Top 10 Linebackers in Indiana Football History

Throughout the history of Indiana football, there have been some legends that roamed in the middle of the defense, ready to dish out hits. IU has had nine All-Americans and 11 First Team All-Big Ten selections at the position.

Indiana Top Linebacker Quick Hits

Notable players like Aaron Casey, Kyle Killion, Joe Fitzgerald, and Marlin Evans just missed the cut.
The top 3 tacklers in IU history are all linebackers.
The 1970's and 80's were the golden years for Indiana linebackers.

Ranking the Greatest Linebackers in Indiana Football History

Nov 20, 2021; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers quarterback Cole Kramer (12) is tackled by Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Micah McFadden (47) during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

10. Aiden Fisher

Hoosier Career: 2024 to 2025
Career Stats: 215 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 6 Sacks, 2 INT
Honors: 1st Team All-American (2024), Third Team All-American (2025), 2x First Team All-Big Ten, 7th Round NFL Draft Pick

Aiden Fisher was the heart and soul of Indiana's national championship defense. He finished his IU career with 215 tackles, which is well short of the school's top 10 tacklers. Fisher made big play after big play in big games. He went from a zero-star recruit to a 7th Round NFL Draft pick.

9. Micah McFadden

Hoosier Career: 2018-2021
Career Stats: 216 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, 14 Sacks, 4 INT
Honors: 3rd Team All-American (2020), First Team All-Big Ten (2020), Second Team All-Big Ten (2021), 5th round NFL Draft Pick.

The impact that Micah McFadden had on the Indiana Hoosiers can be summed up by the absolute deflation that occurred when he was ejected from the 2021 Cincinnati game for a very controversial targeting call. NASA couldn't pull air out of a stadium faster.

McFadden had great instincts at the position and put himself in a position to make plays in the backfield. His 37 tackles for loss are sixth in program history. He was a fifth-round draft pick for the New York Giants.

8. Tegray Scales

Hoosier Career: 2014 to 2017
Career Stats: 325 tackles, 46 tackles for loss, 18 Sacks, 8 INT
Honors: 2nd Team All-American (2016), First Team All-Big Ten (2017), Second Team All-Big Ten (2016)

Scales had one of the best years a defensive player could have had in IU history in 2016. In the first year of Tom Allen's defense, Scales exploded for 126 tackles and 23.5 tackles for loss.

The 23.5 tackles for loss are the second most in a single season in Indiana history. He helped lead IU to two bowl games, and his 325 tackles are the tenth most in school history.

7. Greg Farrall

Hoosier Career: 1988-1991
Career Stats: 40 tackles for loss
Honors: 5th All-time in career TFL's at Indiana

Farrall was an elite edge rusher for the Hoosiers. His 40 career tackles for loss are still 5th on IU's career list. He had three seasons of at least nine tackles for loss and led IU in TFLs in three seasons.

6. Donnie Thomas

Hoosier Career: 1973 to 1975
Career Stats: 369 tackles
Honors: 3rd Team All-American (1975), First Team All-Big Ten (1975), Second Team All-Big Ten (1974)

Thomas still sits at third on the Hoosiers' all-time list for career tackles with 369. He led IU in stops in 1973 and 1975. He was Indiana's team MVP in 1974 and 1975 as well.

5. Jim Sniadecki

Hoosier Career: 1966-1968
Career Stats: 192 Tackles
Honors: 2nd Team All-American (1968), First Team All-Big Ten (1967), Second Team All-Big Ten (1966-1968)

Sniadecki moved from defensive end to linebacker after the 1966 season, and the move paid off as the Hoosiers got an eventual All-American at the position.

He was an All-Big Ten selection in all three years. He helped lead IU to the 1967 Big Ten title and the 1968 Rose Bowl.

4. Ken Kaczmarek

Hoosier Career: 1965-67
Career Stats: 210 Tackles, 10 Tackles For Loss
Honors: 3rd Team All-American (1967), 1st Team All-Big Ten (1967)

Kaczmarek was the first line backer at IU to earn All-American honors. He was a key piece to the Hoosiers' run to the 1967 Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl. Most of his stats have been lost to history, but he made at least 210 tackles and had 10 tackles for loss.

3. Willie Bates

Hoosier Career: 1985 to 1988
Career Stats: 384 tackles
Honors: First Team All-Big Ten (1986) , Second Team All-Big Ten (1987)

Bates is one of the biggest snubs for postseason awards in IU history. He is still second in IU history with 384 career tackles. He led the team in stops in 1987 and 1988 and started in three bowl games.

2. Van Waiters

Hoosier Career: 1983, 1985-1987
Career Stats: 44 tackles for loss, 25 Sacks
Honors: 3rd Team All-American (1986,1987), First Team All-Big Ten (1986,1987)

Waiters would fall under the modern edge rusher category if he were to play today.

He still sits fourth on IU's career list for tackles for loss and second in career sacks. His 24 tackles for loss are a single-season Hoosier record, and he still holds the school record with five tackles for loss in a single game.

He played in two bowl games with IU and took home the 1988 Peach Bowl Defensive MVP award.

1. Joe Norman

Hoosier Career: 1975-1978
Career Stats: 444 tackles, 46 tackles for loss
Honors: 2nd Team All-American (1978), First Team All-Big Ten (1978),

Joe Norman was a tackling machine, as the numbers show. He played for some bad IU teams and played heroically. Had his teams been better, there would be more accolades.

His 444 career tackles look like an unbreakable record - nobody has come within 100 tackles of the record since the 1980's. His 26 tackles in 1978 against Ohio State are still one of the best performances in IU history.

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