Mullen Vows IU Will Be ‘On The Attack’
9/3/2021 9:30:00 AM | Football
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Tiawan Mullen is a confident guy, in himself, in the Hoosiers, in the defense.
Yes, No. 17 Indiana faces a huge season-opening Saturday challenge at No. 18 Iowa and its potentially punishing offense.
But the Hoosiers are rich in their own potential, with a pair of All-Americans (Mullen at cornerback, Micah McFadden at linebacker) and the most defensive talent and depth head coach Tom Allen has ever had.
And they will use it, Mullen says.
"We're going to attack the season like never before."
There is a lot of buzz for a lot of reasons about Indiana, and when it comes to defense, there are no limits, at least not in the locker room.
"We have expectations," Mullen says. "We don't worry about what outsiders say. We worry about who's in our program.
"We believe in who we are. We don't change who we are. We're real excited for the season and what's ahead. It will be a special journey for the Indiana Hoosiers."
Mullen, a junior, has seen the progress since joining the program. Adding impressive grad transfers in defensive linemen Ryder Anderson (from Ole Miss), Jaren Handy (from Auburn) and Weston Kramer (from Northern Illinois) to an already talented group accelerates that progress. Getting a new defensive coordinator in Charlton Warren adds some potentially difference-making twists.
"We grow," Mullen says. "We learn. We're real confident. We have great chemistry with each other. Guys have two to three years with each other. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses. We have each other's backs.
"We're going to play freely. We're comfortable. We have a lot of returning starters. Some great guys have been added. We're very excited about the defense and what Coach Warren is going to call."
In the previous four seasons, Warren coached defensive backs at Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee to impressive success. He brings a level of experience and confidence that comes from working at the highest levels of college football.
"My comfort level with Coach Warren is at an all-time high," Mullen says. "We had to get adjusted to him. He had to get adjusted to us. It's like a newborn baby with the parent. They have to get to know the child.
"We did a great job in the spring and fall camp. Everybody molded together. We're real confident in what he's going to call. We're ready to display it on (Saturday)."
Few will display it better than Mullen, who in two seasons has totaled eight career takeaways (3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries). In 21 career games, he's defended 20 passes. Some of that is talent, most of it is preparation, which includes a ton of film study.
It is why, Mullen says, he can sense when a play is coming his way by the opposing team's personnel and formation.
"It's all about film study. The personnel they might be in. You anticipate the percentage of the personnel they have in and what most likely will come your way. Then making a play when it does come your way.
"There's no better feeling than when you know a play is coming because you've done the film study. It's all the hard work we put in. It's the great scout team we have. Without them we wouldn't be who we are. They play a big role. We appreciate them a lot."
Appreciation includes returning veterans Marcelino McCrary-Ball at husky and Raheem Layne at safety (after converting from cornerback).
With McCrary-Ball, it's his "Edge, the hunger in him, the physical toughness he brings within himself," Mullen says. "He's a great leader. We're glad to have him back. He's going to be a great help to the team."
As for Layne, Mullen says, "Raheem is an older guy. He was in the cornerback room. Now he's in the safety room. He knows how both positions operate. It's easy for me and him to be on the same page.
"Everyone is on the same page. Having Raheem back there … he's a leader, a ball hawk, a selfless player. We're glad to have him back."
Add it up and you have a program and a defense poised for special things, starting with an Iowa team that averaged 31.8 points last season.
"The leaders are stepping up," Mullen says. "The younger guys are listening. Everybody is buying into the program and what Coach Allen is saying. It starts from him."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Tiawan Mullen is a confident guy, in himself, in the Hoosiers, in the defense.
Yes, No. 17 Indiana faces a huge season-opening Saturday challenge at No. 18 Iowa and its potentially punishing offense.
But the Hoosiers are rich in their own potential, with a pair of All-Americans (Mullen at cornerback, Micah McFadden at linebacker) and the most defensive talent and depth head coach Tom Allen has ever had.
And they will use it, Mullen says.
"We're going to attack the season like never before."
There is a lot of buzz for a lot of reasons about Indiana, and when it comes to defense, there are no limits, at least not in the locker room.
"We have expectations," Mullen says. "We don't worry about what outsiders say. We worry about who's in our program.
"We believe in who we are. We don't change who we are. We're real excited for the season and what's ahead. It will be a special journey for the Indiana Hoosiers."
Mullen, a junior, has seen the progress since joining the program. Adding impressive grad transfers in defensive linemen Ryder Anderson (from Ole Miss), Jaren Handy (from Auburn) and Weston Kramer (from Northern Illinois) to an already talented group accelerates that progress. Getting a new defensive coordinator in Charlton Warren adds some potentially difference-making twists.
"We grow," Mullen says. "We learn. We're real confident. We have great chemistry with each other. Guys have two to three years with each other. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses. We have each other's backs.
"We're going to play freely. We're comfortable. We have a lot of returning starters. Some great guys have been added. We're very excited about the defense and what Coach Warren is going to call."
In the previous four seasons, Warren coached defensive backs at Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee to impressive success. He brings a level of experience and confidence that comes from working at the highest levels of college football.
"My comfort level with Coach Warren is at an all-time high," Mullen says. "We had to get adjusted to him. He had to get adjusted to us. It's like a newborn baby with the parent. They have to get to know the child.
"We did a great job in the spring and fall camp. Everybody molded together. We're real confident in what he's going to call. We're ready to display it on (Saturday)."
Few will display it better than Mullen, who in two seasons has totaled eight career takeaways (3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries). In 21 career games, he's defended 20 passes. Some of that is talent, most of it is preparation, which includes a ton of film study.
It is why, Mullen says, he can sense when a play is coming his way by the opposing team's personnel and formation.
"It's all about film study. The personnel they might be in. You anticipate the percentage of the personnel they have in and what most likely will come your way. Then making a play when it does come your way.
"There's no better feeling than when you know a play is coming because you've done the film study. It's all the hard work we put in. It's the great scout team we have. Without them we wouldn't be who we are. They play a big role. We appreciate them a lot."
Appreciation includes returning veterans Marcelino McCrary-Ball at husky and Raheem Layne at safety (after converting from cornerback).
With McCrary-Ball, it's his "Edge, the hunger in him, the physical toughness he brings within himself," Mullen says. "He's a great leader. We're glad to have him back. He's going to be a great help to the team."
As for Layne, Mullen says, "Raheem is an older guy. He was in the cornerback room. Now he's in the safety room. He knows how both positions operate. It's easy for me and him to be on the same page.
"Everyone is on the same page. Having Raheem back there … he's a leader, a ball hawk, a selfless player. We're glad to have him back."
Add it up and you have a program and a defense poised for special things, starting with an Iowa team that averaged 31.8 points last season.
"The leaders are stepping up," Mullen says. "The younger guys are listening. Everybody is buying into the program and what Coach Allen is saying. It starts from him."
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