With fall camp already midway through and just two weeks until the season opener, a critical summer slowly winds down for the Indiana football program.
HoosierIllustrated.com is taking a look at the position groups on both sides of the ball and breaking down the state of the position.
Next is the linebacker room.
The Hoosiers have had stars at the position over the last few years, headlined by Micah McFadden and Cam Jones. They are no longer in Bloomington and it will usher in a new era with the linebacking room.
More Indiana Football Position Previews: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, Tight End, Offensive Line, Defensive Line
The Leader
Aaron Casey has spent a long time waiting for his opportunity. This year, he’ll finally get it. After playing behind Micah McFadden and alongside Cam Jones for his career, he’s now the leader of that linebacking core.
He’s not only the leader on the field, but also off. This offseason he’s worked on his leadership ability, a major role he’ll have to play this season.
“For me, it’s just being more vocal is something I really had to work on over the offseason,” Casey said. “Doing that and just encouraging my teammates, holding them accountable for different things is something I had to work on. Just growing in that aspect.”
“Aaron had a phenomenal season last year. He saw his growth and the confidence based on what he did last year,” Indiana football co-defensive coordinator Chad Wilt said of where Casey’s confidence has come from. “But then the other things he is doing behind closed doors, the unseen stuff, the dirty hard work in the dark that nobody sees.”
Casey was the leading tackler last year for Indiana with 86 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss. He had double-digit tackles in four games and averaged eight tackles a game.
Read: Aaron Casey ready for new role, increased leadership for Indiana football in 2023
This year, because of the addition of Jacob Mangum-Farrar, Casey will be moving back to the stinger linebacker spot, where he’s most comfortable. He played the MIKE linebacker spot last season.
“Ace has played multiple positions,” Indiana head coach Tom Allen said. “But I think he’s more natural at stinger, which is great for him to be (back) at that spot.”
The Star Addition
Jacob Mangum-Farrar arrived at Indiana in January and has grown every month he’s been in Bloomington. That is critical for the Hoosiers.
Mangum-Farrar has played 26 games and has 11 starts in his career. He has totaled 86 tackles the past two seasons after returning from an injury plagued first few years at Stanford.
Because of the lack of experience on the defensive side of the ball, Mangum-Farrar’s ability to adjust to the defensive scheme and the overall system in a timely manner was very important for Tom Allen and the rest of the defense.
Also: Patience and hard work paying off for Jacob Mangum-Farrar as he prepares to lead Indiana football defense
He will start the season at the MIKE linebacker position which is the quarterback of the defense.
“Jacob is a guy that I trust,” Allen said. “Big and physical. He can run. Intelligent young man … a guy that has come in here and earned the respect of his teammates by how hard he works and how much time he has put in the film room and how much he studies and prepares. That’s a position that has to run the defense … Jacob is a guy who manages a lot of respect from his teammates because of how he prepares … he has the ability to do it, has a lot of experience and played a lot of football in the Pac 12 and excited to have him here with us. ”
Mangum-Farrar is a physical player who is adjusting to the change of style from Pac 12 to Big Ten football.
“I was lighter, I was about 233-235 [pounds]. I’m about 240-242. So I’m getting used to that weight and having the stamina at that weight,” Mangum-Farrar said.
Key Rotation
While Casey and Mangum-Farrar will be the leaders of the defense, the underrated group comes from Myles Jackson, Anthony Jones and Lanell Carr.
Indiana’s ability to be effective from the edge will come largely from that trio.
“You’re going to see more than we have in the past. That’s a really, really good thing. Feel really good about three guys,” Wilt said of that trio. “… I would expect to see a heavy dose of Myles, Lanell and Anthony throughout the game. The beautiful thing is they can keep each other fresh … everyone has a job to do, so you have to get in there, do your job … each one of those guys have taken that personally.”
Jackson was in Bloomington last season and finished with 18 tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss. A second year in the system should prove to be very valuable. While he hasn’t been a guy discussed heavily from the staff this offseason, he will be critically important to the success of the BULL position.
Jones and Carr come in as transfers. Both have been standouts throughout the summer and in fall camp.
Jones is bigger, at 6-foot-4 and 255 pounds. He redshirted at Oregon but was playing more in a pass coverage spot. This year, Jones will be playing much more of a pass-rushing role.
More: ‘Takeaways, tackling and effort is our DNA’: With system in place, Matt Guerrieri ready to lift Indiana defense back to old ways
Carr is a 6-foot-1 and 240-pounder from West Virginia. Carr appeared in all 12 games this past season and recorded 21 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, and one sack for the Mountaineers.
Carr, specifically, has emerged as a potential breakout player for Indiana this season.
“One guy that sticks out to me that has been a pleasant surprise is Lanell Carr,” Allen said. “He’s shown a very instinctual knack for getting to the quarterback. That’s a huge thing we brought him here for, but as he’s bought into the training, bought into the discipline to what it is to be a epical player here in the Big ten. You’ve just seen him grow with his knowledge of the defense.”
Much has been discussed this offseason about Indiana’s defensive line and the talent of the front four. Because of that, it will open up more opportunities for guys like Carr, Jones and Jackson — and vise versa.
“You have Dre (Andre Carter) on the other side, but you have Philip Blidi, LD Cox, big bodies who are all athletic, it’s going to take multiple guys to block too,” Indiana outside linebackers and special teams coach Kasey Teegardin said. ” … there are a lot of things to our advantage that offenses have to worry about. Getting guys into the right place at the right time is obviously critical.”
Other Names to Watch
Joshua Rudolph and Jared Casey are two names that can’t be overlooked, however. Both will be crucial throughout the season and will likely have their moments.
Casey returns after transferring in from Kentucky ahead of the 2022 season. Last year he finished with 18 tackles for the Hoosiers.
Rudolph is another transfer this offseason from Austin Peay. Rudolph is a smaller inside backer at 5-foot-11, but has a great frame at 230 pounds. He was terrific last year, totaling 73 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss.
The biggest question for Rudolph is how effective he’ll be at the Big Ten level consistently. If he can, he will surely find a way to stay on the field with how productive he’s been throughout his career.
Make sure to follow Hoosier Illustrated on Twitter @Indiana_FRN, Facebook and YouTube to stay up to date on all of the news, updates and coverage of Indiana University athletics.
