Indiana football's defensive line has a different look to it entering the 2024 campiagn after a number changes this offseason.
One of three former James Madison Dukes, Mikail Kamara is one of a number of players that elected to follow Curt Cignetti from Harrisonburg to Bloomington this offseason.
An experienced edge rusher, recap Kamara's 2023 season at James Madison and preview what's ahead for the former unranked recruit in 2024.
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2023 SEASON RECAP
Throughout much of Mikail Kamara's college football career, the defensive end has battled through injuries, with one of the few exceptions being the 2023 season.
After appearing in just five games throughout the 2022 season due to a slew of injuries, Kamara played his first complete season at the college level a year ago in 2023.
It should come as no surprise that the healthiest season of Kamara's career also happened to be the best season of his career.
The Ashburn, Virginia native started 12 games a season ago at James Madison. He collected 52 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, adding three forced fumbles as well.
For what he brought on the field last season with the Dukes, Kamara earned a second team All-Sun Belt selection.
Kamara's innate ability to consistently set up shop in the backfield of opposing teams, is what set the 6-foot-1, 268 pound edge apart from others in 2023.
Kamara tallied at least 1.0 tackle for loss in 11 of the 12 games he started last season.
The challenge for Kamara in his first season in Bloomington is to continue to be productive against Big Ten offensive lines.
2024 SEASON OUTLOOK
Entering the 2024 season, there's reason to believe that Kamara could have an even better season than he did a year ago with the Dukes.
Despite that uptick in competition going up against the size, strength and talent of Big Ten offensive lineman, Kamara has another year of experience under his belt and he's had a 100% healthy offseason to prepare for 2024.
After taking the first team reps at the edge spot throughout Indiana's spring games, Kamara, as was expected, looks like he'll occupy the starting defensive end spot for the 2024 season.
Something else Kamara has going for himself entering the season is confidence, making the step up from the Sun Belt to the Big Ten isn't something that frightens the edge rusher.
Earlier in the offseason, Kamara stated that all he needed was "a bigger stage" to showcase his talents, as he aims to put the Hoosiers "on the map."
On the individual side of things, Kamara has a goal in mind too. Kamara's hoping that he can shown enough this season in Bloomington to "become a (NFL) guy" come the end of the 2024 season.
If Indiana wants to truly make some noise this season, the pass rush and the pressure they put on opposing quarterbacks is going to have to improve. For the Hoosiers in 2024, that starts with Kamara.
FROM KAMARA
"Those injuries allowed me to grow," Kamara answered when asked how he looks back on the time he lost to injury throughout the early stages of his career. "It allowed me to understand perseverance and gain a new love for the game. At that point I realized that this game can be taken from you at any moment."
"Every single time I come out in practice, every single time I come out in games, I'm like this could be my last chance," Kamara continued. "So I go 110% every single time."
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