Hoosiers Now

Indiana DL Michael Ziemba Announces Return for 2021 Season

Michael Ziemba says the best is yet to come for Indiana football, and he intends to come back for a fifth season with the Hoosiers.

Dylan Wallace

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The first Hoosier senior has made his decision on whether to come back for next season.

Due the COVID-19 pandemic, athletes were given an extra year of eligibility, so for the seniors, this past season didn't have to be their last.

Indiana senior defensive lineman Michael Ziemba made it official Tuesday that he will choose to use his extra year of eligibility and return for a fifth season in 2021.

Head coach Tom Allen put out a statement on Tuesday, saying, "I would like to thank Hoosier Nation for your Amazing Support this season! Our team worked so hard, sacrificed so much & accomplished so much under very difficult circumstances. I choose to focus on our future & what we are building here at Indiana. The Best is Yet to Come! #LEO."

That prompted Ziemba to release his news on Twitter. Ziemba tweeted, "You heard the man," and then had a graphic that donned the phrase the "best is yet to come."

Allen then quote-tweeted Ziemba's tweet, saying, "Excited to have you back for the 2021 Season!!! #LEO."

Ziemba has worked over the past four years to become one of Indiana's top interior lineman.

During his freshman and sophomore seasons, Ziemba mostly appeared on special teams and had single-digit tackles in both of those seasons.

But he really broke out during his junior year in 2019. Ziemba made 33 tackles, 20 solo, 6.5 for loss with three quarterback hurries that season. He shared the team lead with two fumble recoveries (T-4th in the Big Ten, T-27th nationally), and he finished third on the team in TFLs. He shared second among defensive linemen in solos and was third in overall stops.

This past season, Ziemba had two tackles in the win over Penn State, one tackle in win at Rutgers and four tackles at Ohio State. He totaled one tackle, one TFL and one quarterback hurry in the win over Maryland, and he two tackles in the victory at Wisconsin.

Ziemba also had one tackle in the Outback Bowl.

The next day after the Hoosiers lost to Ole Miss in the Outback Bowl, Ziemba posted a video to Twitter where he was walking around the pool area at the hotel, and he talked about the team's disappointment yet motivation to get better.

"Let’s get back to work," Ziemba wrote. "Coach Powell always says 'it’s not about the amount of breaths you are given, it’s about what you do with each one of those breaths.' Won’t ever forget this feeling. I love this team LEO."

More of Indiana's seniors are expected to make decisions on their futures in the coming weeks since the Outback Bowl is over.

Sports Illustrated Indiana will continue to provide updates on the Indiana football seniors.

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  • BOWL LOSS DOESN'T DIMINISH SEASON: Tom Brew writes that Indiana's Outback Bowl loss doesn't take away from what the Hoosiers accomplished this year. CLICK HERE
  • TUTTLE INJURY: Indiana quarterback Jack Tuttle fought through a separated shoulder throughout Saturday's game. CLICK HERE
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Dylan Wallace
DYLAN WALLACE

Dylan Wallace is a reporter for Sports Illustrated Indiana. He is a 2020 graduate of Indiana University in Bloomington, and is from Crown Point, Ind.

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