Michael Ziemba played multiple positions at Lake Mary (Fla.) High School, ranging from tight end to defensive line to linebacker. Eventually, Indiana deemed defensive lineman, specifically defensive end, as his best fit as a true freshman.
It was a bit of an adjustment for a player who primarily played tight end for Lake Mary, but it's one that has paid off and has him eager to pick up from where he left off last fall during spring practices heading into his sophomore season.
"It was a good (transition)," Ziemba said. "I just want to get on the field, really. Whichever way it takes."
Coming out of high school, Ziemba, a 2017 signee, was the No. 21 player in the Orlando Sentinel's Central Florida Super60 after finishing with 21 receptions for 300 yards and four touchdowns as a junior. On defense, he had collected 59 tackles and one sack.
Senior year didn't go as planned for him, though. A broken bone in his foot resulted in him playing in just one game that season. He had nine tackles and a blocked kick in his first game, according to former Inside Indiana reporter Alex McCarthy.
Indiana, which had recruited Ziemba to play either tight end or defensive end, was undeterred by the injury and had seen enough to know the kind of impact he could have on defense.
"The thing you like about moving a linebacker to defensive line is their mindset of making plays," IU defensive line coach Mark Hagen said. "Linebackers are typically around the ball a lot, making a lot of tackles, so there's a want-to in terms of getting to the ball and the pursuit you want to have. ... Being around the ball and wanting to make plays, as a former linebacker that's translated well for him."
Ziemba cracked the defensive line rotation and also saw time on special teams, amassing for tackles in 10 games in his first year in Bloomington. He made his collegiate debut in the Hoosiers' 34-13 win at Virginia on Sept. 9.
Ziemba credits Hagen for the seamless adjustment he experienced with switching positions.
"Really just having Coach Hagen be able to tell me how I can use the things I've been able to use - my speed, my size, my hands - and convert it to the defensive line," Ziemba said. "It's just a different movement, different skills, but it's been a good transition. He's been able to coach me up and tell me exactly what to do."
"He's handled the move well," Hagen said. "He's a guy that's out there getting better every day and he's growing every day. Every day is a learning experience."
That development will continue over the next couple of weeks, and Ziemba will get a chance to show just how far he's come during the spring game on April 14.
In the meantime, he'll continue to work on his craft in hopes of contributing more to Indiana's defensive line this fall.
"My biggest weaknesses right now I'd say are my eyes and using my alignment," "I'm really just trying to focus on those, get better on those every day. I want to be improved in that aspect because Coach Ballou and Coach Rhea have been getting us right in the weight room. By the end of spring ball, I want to be more sound in my technique."
Hagen is optimistic about Ziemba's potential.
"He's nowhere near where he's going to be. I just don't know when he's going to cross that finish line," Hagen said. "He's still a ways away but making strides every day. Certainly excited about his progress."
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