Spring Practice Q&A: Kaelon Black, Lee Beebe, Roman Hemby discuss Indiana's running back room

Indiana football running backs Kaelon Black, Lee Beebe Jr. and Roman Hemby spoke with reporters on Tuesday to provide insight on the Hoosiers’ running back room following spring practice No. 9 for Indiana.

Below is the full Q&A, as well as a partial transcript of the conversation—once it becomes available.

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Kaelon Black | R-Sr. | RB

On the lessons he took from last year’s running backs room…

KB: Definitely just taking things day-by-day. With guys like Justice [Ellison] and Lawty [Ty Son Lawton], just learning from them every day, seeing how they cut and move. Everything was just pretty natural to them, so seeing their daily habits and what they do in the training room and off the field, just allowed me to be able to grow over the short offseason.

On if there are similarities between the 2024 and 2025 running backs room…

KB: Honestly, there is not going to be any drop off. The guys that we brought in, they are some heavy hitters. Those guys work hard every single day. We all get in work after practice and, honestly man, it is just going to be a tough group for sure. We are just going to have to wake the world up and show them what we’ve got.

On the internal competition in the running backs room…

KB: With the daily competition, guys are just pushing me to be better each and every day … Also, just learning from last year with learning from different techniques and things like that, you just apply that to your game. It is honestly going to make you a better player. This year, the guys that we brought in, they are going to push you every single day. They are great backs with a lot of experience. It is going to be a competition for sure.

Lee Beebe Jr. | R-Jr. | RB

On why he chose Indiana out of the transfer portal…

LB: I really just like the people and the atmosphere here. Coach [John] Miller, he really sealed the deal for me. I love the way he talked – Coach Miller – and the scheme that he talked about was similar to UAB, so I was like, okay, I can really adjust to it. It wouldn’t be too much of an adjustment, I should say that.

On his focus in the spring… 

LB: I would say [Coach Miller] wants me to work more on my blocking. My blocking was good last year at UAB, but there is always room for improvement. That is one of the areas that I wanted to personally improve, and Coach Miller saw that and he said the same thing.

On his process through the transfer portal…

LB: It was new for me. I was getting a lot of [recruiting] exposure that I didn’t get in high school, because I really wasn’t recruited too much in high school. It was a big change, I can say that. I was thrilled and everything. 

Roman Hemby | R-Sr. | RB

On comparing the Maryland and Indiana schemes…

RH: I really love the offense here. I feel like it is a similar system here: a pro style system. A spread offense system where a lot of people can touch the ball, and a lot of people can make plays. I think the biggest thing that is different here, a lot of the players are really gritty. They do things the right way here … they hit the ground running every day and that is something that inspired me. I have been really trying to model my game after that since being here.

On his portal process…

RH: I was in the portal for maybe a week and a half or two weeks. Pretty much had my head down and I just wanted to work and see what came to me. I had a few opportunities, but when I came on my visit here, I really fell in love with the university. So, there was nothing really else that needed to be said, nothing else that needed to be done. it was pretty much a done deal.

On what he remembers from his matchups with Indiana and if that factored into his decision to choose Indiana…

RH: I took everything into consideration. The times I have played here, the times that I have played Indiana in general; they have been great games and great atmospheres. The Big Ten, I feel, is the best conference. I am biased, but I feel like it is the best conference. When you can go out there and show what a running back can do on a stage like this, it helps you a lot. I knew getting an opportunity to come here and seeing what happened last year and seeing the success that the whole program had, I knew that if I could submit myself as a player to contribute, I would be doing a good thing. That is why I made the decision to come here.