The Courier-Journal (Louisville)
IU has a Takeaway Belt from McMahon family
Yes, that McMahon family
BLOOMINGTON – Anyone paying close attention in the aftermath of Phillip Dunnam’s first-career interception Saturday against Ohio State will have noticed him bringing props into his celebration.
Dunnam stepped in front of a Kyle McCord pass midway through the second quarter of the Buckeyes’ 23-3 victory in Bloomington, corralling his first college pick before returning the ball to the IU 33-yard line. It would prompt the only Indiana score of the day, a Chris Freeman 42-yard field goal (also a career first for the Hoosiers’ kicker).
When he returned to the sideline, Dunnam had a familiarly styled championship wrestling belt waiting for him, adorned with IU logos added after the fact. Such pieces have become common in college football; Miami’s turnover chain being perhaps the most recent high-profile example.
This was not, however, a run-of-themill turnover prop. This was an authentic world champion’s belt, gifted to IU’s football program by the McMahon family.
Yes, that McMahon family. Declan McMahon is a redshirt freshman running back from Brooklyn, N.Y. He attended Poly Prep Country Day
School before walking on last season. He won scout team player of the week honors for his work in the build-up to IU’s game against Michigan.
He’s also the scion of the McMahon family. His father, Shane, is a professional wrestler and executive with WWE, and his grandfather, Vince, is perhaps the most famous and successful executive in the history of professional wrestling.
Through Declan, the McMahon family passed Indiana its “takeaway belt” — IU coach Tom Allen stands firmly against calling them turnovers — for the defense to hold up in celebration any time the Hoosiers manage to secure one.
Dunnam got the season’s first honors, managing the only takeaway Saturday for either side.
Allen will hope the belt gets plenty more use this season. By design of his aggressive, blitz-heavy defense, Indiana emphasizes the need for turnovers as a key piece of its formula for success. Allen’s 2019 team was among the Big Ten’s best in turnover margin, and the 2020 Hoosiers that finished 6-1 in Big Ten play led the conference in turnovers gained.
Those numbers have dipped in the last two seasons, the Hoosiers managing a meager 22 fumbles plus interceptions across 2021 and 2022. Allen and new co-defensive coordinator Matt Guerrieri will be intent upon seeing the WWE magic on IU’s sideline flashed much more often this fall.