Indiana Linebacker Cam Jones Rallies Himself, the Defense and the Team

Written y Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

Every single Hoosier fan was holding their breath and either cursing or praying as Indiana linebacker Cam Jones was writhing around the Memorial Stadium turf holding his ankle Friday night. Everyone knows how important Jones is to the Hoosier team. It was his sack on the first Illinois drive that helped stall a promising Illini drive.

Jones ran gingerly off the field after that third quarter injury and into the Indiana tunnel to the locker room. The good news was that he was running, the bad news was it wasn’t back to the bench.

Illinois would score a touchdown that drive to take a 17-16 lead. The Hoosiers needed their leader back.

A few minutes later Cam Jones was out of the locker room, having rallied, or re-taped, whatever ailment he had. Once the Hoosier captain was back, it was his time to rally the team.

In between the third and fourth quarters head coach Tom Allen called the whole team out into a huddle. The Hoosiers were trailing 17-16, in a game they desperately needed to win. After a brief talk, he let his captain take over.

“At the end of the third quarter, Cam Jones -- so we brought the team up. I spoke to them first and tag teamed to him, and he finished it off. And the whole message was find a way to finish and win this game. And he believed we were going to find a way. And that's all we talked about. Even when there was not much time left and we were on the goal line, we had to get a goal line stand. Who made the play on the goal line? Cam Jones.” Allen said at his press conference.

The play Allen is alluding to saved the game for the Hoosiers.

The Illini had driven down to the Hoosier two-yard line looking for an eight-point lead. Illinois’ running back Chase Brown looked poised to stick the dagger in the Hoosiers, but that’s when Jones made a play to keep him out of the end zone.

The Illini went for it on fourth and goal, and while Jones was not in on the tackle, his defense stuffed Brown again, but this time for a third-yard loss.

“That goal line stand was special. Cam Jones, I can't say enough things about that young man.'“ Allen said after the game. “He's the heart and soul of this team. I knew it going into the game, and it showed during the game. He got injured. I still don't even know the severity of it yet, but he just -- he gritted right through it. He wasn't going to come off that field. He didn't just go out there, he went out there and made plays after he got injured.”

Jones finished the game with a career-high 12 tackles, including a sack and a fumble recovery. Hoosier nation is hoping that the injury is not severe and the leader of their defense can be back for the next game on Saturday night against Idaho.