2017 Spring Practice Preview: Linebackers

Indiana will have to replace linebacker Marcus Oliver (44) this spring. Image: Cam Koenig HoosierHuddle.com

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

Hoosier Huddle is getting ready for the first spring practice of the Tom Allen era by previewing each position. Today’s focus is on a position headlined by a returning All-American. Arguably the best player on the squad, Tegray Scales will lead this defense from the middle. He’s surrounded by a group of players hungry to step up and replace the production of the departed Marcus Oliver. 

IU drastically improved in their first year under defensive coordinator Tom Allen. Allen is now the head coach and the Hoosiers return the majority of their 2016 defensive production. For the first time in a very long time, there are legitimate expectations surrounding IU’s defense. The play of All-American Tegray Scales is a big reason why. The other linebackers will have a fierce battle throughout spring practice to begin determining who will play beside the senior leader. 

The Departed

IU had two dynamic linebackers in 2016. Tegray Scales got a lot of the headlines but Marcus Oliver had himself a very strong junior season as well. He accounted for 65 solo tackles (96 total), four sacks and five forced fumbles. Oliver had a nose for the ball and his skill to force fumbles (something he did as well as anyone in the Big Ten over the past three seasons) was something IU will struggle to replicate. He chose to forego his senior season and pursue a career in the NFL and IU will need a new starter to step up in his place.

The All-American

Tegray Scales has been a good player since arriving on campus from Cincinnati, Ohio in 2014. Scales had 46 tackles (29 solo) as a freshman and 64 (40 solo) as a sophomore. He took things to an entirely different level under the direction of Tom Allen. As a junior in 2016, Scales led the Hoosiers with 126 tackles (93 solo), 23.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. If that weren’t enough, he added an interception that he returned for a touchdown. His play earned him All-American honors from publications around the country. Scales decided to return to the Hoosiers to lead the defense in his senior season and he will be one of the starters at linebacker in IU’s 4-2-5 formation. There’s no reason he can’t be among the favorites for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and it’s possible he can be a finalist for national awards for college football’s best linebacker. 

Starter Needed – The Options

Chris Covington - (6’2”/237/SR) – Chris Covington has had an incredibly interesting career. He arrived in Bloomington as a quarterback and defensive back from Chicago’s Al Raby High School. As a freshman, he appeared in five games as a quarterback after injuries to the position ravaged IU’s depth chart. Prior to his sophomore season, he switched to linebacker and he played in the final eight games of the season, making four tackles. He wasn’t expected to make much of an impact in 2016 but he appeared in all 13 games and started as a fill-in for the injured Marcus Oliver against Michigan. Covington impressed with his speed and athleticism and he made 29 tackles (19 solo) with two sacks, three tackles for loss and one forced fumble. Against spread teams that use tempo, I really like the idea of Covington’s speed starting next to Tegray Scales. 

Dameon Willis Jr. – (6’1”/234/RS JR) – The redshirt junior from Saint Ignatius in Cleveland is coming off of his first career start as he got the nod for the Foster Farms Bowl against Utah. As a redshirt sophomore, he played in 12 games and had 22 tackles (13 solo). Willis is a sound tackler and the duo of him and Scales performed adequately against Utah. He’s a similar player in style to Marcus Oliver so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the coaches go with Willis as the second starter.

Mike McGinnis – (6’2”/235/JR) – Once it became Marcus Oliver was leaving for the NFL Draft, the Indiana Hoosiers made the recruitment of JUCO All-American Mike McGinnis a priority. Tom Allen landed the junior from ASA College in Brooklyn and you don’t bring in JUCO All-Americans to sit on the bench. McGinnis is a physical player that flows to the football and tackles extremely well. His speed is a question mark because we haven’t seen him in person yet but he was extremely productive at the junior college level and he’ll certainly be a part of the linebacker rotation for his two years of eligibility. I think McGinnis, Willis and Covington will be engaged in a lengthy battle for the second starter spot and it’s very likely all three will see extensive playing time in 2017, regardless of who ends up starting.

Reakwon Jones – (6’2”/230/RS SO) – A Hoosier from the Sunshine State, Jones played primarily as a special teams player in 2016, notching a pair of tackles in 11 games. He was a six-time scout player of the week during the 2015 season and he has a lot of speed to pursue the ball from sideline to sideline. I view Jones as being a notch below the four more experienced players ahead of him but he’ll continue to be a part of the special teams units and it’s possible he sees some increased time on the field at linebacker. There’s no doubt he’ll need to step up in 2018 as both Scales and Covington will graduate.

Preparing for the Future

Thomas Allen and Mo Burnam are both incoming freshmen that will be likely be required to play some snaps in 2018 after the departure of Tegray Scales and Chris Covington. I think they will both likely redshirt but it’s possible the coaching staff decides they can be of value on special teams in 2017. Thomas Allen is a 6’3”, 220 pound inside linebacker from Plant High School in Florida. He is the son of IU head coach Tom Allen and he will be going through spring practice as one of the five early enrollees. Mo Burnam (6’2”/215) won’t be on campus for spring practice but he has the physical tools to develop into a top-notch linebacker. He’ll need to add a bit of weight to his frame but he is very quick and fluid and his highlight tape showed that he pursued the ball well.

Things We Will Be Watching For

Who Comes Out of Spring as the Second Starter?

Let’s be honest, the only things Tegray Scales needs to do this spring is develop chemistry with the rest of the linebacker corps and stay healthy. He has nothing to prove until kickoff against Ohio State. The battle to watch will be between McGinnis, Covington and Willis (possibly Jones but I don’t see him passing the other three just yet). The battle likely won’t be decided until well into fall camp but the leader could be established.

Can Willis and Covington “Make the Leap”?

We’ve seen some of Dameon Willis and Chris Covington and we know the level they’ve played at thus far. It is certainly expected that they will raise their games given the increased experience and the typical progression players make as they get older. That being said, it is not a guarantee that either player will “step up” and make the improvements the IU defense needs in order to avoid the post Marcus Oliver drop-off. Based on what I saw from them late last season, I personally believe both players are ready for their increased role but how they perform this spring will be the first indicator of their suitability for the starting role. 

Are the Newcomers Ready to Contribute?

IU will have a pair of new Hoosiers on the field this spring. Mike McGinnis is a seasoned player with two years of collegiate experience and he’ll be asked to contribute, and perhaps start, immediately. Thomas Allen is the head coach’s son and every coach that spoke about him during his senior year of high school spoke of how much they admired the way he played and led for his Plant High School squad. As I wrote earlier, IU’s depth at this position makes it likely Allen can redshirt and develop for a year before being needed in 2018 but he’ll have a chance to earn his way into the rotation this spring.