Indiana Football Transfer Profile: Zen Michalski

Indiana was tasked with replacing Trey Wedig, the right tackle who started every game of the Hoosiers' College Football Playoff season. 

Wedig graduated, but over the course of the season also turned himself into a potential late-round NFL Draft prospect, a testament to Bob Bostad's developmental abilities on the offensive line. More on that later. 

Curt Cignetti will have a few players returning at the position, but neither saw significant time last year, so expect Zen Michalski, incoming transfer from Ohio State, to earn the starting role next year. 

Michalski has one year of eligibility after four seasons at Ohio State. In his four years there, he only started once, but appeared in 34 games. 

According to PFF, Michalski has always been above average as a run blocker, but has struggled against the pass rush. This is presumably what kept him out of the starting lineup during his time in Columbus. 

Michalski was fourth overall in snap totals at tackle for Ohio State last year, but saw significant time in weeks seven and nine due to injuries higher up on the depth chart. Those two games, against Oregon and Nebraska, wer e his worst of the season. 

He allowed seven pass rushes and two sacks over those two games, with both sacks coming against Nebraska. 

For Indiana to not suffer a significant fall off at right tackle this season, Michalski will have to make strides, especially as a pass blocker. The good news is that he's joining a staff that features Bostad. 

Bostad's work with Wedig should give Indiana fans an idea of how Michalski will improve during his time at Indiana. Wedig, like Michalski, was a former four-star prospect coming out of high school, but downgraded to three stars as a transfer prospect by 247 Sports for his last season at Wisconsin. 

Wedig saw a career-high in snaps at Indiana, and still improved across the board over his last season in Madison. He finished the season ranked in the top 20 nationally for his position by PFF. 

Michalski is more of a project, having posted lower grades at pass blocking than Wedig ever did, but there's no reason to think he won't improve significantly during his time at Indiana with Bostad. 

Given his already proven ability as a runblocker, it's safe to assume he'll be starting on the right side along with fellow transfers Pat Coogan and Kahlil Benson as part of a new look offensive line for Indiana.