Each year Indiana chooses the players who will represent the program at the Big Ten’s media day in late July.
This year two defenders and one offensive player will be the face of IU football along with head coach Tom Allen in Indianapolis on July 26.
Senior cornerback Tiawan Mullen will be one of the two defensive players at the event. He is looking for a bounce-back season after an injury-riddled 2021 campaign. He was named first-team All-American in 2020 by multiple outlets. He has 86 tackles, three interceptions, eight tackles for loss, 23 passes defended, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries for his career. Mullen will be joined in the defensive backfield by his freshman brother Trevell this fall.
Joining Mullen from the defense will be senior linebacker Cam Jones, who is back in Bloomington for a fifth year. Jones was a captain in 2021 and the winner of Indiana’s Howard Brown “Dedication to IU Football” Award. Jones totaled 64 tackles, 43 solo, one sack, two for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and two pass breakups in 2021. He finished third on the team in stops and tied for second in solos. Jones played in 11 games, all starts, at stinger (weak-side linebacker).
Indiana’s offensive representative at the Big Ten’s media day will be tight end A.J. Barner, who is expected to a breakout performer in 2022. The junior from Ohio hasn’t had a major role so far, but he appeared in 12 games and had 14 catches in 2021 as a backup to Peyton Hendershot. The 6-foot-6 Barner was recognized as IU’s Terry P. Cole Award winner as the MVP of the Old Oaken Bucket game.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
- Find us on Facebook: thedailyhoosier
- You can follow us on Twitter: @daily_hoosier
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.
