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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports football

Young tackle in position to replace Jason Spriggs

Brandon Knight reminded everyone of Jason Spriggs. Simon Stepaniak reminded everyone of Dan Feeney.

Feeney, a senior guard, is back for one more season in Bloomington. Spriggs, on the other hand, is off to the NFL Draft and is a potential first round pick.

That means the left tackle spot is open this spring, and Spriggs’ comparison could be his replacement.

“I think Brandon Knight will be our left tackle, but I honestly think he’s athletic enough that if we need some big boy sets that we can move him,” IU Coach Kevin Wilson said.

In moving him, Wilson means Knight can go back to tight end. Last season, Knight spent time at tight end due to injuries at the position and the consistent health of Spriggs.

He was considered athletic enough to give IU another skilled blocker on the outside.

But blocking was not all he did. In the fourth quarter of IU’s final regular season against Purdue, Knight was lined up as one of two tight ends on the left and went upfield. Quarterback Nate Sudfeld rolled out left and quickly found Knight wide open in the corner for his first career touchdown.

That was another example of comparisons between Spriggs and Knight. Spriggs played tight end in high school and switched to tackle in college. Knight did the reverse.

But this spring, Knight is the frontrunner at left tackle and is earning praise combined with acknowledgements of his youth and need to learn. Regardless, coaches say he is on the right track.

“I think he’s farther along than, probably, where Feeney and Spriggs was as a young guy,” Wilson said.

Offensive line coach Greg Frey agreed. Spriggs missed his first spring due to injury. Knight is able to develop in his first offseason.

Wilson praised Knight for being very athletic, as well as tough and coachable.

“He does some really good things,” Frey said. “He does some things that make you miss Jason.”

But Knight currently being the frontrunner doesn’t mean the job is his. Wilson said Tuesday he’d love for somebody to beat Knight just because that means sophomores Tim Gardner or Delroy Baker or freshman DaVondre Love are stepping up and coming along.

Wilson also said he is looking forward to incoming freshman Coy Cronk coming into the program this summer. Cronk is another guy he said reminds him of Spriggs.

But for now, Knight is the man in control of the left tackle spot. The 6-foot-5, 290-pounder has a chance to add to the culture on the offensive line that produced two All-Americans last season in Spriggs and Feeney.

“I think in time, if he stays healthy and continues to develop, he’ll have a good year,” Wilson said. “And he’s on track to have a strong career.”

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