Countdown to 2019 IUFB Kickoff: 55 Days (Luke Lane)
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Written by T.J. Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)
2019 Countdown - #55
Name – Luke Lane
Position – Offensive Lineman (Freshman)
Hometown – Cincinnati, OH (Lebanon High School)
Height – 6’3”
Weight – 306 pounds
The 2019 Hoosier Huddle Countdown has chugged along into the 50s. Only 55 days from now, the Indiana Hoosiers will take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis and open their season against the Ball State Cardinals. Today’s countdown feature is on a new addition to the program, a true freshman walk-on that is another example of Tom Allen’s emphasis on building the overall depth in the roster by purposefully recruiting strong walk-ons that will bring quality and hard work into the program. An offensive lineman from Ohio, today’s focus is Luke Lane.
Luke Lane played in the football-rich state of Ohio, starting as an offensive lineman at Lebanon High School. Stats are hard to come by for an offensive lineman but the Lebanon Warriors went 5-5 in 2018 and Lane received attention from major programs for his play and physical measurables. Lane received scholarship offers from Old Dominion, Ball State and local FCS program Dayton. In March and December of 2018, he visited the University of Miami-Florida but did not receive a scholarship offer. On the final day of 2018, the 6’3” lineman accepted a walk-on spot with the Indiana Hoosiers.
Lane is a big young man, particularly for a walk-on. At 6’3” and more than 300 pounds, he has the size you look for in a Big Ten guard. From a size perspective, he measures comparable to IU veterans like Harry Crider, Mackenzie Nworah and Hunter Littlejohn. He won’t have the length to play on the outside as a tackle but he is already big enough to help the Hoosiers as a guard. IU has a number of walk-on offensive linemen and Tom Allen continues to strive to make the walk-on program a strength for his program. That is very apparent on the lines of scrimmage as Indiana has players like Dominic Altimari, Tommy Greene and Charlie O’Connor that are established as walk-ons in the program. Lane joins that group and he’ll have a chance to improve the squad as a practice player in what is likely to be a redshirt season in 2019 before battling for a spot on the depth chart moving forward.
HUTCH’S TRIVIA QUESTION
In honor of the late Terry Hutchens, we are including a daily IUFB trivia question from his book So You Think You Know Indiana University Football. Hutch is dearly missed and this is our way of keeping his memory with us this season. Please leave your answers in the comments section.
Tandon Doss, Versie Gaddis, Marcus Thigpen and T.J. Simmons have all worn this number.
Yesterday’s Answer: Simmie Cobbs
(check back tomorrow for the answer)
The Hoosier Huddle Countdown continues each day so check back daily!
(check back tomorrow for the answer)
The Hoosier Huddle Countdown continues each day so check back daily!