‘It’s all them’: IU football’s ‘hoggies’ turn chemistry into on-field success

Photos from IU football's Big Ten championship win against Ohio State.

MIAMI – As a seasoned veteran in the profession, Indiana offensive line coach Bob Bostad recognizes the tendencies of a group that truly works as a unit. He knows the product on the field isn’t built solely during practice. It’s a togetherness formed in places far removed from the locker room.

He scanned his unit sitting on the bleachers at College Football Playoff National Championship Media Day on Saturday, joking and teasing one another. Their laughter rang out, bright and unrestrained, even within earshot of their stoic head coach. It wasn’t a facade, just a group of players who had forged genuine bonds.

“I think they really get along on and off the field, and that makes a huge difference,” Bostad said. “That’s something they do themselves. We don’t have to manipulate it, and that’s a big deal.”

The forming of the relationships doesn’t happen overnight. It’s virtually impossible to, especially in the transfer portal era.

Pat Coogan’s arrival in Bloomington following his national final run with Notre Dame was the last piece to the offensive line’s puzzle.

Yet Indiana’s offensive line comprises individuals with entirely different backgrounds. Five states represent the seven guys who’ve played meaningful snaps. Before spring practices even began, an eager group, hungry for winning, began establishing relationships.

The south central Indiana weather didn’t allow for outdoor activities, so the group settled for something all offensive linemen enjoy: going out to eat.

Figuring out a place to eat is usually simple for the bunch, but when it comes to pizza, that’s where it becomes contentious.

While most of the guys, like Carter Smith, prefer a Bloomington staple in Mother Bear’s, Drew Evans prefers Goodfellas on Kirkwood. The one place that remains in the rotation is wings from BuffaLouie’s. Whether it’s dine in or carry out, it’s the one place that everyone can agree upon.

“We try to be as consistent as possible. It’s tough, but we do our best,” Smith said. “You can’t beat BuffaLouie’s, though.”

When the dreadful cold gave way to warmer weather, it brought out each individual’s competitiveness. Cornhole boards and bags found their way onto the front lawn, and the summer pastime quickly became cutthroat.

Evans at first humbly accepted the crown as the best of the bunch. However, when Coogan refuted the claim, his personality came to the fore, and the flame was rekindled.

“We compete at everything,” Evans said. “We’re about giving it your all to come out on top.”

That off-field competition turned into on-field reliability, where cohesion matters more than individual talent.

Their primary responsibility is protecting quarterback Fernando Mendoza. A transfer himself, Mendoza made it a point to build trust with the group he’s since dubbed the “hoggies.”

Hoping not to intrude on their established chemistry, Mendoza attended offensive line dinners and movie nights to build that all-important rapport.

“I try to hang out with those guys,” Mendoza said. “The relationship with the offensive line is so integral — so important. I would die for those guys. They put their bodies on the line to protect me.”

It didn’t take the new signal caller long to become one with the group. His genuine personality gave them every reason to block for him.

“Everything you see is what you’re gonna get,” Smith said. “And I would say that his why kind of meshes into our why, too. Everything we do is for each other.”

All of that competitiveness comes full circle once the unit puts on the pads. The line did its part protecting its Heisman quarterback, allowing only 22 sacks through 15 games. They all share a sense of pride, keeping the pocket clean so Mendoza can continue to run the high-powered Indiana offense.

In addition to its dominant pass-blocking, the group has paved the way for running backs Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby. The holes allowed the backs to conjure six games of 300 or more rushing yards this season.

“It’s all them, honestly,” Black said. “From our center to our right guard, left tackle, man, you name it, I feel like they’ve done a great job.”

The unit’s last opportunity to prove its worth will undoubtedly be its toughest. Star defensive ends Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor present a challenge with their violence and speed off the edge. However, it’s a trial that the group will face as they’ve done all season long: with resilience as one.

“Everything that they encompass presents a huge challenge for us,” Coogan said. “We’ve prepared endlessly, and one that we’ve got to continue to prepare for.”

With more than 35 years of experience, Bostad finds it difficult to pin one group’s success to another.

But a win on Monday might change that. It’d be the ultimate ending to an unforgettable season for the position coach of Indiana’s unsung heroes.

For now, though, Bostad and the rest of the hoggies are taking it just one day at a time.

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