Cam Jones: “Mature Beyond His Years”
/
Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)
Much of the offseason discussion when it comes to the Indiana defense has boiled down to one question: how will Indiana replace the heart and soul of its 2021 defense, Micah McFadden?
Numerous candidates have entered their names in the running. Allen and his staff went out and landed Bradley Jennings Jr., Jared Casey, and Myles Jackson from the transfer portal. Aaron Casey was recently given the opportunity to wear Indiana’s honorary George Taliaferro number 44 jersey. Kaiden Turner, Isaiah Jones, and Dasan McCullough joined the Hoosiers as a part of its most recent recruiting class.
But the obvious answer may have been right in front of our noses all along, and he has been McFadden’s right-hand man the past couple years: Cam Jones.
There are players that say they will do everything they can to put Indiana’s 2021 season in the rearview mirror, and then there are guys that go out and act on it every single day. Since the day after the 2021 season ended, Jones has been the latter. He and quarterback Jack Tuttle wasted no time in meeting with Coach Allen at the conclusion of last season.
“During that conversation, we talked about what we wanted to see change and how we wanted to see it change," Jones told media at Big Ten Football Media Days. "Coach Allen told me he'd work with me personally every single day whether it was indoor or more film time.”
Jones has been a changed man this offseason.
“There's no sad days," Jones said. "There's no 'I feel bad’ days. We come to take care of business."
And whether it be on or off the field, he has already made a lasting impression on his new defensive coordinator.
“What’s not my favorite part about coaching him?” chuckled Chad Wilt. “You’re talking about a young man that, whew, he’s mature beyond his years.”
Wilt went on to discuss that before preseason camp, he and his wife planned a dinner at their home in which they invited all the linebackers. Coach Allen and his staff have made it a priority this season to have a more connected team than they have ever had. Unfortunately, the day of the dinner, tragedy struck at the Wilt home.
“[My wife] gets a phone call from her dad, that her uncle had passed away. Obviously, we had to call all the linebackers and cancel dinner, my wife’s running up to Indy to be with her family.”
The next day, Wilt’s wife’s phone buzzed with a text. It was Cam Jones.
“Hey, just wanted to let you know, we’re thinking about you,” read Cam’s text. “We love you. We’re praying for you. We’re here for you.”
Cam’s growth and maturity has not stopped there. Wilt continued with another story from this offseason.
“About a week ago, my wife brings our kids over to practice. My kids are excited they get to see Cam…they love Cam!” Indiana’s photography crew captured the picturesque moment, and sent the pictures to Cam.
“Cam, before he posted, texted my wife and I,” said Wilt. “He said ‘hey, I love these pictures, I love you guys, I love your family, I just wanted to check to make sure you’re okay with me putting these pictures of your kids on Instagram?’”
“What 22-year-old kid thinks like that?”
A 22-year-old that has embraced a leadership role, that’s who. A 22-year-old that is determined to make this season different.
“You look in our meeting room, he’s the bell cow… what’s not to love about that kid? He’s what we want our daughters to date, our sons to be, and he’s what we want our football players to be. He’s tough, he’s smart, he’s gritty, and he leads in all the right ways.”
Cam Jones and the Hoosiers kick off the season on September 2nd against conference foe Illinois in Bloomington’s Memorial Stadium.