Family Affair – Vinny Fiacable Set To Make His IU Mark

By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Vinny Fiacable wasn't about to buck family tradition, not that he wanted to.

His father played football for Indiana, as did two older brothers.

So when the Hoosiers offered, Fiacable wasn't about to go rogue.

This was very good news for head coach Tom Allen and offensive line coach Darren Hiller.

The 6-4, 318-pound Fiacable, a freshman, was a two-way standout lineman for perennial powerhouse Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger High School. ESPN rated him as the state's No. 10 prospect and the nation's No. 38 offensive guard for 2020.

During last December's National Signing Day, Allen said Fiacable was the type of in-state player he wants to build a program around. The fact Fiacable was able to graduate from high school in December, enroll for the second semester, and participate in spring practice was huge for his development.

"Anytime you come early, it gives them a jump start on learning the playbook," Allen said. "It gives them a jump start on physical preparation, just the mental adjustment to college and the schedule."

Fiacable had plenty of family support with that early enrollment decision and in becoming a Hoosier.

His father, Steve, was an offensive line under coach Bill Mallory in the early 1990s. Older brother Steve was an IU offensive lineman 20 years later. Another brother, Mike, was a quarterback under Allen a few years ago.

"The first month or so I couldn't believe I was here," Fiacable says. "It was surreal, especially when we first put the pads on and the first day of spring ball. It was like, I'm really doing this. It was kind of crazy to me.

"From a family aspect, I've been coming to Indiana games all my life. Ever since a little kid. Watching them play and progress means a lot. Now that I'm part of the team, I can help the team get better. That's really exciting."

Allen's connection to the Fiacable family was a big reason why Fiacable passed on offers from Cincinnati, Louisville, and more.

"My brother Mike told me Coach Allen is a really great coach and a really great guy. He said, 'You won't know what to think until you experience it.' (Allen) has a goal for our team, and we will reach that goal."

Beyond family, Fiacable can lean on the program's strong Fort Wayne connection. IU linebacker Patrick Finley and offensive lineman Luke Wiginton played with Fiacable at Dwenger. Offensive lineman Randy Holtz was a rival at Snider.

"They've taken me under their wings," Fiacable says. "We're good friends. We did have a bond in Fort Wayne. They've helped me understand the plays more. They've gotten with me and brought me into their friend group. They helped make the transition a lot smoother."

That transition included some eye-opening spring practices.

"The speed of the game was a huge adjustment. The overall mental aspect of the game was a big learning curve for me. Just learning all the new plays, knowing what to do and getting reps with them.

"I am still learning the playbook and still learning the plays. It is a big learning curve from high school. Being locked in and focused at practice is what will help me throughout the summer."

As for transitioning from high school to college, Fiacable says, "It was a big adjustment. It is a new setting. It is college football now, not high school. Getting to know the guys at first was tough because you are coming into a new environment. As of right now I have a lot of new friends, the offensive linemen are awesome."
Aaron Wellman's strength training program has taken Fiacable where he'd never thought he'd be, and that's a good thing.

"Overall I've gotten stronger, especially with my back strength," Fiacable says. "I've never trained my back before the way we do it here.

"The stadium has everything we need. It's a huge advantage. The environment has helped."

Enrolling for the second semester gave Fiacable an early start on that environment.

"We had a big advantage working with Coach Wellman in the winter. We've gotten bigger, faster, and stronger."

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The offensive line gets another freshman boost from 6-6, 319-pound Joshua Sales Jr. Like Fiacable, he also graduated from high school in December (at Brownsburg where he was an all-state player) and enrolled for the second semester.

Rivals rated Sales as the state's No. 11 prospect. 247Sports listed him as the nation's No. 58 offensive lineman. He didn't allow a sack as a senior.

Sales has plenty of athleticism along with that size. He also lettered in basketball, wrestling, and track and field.

Veteran IU offensive linemen Matthew Bedford, Caleb Jones and Kahlil Benson have provided Sales with much-needed insight.

"All three of them took me under their wing," Sales says. "I think the first week I was here, Bedford had me over at his place. And we were just talking about football. We watched his film; those guys really helped me make the adjustment."

So did participating in spring practice.

"It helped me out a lot. It helped me adjust to the speed of the game. We were kind of thrust into it. It made the jump a little bit rocky at first, but in the grand scheme of things, it definitely helped with my development."
As for the challenge of the college game, Sales says, "I think the most difficult part was just realizing that everybody is good to some extent. There's nobody that doesn't have skill, and everybody is here for a reason. Stuff you could get away with in high school, you definitely can't get away with at this level."

Family Affair – Vinny Fiacable Set To Make His IU Mark

Players Mentioned

Matthew Bedford

Kahlil Benson

Vince Fiacable

Patrick Finley

Randy Holtz

Caleb Jones

Joshua Sales Jr.

Luke Wiginton

Indiana University Athletics