‘New Guy’ Hjelle Gets After It on Defensive Line
By Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Seeing might be believing, but for Joe Hjelle as he works his way into Indiana’s defensive line rotation, participation matters most.
Now that this 6-foot-3, 318-pound fifth-year Tulsa transfer is fully into the disruption created by defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’s attacking defense, it’s time to rock.
“When I was being recruited here,” he says, “the thing that stood out was how active they get. They’re not sticking around staying on blocks. They’re getting vertical. They’re trying to cause as much havoc as they can.”
The Hoosiers cause a lot. Last year, they held opponents to 11.7 points and 266.0 total yards while intercepting 19 passes, forcing 12 fumbles and totaling 46 sacks. All those rated among the nation’s best.
Hjelle saw it from afar then. He’s part of it now, and if it’s coming in an August camp setting, just wait until the season begins, starting Sept. 5 against North Texas on Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium.
“It’s just playing off your teammates,” he says. “If one person is not winning (his one-on-one battle), then you can play off of them, make them right, and vice versa. That’s the one thing that really stuck out while I was being recruited. That’s something I enjoy.”
Enjoyment includes working with returning defensive linemen such as Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino, who have helped him master the defensive nuances.
“I am the new guy,” Hjelle says. “Learning this new system has been, at first, a little challenging. It is a lot to learn. It's a very detailed defense. I think that is what makes it so effective.
“Being able to learn from guys like Tyrique and Mario has been really helpful because they have been in the system. They know the plays and a lot of the little things that have helped me become a better player and understand the defense better.”
It’s also helped to practice against what projects as one of the nation’s best offensive lines, led by veterans such as Carter Smith, Drew Evans, Bray Lynch, and Joe Brunner.
“These guys are very good,” Hjelle says. “It’s fun to go against them. It’s been tough, but they’re going to make me better and make everyone on the defensive line better.
“Going against one of the best offensive lines in the country every day has helped me become a better player. It’s been a lot of fun.”
So is benefitting from a versatile defensive line.
“We’re fortunate to have a lot of really good players on the edge and the interior who can play like a defensive end, defensive tackle and even bump down to a nose,” Hjelle says. “We’re fortunate to have a lot of versatile guys, especially with (Stephen) Daley and (Kellan) Wyatt coming back. That’s gotten us even deeper. I’m excited to see how that plays.”
As for Daley and Wyatt, who were among the Big Ten’s most disruptive defensive players last season, Hjelle says, “It is great to have them back. I wasn't here last year, but from what I have seen on tape and what I have heard, they've done a lot of great things.
“The deeper we are, the easier it will be to get to the quarterback and have more fresh legs and bodies to throw at the offense.”
Hjelle has had an interesting journey to IU. He saw the big picture coming out of Iowa’s Decorah High School despite making all-state his last two seasons and lettering in baseball, basketball, and track (a two-time state qualifier in the discus and shot put).
He was an undersized (6-foot-3, 290 pounds) two-star football prospect, which didn’t mean he had to stay that way. Some guys develop later; they need time to build the mental and physical toughness major college football demands.
“Coming out of high school and going the junior college route was a very big step in my development as a player,” Hjelle says. “In high school, I was a little smaller and didn’t have the experience or tools to play at this level.”
Hjelle got them, starting by helping Iowa Western win a pair of JUCO national titles -- the first as a redshirt, the second as a key contributor with 29 tackles, 11.0 for loss and 6.5 sacks, plus two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble -- before moving on to two seasons at Tulsa.
Last year’s breakout performance -- 46 tackles, 4.5 for loss, one sack -- convinced him he was ready for the big time.
Indiana coaches agreed.
“Going to that junior college route really helped me grow,” Hjelle says. “Being part of a great program like Iowa Western and having all these great players in front of me and learning from them helped me become the best player I can be.”
Hjelle isn’t the highest-rated defensive line transfer on IU’s roster, but Haines’ defensive scheme brings out elite performances from those who work.
Hjelle works.
“It’s the way he puts his head down and works,” Tucker says. “He gets after it. He’s a worker. That’s ultimately what you want.”
Adds head coach Curt Cignetti: “He’s really a tough guy. “He has explosive power and good movement. He’s kind of a blue-collar guy. He'll be in the mix inside for sure.”
Hjelle says playing defensive end in high school has helped him acclimate to Haines’ scheme.
“Having that experience from an edge perspective has helped me better set up stunts and know what is effective. What to do and what not to do. Just trying to keep my teammates free and to have free rushes and all of that.”
While in the portal, Hjelle heard from former IU head football coach Kevin Wilson, who later was the Tulsa head coach.
“During the recruiting process,” Hjelle says, “I didn’t talk to him much about coming to Bloomington, but he reached out and wanted to lend me his support. I really appreciated that. It was nice to have that connection because you never know where things could end up. That was beneficial for me.”
Cignetti, as he has with every Hoosier in the program, leaves a big impression.
“I enjoy how structured he has everything,” Hjelle says. “Everything is with a purpose. There are no wasted time or movements. He knows what he wants and if you’re not giving it to him the way he wants, he’ll let you know.
“Being able to have that kind of structure and knowing where you’re going 24/7 and how you’re working is my favorite part about it.”