Indiana University Athletics
‘Not Satisfied’ – Tiawan Mullen Seeks More From Himself, Indiana
1/1/2021 8:07:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - To understand what makes Tiawan Mullen an All-American cornerback, the first first-team selection in Indiana history, forget, for a moment, his rock-an-offense accomplishments.
Instead, focus on academics.
Mullen works on his studies as he does his football responsibilities (he made All-Big Ten for academics as well as football), and it's made an impact, both now and for the future.
"I am so excited for his All-America award," cornerbacks coach Brandon Shelby says, "but I am more excited that this young man has a 3.4 GPA. He was (IU football's) Mr. Academic for the month of February. Those are the things that I am excited about. As he grows, as he builds, he is going to have one great resume."
Mullen, a 5-10, 176-pound sophomore, already has a heck of a resume as the No. 7 Hoosiers (6-1) prepare to face Ole Miss (4-5) in Saturday's Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.
In seven games, Mullen has 36 tackles, three interceptions and one forced fumble. That earned him first-team honors on the Football Writers Association of America's All-America team, as well as All-Big Ten squads.
As a freshman, his 13 pass breakups led the Big Ten and ranked 11th nationally. He led IU with two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, and finished with 29 tackles. He made multiple freshman All-America teams, and was named IU's defensive newcomer of the year.
Still, Mullen wants more, from himself and the Hoosiers.
"It is a great award," he says about All-America recognition, "but it is not satisfying because there is always more out there, like the Jim Thorpe Award (which goes to the nation's top defensive back) or being an All-American again next year," he says.
"It is an honor and I am very grateful for it. I am going to just keep pushing and playing for the team. I do not play for self-accolades. It came as I kept working and helping the team out."
Mullen's award comes from impressive versatility. He thrives in man and zone coverage. He blitzes and has run support responsibilities.
"To become an All-American, you have to do a lot of things in a great way," Shelby says. "At cornerback, he is in press man, off man and sometimes in Cover 2.
"When we put him at the nickelback, he is blitzing. That spot is similar to a linebacker. We take a linebacker off the field and put another defensive back in there.
"He does so many different things, even on special teams."
As for the Jim Thorpe Award, Shelby adds, "When you look at the whole body of his statistics and what he has done, he needs to be in that conversation. I know that he will keep working hard and hopefully one day he can accomplish that goal."
To put this in Indiana historical perspective, Tim Wilbur is the program's only other All-America cornerback, but that came with second-team status.
"It still has not hit me yet," Mullen says. "It will probably be 10, 15 or 20 years from now before I realize how much it means.
"I did not do it by myself. Thank you to the Man above, my teammates, and the coaching staff."
Shelby saw Mullen's potential while recruiting him out of Florida's Fort Lauderdale Coconut Creek High School. Mullen, a three-year team captain, was a 4-star prospect who recorded 14 career interceptions, returning three for touchdowns.
Mullen was inspired by his family. Older brother Trayvon played cornerback at Clemson and is now with the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders. Cousin Lamar Jackson was a Heisman Award winning quarterback at Louisville now playing for the Baltimore Ravens.
"The one thing that you cannot coach is that he has the will to work," Shelby says. "He loves to be coached; he loves to be pushed; and he loves to watch film.
"When he got here, I had to refine some things. Sometimes in high school, especially when you are the best athlete, you can have dirty eyes, you look into the backfield and you cheat a little bit.
"When you get to this level, you face quarterbacks that can look off one direction and come back; they can go through all the reads. It is about the little things. It is film study and knowing how the receiver you are going to go against likes to release off the line.
"Those are the things that I have tried to refine. His athletic ability is God-given. He has taken his ability and he has crafted it. He works hard. Sometimes, people overlook the work. People do not realize how hard he works. He does not let the things outside of football distract him from his overall goals."
Then there's the leadership factor that has helped IU become a dominant defense.
"He is a guy's guy," Shelby says. "The great thing about him is that he does not have to talk much. When he does talk, people listen. His play on the field allows him to be more vocal."
Shelby has built a cornerbacks room, along with veterans Jaylin Williams and Reese Taylor, that demands without antagonizing.
"They all respect each other," Shelby says. "Sometimes everyone needs to be pushed, but they love each other enough that when someone is out of line, the other guy can say something and it is out of love, not disrespect.
"Even with Tiawan, Reese and Jaylin can jump him a little bit and he will tighten up. He has the same respect that when he says something to those guys, they tighten up, as well. We have created a great dynamic in that corner room."
It's no surprise that IU's success the last two seasons -- a 14-6 record, two bowl appearances -- coincides with Mullen's arrival.
He was one of the final pieces of head coach Tom Allen's recruiting push to elevate the Hoosiers into the national spotlight.
"He came here before the breakthrough happened," Allen says. "He wanted to be a part of that breakthrough. And now he has been rewarded individually for being a part of that."
Adds Mullen: "I play for the team. I have personal goals, but being an All-American was not something that I was deeply looking into. Whatever comes with the team, the accolades will take care of themselves.
Mullen came to IU because he believed in Allen's championship vision, that a traditionally struggling program was poised for big things.
And so it has.
Players Mentioned
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Thursday, April 23
FB: Bray Lynch - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21
FB: Drew Evans - Spring Practice No. 11
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FB: Nico Radicic - Spring Practice No. 11
Tuesday, April 21