While it may be his first season in Bloomington, defensive coordinator Charlton Warren will have quite a few playmakers in his arsenal in 2021, especially when it comes to experienced playmakers returning.
Thanks to the NCAA changing eligibility this offseason due to the Covid-19 pandemic, players are allowed an extra season without impacting their four year eligibility. As a result, Indiana will bring back a majority of its defense that finished 4th in the Big Ten in scoring (20.3 ppg), 5th in total defense (378.1 yards per game), 5th in rush defense (137.1 yards per game) and 10th in pass defense (241 yards per game), along with amassing 17 interceptions.
Several big name players returning include linebackers Micah McFadden, Aaron Casey and Cam Jones, defensive linemen D.K. Bonhomme, defensive backs Jaylin Williams, Tiawan Mullen, Juwan Burgess and Resse Taylor, and husky Marcelino Ball. The Hoosiers also added Ole Miss grad transfer and defensive lineman Ryder Anderson, who will play at defensive end.
A season ago, McFadden, who earned All-American status, finished with 58 tackles, 10.5 tackles-for-a-loss, six sacks and two interceptions. Mullen finished with 38 tackles, 4.5 tackles-for-a-loss, 3.5 sacks and three interceptions, while Jones finished with 35 stops and three sacks. Williams ended with 30 tackles and four interceptions, while Taylor accounted for 29 tackles, one sack, one interception and seven pass break-ups.
There are question marks however surrounding the defense.
The biggest is how great will the departure of Jamar Johnson be, as the junior opted to enter the NFL Draft.
In 2020, Johnson registered 43 tackles and four interceptions.
Also departing are Jerome Johnson and Jovan Swann, both of whom played big minutes and were part of Indiana's defensive line.
Johnson finished the season with only 18 tackles, but he did record an interception and four sacks and was a huge leader on the defensive side of the football. Swann, on the other hand, finished with four stops on the season.
In addition, questions remain about the health of Marcelino Ball and Raheem Layne, both of whom missed the entire 2020 season, and will Thomas Allen be back after sustaining a season-ending hip injury at Michigan State.
Regardless, this is a defense that has playmakers, experience and talent and should be ready for the season opener at Iowa on Sept. 4.
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