Associated Press Names Indiana Football’s Aaron Casey First-Team All-Big Ten

IU Athletics Release

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The nation’s leader in solo tackles for loss and first Indiana football defender with 100 tackles since 2016, linebacker Aaron Casey was honored by the Associated Press as a first-team All-Big Ten selection for the publication on Wednesday (Dec. 6).

He is the first Hoosier to earn first-team honors on defense since Tegray Scales in 2017. Casey was selected first-team All-Big Ten by the conference media and second-team all-conference by the Big Ten coaches. 

In 2023, Casey was the first IU defender to earn multiple Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week awards in a career and gave IU two defensive weekly award winners for just the second time in a single season. 

Casey was among the nation’s best at the linebacker position with 109 tackles on the season, which included a Big Ten-best 20.0 tackles for loss – a total that ranked No. 2 in the FBS entering bowl season. The only FBS defender with multiple games of 4.0 tackles for loss or more, Casey ranked No. 2 nationally in TFLs, while his 19 solo tackles for loss led the nation.

In 2023, Casey led the Big Ten and ranked No. 2 nationally in tackles for loss (20.0) and solo tackles (78). His 109 total tackles sit No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 23 in the FBS and mark the first 100-tackle season by an IU defender since Scales (126) in 2016. He led the Power 5 with 22 tackles for loss or no gain per Pro Football Focus.

His 20.0 tackles for loss are tied for No. 4 on the single season charts with Nathan Davis (1995) and were the most by an IU defender since Scales' 23.5 in 2016. Of his 20.0 tackles for loss, 19 of those were solo TFLs, which led the FBS. His career total of 36.0 tackles for loss finished No. 8 all-time at IU, just one behind Micah McFadden’s career total (37.0).

2023 Postseason Honors

Zach Carpenter – Honorable mention All-Big Ten (OL; B1G coaches & media)

Andre Carter - Honorable mention All-Big Ten (DL; B1G coaches & media)

Aaron Casey – First-team All-Big Ten (LB; B1G media, Associated Press), second-team All-Big Ten (LB; B1G coaches)

James Evans - Third-team All-Big Ten (P; B1G media), honorable mention All-Big Ten (P; B1G coaches)

Jaylin Lucas - Third-team All-Big Ten (RS; B1G media), honorable mention All-Big Ten (RS; B1G coaches)

Donaven McCulley - Honorable mention All-Big Ten (WR; B1G coaches & media)

Kobee Minor - Honorable mention All-Big Ten (DB; B1G coaches & media)