Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 99 Days (Allen Stallings and Nathanael Snyder)

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

#99

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kick-off has begun! There are now 99 days until the Indiana Hoosiers kick-off the 2017 season against the Ohio State Buckeyes. That seems like a long way away and I suppose it is but this countdown will fly by and it will be football season before we know it! Today’s countdown takes a look at two different #99s and we’ll start with defensive end Allen Stallings IV. 

Allen Stallings

-Height: 6’2”
-Weight: 240 pounds
-Hometown: Maywood, Illinois
-Position: Defensive End

The Indiana Hoosiers defense dramatically improved in 2016 under Tom Allen and Mark Hagen. Despite the improvement, there is little doubt the Hoosiers need to find a few individuals of providing game-changing one-on-one pass rush. One of the players they may look to provide that pass rush is Allen Stallings, a sophomore defensive end that appeared in only one game in 2016.

Stallings was a late addition to the 2016 recruiting class for the Hoosiers and he came to Indiana after playing along the defensive line at Oak Park and River Forest High School. Stallings was a success on the gridiron, earning his conference’s defensive MVP honors and being named to the Illinois All-State squad. He had seven sacks as a senior and forced a trio of fumbles. His greatest success came in a different sport though. Stallings was a four-time wrestling state qualifier and he won a state title as a 220 pound senior. 

IU’s 2016 defensive line was expected to be a bit thin and a weakness so it was no surprise that Stallings appeared in the season opener against FIU. However, he didn’t see the field in any more games as the d-line exceeded all expectations and had a very successful year. Stallings was named a two-time scout team player of the week and worked on adding weight to his frame and transitioning to competing against college linemen. It is anticipated that he will compete for playing time along a pretty well-stacked defensive line. 

Nathaniel Snyder

-Height: 6’1”
-Weight: 190 pounds
-Hometown: Greenwood, IN (Center Grove High School)
-Position: Kicker

Our second player for the day is redshirt freshman kicker Nathaniel Snyder. He came to IU after a tremendous career at football power Center Grove High School. Snyder was named a 2015 Kohl’s Kicking All-American and he was an all-state selection as a senior. Snyder had 106 touchbacks on 135 kickoffs and he connected on 14 of his 20 field goal attempts. 

Griffin Oakes is seemingly firmly placed as the starting kicker but he struggled some last season so it is very possible that a big offseason from Snyder could turn the kicking position into a battle for the 2017 season.

Please share any comments or thoughts in the comments section or in our message board. The countdown continues tomorrow so make sure to check Hoosier Huddle daily as we churn towards the 2017 season!