Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 43 Days (Dameon Willis Jr.)

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

#43

Fans can smell IUFB in the air as a number of Hoosier players have been named to national award watch lists, and Big Ten Media Days start on Monday. However, there are still 43 days to get through before the Hoosiers kickoff the season against the Ohio State Buckeyes and today we look at redshirt junior linebacker Dameon Willis Jr.

Dameon Willis Jr. (Redshirt Junior)

-Height: 6’1”

-Weight: 227 pounds

-Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

-Position: Linebacker

Dameon Willis came to Indiana by way of St. Ignatius in Cleveland, Ohio. There Willis was a member of a state championship team in 2011 and took home team MVP honors as a senior in 2013 when he finished with 75 tackles, eight TFLs and two sacks. He would be part of Indiana’s 2014 recruiting class and redshirt his first season on campus and was named Scout Team Player of the Week three times.

The Ohio native saw his first action in 2015 when he appeared in all 13 games as a reserve linebacker and on special teams. He contributed 16 tackles and a forced fumble and was named Special Teams Player of the Week in Indiana’s 36-22 win over Florida International.

Willis again played well in 2016 in a reserve roll making 22 tackles in 12 games. His efforts earned him a start in the Foster Farms Bowl in place of a banged up Marcus Oliver.

In 2017 the Hoosiers will have to replace Marcus Oliver as he left to pursue his NFL dreams and Dameon Willis is one of a handful of players who could step into that role. At the very least, Willis will give the Hoosiers an experienced veteran who can give them valuable reps of the bench and impact a game on special teams.