Safety Valve
10/19/2018 10:44:00 AM | Football
By: Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - You're not getting Jonathan Crawford out of the Indiana lineup.
Understand that.
If you throw passes his way, or sometimes even if you don't, he'll make you pay.
Keep that in mind.
There are plenty of quarterbacks who have learned that lesson.
Crawford is a 6-2, 196-pound disruptive force of defensive nature whenever he steps onto the field, which is all the time. He's played in 44 games as a Hoosier defensive back, and started in all of them. He's twice earned Big Ten honorable mention status.
This year looms as his best ever, which is what you want from a senior. He was a preseason All-Big Ten selection by numerous publications. He leads IU with 32 tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
Coach Tom Allen praises Crawford as much for his leadership in the secondary as his production.
Linebacker Reakwon Jones has seen Crawford's value first-hand.
"More than anything, it's his leadership," Jones says. "You know he's going to go out there and do his job. He'll do everything he can to help us win. He'll give everything. He'll fight as hard as he can.
"He holds us accountable. He gives us someone to look up to."
That's among the reasons why Crawford, along with offensive guard Wes Martin, defensive tackle Jacob Robinson and receiver Luke Timian, have been named captains for every game this season.
Crawford was at his best in the season opener at Florida International. It was also a homecoming of sorts given he's from Largo, Fla., which is near Tampa and about 282 miles away from FIU's Miami campus.
In that game Crawford had two takeaways in the first quarter -- forcing a fumble on the opening drive and returning an interception for a touchdown two drives later.
It was his first college touchdown (scoring a TD had been on his to-do list all summer) and the fifth time in his career he's had at least two takeaways in a game.
Then there's what he did last month against Michigan State. He tied his career-high with eight solo tackles, including one for loss. He also recovered a fumble.
Some guys just have it, that knack for making big plays, for doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done.
Guys like Crawford, for instance.
He grabs interceptions the way some players grab sandwiches.
No other player in the Big Ten surpasses his total of nine career interceptions. That ranks sixth among players nationally.
Beyond that, he's recovered six fumbles and forced three more.
Oh, he's also blocked two kicks.
Credit experience, film study, good coaching, instinct, talent, the game plan (Allen thrives on putting players in position to make plays) and paying attention to not just what offenses are doing, but how they're doing it.
"It's all of the above," he says. "It's following the game plan. Wanting to make plays for your team is a big part of it."
This is nothing new. Crawford was a takeaway machine at Largo High School. He set the school career record with 12 interceptions, including six in one season.
"I had a lot of picks there and it just carried over to college," he says.
Intensity is always part of Crawford's game, but it really ramps up on Thursdays during the season.
Why Thursday?
That's when the final game plan is installed.
"I really start feeling the emotion when the game plan comes down," Crawford says.
"Thursday is when it's all set in. I know what I'm doing. I understand. I'm confident in the game. That's when I'm the most pumped up."
Then there's the music advantage.
"I have to listen to music," Crawford says. "I always have my headphones in before the game, the night before the game."
As for what he listens to, Crawford keeps it low key.
"It depends on the mood I'm in."
If Crawford is in the mood for some family love, he can turn to Donavan Hale, the redshirt junior receiver who happens to be his cousin and who also starred at Largo High School. Hale played quarterback and Crawford was one of his receiving targets.
In high school, Crawford was a standout receiver and defensive back. In college the two-way role has turned into defensive specialization.
He wouldn't want it any other way.
"It's a pride thing. It's knowing the offense has an advantage and you're scrapping up everything. That makes you so much better."
Crawford thrived from the moment he stepped on campus. He was a 2015 Freshman All-American after intercepting four passes, the most of any Big Ten freshman and fourth among all freshmen nationally.
He followed that by leading IU with seven takeaways as a sophomore -- four fumble recoveries and three interceptions. Those fumble recoveries led the Big Ten and tied for second nationally.
Last season he had 62 tackles, broke up eight passes, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.
IU's defense is far better now than it was before Allen arrived three years ago. That's true this season even with the loss of such defensive standouts such as linebackers Tegray Scales and Chris Covington, and cornerback Rashard Fant.
Crawford has been a huge part of the process.
"We're a lot more athletic," he says. "We're young, but we're growing. It's having the confidence to make the play and using our athleticism."
Playing in the Big Ten East means facing some of the nation's top teams. You either embrace the challenge or run from it.
These Hoosiers ain't running. They pushed unbeaten and third-ranked Ohio State hard in Saturday's 49-26 loss at Ohio Stadium.
"We have to continue to go out the way we've been playing," Crawford says. "It shows we can play with these teams.
"It's playing hard, being locked in the whole time. It's matching their intensity and execution.
