Zero Sacks Allowed? Brunner Been There, Done That, Wants Repeat
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The quarterback is not to be touched, let alone hit or sacked. Protection is paramount. Every offensive lineman knows this. It’s the key to great offense and ultimately, winning.
That crashes against this reality -- quarterbacks get hit and sacked all the time in every game at every level. Defenses make it a priority, utilizing intricate schemes and big, strong, fast players.
That leads us to Joe Brunner. Last season, as a member of the Wisconsin Badgers, in 316 pressure opportunities, the veteran offensive lineman allowed zero sacks.
Zero.
Now that he’s an Indiana Hoosier, charged with helping to protect Josh Hoover and every other IU quarterback, he wants nothing to change.
“I take a lot of pride in that,” he says. “The No. 1 goal is to protect the quarterback. That’s the most important position on the field, and as an offensive lineman, you take so much pride in doing that.”
It’s easy to say, not to do. It helps that Brunner is listed at 6-foot-7 and 313 pounds, that he has 39 college games of experience, the last 24 as a starting left guard, and that he’s earned academic All-Big Ten honors for three-straight years.
What’s his secret?
“For me, it’s consistency. You’ve got to work day in and day out. There’s no staying the same. You’re either getting better or worse, every day. It starts with consistency and knowing what you need to work on. It’s having that pride in protecting the quarterback.”
Brunner’s arrival in Bloomington reflects head coach Curt Cignetti’s recruiting approach -- whether it’s college transfers or high school players -- of production over potential. It’s why he was interested in Brunner. Why was Brunner interested in IU? Let’s just say last season’s 16-0 national championship run, which followed Cignetti’s 11-2 Hoosier debut, was a big factor, but not the only one.
“You want to win, right?” Brunner says. “You want to be a part of a winning culture. If you are competitive enough, that is all you want to do.
“You can see it from a far; you can see it from anywhere.”
Brunner saw plenty last November, when IU beat Wisconsin 31-7 at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium.
“They were very physical and very technically sound,” he says. “We knew that going into the game, that they were coached extremely well.
“We knew what would happen and it happened -- they were very physical and sound and well coached.”
That left an impression on Brunner when he entered the transfer portal, but he had questions. Former Hoosiers Riley Nowakowski and Trey Wedig, who had previously played with Brunner at Wisconsin, provided answers.
“I was very close with Trey,” Brunner says. “I played with him for a couple of years. I reached out to him and Riley. They told me nothing but good things about this place, that it’s a culture you want to be a part of. Not only does it help you develop as a player, but as a man. That’s the No. 1 goal in life.
“I trust them. They’re great human beings, great players. I took their word. They were huge factors.”
So was offensive lineman Drew Evans, another Wisconsin transfer.
“I played with Drew my freshman year (at Wisconsin),” Brunner says. “He’s a really smart guy. Watching him come here and develop as a player, how he talked about this place, this campus, this university, it was hard to pass up.”
Then there was the Bob Bostad factor. Bostad rates among the nation’s best offensive line coaches. That’s true for Indiana now as it was when he coached at Wisconsin.
Brunner had played for Bostad as a Badger and understood how much better he could be if they reunited.
“I was fortunate enough to be with him my freshman year at Wisconsin as a young guy,” Brunner says. “He is the same old coach. He’s been that way for many years. That is the reason why I chose this place. Seeing what he did with the guys when I was at Wisconsin, the older guys there, just developing guys.
“Obviously, there is a pitch to come play for Coach Cignetti and what he has done, but I love Coach Bostad and what he has done wherever he has coached and whoever he has coached. He knows how to develop guys. He pushes you. He keeps you humble. He lets you know. That is a major factor why I came here.”
Bostad coaches with a serious nature that Brunner admits was intimidating when they first met when he was a standout high school player.
“As a young guy, it’s a little bit scary. He doesn’t show a lot of emotion, but as an offensive lineman, that’s what you want. He’s the pinnacle of an O-line coach. As you get older, you understand that’s all you want and all you need.”
Brunner is set to be a key on what looms as another powerful offensive line. In spring practice, he worked at left and right guard, and he is ready to do whatever is needed.
“It’s very comfortable for me to switch in and out,” he says. “I started my career at Wisconsin on the right side, then moved to the left for the last two years. Whatever Coach wants, I’ll do. I’m here to make the team better.”
That’s true for the entire offensive line, he adds.
“It’s all about getting to know each guy and playing well with each other. We have a couple of months before the season. We have to keep coming to work every day and get better. We’re taking steps forward, but there is so much more we can do to help this team.”
As far as adjusting to being a Hoosier, Brunner says, being an older guy has helped, but it goes deeper than that.
“This is one of the best cultures in college football, if not the best. That makes it super easy to transition. You are around a bunch of guys that have played a lot of football, and they know how to welcome guys and bring them into a culture and let them develop themselves.
“The guys here are amazing. They welcomed me and every other transfer and freshman with open arms. They made it fun.
“Think about it. You have guys from everywhere in the country -- the west coast, the east coast, the south -- but it’s a brotherhood, whether you’re a defensive back or a wide receiver or an offensive lineman.
“Allowing me to experience this journey together is what makes this culture so different. It's a pleasure to work with these guys.”
Pleasure includes perspective as the Hoosiers prepare for the Sept. 5 season opener against North Texas, and beyond.
“First of all, no one talks about what this team did last year,” Brunner says. “That means a lot. Everyone has moved past it.
“This is a new team. To see the guys who were on the team last year come in and work and not speak on it or say anything about it, to know this is a new chapter, that’s special. Most places you go, that might not happen. That’s all about culture and what Coach Cignetti has brought here and what he’s built.
“These guys are so determined to make this team better. You see it in practice, in the weight room, in the film room. It’s special to be a part of.”