TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The Indiana State Sycamores have entered their third week of camp at Memorial Stadium.

The Sycamores don’t have time to get complacent during camp, but instead are keeping the energy high and the stakes fresh as they prepare for the season opener.

“It’s nice when you don’t have to tell them how many days you have until you play,” says Head Coach Curt Mallory.

“This team will be ready. We are not ready yet. I don’t have to get in front of them and say hey we are 18 days away or 17 days away. They know. They know every day counts and every day we come out here we have to get better.”

ISU will open the season on Thursday, August 31st against Eastern Illinois at 6pm.

Like every team around the country, both sides of the ball has been stepping up in camp and for the offense it starts with the o-line.

“We talk about all the time how it starts with us and finishes with us,” says Keagan Trost.

“If we don’t do our job everybody else can’t do their jobs so we have to take pride and if we can’t protect, we can’t win or get any movement up front so it starts with us.”

On the flip side, defensive back Jonathan Edwards is helping his side of the ball stay hungry.

“The energy is great out here,” says Edwards.

“It’s a grind trying to come out here everyday and practice hard, but we had a meeting about finishing camp strong.”

“We are not competing with the offense right now. We are competing against our future opponent so we have to continue to sharpen each other’s iron and keep on pressing through.”