Indiana Safety Jonathan Crawford Focused on the Little Things as He Moves Towards a Breakthrough
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Jonathan Crawford (9) has become one of the pillars on Tom Allen's defense. Image: Sarah Miller Hoosier Huddle.
Written By Evan McShane (@Veryreasonable)
Junior safety Jonathan Crawford has been making noise on Indiana’s defense since the day he arrived in Bloomington. The 6-foot-2 defensive back from Largo, Florida fits the mold of what head coach Tom Allen wants to see from his defenders moving forward. Great size and length for the position; a unique ability hit like a linebacker and read the quarterback’s eyes to force interceptions. Crawford is a cousin and former high school teammate of Hoosier wide receiver Donovan Hale. The package deal of Hale and Crawford came to Bloomington in 2015, making an immediate impact.
As a freshman, Crawford played in all 13 games, leading the team with four interceptions. That mark was good enough for third in the Big Ten, and first among Big Ten freshmen. Following his successful 2015 campaign, Crawford made another leap in 2016 with Tom Allen taking over as defensive coordinator. Crawford again played all 13 games, starting in each one. He led the team with seven takeaways, including four fumble recoveries and three interceptions. His improvement sophomore year echoed that of the entire defense under Allen. Crawford hopes to continue taking strides this season to maximize his potential. Some Indiana fans may be getting anxious that the Hoosiers haven’t forced a single turnover yet this season. Don’t fret. Jonathan Crawford will get his hands on the football sooner than later. He has a keen nose for the ball, and knowing the defense hasn’t created a turnover only makes Crawford hungrier.
The man is clutch. Crawford tends to show up when it matters most. As a freshman, he had nine tackles and an interception in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Duke. Last season, Crawford had two interceptions and a fumble recovery in the Oaken Bucket Game. Then, he added another fumble recovery in the Foster Farms Bowl against Utah. Don’t be surprised if Crawford is the one who forces Indiana’s first turnover of the season.
What’s next for Jonathan Crawford? The sky's the limit according to Crawford and his coaches. It’s just a matter of whether or not the stars will align. Asked about what he can improve as an individual, Crawford said, “For me it’s probably detail – little things – watching more film and keep learning from my mistakes.” After experiencing consistent on-field success as a true freshman, and as a sophomore, it’s time for Crawford to fine-tune his game. Can he take it to the next level? Crawford has a fierce appetite for film, one of the most important aspects of improving your game off the field. Doesn’t he get tired of watching plays over and over again? “Nah I’ve been watching myself since little league. I still love to do it.” If Crawford’s hunger on the field and in the film room persists, who knows what all he can achieve.
Always humble, Crawford neglected to discuss anything regarding conference play. He explained, “This is a big game for us so we're just focusing on this one. So really, everything else is out the window.” Echoing head coach Tom Allen, Crawford spoke of the team’s purposeful approach to gameday: “Everything that we're going to do this week is for this week.” Due to the cancelled FIU game, Indiana had not just this week, but last week as well. “I feel like that’s big. I feel like having an extra week really gives us a step up.”
The Hoosiers had some extra time to focus on two very important things: health and the triple option. The Georgia Southern Eagles will be bringing an option offense into Memorial Stadium on Saturday, and Allen made sure his defense will be prepared. Back in the spring, Crawford explained, “We got an overview of what to expect.” Without giving away any of the game plan, Crawford explained in simple terms the Hoosiers have to “make sure somebody’s on the quarterback and the pitch.” He asserted, “Bottom line: hat on a hat.”
A criticism of prior Indiana teams revolved around a paltry effort against teams with equal or lesser talent. Allen will demand consistency from his players. Now it’s time to see the results on the field. Despite the fact that Georgia Southern ranks dead last in the FBS in yards-per-play, the Hoosiers will need to be fundamentally sound on Saturday. Crawford described the razor-sharp focus required to defend against the option, “Our eyes have to be right – knowing at all times the different things that they do.”
Jonathan Crawford knows what his team needs to do to win this week. He knows what he needs to do to improve as an individual player. Crawford represents Indiana University as well as any student-athlete. He looks to follow up last season’s astonishing defensive turnaround by making another leap. Crawford and the Hoosiers strive to become a top-25 defensive unit, but they must start creating turnovers if they want to achieve such status. Look no further, with players like Crawford, the law of averages says Indiana will be doing just that. While the Hoosiers are poised to breakthrough, Jonathan Crawford is ready to take his game to the next level.