Video: Noah Pierre, Aaron Casey talk new leadership roles for Indiana

The Indiana football program is looking to come back from a 4-8 season in 2022 and a 6-18 record over the past two seasons. Part of the lack of success has been the regression of the defense following the departure of former defensive coordinator Kane Wommack.

Now, Tom Allen has given play-calling duties up to new defensive coordinator Matt Guerrieri. Will is make a drastic difference? That’s the hope from Allen.

Two players who will be key in returning the defense back to the top level it was playing two years ago are Indiana linebacker Aaron Casey and defensive back Noah Pierre. Both players have been significant members of that unit throughout their numerous seasons at Indiana, now it’s time for them to step up as leaders.

Below are the full Q&As and key quotes from Aaron Casey and Noah Pierre after speaking with reporters last week.

Casey on leadership: “For me I just feel like I have to be more vocal. Especially more encouraging. Holding guys accountable. Being that encouraging guy on the defense. Picking guys up and teaching guys the defense. How and why, we do the things we do.”

Casey on replacing Cam Jones: “He always brought the energy. He taught me how to handle situations a little bit differently. You can’t handle all the situations the same. I noticed it steeping into that role. You can’t talk to people the same way. That’s pretty much what he passed onto me.”

Pierre on leadership: “(I’m trying to) push the younger guys to the best of their ability, making them believe in what we really have going onThursday. For the younger guys, they haven’t really seen the success in the past that we had.”

Pierre on goal for Indiana this year: “Winning the games that we’re supposed to win and then, you know, upsetting some of these teams that the media and the fans think that we can’t beat. Just trying to get back to that.”