Illinois State defensive lineman Jake Anderson (center) has come a long way from being a 220-pound linebacker in high school. Last season, he made 34 tackles as an ISU redshirt freshman. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Barry Bottino
NORMAL – When Jake Anderson arrived at Illinois State, he couldn’t help but make a surprising comparison.
“Our freshman recruiting class (of 16 players) was about the size of our whole varsity high school team,” he joked.
Though Anderson was part of a thin roster at Durand High School in far northern Illinois, he found a new position as in 2022 and a spot in the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman in 2023, when he started 10 games for the Redbirds.
The result was 34 tackles a season ago, five tackles for loss, a sack and plenty of eyes opened.
“Jack has done an unbelievable job,” Illinois State defensive line coach Ben Black said after the Redbirds’ spring game. “The place he’s come the farthest is really everywhere. He’s a really good football player. He’s really strong, extremely athletic.”
Transition time
Before he got to campus, Anderson learned from ISU coaches that he would switch from outside linebacker – his main defensive spot in high school – to the defensive line. At the time, he was 220 pounds.
“College football is so much faster than high school,” he said of his first impressions.
While learning his new position, he put on about 30 pounds and took advantage of a redshirt year to hone his skills, via practice and film.
“Me and (linebacker) Tye Niekamp, we would go in three or four extra times a week, just watching an extra couple of hours of film,” Anderson said. “How did we do last week? How did we do in practice?”
Those film sessions continued last fall when both Anderson, at 270 pounds, and Niekamp broke into the starting lineup.
“When you can focus on those little things on film, think about them during practice and get those fixed, then it just flows naturally in the game,” Anderson said.
Small town, big impact
In 2021, Durand High School had 185 total students in grades 9-12 and 43 seniors in the graduating class, according to IllinoisReportCard.com.
Anderson grew up in Davis, a village in Stephenson County less than 7 miles from the Wisconsin border and 23 miles west of Rockford. Davis had 577 residents in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
On the football field, Anderson took advantage of his athleticism and made an impact all over the place.
“It helped to prepare me (for college),” he said. “I played every single position – offense, defense and special teams. It was awesome.”
Prepared for 2024
Though he sat out the spring game with a minor foot injury, Anderson said he’s up to 285 pounds and ready to get back on the field Aug. 31 when the Redbirds open the season at FBS Iowa.
“When you’re playing against 300-pounders, being around 300 pounds yourself helps a lot,” he said. “It makes us a lot more stout in the run game.”
The extra pounds also make his pass rush more effective.
“It gives me a little more than just an outside move,” he said. “Now I have some threat of a power move, too.”
Anderson had a career-high eight tackles last October against Youngstown State and proved to be an active member of the defensive front.
“His physical development has been absolutely critical to his success,” Black said. “He’s an extremely intelligent player, but he’s also extremely diligent about his craft and his dedication to watching film. That’s really sped up his development.”
For Anderson, his biggest source of pride last season was simple.
“I was really happy with my effort,” he said. “It was good to get that (experience) as a redshirt freshman. I feel way better about this year.”
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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