Indiana University Athletics
Balling Out – McCrary-Ball Is Back, And Offenses Will Pay
3/13/2021 7:59:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Marcelino McCrary-Ball couldn't help himself. Competitive nature wouldn't allow it. Overcoming adversity is one thing. Doing it in record time is, well, necessary.
There was a lot of necessary in McCrary-Ball's life.
Football fate rocked Indiana's veteran husky with a torn ACL last fall. He was poised for a monster final season in what became a monster Hoosier year -- a team captain with 41 games, 201 tackles, three interceptions, 16 passes defended, and 63 kickoff return yards on his career resume.
The goal -- help turn opposing offenses into mush as part of defensive coordinator Charlton Warren's attacking defense.
Then adversity hit hard.
The practice injury came without contact. Think about it. You get past pandemic-caused separation, get yourself in awesome shape, have coaches buzzing about your improved ability to blitz quarterbacks, stuff running backs and cover receivers, and have an unlucky step ruin everything.
What do you do? For McCrary-Ball, he found words to overcome anything:
"It could be worse."
Once McCrary-Ball got past disappointment and frustration, determination kicked in. He attacked rehab as he would an opponent.
Then came this thought:
How fast could a player return from this injury?
"I have had some battles with the athletic trainer, Kyle Blackman, because around the Wisconsin game I looked up the quickest you could come back from an ACL injury," McCrary-Ball says.
Back in 1995 future Hall of Famer Rod Woodson of the Pittsburgh Steelers tore his ACL in the season opener against Detroit while trying to tackle future Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, perhaps the most elusive running back in NFL history.
Woodson, a cornerback, came back at the end of that season to play safety in the Super Bowl.
So here was McCrary-Ball, watching IU march toward a bowl berth with victories over Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State among others, seeing the regular season extended deep into December because of pandemic delay, and the idea grew – why not come back and play?
"I was like, Man, they are going off," he says of the Hoosier success. "The whole defense was swarming around, doing all these zone blitzes and things that were successful.
"The offense was going off, too, like Michael Penix Jr., Ty Fryfogle and Whop Philyor. Even the offensive line was going off.
"I was happy for them. It was good to see them ball out."
Along the way, McCrary-Ball helped with words rather than action. When running back Stevie Scott III was down after a rough game, McCrary-Ball shared the perspective he had found.
"I was like, 'Hey, man, it could be worse,' and I'm smiling. He's down. He's like, 'Dang, man,' and I'm like, 'It could be worse, buddy.'"
McCrary-Ball had seen plenty of worse during his five Hoosier years, and now he was seeing success the program had only fleetingly experienced twice in more than century.
The idea grew -- why not join the fun?
McCrary-Ball is young, athletic and highly motivated. At 6-foot and 214 pounds, he's blessed with the superior physical attributes needed to shatter healing-time norms. Plus, he had the benefit of IU's elite training staff and facilities.
Competitive nature ignited. McCrary-Ball, having missed most of the 2017 season with an injury, pushed to run when prudence suggested walk.
Blackman and head coach Tom Allen had the long-term view. Rushing McCrary-Ball back onto the field, with the high risk of blowing out the knee again, was unwise.
McCrary-Ball, full of youthful fire, saw reasonable risk.
"I thought, 'Can I play?" Put me in (zone defense). I probably can't play man to man, but put me in a little Cover-three, Cover-four. I could go out there right now."
In the end, of course, McCrary-Ball couldn't. Even now, with IU into spring practice, McCrary-Ball is more spectator than full participant. He drills with two other players coming off surgeries -- tight end Sam Daugstrup and offensive lineman Kahlil Benson.
"We are basically on the same time frame," McCrary-Ball says. "We train hard. We will come back when it is time to come back."
That time will be August training camp, when IU makes its final push for the Sept. 4 season opener at Iowa.
"I'm pretty far out (in my recovery)," McCrary-Ball says. "As far as practicing with the team and doing team-specific things, that will come later."
A pause.
"It's all good."
McCrary-Ball was just 17 when he came to IU in 2016 after a standout career at Georgia's Roswell High School. He was an instant-impact guy (earning freshman All-America honors while totaling 75 tackles, 2 interceptions and 8 pass breakups at husky), in part because of maturity beyond his years.
Sometimes maturity went too far, he suggests. Even as a high school senior, he thought of himself as old.
"That messed with my head."
He remembers his first year at Indiana, when seniors would say, "Man, I'm so old. I'm an old head."
