Countdown to 2020 IUFB Kickoff: 31 Days (Bryant Fitzgerald)

Written by Amanda Pavelka (@amandapavelka3)

Name: Bryant Fitzgerald

Position/Year: Defensive Back/Redshirt Junior

Hometown/High School: Indianapolis, Indiana (Avon)

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 209 pounds

Just a month remains until the scheduled start of the 2020 IU football season. As we await a conference-only schedule to be revealed, the Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff continues. With 31 days to kickoff, we feature Bryant Fitzgerald who will wear the Hoosiers No. 31 jersey in the upcoming season.

Ranked the No. 4 prospect in Indiana and No. 31 safety in the nation by ESPN, Bryant Fitzgerald committed to stay in the Hoosier state and continue his football career at IU. Fitzgerald got the chance to prove himself in 2018 after redshirting in 2017, and shined all season long. A team-leading there interceptions, two forced fumbled, and six takeaways, 31 tackles, 24 solo and 2 for loss on the season earned him the Corby Davis Memorial Award for most outstanding back.

He wrapped up last season with a career-high five solo performance in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, totaling 27 tackles, 24 solo, one TFL, three pass breakups and one quarterback hurry. He played in all 13 games, and was a starter for 5 at free safety as a sophomore. In what little spring practice the Hoosiers were able to get before COVID-19 hit, Fitzgerald made the switch to husky.

"(Fitzgerald) is so good around the box," Wommack says. "We were able to activate him a little more, bring him off the edge, bringing pressure. He's that hybrid safety/linebacker guy that we want to get more active in the run game.”

Fitzgerald is a key ingredient in the special chemistry developing on defense. With his mindset and high expectations for himself, expect he only makes a bigger impact on the Hoosiers’ secondary in 2020.