Welcome, Hoosier fans to the 2025 Hoosier Huddle Countdown! Over the next 100 days the Hoosier Huddle staff will feature every player on the 2025 roster in anticipation of the season opener on August 30th against Old Dominion. Today, we look at junior cornerback D’Angelo Ponds.
COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: #5 D’Angelo Ponds
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 170 pounds
Hometown: Miami, Florida (Chaminade Madonna)
Class/Position: Junior/ Cornerback
“Pressure off the edge, AND IT’S INTERCEPTED! D’ANGELO PONDS! ROLL OUT THE BIG RED CARPET! TOUCHDOWN INDIANA!” Guy Haberman’s now-famous call of D’Angelo Ponds’ 67-yard pick-six against Washington has become synonymous with both Ponds and Indiana Football as a whole.
The 2024 Washington game was a huge moment for Indiana. College Gameday was live from Bloomington for the first official time as the Hoosiers faced off against the national runners-up, the Washington Huskies. It was arguably the biggest game of the season and Indiana football history up until that point.
Big-time players make big-time plays on the biggest stages, and on one of the biggest stages in IU football history, he delivered. The James Madison transfer needed just one half of football to cement his legacy, grabbing that 67-yard pick-six in the first quarter and following that up with another interception in the second quarter. This performance earned him a whole host of awards, including the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week and Jim Thorpe Award National Defensive Back of the Week.
Ponds ended his sophomore season with 55 total tackles (35 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, and a blocked punt, garnering him First-Team All Big Ten and Second-Team All-America honors.
Cut to 2025, and Ponds returns as one of the undisputed leaders on the Hoosiers’ defense. As a veteran player, he has the opportunity to continue to shine while mentoring some of the younger guys in the cornerback room. Expect another big year out of the Miami native, and to opposing quarterbacks, remember his slogan, “Try 5, Get 6.”
The Hoosier Huddle Countdown to Kickoff continues each and every day, so be sure to check back often for the latest profile piece!