The nation was introduced to D’Angelo Ponds last week when the Hoosier cornerback intercepted the first pass of the Peach Bowl and returned it for a touchdown. Ponds is great, but people overlook the story opposite him in redshirt junior Jamari Sharpe.
Sharpe, who is also a Miami native, came to Indiana in as part of the 2022 recruiting class when Tom Allen was at the helm of the Hoosiers. Sharpe played in just three games as a true freshman and redshirted. As a redshirt freshman in 2023, Sharpe was thrown into the fire playing in 12 games, starting nine of them.
As a youngster under the old staff Sharpe struggled. His Pro Football Focus grade was just 61.4. Current Indiana corner backs coach Rod Ojong knew they had a talented player to work with, but the work needed to be put in.
“We always knew that he had the ability. He has tons of talent when we came in.” Ojong said. “The technique wasn’t where it needed to be, and his IQ struggled a little bit. So we knew we had put a lot into him.”
Sharpe’s work with Indiana’s defensive staff started to show in 2024, when he saw his playing time decrease to nine total games and just three starts. He graded out with an overall score of 73 according to PFF as he made 13 tackles with a half sack and fumble recovery.
“Just learning the game a little bit better.” Sharpe said about the reason his game improved. “The coaches that came over here, they obviously taught me, like how to play the real position, and that helped me improve my game.”
Sharpe’s game has taken another step forward as he won the battle for the starting corner position opposite Ponds in fall camp. With Jamier Johnson transfering to UCLA, it was between Sharpe and Pitt transfer Ryland Gandy for the starting spot.
In the Hoosiers run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Sharpe has been as an important part of the defense as anyone.
“I think he’s done a great job of learning splits, indicators, releases, technique wise, hand placement, eyes” Ojong said. “He has a, obviously, a high ceiling. He’s just come a long way, and I expect him to keep getting better each, each and every snap.”
Indiana loves to put their corners on islands so that the rest of the defense is free to create havoc and Sharpe’s improvement has allowed them to do just that. Sharpe has been beaten a couple times this year, but he has a great mentality for the position that allows him to be mostly successful.
“As a corner, you’re on that island a lot, so you got to have a short memory and be able to bounce back.” Ojong said. “We do put those guys in conflict with our defense is who has the stress for that play. So you got to know when I have the stress, or when the stress is taken off of me and put on somebody else. But we do stress those guys a lot, and those guys know that, you know, the other team is on scholarship too, so they may make plays. We just got to make more plays than they do.”
Sharpe has been Robin to Ponds’ Batman and has taken on some star receivers, limiting them in yards after the catch and putting on a tackling clinic.
“We always talk about fast, physical and relentless. The first person who approaches and has to make the initial contact.” Ojong said. “The second man in, usually is the guy who they don’t see, so they can go after the ball, but the first guy has to make sure that ball carries down and not break for a large game. But we do practice a lot, you know, with tackling circuits. And, you know, I think, I think we became really good at it throughout the week.”
While it may be the Bat Signal in the air, it’s Sharpe’s Robin who plays a pivotal role in victory.