‘Awesome Journey’ – Carpenter Aims for Season to Remember
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - A storm has passed, a chance to use the Mellencamp Pavilion with its new artificial turf exploited, another Indiana August camp practice completed.
Here comes James Carpenter, all 6-foot-2 and 288 pounds of him, a defensive tackle primed for Hoosier and Big Ten success after a difference-making five-year run at James Madison.
Carpenter is a big believer -- in head coach Curt Cignetti, in defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, in defensive tackles coach Pat Kuntz, in a system that shuts down offenses and in a win-now approach that has never produced a losing record.
“I believe in it 100 percent,” Carpenter says from the Memorial Stadium Team Room podium. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I fully believe in Coach Cignetti and this staff. We’re going to give our all. Coach Cignetti doesn’t expect anything less.”
Expectations are high entering Cignetti’s debut Hoosier season, which comes courtesy of his 119-35 career head-coaching record, and if that clashes with preseason media predictions of Big Ten misery in the 18-team conference, no one wearing the Cream & Crimson buys into it. Carpenter has seen first-hand what Cignetti and his staff can do, and what that lets players do.
“The more experience you have, the more he trusts you. The more he allows you to play free.”
Carpenter is one of 31 overall transfers, 13 from James Madison, who have helped remake the roster in Cignetti’s win-now image.
“It was a pretty easy transition. I've been with Coach Cignetti for the past five years going on six, so I’m very comfortable with him. I’m very comfortable with Coach Kuntz.
“There are a lot of guys coming over (from James Madison). The system for us is basically the same, so it was nothing too difficult. We're in an area that's far away from home (most of the James Madison transfers are from the Virginia area), but other than that, it's been a good transition. “The job isn’t finished. We have one season left, one more ride to go. I'm going to make the most of it and just enjoy the time I have with these guys and coaches.”
Carpenter was an under-the-radar high-school prospect despite dominating versatility. He was an all-state football player on offense and defense his final two seasons, and totaled 33 sacks in his last three years. Along the way, he led Roanoke Catholic High School to a Virginia Division III state title. Beyond football, he was also an all-state lacrosse player and was a state runner-up in the shotput while helping Roanoke to a team track state title.
Still, most major college coaches weren’t interested. Cignetti saw what they did not, and made this offer -- come as a walk-on, and if you develop to his expectations, a scholarship will come. Carpenter was grateful then, more so now given his accomplishments.
“Being with Coach Cignetti is an honor,” Carpenter says. “He gave me an opportunity. He was basically the only Division I coach to offer and take a chance on me. I’m forever grateful for that.”
Carpenter repaid his coach with consecutive All-Sun Belt Conference seasons, 105 tackles (20.5 for loss including 9.5 sacks) in 40 career games with 37 starts.
Oh, yes. He got the scholarship.
Last season, Carpenter barely came off the field. He played 736 snaps, one of only two defensive tackles in the country to play more than 700. He played through a left shoulder injury that required off-season surgery, forcing him to miss his first IU spring practice.
“The strength and conditioning staff got us right in the summer,” Carpenter says about preparing for that kind of playing time. “It was taking pride in that. If my team needs me to do that, that’s what I have to do. There’s no option for me. If I have to play every snap, I’ll play every snap.”
“The job isn’t finished. We have one season left, one more ride to go. I'm going to make the most of it and just enjoy the time I have with these guys and coaches.”
Healthy now, Carpenter doesn’t figure to duplicate that workload given IU’s defensive line depth.
“If I have to do the same here,” Carpenter says, “I will, but I don’t expect that. Our room is deep. At this level, playing every snap will be tough to maintain throughout the year. We have a lot of guys. They all can play different positions.
“Coach Kuntz is getting us right. We’re going to play a lot of bodies. I think we’ll rotate a lot.”
CJ West, with 14 tackles for loss last season while earning All-Mid-American Conference honors at Kent State, was considered one of the top defensive players in the transfer portal.
“He’s a beast,” Carpenter says. “Having a guy like that next to you makes my job easy. He draws a lot of attention. He holds double teams well. Playing next to a guy like that is something that you want.”
Carpenter never figured to play in the Big Ten or for a Power 4 Conference team. The opportunity to do so, coming in the aftermath of IU hiring Cignetti away from James Madison, still surprises Carpenter.
“If you were to tell me five or six years ago that I'd be standing here today, I would've told you you're crazy.
“It's a dream come true. As a kid growing up you dream of playing Ohio State, Michigan, Big Ten football. To get an opportunity like this is once in a lifetime. I hope to make the most of it.”
Last spring, that meant a role of player-coach, working to acclimate his defensive line teammates to the Cignetti defensive system.
"Helping them with the little details was my job in the spring. Whatever questions they had, hopefully I had an answer for them. Show them what the defense is all about."
That show turns public starting with the Aug. 31 season opener against FIU.
“It’s been an awesome journey,” Carpenter says. “It’s something I'll remember and always take pride in being a walk-on.
“The job isn’t finished. We have one season left, one more ride to go. I'm going to make the most of it and just enjoy the time I have with these guys and coaches.”