Welcoming Ernie Jones and Ken Kaczmarek to the IU Athletics Hall of Fame
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Written By Evan McShane (@veryreasonable)
Indiana University Director of Athletics Fred Glass announced last month the addition of six members to its IU Athletics Hall of Fame. This year's class of 2017 brings the current roster of Hall of Fame inductees to 225 – truly elite company. In what will be the 36th induction ceremony, IU will honor two football players who represented the university proudly and simply dominated on the field. "We are thrilled to welcome these legends into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame," Fred Glass said. "This is a tremendous class of inductees whose contributions to IU Athletics represent the best of our championship heritage. Congratulations to each of these Hoosier legends who left an indelible mark on IU Athletics."
Legends in their own right, wide receiver Ernest “Ernie” Jones and linebacker Ken Kaczmarek are getting the recognition they deserve. With their careers separated by two decades, Jones and Kaczmarek made lasting impacts on Indiana football in different ways. However, they share one important thing in common: each player saw the IU football program make a dramatic turnaround during their careers in Bloomington.
Ken Kaczmarek was a highly decorated recruit from South Bend, Indiana back in 1964. He earned All-City, All-County, and All-State honors while leading the defense on one of the top 100 high school football teams in the country. Kaczmarek’s high school team had a win-loss record of 23-4-2 over a three-year period. During Kaczmarek’s first three years at Indiana, the Hoosiers went 5-23-1. As a freshman Ken Kaczmarek saw Phil Dickens coach his final season at IU. Then John Pont came to Bloomington in effort to turn things around. The Hoosiers struggled during Kaczmarek’s sophomore and junior year, winning just three total games.
Kaczmarek was rewarded during his senior year. Indiana churned out a remarkable 9-1 season before falling to USC in the Rose Bowl. The defense was stellar that season, as the Hoosiers won their first eight games. Indiana allowed their opponents to score just 14.4 points per game. In 8-of-10 contests the defense held teams under 20 points. Kaczmarek had his best game when it mattered most. On November 25th, 1967 the 5th ranked Hoosiers hosted the 3rd ranked Purdue Boilermakers. It was a battle between two one-loss teams who also happen to have among the fiercest rivalries in sports. Kaczmarek forced a fumble late in the game, securing a 19-14 Indiana victory. Hours after beating Purdue, it was announced that IU had earned a trip to play in the Rose Bowl. The win also clinched a share of the Big Ten Title.
He was the first IU linebacker to earn All-American honors. He was also a first team All-Big Ten selection his senior year. Kaczmarek led the team in tackles his senior year to go along with two fumble recoveries and an interception. He graduated with a degree in accounting and pursued his masters from IU after his football career ended. He received his MBA from the Kelley School of Business in 1971. Kaczmarek thrived in Bloomington, both on the gridiron and in the classroom. His induction into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame will be celebrated.
Nearly 20 years later, a man named Ernest Lee Jones from Elkhart, Indiana would make history, but not before some trying times. As a freshman, Ernie Jones saw the Hoosiers lose every single game, finishing the season 0-11 under first-year head coach Bill Mallory. Mallory turned things around with the help of Jones. During the first three years of his career, Jones caught two passes per game and had just five touchdowns combined. However, as a sophomore, Jones and the Hoosiers won four games. The following year, Indiana finished 6-6, earning the right to play in the All-American Bowl.
Similar to Kaczmarek, Jones was rewarded his senior year. Although, at the wide receiver position, Ernie had the chance to make a lot more plays. Boy, did he. In 1987 Ernie Jones set a school record for receiving yards in a season with 1,265. That record still stands. He had 66 catches that year, averaging nearly 20 yards per play every time he touched the ball. He scored 13 touchdowns. Jones was purely electrifying. He and head coach Bill Mallory led the Hoosiers to an 8-3 record and a chance to play Tennessee in the Peach Bowl. Although they would come up short in the bowl game, Ernie Jones saw the program go from 0-11 as a freshman to 8-3 as a senior. A remarkable turnaround that paid dividends for Jones in other ways.
Ernie’s outstanding senior season caught the attention of NFL scouts. He was selected in the seventh round by the Phoenix Cardinals. He had a moderately successful six-year professional career. He retired from the NFL with over 200 receptions, 3,630 receiving yards, and 20 touchdowns. 30 years after his historical season in Bloomington, Jones is being honored with an induction into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame.
The stories of these two IU football legends provide hope for another turnaround. Who will be the next Hoosier football player to make the IU Athletics Hall of Fame? For now, we will celebrate the careers and lives of Ken Kaczmarek and Ernie Jones. These men are prime examples of what every Indiana football player should strive to be. Congratulations, gentlemen.