With the calendar turning to Oct. 1, and the weather already beginning to shift to what college football fans are accustomed to in the Big Ten, football season is approaching— and it’s approaching fast.
Just ask redshirt junior Caleb Jones, who said that the intensity of practice has started to pick up since players were allowed to wear pads beginning yesterday.
“I think a lot of guys on the team know that because this is such a unique situation, there has to be a heightened tempo when it comes to being in the weight room, watching film, and becoming a better player overall,” Jones said.
Coached by Darren Hiller, Indiana brings back a mix of experienced upperclassmen and promising underclassmen at the offensive line.
Last season, Jones started in all thirteen games for the Hoosiers, and started all but one game at right tackle.
This year, Jones is ready to take that next step in a leadership role and is ready to be a coach on the field to the younger offensive linemen while playing himself.
“I am trying to take the burden off of Coach Hiller,” Jones said. “When he is coaching the guys and one of the tackles in the room has an individual question, they know they can come ask me instead of having to interrupt coach and whatever he is doing. I try to be the helping hand for all the guys that may not have everything figured it out yet.”
Senior Harry Crider and sophomore Matthew Bedford are players that have seemed to have “figured it out” on the field. With the departure of Hunter Littlejohn and the transfer of Coy Cronk, the two will have to move to different positions this season. However, both have embraced the adjustments.
“I’m super excited to be back at the center position,” Crider said. “When I first moved to [offensive line] in high school, all I played was center. The past two years were my only experience being outside of center. I’m happy to be back more in that leadership role.”
Crider has received multiple preseason accolades that reinforce his leadership ability.
In July, Crider was named to the Wuerffel Award watch list, given to a college football player that participates in community service. He has led fundraising efforts for diabetes for Riley Hospital Children’s Foundation.
Today, Crider was named to the William V. Campbell Award watch list, which recognizes college football’s top scholar athlete. During the past two school years, Crider was honored as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, and was an Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Despite starting just one game at center with the rest coming at left guard last season, his teammates have little doubt that he will be successful at that position in 2020.
“Harry Crider is ready,” Bedford said. “I really do not feel like there has been a change. Harry moves in the same way Hunter Littlejohn moved last year. One thing I can say about Harry, he picks up blitzes a little bit better.”
Like Crider, Bedford will be moving back to an old position. After starting the final eight games of the season for Indiana at left tackle, Bedford believes he will be able to excel at the opposite end of the offensive line this year.
“Right tackle is actually more natural to me,” Bedford said. “I am able to see the field in a different way because I have had that experience on the left side. Now that I am back on the right side, my set is normal.”
As with the rest of the offensive line, the coming weeks leading up to the first game of the season will be critical in deciding who earns the most playing time of the remaining players in the unit.
Hiller mentioned Mackenzie Nworah, Mike Katic, Dylan Powell, Tim Weaver, and Britt Beery some of the members of his unit that have the greatest potential to start the season opener.
“There will be some interesting battles. We are in the early stages of the season from a physicality standpoint,” Hiller said. “Tomorrow and Saturday and into next week will be the tale of the tape for those position battles. The guys know that there is a sense of urgency for themselves to see who will come out on top.”
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