"That's what it's called when you've been here a long time," McCrary-Ball says. "You walk around saying, 'I'm old. I've seen all this.'
"That stuff starts getting into your head. You start moving like an old man."
Then it changed. McCrary-Ball began practice last fall with a young-man's mindset. He was, after all, a 21-year-old, fifth-year senior when most such players are 22 or 23.
"I flipped the switch," he says. "I changed my perspective on being an old head. I've been here a while, but I don't see myself as an old head."
Brandon Shelby, IU's 11th-year cornerbacks coach and newly named assistant head coach, jokingly disagrees.
"It seems like Marcelino has been here as long as I have. To have his experience out there, and being able to coach the young guys up, he's an old vet. I'm excited to have him back."
Pain comes with that experience. Allen's first two seasons featured plenty of near misses and a dark December Memorial Stadium while other programs were lit up with bowl preparations.
"I know what it's like when the lights are off," McCrary-Ball says. "When we don't have a bowl game. When we go 5-7 and 5-7. That's pretty terrible. I know what that feels like."
That made last season's 6-2 performance, even watching rather than playing, so special.
"To experience that season through the sidelines and through the lenses of television, it was a blessing."
McCrary-Ball remembers Allen arriving as the defensive coordinator in 2016 and transitioning to head coach a year later, which eventually meant giving up defensive coordinator responsibilities to Kane Wommack and now the recently hired Warren.
"I watched them grow," McCrary-Ball says. "As far as being here so long, it doesn't faze me. Everyone's time is going to come. I'm making the days count."
The pandemic caused the NCAA to change its rules and grant players an extra year of eligibility. McCrary-Ball took it.
"As much as it was sad not being part of that 2020 team, now this is a blessing, and I appreciate it."
So do teammates such as linebacker Cam Jones, who know the impact McCrary-Ball can make.
"Marcelino has always been a great leader, a great teammate. He was a guy who took me under his wing and helped me out with the defense.
"He's a passionate guy. He works hard. I'm glad to see him out there balling and doing what he loves to do."
Indiana's defense will attack under Warren just as it did under Allen and Wommack. Last year, the Hoosiers led the Big Ten with 25 sacks and 17 interceptions.
"Edge, tackling, takeaways," McCrary-Ball says. "That's what we live by. That's what we're going to die by. If we don't have that, it's lost."
Lose what's been found after so many struggles? There's not a chance that happens with McCrary-Ball around.
It's necessary, you see.
There was a lot of necessary in McCrary-Ball's life.
Football fate rocked Indiana's veteran husky with a torn ACL last fall. He was poised for a monster final season in what became a monster Hoosier year -- a team captain with 41 games, 201 tackles, three interceptions, 16 passes defended, and 63 kickoff return yards on his career resume.
The goal -- help turn opposing offenses into mush as part of defensive coordinator Charlton Warren's attacking defense.
Then adversity hit hard.
The practice injury came without contact. Think about it. You get past pandemic-caused separation, get yourself in awesome shape, have coaches buzzing about your improved ability to blitz quarterbacks, stuff running backs and cover receivers, and have an unlucky step ruin everything.
What do you do? For McCrary-Ball, he found words to overcome anything:
"It could be worse."
Once McCrary-Ball got past disappointment and frustration, determination kicked in. He attacked rehab as he would an opponent.
Then came this thought:
How fast could a player return from this injury?
"I have had some battles with the athletic trainer, Kyle Blackman, because around the Wisconsin game I looked up the quickest you could come back from an ACL injury," McCrary-Ball says.
Back in 1995 future Hall of Famer Rod Woodson of the Pittsburgh Steelers tore his ACL in the season opener against Detroit while trying to tackle future Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, perhaps the most elusive running back in NFL history.
Woodson, a cornerback, came back at the end of that season to play safety in the Super Bowl.
So here was McCrary-Ball, watching IU march toward a bowl berth with victories over Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State among others, seeing the regular season extended deep into December because of pandemic delay, and the idea grew – why not come back and play?
"I was like, Man, they are going off," he says of the Hoosier success. "The whole defense was swarming around, doing all these zone blitzes and things that were successful.
"The offense was going off, too, like Michael Penix Jr., Ty Fryfogle and Whop Philyor. Even the offensive line was going off.
"I was happy for them. It was good to see them ball out."
Along the way, McCrary-Ball helped with words rather than action. When running back Stevie Scott III was down after a rough game, McCrary-Ball shared the perspective he had found.
"I was like, 'Hey, man, it could be worse,' and I'm smiling. He's down. He's like, 'Dang, man,' and I'm like, 'It could be worse, buddy.'"
