Indiana Linebacker Bradley Jennings Jr.: 'A Pat on the Back is Like a Kick in the Butt'

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana linebacker Bradley Jennings Jr. doesn't fall far from the 6'4" tree Bradley Jennings Sr., his father who was also a talented linebacker at Florida State from 1997-2001.

Jennings Sr. is a member of the Seminoles' 1999 national championship team, one of three national crowns the team has. He's currently on the football staff at Sandalwood High School in Jacksonville, Fla., the school Jennings Jr. graduated from and where his brothers Branden (19) and Brody (14) currently play football.

"My greatest memories are on the field," Jennings Jr. said recalling his best times with his dad and brothers.

Jennings Sr. coached Jennings Jr. in his junior and senior years of high school preparing to send him off into the collegiate world at the University of Miami.

The coaching didn't start and begin on the high school field though. Jennings Jr. said his dad would come home from work and get to more work training him and his brothers.

The Jennings' garage was full of enough pads for the neighborhood kids to play a full-on football game in their big backyard. Jennings Sr. would often play quarterback for the kids.

"A lesson I always look at from what my dad taught me is a pat on the back is like a kick in the butt," Jennings Jr. said.

"Through everything I do, even when I was younger, he didn't really tell us good job. He'd always be like 'you messed up on this play, you could've done this way better' kind of like a coach."

That tough love coming from the former first team Class 6A selection out of high school would resonate with Jennings Jr. and his brothers in their football careers at every level.

"He always told us if someone's congratulating you, it's not always good because human nature, when you hear it's good, then it's like slack off," Jennings Jr. said.

Jennings Jr. said each of his brothers have the "not satisfied" mentality like many athletes who put plenty of additional hours into training. However, Brody is the toughest on himself after watching the success of his two older brothers.

Jennings Jr. transferred from Miami this season where he totaled 68 tackles, 29 solo, three sacks, nine for loss, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup in 35 games and 11 starts.

The journey wasn't without adversity as the 6'1" 225 lb. linebacker went down with a hip injury in the 2019 spring game that required off-season surgery and a medical redshirt season.

"I didn't even know I dislocated my hip at first," he said. "I dislocated it and then was walking on it for a few days."

That season, the Hurricanes went 6-7 and 4-4 in conference with nothing for Jennings Jr. to do but watch, wait and recover, which surprisingly wasn't that grueling.

"It was the mental part of it, being out of football cause I'm hurt, was the hardest part of it," Jennings Jr. said. "Recovery wasn't hard. Coming back wasn't hard for me."

He was devastated but knew he'd be fine. Three months went by after the injury, and the linebacker was already walking on his own earlier than the doctors said he would.

When he wasn't cheering on his team, Jennings Jr. spent time calling his parents, reading books, going to class and keeping up with the playbook. He never let football fall into the background.

He also read Psalm 92, scripture he's been studying since age 10, almost daily to keep his spirits high. He still does.

In the 2020 season, Jennings Jr. made a full recovery and started in all 11 games for his first season at middle linebacker.

The Canes went 8-3 that season and capped off their year with a trip to the Cheez-It Bowl versus Oklahoma State in Orlando, Fla.

Fast forward, and Jennings Jr. adds another item to his list of firsts — suiting up as a Hoosier for the season opener versus Illinois.

Jennings Jr. totaled six tackles, one solo and one sack in the Hoosiers' 23-20 win over the Fighting Illini on Friday night.

"I just knew I had to be at my best at the time, so just gave everything," he said when it came to the sack. "I just had to make the play, and it was right in front of me, so just good defensive play calling, and I made the play."

Indiana football head coach Tom Allen saw power in Jennings Jr. during the recruitment process and values how much he cares for the team.

"He's a really good kid that loves football," Allen said. "I mean, he loves it and studies it, cares a whole lot."

Allen said Jennings Jr.'s surge and burst to the ball is a perfect storm of acceleration and violence making him an excellent tackler. Like his dad, Allen found some spots to make improvements.

"He's playing his first game with us in a new system, and I think it showed up a little bit in some of his fits," he said.

Enter the attitude that Jennings Jr. obtained from his father: "I always tell myself whatever I do, it's not good enough. I never deter from that lesson. It's important to me."

From growing up watching his dad's film on VCR tapes to backyard games that turned into Friday night lights and soon after a collegiate career, Jennings Jr. will continue to stay hungry for wins and even more improvement.

"I want to find a bunch of players and a bunch of coaches that care like I do and want to fight, and they want to fight to find a way to get to the ball carrier on defense or stay on that block on offense or make that play as a receiver or make that throw as a quarterback," Allen said.

"And so to me, I think Bradley cares. And I think he plays his tail off."

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