Knows What It takes – Ferrell Poised to Take Bigger Leadership Role
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Opposing quarterbacks take note -- throwing anywhere near Amare Ferrell is a bad idea. The senior safety has eight career interceptions and is looking for more as Indiana begins its quest for a second-straight national championship.
It starts with leadership.
“I want to make everybody around me better, make everybody's job easier,” Ferrell says. “Communicate and fly around for my brothers.”
With a new secondary to hone, elite defense to sustain and more nationally significant victories to attain, that’s crucial. Forty-one career games and 28 starts give Ferrell a strong foundation.
“Me being a vocal leader now is definitely a big thing knowing that (last year’s veteran defensive leaders D’Angelo Ponds, Aiden Fisher and Mikail Kamara) are gone. I'm the older guy here, and I know what it takes to win.”
Ferrell got a taste of that during spring practice, with more coming this summer and in August camp and then the season, which begins Sept 5 against North Texas.
“I definitely feel like I'm doing a good job of being that leader, being that role model for the safeties room and for the team as well,” he says.
Overall defensive leadership includes veteran linebackers Isaiah Jones and Rolijah Hardy.
“We’re all in the same position,” Ferrell says. “We all have to step up. I have to step up. Us three will be very good in this defense.”
Ferrell was very good last season, the best of his college career despite dealing with personal tragedy. His mother, Tawanna Jackson-Jones, died unexpectedly last August 6. He honored her by having a custom-made IU No. 1 football jersey designed with her name on it. He’d hang it in his locker for home and away games.
That helped inspire Ferrell to earn second-team All-Big Ten honors after totaling four interceptions (second on the team to safety Louis Moore’s six), seven pass breakups (second on the team to cornerback D’Angelo Ponds’ 11) and 48 tackles. He’s the first Hoosier to intercept four passes in two consecutive seasons since Tracy Porter did it in 2006-07. His eight career interceptions rank No. 16 in IU history.
Ferrell played in all 16 games last season, starting 15 of them. He didn’t start the Peach Bowl against Oregon after getting injured on the opening kickoff, but he played the rest of the game.
“I’ve seen him really mature and grow up,” head coach Curt Cignetti says.
Ferrell’s potential was obvious as a true freshman in 2023, playing in all 12 games, the only true freshman to do that. His college debut came in the season opener against national power Ohio State, totaling one fourth-quarter tackle.
That followed an outstanding high school career at Florida’s Columbia High School. He was rated a four-star prospect and the nation’s No. 35 defensive back.
Ferrell has lived up to the potential under Cignetti and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines.
“He’s an ascending player who’s become an integral part of the defense,” Cignetti says.
With Moore and Ponds gone from the secondary, IU hit the transfer portal to bring in Wisconsin safety Preston Zachman to join Ferrell and standout cornerback Jamari Sharpe while relying on young returning players to step up. Communication, Ferrell says, is paramount.
“It’s over communicating. You can never get enough communicating so we won’t have problems. Me and Zach and those guys make sure we do a great job of over communicating.”
Defensive backs Byron Baldwin Jr. and Anthony Chung made strong spring practice impressions. Baldwin played in eight games as a true freshman last season, totaling 10 tackles with a fumble recovery. Chung, a walk-on out of the state of Wisconsin, played in all 16 games last season, mostly on special teams.
“Byron has come a long way,” Ferrell says. “He’s grown up and making a lot of plays. He’s making more plays and is able to be out there with veteran guys to show himself to the coaches. He still has a lot of things to work on, but he’s definitely in a good spot.
“Anthony Chung has stepped up. He’s getting a chance to make a lot of plays and he’s showing it.”
IU’s defense has been among the nation’s best in each of the two seasons under Haines, allowing just 15.6 points and 11.7 points in that stretch. Figure that to continue this coming season, Ferrell says.
“We play hard. We’re disciplined. We do the things Coach Haines and Coach Cig want us to do -- play fast, physical, relentless.
“What makes this defense unique is Coach Haines. The stuff he does puts us in the greatest positions. I give the credit to him. Just do what he says and execute it.”
As far as last season’s 16-0 national championship run, Ferrell says, the Hoosiers have moved on.
“Last season was last season. What we did last year was last year's team. This is a whole new team. Most of the returning guys haven't talked about last year. We don't want to bring that into this season. It’s a new season and we have to do it all over again. We have to get better.”