Coming out of Tampa’s Plant High School, Micah McFadden did not have a whole lot of college programs beating down his door.
Rather than sulk, McFadden honed his craft, followed Tom Allen's vision and commitment to turning a program around to Indiana and has become an All-Big Ten caliber linebacker, leading Indiana’s 4-2-5 defensive set as middle linebacker.
As a junior, McFadden has grown each season, and for defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, that is the greatest joy in watching his middle linebacker, who recorded a team high nine tackles against Michigan State last week.
“It’s fun to be able to see somebody go through the progression of maturity both on and off the field as a player. He was a guy early on that was a playmaker that we would put on the field and he would just run and chase the ball down. And now to see him with his skill set develop fundamentally… his production just continues to climb. As a coach, it is very rewarding to walk a guy through that,” Wommack said.
For McFadden, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
"As a freshman, was difficult learning the defense. As a young freshman, I was trying to pick up the defense, but was also running around trying to make plays. Over the last few years, it's honing in on what I have to do and communicating with the guys around me, understanding the defense as a whole. Understand not just what I have to do but other people's jobs and responsibilities have really helped me," McFadden said.
After all, it is part of the vision he bought into when Allen recruited him.
"He was true from the start. He was always telling me Indiana would be a contender for the Big Ten championship and we would win a lot of games if I came here. He was so enthusiastic about the change that was going to come to this program," McFadden said.
After getting in there as a freshman, McFadden made a name for himself last year as a sophomore, earning the team’s Most Outstanding Player-of-the-Year honor after leading Indiana with 61 tackles and notching two interceptions.
Through four games, McFadden has not let up one bit, delivering bone jarring hits and helping lead the Hoosiers to a 4-0 mark and first place in the Big Ten East heading into Saturday’s top ten matchup against Ohio State in Columbus.
On the season, McFadden has 30 tackles, 20 of which are solo stops. He has also notched four-and-a-half tackles for loss for 22 yards, two sacks, an interception and two quarterback hurries this season.
Against Michigan State, who was held to just 80 yards rushing, McFadden notched nine tackles, added two sacks and three tackles for a loss.
After the game, McFadden told the media he and the defense he and his defensive teammates talked all week about dominating the Spartans and putting it on film.
"We just have to keep doing it, keep it up. We got to make plays week in and week out and do it in practice as well. We are getting better on the back end and front end, being able to communicate and everyone knows their job," McFadden said.
Ensuring everyone knows their job will be crucial this Saturday at Ohio State.
"They have a great quarterback, offense as a whole, but comes down to our defense executing fundamentally and performing at a high level," McFadden said.
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