Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)

There’s been some turnover and inconsistency from the linebacker position for Indiana the past couple years. Players like Cam Jones, James Miller, and Aaron Casey were new to full-time linebacking responsibilities in 2019 after serving in mostly backup roles prior, and at times it showed. But with a strong core of experienced players returning in 2020, Tom Allen and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack have challenged the linebackers to take the next step. This year, they feel they have a group full of impact players.

"We've talked about it since I got here, about having leadership in that room, and we've finally gotten it," said Wommack. "When the going gets tough and adversity hits, those are the guys who can get us through and turn the script on some of those close games we've lost."

Today, we’ll preview all of the linebackers returning to the Hoosiers in 2020 and how they will individually impact the game.

#4 Cam Jones, 6’3” 230 Pounds

After playing the husky position his freshman season, Jones transitioned to the stinger (weak-side linebacker) position during spring practice of 2019. The transition worked for him as he posted 35 tackles, two sacks, two quarterback hurries, and had a 44-yard pick six in the win over Connecticut. Heading into his junior season with two years of experience at multiple positions on the Indiana defense, he’s ready for a breakout year.

“Coach Allen and Coach Wommack put the pressure on us as linebackers,” said Jones. “They told us what needed to get done, so we stepped our game up a little bit. We knew that we needed to fix ourselves first before we could fix anything else. We made that our number one priority. Once that got going, we got everybody else going with us.”

#44 Thomas Allen, 6’3” 237 Pounds

After displaying definite improvement from his redshirt freshman season in 2018, Allen’s 2019 season was cut short after just eight games due to a season-ending shoulder injury in the victory over Nebraska. He is now recovered from the injury and looking to add on to his stat line of 17 tackles last year. There’s no doubt Allen is a physical player, he surely gets this from his father; the next step this season will depend on Allen’s ability to move laterally sideline to sideline and show he is as good of a tackler on the outside as he is in the trenches.

#47 Micah McFadden, 6’2” 235 Pounds

The man who won IU’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year and led the team in tackles with 61 in 2019 is back for his junior season this year. McFadden flew around the field making plays everywhere in 2019. Of his 61 tackles, 42 were solo and 10 came for a loss. He posted 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries but was not limited solely to making plays in the backfield, as he also tallied two interceptions. Now as an upperclassman with experience under his belt, McFadden is primed for an even bigger 2020.

“Last year, the majority of us in that room were younger guys on the team and were learning how to take a bigger role in the defense, leading on the field and making plays. Settling into that role took a little bit of time,” said McFadden. “This year, now that we are honed in on exactly what is going on with the defense, it is much easier to get everyone lined up, to communicate loudly out there and to be confident in what we are doing. Overall, as a full group, we are getting more guys into that role and being able to communicate loudly and be a leader on the field.”

#8 James Miller, 6’2” 231 Pounds

After playing 3 games in 2018 and then redshirting, Miller jumped into an expanded role in 2019. The now redshirt sophomore played in all 13 games and started one at middle linebacker. He shared the team lead with two forced fumbles, one of which came in his best game of his career thus far on the road against Penn State, where he also added a career-high seven tackles. With the graduation of Raekwon Jones and another offseason under his belt, Miller should see additional playing time at middle linebacker in 2020.

#46 Aaron Casey, 6’2” 234 Pounds

Aaron Casey’s role with the linebackers will likely expand in 2020, though he will still primarily serve as backup for the four linebackers we have highlighted already. Casey saw action in all 13 games last season, though the primary source of this playing time came from special teams. He did see more time in the Hoosiers’ blowout victories, tallying a blocked punt and a half tackle for loss in the win against Eastern Illinois, and a sack in the homecoming victory over Rutgers.

#42 DK Bonhomme, 6’3” 235 Pounds

Another depth piece of the linebacking crew will be sophomore DK Bonhomme, though he could slide into time at husky as well after Marcelino Ball’s ACL tear. The Ontario native saw action in 11 games last season, primarily on special teams. He made one tackle on the season. Cam Jones spoke of Bonhomme recently saying, “He is a ball player. He is a ball hawk, he gets to the ball.”

#40 Cameron Williams, 6’3” 230 Pounds

Cameron Williams was one of the top recruits for Indiana’s 2019 class, but since then his time with the Hoosiers has been a bit quiet. The four-star number 11 outside linebacker recruit nationally by Rivals will look to play a bigger role after redshirting the 2019 season. He saw one game’s worth of action in the win against Northwestern. The future is promising for Williams, but his main focus for now is to continue to develop and dominate in the weight room.

#37 Ty Wise, 6’2” 222 Pounds

The youngest member of the linebacker room is true freshman Ty Wise. Wise was a 2019 Mr. Football finalist in the state of Indiana and the state’s 7th best recruit by 247Sports. Wise quickly garnered the attention of the coaches after returning to campus when COVID restrictions were lifted.

“You could tell he really took care of his business when he was away from us, putting himself in a position to be in great physical shape,” said Coach Allen. “He studied, paid attention during Zoom meetings.”

As just a freshman, Wise is certainly not the biggest or strongest in the room. But what he lacks in physical nature, he makes up for in IQ.

“He has caught on quickly,” fellow linebacker Cam Jones said of the newbie. “I know that he has been here for a while, but he is one of the freshmen that has caught on quickly. I know that he is going to have a successful career here. He is a smart football player and he knows where the ball is going to be, when it is going to get there and what his responsibility is.”

“He’s everything we thought he was going to be, plus probably a little more athletic,” added Kane Wommack. “That’s really exciting. He really can run. He’s going to develop his body. He’s learning at a higher level than any of these guys were at that age.”

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