Inge and IU Coach Kevin Wilson watched the freshman linebacker at Colerain High School in Cincinnati last September.
Inge watches thousands of plays in a given year, but Scales’ relentlessness in one particular sequence still holds fresh in his mind.
“We saw him miss a play,” Inge said. “He was on the ground. He was up so fast and made the tackle that people barely knew he was on the ground.”
That’s when Inge said he had found the player he wanted.
Scales came to IU with high potential after being recruited by the likes of Ohio State and Notre Dame, and he’s already proven why schools were interested.
Through four games, Scales has 19 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup. He was also named Big Ten co-Freshman of the Week after IU’s 31-27 win against Missouri.
But ironically enough, it was a different Wilson who was the first to key in on Scales’ talent in high school.
Cliff Wilson, Kevin’s father, joined Inge and Kevin on the recruiting trip to watch Scales play, too.
After a few plays, the elder Wilson gave his son a piece of advice.
“He said, ‘You need that guy,’” Wilson recalled. “My dad became Tegray’s personal recruiter.”
Scales and Cliff Wilson still talk regularly.
They spent some time together at practice last week and have formed a friendship from that day.
“Ever since he came to the game, we created a bond,” Scales said. “I like him a whole bunch. Every time I see him we talk for a bit, just about football.”
Scales fits the mold for a new brand of Hoosier linebackers who haven’t had a member drafted to the NFL since Joe Norman in 1979.
The former high school wrestling standout who was once ranked 13th in the nation as a senior says he’s a bit undersized for his position.
His 6-foot, 208-pound frame is more commonly seen from safeties than linebackers.
He said his lack of size makes it tougher to get past offensive linemen but was quick to add that his lightness makes him quicker and more difficult to beat in space.
Inge said it’s that versatility that helped him earn playing time so quickly.
He’s fast enough to be able to drop back into coverage or fly around the line of scrimmage and create chaos in IU’s new-look 3-4 defense.
When Scales does reach the ball carrier, his wrestling instincts take over.
“It’s a one-on-one match,” Scales said. “I’ve got to defeat my opponent on the other side. Wrestling helps you with leverage and body control. I think that shows due to the fact that I’m undersized, but I’m still able to make tackles.”
Scales said he’s still playing slower than he’d like to as he becomes more acquainted with IU’s system.
Sophomore TJ Simmons said during camp, Scales didn’t always know the formations or defensive plan. But by the time the play ended, Scales seemed to always have the ball.
“He may not be the greatest just yet of understanding the scheme, but he understands football,” Inge said. “He’s got a knack for finding the football, and I don’t want to take that away from him.”
Scales says despite being a rotational linebacker, he still sees himself as a special teams player first and foremost.
Inge said Scales is still operating on instinct during plays, which is fine for now. But as he continues to develop, he’s only expecting Scales to make more plays on Saturdays.
“When you get an opportunity, you have to show your value on the field, and he’s been able to do that thus far,” Inge said. “We’ve been happy with what we’re getting out of Tegray.”
