Countdown to 2020 IUFB Kickoff: 56 Days (Michael Katic)

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

Despite the announcement of a conference only fall schedule, there has not been an announced halt to the season yet. As they say in the Navy, ‘Damn the Torpedos, Full Speed Ahead’. The 2020 Hoosier Huddle Countdown is nearing the halfway point ad we are firmly at the point of the countdown that focuses on a string of the “big uglies” upfront: the offensive linemen. Today’s feature is a redshirt freshman the Hoosiers might be counting on to step into a starting role, Mike Katic.

Name – Mike Katic

Position – Offensive Line

Hometown – Redshirt Freshman from Gibsonia, PA (Pine-Richland High School)

Height – 6’4”

Weight – 311 pounds

Indiana University’s roster is not littered with players from the Keystone State. However, they dipped into Pennsylvania secured the commitment of Mike Katic as a member of the 2018 recruiting class. Katic is a 6’4” interior offensive lineman that starred at Pine-Richland High School, earning 2018 All-USA Pennsylvania honors and being named to the all-conference teams as a junior and senior. Pine-Richland is a highly successful program, winning back-to-back conference titles in 2017 and 2018 and winning a 2017 state championship. Katic was highlighted by many, Hoosier Huddle included, as a potential future star at guard for the Hoosiers.

Katic redshirted his freshman season, earning two scout team player of the week honors. Heading into the 2020 season, he is considered a front-runner for one of the vacant starting guard positions. Here’s what we are pretty sure we know about the offensive line: Caleb Jones and Matthew Bedford are bookends at tackle and both should start and be in the top half in the Big Ten at their respective positions. Harry Crider will likely start at center. Transfer Dylan Powell has experience at guard and tackle and IU has a hole at left guard that he can fill so it is expected that newcomer Dylan Powell will start at left guard. That leaves veteran Mackenzie Nworah, Katic and a couple of newcomers to battle for the right guard position. I think the staff knows what Nworah is at this point and I am expecting Katic to get the nod. He could very well develop into a four-year starter on the line for the Hoosiers. The ceiling would be that he can have a Dan Feeney like career on the interior. That is an incredibly high ceiling but it is one the big freshman from Pennsylvania has the ability to reach. Indiana’s staff will gladly accept a solid debut season in 2020 where he plugs the hole at right guard and gives them a position they don’t need to worry about moving forward.