2024 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 70 Days (Mitch Verstegen)

Written by T.J. Inman

In just 10 weeks the Indiana Hoosiers will kick off the 2024 season in Bloomington against Florida International. With 70 days remaining we look at incoming freshman offensive lineman Mitch Verstegen.

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 300 pounds

Hometown: Kaukauna, Wisconsin (Kaukauna High School)

Class/Position: Freshman/Offensive Line

Offensive line is a position of constant need in college football. Every school is always on the lookout for big guys that could develop into starting-caliber offensive linemen and most schools try to sign at least a few offensive line prospects in each high school recruiting class. IU’s new coaching staff was completely overhauled but they did keep one position coach from Tom Allen’s staff: offensive line coach Bob Bostad. Bostad signed four linemen to add to his position group including a pair from Wisconsin (Mitch Verstegen and Austin Leibfried) and 6’4” Adedamola Ajani from Speedway, Indiana and 6’7” exciting prospect Evan Lawrence. Mitch Verstegen is one of the two interesting big men from the state Bostad previously coached in: Wisconsin. Verstegen is from Kaukauna and was ranked as the 21st best prospect in the state. He committed to Indiana in May of 2023 and then stayed committed to the Hoosiers after they moved on from Tom Allen and hired Curt Cignetti. 

Mitch Verstegen had interest from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Notre Dame and played tackle in high school. He is expected to slide inside when he suits up for Indiana and play either guard or center. Evan Lawrence and Austin Leibfried will be the tackles from this class and Adedamola Ajani is expected to be a guard so Verstegen gives the class good balance on the line. If he sees the field for anything more than four games in 2024, something has gone terribly wrong for the Hoosiers on the injury front. The ideal situation is that Verstegen is able to redshirt and sees little to no action. He could then enter the 2025 season as a redshirt freshman and compete for one of the spots vacated by the veterans that will be starting in 2024. Bob Bostad knows what a good lineman from Wisconsin looks like and he is now tasked with developing another one, this time for the Indiana Hoosiers.

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff continues each and every day so be sure to check back often for the latest profile piece!