Countdown to Kickoff: 79 Days (Brandon Knight)

Written By: Nick Holmes (@HoosierHolmes)

The Countdown continues as the Hoosiers are 79 days away from taking the field against the Southern Illinois Salukis. Today we will take a look at freshman offensive tackle Brandon Knight.

The native of Noblesville recently made his way to the capital of Hoosier Nation, taking part in off-season conditioning and getting to know his fellow teammates better. Knight had offers from the likes of Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Miami, Minnesota, North Carolina State, Purdue, Toledo, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and Western Michigan before narrowing it down between the Hoosiers and the Boilermakers.  

When it came time to choose, he noted how important it was to find a place where he felt welcome and a part of the team. "The deciding factor was that I was where I felt like it was a family," said Knight in an interview with Indystar's Mark Ambrogi after his commitment to Indiana. "The guys that have already committed treated me like a brother. I just felt like it was the right place for me. The campus is beautiful. The academics fit right." 

Knight went on to have an outstanding senior season for the Noblesville Millers, landing on the 2014 Associated Press Indiana All-State 6A and the All-Hoosier Crossroads Conference Teams.

Future Outlook

While left tackle is well-manned this season with three-year starter Jason Spriggs, Knight looks to the be answer for the blindside in following future seasons. In an ideal scenario, he will be able to redshirt his first season on campus, allowing him to add weight to his 6-foot-5, 265-pound frame. As the Hoosiers have a considerable amount of talent along the offensive line, redshirting seems to be the likely outcome.