Rooted in versatility, how Amare Ferrell’s breakthrough embodies Indiana football

Amare Ferrell took his stance on the right side of Indiana football’s defense, his eyes locked on UCLA redshirt senior quarterback Ethan Garbers. 

The Hoosiers’ sophomore defensive back danced his feet to the right, then backward, then left before Garbers released his pass. Two seconds later, Ferrell was on the Spieker Field grass at the Rose Bowl. He’d intercepted Garbers and effectively sealed Indiana’s statement-making road victory. 

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti liked the play. He didn’t like what followed. 

After springing to his feet, Ferrell trotted to the southeast corner of the stadium, leading a group of Hoosier defenders that included sophomore Jamari Sharpe, senior Shawn Asbury II and sixth-year senior Josh Sanguinetti. They found the nearest group of photographers — and, later, the wrath of Cignetti. 

“I just wish when he intercepts the pass, he wouldn't run toward the end zone,” Cignetti said Sept. 16, two days after Indiana’s 42-13 victory over UCLA. “Celebrate with your teammates on the sideline, right? Championship programs don't do that.” 

Cignetti met individually with Ferrell in the days that followed and expressed a similar sentiment. 

“I’ve got to act like I’ve made a great play before instead of doing the selfish things I did,” Ferrell told reporters Sept. 17. “I talked to him about that, but we’re all good now.” 

But Ferrell doesn’t need to act. He’s made many plays for the Hoosiers’ defense this season from a variety of spots. The 19-year-old is also one of the youngest players on a unit that ranks top 15 nationally in several key categories, including total yards and points allowed per game. 

With youth comes miscues like his post-interception celebration — but Ferrell has long been mature beyond his years on the gridiron. 

When he arrived in Bloomington during the summer of 2023, Ferrell quickly made an impression on the coaching staff. Then-head coach Tom Allen, who was fired for lack of performance after the 2023 season, said Ferrell proved too valuable on defense and special teams to redshirt as a freshman. 

Allen said several veteran Hoosiers told him something was different about Ferrell, who showed up to campus with physicality, confidence and preparation stemming from his Lake City, Florida, roots. 

Allen and his staff were excited about Ferrell’s future. It didn’t take long for Cignetti and his group to feel the same. 

But between the two regimes came a crucial decision: to stay in Bloomington or to follow the mass exodus of Hoosiers. Many opted for the latter. After reviewing Cignetti’s resume, Ferrell didn’t think there was much of a decision to be made. 

“It just wasn’t my time to leave,” Ferrell said. “Everything happens for a reason. With Coach Cignetti coming in, I knew he had a winning program, and I knew he was a great coach. So, I just wanted to play under Coach Cignetti.” 

Then came the next part of a coaching transition: gaining role clarity. Ferrell spoke with Cignetti, defensive coordinator Bryant Haines and safeties/defensive backs coach Ola Adams, and he left the conversation feeling satisfied with his decision. 

“I always knew I was going to stay, but I just didn't know how everything was going to [be] affected [by] the new coaching changes,” Ferrell said. “But after talking to Coach Cignetti, Coach Adams, Coach Haines, they talked to me and said what positions I was going to be playing, and I was fine with that.” 

Indiana’s staff outlined a plan to utilize Ferrell at rover, a position predicated on defending both the run and pass. Ferrell was used to it, having played the same role as a freshman. 

But Cignetti and Haines eventually added more to his plate. 

When opposing offenses put two tight ends on the field — a package better known as 12 personnel — the Hoosiers’ defense goes from two linebackers to three, and Ferrell slides back to safety, where he replaces Sanguinetti. He also has a new role in dime packages, spending more time near the line of scrimmage when Indiana puts six defensive backs on the field. 

At rover, Ferrell is more directly involved with individual matchups in the run and pass game. At safety, his assignment centers around covering a majority of the field. 

Ferrell had a successful spring on the practice field, one that left an impression on Cignetti and the coaching staff. After learning Haines’ defense in practice, Ferrell said he grew more comfortable and ascended into his hybrid role on the back end. 

Versatility is Ferrell’s calling card. It's something he said every defensive back wants to show, and he’s done so at a high level through the first five games this season. 

Across 172 snaps on passing plays, Ferrell has been in coverage on 152 of them. Opponents have targeted him 15 times and completed only 10 passes for 65 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. He leads the team in interceptions with two. 

In the other 20 passing snaps Ferrell has played, he’s blitzed — and has two sacks and a pair of quarterback hurries. Despite rushing the passer on only 11.6% of his snaps in throwing situations, Ferrell is third on the team in sacks, trailing redshirt junior defensive end Mikail Kamara’s four and sixth-year senior defensive tackle James Carpenter’s three. 

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Ferrell has been a valuable run defender, making two solo tackles along with four assisted and has yet to miss a tackle in the box. He’s added two tackles for loss, which is tied for sixth on the team. 

Ferrell attributed his success to Haines, who puts the second-year defensive back in advantageous positions to make plays. But it’s up to Ferrell to finish the job and mentally handle having an assortment of responsibilities — something he believes he’s better at this season. 

“I would probably say it's not as challenging as it was last year,” Ferrell said. “The game has slowed down a lot for me just being able to play two different positions and seeing different things at the different positions.” 

The result is an ascending player who’s quickly become an integral part of the Hoosiers’ defense. 

“You see him building weekly on his successes and playing with more confidence,” Cignetti said. 

Indiana’s coaching staff saw frequent progression from Ferrell in the spring, and he carried it into fall camp. Cignetti said in late July he has high expectations for Ferrell, which includes maximizing a bright future. 

Perhaps nobody embodies the Hoosiers’ 2024 squad more than Ferrell — a talented player minimalized in 2023 who bought into a new coaching staff and is flourishing through the first month. 

Indiana (5-0) already has more victories than it did all of last season. The Hoosiers have a chance to keep stacking wins at 3:30 p.m. Saturday against Northwestern (2-2) at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Illinois. With a victory, Indiana would have its first 6-0 start since 1967 and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2020. 

And Ferrell, who lived through the lows of the program last year and is now reaping the rewards of the one-year turnaround, is ready for whatever the Wildcats throw his way — no matter where he’s lined up or what role he’s playing. 

Follow reporters Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Jhett Garrett (@jhettgarrett) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.