2023 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 71 Days (William Larkins)

Written by: Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The 2023 edition of the Hoosier Huddle Countdown is officially underway! We are counting down from 100 to the beginning of the 2023 Indiana University football season. Each day, we will look at one (or two) players on the current Indiana football roster and highlight the player’s role in the upcoming season. Today we continue our run of offensive lineman with freshman William Larkins.

Name: William Larkins

Hometown: Hollywood, Florida (Chaminade-Madonna)

Position: Offensive Line

Year: Freshman

Height/Weight: 6’4”/310 pounds

Social Media: Twitter (@w_larkins55)

Larkins in another incoming freshman offensive lineman that comes from an impressive program in Chaminade-Madonna in Florida. He was the starting center on back-to-back state championship teams his junior and senior seasons.

Larkins enrolled early and was in Bloomington for spring practice, which should accelerate his development under new offensive line coach Bob Bostad.

“He's a driven guy and works extremely hard. He's here right now with us as a mid-year enrollee.” Indiana head coach Tom Allen said of Larkins. “He's our only offensive lineman out of high school that's here now, and just love the way he works. He knows he's got to do it every single day, and he was part of one of the top high school programs in the country down there in Florida.”

Fans may already know of Larkins because of his presence on social media during the season as he supported the Hoosiers from afar. That is a quality that Allen wants in all his players.

“(We) want guys that want to be here, that love this place and feel like this is going to be their new home, and that's what you're looking for. Some guys are a little more vocal about it. He does a great job with that from a social media perspective. But we don't necessarily tell him to do that. I think it's more their personality.” Allen explained.

Larkins has a chance to break into the rotation and two-deep since he was the only incoming freshman lineman who was participating in spring practice. His work ethic has stuck out.

“I also know that he has a really, really good work ethic. I'm all about guys that work and that let their play prove who they are on the field.” Allen said.

It is really difficult for true freshmen linemen to find their way on to the field in the Big Ten, but Larkins has several things going in his favor as IU is trying to rebuild the offensive line.

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff rolls on with Day 70 tomorrow!