Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 70 Days (Michael Ziemba)

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

#70

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kick-off is rolling along and we tick one day closer to the opening of the 2017 season! Yes, the season opener against Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes is now only 70 days away. Today’s countdown piece focuses on an incoming freshman from the Sunshine State: Michael Ziemba.

Michael Ziemba (Freshman)

-Height: 6’3”

-Weight: 245 pounds

-Hometown: Lake Mary, Florida (Lake Mary High School)

-Position: Defensive Line

IU has had a lot of success recruiting the talent-rich state of Florida recently. That trend is likely to continue thanks to the connections of guys like William Inge and new IU head coach Tom Allen. Michael Ziemba, a true freshman from Lake Mary, Florida, is the focus of today’s countdown piece.

Michael Ziemba was a versatile star at Lake Mary High School, playing linebacker, defensive end and tight end. During his junior season, he had more than 20 catches for 300 yards with four touchdowns along with 59 tackles. He missed his senior season with a leg injury and that likely kept his recruiting ranking a bit lower than it would have been had he been healthy. William Inge was in charge of his recruitment and his former high school teammate, IU receiver Nick Westbrook, convinced him IU was the place for him. Ziemba committed to the Hoosiers over offers from Cincinnati, Purdue, East Carolina and others.

The fact that he played successfully on both sides of the ball makes him an intriguing prospect but it seems highly likely he will end up beginning his IU career as a member of Mark Hagen’s defensive line. His highlight tape showed a level of physicality and aggression that you love to see in a defender. He was labeled by recruiting experts as a “tenacious tackler” and if he can add a bit of size to his frame, he could develop into a player that can help at both defensive tackle and defensive end, very similar to the role currently occupied by Jacob Robinson. For now, IU has a very deep defensive line plus Ziemba is coming off of a leg injury that held him out of competitive action for a year so it would be a surprise if he did not redshirt the 2017 season and work on developing for the future on the scout team.

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