Curt Cignetti wants players approaching spring practice with ‘great sense of urgency’
Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti talks about how he defines progress for his position groups and players during spring practice:
Aiden Fisher was the leading tackler on an IU defense that was second nationally in yards allowed per game. But the starting linebacker next to him will be new.A couple players already have experience, and freshmen are getting snaps this spring. Fisher is confident in his to-be-determined starting ‘mate.
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football’s starting middle linebacker Aiden Fisher needs a new running mate.
Fisher is one of IU’s most experienced returning defenders — he’s played in 36 games and made 24 starts — and knows defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ scheme better than anyone on the roster, but he won’t have Jailin Walker by his side for the first time in his career.
Fisher took over as a full-time starter for James Madison in Week 3 of the 2023 season with Walker already manning the Will linebacker position. They inherited those same roles when they followed coach Curt Cignetti and his staff to Bloomington.
Fisher earned first-team All-Big Ten honors last season with a team-high 118 tackles while Walker was one of IU’s top defensive playmakers with 82 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles.
The success they had helped IU finish with the No. 2 ranked defense (256.3 yards allowed) in the country.
“Definitely not easy (to replace) with how special of a player he is,” Fisher said.
Cignetti called establishing depth at linebacker behind Fisher as a key “priority” this spring. The good news for Indiana is that Walker’s potential replacements, Rolijah Hardy…
Source link : https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/04/04/indiana-football-aiden-fisher-starting-linebacker-top-defense/82874607007/
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Publish date : 2025-04-04 16:53:00
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