2022 Spring IUFB Position Battles: Inside Linebacker

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

The Hoosiers are four practices into their spring session and have hit spring break with 11 practices to go. We continue our look into the position battles happening all over the field for IU. After losing All-American linebacker Micah McFadden to the NFL Draft, IU will have a hole to fill at the middle linebacker position. IU does get Cam Jones back at stinger and there is no battle there. The spring should go a long way into determining who starts the opener against Illinois in the middle of the Hoosiers’ defense.

The Players

Aaron Casey, RS Senior- Casey has waited patiently behind McFadden for his chance to make an impact. He’s played in 33 games and knows the defense, which gives him a leg up on the competition. In those 33 games Casey has made 45 tackles including 4.5 tackles for loss. It’ll be hard to replace McFadden right away, he was the heart and soul of the IU defense in 2021, but the six-foot-two 225-pound redshirt senior brings experience and some production to the spot. It will make the transition easier.

Bradley Jennings Jr., Graduate Transfer- Jennings is coming to IU from Miami (FL) where he played in 35 games for the Hurricanes. He has 68 career tackles and nine tackles for loss. While he is new to the system, he is athletic enough and experienced enough to catch on quickly. He should push Casey for the starting position, however Casey has three years in the system over him. Health is also a concern for Jennings as he missed the entire 2019 campaign recovering from offseason surgery. When he is healthy, Jennings is a productive player.

Kaiden Turner, Freshman- Turner is in for spring and has drawn comparisons to Micah McFadden, but he will need time to build his body into a middle backer in the Big Ten. Unless there is a total collapse ahead of him, Turner should have the leeway to develop and get some game experience before trying to fill the shoes of McFadden.  

Prediction 

I believe Aaron Casey will start the year at middle linebacker for IU with Bradley Jennings backing him up. Turner should benefit from spring practice, but there is depth here right now and he can be developed and not turn into the fire. Isaiah Jones will join this group in the fall which puts him behind all three who will try and bridge the gap between McFadden and Turner and Jones.