By Mark Pszonak
The Big Ten has always been known for dominant linebackers. That’s one of the first things someone thinks about when you mention programs like Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin and Nebraska. However, the top returning linebacker in the conference in 2025 is from a program that hopes to continue their rise into relevance.
Indiana’s Aiden Fisher is a name that every college football fan should know. He began his collegiate career at James Madison in 2022 when he finished with five tackles in 10 games. In 2023 with the Dukes he took his game to an entirely different level with 108 tackles, six tackles for loss and seven passes defended, which earned him Third-Team All-Sun Belt Conference honors.
Fisher’s life then quickly changed on November 30, 2023 when head coach Curt Cignetti made the move from James Madison to Indiana. He decided to enter the transfer portal and follow his coach to Bloomington, making a commitment on December 24th. Any doubts that Fisher wouldn’t be as successful in the Big Ten were quickly silenced as he produced several big-time performances. Overall, he finished the season with 118 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and four passes defended. This resulted in an impressive honor:
https://twitter.com/IndianaFootball/status/1869084735982665889
Not only was the season a success for Fisher, but it was also extremely memorable for the Hoosiers. While it ended abruptly with a playoff loss at Notre Dame on December 20th, Indiana did receive good news only a couple of days later when their All-American linebacker announced that he would be coming back in 2025.
https://twitter.com/theaidenfisher/status/1870978724109365656
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Fisher will be vital part of Indiana’s quest to try and stay near the top of the Big Ten. The Hoosiers once again brought in a large transfer class which can lead to some questions and concerns. Players like Fisher will be relied upon to lead the defense while helping the transfer additions get acclimated to Coach Cignetti’s system.
There is no reason to believe that Fisher won’t continue to excel in 2025. He has already proven himself to be one of the top linebackers in the Big Ten, if not the country, And by the conclusion of the 2025 season, everyone will know his name.
