Staff Reports

Indiana University’s No. 7 nationally ranked college football team, and its renowned defense, had a school-record seven All-Big Ten players honored Wednesday.

Defensive tackle Jerome Johnson, safety Jamar Johnson, cornerback Tiwan Mullen and linebacker Micah McFadden were selected as first-team performers for the 6-1 Hoosiers.

Cornerback Jaylin Williams was voted onto the second team. Safety Devon Matthews was honored on the third team and linebacker Cam Jones was chosen for honorable mention in the coronavirus disrupted fall season.

The Hoosiers have never before had four defensive players on the first team and the seven overall selections is also a school record. This year’s team is regarded as the best IU club in more than a half-century.

Jerome Johnson, a senior, has four sacks and a fumble recovery and is the first IU defensive tackle to be singled out by the league since 1993. Jamar Johnson, a junior, has four interceptions and has nine career takeaways combining interceptions and fumbles. He is the first IU safety to make the all-league list as a first-team player since 1996.

Mullen, a sophomore, has 36 tackles, three interceptions and 3.5 sacks.

McFadden, a junior, has a team-high 52 tackles, including five sacks and two interceptions. He has been the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week this season.

Williams, a junior, has four interceptions.

Matthews, a junior, has been part of 34 tackles, with six pass break-ups, two tackles for losses and one interception.

Jones, another junior, has two sacks among his 30 tackles, and four quarterback hurries.

Indiana’s defense has received many raves throughout the season and coach Tom Allen has repeatedly pointed to the unit’s ability to create turnovers as a reason for the team’s success.

The Big Ten is scheduled to announce recognition of special teams players and the coach of the year award today. Allen is a likely candidate to be selected as the conference’s top coach.

Indiana will find out Sunday what bowl it may be invited to participate in during the post-season.