Indiana University Athletics
Notebook: No Doubt, McCrary-Ball Makes a Difference
8/7/2021 2:23:00 PM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Marcelino McCrary-Ball is back.
Did you doubt that he would be?
If you did, you don't know this Indiana defensive standout.
McCrary-Ball is starting his sixth season in the Hoosier program and you get the sense he'd play six more years if necessary to end his Cream & Crimson run on his terms.
That doesn't mean putting up gaudy statistics, which he has done, or earn individual honors, which he also has done.
It does involve one over-riding goal:
Win.
"I feel I can be an asset as far as leading us to success and continuing to win," he says as part of Thursday's Media Day that officially launches preseason preparation.
Life keeps decking McCrary-Ball and he keeps bouncing back, as if fate or karma or bad luck will finally throw in the towel and mess with somebody else.
He lost all of last season with a torn ACL suffered in fall camp. He lost all but three games of the 2017 season with another injury.
When McCrary-Ball did play, he was part of some heart-breaking defeats, some in the regular season, some in bowls. But plenty of success mixed with disappointment.
He also was part of the dramatic program turnaround, sometimes as participant (see 2019's 8-5 breakthrough), sometimes as unwanted spectator (watching last year's 6-2 effort that culminated with a No. 12 final ranking).
Through it all, McCrary-Ball gained insight he figures to put to good use this season.
"I would say mostly knowledge, experience, perspective, all of the above," he says about what being an older player (if being 22 years old can be considered old) provides.
"I've seen it all. I've seen the dark times and the good times, most recently the 2019 and 2020 seasons. I also know who I am and how I work and what I bring to the table."
McCrary-Ball brings a lot in a 6-foot, 214-pound package. In 29 career games (mostly at the husky hybrid safety-linebacker position), he's totaled 102 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and two interceptions.
He played on the 6-7 teams of 2015 and 2016 that lost bowl games. He was a standout on that 2019 team that, yes, lost its bowl game.
He's been part of the program as long as head coach Tom Allen, which seems hard to believe.
Believe it.
"It hits me in a way like, coming in as a freshman wanting to just take over the world and we ended up short," McCrary-Ball says. "We went to a bowl game, but ended up short.
"In my sophomore year (2017), we didn't go (to a bowl game), and it hurt. Junior year, we ended up short again. I know what it feels like to be a loser.
"In 2019, we took that leap. We fell short in 2019 and 2020, but we still took that leap like you have all seen. It was an obvious leap."
Leap still leaves more to go. IU's last bowl victory came in 1991.
"My perspective is different," McCrary-Ball says. "You always want to be around winners. I was always a follower. I always wanted to follow someone who was going to lead me to success.
"Now, I'm that guy and people are looking to me in some way, shape or form to be the leader. All those years following guys that are successful, now it's time for me to take on that torch."
He won't take it alone.
"As far as the young guys," McCrary-Ball says, "I get to show them how to produce.
"Alongside my work ethic, we have guys like Tiawan Mullen and Ty Fryfogle, the list goes on that know how to work. It's not like I'm alone. But, as far as being here for a while, I'm the old one."
Old won't mean forgotten.
"Marcelino is the one everybody talks about," Allen says. "He's going through his progression. I feel good about where he's at. He'll be ready for Sept. 4."
That's the season opener at Iowa.
*****
Allen has never been a coach to back off challenges or settle for second when first is out there.
And for these Hoosiers, as never before in the 21st Century, first is a realistic option.
Last season they finished 6-1 in the rugged Big Ten East, and nearly defeated Ohio State.
This year, with 17 returning starters and some intriguing transfers …
"We've been pretty clear on our goals," Allen says. "We haven't shied away from it. Our goal is to play in the Big Ten Championship Game and win the game. There's a lot of things that have to happen before that occurs, though.
"The next step is to have a great camp."
*****
Expect to see the real Nick Sheridan offense this season.
Last year the pandemic robbed the Hoosiers, and every program, of valuable preparation time in the spring and fall. That was especially relevant to Sheridan, who was an offensive coordinator for the first time.
The playbook had to be "modified relative to the volume because of the time to prepare in practice," he says.
"We tried to make decisions to say, 'Hey listen, if these three players are not available for the game, you can plug in whoever you want, and they will know the base fundamentals of the scheme.'"
This year, a mostly normal spring should lead to a mostly normal fall camp. Add the benefit of a year's coordinator experience combined with plenty of returning talent and the potential is obvious.
"Certainly we are looking to expand some of the things we have done here," Sheridan says.
*****
Allen sees Top-10 potential in his defense, but making that happen starts with this:
Stop the run.
"That's the key to what you want to do defensively," first-year defensive coordinator Charlton Warren says. "We cannot be a great defense if we allow a team to run up and down the field on us.
"Whoever the opponent is, it's about us being fundamentally sound, being able to execute without mistakes and being able to go compete against our offense day in and day out. That is going to be a core of who we are.
"Can we hit? Can we tackle? Can we be physical? If we can do that, we have a chance, I see a group that can.
"This is a group that likes to hit. I have to say 'whoa' way more than 'giddy up' in practice, which I like. I am excited. That is an aspect of our defense that we are committed to trying to establish throughout fall camp."
Players Mentioned
FB: Fernando Mendoza - Heisman Trophy Press Conference (12/15/25)
Monday, December 15
FB: Curt Cignetti - Pre-Heisman Press Conference
Wednesday, December 10
FB: Fernando Mendoza - Pre-Heisman Press Conference
Tuesday, December 09
FB: CFP Quarterfinals (Rose Bowl) - Student-Athlete Press Conference
Monday, December 08