2023 Position Previews: Can a Very New Cornerback Group Gel in Time to Succeed in 2023?

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

Indiana’s secondary was supposed to be a strength. The Hoosiers had veterans with a lot of playing experience returning and there was a hope that 2021 was just a fluke. The unit with Tiawan Mullen and Monster Matthews and Jaylin Williams would rebound and play more like the group that showed so much promise in 2020. Instead, the bottom fell out and IU’s pass defense was largely abysmal. The Hoosiers gave up a passer rating of 152.42 and opponents threw 30 touchdowns to just seven interceptions against Indiana. For reference, IU’s passer rating was 104.97 with 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions on the season. IU’s coaching staff knew changes had to be made this position group is unrecognizable from last season.

The personnel is entirely different and Matt Guerrieri was brought in to call the plays for the defense. Cornerback is an incredibly difficult position to play, particularly in collegiate football with the profligacy of spread offenses and the rules tilted to favor the offense. If the defensive line struggles to generate a pass rush and cannot disrupt the opposing quarterback’s pocket, a difficult job becomes nigh impossible. Indiana hopes to generate more pressure with improved personnel and a more aggressive approach but the play of the secondary will be up to a very new group of players.

As of the writing of this article, it is impossible to know which players end up as the two starting corners for the Hoosiers. That said, we can make some educated guesses about what things will look like when IU kicks off in September.

Projected Starters – Jamier Johnson and Nic Toomer

Jamier Johnson is a transfer from the University of Texas that stood out positively during spring practice. He comes to Indiana after appearing in 17 games for the Longhorns. Johnson was a four-star recruit from California and he has good length and size plus a frame that has been in a football powerhouse weight program and has a strong frame ready for the Big Ten. It would be a surprise if he were not the number one corner for the Hoosiers.

The other starter is more of a mystery but the pick here is Nic Toomer, a transfer from Stanford that was not with the program during the spring. Toomer is originally from Georgia and he played in 21 games for the Cardinal with five starts. He has exceptional size (6’2”) and length for a cornerback, something that could give him a leg up in the battle for playing time.

Rotation Pieces

Kobee Minor – It was a toss-up for the second starting spot between Toomer and Texas Tech transfer Kobee Minor. Minor was with the “ones” for much of the spring and impressed with his opportunity. He appeared in 23 games with the Red Raiders in the pass happy Big 12 and was a rotation player for a good Texas Tech squad in 2022.

Jamari Sharpe – The redshirt freshman from Florida is a player with a whole lot of potential. Sharpe is 6’1” with good length and after appearing in three games last season, he’s ready for a step up in role. Sharpe looks the part but only time will tell how he adjusts to playing against Big Ten receivers on a weekly basis. The expectation is that he’ll be one of the top six corners and see significant snaps this season.

JoJo Johnson – There was a bit of uncertainty as to whether JoJo Johnson would be on the roster as he was not with the team for spring practice. Thankfully, the transfer from Iowa Western Community College made it to Bloomington and will be a member of the 2023 Hoosiers. Johnson is originally from Merrillville, Indiana and he redshirted the 2021 season at Notre Dame. He missed that season with an ACL injury and left the program, transferring to Iowa Western Community College. He’s a player that we have not seen on the field in any capacity for Indiana so it’s a mystery where he fits in but he figures to be a part of the rotation this coming season and in the future.

James Monds – Monds was one of 15 true freshman to debut for Indiana in 2022. He appeared in two games last season after starring at Vero Beach High School. Monds is another player with potential but incredibly limited experience that will battle for a spot in the rotation.

Jordan Shaw – Shaw was a borderline four-star recruit the Hoosiers were thrilled to land. Originally from California, Shaw played at St. Pius X St. Matthias Academy and was selected to play in the All-America Bowl. He’s a terrific athlete with great speed and he did it all in high school: receiver, defensive back and returner on special teams. It is really rare for a true freshman to play a lot as a cornerback in the Big Ten. However, Shaw has a chance to get on the field as either a corner or a kick returner (partnering with Jaylin Lucas).

Jaz Boykin, Mitchell Evans, Anthony Chung, Connor Hole, Aaron Stewart, Clay Connor and Drew Pearce are additional rostered players in the secondary.

Final Analysis

Gone are the big names. On the surface, losing guys like Jaylin Williams and Tiawan Mullen may seem like a major negative. However, the play on the field in the past two seasons necessitated change and a fresh start. Indiana brought in interesting players in the transfer portal and have young players with potential. Those players will need to step up and learn quickly because the Hoosiers will be playing some high-powered passing attacks. This group should not be judged by what they do in the opener against Ohio State. The Buckeyes will be bringing in an elite group of receivers and possibly the nation’s best player (Marvin Harrison Jr.) to Bloomington. There might not be a set of cornerbacks in the country that stand a chance against that group of weapons. Rather, this IU secondary needs to be judged by how they perform in games against teams like Akron, Louisville, Michigan State, Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois and Purdue. If the pass defense does not improve from what it was in 2022, the Hoosiers chances of making a bowl game in 2023 take a major hit.