Author: Mike Schumann

After watching three weeks of practice and talking with the players and coaches this month, it’s time to take a final position-by-position look at IU football ahead of the 2026 season. First up is the defensive line. THE COACHES Indiana has continuity with its defensive line coaches. Interior:  Indiana native Pat Kuntz is in his fifth season with Curt Cignetti.  He also spent two years as an IU grad assistant in 2016-17. Outside:  A Cincinnati native, Buddha Williams joined Cignetti’s staff in 2024, coming over from Colorado State. THE MAIN MEN Veterans Tyrique Tucker (6-foot, 305), Mario Landino (6-foot-4, 290)…

After Indiana lost running backs Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby following the 2025 season, snaps at the position are wide open this fall. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg surveyed coaches in every Power 4 conference as well as others from the Group of 6 ranks to identify players set to emerge during the 2026 campaign, and IU football running back Khobie Martin is one of the network’s 51 “sleeper college football players who could break out in the 2026 season.” In fact, Martin is the first player listed. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti typically won’t say much about younger, unproven players, but he’s…

Sam Alexis is not currently eligible to play for IU basketball in 2026-27. In the latest turn of events involving class of 2022 athletes seeking a fifth year of eligibility, The Tennessee Court of Appeals has issued an order staying the injunction granted to plaintiff athletes, including Alexis, pending appeal. The injunction grants a fifth year to Alexis, but the NCAA is appealing.  It’s one of multiple stays of similar injunctions obtained by the NCAA in recent days.  The stay of a federal injunction has also deemed IU football players Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt ineligible at the moment until…

A panel of five at ESPN collaborated to list the top-100 players in college football for 2026. As a clear sign of the depth of their high-end talent this year, Indiana was tied at seven with Texas Tech for the second-most players on this list after Oregon’s eight.  For IU to have more players listed than traditional conference powers like Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan seems notable. But it’s also worth noting — last year’s list did not include Heisman Trophy winner, national champion and No. 1 overall NFL Draft choice Fernando Mendoza.  So you can decide for yourself…

Trayce Jackson-Davis will probably be rooting against his alma mater on Sept. 5. His brother Tayven Jackson will be the week one starter at quarterback for the North Texas Mean Green when they come to Bloomington to kick off the 2026 season. Jackson won the starter job after a fall camp competition according to multiple reports.  He beat out East Carolina transfer Chaston Ditta and returning backup Chris Jimerson Jr. “I’m very excited,” Jackson told the Denton Chronicle Record of the season opener at IU. “I’m going back home. “I have it in the back of mind that it’s against…

The Big Ten Conference has formally taken the lead in banning former NFL players from playing football for members of the league. On Tuesday afternoon the conference put out a statement. “The Big Ten Conference announced Tuesday the unanimous adoption of a conference rule to prohibit football players who have signed a professional contract, were on a professional roster at any point or declared for the NFL Draft as an underclassman without withdrawing, from maintaining eligibility for athletic competition at a conference institution. “The conference continues to evaluate potential rules restricting professional athletes in other sports from conference competition.” CBS…

Well-known football media personality Kirk Herbstreit was one of many casting shade on Indiana following its first round loss in the 2024 College Football Playoff. Herbstreit famously said IU was “not a team that should have been on that field” following its 27-17 defeat against Notre Dame in South Bend. But Indiana went out and silenced the doubters in 2025, of course.  Among many things that were accomplished, their 16-0 national championship season unequivocally proved that the 2024 team was every bit as good as advertised, and more than worthy of a spot in that year’s CFP. Looking forward, Herbstreit…

With every new day it seems a twist or turn arrives as it relates to the eligibility of college athletes. On Tuesday morning, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on X the Big Ten is going to pass a rule that prohibits league teams from rostering players who have been in the NFL. “Sources: The Big Ten is set to pass a rule today that doesn’t allow players to return from the NFL and play for a Big Ten school,” Thamel wrote.  “Anyone who has declared for the NFL Draft and did not withdraw, appeared on an NFL roster or signed a…

IU basketball announced its full nonconference schedule for the 2026-27 season. Here are the 12 games the Hoosiers will play outside of Big Ten action: Nov. 2, 2026:  vs. Eastern Illinois, at Bloomington Nov. 5, 2026:  vs. Bellarmine, at Bloomington Nov. 9, 2026:  vs. Syracuse, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis Nov. 12, 2026:  vs. Tennessee Tech, at Bloomington Nov. 17, 2026:  vs. Arkansas, at Madison Square Garden, New York Nov. 20, 2026: vs. Kentucky, at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis Nov. 24, 2026:  vs. Jacksonville, at Bloomington Nov. 27, 2026:  vs. Bowling Green, at Bloomington Dec. 6, 2026:  vs. Western Illinois, at…

The viral moments started before Curt Cignetti showed up in Bloomington. Did you know — in his last season at James Madison, Cignetti took the video replay review process into his own hands? Literally. On Sept. 23, 2023, Utah State scored a touchdown on a fake field goal against JMU to the delight of the home crowd. But Cignetti thought Aggies kicker Elliott Nimrod had stepped out-of-bounds and had the play reviewed. 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗸𝗲 🤝 𝗔𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 x @USUFootball 📺 MWN #AtThePeak | #MWFB | #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/ZnDQrRfxxo — Mountain West (@MountainWest) September 24, 2023 The referees went to the…