Caleb Jones, the Largest Hoosier, is Improving Everyday

Redshirt freshman Caleb Jones could take the IU O-line to the next level Image: Sammy Jacobs Hoosier Huddle

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

In a sport filled with very large men, Caleb Jones stands out. The 6’8”, 360-pound redshirt freshman from Indianapolis, Indiana came to Bloomington after a strong career at left tackle at Lawrence North High School. He sat out the 2017 season and has worked hard to get himself into better shape and turn his massive frame into one that could withstand the tempo and pace of the Hoosiers offense.

“I’ve absolutely made strides. First drives when I got here, I realized that tempo offense is really something. It was hard to keep up at first but something I’ve improved in every day. I’ve worked on giving my all every play. I’m a big guy so I get gassed pretty easily, or I used to. I worked on that everyday giving 100% in my reps,” Jones told the media last week.

It’s difficult to say “most players of his size” because there are not many players that would stand eye-to-eye with Caleb Jones. However, the ones that come close typically are deemed too big or not athletic enough to play left tackle. As a result, they usually get shifted to right tackle. However, to this point, Caleb Jones has worked exclusively at left tackle and the staff believes he can develop into a book-end on the offensive line for the Hoosiers. For his part, Jones has one goal in mind.

“My goal, at the end of the day, is to play the next level. I thank God for the abilities he’s blessed me with,” Jones said.

A couple of current Hoosiers continue to help and push Jones in practice, veteran leaders Coy Cronk and Wes Martin.

“They teach me a lot every day. Watching guys go out and dominate makes me want to do the same thing.”

The transition to IU’s offense is not an easy one for any young offensive lineman. It might be particularly difficult for Jones as his Lawrence North squad ran a triple option attack that required very little pass blocking and did not feature traditional run blocking techniques. In high school, Jones’ size and strength overwhelmed most opponents. However, it was clear that he moved his feet well and had the potential to turn into a very capable Big Ten blocker. Offensive line coach Darren Hiller and Caleb Jones have worked hard on his technique and the strength program has worked on maximizing the strength his size has granted him.

“Everything I’ve done in high school has improved,” Jones said. “The main thing is the power profile. That’s something Dr. Ray works on a lot. It measures how much power you can put out at the size you are. In high school, I had no idea. I noticed that as my squat and bench goes up, my athletic ability goes up as well.”

Indiana’s offensive line was not bad in 2017 but it was not the strength that IU needs it to be. The healthy return of Brandon Knight, the presence of veteran rocks Coy Cronk and Wes Martin, the addition of talented graduate transfer Nick Linder and the progression of guys like Harry Crider and Mackenzie Nworah are all very good reasons for Hoosier fans to hope the 2018 offensive line can be one of the better ones in the Big Ten. If the continued hard work of Caleb Jones can turn him into a contributing force sooner rather than later, IU’s line could go from solid to downright intimidating.

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