Indiana is 1-0 heading into its Week 2 clash with Kennesaw State, but the Hoosiers’ season opener left plenty to chew on. While the Hoosiers’ Week 1 win over Old Dominion had its rough patches, one group made an undeniable statement: the defensive backs.
A position group that entered the season with whispers of depth concerns proved there’s no need for doubt. The starting unit is stacked with veteran playmakers, while a young core of backups is quickly learning from those battle-tested leaders. Together, they showed just how disruptive this secondary can be, snatching three interceptions in the opener — a performance D’Angelo Ponds wants to become the expectation.
“I feel like it’s an unsaid goal,” Ponds told the media Tuesday. “Every week we want to get takeaways and that’s a big part of the defense. If you can get takeaways, you’re most likely going to win the game.”
D’Angelo Ponds has his sights set on making even more big plays this season — but he knows it takes an entire unit of playmakers to make that happen. Fortunately for Indiana, he’s surrounded by a loaded group of defensive backs: Jamari Sharpe, Louis Moore, Devan Boykin, Amare Ferrell, and Ryland Gandy. Among them, Ferrell has stood out as a tone-setter, building on last year’s breakout season with another strong start.
“I feel like he’s [Amare] a very underrated player in our defense,” Ponds said. “You don’t hear a lot of talk about him, but he has a lot of football knowledge as you can see and he’s a ballhawk.”
Ferrell snagged one of Indiana’s three interceptions in the opener, further cementing his reputation as a relentless competitor. And with a defensive backfield full of veteran starters, leadership flows naturally across the unit, helping forge a confident, cohesive group.
“I definitely feel like we’re getting better as we get more game reps,” D’Angelo stated. “I feel like we are building something, as you can see they didn’t cross the 50 besides those runs. I feel like we are getting better but we definitely need to progress and fast.”
Ponds has no doubts about this secondary’s potential, but he’s not letting that confidence turn into complacency. He’s made it a personal mission to hold himself and his teammates accountable, ensuring they continue to sharpen their craft each week. Even after a solid defensive showing in Week 1, he knows there’s plenty to clean up.
“Learning from our mistakes. Taking it day by day and getting better. I feel like we’re getting better as we go,” Ponds responded when asked about practice adjustments. “As far as QB runs, we don’t see that a lot. So that’s hard to mimic in practice. So, now that we’ve seen it, it’ll be easier to fix.”
That lesson will be tested immediately. Kennesaw State’s dual-threat quarterback will force Indiana to tighten its approach against mobile passers — something they’ll see more of as the season unfolds. For Ponds and the secondary, that means putting in the extra work now to stay a step ahead.
The Hoosiers may have set the tone with their three-interception opener, but this defense isn’t interested in celebrating too early. Saturday is another opportunity to prove that Week 1’s performance wasn’t a flash in the pan, but the start of a new identity: one built on accountability, growth, and a relentless pursuit of the football.