Jonathan ‘Ballgame’ Brady has had quite the year. The transfer wide receiver made a huge splash in his first game at Memorial Stadium, returning a punt 91 yards for a touchdown. Since that time, Brady has continued to impress on special teams, averaging 41.1 yards per return, ranking #4 in the FBS and #3 in the Big Ten, respectively.
A large part of Brady’s decision to transfer was due to his chemistry with quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who he followed from Cal to IU.
“That guy, he continues to amaze me. I saw it at Cal, but it’s crazy to see. He’s a dawg; he puts in the work. He definitely deserves everything coming his way. When I say he puts in the work, I don’t think people understand how much he watches film and is on top of everything, and I love that guy. I’m so happy for him, and that’s my brother.” Brady said.
At Indiana, Brady has found himself in a very talented slot receiver room where anybody can make plays on any given day. This includes Elijah Sarratt, who had several spectacular catches in the Peach Bowl.
When asked about Sarratt’s Peach Bowl performance, Brady said, “Man, that’s routine work for my guy. In the slot room, everybody can make a play; everybody is ready when their number is called. So when guys in this room make plays, it’s regular; we put in the work during the week, and it’s happy to see when it happens on gameday, so I’m really excited for the entire room and the entire program.”
For Brady, just the opportunity to play in the College Football Playoff has been surreal. “It’s surreal, man. It’s an exciting moment to be a part of, and I’m just happy for everybody in this organization. We put in work every day for this type of experience. It’s crazy I can’t even put it into words.” He explained.
Brady hasn’t just played in these games; he’s been making a huge impact on special teams. His 16-yard punt return in the Peach Bowl set the Hoosiers up with great field position. When asked if having tape from the first matchup with Oregon helped him prepare for the Peach Bowl, he said, “Definitely. It was a big advantage. We went to work and took it one day at a time; we put in the work, and it showed today.”
Brady continued saying, “I was watching film from the first game. I really was trying to understand where he was trying to kick it, and I knew where he wanted to go. He really wanted to keep me in the boundary, so I used that and got a quick hop on it. When I caught it, the punt return team they did amazing blocking for me, and I’m very appreciative of that, and I just try and get what I can and set the offense up.”
Following a victory in the Peach Bowl, Brady is going to be playing for a National Championship, exactly the type of moment he transferred to Indiana to play for. “It’s crazy; I can’t even put it into words man. This time last year I was sitting down at home watching these games. So now that we’re going to be in the Natty, it’s crazy to think about; I’m very excited for it.” Brady said. You have to believe that Brady and the rest of the Hoosiers are ready for this moment.