Written by Ben Gillard

When Aaron Casey joined the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason, he left big shoes to fill. The first-team All-Big 10 linebacker was IU’s undisputed leader on defense over his career. With his graduation, the Hoosiers linebacking corps turned into a giant question mark, and what was once a strength of the defense seemed to become a weakness overnight.

Enter a pair of transfer linebackers who followed Head Coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana. The hype around Aiden Fisher and Jalin Walker was palpable from their very first crystal balls to IU. There was talk that Indiana would be getting two “game-changing” talents in Fisher and Walker. The type that could lead the Hoosiers to new heights defensively. Both had earned All-Sun Belt honors in 2023 (Fisher 3rd team and Walker Honorable Mention) and were consistent tacklers; Fisher had a team-best 108 tackles and Walker had 61 total tackles. The hope was they could continue the IU legacy of linebacking excellence, becoming leaders on the defense for years to come.

They proved that they could on the field Saturday. From the very first defensive series, it became clear that Fisher and Walker had command of the defense. On the second defensive snap, Fisher lit up FIU running back Lexington Joseph for a loss of 4 yards. This hit fired up the student section, who geared up for third down. On the very next play, Fisher again came flying down and sacked FIU QB Keyone Jenkins for a 1-yard loss, blowing the lid off the stadium.

Over the course of the rest of the game, Fisher and Walker were everywhere on the field. Fisher ended the game with 12 total tackles (4 solo), 1 sack, and 2 tackles for loss. Walker finished with 8 total tackles, 5 of which were solo. In his postgame press conference, Head Coach Curt Cignetti praised the defense for their ability to “swarm to the ball,” something that Fisher and Walker showed that they could do consistently throughout the game.

After the game, Fisher emphasized the importance of having already established chemistry with Walker from their JMU days. “I think for me, having him [Walker], I’ve been able to rely on him for a lot of the same checks and the same different things we did at James Madison and can bring here.” This was evident as the two appeared in sync, containing FIU’s rushing attack to just 53 total yards.

If Saturday’s game is any indication, Aiden Fisher and Jailin Walker look to be the leaders of the Hoosiers defense for years to come.

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