Todd’s Take: The Joy Of Jailin Walker Makes Indiana’s Playoff Journey More Fun

When it comes to Indiana linebacker Jailin Walker, there’s no putting up any front about his appreciation for where he is and what he and the Hoosiers can accomplish as brothers.

Todd Golden | 4 Hours Ago

Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Jailin Walker (2) celebrates the sack of Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Ryan Browne (15) in the second half at Memorial Stadium. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – When Indiana football has a press conference, they sometimes provide a transcript of what was said. That would normally not be interesting to you in the least, but in respect to Indiana linebacker Jailin Walker? That mundane transcript goes straight to the heart of the joy that Walker brings to his work when you see his words pop off the page.

Statistics are part of lingua franca of all sports. Normally in a story on Walker, it would be pointed out that he is second among Hoosiers with 72 tackles. Or that he has nine tackles for loss. Or that he has two sacks and two interceptions.

However, to get to the heart of the person? You need that transcript and a handy word finder to understand the joy of Jailin.

The word “great” was used nine times. “Amazing” and “brother” (in relation to his teammates) popped up six times. “Love” and “best” appeared five times. “Fun” was mentioned four times.

Walker said it all with a smile on his face. While Indiana players like to project the attitude of “act like you’ve been there before,” Walker is clearly reveling in the moment of unprecedented joy that the Hoosiers’ College Football Playoff appearance is for the team and Indiana fans. Indiana opens the College Football Playoff at 8 p.m. ET on Friday when the Hoosiers visit Notre Dame.

It’s nice to listen to Walker, because while Indiana’s stay hungry mentality has taken it further than anyone could have reasonably expected, it doesn’t mean much if you don’t relish it in the moment. In that respect, Walker is a refreshing figure.

Take, for example, a question on playing for defensive coordinator Bryant Haines. It was a relatively simple question, but Walker’s answer conveyed the joy he is having in this big moment.

“I love playing with Coach Haines. Ever since I came to JMU (James Madison) as a freshman, he's high into detail. He’s a great man,” Walker said. “He just wants us to be the best man that we can be on and off the field and it shows, man. He's a great coach. I just love that man. He's a father figure because my father passed, so he's just another father figure to me and he just wants me to be the best man on and off the field.”

His linebacker teammate, Aiden Fisher, was also given the Walker treatment.

“It's amazing. Fish is my brother, too. We know (Notre Dame) has a good run offense and just be able to be linebackers. We know the game is going to be put on us,” Walker said.

And Walker loves that he’s thrust into that role. It just gives him another venue through which to pay tribute to his brother in arms.

“Just being able to lean on your brother and go out there and have fun when he's right beside you, it just feels amazing. When I’m down, he brings me up and when he’s down I bring him up. It's enjoyment to be able to be out there with your brother,” Walker said.

Indiana's Jailin Walker (2) and CJ West (8) celebrate a stop during the Indiana versus Washington football game at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 26, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Walker’s enthusiasm is not lost on the other Hoosiers. Even Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti – the epitome of the mission leader with his look-forward, don’t-look-back ways – had a smile when he sang Walker’s praises.

“I love that guy. Great guy to be around, always a smile on his face. Really good football player and a guy that came from a tough situation in Richmond (Va.) and football was his way out. And I've heard him express that a few times,” Cignetti said during a Wednesday press conference.

Walker was a star linebacker and running back at Varina High School on the south side of Richmond. He played three seasons for Cignetti at James Madison before following him to Indiana.

“I trust Cignetti and his word. He's a great coach. Every day we just know we have to listen to his way and stick to the details. Just go out there, play our game and have fun as a family,” Walker said.

That joy – it’s so infectious. And it continues to come out as more questions are asked. When it comes to conveying happiness, Walker can’t help himself; it’s just who he is.

Another example is describing his evolution from being a Group of Five recruit to playing on college football’s biggest stage in the College Football Playoff.

“It's amazing coming from being a G5 recruit, just seeing how this place can change, being able to see how a program like Indiana can change. It feels amazing to see how Coach Cignetti can build a program like this,” Walker said.

It all comes back to Walker believing in the brotherhood that being part of a football team can provide. It means everything to him, and he repays his appreciation with his effort and excellence on the field.

It also shows that not every player on the team needs to have a chip on their shoulder – something that many Hoosiers use as motivation. Nothing wrong with having that chip. It works very well for many, but it can also come off as grim and joyless. Walker goes about his business with a smile on his face that belies the devastating hits he can put on opposing ball carriers.

That Jailin Joy is more identifiable to most than the chip on the shoulder. It also makes Walker someone you want to root for.

Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Jailin Walker (2) celebrates a sack during the first quarter against the Washington Huskies at Memorial Stadium. / Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

It all comes back to that brotherhood that fills Walker’s heart. Winning certainly helps keep a brotherhood together. Winning at the rate Indiana has with an 11-1 record helps even more. But you get the feeling that Walker would still derive joy from the journey regardless. The camaraderie that comes from trying to successfully complete a mission makes it all worthwhile for Walker.

“Playing a sport you love and you know you’ve got your brothers beside you and you’re having fun, it feels amazing. It doesn’t feel like a job. It feels like a hobby, something entertaining, something you love to do. So although we’re taking the game seriously? We’re having fun with it, too. It feels great,” Walker said.

Walker’s teammates and coaches love him, too – including the man in charge.

“He's a guy I'll really miss when it's all over – and we don't plan on this being over for a while, okay?’’ Cignetti said. “But I think an awful lot of him, and he loves football.”

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