Indiana won a college football national championship in Curt Cignetti’s second year as head coach in large part because of his ability to identify talent on the recruiting trail. Jeremiah Jones is the latest offensive lineman to commit.
He is a zero-star recruit.
What do the Hoosiers see in the under-the-radar prospect that other college football programs don’t? Jones fits the mold as their next diamond in the rough.
Who is zero-star recruit Jeremiah Jones?
Indiana received a commitment from Jeremiah Jones on late Saturday evening. The Class of 2027 recruit was on campus in Bloomington for Junior Day when he made his announcement.
Jones plays basketball and left tackle at Michigan City High School. He stands 6-foot-6, 271 pounds.
Although his size is on par with most other players at his position, the zero-star prospect holds only three other offers from Miami (Oh), Toledo and Western Michigan. Power Four programs don’t have him on their radar. Except for one.
Indiana obviously views Jones as a star in the making, once they put some extra weight on his frame and teach him the system. Cignetti and offensive line coach Bob Bostad must love what they see on tape.
Mind you, there is still time for things to change.
Jones could become the fastest-rising offensive lineman in the recruiting Class of 2027 after he picked up a Power Four offer from the reigning national champions. He might change his mind. A different program could offer him an amount of money he cannot turn down. Who knows.
As of now, Jeremiah Jones is going to play for Indiana. It seems to be a firm commitment.
Indiana is an offensive line factory because of Bob Bostad and Curt Cignetti.
Bob Bostad was the lone assistant coach retained when Curt Cignetti was hired as head coach. The veteran offensive line coach played a crucial role in the run to the national title.
Not only did the decision to retain Bostad give the Hoosiers immediate stability up front, he proved to be one of the top talent developers at the position. Indiana had one of the worst offensive lines in the country when the veteran coach took over in early 2023.
It took a huge jump during Bostad’s first season. It took an even bigger leap when Bostad combined his power-running background with Cignetti’s spread-based offensive scheme.
The offensive line reduced its amount of negative plays through refined run concepts, simplified teaching points and a pass protection philosophy that compliments the run game. The offense was able to function with physicality first instead of relying only on explosive plays, which allowed Indiana to control and win games through long, sustained drives.
Equally as important in the national championship was Bostad’s ability to develop a cohesive unit amid roster turnover. He and Cignetti added multiple players who were labeled as “undersized” or “underdeveloped” or “overrated” and turned the offensive line into a Joe Moore Award finalist.
Jeremiah Jones is next up. Indiana got on the zero-star recruit early to make sure he would commit. The coaching staff in Bloomington is chomping at the bit. They can’t wait to develop him into their next star.