2024 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 17 Days (Tyrik McDaniel)

Written by T.J. Inman

College football is just a few short weeks away. Today is a double feature on Hoosier Huddle’s Countdown to IUFB Kickoff. The first player is defensive back Tyrik McDaniel.

Tyrik McDaniel

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 195 pounds

Hometown: Columbia, SC – Old Dominion and Independence Community College

Class/Position: Redshirt Senior/Safety

The 2024 Indiana Hoosiers secondary might need to consider wearing honorary Old Dominion patches. The Hoosiers have three former Monarch players on the roster at the safety position including redshirt senior Tyrik McDaniel. He joins a pair of ODU transfers that were brought in by Curt Cignetti and Bryant Haines to bolster the IU safety group ahead of this campaign. McDaniel was a three-star recruit from Dutch Fork High School in South Carolina. He was a true freshman at Old Dominion in 2020 (ODU did not play due to COVID-19) and appeared in all 13 games during the 2021 season. McDaniel transferred to Independence Community College and had a terrific, albeit abbreviated, campaign before heading to IU for the 2023 season as a bounce back transfer. McDaniel appeared in all 12 games for IU last season, mostly on special teams and in spot-duty as a safety. 

Tyrik McDaniel was kept on by Curt Cignetti and the new coaching staff and he’ll be a member of a rebuilt secondary this coming season. Shawn Asbury II and Terry Jones are expected to man the starting safety positions. That could change depending on how the Hoosiers choose to utilize Nic Toomer. Beyond those three, Arizona transfer DJ Warnell, veteran Josh Sanguinetti and McDaniel will fight to be the primary rotation options and special teams contributors.

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff continues each and every day so be sure to check back often for the latest profile piece!