"We have to stick to what we do, week by week. Focus on the opponent upon us, and the sky is the limit for us."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - You're not getting Jonathan Crawford out of the Indiana lineup.
Understand that.
If you throw passes his way, or sometimes even if you don't, he'll make you pay.
Keep that in mind.
There are plenty of quarterbacks who have learned that lesson.
Crawford is a 6-2, 196-pound disruptive force of defensive nature whenever he steps onto the field, which is all the time. He's played in 44 games as a Hoosier defensive back, and started in all of them. He's twice earned Big Ten honorable mention status.
This year looms as his best ever, which is what you want from a senior. He was a preseason All-Big Ten selection by numerous publications. He leads IU with 32 tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
Coach Tom Allen praises Crawford as much for his leadership in the secondary as his production.
Linebacker Reakwon Jones has seen Crawford's value first-hand.
"More than anything, it's his leadership," Jones says. "You know he's going to go out there and do his job. He'll do everything he can to help us win. He'll give everything. He'll fight as hard as he can.
"He holds us accountable. He gives us someone to look up to."
That's among the reasons why Crawford, along with offensive guard Wes Martin, defensive tackle Jacob Robinson and receiver Luke Timian, have been named captains for every game this season.
Crawford was at his best in the season opener at Florida International. It was also a homecoming of sorts given he's from Largo, Fla., which is near Tampa and about 282 miles away from FIU's Miami campus.
In that game Crawford had two takeaways in the first quarter -- forcing a fumble on the opening drive and returning an interception for a touchdown two drives later.
It was his first college touchdown (scoring a TD had been on his to-do list all summer) and the fifth time in his career he's had at least two takeaways in a game.
Then there's what he did last month against Michigan State. He tied his career-high with eight solo tackles, including one for loss. He also recovered a fumble.
Some guys just have it, that knack for making big plays, for doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done.
Guys like Crawford, for instance.
He grabs interceptions the way some players grab sandwiches.
No other player in the Big Ten surpasses his total of nine career interceptions. That ranks sixth among players nationally.
Beyond that, he's recovered six fumbles and forced three more.
Oh, he's also blocked two kicks.
Credit experience, film study, good coaching, instinct, talent, the game plan (Allen thrives on putting players in position to make plays) and paying attention to not just what offenses are doing, but how they're doing it.
"It's all of the above," he says. "It's following the game plan. Wanting to make plays for your team is a big part of it."
This is nothing new. Crawford was a takeaway machine at Largo High School. He set the school career record with 12 interceptions, including six in one season.
"I had a lot of picks there and it just carried over to college," he says.
Intensity is always part of Crawford's game, but it really ramps up on Thursdays during the season.
Why Thursday?
That's when the final game plan is installed.
"I really start feeling the emotion when the game plan comes down," Crawford says.
"Thursday is when it's all set in. I know what I'm doing. I understand. I'm confident in the game. That's when I'm the most pumped up."
Then there's the music advantage.
"I have to listen to music," Crawford says. "I always have my headphones in before the game, the night before the game."
As for what he listens to, Crawford keeps it low key.
"It depends on the mood I'm in."
If Crawford is in the mood for some family love, he can turn to Donavan Hale, the redshirt junior receiver who happens to be his cousin and who also starred at Largo High School. Hale played quarterback and Crawford was one of his receiving targets.
In high school, Crawford was a standout receiver and defensive back. In college the two-way role has turned into defensive specialization.
He wouldn't want it any other way.
"It's a pride thing. It's knowing the offense has an advantage and you're scrapping up everything. That makes you so much better."
Crawford thrived from the moment he stepped on campus. He was a 2015 Freshman All-American after intercepting four passes, the most of any Big Ten freshman and fourth among all freshmen nationally.
He followed that by leading IU with seven takeaways as a sophomore -- four fumble recoveries and three interceptions. Those fumble recoveries led the Big Ten and tied for second nationally.
Last season he had 62 tackles, broke up eight passes, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble.
IU's defense is far better now than it was before Allen arrived three years ago. That's true this season even with the loss of such defensive standouts such as linebackers Tegray Scales and Chris Covington, and cornerback Rashard Fant.
Crawford has been a huge part of the process.
"We're a lot more athletic," he says. "We're young, but we're growing. It's having the confidence to make the play and using our athleticism."
Playing in the Big Ten East means facing some of the nation's top teams. You either embrace the challenge or run from it.
These Hoosiers ain't running. They pushed unbeaten and third-ranked Ohio State hard in Saturday's 49-26 loss at Ohio Stadium.
"We have to continue to go out the way we've been playing," Crawford says. "It shows we can play with these teams.
"It's playing hard, being locked in the whole time. It's matching their intensity and execution.
"We have to stick to what we do, week by week. Focus on the opponent upon us, and the sky is the limit for us."
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