Jim Coyle
With a vastly improved defensive backfield Indiana's D-Line could feast on that prospective coverage. Newcomers like transfers James Carpenter (7.5 sacks '23) and Maikal Kamara (5.5 sacks '23) from James Madison, hope to springboard from a solid year last season. Lanell Carr, a very athletic 5th year Sr. transfer DE/LB from West Virginia is also a top candidate here. At 6'2" and nearly 250 lbs Carr has already shown an affinity for getting to the quarterback and he is my leading candidate to be the sacks leader for the Hoosiers.
Getting to the quarterback is something that Indiana has not been very good at the last few seasons and it is of extreme importance that Bryant Haines defense is able to get to change that so the Hoosiers offense is not trying to win games 48-46.
ZACH BROWNING
There are a couple of guys that could potentially lead the Hoosiers in sacks in this upcoming 2024 campaign, but one stands out to me above the rest.
Fifth-year senior Lanell Carr has the perfect blend of size and speed necessary to get to the quarterback at the college level. At 6-foot-2 and 246 pounds, Carr has no problem running through opposing offensive lineman with brute strength, or using his quickness and athleticism to get around them.
Carr finished the 2023 season with the Hoosiers second on the team in sacks, collecting 5.0 throughout the year. With Aaron Casey, Indiana's leader in sacks from a season ago off to the NFL, the runway is open for Carr's production to tick up a notch or two.
Given his experience playing at the power conference level, and that combination of size and quickness, I think Carr could near double-digit sack numbers in 2024 on his way to leading the Hoosiers in that department.
JOSH POS
There are so many James Madison transfers that came to Bloomington with the coaching change, and it’s been highlighted by guys like Elijah Sarratt and Aidan Fisher.
However, defensive tackle James Carpenter is the most intriguing newcomer.
The Roanoke, Virginia native looked really good last season, collecting four sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception.
It was a slight drop-off from his 2022 season when he had 5.5 sacks, but he is poised to breakout in a big way this season.
The secondary will force a lot of coverage sacks and Carpenter will take advantage and clean up for a career high in sacks this season, leading the Hoosier defense.
COLIN MCMAHON
In this revamped Indiana defense, there are several players who could come away with the most sacks in 2024 but, in my opinion, I think that’s player will be Maikal Kamara.
Kamara, the transfer from James Madison, comes in to the 2024 season with 11.5 sacks in his career, but 7.5 sacks last season in his sophomore year. This should set up Kamara for a breakout season in 2024, allowing to boost those sack numbers to possibly even double digits in 2024.
Kamara being a sophomore and still racking up 7.5 sacks is extremely impressive, especially given the fact that he was sharing these sacks with the second and both leading sacker in the country. Putting up these kind of numbers as the possible third option shows that at IU, where he is expected to lead the defensive line, he could put up sensational numbers.
Kamara was tied for 43rd in the nation in 2023 and would have been fourth in the Big Ten, showing that as a sophomore he could compete with the best of the best in the country. This season, with another year of experience under his belt, coupled with experience with Curt Cignetti and his staff, should be a force to be reckoned with on the defensive line. This is why I believe Kamara will have the most sacks among the 2024 Hoosiers.
BRYAN AULT
My answer is going to surprise people, but I'm going to go with Kent State transfer CJ West, who will live up to expectations as a top defensive linemen. The 6'2, 315-pound defensive tackle wrecked havoc on offensive lines in the mid-American conference and recorded five sacks in 2021. A source on the Kent State staff told me "He consistently makes plays." He strikes me as someone who will live up to the hype and pressure opposing quarterbacks during his final year of eligibility at Bloomington.
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