Indiana’s offensive line will look a bit different this season, but if you ask the linemen themselves, they believe the line won’t skip a beat.
Both center Pat Coogan and tackle Carter Smith spoke with the media during Indiana’s first two weeks of fall camp, both expressing their excitement for what they believe the offensive line can accomplish. Both mentioned their specific teammates, as they each explained what some of the faces on the line will bring to the table.
WATCH/READ: Fall Camp Q&A: Carter Smith, Mikail Kamara, Amare Ferrell talk Week 2 of fall camp
Drew Evans was a very important piece that Indiana was missing during the final stretch of the season, but he’s back and healthy for fall workouts to the pleasure of his teammate in Smith.
“I think his effort is showing really well on the film. It’s always good to have a piece back that, you know, was missing. And, you know, going through the spring, it did kind of feel like for me, I’m kind of missing my guy,” Smith said.
With Evans back at left guard, the Indiana offensive line began fall camp at full strength, something that’s incredibly vital. In addition to being fully healthy, Evans and Smith anchoring the left side of the line will be an incredible advantage, as their camaraderie as returnees will surely pay dividends.
With another returnee in Bray Lynch manning the right guard position, Indiana has three starting linemen from a year ago returning to the line. In an age of roster turnover and moving parts throughout college football, this foundation looks to be a major strength, as many other teams will have to build relationships due to a large number of new additions through the portal.
That’s not to say that Indiana didn’t add through the portal, but the holes they filled were with high-character players that the coaching staff believed would mesh with the culture that Cignetti and company have built.
One of those guys is Coogan himself, who came to Indiana following a successful career at Notre Dame. College football fans across the nation know that ND is one of the most well-run programs in the sport, so it’s no surprise that the transfer center has fit in nicely down in Bloomington.
Smith said that he knew “day one” that Coogan would make a positive impact on Indiana’s line, mentioning that he’s a great teammate in addition to being a high-IQ player on the field.
“He’s loud. He’s a good communicator. He does really well in making all of his calls. He keeps his eyes up. He’s very focused. He’s very attentive, but he likes to keep the mood light. You know, he’s a pick-me-up guy. If someone’s down, he’s going to pat you on the back and say, ‘Hey, get back up, it’s time for the next rep.’ So, uh, he’s fit in really well since then,” Smith explained.
The praise is mutual, as Coogan told reporters how highly he thinks of the veteran left tackle last week after a fall camp practice.
“I think it starts with his build. Like he’s got a great left tackle build and he’s super athletic and he uses his long arms and his length really well and he’s just a really smart football player, I think. And he knows the game really well. He knows the ins and outs of it,” Coogan said. “Obviously, he’s played a ton of ball here, so that’s something you learn through experience and he has a ton of it, right? So super excited for him, like I know he’s going to have a great year and he’s really that anchor on that left side, that left tackle spot right there. He’s a great player.”
With the respect Coogan and Smith have for each other, it’s no surprise that Indiana’s offensive line shares a great bond, one that should give them quite the advantage on the field. For a position group that depends on each other every single snap of the game, having a connection between each member of the line is a must, and Indiana is displaying how much of a strength it has when it comes to playing as a cohesive unit.
Another transfer that has fit in nicely with the rest of the group has been Zen Michalski, the former Ohio State tackle.
“He’s really long. He’s really good in pass pro. As a person, you know, he’s a lot of fun to be around and he’s pretty vocal, makes all of his right calls. You know, outside the facility, he’s always wanted to just go grab a bite to eat. You know, he’s a fun guy to be around,” Smith explained.
Michalski doesn’t have quite the experience that Coogan has, but he’s been around another storied program in OSU and knows how to win. Beyond that, Michalski is of great size and uses his body well, but again his relationship with his teammates trumps all of that.
The Hoosiers’ ability to build strong connections has been extremely impressive, as even in the early days of fall camp it was apparent that the offensive line works so well together. They all seem to have a common goal, a common identity and fit in seamlessly.
“I would say our identity is play the next play, you know, whether we do a good job and we cover up all of our targets or whether we, you know, maybe miss a block and have a TFL, you know, it’s always right back to the line, right back to the huddle, get the next play going. I think everyone’s attitude on the line is really good, especially between the starters,” Smith mentioned.
With this common goal and bond between the starters, Indiana’s offensive line should be one of its core strengths. While skill positions are the ones who get the most notoriety throughout the season, the offensive linemen are doing everything they can to help the Hoosiers win.
Indiana has a special group of guys leading its offensive line, and it all comes back to the belief they have and the connections they’ve made with each other.
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