Aiden Fisher Serves as a Mentor For the Incoming Linebackers

Written By: Nick Gonzales (@nrgonzales_)

By now, you probably know who Aiden Fisher is. The All-American linebacker had a colossal year leading the Hoosiers defense which was considered one of the best defenses in the country in 2024. Last season, Fisher had 118 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. He was a great leader for the entire defense and now that he decided to return, he will be looked at to lead the team once again. But this is a very different team from previous years. With the amount of success the Hoosiers achieved last season, some of the young guys needed a reality check when they first arrived in Bloomington.

“We have definitely experienced a little bit of that. Obviously, everyone is excited to be on a team that achieved a little bit of success last year, but at the end of the day we are 0-0 and have accomplished nothing as a team for 2025. We have given everyone a reality check, and practice has definitely given them a reality check. It's just kind of making sure everyone knows we are at ground zero right now and make sure you're not getting in over yourself. You have zero stats as you come in. It's just about setting the tone for the team and letting them know we have a long way to go, but we are going to get there,” Aiden Fisher responded on how the transition this spring compared to last season during Tuesday’s media availability.

Carter Smith said earlier in Tuesday’s media availability how some of the incoming freshmen could be “a little cocky” due to how Indiana performed last season. However, it seems that they’ve had some time to adjust and understand what it means to be a part of this team. Coming from being the starter in high school to the fourth or fifth on the depth chart in your position is a big adjustment, but Fisher has noticed a lot of improvement so far from them. They are asking questions of the veteran players and doing everything they can to get better. Not only are the young players trying to get better, but everyone on the team is trying to improve, because if you’re not getting better you’re getting worse.

“There’s a lot of things that I want to work on as a player myself. My pass coverage, my pass rush, run defense, I just want to keep improving. Make any weaknesses that I’ve had [and] make them strengths and reflect it on the young guys. A lot of new guys are here. They want to know what the standard is. They want to know how hard it is to get to the level where you know you’re successful. I want to make sure I’m setting the tone right. Make sure they know it takes a lot, but you’re having fun on your way there and you just got to stay dedicated to it.” Aiden Fisher said on Tuesday on how he plans to improve himself and the guys around him.

Fisher was and still is the guy players will come to with questions. After spending so much time in this defense with defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, he’s a player that you want to learn from. He’s the leader that every team wants to have in their locker room. Fisher is serving as a mentor for the new linebackers like Jamari Farmer, PJ Nelson, and Mikail’s little brother, Amari Kamara.

“I’m excited to get him [Amari] up here. I’ve been really close to the Kamara family for a while now, especially Mikail. So, getting him up here would be exciting. Mikail would say ‘He’s under your wing as soon as he gets here. Whatever you want to do, you do extra field work, extra film, just tag him along with you.’ I’m excited for it and he’s going to be a special player,” Fisher remarks about mentoring Amari Kamara.

It's amazing to have Fish back, but what many want to know is who will step up as the next Will linebacker and fill the shoes of Jailin Walker.

“Definitely not easy with how special of a player he [Jailin Walker] is. I’m super excited for him and praying great things over him, but it’s going to be tough. But we can look straight into our room. Isaiah Jones coming back with production. Rolijah Hardy coming back with production. There’s a lot of guys in there, you got a freshman, PJ Nelson, Quentin Clark coming back. There’s just a lot of names in there you can throw around. And right now, it’s all about development, growing and kind of seeing who meshes well together,” Fisher stated about filling the position Jailin Walker left.

The Hoosiers didn’t bring in any new linebacker talent through the transfer portal. The newest additions to the linebacker position are the freshmen Farmer, Nelson, and Amari Kamara. But they have a lot of talented players that experienced Indiana’s turnaround firsthand. In 2024, the true freshman, Rolijah Hardy, showed that he is a perfect fit for the job. He had 22 tackles (5.5 TFL), 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions (one of them being a pick-6), and a sack. The now sophomore is the most likely to step up into Walker’s old position.

Let’s not forget to mention redshirt junior, Isaiah Jones. Jones has been with the Hoosiers since 2022 and has experienced the highs and lows. During the 2024 season, Jones had 42 tackles (3.5 TFL) and would also be a good fit for the starting position. There’s also Kaiden Turner and Quentin Clark who are returning and the new crop of freshman linebackers. There are a lot of promising players this year, so Fisher isn’t too worried about finding a replacement for Walker. Instead, he wants to do as much as he can to ensure that whoever takes the position is playing to the best possible standard.

While it is still early on and some of the starters for certain positions are unbeknownst to fans, you can rely on Hoosier Huddle to provide the information as soon as we receive it.