Thank You Seniors: The Secondary

Jacob Thieneman: The former walk on turned into a star. While he has to sit out the final three games of the season with a staph infection, he has been more than what any of us could have dreamed of.

Last season and this season, he has been one of the leading tackler, often coming down to play in the box as an extra linebacker. Jacob has been fantastic, no one thought he would become a starter, but he molded himself into a great safety, one of the best in the conference. Thank you, Jacob.

Tim Cason: Cason has been a solid back up and special teams player for the entirety of his career. He has been through ups and downs as a Boilermaker. Many thought he would be the next great corner or safety when he enrolled as a freshman. While that didn’t pan out, he still has been a great contributor to our university.

Antonio Blackmon: Another walk on that has turned into a full time starter. Blackmon has risen to the challenge that Coach Holt has put on him. Many times, he is in man coverage, alone, with no help over the top.

Time and time again, he has made plays to stop a touchdown. The most memorable was twice during Ohio State, when they thought they had a mismatch. The Indiana native has made a great career here, turning from a practice player, to special teams to a full time starter.

Kamal Hardy: Hardy, a Juco transfer has given us meaningful play in the last two seasons. He has been listed as a back up corner for the past two years. Kamal has the experience to be a solid back up and could be a starter if need be.

Coming from a Junior College is sometimes a difficult road, but Kamal has been great when he plays on defense or on special teams. Thank you, Kamal!