Haggard Dedicated to His Commitment on the Indiana Offensive Line

Image: sammy jaCobs/hoosier huddle

Written by Evan McShane (@very_reasonable)

Luke Haggard arrived in Bloomington this winter after enrolling early. The 6-foot-7 offensive lineman from California spent two seasons at Santa Rosa Junior College where he was an all-conference selection. Haggard was rated as one of the top 25 JUCO prospects in his class, and he ultimately chose the Hoosiers over Oregon State, Fresno State, Nevada and others. 

Haggard is ready to hit the ground running at Indiana. With his size, Haggard will have a chance to make a big impact in the trenches. When Haggard made the decision to attend a Big Ten school, it was a given he'd need to bulk up his frame. In an interview with Peegs.com, Haggard told reporters he's already gained 15 pounds to get to 265. 

Haggard was recruited out of high school to play defensive end, but they moved him over to the offensive line. He explains, "So I really have only been playing tackle for two years. My first year it was learning how to play tackle, everything, the form and all that, and then really I just practiced it. By my second year I was pretty good at tackle at that point, and I started to get recruited for tackle."

Haggard is raw, but his talent and potential are obvious. "The biggest thing at the J.C. (junior college), besides the form, was putting on the weight, but I didn’t have a nutrition plan there. And the weight room was not like this, so it was really hard for me. It was all on my own to do it, but here they help you so much." 

Haggard believes the coaches and resources at Indiana will help him unlock his potential. Like any Big Ten program, the Hoosiers are always in need of offensive line depth. Luke Haggard is focused on making the most of his opportunity at IU. 

His one word for 2020 is commitment. “I chose commitment because I’m committed to this team,” Haggard told Hoosier Huddle, “No matter how great things are or how hard things may get, I’m always going to be here for the team and I’m always going to give it my all.”

Countdown to 2019 IUFB Kickoff: 51 Days (Mackenzie Nworah)

Written by Amanda Pavelka

COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: #51 MACKENZIE NWORAH

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 310 pounds

Hometown: Houston, Texas (Manvel)

Year: Redshirt Junior

Position: OL

Less than two months remain until the long-awaited 2019 Indiana football season. The Hoosiers will make their season debut at Lucas Oil Stadium where they will take on the Ball State Cardinals on August 31st in a noon game. With 51 days remaining, it is only appropriate to talk about the man who will represent the Hoosiers’ No. 51 jersey— Mackenzie Nworah.

You’ve heard his name before, but it’s been a while. In 2017, he started six games and played in ten at right guard. Indiana’s offensive player of the game in their 41-0 win over Rutgers was none other than Nworah.

Nworah’s had a knock-down, drag-out fight with injuries since then, and unfortunately had to sit out most of the 2018 season to recover. For a guy with the perfect size and frame for the offensive guard job, he was one of the most painful sights on the Hoosier bench. He traded time on the field for time in the books and ended up contributing to the IU football program’s record, being one of 29 guys to earn Academic All-Big Ten Honors in 2018.

Although no official word, Nworah’s comeback is hopeful and he’ll likely be called upon as next man up at offensive guard.