D.K. Bonhomme and Aaron Casey Finding Success During Opportunities
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Aaron Casey (46) and D.K. Bonhomme (42) have burst onto the scene Image: Indiana University Athletics.
Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)
The 2020 Indiana defense is full of playmakers at every level and with players whose name fans know like Tiawan Mullen, Jerome Johnson, Jamar Johnson and Micah McFadden. There are more big time playmakers on the IU defense of course, but it’d do no good to list 11 or 12 guys. However, there are two players fans should keep their eyes on because they have stepped into the light the last two weeks. Those players are D.K. Bonhomme, a sophomore linebacker who mans Indiana’s bull position and Aaron Casey, a redshirt sophomore linebacker, who has filled the shoes of Thomas Allen nicely.
“D.K's development has been critical” Indiana head coach Tom Allen said on Monday. “I believe, to our success and I think it will be even more so moving forward, and always thought he was a special player in terms of just raw talent.”
Bonhomme had one of Indiana’s bigger defensive plays in the Hoosiers 27-11 win over Maryland when he sacked Maryland’s quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa in the end zone for a safety to put the Hoosiers up 9-3. Bonhomme, out of Ontario, Canada finished the game with four tackles and the tackle for loss.
“I thought that safety that D.K. had was a critical point in that game and changed the momentum.” Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said on Monday. “If you look at that scenario, we get the safety, go down and score right afterward and then started to get after them on defense. It was a big momentum swing in the game, so I am impressed with the way he is progressing.”
Bonhomme who is listed at 6’3” and 235 pounds has the size and athleticism that Allen and Wommack are looking for and allows Wommack to use the linebacker in a hybrid position. He has 13 tackles and two tackles for loss on the season.
“As we have evolved more as a defense that position has become more of an outside linebacker spot for us and D.K. was the perfect fit for it.” Wommack said. “He is a big physical guy. As he continues to grow and put more weight on, he is naturally a strong football player at the point of attack so he can play on the line of scrimmage or he can play backed off. It gives us a lot more versatility in some of the coverage things that we are doing, which has been obviously so pertinent and important in terms of us getting sacks, takeaways, allowing us to blitz a linebacker, inside linebacker and drop him out in coverage.”
Aaron Casey should not be over looked either. He’s been in the program for three years now and with Thomas Allen out with injury will see an increase in opportunity. Casey played in all 13 games last season in a reserve linebacker and special teams role. He made five tackles, a sack and blocked a punt. This season has been a breakout year.
“Aaron Casey, man, just really liked the athleticism he brings he was a high school safety, out of Georgia and got a big frame on him. Looks like a linebacker but played safety in high school. And as we always projected him as in as shown burst.” Allen said.
Aaron Casey (46) makes the play on Justin Fields Image: Indiana University Athletics
Casey, who is 6’2” and 234 pounds, showed off that burst several times against Ohio State chasing down Justin Fields. Casey made three total tackles that day including the tackle for loss.
Wommack, who recruited Casey out of high school, has enough belief in the young linebacker to put him in the Hoosiers’ rotation at the position.
“He is one of those four inside linebackers that we have rolled with. I recruited him out of high school when I was at South Alabama and originally recruited him as a safety” Wommack said on Monday. “We were playing a lot of roll down three coverage, kind of like a Cam Chancellor roll down safety in cover three, so that is where we recruited him to be.”
Get used to the names Bonhomme and Casey because their time is coming and it may be sooner than you think. The Hoosiers have depth and talent at the linebacking position more than any other time in recent history and that defense becomes just that much tougher when Wommack can roll a player like Bonhomme or Casey when a starter needs a breather.
No. 10 Indiana’s next game is against No. 18 Wisconsin on Saturday, December 5th in Madison at 3:30pm