Playoff Bound -- Dynamic Defensive Line Duo Kamara, West Wreck Offenses
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Passion fuels Mikail Kamara and CJ West. It drives these offense-wrecking Indiana defensive linemen into opponents’ heads and backfields and helps spark a nationally renowned defense seeking to dominate Friday night’s college playoff opener at Notre Dame.
Kamara is a 6-1, 265-pound transfer from James Madison. West is a 6-2, 317-pound transfer from Kent State. They combine for 78 tackles, 21.0 tackles for loss and 12.0 sacks, along with four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles in this transformative season that delivered a program-best 11-1 record, a first-ever playoff opportunity and five, and counting, coach-of-the-year honors for Curt Cignetti.
“Mikail is a real smart player,” Cignetti says. “He's explosive, dynamic, quick. He's a good technician. CJ West, for a big guy, moves extremely well, and has really good get-off.
“These are guys that really want to be good. So, they commit and they work hard every day to improve. You see the end result.”
That end result starts with this:
“Go out there, wreak havoc, and make plays,” Kamara says.
And this, West adds:
“I have an attack mindset. Cause havoc and somebody behind you will have your back.”
Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines takes full advantage with his attacking scheme.
“They're both hard workers,” Haines says. “They're both great individuals. They both want to be great. They hold themselves to a really high standard.
“In terms of what they bring skill set-wise, they are two different types of guys. CJ is a big powerful guy. His role is so important because as the nose guard of our defense -- and any defense for the most part – he's at the center point of everything. He's taking on double teams. He's got to win that one-on-one against center. It's important to win the middle of the defense, and CJ does that for us.”
As a defensive end, Kamara has multiple responsibilities -- control the edge and force the ball back inside and, ideally, get a sack or tackle for loss, or push the ball deeper into the backfield so teammates have time to make plays. It all depends on the defensive call and situation.
“Each call has its own purpose,” Haines says, “but Mikail dictates the terms. Am I going to let this ball make it to the field? If so, how much can he make it bubble so the rest of the guys can take great pursuit angles?
“They're very important roles, and those guys flourish in them.”
Besides Haines, Cignetti also praises director of football athletic performance Derek Owings, defensive tackles coach Pat Kuntz and defensive ends coach Buddha Williams in developing Kamara and West.
“Derek does a great job of taking body fat off these guys and adding lean muscle mass,” Cignetti says. “They'll gain weight, but it's good weight. And still making them more flexible and quicker, faster, explosive.
“Coach Haines does a great job in finding ways of creating disruptions up front, stopping the run, and pressure the quarterback. Coach Kuntz and Coach Williams do a tremendous job, as well.”
Consider Kamara, who leads the team with 15 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. Try blocking him at your own risk.
“It’s playing this game with so much joy and passion,” he says. “Once you start there, you run out of the tunnel, you’re screaming and excited and getting your team pumped up.
“When you get to those key plays, the fourth and short, the goal-line stands, that’s when you’re like, I have to bring up whatever demons I need to attack these offensive linemen.
“It starts with having fun and understanding that this game can be taken away from you at any moment, so you have to play every play like it’s your last.”
Kamara analyzes opponent film like a scientist researching a newly discovered species.
“I go based off of formations, tendencies. What do they like to run? In this formation, are they run heavy, are they pass heavy, do they like gap scheme, are they a zone scheme team?
“Once you understand the scheme, then you start analyzing the players. Are they high hands? Low hands? Does this guy come off with a lot of intensity? Is he more finesse?
“Once I understand all those aspects, then I start to understand my strengths and weaknesses based off of what he does. I try to attack his weaknesses with my strengths.”
Consider West, who last year played on a 1-11 Kent State team and has reaped huge benefits by transferring to IU.
“I love this game no matter what happens,” he says. “I’m not only playing the game I love, I’m playing with guys who I’ve sweated with; it’s the blood, sweat, and tears. These are my brothers. I’m playing alongside them.
“We have hard practices, hard workouts. I know my brothers will push me. I’m going to push my brothers.”
Pushing includes lining up in different defensive line angles and spots to maximize offensive disruption.
“I love it,” West says. “It allows me to play very aggressive, to play vertical.”
That could play a big role Friday night. IU leads the nation by holding teams to just 70.8 rushing yards a game. Notre Dame (11-1) ranks 10th nationally by rushing for 225 yards per game.
“Especially on the defensive line, we have a lot of pride in stopping the run,” West says. “When a big run breaks out, it’s heartbreaking for us. That’s our job to stop that.
“The only way to stop the run is dominate the people in front of you. If you lose that battle, a big run will break out. Do our job, dominate the person in front of us, and everything else will go our way.”
The fact West has this playoff opportunity after last year’s 1-11 record makes it even sweeter.
“I never thought I would be in this position. I’ve worked hard my entire life for this. I want to make the best of it.”
Beyond West and Kamara, Indiana’s rock-your-world defense -- see the 34.0 sacks and 86.0 tackles for loss as prime examples -- has linebacker Aiden Fisher feeling the love.
“I don’t know a player in that locker room who doesn’t have fun playing this defense,” he says. “You’re on a top-rated defense making plays every Friday or Saturday, and you’re playing with guys that you care a lot about.
“Just seeing the emotion playing this defense brings – you’re flying around; you’re hitting people; you’re making big plays, getting interceptions, sacks.
“Playing an explosive defense is more fun that playing one that you’re giving up two to three yards a play and then you’re off the field. We want tackles for loss, sacks, explosives. I don’t know how anybody would not want to play this defense.”
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has a big running role with 721 yards and 14 touchdowns via the run.
The Hoosiers want to make Leonard -- and all the Irish -- pay.
“We are physical,” Kamara says. “That’s the biggest thing. When you play a team that runs their quarterback, that means they want to grind it out. This is going to be a physical game to see who outlasts the other.
“I know it’s going to be us on top.”