McCrary-Ball had seen plenty of worse during his five Hoosier years, and now he was seeing success the program had only fleetingly experienced twice in more than century.
The idea grew -- why not join the fun?
McCrary-Ball is young, athletic and highly motivated. At 6-foot and 214 pounds, he's blessed with the superior physical attributes needed to shatter healing-time norms. Plus, he had the benefit of IU's elite training staff and facilities.
Competitive nature ignited. McCrary-Ball, having missed most of the 2017 season with an injury, pushed to run when prudence suggested walk.
Blackman and head coach Tom Allen had the long-term view. Rushing McCrary-Ball back onto the field, with the high risk of blowing out the knee again, was unwise.
McCrary-Ball, full of youthful fire, saw reasonable risk.
"I thought, 'Can I play?" Put me in (zone defense). I probably can't play man to man, but put me in a little Cover-three, Cover-four. I could go out there right now."
In the end, of course, McCrary-Ball couldn't. Even now, with IU into spring practice, McCrary-Ball is more spectator than full participant. He drills with two other players coming off surgeries -- tight end Sam Daugstrup and offensive lineman Kahlil Benson.
"We are basically on the same time frame," McCrary-Ball says. "We train hard. We will come back when it is time to come back."
That time will be August training camp, when IU makes its final push for the Sept. 4 season opener at Iowa.
"I'm pretty far out (in my recovery)," McCrary-Ball says. "As far as practicing with the team and doing team-specific things, that will come later."
A pause.
"It's all good."
McCrary-Ball was just 17 when he came to IU in 2016 after a standout career at Georgia's Roswell High School. He was an instant-impact guy (earning freshman All-America honors while totaling 75 tackles, 2 interceptions and 8 pass breakups at husky), in part because of maturity beyond his years.
Sometimes maturity went too far, he suggests. Even as a high school senior, he thought of himself as old.
"That messed with my head."
He remembers his first year at Indiana, when seniors would say, "Man, I'm so old. I'm an old head."
"That's what it's called when you've been here a long time," McCrary-Ball says. "You walk around saying, 'I'm old. I've seen all this.'
"That stuff starts getting into your head. You start moving like an old man."
Then it changed. McCrary-Ball began practice last fall with a young-man's mindset. He was, after all, a 21-year-old, fifth-year senior when most such players are 22 or 23.
"I flipped the switch," he says. "I changed my perspective on being an old head. I've been here a while, but I don't see myself as an old head."
Brandon Shelby, IU's 11th-year cornerbacks coach and newly named assistant head coach, jokingly disagrees.
"It seems like Marcelino has been here as long as I have. To have his experience out there, and being able to coach the young guys up, he's an old vet. I'm excited to have him back."
Pain comes with that experience. Allen's first two seasons featured plenty of near misses and a dark December Memorial Stadium while other programs were lit up with bowl preparations.
"I know what it's like when the lights are off," McCrary-Ball says. "When we don't have a bowl game. When we go 5-7 and 5-7. That's pretty terrible. I know what that feels like."
That made last season's 6-2 performance, even watching rather than playing, so special.
"To experience that season through the sidelines and through the lenses of television, it was a blessing."
McCrary-Ball remembers Allen arriving as the defensive coordinator in 2016 and transitioning to head coach a year later, which eventually meant giving up defensive coordinator responsibilities to Kane Wommack and now the recently hired Warren.
"I watched them grow," McCrary-Ball says. "As far as being here so long, it doesn't faze me. Everyone's time is going to come. I'm making the days count."
The pandemic caused the NCAA to change its rules and grant players an extra year of eligibility. McCrary-Ball took it.
"As much as it was sad not being part of that 2020 team, now this is a blessing, and I appreciate it."
So do teammates such as linebacker Cam Jones, who know the impact McCrary-Ball can make.
"Marcelino has always been a great leader, a great teammate. He was a guy who took me under his wing and helped me out with the defense.
"He's a passionate guy. He works hard. I'm glad to see him out there balling and doing what he loves to do."
Indiana's defense will attack under Warren just as it did under Allen and Wommack. Last year, the Hoosiers led the Big Ten with 25 sacks and 17 interceptions.
"Edge, tackling, takeaways," McCrary-Ball says. "That's what we live by. That's what we're going to die by. If we don't have that, it's lost."
Lose what's been found after so many struggles? There's not a chance that happens with McCrary-Ball around.
It's necessary, you see.
Players Mentioned
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