'I just grabbed the ball and ran': Jonathan Brady's backyard instincts fuel 91-yard punt return, ignite Indiana win

When Jonathan Brady fields a punt, his mind doesn’t stay in the stadium. It drifts back to Los Angeles, where as a kid he cut across backyards, dodged friends on cracked pavement and chased the thrill of open space. Football, then and now, was simple: catch the ball, trust your legs and run until somebody brings you down.

On Saturday night, in his first game wearing cream and crimson, those instincts carried Indiana when it needed them most.

With the Hoosiers trailing 7-0 late in the first quarter of their season opener, Brady scooped up a bouncing punt at his own 9-yard line, streaked across the field, turned the corner up the right sideline and sprinted 91 yards untouched for a touchdown — the longest punt return of his football career.

What began as a dangerous decision deep in his own territory became the exact spark Indiana needed in a 27-14 victory over Old Dominion.

“I just grabbed the ball and ran,” Brady said after the game.

MORE: Quick Hitters: Indiana wins opener against Old Dominion

The play developed in chaotic fashion. Old Dominion punter Ian Brandt’s kick took a favorable hop at the Indiana 19, bouncing toward Brady as he backpedaled. Brady initially thought it was slowing down, but then came what he described as a “perfect” bounce into his hands between the hashmarks and the numbers near the left-side sideline.

With two Monarchs within five yards, Brady darted laterally, crossing the field before planting and exploding up the sideline. A convoy of blockers — including key seals from Isaiah Jones and Lee Beebe Jr. — cleared the way.

By midfield, Brady had just one defender to beat. Once he did, Memorial Stadium erupted.

“I saw a whole bunch of red jerseys set up a convoy for me, and I was just like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to the crib,’” Brady said. “There was a lot of green grass and I just took it.”

The Hoosiers needed it. Indiana had stumbled out of the gates, surrendering a 75-yard touchdown run to Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph on the first snap of the game. The Hoosiers’ offense followed with a turnover on downs inside the Monarchs’ 5-yard line and a fumble on the next possession. The uneasiness was palpable until Brady’s return electrified the stadium.

“You could tell the fans were ready to erupt,” Brady said. “It was exciting to be a part of — getting the juice going.”

Running back Roman Hemby didn’t hesitate to call the moment a turning point in the game.

“Perfect timing. It was everything we needed in that moment,” Hemby said. “It was a great way for us to steal momentum.”

From there, Indiana rolled off 27 unanswered points, flipping the game on its head. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza settled in to lead the offense, while the defense stiffened after its rocky start. But it was special teams — often overlooked — that provided the first and most critical blow of the game.

SEE ALSO: Coach Q&A: Curt Cignetti talks Indiana’s season opening win over Old Dominion

Brady had returned punts in 2023 at New Mexico State but handled none during his lone season at Cal. This fall in Bloomington, when Indiana opened up competition for the role, Brady stepped forward. The practice reps shook off any rust, preparing him for the pressure of live action.

“He catches the ball well and makes good decisions,” Cignetti said on why Brady won the starting job.

Brady admitted not every detail of the return stuck with him — adrenaline blurred some of it. But one thing was clear: the elation he was overcome with when he crossed the goal line.

“I pretty much blacked out,” Brady recalled with a grin.

The Hoosiers won because their defense settled down and their offense eventually found a bit of a rhythm. But their night truly turned on one backyard-style sprint by a newcomer who trusted his instincts.

For Brady, it was no different than being a kid again in Los Angeles, running with the ball in his hands, fueled by open space and possibility. Only this time, instead of neighborhood fences, the finish line was a college football end zone — and the payoff was a season-opening spark Indiana desperately needed.

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