IU linebacker Reakwon Jones’ expected return against Purdue adds depth for Hoosiers

Jordan Guskey | IndyStar

Show Caption Hide Caption IU Coach Tom Allen talks Michigan loss, Purdue game Saturday The Hoosiers need to beat the Boilermakers to advance to postseason play.

Purdue at IU, noon Saturday, ESPN2

​​​​​​Indiana played a number of combinations at linebacker during its loss to the Michigan Wolverines.

A true freshman, James Miller, even registered his first career start in just his third appearance for IU (5-6, 2-6 in Big Ten). But Saturday against the Purdue Boilermakers the Hoosiers expect redshirt junior linebacker Reakwon Jones to return from injury, reclaim his role on defense and bolster a group that has bodies but not much experience in Bloomington.

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“He practiced with us today, so we’ll see how it feels,” IU coach Tom Allen told reporters Monday. “He’s just coming back from that, and obviously did not play last week, but was closer. Was kind of one of those maybe emergency type situations. But I felt good about how he looked today.”

Jones had tallied 36 tackles — 4.5 for loss — and a sack through nine games before he suffered a lower-leg injury against Minnesota. And he was making the most of his first season as a major player for the Hoosiers even as he and his family dealt with the havoc Hurricane Michael caused.

By the end of IU's three-game, non-conference schedule he'd already surpassed the number of tackles he'd recorded in his previous 21 appearances for the Hoosiers. He'd become more of a leader among his teammates, too -- all of it a realization of the potential he had when he stepped on campus.

So the timing of IU's bye week, right after the loss to Minnesota, helped Jones ensure that he would be fresh again when IU needed him most.

Allen said his return would allow coaches to "shuffle the deck a little bit" in regards to when and where certain players will be used and when. True freshman Micah McFadden will be able to excel as a Mike linebacker on third downs. Sophomore T.D. Roof will get some work at husky and give redshirt sophomore Marcelino Ball a break there when needed, as freshman husky Cam Jones will miss the first half after he was ejected for targeting in the fourth quarter against Michigan.

Redshirt freshman Bryant Fitzgerald will move around, too.

"Just more depth, that's what you want," Allen said. "And getting Reakwon back will be huge, and that's the plan. So right now I hope that that continues to be the case because you don't know for sure until you get through your two full-padded practices. But as of right now, it's looking like he'll be back."

Jones assisted on just one tackle when IU lost to Purdue last season, and does not have any statistics listed for his appearance in the Hoosiers' 2016 win against the Boilermakers. So as long as he isn't used sparingly, which as of now would be a deviation from Allen's plans, Jones will have his most influential performance against the team that currently has its hold on the Old Oaken Bucket.

IU redshirt senior Dameon Willis Jr. is the only linebacker who's been with the program longer, and been around IU for more games against Purdue (5-6, 4-4), than Jones.

Hoosiers senior safety Jonathan Crawford is among those excited Jones will be able to make a difference Saturday.

"Just the depth of it," Crawford said. "I feel like we have good depth already but just knowing that we have another key guy back, I feel like it's going to be huge. He's more than ready to come back, honestly. He's motivating me."

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Jordan Guskey on Twitter at @JordanGuskey or email him at jguskey@gannett.com.