In a cornerback room looking to replace All-American D’Angelo Ponds, things got off to an inauspicious start in 2026.
To say the least.
Both starting cornerbacks — Jamari Sharpe and A.J. Harris — were injured in the first quarter of the first game against North Texas.
Both would miss the remainder of that game. Sharpe would also miss week two, and Harris missed four straight contests.
Meanwhile, after Northwestern marched up and down the field against IU, concerns were raised about the IU secondary as a whole.
In addition to Ponds, the Hoosiers also lost safety Louis Moore and rover Devan Boykin following the 2025 national championship season.
As good as the IU defensive front is, was the new look back end going to drag down the Hoosiers?
Safety Amare Ferrell heard the outside noise.
“A lot of people say the secondary is the weak link. So we just go out there and try to gain respect,” Ferrell said. “You definitely got to take it personally. You don’t ever want somebody to say your group is the weakest link of the defense. It gets all of the guys going to go out there and do our job.”
Head coach Curt Cignetti couldn’t hide his frustration with Harris earlier in the season, noting the Alabama native had only participated in around 20% of the team’s practices since joining the program due to various injuries.
“When we brought him in here we thought he would help us,” Cignetti said.
The Penn State transfer has a lot of experience — 34 games over the three prior seasons. And he’s talented. He was Third-Team All-Big Ten in 2024.
Harris came back from injury in the second half against Nebraska. Since then, the defense seems to have taken a step forward, and Sharpe has been able to return to the spot where he is more comfortable.
“I think the last two weeks with AJ Harris getting back on the field – got to keep him on the field – been able to put Sharpe back at field corner, which is his natural position, and I think you’ve seen things just sort of uptick since then,” Cignetti said.
With Harris new to the team and out for most of the first five games, the secondary is still trying to figure it out on the fly.
“He’s a veteran guy, a guy who has played a lot of football,” Ferrell said of Harris. “We’re just trying to build that chemistry with him being out a little bit at the beginning of the season.”
And there’s a clear chemistry emerging.
The secondary held Heisman Trophy favorite Jeremiah Smith to just four catches.
Better coverage has meant the pass rush gets home more often. IU has 13 sacks over the last three games.
Both Sharpe and Harris have deflected a pass over the last two weeks that ended up in Ferrell’s arms.
And Ferrell has three interceptions in the last two games, including a leaping grab that highlighted his receiver skills. He has risen into a three-way tie for third on the all-time IU interceptions list with 11 for his four-year career with the Hoosiers.
“He’s got really good ball skills,” Cignetti said of Ferrell. “He’s the next punt returner back there right now because he catches the ball really well. Made a great catch against Ohio State on his second interception.
“So great to see him come on like that. He’s a really smart player, too. Very instinctive. Those turnovers equal points. Not enough points last week, but they equal points.”
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