IU recruits 4-star lineman

Football players receiving scholarship offers from schools such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Purdue, Kansas, Minnesota, North Carolina State and Indiana rarely choose the latter.   

Throw in being a four-star recruit and snagging numerous top-20 player rankings, and IU usually doesn’t even crack a player’s top-10 list.

However, one of IU’s latest verbal commitments, Jibreel Black, isn’t an ordinary recruit.  
Black didn’t spend his childhood playing in youth football leagues, and he didn’t play in junior high either. The first time Black played organized football was his freshman year at Wyoming High School in Cincinnati.

The ability to come from learning the basics of playing the game to becoming a four-star recruit in only three years is astonishing to some. But Bernie Barre, Black’s high school football coach, said Black’s intensity is one of the reasons he is successful.   

Barre described Black as being “relentless about getting to the ball and to tackles,” and said Black’s “motor is always running.” Hard work also plays a role, as Barre said Black gives not just 100 percent, but 150 percent, all the time.  

Barre, who has coached Black throughout high school, believes Black will be a great college player because of his quickness and agility.

Black’s older brother Larry Black, currently a defensive tackle for the Hoosiers, also thinks Jibreel Black will be an incredible college player who will make a major and immediate impact.  

Jibreel Black had more than 20 schools, including seven Big Ten schools, offer him scholarships, according to ESPN.com. But he ultimately decided to verbally commit to the Hoosiers.  

The obvious question is, why would a four-star recruit want to come to a school that has a lackluster football program, instead of committing to one of the many Big Ten football powerhouses?

Jibreel Black seemed to be motivated by the challenge of a school that doesn’t receive many big name recruits, and by the chance to put IU on the map for football.  

Jibreel Black said his motivation has been based mainly in fear. He always worried someone would be better than him, and that always encouraged him to work harder and to stay late after practice to do sprints.

Having so many schools after him was enjoyable for Jibreel Black, he said. He said visiting campuses and going to basketball games was fun, but it made the final decision hard.  

Jibreel Black said his decision was not based on family ties to the school. He said his brother helped out a lot, but, ultimately was only about 25 percent of the decision process. Jibreel Black said he wanted to play for the Hoosiers because it was a good fit and because he would be able to develop more as a player.  

Another key reason he chose IU was playing time. He could see playing time as a freshman, as two defensive ends, Jammie Kirlew and Greg Middleton, will be graduating after this season. Jibreel Black said this was important to him because he loves playing and wouldn’t want to sit out for an entire season.  

But what Jibreel Black said he is most excited about in his verbal commitment to the Hoosiers was the opportunity to play at the next level and in the Big Ten with his brother.  

Jibreel Black headlines the 2010 class of football recruits, which currently boasts nine players.