Column: Immeasurable impact of Matte

The bittersweet feelings will come, the tears will flow and a lifelong memory will be forged.

All of that will happen for senior center Will Matte on Saturday as he plays in front of the home crowd at Memorial Stadium for the final time of his five-year career at IU.

“It’s kind of surreal,” Matte said. “I probably won’t even realize it until after the game. I can’t believe how fast it has gone. In the middle of August or the middle of winter you probably don’t think it’s going fast, but when you get to this point, it’s amazing.”

What Matte has done behind the scenes during those grueling winter conditioning sessions and the dog days of fall camp have been immeasurable in its significance, particularly during the past calendar year.

Matte was thrust into a precarious leadership position this year as the other four starters on the offensive line consist of two freshmen and three sophomores.

The age difference between Matte and the young pups lining up alongside him has earned him a slew of playful nicknames, the most common of which has been Grandpa Matte.

“Oh, I’ve heard that one,” Matte said while laughing with news media members. “My favorite is Demetrix, who’s granddaddy Matte.”

That alter ego has been solely responsible for meshing the young talent to form an offensive line that has allowed just 1.33 sacks per game during the 2012 campaign and has paved the way for a rushing attack that has averaged 146.8 yards per game on opponents this season.

Yet it’s the lessons Matte learned during the last four seasons that have allowed him to evolve into a superb leader.

Matte began his career with former IU Coach Bill Lynch, who led the Hoosiers to a combined record of 12-24 from 2008-10. Lynch was fired and replaced by IU Coach Kevin Wilson.

The mutiny that occurred during Wilson’s first season was a trying time for Matte, but the positive results that followed this season made challenges and difficulties worth it.

“Looking back, it was tough to see that there wasn’t a whole lot of success,” Matte said. “But this season, especially the past few weeks, I’ve felt a unity on this team, and I feel like the team is really coming together.”

What Matte has done on and off the field has been a crucial aspect of the Hoosiers’ newfound success.

“With all the young guys, you hope you left a good impression,” Matte said. “You hope you set a work standard.”

Matte has done just that, and his mark on the program will be visible in the seasons to come.

­— ckillore@indiana.edu