2024 Spring Football – Position Preview – Safety

Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Written by: TJ Inman

Hoosier Huddle’s spring preview series has arrived. The hype and excitement surrounding Curt Cignetti’s first season as the head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers is real and the hope the serial winner’s arrival has injected into the fan base is meaningful. Along with the changes in the coaching staff, the roster has undergone a major transformation with newcomers from the transfer portal and the high school ranks at every position on the squad.

Today’s article focuses on a position that is still very much in transition for the Hoosiers: Safety. New defensive coordinator Bryant Haines is tasked with merging a few transfers with some returning players as IU tries to improve on what ended up being a disappointing secondary in 2023. 

The Returning Players

-Nic Toomer – Redshirt Senior – 6’2”/194 pounds

Former Stanford Cardinal Nic Toomer returning for his final season of eligibility was a big deal for the Indiana defense and his veteran and versatile presence should pay dividends in 2024. Toomer appeared in eight games last season and started seven of those, playing at both corner and safety for IU. He has good length and coverage instincts and is best suited as a free safety in Haines’ defense. Toomer did miss four games last season due to two separate injuries.

-Josh Sanguinetti – Redshirt Senior – 6’1”/190 pounds

After initially entering the transfer portal for his final season of eligibility, Josh Sanguinetti announced that he was returning to Bloomington to play for Curt Cignetti. Cignetti welcomed the veteran back and he rejoins IU to play under a new defensive coordinator. Sanguinetti has played in 39 games for IU and could leave the Hoosiers after appearing in more than 50 games if he stays healthy in 2024. His career has been one of pros and cons. Sanguinetti is not a particularly good tackler but he does seem to have a knack for being around the ball. In his career, he has four interceptions and three fumble recoveries. Those are not bad numbers for a deep free safety.

-Bryson Bonds – Redshirt Junior – 6’1”/190 pounds

Bryson Bonds’ best work has come on special teams and he figures to play a role there again in 2024. The redshirt junior is likely slated to be a backup at strong safety for Indiana’s defense this season. He appeared in 11 games in 2023 and in all 12 games in 2022 but he has no career starts.

-Amare Ferrell – Sophomore – 6’2”/198 pounds

Amare Ferrell is a young player that Bryant Haines figures to be quite excited about. The sophomore from Florida appeared in all 12 games last season as a true freshman and he looks like a potential star in the Rover position in this defense. The Rover is similar to what was asked of the Husky in Tom Allen’s defense and Ferrell has the build and skills to handle that. His high school highlights showed a player that hits like a truck and has the speed to handle coverage as well. 

-Tyrik McDaniel – Redshirt Senior – 6’1”/195 pounds

McDaniel transferred to Indiana after stops at Independence Community College and Old Dominion. He appeared in all 12 games for IU last season, logging snaps at safety and on special teams. McDaniel can provide depth at either free safety or strong safety.

Newcomers 

-Shawn Asbury II – Senior – 5’9”/197 pounds

Curt Cignetti dipped into the transfer portal to add to the safety position and brought in a pair of Sun Belt standouts. Shawn Asbury II was honorable-mention All-Sun Belt in 2023 and he actually graded out as one of the best safety transfers in the country (according to Pro Football Focus). Asbury started all 12 games last season with 93 tackles, one interception and four pass breakups. On paper, he would pair very well with Nic Toomer and heading into spring camp he would be a projected starter and an upgrade on what IU had there the past couple of seasons.

-Terry Jones Jr. – Redshirt Senior – 6’1”/193 pounds

The second transfer from Old Dominion was safety Terry Jones Jr. Jones Jr. was not quite as highly-graded as Pro Football Focus but he is a veteran safety that has proven very capable of providing good snaps for IU. Like Asbury, Jones Jr. was honorable-mention All-Sun Belt and he started 26 games during five seasons with the Monarchs. He has had ten double-digit tackle games during his career including six in 2023. His tackling numbers are intriguing and he has the body ready to contribute at strong safety.

Projections

Curt Cignetti has already said that he plans on targeting and adding at least one safety (and possibly two) in the post-spring transfer portal window. So the depth chart that you see now is not what IU will begin the 2024-2025 season with. Well-regarded and explosive athlete Jah Jah Boyd is coming into the program this summer and he will factor into the equation on special teams and at safety but he’s undersized and will need some time to get acclimated. Relying on him for key snaps is unwise. As of now, I project the immediate post-spring depth chart to look as follows:

Starting Safeties – Nic Toomer and Shawn Asbury II

Second-String Safeties – Josh Sanguinetti and Terry Jones Jr.

Starting Rover – Amare Ferrell 

Hoosier Huddle will have more spring football coverage so check back often.