2023 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 44 Days (Aaron Casey)

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

The 2023 edition of the Hoosier Huddle Countdown is officially underway! We are counting down from 100 to the beginning of the 2023 Indiana University football season. Each day, we will take a look at one (or two) players on the current Indiana football roster and highlight the player’s role in the upcoming season. Today’s feature is star linebacker Aaron Casey, a crucial member of the 2023 defense.

Name: Aaron Casey

Hometown: Douglasville, GA/Alexander High School

Position: Linebacker

Year: Redshirt Senior+

Height/Weight: 6’2”/235 pounds

The Indiana Hoosiers defense struggled mightily in 2022 and there were very few bright spots to be found. One of the bright spots though was the play of linebacker Aaron Casey. Casey was partnered with Cam Jones as a starting linebacker and was an afterthought to most but when Jones left with an injury, Casey stepped up and provided an anchor in the middle for the Hoosiers. He ended up starting eleven games before missing the finale with an injury and his play earned him honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from the media and was third-team All-Big Ten by Pro Football Focus. Casey could have opted to move on and try to make it in the NFL but he gave IU’s defense a major boost when he announced his return for his “super senior” season. Casey is a potential All-Big Ten linebacker that will be a veteran answer on a defense full of youth question marks.

Aaron Casey came to Indiana prior to the 2018 season after a successful high school career at Alexander High School in Georgia. He was an all-state honoree and also lettered in basketball and soccer. He redshirted the 2018 season and then appeared in all 13 games as a freshman in 2019. He was a reserve in 2020 and 2021 before becoming a fixture in the starting lineup on the defense in 2022. It is unclear who exactly will partner with Aaron Casey as the other starting linebacker. Transfers Jacob Mangum-Farrar and Josh Rudolph are options as are returning redshirt freshmen Kaiden Turner and Isaiah Jones. Matt Hohlt, a walk-on from Center Grove High School can’t be forgotten about either. He was extremely impressive as a tackler and run-stopper when he was healthy in 2022. The constant should be Aaron Casey as he looks to finish off his Indiana career by helping the Hoosiers defense rebound and bounce back in 2023.

The countdown continues with a new profile each and every day so come back to hoosierhuddle.com daily!