ve got to remember. But it’s becoming second nature again. You can’t think on the plays; you’ve just got to know the plays. You’ve got to drill it in with repetition.”
The senior feels like he’ll thrive in Spinks’ system, which is built largely around a power run game.
“Pounding the rock down the throat,” Fruits said. “I love that. Couldn’t ask for a better place to be with a better coach.”
Indeed, Spinks is all bully in terms of his football style. As long as he’s around, Indian Creek football will be about RPOs — running people over.
“That’s kind of the mindset that we want to give the kids,” Spinks said. “We want to try to get them to play as physical as possible. Because in my estimation, you are granted permission to throw the ball; that’s the way I look at it. If you’re able to run the ball, that gives you permission to throw, you know what I mean. I’m an old-school guy when it comes to football.”
Getting the Braves to play physical football shouldn’t be hard given the sour taste still in their mouths from how last season ended. Following an impressive 7-2 regular season, Indian Creek traveled to West Vigo for its sectional opener and suffered a 32-29 loss against a fairly significant underdog.
The returning players haven’t forgotten how that night felt.
“I definitely want to draw them again,” senior defensive end Brett Barger said of West Vigo, “definitely first round, and knock ’em in the mouth for sure. That angered us, so we’ve got a little fire under our butts coming back out here.”
Scouting the Braves
Coach: Steve Spinks
Last year: 7-3, lost to West Vigo in first round of Class 3A sectional
Key returnees: DE/TE Brett Barger, RB Connor Fruits, WR/DB Jordan Gorham, OL/DL Zach Kaufman and WR/DB Wyatt Snyder, seniors; OL/DL R.C. Hall, OL Hunter Meyer, RB/LB Brandon Murray, QB Aidean Neathery and OL/DL Nicholas Perkins, juniors
Top newcomers: WR/DB Sam Creek, junior; OL Daniel Foster, sophomore
What to expect: The Braves were once a pass-happy outfit before becoming a bit more ground-oriented the past three seasons under Brett Cooper. Spinks, formerly the coach at Cascade, makes no secret about his style — physical, smash-mouth, old-school football. Look for Indian Creek to lean heavily on Fruits, who dominated after coming over from Center Grove a month into last season. Fellow seniors Barger and Gorham are also coming off of strong junior years and ready to make a big impact.
Indian Creek has excelled in conference play since joining the WIC in 2016 and should be good for at least five or six wins again, but it has had difficulty against bigger opponents such as Greenwood or the Catholic schools in its sectional. Whether it can get over the hump against those teams will depend largely on how well the Braves’ linemen — many of which play on both sides of the ball — can hold up over four quarters against deeper rosters.
Three and out: DE Brett Barger
1. How do you feel like the team has progressed this offseason despite all of the hurdles in your way?
Everyone kind of did their own individual thing with what coach sent out and stuff, but talking to the guys after coming back, I think we handled it pretty well.
2. How concerned are you about the threat of outbreaks leading to cancellations or cutting the season short?
I kind of just brush it off, take it one day at a time, get to play what I can. I look forward to that.
3. What one word best describes your team’s mentality going into the season?
Persistent. We don’t quit very easily. We have in the past, but I think this year’s seniors coming in really bought in to what we’ve been doing, and we’re coming back with a no-quit attitude.
2020 schedule
Date Opponent Time
Aug. 21 Batesville 7 p.m.
Aug. 28 at Greenwood 7 p.m.
Sept. 4 at Owen Valley 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 Brown County 7 p.m.
Sept. 18 at Triton Central 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 at Edgewood 7 p.m.
Oct. 2 Indianapolis Manual 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 Sullivan 7 p.m.
Oct. 16 at Northview 7 p.m.
