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BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football defensive end Mikail Kamara was one of the most disruptive pass rushers in the country last season while playing a position that had a myriad of responsibilities.
Kamara, who was voted First-Team All-Big Team, is flipping sides on the line from field-end to stud, a hybrid position defensive end positions that’s a cross between a standup defensive end and linebacker, that will allow him to focus more on pressuring the quarterback.
More: Projecting Indiana football's defensive two-deep depth chart ahead of spring practice
Last year, he was the first IU player with double-digit sacks (10) since 2008. He also led the FBS with 68 quarterback pressures (and had a top 25 pass-rush win rate) while playing 200-plus snaps on the interior of the line.
“If I'm doing that on the inside, imagine what can I do just on the edge?" Kamara said with a smile.
Lanell Carr played the stud position for IU last season, but Kamara got experience at the spot in 2023 as part of a rotation featuring Jalen Green and Jamree Kromah. The three combined for 36 sacks while taking turns at each defensive end position.
Kamara told reporters on Thursday that he expects to be at the stud position full-time this fall. This time around he has some added freedom from having played 36 career games (35 starts).
“I can go out there and make plays especially with me being an older guy and more of a vet,” Kamara said. “Coach gives me a little more leeway to go and trust my eye. We are gapped up and disciplined, but he allows me to take my shot and do what I need to do to go make a play."
More: Projecting Indiana football's offensive two-deep depth chart ahead of spring practice
Kamara didn’t spend much time deliberating over his future after the season.
While he could have entered the NFL draft, Kamara was eager to run it back in Bloomington after getting a taste of the College Football Playoff. His main concern was confirming linebacker Aiden Fisher and D’Angelo Ponds — he described his former JMU teammates as his “top two guys” — were are on the same page.
“We talked about it a little bit, and thought we could really make a good run to bring a championship here to Bloomington,” Kamara said.
Kamara brought the same kind of swagger to the podium Thursday that he had a year ago when he told reporters that the JMU players who followed Curt Cignetti to IU were going to put the program on the map.
“Once we get the ball rolling everyone is going to know (who we are),” Kamara said at the time.
Kamara has found similar motivation this spring from the pundits who viewed IU’s success last season as a fluke.
“I've seen a lot of things talking about a sophomore slump,” Kamara said. “That's something that I take pride on. That's not going to happen. It's really just to come back and show we can do it again and again and again and again.”
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Indiana football defensive end Mikail Kamara details position change
Continue reading...
Kamara, who was voted First-Team All-Big Team, is flipping sides on the line from field-end to stud, a hybrid position defensive end positions that’s a cross between a standup defensive end and linebacker, that will allow him to focus more on pressuring the quarterback.
More: Projecting Indiana football's defensive two-deep depth chart ahead of spring practice
Indiana football defensive end Mikail Kamara moves to the stud position
Last year, he was the first IU player with double-digit sacks (10) since 2008. He also led the FBS with 68 quarterback pressures (and had a top 25 pass-rush win rate) while playing 200-plus snaps on the interior of the line.
“If I'm doing that on the inside, imagine what can I do just on the edge?" Kamara said with a smile.
Lanell Carr played the stud position for IU last season, but Kamara got experience at the spot in 2023 as part of a rotation featuring Jalen Green and Jamree Kromah. The three combined for 36 sacks while taking turns at each defensive end position.
Kamara told reporters on Thursday that he expects to be at the stud position full-time this fall. This time around he has some added freedom from having played 36 career games (35 starts).
“I can go out there and make plays especially with me being an older guy and more of a vet,” Kamara said. “Coach gives me a little more leeway to go and trust my eye. We are gapped up and disciplined, but he allows me to take my shot and do what I need to do to go make a play."
More: Projecting Indiana football's offensive two-deep depth chart ahead of spring practice
Mikail Kamara eyes College Football Playoff title in return to Bloomington
Kamara didn’t spend much time deliberating over his future after the season.
While he could have entered the NFL draft, Kamara was eager to run it back in Bloomington after getting a taste of the College Football Playoff. His main concern was confirming linebacker Aiden Fisher and D’Angelo Ponds — he described his former JMU teammates as his “top two guys” — were are on the same page.
“We talked about it a little bit, and thought we could really make a good run to bring a championship here to Bloomington,” Kamara said.
Kamara brought the same kind of swagger to the podium Thursday that he had a year ago when he told reporters that the JMU players who followed Curt Cignetti to IU were going to put the program on the map.
“Once we get the ball rolling everyone is going to know (who we are),” Kamara said at the time.
Kamara has found similar motivation this spring from the pundits who viewed IU’s success last season as a fluke.
“I've seen a lot of things talking about a sophomore slump,” Kamara said. “That's something that I take pride on. That's not going to happen. It's really just to come back and show we can do it again and again and again and again.”
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Indiana football defensive end Mikail Kamara details position change
Continue reading...
