Jones in better shape this spring, ready to attack 2021

BLOOMINGTON — As an in-state product, Caleb Jones has been a proud representative of Indiana football the last several years.

The 6-foot-8, 355-pound offensive tackle could head home for the offseason after an eight-win campaign in 2019, or the pandemic-shortened, six-win season of 2020, with his head held very high on his very broad shoulders.

But the chorus Jones has heard isn’t all positive. “What happened? What happened?” the Hoosiers’ big man recalled hearing from his former Lawrence North classmates after IU dropped Jan. 2 bowl games in consecutive seasons. “Why didn’t you guys … ? Why didn’t you guys … ?” also echoed in Jones’ ears.

“I think it brings about a level of focus and tenacity toward what we want to do next season and the goals we want to achieve,” Jones said. “Two years in a row, we didn’t finish. And this year, it can’t be that same way.”

Last season was undoubtedly a good one for IU, but Jones thinks back and knows it could have been better. Especially for himself.

Without the structure of a normal offseason, Jones found it harder to keep himself in good shape. By the end of the season — after missing three consecutive games in the middle of it — Jones was playing at around 395 pounds. That weight is carriable for a man as massive as Jones, but it doesn’t allow an athlete to be as quick and nimble as Division I football requires.

He’s down about 40 pounds this spring, determined to cut another five to 10 before he steps on the field next fall.

“Now that I’ve gotten to a weight that I kind of feel good at, it’s about refining my technique and making sure I’m just taking every opportunity and every advantage that I can in spring ball,” Jones said. “Just trying to make sure I can be the best me I can be next season.”

With players like Jones in the fold, IU has an opportunity to build strength along the line. Jones and fellow offensive tackle Matthew Bedford have each started the majority of the last two seasons, while former junior college product Luke Haggard received extended snaps in Jones’ absence. On the interior, center Harry Crider has moved on, but grad transfer Dylan Powell, freshman Mike Katic, and sixth-year senior-to-be Mackenzie Nworah have all played.

There were times last season where IU struggled to establish a run game, and Mike Penix Jr. and Jack Tuttle were under duress more than the Hoosiers probably would have liked. But IU coach Tom Allen went as far as to say he thinks the offensive line could be a strength this season. Jones doesn’t disagree.

“We do have a lot of guys coming back that have a lot of game experience and, of course, that’s going to help when it comes to crunch time ... and you have to have guys that know what to do out there,” Jones said. “It’s definitely going to be a big advantage for us, knowing we have so many guys coming back.”

The hope, as well, is the Hoosiers are just more prepared upfront. Allen acknowledged during the COVID-restricted offseason that linemen may have been more affected than any position group. Skill guys can find a field somewhere and work on speed. Big guys, who tend to enjoy pushing weights around, not running, didn’t have access to gyms. They didn’t have strength coaches there to keep tabs.

Weight has been a longstanding issue for Jones, who arrived at IU as a 405-pound freshman. He worked incredibly hard to trim down, cutting out some chicken wings and other fast food for healthier options. He did all he needed to do in the weight room and embraced “the suck,” as former grad assistant Danny Friend framed it.

But, admittedly, things got away from Jones last season. And not just for him.

“The COVID offseason was definitely one of the toughest offseasons I’ve ever had as a player,” Jones said. “Not having the structure that you’re used to … during my offseasons here, it definitely threw everybody off. It threw me off, as well, trying to make sure I was getting the work done. It was just a real tough offseason, but this year is a lot different.

“We’ve got structure, we’ve got a great strength staff, our coaching staff is here … and we’re really trying to get better out here.”

Coming into the spring, Allen pointed to the Hoosiers’ running game as a point of emphasis, which the line will carry. Last season, the Hoosiers had a bell-cow back in Stevie Scott, but he averaged just 3.6 yards per rush. As a team, IU was the third-worst rushing offense in the Big Ten, producing 108.6 yards per contest.

Again, the COVID-altered season of 2020 may have affected the run phase more than others, because Allen also indicated the playbook was watered down last season. He didn’t want to run the risk of overwhelming backups who might get thrown into the mix because of a positive COVID test.

But if IU’s running scheme can be more complex in 2021, and the offensive line can strengthen, the Hoosiers can become a more well-rounded offense around Penix and his receivers.

There is certainly competition this spring, especially at tackle. Haggard, for one, came to IU as a 260-pound tackle, and he’s bulked up into a 6-7, 291-pound specimen.

“He’s put on the weight, he’s attacked the weight room, he’s attacked the field, and he’s really tried to make himself a good player,” Jones said. “You don’t want to sit there and let your brother work their butt off and you don’t give the same effort. That’s not fair to him. So he definitely pushes us, and I’d say we all push each other, to just become the best players we can.”

Jones definitely doesn’t want to hear the same chorus of “What happened?” after the 2021 season.

“It’s definitely a certain level of excitement that’s just expressed throughout the whole program. But at the same time, more than there is excitement, there’s a level of focus,” Jones said, “because, at the end of the day, we did a lot of good things the last two years, but neither of the last two years did we finish the way we’ve wanted to.

“There’s still goals we need to attack and there’s still games we need to win.”